(1) Intereā Carīnus, quem Caesarem ad Parthōs proficīscēns Cārus in Īllyricō, Galliā, Ītaliā relīquerat, omnibus sē sceleribus inquināvit. Plūrimōs innoxiōs fīctīs crīminibus occīdit, mātrimōnia nōbilia corrūpit, condiscipulīs quoque, quī eum in audītōriō vel levī fatīgātiōne taxāverant, perniciōsus fuit. Ob quae omnibus hominibus invīsus nōn multō post poenās dedit.
(2) Nam dē Perside victor exercitus rediēns cum Cārum Augustum fulmine, Numeriānum Caesarem īnsidiīs perdidisset, Dioclētiānum imperātōrem creāvit, Dalmatiā oriundum, virum obscūrissimē nātum, adeō ut ā plērīsque scrībae fīlius, ā nōnnūllīs Ānullīnī senātōris lībertīnus fuisse crēdātur.
notes
Carinus Emperor, 283–285 CE; Diocletian Emperor, 284–305 CE
Carīnus: Carinus was son of Carus, and brother of Numerian
Caesarem: "as Caesar," in apposition with quem, which refers to Carīnus
mātrimōnia nōbilia: here has a concrete [substantive] meaning, "wives" (Hazzard; LS matrimonium II)
Ob quae: "for these reasons," connecting relative (AG 308.f)
poenās dedit: dāre poenās, to suffer punishment, to pay the penalty (LS do I)
(2) dē Perside...rediēns: i.e., from Carus' campaigns in Persia against the Sasanian Empire, 282–284 CE
victor exercitus: "he victorious army," subject of perdidisset, "had lost"
Dioclētiānum: Diocletian was born near Salona in Dalmatia. He rose in the army from one position to another until on the assassination of Numerian he was chosen emperor. He made a great change in the system of government (Hazzard).
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In 286 CE he associated Maximian with himself as a colleague and gave him the title of Augustus. Six years later, 292 CE, Constantius and Galerius were proclaimed Caesars, and the government of the Roman world was divided among four men, Diocletian taking the East, with Nicomedia as his residence; Maximianus taking Italy and Africa, with Milan as his residence; Constantius taking Britain, Gaul, and Spain, with Treves as his residence; Galerius taking Illyricum and the whole line of the Danube, with Sirmium as his residence. This division was natural and possessed many advantages. It was the only way that the falling empire could be preserved, and a semblance of union retained (Hazzard).
Ānullīnī senātōris lībertīnus: see Gaius Annius Anullinus
vocabulary
Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates
|
intereā [inter + is], adv. |
in the meantime, meanwhile |
|
Carīnus, ī, m. |
the son of the emperor Carus. He was associated with his father in the government. |
|
Caesar, aris, m. |
a family name in the Julian gens. (1) C. Iūlius Caesar, the famous dictator; (2) Sex. Iūlius Caesar, uncle of the dictator. Consul 91 B.C.; (3) C. Octāviānus, the emperor Augustus |
|
Parthī, ōrum, pl. m. |
a Scythian people southeast of the Caspian Sea |
|
Īllyricum, ī, n. |
a country east of the Adriatic Sea |
|
Gallia, ae, f. |
the country of the Gauls; modern France and the territories on the west bank of the Rhine. The northern part of Italy was settled by Gauls, and was called Gallia Cisalpina; hence the pl. Galliae. |
|
Ītalia, ae, f. |
Italy |
|
inquinō, āre, āvī, ātus |
to stain, defile; dishonor |
|
innoxius, a, um, adj. |
harmless; not guilty, blameless, innocent |
|
fīctus, a, um [fingō, to form], adj. |
false, fictitious |
|
mātrimōnium, ī [māter], n. |
marriage; pl. wives |
|
condiscipulus, ī [con + discipulus, a student], m. |
a fellow—student, schoolmate |
|
audītōrium, ī [audiō], n. |
a lecture hall |
|
fatīgātiō, ōnis [fatīgō], f. |
weariness, fatigue |
|
taxō, āre, āvī, ātus [freq. of tangō] |
to touch sharply, harass, vex |
|
perniciōsus, a, um [perniciēs], adj. |
dangerous, destructive |
|
invīsus, a, um [invideō], adj. |
hateful, hostile, troublesome |
|
Persis, idis, f. |
Persia 2 |
|
Cārus, ī, m. |
(M. Aurēlius) Cārus, Roman emperor, 282–283 A.D. |
|
Augustus, ī, m. |
a title of honor given to Octavianus in 27 BC and after him to all the Roman emperors |
|
fulmen, inis [fulgeō], n. |
lightning, thunderbolt |
|
Numeriānus, ī, m. |
the younger of the two sons of the emperor Carus |
|
Caesar, aris, m. |
a family name in the Julian gens. (1) C. Iūlius Caesar, the famous dictator; (2) Sex. Iūlius Caesar, uncle of the dictator. Consul 91 B.C.; (3) C. Octāviānus, the emperor Augustus |
|
īnsidiae, ārum [īnsideō, to sit upon], pl. f. |
ambush; treachery |
|
Dioclētiānus, ī, m. |
(Valerius) Dioclētiānus, emperor 284–305 A.D. |
|
Dalmatia, ae, f. |
a country bordering on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea |
|
oriundus, a, um [orior], adj. |
descended, sprung from, originating, born |
|
obscūrē [obscūrus], adv., comp. obscūrius, sup. obscūrissimē |
obscurely |
|
scrība, ae [scrībō], f. |
a clerk, secretary |
|
nōnnūllus, a, um [nōn + nūllus], adj. |
some, several |
|
Anullīnus, ī, m. |
a Roman senator |
|
senātor, ōris [senātus], m. |
a senator |
|
lībertīnus, ī [lībertus], adj. used as subst., m. |
a manumitted slave, freedman |