Question 1

Wait, doesn't vit mean "lives" (from the verb vivre)?

Accepted Answer

It can! In the present tense, il vit means "he lives". But here, vit is the passé simple (literary past tense) of voir (to see). You have to rely on context to tell them apart. An emperor "seeing" the power of the army makes much more sense here than "living" it, and historical sentences frequently use the passé simple.

Question 2

Why did they use vit instead of the passé composé (a vu)?

Accepted Answer

The passé simple is used almost exclusively in writing, particularly in literature, historical accounts, and formal storytelling. If you were talking to a friend about this emperor, you would just use the passé composé and say L'empereur a vu.... You don't need to use the passé simple when speaking, but recognizing it when you read is a crucial skill at this level!

Question 3

Could we use the imparfait (voyait) here instead of vit?

Accepted Answer

You could, but it would change the story. Using vit (a completed past action) means he saw it at a specific moment—perhaps a sudden realization during a battle or a parade. Using the imparfait (voyait) would mean he was seeing or used to see it over a continuous period, describing an ongoing background situation rather than a single event.

Question 4

What kind of "power" does puissance refer to?

Accepted Answer

Puissance usually refers to might, widespread strength, or capacity, such as the military power of an army, the global power of a nation, or even electrical power. If you were talking about a person's physical strength, you would usually use force, and for the political or legal authority to rule, you would use pouvoir.

L'empereur vit la puissance de l'armée.

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