Commentary Cons. Phil. Book 2 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.
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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").
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spiret: sc. si.
insanum: adverb, "madly," a colloquialism.
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radiat: "shines."
sereno: noun, "clear, bright sky."
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sua: i.e., mundi.
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crede: with dative, "trust in." Ironic.
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crede: with dative, "trust in." Ironic.
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Constat: constat . . . constet: to capture the pun, try "it is certain . . . nothing . . . is certain."
lege est: elides.
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constet: constat . . . constet: to capture the pun, try "it is certain . . . nothing . . . is certain."
genitum nihil: "nothing that is begotten."