_Quodque--satiatus_. _And what was a proof of some cruel purpose, wholly absorbed in his retirement_ (where he never plotted any thing but mischief, and where in early life he is said to have amused himself with killing flies, Suet. Dom. 3). Cf. Plin. Panegyr. 48: nec unquam ex solitudine sua prodeuntem, nisi ut solitudinem faceret. The whole passage in Pliny is a graphic picture of the same tyrant, the workings of whose heart are here so laid bare by the pen of Pliny's friend Tacitus. _Secreto--satiatus_ may also be translated: _satisfied with his own secret_, i.e. keeping to himself his cherished hatred and jealousy.-- _Languesceret_. Subj. after _donec_. Cf. note, G. 37: _affectavere_. _Reponere odium_. See lexicon under _repono_ for this phrase. _Impetus--exercitus_. _Until the freshness of his glory, and his popularity with the army should gradually decline_. _Etiam tum obtinebat_, i.e. he was still in _possession of the government_, and of course in command of the army, in Britain. XL. _Triumphalia ornamenta_. Not a real triumph, which from the reign of Augustus was conceded only to the Emperor or the princes of the Imperial Family; but triumphal insignia, such as the _corona, laurea, toga praetexta, tunica palmata, sella curulis_, &c. Dr. _Illustris statuae_. Called _laureata_, Ann. 4, 23; _triumphalis_, His. 1, 79. _Quidquid datur_. Besides the _ornamenta_ above mentioned, sacrifices and thanksgivings were offered in the name of the victorious commander. Dr. _Addique_. Al. additque. _Addique_ is the reading of the MSS. and old editions. And it suits better the genius of Dom.; he did not express the _opinionem_ himself, for it was not his real intention, but he _ordered_ some one to put it in circulation as if from him, that he might have the credit of it and yet not be bound by it.--_Destinari_, sc. by Domitian. _Majoribus reservatam_. _Majoribus_==illustrioribus. Syria was the richest province in the Empire, and the praefectship of it the most honorable office. _Ex secretioribus ministeriis_. _One of his private secretaries, or confidential agents_. _Codicillos_. Under the Emperors this word is used to denote an imperial letter or diploma. Properly a billet, diminutive of _codex_, tablet (==_caudex_, trunk of a tree). _Syria dabatur_. Syria was one of the Provinces, that were at the disposal of the Emperor. _Ex ingenio principis_. _In accordance with_ (cf. _ex_, G. 7) _the_ (dissimulating) _genius or policy of Domitian_. The design, if not real, at least imputed to him, was to withdraw Agricola from his province and his troops at all events, by the offer of the best province in the Empire if need be; but that object having been secured by Agricola's voluntary retirement, the offer, and even the ordinary civilities of life, especially official life, were deemed unnecessary. Compare this with the concluding sentence of the preceding chapter.