Meditations — Page 7
He trod the path beaten by his predecessors, seeking only to do his duty as well as he could, and to keep out corruption.
Egli percorse il cammino tracciato dai suoi predecessori, cercando soltanto di compiere il proprio dovere nel miglior modo possibile e di tenere lontana la corruzione.
He did some unwise things, it is true.
Fece alcune cose poco sagge, è vero.
To create a compeer in empire, as he did with Verus, was a dangerous innovation which could only succeed if one of the two effaced himself; and under Diocletian this very precedent caused the Roman Empire to split into halves.
Creare un pari nell'impero, come fece con Vero, era un'innovazione pericolosa che poteva riuscire solo se uno dei due si cancellasse; e sotto Diocleziano proprio questo precedente causò la divisione dell'Impero Romano in due metà.
He erred in his civil administration by too much centralising.
Errò nella sua amministrazione civile per eccessiva centralizzazione.
But the strong point of his reign was the administration of justice.
Ma il punto di forza del suo regno fu l'amministrazione della giustizia.
Marcus sought by-laws to protect the weak, to make the lot of the slaves less hard, to stand in place of father to the fatherless.
Marco cercò leggi per proteggere i deboli, per rendere meno dura la sorte degli schiavi, per fare le veci del padre agli orfani.
Charitable foundations were endowed for rearing and educating poor children.
Furono istituite fondazioni caritatevoli per allevare ed educare i bambini poveri.
The provinces were protected against oppression, and public help was given to cities or districts which might be visited by calamity.
Le province furono protette dall'oppressione e un aiuto pubblico fu concesso alle città o ai distretti che potevano essere colpiti da calamità.
The great blot on his name, and one hard indeed to explain, is his treatment of the Christians.
La grande macchia sul suo nome, e una davvero difficile da spiegare, è il suo trattamento dei cristiani.
In his reign Justin at Rome became a martyr to his faith, and Polycarp at Smyrna, and we know of many outbreaks of fanaticism in the provinces which caused the death of the faithful.
Durante il suo regno Giustino a Roma divenne martire della sua fede, e Policarpo a Smirne, e siamo a conoscenza di molte esplosioni di fanatismo nelle province che causarono la morte dei fedeli.
It is no excuse to plead that he knew nothing about the atrocities done in his name: it was his duty to know, and if he did not he would have been the first to confess that he had failed in his duty.
Non è una scusa addurre che non sapesse nulla delle atrocità commesse in suo nome: era suo dovere saperlo, e se non lo sapeva sarebbe stato il primo a confessare di aver mancato al proprio dovere.
Vocabulary
- Egli
- EH-lyee — Third person singular masculine pronoun meaning 'he'
- percorse
- pehr-KOR-seh — He traveled or followed a path, past tense
- cammino
- kahm-MEE-noh — A path, road, or journey one travels
- tracciato
- trah-CHAH-toh — Traced, laid out, or marked as a route
- dai
- dah-ee — Contraction of 'da' and 'i', meaning 'by the'
- suoi
- SWOH-ee — His, her, or its (plural possessive adjective)
- predecessori
- preh-deh-chehs-SOH-ree — Those who held a position before someone else
- cercando
- chehr-KAHN-doh — Seeking or trying to do something, gerund form
- soltanto
- sohl-TAHN-toh — Only, merely, exclusively; limits scope of action
- compiere
- KOHM-pyeh-reh — To carry out, accomplish, or fulfill a task
- proprio
- PROH-pryoh — One's own; belonging specifically to oneself
- dovere
- doh-VEH-reh — Duty, obligation, or moral responsibility one has
- miglior
- mee-LYOHR — Best; superlative or comparative form of 'good'
- modo
- MOH-doh — Way, manner, or method of doing something
- possibile
- pohs-SEE-bee-leh — Possible; able to be done or achieved
- tenere
- teh-NEH-reh — To keep, hold, or maintain something in place
- lontana
- lohn-TAH-nah — Far away, distant, kept at a remove
- corruzione
- kohr-roo-TSYOH-neh — Corruption; dishonest or unethical conduct in power
- Fece
- FEH-cheh — He did or made something, simple past tense
- alcune
- ahl-KOO-neh — Some, a few; indefinite plural feminine adjective
- cose
- KOH-zeh — Things, objects, or matters in general
- poco
- POH-koh — Little, not much; indicates small quantity or degree
- sagge
- SAHD-jeh — Wise, sensible; feminine plural of 'saggio'
- è
- eh — Third person singular present of 'essere', meaning 'is'
- vero
- VEH-roh — True, real; confirms or affirms a statement
- Creare
- kreh-AH-reh — To create, establish, or bring something into existence
- pari
- PAH-ree — An equal co-ruler or peer sharing authority
- impero
- eem-PEH-roh — Empire; a large state ruled by an emperor
- come
- KOH-meh — As, like, how; used for comparison or manner
- fece
- FEH-cheh — Did or made; simple past third person singular
- era
- EH-rah — Was; imperfect third person singular of 'essere'
- innovazione
- een-noh-vah-TSYOH-neh — Innovation; a new idea, method, or introduction
- pericolosa
- peh-ree-koh-LOH-zah — Dangerous, risky; likely to cause harm or problems
- poteva
- poh-TEH-vah — Could, was able to; imperfect of 'potere'
- riuscire
- ryoo-SHEE-reh — To succeed, manage, or turn out well
- solo
- SOH-loh — Only, alone, just; limits or isolates a condition
- se
- seh — If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothesis
- uno
- OO-noh — One; indefinite pronoun or number meaning 'one'
- due
- DOO-eh — Two; the cardinal number between one and three
- si
- see — Reflexive or reciprocal pronoun meaning 'oneself/himself'
- cancellasse
- kahn-chehl-LAHS-seh — Were to cancel, eliminate oneself; imperfect subjunctive
- sotto
- SOHT-toh — Under, below, beneath; indicates subordinate position
- questo
- KWEH-stoh — This; demonstrative pronoun or adjective nearby
- precedente
- preh-cheh-DEHN-teh — Precedent; a previous case used as an example
- causò
- kah-oo-ZOH — Caused, brought about; simple past of 'causare'
- divisione
- dee-vee-ZYOH-neh — Division, split; separation into distinct parts
- Impero
- eem-PEH-roh — Empire; used here for the Roman Empire specifically
- Romano
- roh-MAH-noh — Roman; relating to ancient Rome or its empire
- metà
- meh-TAH — Half; one of two equal parts of a whole
- Errò
- ehr-ROH — He erred, made mistakes; past tense of 'errare'
- sua
- SOO-ah — His, her; feminine singular possessive adjective
- amministrazione
- ahm-mee-nee-strah-TSYOH-neh — Administration; management of governmental or civil affairs
- civile
- chee-VEE-leh — Civil; relating to citizens or civilian governance
- eccessiva
- eh-chehs-SEE-vah — Excessive, too much; beyond normal or reasonable limits
- centralizzazione
- chehn-trah-lee-dzah-TSYOH-neh — Centralization; concentration of control in one authority
- Ma
- mah — But; adversative conjunction introducing a contrast
- punto
- POON-toh — Point, strong point; key aspect or feature
- forza
- FOHR-tsah — Strength, force; power or strong quality
- suo
- SOO-oh — His, her, its; masculine singular possessive adjective
- regno
- REH-nyoh — Reign, kingdom; period or domain of a ruler
- fu
- foo — Was; simple past third person singular of 'essere'
- giustizia
- joo-STEE-tsyah — Justice; the quality of being fair and righteous
- cercò
- chehr-KOH — He sought, looked for; simple past of 'cercare'
- leggi
- LEHD-jee — Laws; rules enacted by a governing authority
- proteggere
- proh-TEHD-jeh-reh — To protect, defend, or shield from harm
- deboli
- DEH-boh-lee — The weak; those lacking strength or power
- rendere
- REHN-deh-reh — To make, render, or cause something to become
- meno
- MEH-noh — Less; comparative adverb indicating reduced degree
- dura
- DOO-rah — Hard, harsh, difficult; describes a tough condition
- sorte
- SOHR-teh — Fate, lot, destiny; one's circumstances in life
- schiavi
- SKYAH-vee — Slaves; people owned and forced to work
- fare
- FAH-reh — To do, make; one of the most common verbs
- veci
- VEH-chee — Role, stead; fare le veci means to act for
- padre
- PAH-dreh — Father; male parent or father figure
- orfani
- OHR-fah-nee — Orphans; children who have lost their parents
- Furono
- FOO-roh-noh — Were; simple past plural of 'essere'
- istituite
- ees-tee-TWEE-teh — Established, instituted; set up formally (feminine plural)
- fondazioni
- fohn-dah-TSYOH-nee — Foundations; charitable organizations providing social support
- caritatevoli
- kah-ree-tah-TEH-voh-lee — Charitable; showing generosity toward those in need
- allevare
- ahl-leh-VAH-reh — To raise, rear; to bring up children or animals
- educare
- eh-doo-KAH-reh — To educate, raise, bring up with learning
- bambini
- bahm-BEE-nee — Children; young boys or kids in general
- poveri
- POH-veh-ree — Poor people; those lacking financial resources
- province
- proh-VEEN-cheh — Provinces; administrative regions of an empire or state
- furono
- FOO-roh-noh — Were; simple past plural third person of 'essere'
- protette
- proh-TEHT-teh — Protected; kept safe from harm (feminine plural past participle)
- oppressione
- ohp-prehs-SYOH-neh — Oppression; unjust and cruel use of authority
- aiuto
- ah-YOO-toh — Help, aid, assistance given to someone in need
- pubblico
- POOB-blee-koh — Public; relating to the state or general population
- concesso
- kohn-CHEHS-soh — Granted, conceded; given or allowed officially
- città
- cheet-TAH — City, town; an urban settlement of people
- distretti
- dee-STREHT-tee — Districts; administrative subdivisions of a larger region
- potevano
- poh-TEH-vah-noh — Could, were able to; imperfect plural of 'potere'
- essere
- EHS-seh-reh — To be; fundamental Italian auxiliary and copular verb
- colpiti
- kohl-PEE-tee — Struck, hit, affected; past participle plural of 'colpire'
- calamità
- kah-lah-mee-TAH — Calamity, disaster; a sudden terrible event causing damage
- grande
- GRAHN-deh — Great, large, big; describes significant size or importance
- macchia
- MAHK-kyah — Stain, blot, blemish; a mark on reputation
- nome
- NOH-meh — Name, reputation; one's identity or standing
- davvero
- dahv-VEH-roh — Really, truly, indeed; emphasizes truth of statement
- difficile
- deef-FEE-chee-leh — Difficult, hard; not easy to do or understand
- spiegare
- spyeh-GAH-reh — To explain, clarify; to make something understandable
- trattamento
- traht-tah-MEHN-toh — Treatment; the way someone is dealt with or handled
- cristiani
- kree-STYAH-nee — Christians; followers of the Christian religion
- Durante
- doo-RAHN-teh — During; throughout the course of a time period
- divenne
- dee-VEHN-neh — Became; simple past third person singular of 'divenire'
- martire
- MAHR-tee-reh — Martyr; one who dies for their religious beliefs
- fede
- FEH-deh — Faith, belief; religious trust or personal conviction
- siamo
- SYAH-moh — We are; first person plural present of 'essere'
- conoscenza
- koh-noh-SHEHN-tsah — Knowledge, acquaintance; awareness or familiarity with something
- molte
- MOHL-teh — Many, numerous; feminine plural of 'molto'
- esplosioni
- ehz-ploh-ZYOH-nee — Explosions, outbursts; sudden violent occurrences
- fanatismo
- fah-nah-TEEZ-moh — Fanaticism; excessive, irrational devotion to a cause
- causarono
- kah-oo-ZAH-roh-noh — Caused, brought about; simple past plural of 'causare'
- morte
- MOHR-teh — Death; the end of life
- fedeli
- feh-DEH-lee — Faithful ones, believers; devoted followers of a religion
- scusa
- SKOO-zah — Excuse; a reason offered to justify an action
- addurre
- ahd-DOOR-reh — To adduce, put forward; to offer a reason or excuse
- sapesse
- sah-PEHS-seh — Knew; imperfect subjunctive of 'sapere'
- nulla
- NOOL-lah — Nothing; absence of anything, used in negation
- atrocità
- ah-troh-chee-TAH — Atrocities; extremely cruel or horrific acts
- commesse
- kohm-MEHS-seh — Committed; past participle feminine plural of 'commettere'
- saperlo
- sah-PEHR-loh — To know it; infinitive 'sapere' with attached pronoun
- lo
- loh — Him, it; masculine direct object pronoun
- sapeva
- sah-PEH-vah — Knew; imperfect third person singular of 'sapere'
- sarebbe
- sah-REHB-beh — Would be; conditional third person singular of 'essere'
- stato
- STAH-toh — Been; past participle of 'essere', used in compound tenses
- primo
- PREE-moh — First; ordinal number indicating the foremost position
- confessare
- kohn-fehs-SAH-reh — To confess, admit; to acknowledge a fault openly
- aver
- ah-VEHR — To have; shortened infinitive used in compound constructions
- mancato
- mahn-KAH-toh — Failed, lacked; past participle of 'mancare'
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