Stylistic Features 24-36 Flashcards
N.B
Forward several months. Meanwhile rebel uprising of Trinobantes and iceni and others (led by Boudica) had sacked Colchester, London and St Albans as well as killing 2,000 men of 9th legion
all in all about 80,000 Romans and allies were killed
Suetonio erant quarta decima legio
Tacitus now lists troops mustered and their arrangements to take on this dangerous + rebellious army. Very precise w/ details - similar to roman army
Vexillariis vicensimae
Alliterative similar sounds mirror neat units of roman army
Decem ferme milia armatorum
Relatively small force f(10,000) compared to (100,000) rebels.
Could have also been second legion stationed at Exeter but prefect of this region had declined Suetonius’ appeals to join him. He committed suicide shortly after,
Contendere et acie congredi parat
Similar sounds of con, despite dificultes. Suetonius = single minded and determined to get to the problem and sort it out
parat, eligitque
HISTORIC PRESENT - Suetonius’ decisive decision
locum angustis facibus et a tergo silvis clausum
Place chosen by Suetonius was probs end of a wide valley, only protection was a narrow wooded defile. This is clever as Britons could not use superior number of men as an advantage
Thought to be just off Watling street, near atherstone in Warwickshire
apertam esse planitiem sine metu insidiarum
Apertam (open) is opposite of clausum (closed) on previous line. Both words show advantages that Romans now had
Igitur legionarii… adstiterunt
Asyndeton. Conveys the close arrangement of legionaries, light armed troops and cavalry and this is reinforced by the adjectives frequentes (crowded) and conglobati (massed together)
at britannorum copiae passim…exultabant
Contrasting with the orderly calm of the roman troops is the wild disorder of the Britons. Clearly the Britons tactics contrast strongly with the Romans’ discipline
Catervas et turmas exultabant, tanta multitudo quanta
Alliteration of letter ‘t’ suggesting din of clattering weapons. Tacitus gives us no numbers for Britons, but tanta multitudo emphasises imposible to count
Coniuges quoque testes victoria secum traherent
Such was the overconfidence of the Britons that they dragged their wives along to act ‘as witnesses’ of their anticipated victory
Plaustrisque imponerent…planitiem posuerant
Alliteration of ‘p’ helps the idea that the Britons had plugged up their escape route with all their vehicles.
Background
Suetonius had been busy in north wales dealing w Druids.
Marched back as quick as poss, and decided to abandon the town after knowing what happened to 9th legion. Told people to join him. People that stayed (wives + children etc) were killed when Boudica arrived as they were pro-roman.
at
- Contrasting word showing the juxtaposition of the Romans and Britons
- between the two clauses describing the two sides
