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Meditations — Page 6

English → Fr Preface Level 9/10

His operations were followed by complete success; but the troubles of late years had been too much for his constitution, at no time robust, and on March 17, 180, he died in Pannonia.

Ses opérations furent couronnées d'un succès complet ; mais les épreuves des dernières années avaient été trop lourdes pour sa constitution, qui n'avait jamais été robuste, et le 17 mars 180, il mourut en Pannonie.

The good emperor was not spared domestic troubles.

Le bon empereur ne fut pas épargné par les troubles domestiques.

Faustina had borne him several children, of whom he was passionately fond.

Faustine lui avait donné plusieurs enfants, qu'il aimait avec passion.

Their innocent faces may still be seen in many a sculpture gallery, recalling with odd effect the dreamy countenance of their father.

Leurs visages innocents peuvent encore être vus dans bien des galeries de sculpture, rappelant avec un effet singulier le visage rêveur de leur père.

But they died one by one, and when Marcus came to his own end only one of his sons still lived--the weak and worthless Commodus.

Mais ils moururent l'un après l'autre, et lorsque Marc parvint à sa propre fin, un seul de ses fils vivait encore — le faible et méprisable Commode.

On his father's death Commodus, who succeeded him, undid the work of many campaigns by a hasty and unwise peace; and his reign of twelve years proved him to be a ferocious and bloodthirsty tyrant.

À la mort de son père, Commode, qui lui succéda, réduisit à néant l'œuvre de nombreuses campagnes par une paix hâtive et inconsidérée ; et son règne de douze ans le révéla comme un tyran féroce et sanguinaire.

Scandal has made free with the name of Faustina herself, who is accused not only of unfaithfulness, but of intriguing with Cassius and egging him on to his fatal rebellion, it must be admitted that these charges rest on no sure evidence; and the emperor, at all events, loved her dearly, nor ever felt the slightest qualm of suspicion.

Le scandale s'est emparé du nom de Faustine elle-même, accusée non seulement d'infidélité, mais d'avoir intrigué avec Cassius et de l'avoir poussé à sa fatale rébellion ; il faut admettre que ces accusations ne reposent sur aucune preuve solide ; et l'empereur, en tout état de cause, l'aimait tendrement, et n'éprouva jamais le moindre scrupule de suspicion.

As a soldier we have seen that Marcus was both capable and successful; as an administrator he was prudent and conscientious.

En tant que soldat, nous avons vu que Marc était à la fois capable et efficace ; en tant qu'administrateur, il était prudent et consciencieux.

Although steeped in the teachings of philosophy, he did not attempt to remodel the world on any preconceived plan.

Bien qu'imprégné des enseignements de la philosophie, il ne tenta pas de remodeler le monde selon un plan préconçu quelconque.

Vocabulary

Ses
Possessive adjective meaning 'his', 'her', or 'its'
opérations
Military or business operations, campaigns
furent
Past tense of 'être'; 'were' (simple past)
couronnées
Crowned; figuratively meaning rewarded with success
succès
Success; a favorable or desired outcome
complet
Complete, total, or full
épreuves
Trials, hardships, or ordeals endured
dernières
Last or final (feminine plural form)
années
Years; plural of 'année'
avaient
Third person plural imperfect of 'avoir'; 'had'
été
Past participle of 'être'; 'been'
trop
Too much; excessively
lourdes
Heavy or burdensome (feminine plural adjective)
constitution
Physical constitution; one's bodily health or makeup
avait
Third person singular imperfect of 'avoir'; 'had'
jamais
Never; used in negation or emphasis
robuste
Robust, strong, or sturdy in health
mars
March; the third month of the year
mourut
He died; simple past of 'mourir'
bon
Good; morally upright or kind
empereur
Emperor; ruler of an empire
fut
Simple past of 'être'; 'was'
épargné
Spared; past participle of 'épargner'
troubles
Troubles, disturbances, or disorders
domestiques
Domestic; relating to home or family life
donné
Given; past participle of 'donner'
plusieurs
Several; more than two but not many
enfants
Children; young people or offspring
aimait
Loved or liked; imperfect tense of 'aimer'
passion
Passion; intense emotion or deep love
Leurs
Possessive adjective; 'their' (plural)
visages
Faces; plural of 'visage'
innocents
Innocent; pure, free from guilt or corruption
peuvent
Can; third person plural present of 'pouvoir'
encore
Still or yet; also meaning 'again'
être
To be; infinitive of the verb 'être'
vus
Seen; plural past participle of 'voir'
bien
Many or well; used as adverb or adjective
galeries
Galleries; museums or rooms displaying artworks
sculpture
Sculpture; three-dimensional artistic works
rappelant
Recalling or reminding; present participle of 'rappeler'
effet
Effect or result; also used in 'en effet' meaning indeed
singulier
Singular, peculiar, or remarkable
visage
Face; a person's facial features
rêveur
Dreamy or pensive; given to daydreaming
leur
Their; possessive adjective or pronoun
père
Father; a male parent
moururent
They died; simple past plural of 'mourir'
après
After; following in time or order
autre
Other; another person or thing
lorsque
When; at the time that (formal conjunction)
parvint
Reached or arrived at; simple past of 'parvenir'
propre
Own; one's own (placed before noun)
fin
End; conclusion or death
seul
Alone or only; without others
fils
Son; a male child
vivait
Was living; imperfect tense of 'vivre'
faible
Weak; lacking strength or ability
méprisable
Despicable; worthy of contempt or scorn
mort
Death; the end of life
succéda
Succeeded; took the place of (simple past)
réduisit
Reduced; brought down (simple past of 'réduire')
néant
Nothingness; total void or nullity
œuvre
Work; artistic, literary, or political achievement
nombreuses
Numerous; many in number (feminine plural)
campagnes
Campaigns; military or political endeavors
paix
Peace; absence of war or conflict
hâtive
Hasty; done too quickly without care
inconsidérée
Rash or thoughtless; lacking careful consideration
règne
Reign; the period of a ruler's power
douze
Twelve; the number 12
ans
Years; plural of 'an' (a year)
révéla
Revealed himself; simple past of 'révéler'
comme
As or like; used for comparison
tyran
Tyrant; a cruel and oppressive ruler
féroce
Fierce or ferocious; extremely cruel
sanguinaire
Bloodthirsty; taking pleasure in violence and killing
scandale
Scandal; a disgraceful or shocking event
emparé
Seized or taken hold of; past participle of 's'emparer'
nom
Name; a word used to identify a person
même
Herself, itself; also means 'even' or 'same'
accusée
Accused; charged with wrongdoing (feminine past participle)
seulement
Only; used to limit or restrict a statement
infidélité
Infidelity; unfaithfulness especially in marriage
avoir
To have; infinitive of the auxiliary verb
intrigué
Plotted or conspired; past participle of 'intriguer'
poussé
Pushed or incited; past participle of 'pousser'
fatale
Fatal; causing death or ruin (feminine adjective)
rébellion
Rebellion; armed resistance against authority
faut
It is necessary; from 'falloir' (impersonal verb)
admettre
To admit or acknowledge; to accept as true
ces
These or those; demonstrative adjective plural
accusations
Accusations; formal charges of wrongdoing
reposent
Rest upon; third person plural of 'reposer'
aucune
No or none; negative adjective (feminine form)
preuve
Proof or evidence supporting a claim
solide
Solid or reliable; firm and dependable
tout
All or every; also used as 'in any case'
état
State or condition; also a political state
cause
Cause; reason or legal case
tendrement
Tenderly; with affection and gentleness
éprouva
Felt or experienced; simple past of 'éprouver'
moindre
Least or slightest; smallest in degree
scrupule
Scruple; moral hesitation or doubt
suspicion
Suspicion; mistrust or feeling of doubt
tant
As; used in 'en tant que' meaning 'as a'
soldat
Soldier; a person serving in an army
avons
We have; first person plural of 'avoir'
vu
Seen; past participle of 'voir'
était
Was; third person singular imperfect of 'être'
fois
Time; an occurrence or instance
capable
Capable; having the ability or skill
efficace
Effective or efficient; producing desired results
administrateur
Administrator; person who manages affairs or organizations
prudent
Prudent; careful and wise in decisions
consciencieux
Conscientious; diligent and thorough in duties
Bien
Well; also used as 'thoroughly' or 'deeply'
imprégné
Imbued or steeped; deeply influenced by something
enseignements
Teachings or lessons; plural of 'enseignement'
philosophie
Philosophy; the study of fundamental questions
tenta
Attempted or tried; simple past of 'tenter'
remodeler
To remodel; to reshape or restructure something
monde
World; the earth or society in general
selon
According to; in accordance with
plan
Plan; a proposed course of action
préconçu
Preconceived; formed beforehand without evidence
quelconque
Any whatsoever; used to mean ordinary or unspecified
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