18

Lack of wealth (paupertas) has always been the proper condition for a philosopher (1–2); it keeps one from the moral depravities associated with wealth (2-4); most distinguished men started with little wealth, a condition that motivated them to achieve great things (5–6); there are many examples, both Greek (7), and Roman (8–11), great men who would all be shocked that you dare to reproach a philosopher with lack of wealth (12). 

(1)

Idem: "this same person," "at the same time, he," LS idem II.A.1, highlighting the inconsistency between the accusations of opulence in chapter 17 to accusations of "poverty" (lack of wealth) here.

acceptum: "welcome," LS accipio II.F.

crīmen: appositive to paupertātem.

ultrō: "unprompted," LS ultro II.C.

(2)

Enim: according to LS, enim is only used in initial position in comedies.

ōlim ... est: either, in a stative sense, "has for a long time past been," "since long ago has been," (OLD olim 2) or, in a continuous sense, "occasionally is," (OLD 4) "is at (various) times," (LS olim I.B.1).

vernācula: "the handmaiden," i.e., close associate and servant, of philosophy, LS vernāculus I.B. A verna is a slave born in the master's household, typically treated with greater indulgence than other slaves. The diminutive suggests affection, as do parallels from tomb inscriptions for deceased vernaculi, such as the ones quoted by OLD vernaculus 1.b. The emphasis is on close association and affection, not servitude. 

frūgī: indeclinable adjective, often used of the enslaved.

aemula: "striving after," + gen..

adversum dīvitiās possessa: a difficult phrase variously explained. Options include: "a defense against wealth for its owner" (Jones), or "owned in opposition to wealth," or "that saves the possessor from the dangers of wealth" (options considered by Jones). Hunink says "a possession compared to wealth," since wealth is never a truly stable possession. Alternatively, if construed in the middle voice, it could mean "self-possessed," "a master of itself in the presence of wealth,” see LS adversus B.1.β.

habitū sēcūra: "without concern regarding her appearance/attire." 

benesuada: "advising well," "wise."

(3)

īnflāvit: "filled with conceit," "puffed up,” subject is paupertas; she is also the subject of dēprāvāvit, efferāvit, vult, and potest.

inpotentiā dēprāvāvit: "corrupted with lack of restraint," implying violent behavior, lawlessness, etc.

efferāvit: "made beast-like," "rendered feral."

inguinum: "of the sexual organs" (> inguen inguinis n.), i.e., "sexual."

potest: supply velle.

(4)

solent: "are used to" + acc. (haec et alia flāgitia).  

dīvitiārum alumnī: "the foster-children of riches," "those brought up in wealth," subject of solent.

Maxima quaeque scelera: "each of the greatest crimes," accusative direct object of percēnseās.

ex omnī memoriā hominum: "from as far back as mankind can remember," = "from all of human history" (LS memoria II.B).

percēnseās: potential subj. in a mixed condition, answered by reperiēs (future).

(5)

ut contrā: "just as, by contrast," + indic., comparent.

haud temerē:  this phrase normally means "not without cause," "not accidentally," or "not in vain" (LS temere II.A). But in this context it must mean "rarely" (as in Pliny, Natural History 11.73). It modifies comparent (indicative >  compareo), the subject of which is dīvitēs (> dīves): "rarely do rich men appear ...."

laude: "deed worthy of praise."

(6)

inops: "devoid of" + gen.

perfūncta: "having come to enjoy," "enjoying" + abl. LS perfungor II.B.

(7)

eadem ... paupertās: "this one and the same quality, lack of wealth," establishing its singular identity in preparation for listing all of its different facets.

est: looks forward to the predicates iusta, benigna, strenua, sapiens and diserta.

in: "in (the story of / the example of / the case of)" so in the rest of the section 18.7.

Aristīde: Aristides the Just, though of noble birth, was poor. According to a story told by Aeschines, the disciple of Socrates, Aristides' his cousin Callias was reproached with Aristides' poverty and replied that he had made him offers of assistance, but that they had been declined (Plutarch, Aristides 25). His daughters received a dowry from the state (ibid. 27) (B/O).

Phōciōne: For Phocion's poverty, see Plutarch, Phocion 9 (B/O).

Epamīnōndā: Epaminondas was of noble birth, but born and nurtured in poverty. See Plutarch, Pelopidas 3 (B/O).

Homērō: see Seneca, Consolatio ad Helviam 12: unum fuisse Homero servum ... satis constat ("it is well established that Homer had but one slave.") Apuleius probably has this passage in mind, since Seneca goes on to mention the dowering of Scipio's daughters, the funeral of Menenius Agrippa, and the provision by the state for the cultivation of the lands of Atilius Regulus (B/O).

(8)

prōque eō: "and in return for this (act on the part of Paupertās)."

in hodiernum: "to this very day."

sacrificat: supply populus Romanus as the subject.

(9)

Quod sī modo: "now, just suppose," introducing a hypothetical statement with the imperfect subjunctives sedērent and audīrent (below, in section 12).

istā: "this," (OLD 5.c), a later Latin usage. 

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In Apuleius, as in mediaeval Latin and Romance languages, iste constantly = hic (Kretschmann, pp. 90, 91). So in c. 63 magicum istud simulacrum refers to the same statue which has been called hoccine in the previous sentence, and in c. 58 istum and hunc refer to the same person. In this particular passage it would be possible to translate "the charge you bring against me" and ad iudicium istud, a few lines below, as 'to judge the offence that you indict'. But iste is constantly used of the prosecution when they are not actually addressed (e. g. 66 Aemilianus . . . accusationem istam . . . suscepit) (B/O).

sedērent: "to sit in council, be on the bench (as a judge at a trial)," LS sedeo I.B.1.

C. Fābricius: see note on c. 10. For the dowering of his daughters cp. Val. Max. iv. 4. 10 (B/O).

Gn. Scīpiō: the spelling of the MSS. is inconsistent. In c. 66 Cn., the ordinary abbreviation of Gnaeus, is twice read (B/O).  Consul 222 B.C., served as legatus to his brother Publius during the second Punic war (218-21 1 B.C.) in Spain, where he was defeated and slain. For the dowering of his daughters cp. Sen. N. O. i. 17. 9 ; Val. Max. loc. cit. (B/O).

Mānius Curius: see note on c. 10. This passage is our only authority for the dowering of his daughters by the state (B/O).

dōnātae: "gifted with," endowed with" + abl.

pecūniam pūblicam: to be read in contrast to glōriam domesticam, with a conjunction to be understood closer to "but" than "and."

(10)

sī: supply audīrent from 18.12.

Pūblicola: Publicola {Valerius) was colleague of Brutus in the consulship in the first year of the republic. For the story of his funeral cp. Liv. ii. 16 ; Val. Max. iv. 4. i (B/O). 

Known as consul of the first year of the Roman republic (509 BC); hence the added 'rēgum exāctor' (Helms).

exāctor: "driver-out," "expeller" + objective genitive rēgum.

Agrippa: Agrippa (Menenius), consul 503 B.C., mediator between the plebs and the nobles in 493 B.C., in which year he died. For his funeral cp. Liv. ii. 33. 10 ; Val. Max. iv. 4. 2 (B/O).

fūnus … adōrnātum est = fūnera... adōrnāta sunt.

collātīs: "contributed" LS confero B.1.

sextantibus: 1/6th of an as, an already proverbially small amount of money. so, collatis sextantibus = "from small contributions"

adōrnātum est: "was provided for," "was paid for."

(11)

sī: the verb in the protasis of this counterfactual conditional, audīret, is delayed until 18.12.

Atīlius Rēgulus: not the Atilius Regulus mentioned in c. 10 {Serranis) but the more famous general (consul 267 and 256), who was captured and put to death by the Carthaginians. During his absence at the war the state cultivated his lands. Cp. Sen. ad Helv. 12. 5 ; Val. Max. iv. 4. 6, where the two Atilii are carefully distinguished. For the whole of this passage cp. Val. Max. iv. 4 (de paupertate). The simplicity of the life of the great Romans of old had long been a rhetorical commonplace ; cp. Cic. Paradox, 50 ne semper Curios et Luscinos loquamur (B/O).

pūblicā pecūniā: "at public expense."

(12)

dēnique: "in short" LS denique II.B.2.

omnēs illae veterēs prōsāpiae: "all the ancients of that stock,” synchysis.

cōnsulārēs et cēnsōriae et triumphālēs: i.e., families that had among their ancestors at least one man who had risen to the distinction of consul, censor, or had celebrated a triumph. The statuses are listed in ascending order.

ad iūdicium istud remissae: "having been sent back (from the underworld) for (the purpose of, the duration of) this trial"  istud = hoc, as above.

audīrent: "were hearing/attending (the case as judges)," LS audio II.A.3.

apud: "in front of," LS apud I.B.2.a.