(1) Hic permīsit virīs clāriōribus, ut convīvia eōdem cultū, quō ipse et ministrīs similibus exhibērent. In ēditiōne mūnerum post victōriam adeō māgnificus fuit, ut centum simul leōnēs exhibuisse trādātur.
(2) Cum igitur fortūnātam rem pūblicam et virtūte et mānsuētūdine reddidisset, obiit XVIII imperiī annō, vītae LXI, et omnibus certātim adnītentibus inter dīvōs relātus est.
notes
The Death of Marcus Aurelius (180 CE)
Historia Augusta, Marc. Aur. 28
(1) virīs clāriōribus: "rather famous men," dative after compound verb permīsit (AG 368.3), comparative denoting a considerable degree, rather than explicit comparison (AG 291.a).
quō ipse: ablative of manner, referring to cultū (AG 298).
cultū: "splendor," "refinement," in dress, tableware, food, etc. (LS cultus B.3), the most common meaning of the word.
ut ... exhibērent: "to provide, put on" (LS exhibeo); convīvia ("dinner parties") is the direct object. This sort of substantive clause of result is normal after permitto = "allow" (LS permitto II.B.3), where English uses the infinitive.
similibus: of similar (high) quality.
mūnerum: "shows," "spectacles," especially gladiatorial exhibitions and beast shows, which were occasional and typically financed by the imperial budget in this period, thus making them an apt index of the emperor's generosity to the general public.
victōriam: in the Marcomannic Wars. See 8.13.2.
adeō: "so," introducing a result clause (AG 537).
trādātur: "he is said" (LS trādō II.B.b).
(2) reddidisset: "had rendered, made" (LS reddo II.7), a very common meaning of the verb.
obiit: Marcus Aurelius died at Vindobona, now Vienna, in 180 CE (Hazzard).
vītae LXI: it is generally said that he died in the fifty-ninth year of his life (Hazzard).
omnibus certātim adnītentibus: ablative absolute using a present deponent verb (AG 419).
vocabulary
Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates
|
cultus, ūs [colō], m. |
cultivation, worship; culture, training; mode of life; dress, splendor |
|
minister, trī, m. |
an attendant, servant |
|
exhibeō, ēre, uī, itus |
to hold forth, show, display; furnish, procure |
|
ēditiō, ōnis [ēdō], f. |
the putting on, mounting (of public games, etc.) |
|
māgnificus, a, um [māgnus + faciō], adj., sup. māgnificentissimus |
splendid, magnificent, noble |
|
leō, ōnis, m. |
a lion |
|
fortūnātus, a, um [fortūna], adj. |
lucky, fortunate 2 |
|
mānsuētūdō, inis [mānsuētus, tame], f. |
mildness, gentleness |
|
obeō, īre, īvī (iī), itus |
to go to meet; attend to, perform; die, perish |
|
certātim [certo, to fight], adv. |
in rivalry, zealously |
|
adnītor, ī, nīsus or nīxus sum |
to lean against or upon; strive |