Meditations — Page 5
Avidius Cassius, an able captain who had won renown in the Parthian wars, was at this time chief governor of the eastern provinces.
Avidio Casio, un hábil capitán que había ganado renombre en las guerras párticas, era en ese momento gobernador principal de las provincias orientales.
By whatever means induced, he had conceived the project of proclaiming himself emperor as soon as Marcus, who was then in feeble health, should die; and a report having been conveyed to him that Marcus was dead, Cassius did as he had planned.
Por cualquier medio que lo hubiera inducido, había concebido el proyecto de proclamarse emperador en cuanto Marco, que se encontraba entonces en precario estado de salud, muriera; y habiéndole llegado la noticia de que Marco había muerto, Casio hizo lo que había planeado.
Marcus, on hearing the news, immediately patched up a peace and returned home to meet this new peril.
Marco, al escuchar la noticia, concertó de inmediato una paz y regresó a casa para hacer frente a este nuevo peligro.
The emperors great grief was that he must needs engage in the horrors of civil strife.
El gran pesar del emperador era que se veía obligado a verse envuelto en los horrores de la guerra civil.
He praised the qualities of Cassius, and expressed a heartfelt wish that Cassius might not be driven to do himself a hurt before he should have the opportunity to grant a free pardon.
Elogió las cualidades de Casio y expresó su más sincero deseo de que Casio no se viera llevado a hacerse daño antes de que él tuviera la oportunidad de concederle un indulto pleno.
But before he could come to the east news had come to Cassius that the emperor still lived; his followers fell away from him, and he was assassinated.
Pero antes de que pudiera llegar al oriente, la noticia de que el emperador aún vivía había llegado a Casio; sus seguidores lo abandonaron y fue asesinado.
Marcus now went to the east, and while there the murderers brought the head of Cassius to him; but the emperor indignantly refused their gift, nor would he admit the men to his presence.
Marco se dirigió entonces al oriente, y mientras estaba allí los asesinos le llevaron la cabeza de Casio; pero el emperador rechazó indignado su ofrenda y tampoco quiso admitir a los hombres en su presencia.
On this journey his wife, Faustina, died.
Durante este viaje murió su esposa, Faustina.
At his return the emperor celebrated a triumph (176).
A su regreso, el emperador celebró un triunfo (176).
Immediately afterwards he repaired to Germany, and took up once more the burden of war.
Inmediatamente después se dirigió a Germania y retomó una vez más la carga de la guerra.
Vocabulary
- un
- Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'
- hábil
- Skillful, capable, or clever at doing something
- capitán
- Military officer ranking as captain or commander
- que
- Relative pronoun or conjunction meaning 'that' or 'who'
- había
- Past perfect auxiliary verb meaning 'had'
- ganado
- Earned or won through effort or competition
- renombre
- Fame, renown, or widespread recognition earned over time
- en
- Preposition meaning 'in,' 'on,' or 'at'
- las
- Definite article feminine plural meaning 'the'
- guerras
- Armed conflicts or wars between groups or nations
- era
- Past tense of 'ser,' meaning 'was' or 'were'
- ese
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'that' near the listener
- momento
- A specific point or brief period in time
- gobernador
- An official who governs a region or province
- principal
- Main, chief, or most important among several things
- de
- Preposition meaning 'of,' 'from,' or 'about'
- provincias
- Administrative divisions or regions within a country
- orientales
- Relating to the east or eastern regions
- Por
- Preposition meaning 'by,' 'through,' or 'because of'
- cualquier
- Any, whichever, or whatever without specific preference
- medio
- A means, method, or way of achieving something
- lo
- Masculine direct object pronoun meaning 'him' or 'it'
- hubiera
- Past subjunctive of 'haber,' meaning 'had' hypothetically
- inducido
- Persuaded or led someone to do something
- concebido
- Thought up, conceived, or formed an idea or plan
- el
- Definite article masculine singular meaning 'the'
- proyecto
- A plan, project, or proposed course of action
- proclamarse
- To declare oneself publicly as a leader or ruler
- emperador
- The supreme ruler of an empire
- cuanto
- As soon as, or to the extent that something occurs
- se
- Reflexive pronoun used with reflexive or reciprocal verbs
- encontraba
- Was located or found oneself in a certain condition
- entonces
- At that time, then, or in that circumstance
- precario
- Unstable, uncertain, or insecure in condition or situation
- estado
- Condition, state, or situation someone or something is in
- salud
- Health, the overall physical and mental well-being
- muriera
- Past subjunctive of 'morir,' meaning 'were to die'
- y
- Conjunction meaning 'and,' connecting words or clauses
- habiéndole
- Having received or reached him with news or information
- llegado
- Arrived or reached a place or person
- la
- Definite article feminine singular meaning 'the'
- noticia
- A piece of news or information about recent events
- muerto
- Dead; past participle of 'morir,' to die
- hizo
- Third-person singular preterite of 'hacer,' meaning 'did' or 'made'
- planeado
- Something planned or arranged in advance
- al
- Contraction of 'a' and 'el,' meaning 'to the' or 'upon'
- escuchar
- To listen or pay attention to sounds or speech
- concertó
- Arranged, negotiated, or agreed upon a deal or plan
- inmediato
- Immediate, happening right away without delay
- una
- Indefinite article feminine singular meaning 'a' or 'an'
- paz
- Peace; the absence of conflict or war
- regresó
- Returned or came back to a place or situation
- a
- Preposition meaning 'to,' 'at,' or indicating direction
- casa
- Home or house where someone lives
- para
- Preposition meaning 'for,' 'in order to,' or 'toward'
- hacer
- To do or make something; an infinitive verb
- frente
- Front; to face or confront a challenge or threat
- este
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'this,' near the speaker
- nuevo
- New or recent; something not existing before
- peligro
- Danger or risk of harm or negative consequence
- El
- Definite article masculine singular meaning 'the'
- gran
- Great, large, or significant in scale or importance
- pesar
- Sorrow, regret, or deep sadness felt about something
- del
- Contraction of 'de' and 'el,' meaning 'of the'
- veía
- Saw or perceived; imperfect tense of 'ver'
- obligado
- Obliged or forced to do something by circumstance
- verse
- To find oneself or be seen in a certain situation
- envuelto
- Involved or entangled in a situation or conflict
- los
- Definite article masculine plural meaning 'the'
- horrores
- Horrors; terrible or shocking events causing great fear
- guerra
- War; armed conflict between opposing groups or nations
- civil
- Relating to citizens; civil war occurs within one nation
- Elogió
- Praised or spoke highly of someone's qualities or actions
- cualidades
- Qualities, traits, or characteristics of a person or thing
- expresó
- Expressed or communicated a feeling or opinion clearly
- su
- Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' 'its,' or 'their'
- más
- More or most; comparative adverb indicating greater degree
- sincero
- Sincere, genuine, and honest in feelings or intentions
- deseo
- A wish, desire, or strong longing for something
- no
- Negation word meaning 'no' or 'not'
- viera
- Past subjunctive of 'ver,' meaning 'were to see'
- llevado
- Led or taken to a place or situation
- hacerse
- To become or cause harm to oneself reflexively
- daño
- Harm, damage, or injury done to someone or something
- antes
- Before; earlier in time than a reference point
- él
- Third-person singular masculine pronoun meaning 'he'
- tuviera
- Past subjunctive of 'tener,' meaning 'were to have'
- oportunidad
- An opportunity or favorable chance to do something
- concederle
- To grant or give something to someone formally
- indulto
- A pardon or formal forgiveness granted to an offender
- pleno
- Full, complete, or total without any reservations
- Pero
- Conjunction meaning 'but,' introducing a contrasting idea
- pudiera
- Past subjunctive of 'poder,' meaning 'could' hypothetically
- llegar
- To arrive or reach a destination or goal
- oriente
- The east or eastern region of a country or world
- aún
- Still or yet; indicates continuation of a state
- vivía
- Was alive or lived; imperfect tense of 'vivir'
- sus
- Possessive adjective plural meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'their'
- seguidores
- Followers or supporters of a leader or cause
- abandonaron
- Abandoned or deserted someone, leaving them without support
- fue
- Preterite of 'ser' or 'ir,' meaning 'was' or 'went'
- asesinado
- Murdered or assassinated, killed deliberately and unlawfully
- dirigió
- Directed, headed toward, or led in a certain direction
- mientras
- While or meanwhile; during the same period of time
- estaba
- Was; imperfect tense of 'estar' indicating a condition
- allí
- There; at or in that place away from the speaker
- asesinos
- Assassins or murderers who kill deliberately
- le
- Indirect object pronoun meaning 'to him,' 'to her'
- llevaron
- Brought or carried something to someone as an offering
- cabeza
- Head; the uppermost part of the human body
- pero
- Conjunction meaning 'but,' introducing a contrasting clause
- rechazó
- Rejected or refused to accept something offered
- indignado
- Indignant or angered by something unjust or offensive
- ofrenda
- An offering or gift presented as a tribute or gesture
- tampoco
- Neither or nor; used to add a negative statement
- quiso
- Wanted or refused; preterite of 'querer'
- admitir
- To admit or allow someone into one's presence
- hombres
- Men; adult male human beings
- presencia
- Presence; the state of being in a particular place
- Durante
- During; throughout the course of a period of time
- viaje
- A journey or trip from one place to another
- murió
- Died; preterite tense of 'morir'
- esposa
- Wife; a female partner in marriage
- A
- Preposition meaning 'to,' 'at,' or indicating direction
- regreso
- Return; the act of coming back to a place
- celebró
- Celebrated or held a formal ceremony or event
- triunfo
- Triumph; a victory celebration or great achievement
- Inmediatamente
- Immediately; right away without any delay
- después
- After or afterwards; later in time or order
- retomó
- Resumed or took up again something previously paused
- vez
- Time or turn; an instance or occurrence of something
- carga
- A burden, load, or responsibility one must carry
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