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Commentary Cons. Phil. Book 2 Metrum 3

Metrum 3

Vacillation between peace and turmoil is common and characteristic of all the world of nature.

Meter: Sapphic hendecasyllable alternating with glyconic. The sapphic consists of a cretic (- u -) + a headless hipponactean, i.e., a hipponactean that has been shortened by one element at the beginning (x - u u - u - -). It has a caesura after the fifth syllable.

line 3
albentes: albentes . . . uultus: accusative of respect, governed by hebetata (< hebeto, "make dull, blunt").
uultus: albentes . . . uultus: accusative of respect, governed by hebetata (< hebeto, "make dull, blunt").

line 7
spiret: sc. si.
insanum: adverb, "madly," a colloquialism.

line 9
radiat: "shines."
sereno: noun, "clear, bright sky."

line 13
sua: i.e., mundi.

line 15
crede: with dative, "trust in." Ironic.

line 16
crede: with dative, "trust in." Ironic.

line 17
Constat: constat . . . constet: to capture the pun, try "it is certain . . . nothing . . . is certain."
lege est: elides.

line 18
constet: constat . . . constet: to capture the pun, try "it is certain . . . nothing . . . is certain."
genitum nihil: "nothing that is begotten."

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