Tacitus Annals 15.49; 56.3-4; 58.1; 70.1; 71

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M = reading of the whole MS tradition
m = reading of part of the MS tradition
P = reading on a papyrus
 

15 [49] initium coniurationi non a cupidine ipsius fuit; nec tamen facile memorauerim, quis primus auctor, cuius instinctu concitum sit quod tam multi sumpserunt. promptissimos Subrium Flauum Flauum corr. Bekker: flauium mss. tribunum praetoriae cohortis et Sulpicium Asprum centurionem extitisse constantia exitus docuit. et Lucanus Annaeus Plautiusque Lateranus [consul designatus] [consul designatus] Wuilleumer uiuida odia intulere. Lucanum propriae causae accendebant, quod famam carminum eius premebat Nero prohibueratque ostentare, uanus adsimulatione: Lateranum, consulem designatum, nulla iniuria, sed amor rei publicae sociauit. at Flauius Scaeuinus et Afranius Quintianus, uterque senatorii ordinis, contra famam sui principium tanti facinoris capessiuere: nam Scaeuino dissoluta luxu mens et proinde uita somno languida; Quintianus mollitia corporis infamis et a Nerone probroso carmine diffamatus contumeliam ultum ibat.

56 [3]... tum cognito Natalis indicio Scaeuinus quoque pari imbecillitate, an cuncta iam patefacta credens nec ullum silentii emolumentum, edidit ceteros. [4] ex quibus Lucanus Quintianusque et Senecio diu abnuere: post promissa impunitate corrupti, quo tarditatem excusarent, Lucanus Aciliam matrem suam, Quintianus Glitium Gallum, Senecio Annium Pollionem, amicorum praecipuos nominauere.

58 [1] non enim omittebant Lucanus quoque et Senecio et Quintianus passim conscios edere, magis magisque pauido Nerone, quamquam multiplicatis excubiis semet saepsisset.

70 [1] exim Annaei exim Annaei Ritter: ex immane na et uel sim. M Lucani caedem imperat. is profluente sanguine ubi frigescere pedes manusque et paulatim ab extremis cedere spiritum feruido adhuc et compote mentis pectore intellegit, recordatus carmen a se compositum, quo uulneratum militem per eius modi mortis imaginem obisse tradiderat, uersus ipsos rettulit, eaque illi suprema uox fuit.

71 [5] Acilia mater Annaei Lucani sine absolutione, sine supplicio dissimulata.

49 The conspiracy did not originate in Piso’s personal ambition; and yet I could not easily recall who its first author was, or at whose instigation came the call to action which so many people took up. That its keenest supporters proved to be Subrius Flavus, the tribune of the praetorian cohort, and Sulpicius Asper, a centurion, was learned by their resolve in facing death; and Lucanus Annaeus and Plautius Lateranus [consul designate] both brought to it impassioned hatred. Lucan had his own reasons inflaming him, since Nero, vainly trying to rival Lucan, was trying to suppress the fame of his poems, and had forbidden him public exposure. As for Lateranus, the consul designate, it was not injustice but love for the state which made him an ally. Flavius Scaevinus and Afranius Quintianus, each of senatorial rank, belied their reputations in seizing principal roles in so great an enterprise. For Scaevinus’ mental powers had been weakened by his excesses, and he therefore led a life of sleepy indolence; Quintianus was infamous for his physical softness, and, insulted by Nero in an abusive poem, was setting out to avenge the humiliation.

56 [3] Then, after learning Natalis’ disclosure, Scaevinus with equal feebleness — or thinking that everything had already been revealed and that silence would do no good — gave the others away. [4] Of these, Lucan, Quintianus and Senecio denied their guilt for a long time. Later, bribed with the promise of impunity and to make excuses for their slowness, Lucan named his own mother, Acilia, while Quintianus and Senecio gave up their best friends, Glitius and Gallus and Annius Pollio respectively.

58 [1] For Lucan, too, and Senecio and Quintianus, did not fail to give up their accomplices willy-nilly, while Nero grew more and more frightened, despite having doubled up the guards with which he surrounded himself.

70 [1] Nero then ordered the slaughter of Annaeus Lucan. As the blood flowed, Lucan felt his hands and feet grow cold and life gradually slip away from his extremities. But his breast was still warm and in control of his mind, and he remembered a poem he had composed in which he had represented a wounded soldier dying a similar kind of death. He recited those very verses: they were his last words.

71 [5] Acilia, Lucan’s mother, with no acquittal and no punishment, was simply forgotten.

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