Tacitus

About Tacitus

Tacitus is a lunar impact crater located to the northwest of the crater Catharina, at the northern extension of the Rupes Altai ridge line. It was named after the 1st century Roman historian and writer Tacitus. Directly west is the crater Almanon, and to the northeast is Cyrillus. To the southeast of Tacitus is a long chain of craters named the Catena Abulfeda. This chain runs to the northwest from the eastern edge of the Rupes Altai, continuing for over 200 kilometers.

Article

The crater terminates a ridge which forms part of the Rupes Altai. The outer wall has a small rampart, and the interior surfaces are terraced. The rim outline has a slight polygonal outline. There is a low ridge on the crater floor running from the north wall.

Contents

Tacitus during full moon

Although Tacitus is very difficult to find during full moon, the location of this crater is immediately north of an officially unnamed high albedo ray craterlet of which the eastern section of its bright ejectablanket is absent. The brightness of the western half of this craterlet's ejectablanket is also noticeable on the photographic version of chart LAC 96 (page 192) in The Clementine Atlas of the Moon (Ben Bussey / Paul D. Spudis).

Satellite craters

By convention these features are identified on lunar maps by placing the letter on the side of the crater midpoint that is closest to Tacitus.

Article from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), where it is maintained by volunteer editors.

Notable quotes

“Idque apud imperitos humanitas vocabatur, cum pars servitutis esset.”
— Because they didn't know better, they called it "civilization," when it was part of their slavery.
“On the whole, one would say that their strength is in their infantry, which fights along with the cavalry; admirably adapted to the action of the latter is the swiftness of certain foot soldiers, who are picked from the entire youth of their country, and stationed in front of the line.”
— Chapter 6
“All this is unauthenticated, and I shall leave it open.”
— Chapter 46 (last text line)
“Tiberii Gaique et Claudii ac Neronis res florentibus ipsis ob metum falsae, postquam occiderant, recentibus odiis compositae sunt. inde consilium mihi pauca de Augusto et extrema tradere, mox Tiberii principatum et cetera, sine ira et studio, quorum causas procul habeo.”
— The histories of Tiberius, Caius, Claudius, and Nero, while they were in power, were falsified through terror, and after their death were written under the irritation of a recent hatred. Hence my purpose is to relate a few facts about Augustus - more particularly his last acts, then the reign of Tiberius, and all which follows, without either bitterness or partiality, from any motives to which I am far removed.
“Viginti clarissimarum familiarum imagines antelatae sunt, Manlii, Quinctii aliaque eiusdem nobilitatis nomina. sed praefulgebant Cassius atque Brutus eo ipso quod effigies eorum non visebantur.”
— The busts of twenty most illustrious families were borne in the procession, with the names of Manlius, Quinctius, and others of equal rank. But Cassius and Brutus outshone them all, from the very fact that their likenesses were not to be seen.
“nisi impunitatis cupido retinuisset, magnis semper conatibus adversa.”
— The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.