102

What then, Aemilianus, was the purpose of these supposed magic spells? To get me a negligible dowry and have Pudentilla leave Pudens as her main heir? Then they were not very good spells, were they? Imagine that the judge in this case was not fair and just like Maximus but biased towards accusers. You would have to at least give him some plausible scrap of evidence to go on! What was I supposedly after? Not her beauty (as you have agreed) or her money. What then was my motive?

(1)

Quid etiam est: "what else is there ...?"

The transition to the peroratio is smooth and almost imperceptible. The list of
rhetorical questions, started in 101.8, is continued. It ends not until 102.4 (Hunink).

tē iūdice: "in your opinion." 

A hilarious twist. In the end, Aemilianus turns out to be the "judge" who weighs the "evidence." The irony will develop into outright sarcasm in the next few lines, where magical influence is linked to lack of gain. This total absurdity is bound to have raised a laugh (Hunink).

refūtāverim: perfect subjunctive in a relative clause of characteristic following the indeterminate antecedent quid.

pretium: "profit from," "return for," + gen. (OLD pretium 2). Apuleius is once again asking for a motive to be identified.

Cūr ergō: "why, therefore," i.e., if no motive can be named.

Quod: interrogative adjective modifying commodum, direct object of caperem.

ut ... caperem: purpose clause posed as a question, "so that I could get ...."

eā: Pudentillā.

diceret: “promise” (Jones). OLD dico 11, "to declare one's intention of giving, designate, name." The subject is Pudentilla.

Ō praeclāra carmina: ironic.

The next three sections (102.2, 102.3, 102.4) follow the same basic rhetorical pattern: Apuleius wonders whether he used his magic to some effect putatively detrimental to himself, then makes some ironic statement about the immense power he must have wielded to that end.

(2)

An ut: "Or (did I bewitch Pudentilla) so that she ...," as at the openings of 102.3, 102.4.

dōtem ... restipulārētur: "promise that the dowry would revert to." 

magis ... quam: "rather than."

penes mē sineret: "leave (it, the dowry) with me."

Quid addī ad hanc magīam potest?: "What is able to be added to this (act of) magic," i.e., what greater act of magic could there be? Irony continues.

(3)

rem familiārem suam ... plēramque: "most of her family money," "most of her inheritance."

illīs: fīliīs.

ante mē marītum: "before (having) me (as a) husband," "before I was her husband," "before she married me."

fuerat largīta: "had bestowed."

<nihil> quicquam: nihil is added by editors to complete what seems to be the required sense, "nothing at all." On the other hand, Apuleius has admitted that he did receive something (100.2 tenue necio quid).

dīcam an: "or should I say," "should I call this ... or."

ingrātum beneficium: "a thankless favor," i.e., one that had no benefit for Apuleius.

(4)

īrāta fīliō: "(while) angry at her son."

cui offēnsa erat: "with whom she was imbittered," LS offendo III.B.

quidem: "indeed," "right!" Ironic.

hoc ... difficile impetrāvī: "I achieved this difficult task," ironic.

(5)

Putāte: "Imagine."

apud Cl. Maximum: "before Claudius Maximus (as a judge)."

iūstitiae pertinācem: "a fierce adherent of justice." The genitive after pertinax is unusual.

alium aliquem: "some other."

accūsātiōnum fautōrem: "favorable to accusations," "biased towards complainants."

cupidum condemnandī: "eager of condemning," "quick to condemn."

(6)

eī: the hypothetical evil judge champing at the bit to convict someone today.

quod sequātur: "(something) which he can follow (through to a conviction)."

vel tantulam vērisimilem occāsiōnem: "even the least likely opportunity," "even the most flimsy pretext," which is all the imaginary bloodthirsty judge will need — Apuleius's point, of course, is that Aemilianus can't even provide that much.

secundum vōs prōnūntiandī: "of finding the case in your favor."

quī vōs ita rogārit: "(to someone) who has questioned you in this way," taking rogarit as pf. subj. in a relative clause of characteristic.

(7)

omnem cōnātum necesse est quaepiam causa praecēdat: necesse est (ut) quaepiam causa omnem cōnātum praecēdat.

quī ... dīcitis: "(all of you) who are claiming," introducing the indirect statement Apuleium ... adortum (esse).

quid ex eā petierit, cūr fēcerit: indirect questions introduced by the imperative respondēte.

(8)

tabulae dōtis: the wedding contract with the initial mention of the meager dowry for a woman of Pudentilla's wealth. See 91.6-92.11.

tabulae dōnātiōnis: the documents gifting some of their inheritance to Pudentilla's sons ahead of time. See 93.1-94.5.

tabulae testāmentī: Pudentilla's will (with Pudens in place as her heir at Apuleius's  request). See 99.3-100.10.

ostenditur: subject is Apuleius, with complementary infinitives appetisse and reppulisse.

(9)

igitur: "So ...?"

Ubī: supply est.

nōmine prīvignī meī formātum: "done up (by you) under the name of my stepson."

hunc ego ... reum apud tē facere īnstituī: "I have begun (the process of) making this man a defendant before you.”  "I formally accuse this man before you" (Jones). OLD instituo 1.a.

The formal charge was mentioned in 2.3 libellum nomine privigni mei. Surprisingly, it is only here, at the end of the speech, that a quotation of it is inserted (Hunink).