[26] (1) Audītisne magīam, quī eam temere accūsātis, artem esse dīs immortālibus acceptam, colendī eōs ac venerandī pergnāram, piam scīlicet et dīvīnī scientem, (2) iam inde ā Zōroastre et Oromaze auctōribus suīs nōbilem, caelitum antistitam, (3) quippe quī inter prīma rēgālia docētur nec ullī temere inter Persās concessum est magum esse, haud magis quam rēgnāre? (4) Idem Platō in aliā sermōcinātiōne dē Zalmoxī quōdam, Thrācī generis sed eiusdem artis vīrō, ita scrīptum relīquit:
τὰς δὲ ἐπῳδὰς εἶναι τοὺς λόγους τοὺς καλούς.
(5) Quod sī ita est, cūr mihi nōsse nōn liceat vel Zalmoxī bona verba vel Zōroastrī sacerdōtia?
(6) Sīn vērō mōre vulgārī eum istī propriē magum exīstimant, quī commūniōne loquendī cum deīs immortālibus ad omnia quae velit incrēdibilī quādam vī cantāminum polleat, oppidō mīror, cūr accūsāre nōn timuerint quem posse tantum fatentur. (7) Neque enim tam occulta et dīvīna potentia cavērī potest itidem ut cētera. (8) Sīcārium quī in iūdicium vocat, comitātus venit; quī venēnārium accūsat, scrūpulōsius cibātur; quī fūrem arguit, sua cūstōdit. (9) Enimvērō quī magum quālem istī dīcunt in discrīmen capitis dēdūcit, quibus comitibus, quibus scrūpulīs, quibus cūstōdibus perniciem caecam et inēvītābilem prohibeat? Nūllīs scīlicet. Et ideō id genus crīmen nōn est eius accūsāre, quī crēdit.

    If we follow Plato in seeing magic as a priestly activity pleasing to the gods, where is the crime in that (1-5)? But if Aemilianus follows the common view that magic involves the use of spells to obtain whatever the user desires, I can't possibly understand why he would not be afraid for his own safety (6-9). 

    (1)

    Audītisne: "do you hear," in the words of Plato just quoted.

    quī: "(those of you) who."

    eam: magīam.

    dīs ... acceptam: "approved by the gods," "acceptable to the gods" (LS accipio II.D), a standard phrase referring to ritual acts. See Livy 1.19.5, Ovid, Metamorphoses 12.153.

    colendī ... venerandī: gerunds, genitive after pergnaram.

    eōs: deōs immortāles, object of the gerunds colendī and venerandī (instead of using a gerundive phrase like eōrum colendōrum).

    pergnāram: "well-versed in," + gen.

    dīvīnī: substantive neuter: "the divine."

    scientem: "knowledgeable of," + gen.

    (2)

    iam inde ā: "as far back as the days of."

    Zōroastre: Zoroaster (Zarathustra) was a Persian religious reformer who lived in the 7th century BC. Typical for his teaching was a strong dualism between light and darkness, good and bad spirits. He was also widely known for his expertise in astrology, and this element may have caused his reputation as a magician. Apuleius also mentions Zoroaster as teacher of Pythagoras in the parallel passage Florida 15.14: Zoroastrenomnis divini arcani antistitem (Hunink).

    Oromaze: the Persian god Ahura Mazda, who, according to tradition, was the teacher or even the father of Zoroaster (Hunink).

    auctōribus suīs: in apposition to Zōroastre et Oromaze.

    nōbilem: "well-known," "celebrated," still describing artem.

    (3)

    quippe quī ... docētur: "inasmuch as it (magīa) is taught."

    prīma rēgālia: "the first principles of rulership."

    concessum est: subject: magum esse.

    haud magis: supply temere: "no more (rashly)" than to be king (is granted to anyone).

    (4)

    Idem Platō: "This same Plato,"  "Plato also."

    sermōcinātiōne: "dialogue."

    Thrācī generis sed eiusdem artis: genitives of characteristic or quality (AG 345) with vīrō: "a man of Thracian stock but the same skill." Despite the fact that he is not a Persian, he still knows about magīa.

    τὰς δὲ ἐπῳδὰς εἶναι τοὺς λόγους τοὺς καλούς: "his charms are words of beauty." Plato, Charmides 157a. Zalmoxis is a legendary Thracian figure whom Plato represents as a healer and deified king (Jones).

    (5)

    Quod sī ita est: "If this is so," "If that's how it is."

    liceat: potential subjunctive.

    Zalmoxī ... Zōroastrī: genitive. The genitive of Greek names in -ēs usually ends in -ī in Apuleius. Compare UlixiEmpedocliSocratiAristoteli (B/O).

    bona verba: "words of beauty," rendering Plato's τοὺς λόγους τοὺς καλούς.

    (6)

    mōre vulgārī: "in the common way," "in the vulgar fashion," derogatory.

    eum istī propriē magum exīstimant: istī exīstimant eum propriē magum (esse).

    eum ... quī:  "a person who."

    propriē: "strictly speaking," LS proprius II.C.

    commūniōne loquendī: "by communion of speech."

    ad omnia ... polleat: "is capable of all things." Polleō ad + acc. is unusual but easily understood by analogy with the construction potēns ad (OLD potens 3.a).

    oppidō: adv. "especially," "very much."

    quem: "(a person) who."

    posse tantum: "is capable of such a great thing," or "is so powerful."

    (7)

    cavērī: "to be guarded against."

    itidem ut: "in the same way as."

    (8)

    comitātus: "accompanied (by others)," for defense.

    cibātur: "eats." The verb is not normally deponent.

    fūrem arguit: "is charging (a person with being) a thief."

    sua: supply bona.

    (9)

    quī: "(a person) who," subject of dēdūcit.

    quālem istī dīcunt: "of the sort that those men are talking about."

    in discrīmen capitis: "into a trial in which his life is on the line."

    caecam: "unseen."

    prohibeat: potential subjunctive.

    Nūllīs: i.e., comitibus,  scrūpulīs, cūstōdibus.

    id genus: "of this type," see note on 3.7.

    crimen ... accusāre: "to bring a charge," subject of est.

    nōn est eius ... quī: "is not characteristic of a person who."

    (1)

    magīa –ae f. : magic, sorcery; the science of the Magi

    temere: (adv.) rashly

    accūsō accūsāre accūsāvī accūsātus: charge (w/crime/offense)

    veneror venerārī venerātus sum or venerō –āre: to venerate

    pergnārus –a –um: very experienced, well-versed in + gen.

    dīvīnus –a –um: divine

    (2)

    Zōroastrēs -ī m.: Zoroaster (Zarathoustra) was a legendary religious leader from Persia 

    Ōromazēs –ī m.: Persian god Oromazes, or Ahura Mazda

    caeles –itis: heavenly, celestial

    antistita –ae f.: priestess

    (3)

    rēgālis –is –e: belonging to a king; regal, kingly, royal (> rex) 

    Persa –ae m.: a Persian or Parthian

    magus –ī m.: wise/learned man; magician (Persian); astrologer

    rēgnō rēgnāre rēgnāvī rēgnātus: to rule, reign

    (4)

    Platō –ōnis m.: Plato, a celebrated Greek philosopher 

    sermōcinātiō –ōnis f.: a conversation, dialogue, discussion

    Zalmoxis –is m.: a Thracian philosopher

    Thrāx -ācis: Thracian

    (5)

    quod sī: but if 

    sacerdōtium –ī n.: the priesthood, office of a priest, sacerdotal office

    (6)

    sīn: but if; if on the contrary 

    vulgāris –is –e: vulgar, common

    propriē: properly, in the strictest or truest sense

    commūniō -ōnis f.: fellowship

    incrēdibilis –is -e: extraordinary

    cantāmen –inis n.: a spell, a charm, magic incantation

    pollēō pollēre — —: to be powerful, be able

    oppidō: (adv.) very much, greatly

    (7)

    occultus -a -um: hidden, concealed, secret

    potentia –ae f.: power, force

    itidem: in like manner, so, just, in the same way

    (8)

    sīcārius –ī m.: an assassin, murderer 

    comitātus -a -um: accompanied

    venēnārius –ī m.: a poisoner (> venēnum)

    scrūpulōsus –a –um: careful, scrupulous

    cibō –āre: to give food, to feed; to take food (passive)

    fūr fūris m.: thief

    arguō arguere arguī argūtus: to accuse, charge

    custōdiō custōdīre custōdīvī custōdītus: to guard

    (9)

    enimvērō: however, by contrast 

    discrīmen discriminis n.: risk, danger, hazard; distinction

    scrūpulus –ī m.: act of carefulness, precaution

    perniciēs –eī f.: destruction

    inēvītābilis –is –e: unavoidable, inevitable

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