(1) Īnsequentī annō Valeriō Mārcō et Otāciliō <Crassō> cōnsulibus in Siciliā ā Rōmānīs rēs māgnae gestae sunt. Tauromenītānī, Catinēnsēs et praetereā quīnquāgintā cīvitātēs in fidem acceptae.
(2) Tertiō annō in Siciliā contrā Hierōnem rēgem Siculōrum bellum parātum est. Cum omnī nōbilitāte Syrācusanōrum pācem ā Rōmānīs impetrāvit deditque argentī ducenta talenta.
(3) Āfrī in Sicilia victī sunt et dē hīs secundō Rōmae triumphātum est.
notes
Roman Invasion of Sicily, 264–262 BCE
19. Īnsequentī annō Valeriō Mārcō et Otāciliō <Crassō> cōnsulibus: ablative absolute with form of esse assumed (AG 419.a). Manius Valerius Maximus Corvinus Messalla and Marcus Otacilius Crassus were consuls in 264 BCE.
rēs māgnae: "great operations" (Hazzard)
Tauromenītānī, Catinēnsēs: Tauromenium (Taormina) and Catina (Catania) are on the island of Sicily.
cīvitātēs: urbēs (Hazzard)
in fidem acceptae: supply sunt, "were taken under their protection"; i.e., they were made tributary (Hazzard).
(2) contrā Hierōnem rēgem Siculōrum: In 263 BCE Manius Valerius invested Syracuse but, realizing the futility of besieging such a strongly fortified city, shrewdly made peace with Hiero and detached him from his alliance with the Carthaginians for a small indemnity of 100 talents. For this diplomatic victory Valerius assumed the cognomen Messalla and celebrated a triumph in 262 BCE (Bird).
(3) Āfrī: the Carthaginians
dē hīs: "over them"; the regular expression used for a triumph celebrated for a victory over an enemy (Hazzard). Agrigentum was captured from the Carthaginians in 262 BCE and marked a turning point in the war (Bird). For more information on triumphs, see triumphs.
vocabulary
Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates
| insequor, ī, secūtus sum | to pursue, follow up | |
| Valerius, ī, m. | the name of a Roman gens. | |
| Marcus, ī, m. |
Valerius Marcus, consul 263 B.C. |
|
| Otācilius, ī, m. |
(T.) Otācilius Crassus, consul 263 B.C. |
|
| Sicilia, ae, f. | the island of Sicily | |
| Tauromenītānī, ōrum, pl. m. |
the inhabitants of Tauromenium, a city on the eastern coast of Sicily |
|
| Catinēnsēs, ium, pl. m. |
the inhabitants of Catina, or Catana, in Sicily |
|
| Hierō, ōnis, m. |
king of Syracuse, an ally of the Romans |
|
| Siculī, ōrum, pl. m. | the inhabitants of Sicily | |
| nōbilitās, ātis [nōbilis], f. | renown, nobility; the nobles | |
| Syrācūsānī, ōrum, pl. m. |
the inhabitants of Syracuse, a Greek city in Sicily |
|
| impetrō, āre, āvī, ātus |
to procure, gain; accomplish, bring to pass; succeed |
|
| talentum, ī, n. |
a talent, a Greek money measure which weighs about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds |
|
| Āfer, Āfrī, m. |
an African, especially an inhabitant of Carthage |
|
| secundō [secundus], adv. | for the second time | |
| triumphō, āre, āvī, ātus | to celebrate a triumph |