Matheson Collection > Cornelli Taciti annalium

BOOK XIII. CH. 35, § 4 — CH. 39, § i
Antiochum: see ch. 7.
praefecturas, 'departments,' for purposes of military organiza-
tion ; there were 120 of these in Armenia. The word is also
apphed in Ann. xi 8 to the divisions of Parthia,
§ 3. Pharasmanes : King of Iberia, to whom Rhadamistus fled
on his escape from Armenia, ch. 6.
quasi proditore : he now thought it pohtic to disavow Rhada-
mistus whom he had previously supported.
quo, &c. ; dependent on ' exerc'ebat.'
§ 4. Moschi : at the SE. corner of the Euxine, about the sources
of the Phasis.
soeia : referring probably to assistance rendered by them to
Trajan in Tacitus' own time.
incursavit : attracted into the sing, by the intervention of
*gens ' in apposition to ' Moschi.'
beneficiis : favours from Rome ; vetere, ' long standing.'
§ 5. ideo, &c., ' for this reason only had Vologeses as yet made no
movement, that they preferred to negociate rather than take violent
action.'
Arsaeidis, (dat. plur. of the patronymic), ' the house of Arsaces,'
founder of the royal house of Parthia, c. 250 B. c.
saepius . . . clade : referring to the defeat of Crassus 53 B, c,
and of Antonius in 36 B. C.
§ 6. Hyi'cania was at the SE. angle of the Caspian.
suadet adgredi : see Intr. II 31.
posse, &c., ' he might set his kingdom on a secure basis and
avoid bloodshed if, abandoning remote and distant possibilities, he
would follow the better policy immediately open to him.'
Ch. 38, § I. in summam pacis, ' towards the general result
of peace.'
ipsorum, ' the generals themselves.'
§ 2. dum, 'provided that.'
in faciem, ' so as to give the appearance of.'
§ 3. ideo, &c., ' (it was clear) that a small number was suggested
on the side of the Parthians and a larger on that of the Romans,
for the very purpose of arranging a treacherous attack.'
equiti, with 'obicerentur '; profuturam, sc. ' Romanis.'
§ 5. colles, &c., ' hills rising gently up (suitably) for the recep-
tion of the infantry lines.' aecipiendis, dat. of purpose, varied in
the next clause by ' ad ' with accus.
§ 6. regum : Antiochus and Agrippa, ch. 7.
pro cornibus, ' at the extremity of each wing.'
sextam: from Syria, ch. 35.
tertianorum : men of the third legion.
quasi, &c., ' as if there were but one legion in sight.'
Ch. 39, § I. fraudem, ' an attack.'
Pontico, &c., ' coming by way of the Euxine and from Trapezus,'
the modern Trebizond, from which point the land transport would
begin. Trapezus was a flourishing port when the Ten Thousand
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