LH2: Lesson - Authentic Latin - Reading Eutropius

Eutropius

Image: a coin showing Emperor Julian Very little is known about Flavius Eutropius. For instance, we do not know his birth and death dates. His historical work, The Breviarium Historiae, is dated to around 370 CE. Eutropius set out to write a complete history of Rome, from its founding. Since he planned to cover over 1000 years, the history tends to be fairly concise, and lighter on details than other historians who covered shorter amounts of time or specific individuals.

His account of the death of Augustus is distinctly different in its approach from the account told by Suetonius. While Suetonius gives the reader a peek into the personal events surrounding his death, Eutropius talks about the bigger picture: what did Augustus' death really mean to Rome at the time?

The image on the coin is a portrait of Emperor Julian (361-363 CE), under whose rule Eutropius would have been writing. Images of the author himself are exceedingly rare, to the point of being absent from the historical record.

Translation Handout

Translation Guide - Authentic Latin Links to an external site.

This document contains the Latin text for Suetonius, Eutropius, and Augustus. Please download this file to assist with reading and comprehension of the Latin passage. Answer the analysis questions for each passage. Contact your instructor with questions.

Latin Text

Below you will find the full reading passage for Eutropius. Read through the Latin and see what you can decipher on your own (some notes are included on the page to help with more complex structures). Then use the translation guide to provide additional details to help you form a better understanding of the passage. You may, if you wish, write out a complete translation in your notes, but it is not necessary to do so to achieve an understanding of the passage.

Eutropius: The End of Augustus’ Life

[8] Ita bellis toto orbe confectis Octavianus Augustus Romam rediit, duodecimo anno, quam consul fuerat. Ex eo rem publicam per quadraginta et quattuor annos solus obtinuit. Ante enim duodecim annis cum Antonio et Lepido tenuerat. Ita ab initio principatus eius usque ad finem quinquaginta et sex anni fuerunt. Obiit autem septuagesimo sexto anno morte communi in oppido Campaniae Atella. Romae in campo Martio sepultus est, vir, qui non inmerito ex maxima parte deo similis est putatus. Neque enim facile ullus eo aut in bellis felicior fuit aut in pace moderatior. Quadraginta et quattuor annis, quibus solus gessit imperium, civilissime vixit, in cunctos liberalissimus, in amicos fidissimus, quos tantis evexit honoribus, ut paene aequaret fastigio suo.

NOTES:

  • bellis...confectis: ablative absolute, temporal – When...
  • toto orbe: in the whole world
  • decimo...fuerat: ignore commas, take quam as an adverbial after: in the 12th year after...
  • Ex eo: eo = anno
  • tenuerat: he had held power – power is implied
  • morte communi: a natural death.
  • in oppido Campaniae Atella: Atella is appositive with oppido, while Campaniae is locative: in the town of Atella in Campania.
  • Romae: locative
  • non inmerito: double negative = not unworthy/not without merit = with some merit.
  • est putatus = putatus est.
  • Neque...ullus = not anyone = no one.
  • eo: ablative of comparison with felicior and eo = Augustus.
  • in cunctos...in amicos: in = to: most liberal to all, most faithful to his friends
  • ut...aequaret: result clause, introduced by tantis...honoribus

[9] Nullo tempore ante eum magis Romana res floruit. Nam exceptis civilibus bellis, in quibus invictus fuit, Romano adiecit imperio Aegyptum, Cantabriam, Dalmatiam saepe ante victam, sed penitus tunc subactam, Pannoniam, Aquitaniam, Illyricum, Raetiam, Vindelicos et Salassos in Alpibus, omnes Ponti maritimas civitates, in his nobilissimas Bosphorum et Panticapaeum. Vicit autem multis proeliis Dacos. Germanorum ingentes copias cecidit, ipsos quoque trans Albim fluvium summovit, qui in Barbarico longe ultra Rhenum est. Hoc tamen bellum per Drusum, privignum suum, administravit, sicut per Tiberium, privignum alterum, Pannonicum, quo bello XL captivorum milia ex Germania transtulit et supra ripam Rheni in Gallia conlocavit. Armeniam a Parthis recepit. Obsides, quod nulli antea, Persae ei dederunt. Reddiderunt etiam signa Romana, quae Crasso victo ademerant.

NOTES:

  • Aegyptum...Panticapaeum: this is a list of places and people that Augustus conquered and added (adiecit) to the Roman empire (Romano imperio). Several places have additional details, like Dalmatia: saepe ante victam (often beaten before). Read this section carefully and check with the vocabulary notes for correct place names.
  • XL captivorum milia: forty thousand prisoners
  • quod nulli antea: which had not been done before
  • Crasso victo: ablative absolute, temporal – when Crassus was defeated

Analysis Questions

Use the following analysis questions to support your understanding of the passage.

  • How long was Augustus in charge:
    • with others (the triumvirate)
    • by himself
    • total
  • To whom does Eutropius compare Augustus? How does he fare in the comparison?
  • How did Rome do under the rule of Augustus?
  • What specific evidence from this passage do you have?

Practice Activity

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