1. Atque ut minōra tantīs īnseram — quamvīs, ut est nostrōrum aetās temporum, quibus iam dēprāvāta omnia atque corrupta sunt, paene praecipuum sit, adūlātiōnī rēgiae sacerdōtālem nōn cessisse cōnstantiam —, cum ad imperātōrem Maximum, ferōcis ingeniī virum et bellōrum cīvīlium victōriā ēlātum, plūrēs ex dīversīs orbis partibus epīscopī convēnissent et foeda circā prīncipem omnium adūlātiō notārētur sēque dēgenere incōnstantiā rēgiae clientēlae sacerdōtālis dignitās subdidisset, in sōlō Martīnō apostolica auctōritās permanēbat. 2. nam et sī prō aliquibus rēgī supplicandum fuit, imperāvit potius quam rogāvit, et a convīviō eius frequenter rogātus abstinuit, dīcēns sē mēnsae eius participem esse nōn posse, quī imperātōrēs ūnum rēgnō, alterum vītā expulisset. 3. postrēmō, cum Maximus sē nōn sponte sumpsisse imperium affirmāret, sed impositam sibi ā mīlitibus dīvīnō nūtū rēgnī necessitātem armīs dēfendisse, et nōn aliēnam ab eō Deī voluntātem vidērī, penes quem tam incrēdibilī ēventū victōria fuisset, nūllumque ex adversāriīs nisi in aciē occubuisse, tandem victus vel ratiōne vel precibus ad convīvium vēnit, mīrum in modum gaudente rēge, quod id impetrāsset. 4. convīvae autem aderant, velut ad diem festum ēvocāti, summī atque illustrēs virī, praefectus īdemque cōnsul Euōdius, vir quō nihil umquam iustius fuit, comitēs duo summā potestāte praeditī, frāter rēgis et patruus: medius inter hōs Martīnī presbyter accubuerat, ipse autem in sellulā iuxta rēgem positā cōnsēderat. 5. ad medium ferē convīvium, ut mōris est, pateram rēgi minister obtulit. ille sānctō admodum epīscopō potius darī iubet, exspectāns atque ambiēns, ut ab illius dexterā pōculum sūmeret. 6. sed Martīnus ubi ēbibit, pateram presbyterō suō trādidit, nūllum scīlicet existimāns digniōrem, quī post sē prīor biberet, nec integrum sibi fore, si aut rēgem ipsum aut eōs, quī ā rēge erant proximī, presbyterō praetulisset. 7. quod factum imperātor omnēsque quī tunc aderant ita admīrātī sunt, ut hoc ipsum eīs, in quō contemptī fuerant, placēret. celeberrimumque per omne palātium fuit, fēcisse Martīnum in rēgis prandiō, quod in īnfimōrum iūdicum convīviīs nēmō epīscopōrum fēcisset. 8. eīdemque Maximō longē ante praedīxit futūrum ut, sī ad Ītaliam pergeret, quō īre cupiēbat, bellum Valentiniānō imperātōri īnferēns, scīret sē primō quidem impetū futūrum esse victōrem, sed parvō post tempore esse peritūrum. 9. quod quidem ita vīdimus. nam primō adventū eius Valentiniānus in fugam versus est: deinde post annum ferē resumptīs viribus captum intrā Aquilēiae mūrōs Maximum interfēcit.
notes
vocabulary
īnserō -sere -sēvī -situm: put in, introduce into
dēprāvō -prāvāre: corrupt, tamper with
praecipuus -a -um: special, particular, excellent adv. praecipuē: especially, particularly
adūlātiō -ōnis f.: fawning; adulation
sacerdōtālis -e: priestly, sacerdotal
cōnstantia -ae f.: firmness of character, steadfastness
ferōx -ōcis: wild, fierce
dēgener -eris: degenerate, ignoble, base
inconstantia -ae f.: inconstancy, changeableness, fickleness
clientēla -ae f.: citizenship, clients
subdō -dere -didī -ditum: lay under; put in the place of, substitute
apostolicus -a -um: relating to an apostle, apostolic
permaneō -manēre -mānsī -mānsum: stay through, remain, endure
supplicō -āre: kneel, beseech, entreat, supplicate
abstineō -tinēre -tinuī -tentum: abstain, restrain
particeps -cipis: sharing, partaking; participant
expellō -pellere -pulī -pulsum: push out, expel (+ abl.)
sponte: (abl.) of one's own accord, willingly
affirmō -āre: assert, declare, affirm
penes: with, in the power or possession of
incrēdibilis -e: not credible, not believable, incredible
ēveniō -venīre -vēnī -ventum: come forth; happen
adversārius -ī m.: opponent, adversary, enemy
occubō -cubāre: lie, rest, repose in the grave
impetrō -āre: accomplish, effect, bring to pass
convīva -ae m.: table companion, guest
fēstus -a -um: festive, festal
ēvocō -vocāre: call out, summon, challenge
praefectus -ī m.: prefect
praeditus -a -um: gifted or endowed with
patruus -ī m.: a father's brother, paternal uncle
accubō -cubāre: recline at
sellula -ae f.: little seat, stool
iūxtā: (adv. and prep. + acc.), close by, near, nigh
consīdō -sīdere -sēdī -sessum: settle, take position
patera -ae f.: libation cup or bowl
minister -trī m.: attendant; minister, administrator
ambiō -īre -iī -itum: go around, encircle
pōculum -ī n.: drinking cup
ēbibō -bere -bibī -bitum: drink up, drain
bibō bibere bibī bibitum: drink
praeferō -ferre -tulī -lātum: place before, prefer; esteem
admīror -mīrāri -mīrātus sum: wonder at, marvel at
celeber -bris -bre: frequented, crowded; famous
palātium -ī n.: palace
prandium -ī n.: meal
impetus -ūs m.: an attack, assault, onset
resūmō -sūmere -sūmpsī -sūmptum: take up again, take back; recover