Sunday, July 20, 2008

Acerrima Odia

"Acerrima proximorum odia" - Tacitus
I read this as,
'The most bitterly hostile hatred is that of those who are closest.'

"...atque interim unaetvicensima legio Vindonissa, Sextilius Felix cum
auxiliariis cohortibus per Raetiam inrupere; accessit ala Singularium
excita olim a Vitellio, deinde in partis Vespasiani transgressa.
praeerat Iulius Briganticus sorore Civilis genitus, ut ferme acerrima
proximorum odia sunt, invisus avunculo infensusque." - Tacitus, Hist.4:70

http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/tac/h04070.htm translates this
passage: "Meanwhile the 21st legion, by way of Vindonissa, and
Sextilius Felix with the auxiliary infantry, by way of Rhaetia,
penetrated into the province. They were joined by the Singularian
Horse, which had been raised some time before by Vitellius, and had
afterwards gone over to the side of Vespasian. Their commanding
officer was Julius Briganticus. He was sister's son to Civilis, and he
was hated by his uncle and hated him in return with all the extreme
bitterness of a family feud."

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