#LatinForTheDay - 10 May

Picking up after a break with Tacitus on Sejanus!

"Corpus illi laborum tolerans, animus audax; sui obtegens, in alios criminator; iuxta adulatio et superbia; palam compositus pudor, intus summa apiscendi libido, eiusque causa modo largitio et luxus...

"...saepius industria ac vigilantia, haud minus noxiae, quotiens parando regno finguntur."

Tacitus, Annals 4.1.3

"He had a body that was able to withstand toil, a mind that was daring; while he concealed his own crimes, he 'revealed' those of others;...

"...sycophancy sat side by side with arrogance. While appearing calm and composed outside, inside he lusted to acquire supremacy, and for that reason there was lavishness and luxury, but more often industry and vigilance - no less harmful when steered toward winning kingship."

Ah, Sejanus... probably one of my favourite figures from the early Principate - and Tacitus doesn't hang around in immediately painting him as a villain, dubbing him the cause and reason for fortune turning against Tiberius (Annals 4.1.1).

The Image at the head of this thread is an As of AD 31 from Bilbilis (Hispania Tarraconensis) with a Reverse celebrating Sejanus.

RPC 398/8; British Museum (1951,1006.20). Link - https://rpc.ashmus.ox.ac.uk/coins/1/398 

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