Dioclētiānus mōrātus callidē fuit, sagāx praetereā et admodum subtīlis ingeniō, et quī sevēritātem suam aliēnā invidiā vellet explēre. Dīligentissimus tamen et sollertissimus prīnceps et quī imperiō Rōmānō prīmus rēgiae cōnsuētūdinis fōrmam magis quam Rōmānae lībertātis invexerit adōrārīque sē iussit, cum ante eum cūnctī salūtārentur. Ōrnāmenta gemmārum vestibus calciāmentīsque indidit. Nam prius imperiī īnsīgne in chlamyde purpureā tantum erat, reliqua commūnia.
notes
The character of Diocletian
Dioclētiānus: see Diocletian
mōrātus callidē fuit: "had a cunning disposition" (Bird)
quī ... vellet explēre: "the sort of person who wanted make up for," relative clause of characteristic.
sevēritātem suam: "his own acts of severity," such as the proscriptions and killings mentioned in Brev. 9.23.
aliēnā invidiā: "by means of ill-will directed at others." Lactantius explains: "When Diocletian had decided to do something good, he did it without consulting his advisors, in order to be praised personally. However, when he had in mind to do something bad, since he knew that it would be criticized, he called a meeting with many advisors so that his criminal acts would be imputed to others" (De morte persecutorum 11.5).
indidit: "he put on" > indō -ere, "to put x (acc.) on y (dat.)"
reliqua: supply vestimenta
vocabulary
Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates
|
Dioclētiānus, ī, m. |
(Valerius) Dioclētiānus, emperor 284–305 A.D. |
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mōrātus, a, um [mōs], adj. |
endowed with character or manners of a particular kind |
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callidus, a, um, adj. |
shrewd |
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sagāx, ācis, adj. |
of quick perception, sagacious, keen-scented |
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admodum [ad + modus], adv. |
very, exceedingly |
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subtīlis, e, adj. |
nice, precise, accurate, subtle |
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sevēritās, ātis [sevērus], f. |
strictness, severity, sternness |
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expleō, ēre, plēvī, plētus |
to make up for |
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dīligēns, tis [dīligō], adj. |
careful, diligent, attentive; sparing; fond of |
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sollers, ertis, adj. |
skillful, expert |
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invehō, ere, vexī, vectus |
to carry in or to; in pass., ride into, sail into |
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adōrō, āre, āvī, ātus |
to supplicate; worship, reverence |
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salūtō, āre, āvī, ātus [salūs, health] |
to wish one health, greet, salute, visit |
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ōrnāmentum, ī [ōrnō, to fit out], n. |
a preparation; decoration, ornament, jewel |
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gemma, ae, f. |
a bud; gem, precious stone |
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calceāmentum, ī, n. |
a shoe |
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indō, dere, didī, ditus |
to put into; confer, apply |
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īnsīgne, is [īnsīgnis], n. |
a sign, badge, ornament |
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chlamys, ydis, f. |
a Grecian upper garment of wool, military cloak, state mantle |
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purpureus, a, um [purpura], adj. |
purple—colored; clothed in purple |