(1) Dīversa Cōnstantīī fortūna fuit. Ā Persīs enim multa et gravia perpessus saepe captīs oppidīs, obsessīs urbibus, caesīs exercitibus, nūllumque eī contrā Sapōrem prōsperum proelium fuit, nisi quod apud Singaram haud dubiam victōriam ferōciā mīlitum āmīsit, quī pūgnam sēditiōsē et stolidē contrā ratiōnem bellī diē iam praecipitī poposcērunt.
(2) Post Cōnstantis necem, Māgnentiō Ītaliam, Āfricam, Galliās obtinente, etiam Īllyricum rēs novās habuit, Vetraniōne ad imperium cōnsēnsū mīlitum ēlēctō. Quem grandaevum iam et cūnctīs amābilem diūturnitāte et fēlīcitāte mīlitiae ad tuendum Īllyricum prīncipem creāvērunt, virum probum et mōrum veterum ac iūcundae cīvīlitātis, sed omnium līberālium artium expertem adeō, ut nē elementa quidem prīma litterārum nisi grandaevus et iam imperātor accēperit.
notes
Constantius II Emperor, 337–361 CE
(1) Cōnstantīī: Constantius ruled from 337 to 361 CE. He was the third son of Constantine the Great. Under him the whole empire again became subject to one ruler. But in 355, he was compelled to make Julian Caesar and to send him into Gaul (Hazzard).
multa et gravia: substantive adjectives, with neuter plural subject implied (AG 288)
perpessus: supply est > perpetior (per + patior)
eī: dative of possession (AG 373)
contrā Sapōrem: "against Shapur II"
apud Singaram: see Singara
quī: militēs
diē iam praecipitī: "as the day was already ending"
(2) Māgnentiō Ītaliam, Āfricam, Galliās obtinente: For more information, see Magnentius.
rēs novās: "revolt" (LS novus I.A.4)
ad tuendum Īllyricum: "to defend Illyricum" < tueor, gerund expressing purpose (AG 503)
adeō, ut: "to such an extent that..." result clause (AG 537)
nē ... quidem: "not even," emphasizing elementa prīma litterārum, "his ABCs."
vocabulary
Core Vocabulary | Numbers | Dates
|
Cōnstantius, ī, m. |
Cōnstantius, third son of Constantine the Great. Roman emperor 337–361 A.D. |
|
Persae, ārum, pl. m. |
the Persians |
|
perpetior, ī, pessus sum |
to endure, be patient under |
|
obsideō, ēre, sēdī, sessus |
to besiege, occupy; watch closely |
|
Sapōr, ōris, m. |
the name of several Persian kings; (1) Sapor I., 240–273 A.D.; (2) Sapor II., 310–381 A.D. |
|
prōsperus, a, um [prō + spēs], adj. |
according to one's hopes, favorable, prosperous |
|
Singara, ae, f. |
a city in Mesopotamia, on the Tigris |
|
ferōcia, ae [ferōx, fierce], f. |
fierceness, courage, cruelty |
|
sēditiōsē [sēditiō], adv. |
seditiously |
|
stolidē, adv. |
stupidly, stolidly |
|
praeceps, cipitis [prae + caput], adj. |
headlong, hasty; steep, precipitous |
|
Cōnstāns, antis, m. |
the youngest of the three sons of Constantine the Great 2 |
|
nex, necis, f. |
death; murder, slaughter |
|
Māgnentius, ī, m. |
Roman emperor, 350–353 A.D. |
|
Ītalia, ae, f. |
Italy |
|
Āfrica, ae, f. |
Africa; often the northern part of the continent, especially the part near Carthage |
|
Gallia, ae, f. |
the country of the Gauls; modern France and the territories on the west bank of the Rhine. The northern part of Italy was settled by Gauls, and was called Gallia Cisalpina; hence the pl. Galliae. |
|
obtineō, ēre, uī, tentus |
to hold, possess; rule, govern |
|
Īllyricum, ī, n. |
a country east of the Adriatic Sea |
|
Vetraniō, ōnis, m. |
a commander of the legions in Illyria who was proclaimed emperor by the troops |
|
cōnsēnsus, ūs [cōnsentiō], m. |
consent, assent, united opinion; ex commūnī cōnsēnsū, by common consent |
|
grandaevus, a, um [grandis + aevum, age], adj. |
aged |
|
amābilis, e [amō, to love], adj. |
worthy of love, lovely, amiable |
|
diūturnitās, ātis [diūturnus], f. |
long continuance, length of time |
|
fēlīcitās, ātis [fēlīx], f. |
good fortune, success |
|
mīlitia, ae [mīles], f. |
military service |
|
tueor, ērī, tūtus or tuitus sum |
to defend, protect |
|
probus, -a, -um |
honest, truthful, honorable |
|
iūcundus, a, um, adj. |
pleasant; pleasing, joyful, dear |
|
cīvīlitās, ātis [cīvīlis], f. |
courteousness, politeness, affability |
|
līberālis, e [līber], adj. |
liberal, generous |
|
expers, tis [ex + pars], adj. |
having no part in; destitute of, devoid of, free from, without |
|
elementum, ī, n. |
a first principle, simple substance; rudiments |
|
quidem, adv. |
indeed, in fact, to be sure; nē . . . quidem, not even, not at all |