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に過ぎなかった

was nothing more than

→ に
phrase Rare #33,191
was nothing more than A formal expression meaning that something was merely or only what was stated. It is the past form of に過ぎない.
JA: 彼の話は言い訳に過ぎなかった。
EN: His story was nothing more than an excuse.

それは夢に過ぎなかった。

It was nothing more than a dream.

実はそれはうわさに過ぎなかった。

Actually, it was nothing more than a rumor.

しかし結局は当たり前の女に過ぎなかった

But in the end, she was nothing more than an ordinary woman.

— 羅生門 (1950)