Tacitus is a more interesting writer than Plutarch. He's more of a storyteller than an instructor. I decided to read him because I heard that Catherine the Great (late Tsarina of Russia) admired his political insights. Tacitus definitely understood people. I've particularly enjoyed his treatment of the mutinies in the Roman legions, and the ways in which shrewd commanders suppressed the mutinies. One commander allowed the men to punish mutineers themselves, and did nothing to stop brutality. Tacitus noted that if he had tried to stop them, then he'd be responsible for anything he didn't stop. This way he let the men own the bloodshed, both for good (they have staked their honor on avenging disloyalty) and for bad (the shame of excess is on them, not him). This is a shrewd insight.
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