[72] (1) Cum in hōc statū rēs esset inter procātiōnem mātris et metum fīlī, fortene an fātō ego adveniō pergēns Alexandrēam. Dīxissem hercule 'quod utinam numquam ēvēnisset', nī mē uxōris meae respectus prohibēret. (2) Hiemps annī erat. Ego ex fatīgātiōne itineris advectus apud Appiōs istōs amīcōs meōs, quōs honōris et amōris grātiā nōminō, aliquam multīs diēbus dēcumbō (3) Eō vēnit ad mē Pontiānus. Nam fuerat mihi nōn ita prīdem ante multōs annōs Athēnīs per quōsdam commūnēs amīcōs conciliātus et artō posteā contuberniō intimē iūnctus. (4) Facit omnia circā honōrem meum observanter, circā salūtem sollicitē, circā amōrem callidē. Quippe etenim vidēbātur sibi peridōneum marītum mātrī repperisse, cui bonō perīculō tōtam domūs fortūnam concrēderet. (5) Ac prīmō quidem voluntātem meam verbīs inversīs perīclitābundus, quoniam mē viae cupidum et conversum ab uxōriā rē vidēbat, ōrat saltem paulisper manērem: velle sē mēcum proficīscī; hiemem alteram propter Syrtis aestūs et bēstiās opperiendam, quod illam mihi īnfirmitās exēmisset. (6) Multīs etiam precibus meīs Appiīs aufert, ut ad sēsē in domum mātris suae trānsferar: salūbriōrem mihi habitātiōnem futūram; praetereā prōspectum maris, quī mihi grātissimus est, līberius mē ex eā fruitūrum.
Vocabulary
status -ūs m.: situation, state
procātiō –ōnis f.: wooing
Alexandria –ae f.: Alexandria
herculē: by Hercules! so help me! (an oath)
utinam: "would that!" (introducing an optative subjunctive)
ēveniō ēvenīre ēvēnī ēventus: to happen
respectus –ūs m.: regard, respect, esteem
fatīgātiō –ōnis f.: weariness, fatigue
(2)
advehō –ere –vexī –vectus: to carry or convey to; (pass.) to arrive
Appius –iī m.; Appius –a –um: The Apii were friends of Apuleius at Oea, including Appius Quintianus, accused of joining with him to perform magical rites. Apuleius: defendant, second husband of Aemilia Pudentilla.
nōminō nōmināre nōmināvī nōminātus: to name, mention
aliquam: in some degree, somewhat, pretty, moderately, to a degree
dēcumbō –cumbere –cubuī –cubitum: to lie sick, be laid up in bed
Pontiānus –ī m.: Sicinius Pontianus: Roman knight, elder son of Sicinius Amicus and Aemilia Pudentilla, now dead.
(3)
prīdem: long ago
Athēnae Athēnārum f.: Athens
concilio (1): to introduce, make friendly, win over, conciliate
artus –a –um: tight, close
contubernium –ī n.: dwelling together, companionship, fellowship; shared dwelling
intimē: closely, intimately
observanter: (adv.) carefully, with deference, attentively, respectfully
(4)
sollicitē: (adv.) anxiously, with anxious care, punctiliously
callidē: cleverly, tactfully
etenim: and indeed
peridōneus –a –um: very suitable
marītus -ī m.: husband
concrēdō –ere –didī –ditus: to entrust
inversus: indirect, ambiguous
(5)
perīclitābundus –a –um: trying, testing, making a trial or essay
cupidus –a –um: desirous
uxōrius –a –um: pertaining to a wife or to marriage
saltem or saltim: at least, at any rate
paulisper: for a short while
Syrtis –is f.: desert area on the N. African coast between Carthage and Cyrene
aestus aestūs m.: heat
bestia –ae f.: wild beast
īnfirmitās –ātis f.: weakness
eximō eximere exēmī exēmptus: to take away, remove
opperior opperīrī oppertus/opperitus sum: to await, wait for
trānsferō trānsferre trānstulī trānslātus: to transfer, move
(6)
salūbris –e or salūber –bris –bre: healthy
habitātiō –ōnis f.: a dwelling
prōspectus –ūs m.: a view