§16data rursus potestas tribunicia in quinquennium, delegatus pacandae Germaniae status, Parthorum legati mandatis Augusto Romae redditis eum quoque adire in prouincia iussi.
The tribunician power was given to him again for five years, the task of pacifying Germany was assigned to him, and the envoys of the Parthians, having delivered their instructions to Augustus in Rome, were ordered to visit him also in his province.
sed nuntiata Illyrici defectione transiit ad curam noui belli, quod grauissimum omnium externorum bellorum post Punica, per quindecim legiones paremque auxiliorum copiam triennio gessit in magnis omnium rerum difficultatibus summaque frugum inopia.
But when the defection of Illyricum was reported, he transferred his attention to the care of a new war, which was the most serious of all foreign wars since the Punic wars, and which he conducted for three years with fifteen legions and an equal force of auxiliaries, amid great difficulties in all matters and an extreme scarcity of provisions.
et quanquam saepius reuocaretur, tamen perseuerauit, metuens ne uicinus et praeualens hostis instaret ultro cedentibus.
And although he was recalled rather frequently, he nevertheless persevered, fearing lest a neighboring and powerful enemy should press upon them if they retreated voluntarily.
ac perseuerantiae grande pretium tulit, toto Illyrico, quod inter Italiam regnumque Noricum et Thraciam et Macedoniam interque Danuuium flumen et sinum maris Hadriatici patet, perdomito et in dicionem redacto.
And he reaped a grand reward for his perseverance, since the whole of Illyricum—which extends between Italy, the kingdom of Noricum, Thrace, Macedonia, the Danube river, and the gulf of the Adriatic sea—was thoroughly subdued and reduced under Roman dominion.
§17cui gloriae amplior adhuc ex oportunitate cumulus accessit.
To this glory a still larger measure of honor was added by opportunity.
nam sub id fere tempus Quintilius Varus cum tribus legionibus in Germania periit, nemine dubitante quin uictores Germani iuncturi se Pannoniis fuerint, nisi debellatum prius Illyricum esset.
For around that very time Quintilius Varus perished in Germany with three legions, and no one doubted that the victorious Germans would have joined forces with the Pannonians if Illyricum had not been subdued beforehand.
quas ob res triumphus ei decretus est multique et magni honores.
For these reasons a triumph was decreed to him, along with many great honors.
censuerunt etiam quidam ut Pannonicus, alii ut Inuictus, nonnulli ut Pius cognominaretur. sed de cognomine intercessit Augustus, eo contentum repromittens, quod se defuncto suscepturus esset.
Some proposed that he should be named "Pannonicus," others "Invictus," and some "Pius." But Augustus vetoed the cognomen, promising in return that he would be content with the name he was to assume after his own death.
triumphum ipse distulit maesta ciuitate clade Variana; nihilo minus urbem praetextatus et laurea coronatus intrauit positumque in Saeptis tribunal senatu astante conscendit ac medius inter duos consules cum Augusto simul sedit; unde populo consalutato circum templa deductus est.
Tiberius himself deferred his triumph, since the state was in mourning due to the Varian disaster; nevertheless, wearing the toga praetexta and crowned with laurel, he entered the city, ascended the tribunal placed in the Saepta while the senate stood by, and sat down together with Augustus, midway between the two consuls; from there, having greeted the people, he was escorted around the temples.
§18Proximo anno repetita Germania cum animaduerteret Varianam cladem temeritate et neglegentia ducis accidisse, nihil non de consilii sententia egit; semper alias sui arbitrii contentusque se uno, tunc praeter consuetudinem cum compluribus de ratione belli communicauit.
In the following year, having returned to Germany, when he noticed that the Varian disaster had occurred through the rashness and negligence of the commander, he did nothing except in accordance with the opinion of the council; though at all other times he was of his own judgment and content with himself alone, he then, contrary to custom, communicated with several people about the conduct of the war.
curam quoque solito exactiorem praestitit.
He also showed more exact care than usual.
traiecturus Rhenum commeatum omnem ad certam formulam adstrictum non ante transmisit, quam consistens apud ripam explorasset uehiculorum onera, ne qua deportarentur nisi concessa aut necessaria.
When he was about to cross the Rhine, he did not allow any provisions, which were restricted to a fixed measure, to cross over before he, standing on the bank, had inspected the loads of the vehicles, lest anything should be carried across except what was permitted or necessary.
trans Rhenum uero eum uitae ordinem tenuit, ut sedens in caespite nudo cibum caperet, saepe sine tentorio pernoctaret, praecepta sequentis diei omnia, et si quid subiti muneris iniungendum esset, per libellos daret; addita monitione ut, de quo quisque dubitaret, se nec alio interprete quacumque uel noctis hora uteretur.
Beyond the Rhine, indeed, he maintained such a rule of life that he took his food sitting on the bare turf, often spent the night without a tent, and gave all instructions for the following day, as well as any sudden duty to be imposed, in writing; he added a warning that, whatever anyone might doubt about, they should apply to him at any hour of the night, without any other intermediary.
§19disciplinam acerrime exegit animaduersionum et ignominiarum generibus ex antiquitate repetitis atque etiam legato legionis, quod paucos milites cum liberto suo trans ripam uenatum misisset, ignominia notato.
He exacted discipline most severely, having revived types of punishments and ignominy from antiquity, and even branding a legate of a legion with ignominy because he had sent a few soldiers with his freedman to hunt across the riverbank.
proelia, quamuis minimum fortunae casibusque permitteret, aliquanto constantius inibat, quotiens lucubrante se subito ac nullo propellente decideret lumen et extingueretur, confidens, ut aiebat, ostento sibi a maioribus suis in omni ducatu expertissimo.
He entered battles, although he allowed very little to fortune and chance, with somewhat greater confidence whenever, as he was working late at night, the light suddenly fell and was extinguished without anyone shaking it; trusting, as he said, in a portent experienced by his ancestors in all their commands.
sed re prospere gesta non multum afuit quin a Bructero quodam occideretur, cui inter proximos uersanti et trepidatione detecto tormentis expressa confessio est cogitati facinoris.
But when the campaign had been successfully conducted, he was not far from being killed by a certain Bructeran, who, having been discovered among his close attendants and detected by his trembling, had a confession of his intended crime wrung from him by torture.
§20a Germania in urbem post biennium regressus triumphum, quem distulerat, egit prosequentibus etiam legatis, quibus triumphalia ornamenta impetrarat.
Returning from Germany to the city after two years, he celebrated the triumph which he had deferred, with those legates also accompanying him for whom he had obtained triumphal ornaments.
ac prius quam in Capitolium flecteret, descendit e curru seque praesidenti patri ad genua summisit.
And before he turned towards the Capitol, he descended from his chariot and threw himself at the knees of his father who was presiding.
Batonem Pannonium ducem ingentibus donatum praemiis Rauennam transtulit, gratiam referens, quod se quondam cum exercitu iniquitate loci circumclusum passus esset euadere.
He transferred Bato, the Pannonian leader, to Ravenna after presenting him with huge rewards, returning gratitude because Bato had once allowed him to escape when he was shut in with his army by the disadvantage of the terrain.
prandium dehinc populo mille mensis et congiarium trecenos nummos uiritim dedit.
After this, he gave a banquet to the people at a thousand tables and a congiarium of three hundred sesterces per man.
dedicauit et Concordiae aedem, item Pollucis et Castoris suo fratrisque nomine de manubiis.
He also dedicated the temple of Concord, as well as that of Pollux and Castor, in his own name and that of his brother, from the spoils of war.