(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.
notes
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).
vocabulary
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 |