[103] (1) Quīn igitur addis: 'reum magistrum, reum vitricum, reum dēprecātōrem'? Sed quid deinde? 'Plūrimōrum maleficiōrum et manifēstissimōrum'. Cedo ūnum dē plūrimīs, cedo dubium vel saltem obscūrum dē manifēstissimīs.

(2) Cēterum ad haec, quae obiēcistis, numerā an bīnīs verbīs respondeam. 'Dentēs splendidās': ignōsce munditiīs. 'Specula īnspicis': dēbet philosophus. 'Versūs facis': licet fierī. 'Piscēs explōrās': Aristotelēs docet. 'Lignum cōnsecrās': Platō suādet. (3) 'Uxōrem dūcis': lēgēs iubent. 'Prior nātū'st': solēt fierī. 'Lucrum sectātū's': dōtālēs accipe, dōnātiōnem recordāre, testāmentum lege.

(4) Quae sī omnia affatim retudī, sī calumniās omnēs refūtāvī, sī mē in omnibus nōn modo crīminibus, vērum etiam maledictīs procul ā culpā tūtus sum, sī philosophiae honōrem, quī mihi salūte meā antīquior est, nusquam minuī, immō contrā ubīque sī cum septem pennīs eum tenuī: (5) sī haec, ut dīcō, ita sunt, possum sēcūrus exīstimātiōnem tuam reverērī quam potestātem verērī, quod minus grave et verendum mihi arbitror ā prōcōnsūle damnārī quam sī ā tam bonō tamque ēmendātō virō improber.

Dīxī.

    vītricus –ī m.: a step–father

    dēprecātor –ōris m.: intercessor, mediator

    maleficium –ī n.: crime, wicked deed

    manifēstus –a –um: clear, manifest

    cedo: bring it here!; out with it!

    saltem (or saltim): at least, at any rate

    obscūrus –a –um: vague, unclear

    obiiciō obiicere obiēcī obiectus: to raise as an accusation

    (2)

    numerō numerāre numerāvī numerātus: to count

    bīnī –ae –a: 2 by 2, two each

    dēns dentis m.: tooth

    splendidō –āre –āvī –ātus: to brighten, polish

    īgnōscō īgnōscere īgnōvī īgnōtus: to pardon, forgive (+ dat.)

    munditia –ae f.: cleanliness; elegance

    speculum –ī n.: mirror

    īnspiciō –ere –spexī –spectus: to look into

    philosophus –ī m.: philosopher

    versus versūs m.: line (of poetry)

    piscis piscis m.: fish

    explōrō explōrāre explōrāvī explōrātus: to explore, investigate

    Aristotelēs –is or –ī m.: Aristotle

    līgnum lignī n.: a piece of wood

    cōnsecrō cōnsecrāre cōnsecrāvī cōnsecrātus: to consecrate

    Platō –ōnis m.: Plato

    suādeō suādēre suāsī suāsus: to recommend

    nātus –ūs m.: birth

    (3)

    lucrum lucrī n.: gain, profit

    sector sectārī sectātus sum: to pursue

    dōtālis –e: pertaining to a dowry

    dōnātiō –ōnis f.: a presenting, giving, donation

    recordor recordārī recordātus sum: to remember

    testāmentum testāmentī n.: will

    affatim: sufficiently, enough

    (4)

    retundō retundere ret(t)udī retū(n)sum: to dull

    calumnia –ae f.: the bringing of a false accusation; false statement

    refūtō refūtāre refūtāvī refūtātus: to repel; disprove

    maledictum –ī n.: a curse; [insults or slander?]

    philosophia philosophiae f.: philosophy

    nusquam: nowhere

    minuō minuere minuī minūtus: to lessen

    immō: no indeed

    septem; septimus –a –um: 7; 7th

    penna pennae f.: wing, feather

    exīstimātiō exīstimātiōnis f.: reputation, estimation [judgment?]

    (5)

    revereor –verērī –veritus sum: to stand in awe of, revere

    prōcōnsul prōcōnsulis m.: proconsul

    ēmendō –āre: to correct, amend [free from error?]

    improbō improbāre improbāvī improbātus: to disapprove, blame

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