Matheson Collection > Cornelli Taciti annalium

BOOK XIV. CH. 18, § I — CH. 21, §§ i-8
exercendo : taken by zeugma with ' gymnasia ' in the sense of
'frequentando.' Cf. xiii 35, 7. For ab1. see Intr. II 22 (b).
§ 6. quid superesse, &c. : the games included gymnastic con-
tests of all sorts, but hitherto noble Romans took part in the
' musical' competitions only.
§ 7. iustitlam auctum iri : for Med. 'ius titia augurii.'
decurias equitum : i. e. the ' decuriae iudicum,' the latter con-
sisting practically entirely of ' equites.'
fractos : effeminate, falsetto, perite, ' like experts.'
Ch. 21, § I. pluribus, 'the majority.'
praetendebant, ' disguised it under specious phrases.'
§ 2. quoque non = 'ne . . . quidem.' obleetamentis : ablat.
pro fortuna, &c., ' in proportion to the wealth of the times.'
a Tuscis : in 364 B. c. Cf Livy vii 2-.
Thurii was founded near the site of Sybaris by colonists from all
parts of Greece, but especially from Athens, in 443 B. c. Tacitus
follows an otherwise unknown tradition, opposite to that of Livy
(i 35), who states that horse-racing was introduced into Rome
from Etruria in the days of Tarquinius Priscus.
possessa, 'taken under dominion.' Achaia became a Roman
province after the fall of Corinth, 146 B.C., as did Asia after the
capture of Aristonicus, 129 B.C.
curatius, ' more elaborately ' ( = ' accuratius ' : see alsoxvi 22, 6).
nee quemquam, &c., 'and no one at Rome of noble birth had
stooped to become a professional player.' Previous appearances
of senators and knights (as in ch. 14) are counted as amateur
performances.
Mummii : the conqueror of Corinth,
id genus: Greek performances, more especially those of the
stage, for Greek athletes had been exhibited at Rome in the games
given by M. Fulvius Nobilior, 186 B.C.
§ 3. quani = ' quam ut.' Cf, xiii 42, 8,
§ 4, perinde, ' as much ' (as formerly). The argument is, now
that the people had the Neronia, the expense of which was borne
by the treasury, they would not expect elaborate spectacles, in-
cluding Greek contests, to be given by the magistrates at personal
expense.
§ 5, vatum, 'poets.' grave, 'degrading,' 'demoralising.'
§ 6, laetitiae, ' merriment.' laseiviae, ' profligacy.'
§ 7. ac, &c., ' there was hardly even a moderate amount of excite-
ment roused in the populace.'
quamquam : following ' redditi,' by anastrophe.
redditi: the expulsion of the ' histriones ' is mentioned in
xiii 25, 4.
certaminibus sacris : the Neronia. The phrase is an imita-
tion of (e,)0( (i)&jrfs-, the term applied to the Greek festivals.
§ 8. primas : sc. ' partes,' ' the first prize for oratory.' The prize
was awarded to Nero though he had not delivered a speech in
the competition.
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