[85] (1) Cūr autem praeterita conqueror, cum nōn sint minus acerba praesentia? Hocusque ā vōbīs miserum istum puerum dēprāvātum, ut mātris suae epistulās, quās putat amātōriās, (2) prō tribūnālī proconsulārī recitet apud vīrum sānctissimum Claudium Maximum, ante hās imperātōris Piī statuās fīlius mātrī suae pudenda exprobret stupra et amōrēs obiectet? (3) Quis tam est mītis quīn exacerbēscat? Tūne, ultime, parentis tuae animum in istīs scrūtāris, oculōs observās, suspīritūs numerās, adfectiōnēs explōrās, tabulās intercipis, amōrem revincīs? (4) Tūne quid in cubiculō agat perquīris, nē māter tua nōn dīcō amātrīx, sed nē omnīnō fēmina sit? Nihilne tū in eā cōgitās nisi ūnam parentis religiōnem? (5) Ō īnfēlīx uterum tuum, Pudentilla, ō sterilitās līberīs potior, ō īnfaustī decem mēnsēs, ō ingrātī XIIII annī viduitātis! Vīpera, ut audiō, exēsō mātris uterō in lūcem prōserpit atque ita parricīdiō gignitur; at enim tibi ā fīliō iam adultō acerbiōrēs morsūs vīventī et videntī offeruntur. (6) Silentium tuum laniātur, pudor tuus carpitur, pectus tuum foditur, vīscera intima prōtrahuntur.

(7) Hāscine grātiās bonus fīlius mātrī rependis ob datam vītam, ob adquīsītam hērēditātem, ob XIIII annōrum longās alimōniās? Hīscīne tē patruus disciplīnīs ērudīuit, ut, sī compertum habeās fīliōs tibi similēs futūrōs, nōn audeās dūcere uxōrem? (8) Est ille poētae versus nōn ignōtus:

'ōdī puerulōs praecoquī sapientiā.'

Sed enim malitiā praecoquī puerum quis nōn āversētur atque ōderit, cum videat velut mōnstrum quoddam prius rōbustum scelere quam tempore, ante nocentem quam potentem, viridī pueritiā, cānā malitiā, (9) vel potius hōc magis noxium, quod cum veniā perniciōsus est et nōndum poenae, iam iniūriae sufficit – iniūriae dīcō? Immō enim scelerī adversum parentem nefandō, immānī, impetibilī.

    praeteritus -a -um: past

    conqueror –querī –questus sum: to complain, lament

    acerbus –a –um: bitter

    praesens -ntis: current, present, at hand

    hōcusque: to this extent

    dēprāvō –āre: to corrupt

    amātōrius –a –um: of lovers; inducing love

    (2)

    tribūnal tribūnālis n.: platform, judicial venue, judgment seat

    prōcōnsulāris –e: pertaining to a proconsul (provincial governor)

    recitō recitāre recitāvī recitātus: to read aloud

    Claudius Māximus: Claudius Maximus: proconsul of Africa 158/9, presiding at Apuleius’ trial.

    statua statuae f.: statue

    pudeō –ēre –duī –ditus: to make ashamed

    exprobrō exprobrāre exprobrāvī exprobrātus: to reproach with, blame for, find fault

    stuprum stuprī n.: illicit sex; sexual violation

    obiectō obiectāre obiectāvī obiectātus: to cite with disapproval, bring up as a criticism

    (3)

    mītis mīte: mild, forgiving

    exacerbēscō –ere — —: to become exasperated or angry

    scrūtor scrūtārī scrūtātus sum: examine thoroughly, scrutinize

    observō observāre observāvī observātus: to watch, observe

    suspīritus –ūs m.: a deep breath, sigh

    numerō numerāre numerāvī numerātus: to count

    adfectiō (affectiō) –ōnis f.: emotion, disposition

    explōrō explōrāre explōrāvī explōrātus: to explore, investigate

    tabula tabulae f.: writing tablet

    intercipiō –ere –cēpī –ceptus: to catch a thing passing along; intercept

    revincō –vincere –vīcī –victum: to condemn

    (4)

    cubiculum –ī n.: bedroom

    perquīrō perquīrere perquīsīvī perquīsītum: to ask diligently after

    amātrīx –īcis f.: a female lover, "hussy"

    omnīnō: entirely

    religiō religiōnis f.: duty, moral obligation

    (5)

    īnfēlīx īnfēlīcis: unfortunate, unhappy

    uterum –ī n.: the womb

    Pudentilla –ae f.: Pudentilla (name)

    sterilitās –ātis f.: barrenness, sterility

    līberī līberōrum m. pl.: children

    īnfaustus –a –um: unfortunate

    mēnsis mēnsis m.: month

    XIIII quattuordecim quārtus –a –um decimus –a –um: 14, 14th

    viduitās –ātis f.: bereavement, widowhood

    vīpera –ae f.: a viper

    exedō –ere –ēdī –ēsus: to eat out

    prōserpō –ere: to creep forwards or forth

    parricīdium parrīcidiī n.: parricide, murder of a close relative

    adultus -a -um: grown up

    acerbus –a –um: bitter

    morsus morsūs m.: bite

    (6)

    silentium (silentum) silenti(ī) n.: silence

    laniō laniāre laniāvī laniātus: to lacerate, mangle, tear to pieces

    carpō carpere carpsī carptum: to pluck, seize, tear apart

    fodiō fodere fōdī fossum: to stab, dig, remove by digging

    vīscus vīsceris n.: innards

    intimus -a -um: innermost (> intus)

    prōtrahō –ere –trāxī –trāctus: to draw forth

    (7)

    rependō –pendere –pendī –pensum: to make up for, pay back

    adquīsītus -a -um: acquired

    hērēditās hērēditātis f.: inheritance

    alimōnium –(i)ī n. or alimōnia –ae f.: food; upbringing; the cost of upbringing

    patruus patruī m.: uncle

    ērudiō ērudīre ērudiī ērudītum: to instruct, train

    comperiō comperīre comperī compertus: to find out

    (8)

    versus versūs m.: line (of poetry)

    īgnōtus –a –um: unknown

    puerulus –ī m.: little boy

    praecoquo -coquere -coxī -coctum: to ripen prematurely

    malitia –ae f.: spite, malice, wickedness

    āversor āversārī: to turn away from, be revolted by, scorn, shun

    mōnstrum mōnstrī n.: monster

    rōbustus –a –um: strong, mature, hardy

    viridis –e: green; youthful

    pueritia pueritiae f.: boyhood

    cānus –a –um: white, of the hair and beard; aged

    (9)

    noxius –a –um: guilty, harmful

    venia veniae f.: pardon, indulgence

    perniciōsus –a –um: destructive

    sufficiō sufficere suffēcī suffectum: to suffice, be ready for (+ dat.)

    immō: no indeed

    adversum: (prep.) against

    nefandus –a –um: unspeakable, unutterable

    immānis immāne: monstrous

    impetibilis –e: insufferable, intolerable

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