[435] Thrasea, Helvidius’
father-in-law, was an honoured
member
of the Stoic opposition who had been executed by Nero
A.D.
66. Here Vitellius is posing as an ordinary senator.
If
he
had opposed so distinguished a man as Thrasea, why
should
not
Helvidius oppose him? Thrasea’s end gives
the remark a
slightly
sinister tone.
[436] See note 346.
[437] A patron apparently
could claim support from his
freedmen
if he was in want, as these restored exiles certainly
were,
since their property had been confiscated and was
irrecoverable.
In exile they had of course lost their rights.
[438] This probably includes bathing as well as drinking.
[439] Since Tiberius there
had been only nine, and Vespasian
restored
that number.
[440] See i. 6.
[441] Probably September 24. He was 54.
[442] Cp. i. 37, 49.
[443] About nine million pounds. Not to be taken too literally.
[444] Valens.
[445] Governor of Moesia (see chap. 85).
[446] See chap. 67.
[447] He had been left to guard the Rhine.
[448] See chap. 57. The revolt of Civilis was soon to break out.
[449] See chap. 65.
[450] Cluvius Rufus was governing
the Tarragona division from
Rome
(chap. 65). Lusitania was under a praetorian legate.
Baetica
was a senatorial province with no troops.
[451] See i. 7 and 11.
[452] He had succeeded Clodius
Macer in command of the Third
Augusta,
and in virtue of that command governed Numidia (see
i.
7).
[453] These ‘annual’
winds blew steadily and gently from July
20
for a month.
[454] Vespasian’s brother.
[455] In Lower Germany.
[456] Only two legions went to Cremona (see iii. 14).
[457] Ostiglia.
[458] Padua.
[459] e.g. Cluvius
Rufus (cp. i. 8), the elder Pliny (cp. iii. 28),
and
Vipstanus Messala (cp. iii, 9, 25, 28).
[460] i.e. at Hostilia, coming back from Padua.
Oxford: Horace Hart, Printer to the University
* * * * *
TACITUS
THE HISTORIES
TRANSLATED WITH INTRODUCTION AND NOTES
BY
W. HAMILTON FYFE
FELLOW OF MERTON COLLEGE
IN TWO VOLUMES
VOLUME II
OXFORD
AT THE CLARENDON PRESS
1912
HENRY FROWDE
PUBLISHER TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
LONDON, EDINBURGH, NEW YORK
TORONTO AND MELBOURNE