tunc, at that time. This was the long period of comparative quiet between the Gracchan disturbances (B.C. 133-121) and the tribunate of Drusus (B.C. 91), which was followed by the Social War and the civil wars of Marius and Sulla.
Latio: not the geographical Latium merely, but all towns which at that time possessed Latin citizenship; that is, the Latin colonies, such as Venusia, the birthplace of the poet Horace.
de ingeniis, i.e. could form some opinion about the talents of literary men.
absentibus, people at a distance.
Mario et Catulo (coss. B.C. 102); of these, Marius was renowned for his exploits, while Catulus was a good officer, and also a man of culture.
nactus est, etc., he happened to find holding the consulship.
eos, quorum alter, men of such a kind that one of them, etc. This would not only furnish him with themes for his poetry but insure appreciation of his genius.
Luculli: Lucius, the one who fought against Mithridates, and his brother Marcus; both of them belonged to the highest ranks of the aristocracy, and were men of distinguished taste and culture.
ingeni, pred. gen. after an understood erat: this was [a proof] not only of his genius, etc.
