History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire — Volume 1 — Page 11
The more peaceful and didactic episodes on the development of the Roman law, or even on the details of ecclesiastical history, interpose themselves as resting-places or divisions between the periods of barbaric invasion.
Les épisodes plus paisibles et didactiques sur le développement du droit romain, ou même sur les détails de l'histoire ecclésiastique, s'interposent comme des haltes ou des divisions entre les périodes d'invasion barbare.
In short, though distracted first by the two capitals, and afterwards by the formal partition of the empire, the extraordinary felicity of arrangement maintains an order and a regular progression.
En bref, bien que distraite d'abord par les deux capitales, puis par la partition formelle de l'empire, l'extraordinaire félicité de l'agencement maintient un ordre et une progression régulière.
As our horizon expands to reveal to us the gathering tempests which are forming far beyond the boundaries of the civilized world—as we follow their successive approach to the trembling frontier—the compressed and receding line is still distinctly visible; though gradually dismembered and the broken fragments assuming the form of regular states and kingdoms, the real relation of those kingdoms to the empire is maintained and defined; and even when the Roman dominion has shrunk into little more than the province of Thrace—when the name of Rome, confined, in Italy, to the walls of the city—yet it is still the memory, the shade of the Roman greatness, which extends over the wide sphere into which the historian expands his later narrative; the whole blends into the unity, and is manifestly essential to the double catastrophe of his tragic drama.
À mesure que notre horizon s'élargit pour nous révéler les tempêtes qui se forment bien au-delà des frontières du monde civilisé — à mesure que nous suivons leur approche successive vers la frontière tremblante — la ligne comprimée et en recul reste encore nettement visible ; bien que progressivement démembrée et les fragments brisés prenant la forme d'États et de royaumes réguliers, la relation réelle de ces royaumes avec l'empire est maintenue et définie ; et même lorsque la domination romaine s'est réduite à guère plus que la province de Thrace — lorsque le nom de Rome, confiné, en Italie, aux murs de la cité — c'est encore le souvenir, l'ombre de la grandeur romaine, qui s'étend sur la vaste sphère dans laquelle l'historien déploie son récit ultérieur ; l'ensemble se fond dans l'unité, et est manifestement essentiel à la double catastrophe de son drame tragique.
But the amplitude, the magnificence, or the harmony of design, are, though imposing, yet unworthy claims on our admiration, unless the details are filled up with correctness and accuracy.
Mais l'ampleur, la magnificence ou l'harmonie de la composition sont, bien qu'imposantes, des titres indignes de notre admiration, à moins que les détails ne soient traités avec justesse et précision.
No writer has been more severely tried on this point than Gibbon.
Aucun écrivain n'a été plus sévèrement mis à l'épreuve sur ce point que Gibbon.
Vocabulary
- Les
- The (definite article, plural)
- épisodes
- Episodes; sections or distinct parts of narrative
- plus
- More; used for comparisons or emphasis
- paisibles
- Peaceful; calm and undisturbed in nature
- et
- And; basic conjunction connecting words or clauses
- sur
- On; upon or concerning something
- le
- The (definite article, masculine singular)
- développement
- Development; growth or gradual progression
- du
- Of the; contraction of de + le
- droit
- Law; right or legal system
- romain
- Roman; relating to ancient Rome
- ou
- Or; presents alternative choice or option
- même
- Even; same or identical
- détails
- Details; small specific facts or elements
- de
- Of; indicates possession or relationship
- histoire
- History; record of past events
- comme
- Like; as or in the manner of
- des
- Some; plural indefinite article
- divisions
- Divisions; separation into parts or sections
- entre
- Between; in the space separating two things
- périodes
- Periods; distinct portions of time
- invasion
- Invasion; hostile entry into territory
- barbare
- Barbaric; uncivilized or primitive
- En
- In; within or during time period
- bref
- Brief; in short or concisely
- bien
- Well; properly or in good manner
- que
- That; conjunction introducing subordinate clause
- distraite
- Distracted; inattentive or absent-minded
- abord
- Beginning; at first or initially
- par
- By; through or by means of
- deux
- Two; the number 2
- capitales
- Capitals; principal cities or important items
- puis
- Then; subsequently or next in sequence
- partition
- Partition; division or separation into parts
- formelle
- Formal; official or according to custom
- empire
- Empire; large political unit under monarch
- extraordinaire
- Extraordinary; very unusual or remarkable
- maintient
- Maintains; keeps or preserves in place
- un
- A; indefinite article, masculine singular
- ordre
- Order; sequence or arrangement of things
- une
- A; indefinite article, feminine singular
- progression
- Progression; forward movement or development
- régulière
- Regular; occurring at fixed intervals
- mesure
- Measure; extent or amount of something
- notre
- Our; possessive adjective, first person plural
- horizon
- Horizon; line where earth meets sky
- élargit
- Enlarges; makes wider or expands
- pour
- For; in order to or intended for
- nous
- Us; objective pronoun, first person plural
- révéler
- Reveal; make known or disclose
- tempêtes
- Tempests; violent storms or turbulent weather
- qui
- Which; relative pronoun for things
- se
- Oneself; reflexive pronoun
- forment
- Form; come into being or shape
- au-delà
- Beyond; on the far side of
- frontières
- Frontiers; borders or boundary lines
- monde
- World; the earth or society
- civilisé
- Civilized; advanced in culture and society
- suivons
- Follow; go along with or pursue
- leur
- Their; possessive adjective, third person plural
- approche
- Approach; drawing near or coming close
- successive
- Successive; following in order continuously
- vers
- Toward; in the direction of something
- frontière
- Frontier; border or boundary line
- ligne
- Line; row or linear mark
- recul
- Retreat; withdrawal or backward movement
- reste
- Remains; stays or what is left
- encore
- Still; continuing or yet more
- nettement
- Clearly; distinctly or precisely
Unlock audio playback, vocabulary games, and reading progress tracking.
Create free account →