(1) Fīnītō igitur Pūnicō bellō, quod per XXIII annōs trāctum est, Rōmānī iam clārissimā glōriā nōtī lēgātōs ad Ptolemaeum Aegyptī rēgem mīsērunt auxilia prōmittentēs, quia rēx Syriae Antiochus bellum eī intulerat. Ille grātiās Rōmānīs ēgit, auxilia ā Rōmānīs nōn accēpit. Iam enim fuerat pugna transacta.
(2) Eōdem tempore potentissimus rēx Siciliae Hierō Rōmam vēnit ad lūdōs spectandōs et ducenta mīlia modiōrum trīticī populō dōnum exhibuit.
notes
From the End of the First to the End of the Second Punic War, 241–201 BCE
(1) Fīnītō igitur Pūnicō bellō: ablative absolute using a perfect passive participle (AG 419). The First Punic War lasted from 264–241 BCE.
ad Ptolemaeum Aegyptī rēgem: This was the famous Ptolemy Philadelphus. He was engaged in war with Antiochus II, king of Syria, for a long time, but finally concluded peace with him and gave him his daughter in marriage. He was noted for his patronage of literature and science (Hazzard).
eī: "on him," referring to Ptolemaeī, dative object of intulerat (LS infero I.β)
grātiās ēgit: "gave thanks" (Hazzard). Like eī in the previous sentence, ille also refers to Ptolemy.
(2) rēx Siciliae Hierō: [Hiero II], more properly the king of Syracuse. During his reign the celebrated mathematician Archimedes lived. He became the firm ally of the Romans, and when the Second Punic War broke out, he remained true to his alliance. After the battle of Lake Trasimenus he sent a fleet with provisions and other gifts to the Romans and also furnished them with a body of light troops (Hazzard).
ad lūdōs spectandōs: “to watch the games," gerundive denoting purpose (AG 500.4)
modiōrum: the modius was the principal dry measure of the Romans, equal to one-third of an amphora, nearly two gallons in English measurements (LS modius I).
exhibuit: "presented" (Hazzard)
vocabulary
Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates
| fīniō, īre, īvī, ītus (fīnis) |
to bound, limit; end, finish |
|
| Pūnicus, a, um, adj. |
Phoenician, Punic; Carthaginian; Pūnicum bellum, Punic War, First, 264–241 B.C.; Second, 218–202 B.C.; Third, 149–146 B.C. |
|
| Ptolemaeus, ī, m. |
a name borne by the kings of Egypt after the time of Alexander the Great; (1) Ptolemaeus Philadelphius, 285—247 B.C.; (2) Ptolemaeus Euergetēs, 247—222 B.C.; (3) Ptolemaeus Philometor, 181—146 B.C.; (4) Ptolemaeus Aulētēs, 47—43 B.C. |
|
| Aegyptus, ī, m. | Egypt | |
| Syria, ae, f. |
Syria, a country of Asia, on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea |
|
| Antiochus, ī, m. |
kings of Syria: Antiochus II., called Theos, 261–246 B.; Antiochus III., called the Great, 223–187 B.C.; Antiochus IV., called Epiphanes, 175–164 B.C. |
|
| trānsigō, ere, ēgī, āctus |
to carry through, finish, settle, perform |
|
| Sicilia, ae, f. | the island of Sicily | |
| Hierō, ōnis, m. |
king of Syracuse, an ally of the Romans |
|
| lūdus, ī, m. |
play, game; place of training, school |
|
| modius, ī [modus], m. | a measure, peck | |
| trīticum, ī, n. | wheat | |
| exhibeō, ēre, uī, itus |
to hold forth, show, display; furnish, procure |