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Commentary Cons. Phil. Book 4 Prosa 1

Prosa 1

B. laments the presence of unpunished evil in the realm of a good God. P. denies the charge and sets to demonstrate divine justice.

section 1
Haec: accusative plural; refers to contents of the preceding metrum.
dignitate: dignitate . . . seruata: ablative absolute.
seruata: dignitate . . . seruata: ablative absolute.
cecinisset: < cano, "sing."
nondum penitus: adverbial phrase with oblitus.
intentionem: intentionem . . . parantis: "the concentration . . . of a person making ready."
parantis: intentionem . . . parantis: "the concentration . . . of a person making ready."
abrupi: < abrumpo, "break off."

section 2
praeuia: "forerunner"; vocative.
quae: accusative plural, object of fudit (< fundo); antecedent is the understood subject of patuerunt.
cum: cum . . . tum: correlatives; "both . . . and."
sui speculatione diuina: "divine in their contemplation," i.e., when one looks at them.
tum: cum . . . tum: correlatives; "both . . . and."
eaque: object of dixisti.
etsi: etsi . . . oblita: "although forgotten"; sometimes, as here, the past participle of obliuiscor is passive.
oblita: etsi . . . oblita: "although forgotten"; sometimes, as here, the past participle of obliuiscor is passive.

section 3
uel maxima: "the very greatest"; uel with superlatives emphasizes the very highest degree.
cum: "although."
omnino: "at all."
praetereant: "pass by," i.e., escape.

section 4
in locum facinorum: "in the place of crimes [which deserve to be punished]."

section 5
Quae fieri: accusative/infinitive governed by nec ammirari nec conqueri.
scientis: scientis . . . potentis . . . uolentis: genitive participles modifying dei.
potentis omnia: "capable of all things"; in this passage B. frequently uses posse with a direct object meaning "to be able to do [something]." scientis . . . potentis . . . uolentis: genitive participles modifying dei.
uolentis: scientis . . . potentis . . . uolentis: genitive participles modifying dei.
nec: nec . . . nec: "either . . . or" (in translation the negative force is supplied from nemo).
nec: nec . . . nec: "either . . . or" (in translation the negative force is supplied from nemo).

section 6
infiniti stuporis: "a [source of] boundless amazement."
patris familias: "father of the household"; genitive singular.
dispositissima: "very well-ordered"; modifying domo.

section 7
ipso: ipso . . . auctore: ablative absolute, to be taken with cognosces; i.e., God will be the source of B.'s next advance in knowledge.
auctore: ipso . . . auctore: ablative absolute, to be taken with cognosces; i.e., God will be the source of B.'s next advance in knowledge.
id genus: "of this kind"; adverbial accusative.

section 8
quoniam: quoniam . . . uidisti . . . agnouisti: "since you have seen [and] you know." Note asyndeton and translation of agnouisti (< agnosco).
me dudum monstrante: i.e., in 3P10.
uidisti: quoniam . . . uidisti . . . agnouisti: "since you have seen [and] you know." Note asyndeton and translation of agnouisti (< agnosco).
agnouisti: quoniam . . . uidisti . . . agnouisti: "since you have seen [and] you know." Note asyndeton and translation of agnouisti (< agnosco).
decursis omnibus: "having run over all the things."

section 9
ductu: ductu . . . semita . . . uehiculis: cf. 3M9.28.
semita: ductu . . . semita . . . uehiculis: cf. 3M9.28.
uehiculis: ductu . . . semita . . . uehiculis: cf. 3M9.28.

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