The annals of Tacitus

128 NOTES
' at the most crowded hour of the day.' For the syntax cf. xiv 2
medio did. P.F. says :
28. eaque...obiciebantiir, '
Ill pressions.'
' in the most crowded part of the Forum.'
these schemes, though scorned by
them, were laid to their charge, as if they were concocting them. '
68
2. incessit. Cf. xv 37 tenehrae incedebant.
tracto, an aorist participl e,—' by the dragging of a knight in to
prison.'
5. .iftcta^or doml. '
their visitor at home.'
' 7. grauis iniquis , a terror to wrong-doers .'
' 8. praetura functi, ex-praetors .' Cf. c. 56 e praetoriis.
./^9. cupidine consulatu^ . E. has a useful note — : ' The motive
here assigned gives the key to many of the prosecutions of this
time. Apart from any special desire to curry favour with Sejanus,
every ex-praetor was burning to gain the consulship. As in days
of yore, the necessary distinction could only be gained by oratory ;
and the only field for oratory, as well as the only avenue to
imperial favour, lay through conducting prosecutions in the
law-courts.'
' 12. medico usu , slipht acquaintance .'
strueret dolum, ' haicn ihe plot. ' Contrast the use of the
verb at the end of c. 67. ''€^jl^J^tU^St,.^B(^^^-tt.u,Ajk^''
14. lacere . . sermones .
c. 71.
' was lettmg fall some casual ex- i
15. floreiitis,..adflictam. We have the same antithesis in
16. lioiiora...disserel)at, 'he made sonje corm)limentary i / ^>remarks.'
"