[3.1] Nunc dēmum redit animus; et quamquam prīmō statim beātissimī saeculī ortū Nerva Caesar rēs ōlim dissociābilēs miscuerit, prīncipātum ac lībertātem, augeatque cotīdiē fēlīcitātem temporum Nerva Traiānus, nec spem modo ac vōtum sēcūritās pūblica, sed ipsīus vōtī fīdūciam ac rōbur adsumpserit, nātūrā tamen īnfirmitātis hūmānae tardiōra sunt remedia quam mala; et ut corpora nostra lentē augēscunt, cito extinguuntur, sīc ingenia studiaque oppresserīs facilius quam revocāverīs: subit quippe etiam ipsīus inertiae dulcēdō, et invīsa prīmō dēsidia postrēmō amātur. [3.2] Quid, sī per quīndecim annōs, grande mortālis aevī spatium, multī fortuitīs cāsibus, prōmptissimus quisque saevitiā prīncipis intercidērunt, paucī et, ut ita dīxerim, nōn modo aliōrum sed etiam nostrī superstitēs sumus, exēmptīs ē mediā vītā tot annīs, quibus iuvenēs ad senectūtem, senēs prope ad ipsōs exāctae aetātis terminōs per silentium vēnimus? [3.3] Nōn tamen pigēbit vel inconditā ac rudī vōce memoriam priōris servitūtis ac testimōnium praesentium bonōrum composuisse. Hic interim liber honōrī Agricolae socerī meī dēstinātus, professiōne pietātis aut laudātus erit aut excūsātus.
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Suggested Citation
Cynthia Damon, Tacitus: Agricola. Carlisle, Pennsylvania: Dickinson College Commentaries, 2016. ISBN: 978-1-947822-09-2. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/tacitus-agricola/3