Praefatio

The preface begins with the standard Roman epistolary greeting, with the author (Eutropius) in the nominative case and the addressee (the emperor Valens) in the dative case.

GOTHICO MAXIMO: Valens (r. 364–378) took the title Gothicus Maximus after the conclusion of a series of campaigns against Gothic tribes across the Danube between 367 and 369. This dates the completion of the present work to between 369 and 378, the year of Valens’ death.

V.C.: vir clarissimus, literally a “highly regarded man,” in this period a title indicating senatorial rank (though not necessarily membership in the senate).

MAGISTER MEMORIAE: a very high position in the Roman imperial bureaucracy, in the office of legal advisors to the emperor, subordinate to the magister officiorum. The duties of the office included composing replies to petitions made to the emperor. Note that this title occurs in only a single manuscript (J) among many. See R.W. Burgess, “Eutropius V. C. ‘Magister Memoriae?’” Classical Philology 96.1 (2001): 76–81.

ex voluntāte mānsuētūdinis tuae: “in keeping with the wish of your Clemency” (Bird), implying that the emperor asked Eutropius to write the work.

ab urbe conditā ad nostram memoriam: the scope of the book is from the founding of Rome by Romulus in 753 BCE until the death of the Emperor Jovian in 364 CE.

per ordinem temporum: "chronologically"

strictim: “concisely”

additīs etiam hīs: “these events also being added,” ablative absolute using a perfect passive participle (AG 419).

in principum vitā: “in the lives of the emperors” (Bird). In this text, Eutropius seldom uses the term prīnceps for the emperor, instead favoring the term imperātor.

tranquillitatis tuae: a courteous form address, like mansuetudinis tuae above.

se ... secutam: supply esse, “that it has pursued”

prius … quam cognosceret: “before it learned”