Meditations — Page 3
Ceionius Commodus, whom Antoninus had adopted as a younger son at the same time with Marcus, giving him the name of Lucius Aurelius Verus.
Ceionius Commodus, qu'Antonin avait adopté comme fils cadet en même temps que Marcus, lui donnant le nom de Lucius Aurelius Verus.
Henceforth the two are colleagues in the empire, the junior being trained as it were to succeed.
Désormais, les deux sont collègues dans l'empire, le cadet étant formé pour ainsi dire à succéder.
No sooner was Marcus settled upon the throne than wars broke out on all sides.
À peine Marcus fut-il établi sur le trône que des guerres éclatèrent de tous côtés.
In the east, Vologeses III. of Parthia began a long-meditated revolt by destroying a whole Roman Legion and invading Syria (162).
En Orient, Vologèse III de Parthie entreprit une révolte longuement méditée en détruisant toute une légion romaine et en envahissant la Syrie (162).
Verus was sent off in hot haste to quell this rising; and he fulfilled his trust by plunging into drunkenness and debauchery, while the war was left to his officers.
Verus fut envoyé en toute hâte pour réprimer ce soulèvement ; et il s'acquitta de sa mission en se plongeant dans l'ivresse et la débauche, tandis que la guerre était laissée à ses officiers.
Soon after Marcus had to face a more serious danger at home in the coalition of several powerful tribes on the northern frontier.
Peu après, Marcus dut faire face à un danger plus grave sur le territoire même, dans la coalition de plusieurs tribus puissantes sur la frontière nord.
Chief among those were the Marcomanni or Marchmen, the Quadi (mentioned in this book), the Sarmatians, the Catti, the Jazyges.
Les principaux parmi eux étaient les Marcomans ou Marchmen, les Quades (mentionnés dans ce livre), les Sarmates, les Cattes, les Iazyges.
In Rome itself there was pestilence and starvation, the one brought from the east by Verus's legions, the other caused by floods which had destroyed vast quantities of grain.
À Rome même sévissaient la peste et la famine, l'une rapportée d'Orient par les légions de Verus, l'autre causée par des inondations qui avaient détruit de vastes quantités de grain.
After all had been done possible to allay famine and to supply pressing needs--Marcus being forced even to sell the imperial jewels to find money--both emperors set forth to a struggle which was to continue more or less during the rest of Marcus's reign.
Après avoir tout fait pour atténuer la famine et pourvoir aux besoins pressants — Marcus étant contraint même de vendre les joyaux impériaux pour trouver de l'argent — les deux empereurs partirent pour une lutte qui devait se poursuivre plus ou moins pendant le reste du règne de Marcus.
During these wars, in 169, Verus died.
Durant ces guerres, en 169, Verus mourut.
Vocabulary
- qu'
- Contracted form of 'que' meaning 'that' or 'whom'.
- avait
- Past tense of 'avoir'; had (third person singular).
- adopté
- Past participle of adopter; formally taken as one's own child.
- comme
- Preposition or conjunction meaning 'as' or 'like'.
- fils
- Noun meaning son or male offspring.
- cadet
- Adjective or noun meaning younger son or junior.
- en
- Preposition meaning 'in,' 'on,' or 'as.'
- même
- Adjective or adverb meaning 'same' or 'even.'
- temps
- Noun meaning time or weather.
- que
- Conjunction meaning 'that,' 'than,' or 'whom.'
- lui
- Pronoun meaning 'him,' 'her,' or 'to him/her.'
- donnant
- Present participle of donner; giving something to someone.
- le
- Definite article or pronoun meaning 'the' or 'him.'
- nom
- Noun meaning name or surname.
- de
- Preposition meaning 'of,' 'from,' or 'about.'
- Désormais
- Adverb meaning 'henceforth,' 'from now on,' or 'hereafter.'
- les
- Definite plural article meaning 'the.'
- deux
- Number meaning 'two.'
- sont
- Third person plural of être; meaning 'are.'
- collègues
- Noun meaning colleagues or co-workers sharing responsibilities.
- dans
- Preposition meaning 'in,' 'inside,' or 'within.'
- l'
- Contracted definite article meaning 'the' before vowel.
- empire
- Noun meaning empire or vast dominion ruled by emperor.
- étant
- Present participle of être; meaning 'being.'
- formé
- Past participle of former; trained, shaped, or educated.
- pour
- Preposition meaning 'for,' 'in order to,' or 'to.'
- ainsi
- Adverb meaning 'thus,' 'so,' or 'in this way.'
- dire
- Verb meaning 'to say' or 'to tell.'
- à
- Preposition meaning 'to,' 'at,' or 'in.'
- succéder
- Verb meaning to succeed or follow someone in position.
- À
- Preposition meaning 'to,' 'at,' or 'in' (capitalized).
- peine
- Noun or adverb meaning 'hardly,' 'scarcely,' or 'punishment.'
- fut
- Simple past of être; meaning 'was' (third person singular).
- il
- Personal pronoun meaning 'he' or 'it.'
- établi
- Past participle of établir; established, settled, or installed.
- sur
- Preposition meaning 'on,' 'upon,' or 'over.'
- trône
- Noun meaning throne, the seat of a monarch.
- des
- Indefinite plural article meaning 'some' or 'of the.'
- guerres
- Plural noun meaning wars or armed conflicts.
- éclatèrent
- Simple past of éclater; broke out or erupted suddenly.
- tous
- Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all' or 'every.'
- côtés
- Plural noun meaning sides or directions.
- En
- Preposition meaning 'in,' 'to,' or 'as' (capitalized).
- Orient
- Noun meaning the East or Orient as a geographical region.
- entreprit
- Simple past of entreprendre; undertook or began an endeavor.
- une
- Indefinite feminine article meaning 'a' or 'an.'
- révolte
- Noun meaning revolt, uprising, or rebellion against authority.
- longuement
- Adverb meaning 'at length,' 'for a long time.'
- méditée
- Past participle of méditer; pondered or planned carefully over time.
- détruisant
- Present participle of détruire; destroying or demolishing something.
- toute
- Feminine form of tout; meaning 'all,' 'every,' or 'whole.'
- légion
- Noun meaning legion, a division of the Roman army.
- romaine
- Feminine adjective meaning Roman, relating to ancient Rome.
- et
- Conjunction meaning 'and.'
- envahissant
- Present participle of envahir; invading or overrunning a territory.
- la
- Definite feminine article meaning 'the.'
- envoyé
- Past participle of envoyer; sent on a mission or task.
- hâte
- Noun meaning haste, hurry, or urgency.
- réprimer
- Verb meaning to repress, suppress, or quell a rebellion.
- ce
- Demonstrative adjective or pronoun meaning 'this' or 'that.'
- soulèvement
- Noun meaning uprising, insurrection, or revolt.
- s'
- Reflexive pronoun; contracted form of 'se' before vowel.
- acquitta
- Simple past of s'acquitter; discharged or fulfilled one's duty.
- sa
- Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'its' (feminine).
- mission
- Noun meaning mission, task, or assigned duty to accomplish.
- se
- Reflexive pronoun meaning 'himself,' 'herself,' or 'itself.'
- plongeant
- Present participle of plonger; plunging or immersing oneself deeply.
- ivresse
- Noun meaning intoxication, drunkenness, or euphoric excitement.
- débauche
- Noun meaning debauchery, excess, or moral dissolution.
- tandis
- Conjunction used in 'tandis que,' meaning 'while' or 'whereas.'
- guerre
- Noun meaning war or armed conflict between groups.
- était
- Imperfect of être; meaning 'was' or 'used to be.'
- laissée
- Past participle of laisser; left behind or entrusted to others.
- ses
- Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'its' (plural).
- officiers
- Plural noun meaning officers in a military or official capacity.
- Peu
- Adverb or adjective meaning 'little,' 'few,' or 'not much.'
- après
- Preposition or adverb meaning 'after' or 'afterwards.'
- dut
- Simple past of devoir; had to or was obliged to.
- faire
- Verb meaning 'to do,' 'to make,' or 'to cause.'
- face
- Noun meaning face or front; 'faire face' means to confront.
- un
- Indefinite masculine article meaning 'a,' 'an,' or 'one.'
- danger
- Noun meaning danger, peril, or risk of harm.
- plus
- Adverb meaning 'more,' 'most,' or 'no longer.'
- grave
- Adjective meaning serious, grave, or severe in nature.
- territoire
- Noun meaning territory, land, or geographic area of control.
- coalition
- Noun meaning coalition, alliance of groups with shared purpose.
- plusieurs
- Adjective or pronoun meaning 'several' or 'many.'
- tribus
- Plural noun meaning tribes or tribal groups.
- puissantes
- Feminine plural adjective meaning powerful or mighty.
- frontière
- Noun meaning frontier, border, or boundary between regions.
- nord
- Noun or adjective meaning north or northern direction.
- Les
- Definite plural article meaning 'the' (capitalized here).
- principaux
- Plural adjective meaning principal, main, or most important.
- parmi
- Preposition meaning 'among' or 'amongst.'
- eux
- Disjunctive pronoun meaning 'them' (masculine plural).
- étaient
- Imperfect of être; meaning 'were' or 'used to be.'
- ou
- Conjunction meaning 'or,' offering an alternative choice.
- mentionnés
- Past participle of mentionner; mentioned or referred to previously.
- livre
- Noun meaning book or pound (unit of weight or currency).
- sévissaient
- Imperfect of sévir; raged, wreaked havoc, or struck severely.
- peste
- Noun meaning plague, pestilence, or deadly epidemic disease.
- famine
- Noun meaning famine or extreme widespread food shortage.
- rapportée
- Past participle of rapporter; brought back or reported from elsewhere.
- d'
- Contracted preposition 'de' before vowel; meaning 'of' or 'from.'
- par
- Preposition meaning 'by,' 'through,' or 'per.'
- légions
- Plural noun meaning legions, major divisions of Roman army.
- autre
- Adjective or pronoun meaning 'other' or 'another.'
- causée
- Past participle of causer; caused or brought about something.
- inondations
- Plural noun meaning floods or inundations of water.
- qui
- Relative or interrogative pronoun meaning 'who,' 'which,' or 'that.'
- avaient
- Imperfect of avoir; meaning 'had' (third person plural).
- détruit
- Past participle of détruire; destroyed or demolished completely.
- vastes
- Plural adjective meaning vast, immense, or very large.
- quantités
- Plural noun meaning quantities or amounts of something.
- grain
- Noun meaning grain or cereal crops used as food.
- Après
- Preposition or adverb meaning 'after' or 'afterwards' (capitalized).
- avoir
- Verb meaning 'to have'; also used in compound past tenses.
- tout
- Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all,' 'everything,' or 'whole.'
- fait
- Past participle of faire; done or made something.
- atténuer
- Verb meaning to lessen, mitigate, or reduce in severity.
- pourvoir
- Verb meaning to provide for or supply someone's needs.
- aux
- Contraction of 'à les'; meaning 'to the' (plural).
- besoins
- Plural noun meaning needs or necessities of daily life.
- pressants
- Plural adjective meaning pressing, urgent, or immediate.
- contraint
- Past participle of contraindre; forced or compelled to act.
- vendre
- Verb meaning 'to sell' goods or property.
- joyaux
- Plural noun meaning jewels or precious ornamental gems.
- impériaux
- Plural adjective meaning imperial, relating to an emperor or empire.
- trouver
- Verb meaning 'to find' or 'to discover' something.
- argent
- Noun meaning money or silver.
- empereurs
- Plural noun meaning emperors or rulers of an empire.
- partirent
- Simple past of partir; departed or set out on a journey.
- lutte
- Noun meaning struggle, fight, or wrestling contest.
- devait
- Imperfect of devoir; was supposed to or was expected to.
- poursuivre
- Verb meaning to pursue, continue, or follow something persistently.
- moins
- Adverb meaning 'less' or 'fewer'; opposite of 'plus.'
- pendant
- Preposition meaning 'during' or 'for' a period of time.
- reste
- Noun or verb meaning 'rest,' 'remainder,' or 'remains.'
- du
- Contraction of 'de le'; meaning 'of the' (masculine singular).
- règne
- Noun meaning reign or period of a ruler's governance.
- Durant
- Preposition meaning 'during' a particular period or event.
- ces
- Demonstrative adjective meaning 'these' or 'those' (plural).
- mourut
- Simple past of mourir; died (third person singular).
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