Cornelii Taciti Annalium - Cornelius Tacitus

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Résumé :
Annalium libri XI-XII cover the reign of the Emperor Claudius, which is said to have been cruel and violent, and his relationship with his wives. His wife, the adulteress Messalina, is executed without any trial. Claudius marries Agrippina, who is famous for her wickedness. She poisons Claudius with the help of a female poisoner and his physician. So Claudius dies, which paves the way for the young Emperor Nero, Agrippina's son, instead of Messalina's son Britannicus. Claudius' last will is not read aloud, so that there shall not arise any hatred of the Roman people. The reader of Latin may expect an interesting, depressing, yet fascinating book from the point of view of the historian and politician Tacitus. The editor publishes these works without any omissions. This fascicle is faithful to the edition by Fridericus Haase in MDCCCLV.

Biographie:
Publius (Gaius) Cornelius Tacitus was born in 56 A.D, either in Gallia cisalpina or in Gallia Narbonensis. His Annals deal with the period from the death of Augustus in A.D. 14 to the end of Nero's reign in A.D. 68. The Annals originally comprised at least 16 books, but some of them are lost. Tacitus grew up in a comfortable environment, and he studied rhetorics in Rome. Due to his excellent education, he started a career as a lawyer. He married the daughter of Agricola, a consul, which paved the way for his political career. Subsequently he became quaestor and praetor. Then he even became responsible for the Sibylline books within a college of priests. Finally he returned to Rome and became a consul in the reign of the Emperor Nerva. His literary works show his great talent and education in prose writing. He died in ca. A.D. 120.