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.

    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

    Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates

    Dioclētiānus, ī, m.

    (Valerius) Dioclētiānus, emperor 284–305 A.D.

    mōrātus, a, um [mōs], adj.

    endowed with character or manners of a particular kind

    callidus, a, um, adj.

    shrewd

    sagāx, ācis, adj.

    of quick perception, sagacious, keen-scented

    admodum [ad + modus], adv.

    very, exceedingly

    subtīlis, e, adj.

    nice, precise, accurate, subtle

    sevēritās, ātis [sevērus], f.

    strictness, severity, sternness

    expleō, ēre, plēvī, plētus

    to make up for

    dīligēns, tis [dīligō], adj.

    careful, diligent, attentive; sparing; fond of

    sollers, ertis, adj.

    skillful, expert

    invehō, ere, vexī, vectus

    to carry in or to; in pass., ride into, sail into

    adōrō, āre, āvī, ātus

    to supplicate; worship, reverence

    salūtō, āre, āvī, ātus [salūs, health]

    to wish one health, greet, salute, visit

    ōrnāmentum, ī [ōrnō, to fit out], n.

    a preparation; decoration, ornament, jewel

    gemma, ae, f.

    a bud; gem, precious stone

    calceāmentum, ī, n.

    a shoe

    indō, dere, didī, ditus

    to put into; confer, apply

    īnsīgne, is [īnsīgnis], n.

    a sign, badge, ornament

    chlamys, ydis, f.

    a Grecian upper garment of wool, military cloak, state mantle

    purpureus, a, um [purpura], adj.

    purple—colored; clothed in purple

     

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