(1) Vir prīmō imperiī tempore optimīs prīncipibus, ultimō mediīs conparandus. Innumerae in eō animī corporisque virtūtēs clāruērunt. Mīlitāris glōriae adpetentissimus, fortūnā in bellīs prōsperā fuit, vērum ita ut nōn superāret industriam. Nam etiam Gothōs post cīvīle bellum variē prōflīgāvit, pāce hīs ad postrēmum datā, ingentemque apud barbarās gentēs memoriae grātiam collocāvit.
(2) Cīvīlibus artibus et studiīs līberālibus dēditus, adfectātor iūstī amōris, quem ab omnibus sibi et līberālitāte et docilitāte quaesīvit. Sīcut in nōnnūllōs amīcōs dubius ita in reliquōs ēgregius, nihil occāsiōnum praetermittēns, quō opulentiōrēs eōs clāriōrēsque praestāret.
notes
On the character of Constantine
(1) prīmō ... ultimō: "at the beginning of his (Constantine's) reign ... by the end..."
conparandus: supply est. This comparison structure takes a dative.
ita ut: "in such a way that..." result clause (AG 537)
nōn superāret industriam: supply fortuna: "not more than his diligence deserved" (Bird)
Gothōs: see Goths
variē: "in various engagements"
hīs: "to these," dative plural demonstrative pronoun referring to Gothōs
pāce hīs ad postrēmum datā: ablative absolute using a perfect passive participle (AG 419)
memoriae grātiam collocāvit: "left great regard for his memory" (Bird)
(2) cīvīlibus artibus: law, civil administration, oratory
studiīs liberālibus: literature, scholarly learning
adfectātor: "a zealous seeker of"
iūstī amōris: "earned affection" as opposed to feigned love or fear
quem: amor
docilitāte: "gentleness"
Sīcut: "although" (OLD sicut 1.c), answered by ita, which need not be translated
dubius: "untrustworthy," "unreliable" (OLD dubius 8)
nihil occāsiōnum: "no opportunity," partitive genitive (AG 346)
eōs: amīcōs
praestāret: "rendered" + predicate adjective (OLD praesto 13)
vocabulary
Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates
|
innumerus, a, um [in + numerus], adj. |
countless |
|
clārēscō, ere, clarui, —— [incho. of clāreō, to be bright] |
to grow bright; become audible, sound clear; become illustrious, grow famous |
|
mīlitāris, e [mīles], adj. |
military; as subst., a soldier; rēs mīlitāris, the art of war, military operations |
|
appĕtens (adp-), -entis |
eager for (money), greedy |
|
prōsperus, a, um [prō + spēs], adj. |
according to one's hopes, favorable, prosperous |
|
industria, ae, f. |
industry, diligence; ability |
|
Gothī, ōrum, pl. m. |
the Goths, a Germanic people |
|
cīvīlis, e [cīvis], adj. |
pertaining to a citizen; civil; polite, moderate |
|
prōflīgō, āre, āvī, ātus |
to rout, overthrow |
|
posterior, us, gen. ōris, comp. |
later |
|
conlocō, āre, āvī, ātus |
to place, arrange, station, establish |
|
līberālis, e [līber], adj. |
free-born, noble; liberal, generous 2 |
|
dēdō, dere, didī, ditus |
to give up, surrender; devote |
|
adfectātor, ōris [adfectō], m. |
one that strives for |
|
līberālitās, ātis [līberālis], f. |
generosity, kindness; a gift |
|
docilitās, ātis [docilis, teachable], f. |
gentleness, docility |
|
nōnnūllus, a, um [nōn + nūllus], adj. |
some, several |
|
occāsiō, ōnis [occidō, to happen], f. |
an occasion, opportunity |
|
praetermittō, ere, mīsī, missus |
to permit to go by, let pass, let go; omit, neglect |
|
opulentus, a, um [ops], adj. |
rich, wealthy |