(1) Herculius autem prōpalam ferus et incīvīlis ingeniī asperitātem suam etiam vultūs horrōre sīgnificāns. Hīc nātūrae suae indulgēns Dioclētiānō in omnibus est sevēriōribus cōnsiliīs obsecūtus. Cum tamen ingravēscente aevō parum sē idōneum Dioclētiānus moderandō imperiō esse sentīret, auctor Herculiō fuit, ut in vītam prīvātam concēderent et statiōnem tuendae reī pūblicae viridiōribus iūniōribusque mandārent. Cuī aegrē collēga obtemperāvit.

(2) Tamen uterque ūnō diē prīvātō habitū imperiī īnsīgne mūtāvit, Nicomediae Dioclētiānus, Herculius Mediōlānī, post triumphum inclitum, quem Rōmae ex numerōsīs gentibus ēgerant, pompā ferculōrum inlūstrī, quā Narseī coniugēs sorōrēsque et līberī antē currum ductī sunt; concessērunt tamen Salōnās ūnus, alter in Lūcāniam.

    The character of Maximian. His and Diocletian's retirement (305 CE).

    Herculius: Maximian

    incivīlis ingeniī: "of a tyrannical disposition,"genitive of characteristic (AG 343.c)

    etiam vultūs horrōre: "even in the fearsomeness of his expression." horrōre is ablative of means (AG 409)

    Dioclētiānō: dative after est ... obsecūtus, as is normal with obsequor.

    parum ... idōneum: insufficiently suited to," "unequal to," + dat. Parum = nōn, a common synonym. 

    ingravēscente aevō: Diocletian was sixty years old, being born in 245 CE, and abdicating in 305 CE (Hazzard).

    moderandō imperiō: "for ruling the empire," dative gerundive after idōneus (AG 384, 507)

    auctor Herculiō fuit ut: "he advised Herculius to" (LS auctor II.C), followed by an indirect command.

    statiōnem tuendae reī pūblicae: "the duty of preserving the state" (Bird), genitive gerundive form (AG 507)

    Cuī: connecting relative, referring to Diocletian, and dative object of obtemperāvit (AG 370, 308.f).

    aegrē: "reluctantly," "grudgingly" (OLD aegrē 3)

    (2) prīvātō habitū imperiī īnsīgne mūtāvit: "traded his imperial insignia for the clothes of a private citizen," "to change x (accusative) for y (ablative)" (LS muto 2.C)

    Nicomediae: "at Nicomedia" (locative case, AG 427.3)

    Mediōlānī: "at Milan" (locative case, AG 427.3)

    Rōmae: "at Rome," locative case (AG 427.3)

    ferculōrum: a ferculum was a frame or stretcher for carrying things in processions, in this case the spoils of war. Cf. Smith, s.v. ferculum.

    quā:  pompa 

    Narseī: Narseh. For the capture of Narseh’s family, see  Brev. 9.25.

    Salōnās: Diocletian chose to retire in Salonae or Split.

    in Lūcāniam: Maximian chose to retire in Lūcānia because of its pleasant scenery (Hazzard).

    Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates

     

    Herculius, ī, m.

    a cognomen of Maximianus

    prōpalam [prō + palam], adv.

    openly, publicly, manifestly

    incīvīlis, e [in + cīvīlis], adj.

    rude, uncivil

    asperitās, ātis [asper], f.

    roughness, harshness

    sevērus, a, um, adj.

    serious, strict, harsh

    horror, ōris, m.

    dread, terror, horror

    sīgnificō, āre, āvī, ātus [sīgnum + faciō]

    to make signs, show; point out, indicate

    Dioclētiānus, ī, m.

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

    obsequor, ī, secūtus sum

    to submit to, indulge in, assist

    ingravēscō, ere, —, —

    to be burdensome, be wearied; increase, grow worse

    Narseus, ī, m.

    king of Persia, 294–303 A.D.

    idōneus, a, um, adj.

    suitable, fit; capable

    moderor, ārī, ātus sum [modus]

    to set bounds to, check, restrict, regulate

    statiō, ōnis [stō], f.

    a picket, guard

    tueor, ērī, tūtus or tuitus sum

    to look at, watch; defend, protect

    viridis, e, adj.

    green, fresh, new

    iuvenis, e, adj., comp. iūnior

    young

    mandō, āre, āvī, ātus [manus + dō]

    to commission, command, send word

    collega, ae, m.

    colleague, fellow, associate

    obtemperō, āre, āvī, ātus [temperō, to soften]

    to submit

    habitus, ūs [habeō], m.

    state, condition; habit, manner; dress 2

    īnsīgne, is [īnsīgnis], n.

    a sign, badge, ornament

    Nīcomēdia, ae, f.

    the capital city of Bithynia in Asia Minor

    Mediōlānum, ī, n.

    a city in Cisalpine Gaul, modern Milan

    triumphus, ī, m.

    a triumph, a splendid procession in which the victorious general entered the city accompanied by his soldiers and the spoil and captives he had taken. The procession passed around the Capitoline Hill into the Via Sacra, then into the Forum, and up to the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus.

    inclutus, a, um, adj.

    famous

    numerōsus, a, um [numerus], adj.

    in full numbers, numerous, manifold

    pompa, ae, f.

    a procession, parade, pomp

    ferculum, ī [ferō], n.

    a means of carrying, a frame, barrow, litter

    illūstris, e, adj.

    clear, distinguished, glorious

    indulgeō, ēre, dulsī, dultus

    to be complaisant; be kind, be tender; yield, grant, spare; bestow, confer

    Salōnae, ārum, pl. f.

    a city in Dalmatia

    Lūcānia, ae, f.

    a district in southern Italy

     

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