[91] (1) Vidē quaesō, Maxime, quem tumultum suscitārint, quoniam ego paucōs magōrum nōminātim percēnsuī. Quid faciam tam rudibus, tam barbarīs? (2)Doceam rūrsum haec et multō plūra alia nōmina in bybliothēcīs pūblicīs apud clārissimōs scrīptōrēs mē lēgisse? An disputem longē aliud esse nōtitiam nōminum, aliud artis eiusdem commūniōnem, nec dēbēre doctrīnae īnstrūmentum et ērudītiōnis memoriam prō cōnfessiōne crīminis habērī? (3) An, quod multō praestābilius est, tuā doctrīnā, Claudī Maxime, tuāque perfectā ērudītiōne frētus contemnam stultīs et impolītīs ad haec respondēre? (4) Ita potius faciam; quid illī exīstiment, naucī nōn putābō. Quod īnstituī pergam disputāre: nūllam mihi causam fuisse Pudentillam venēficiīs ad nūptiās prōlectandī. (5) Fōrmam mulieris et aetātem ipsī ultrō improbāvērunt idque mihi vitiō dedērunt, tālem uxōrem causā avāritiae concupīsse atque adeō prīmō dōtem in congressū grandem et ūberem rapuisse.
(6) Ad haec, Maxime, longā ōrātiōne fatīgāre tē nōn est cōnsilium. Nihil verbīs opus est, cum multō disertius ipsae tabulae loquantur, in quibus omnia—contrā quam istī ex suā rapācitāte dē mē quoque coniectāvērunt—facta impraesentiārum et prōvīsa in posterum dēprehendis:(7) iam prīmum mulieris locuplētissimae modicam dōtem neque eam datam, sed tantum modo prōmissam; (8) praeter haec eā condiciōne factam coniūnctiōnem, nūllīs ex mē susceptīs līberīs sī vītā dēmigrāsset, utī dōs omnis apud fīliōs eius Pontiānum et Pudentem manēret, sīn vērō ūnō ūnāve superstite diem suum obīsset, utī tum dīvidua pars dōtis posteriōrī fīliō, reliqua priōribus cēderet.
Vocabulary
quaesō quaesere: to beg
Māximus –ī m.: Maximus
tumultus tumultūs m.: confusion, hubbub, uproar
suscitō suscitāre suscitāvī suscitātus: to stir up
magus magī m.: magic user
nōminātim: by name
percēnseō –cēnsēre –cēnsuī: to review, recite, list, go through
rudis -e: uneducated, crude
(2)
bybliothēca –ae f.: library
scrīptor –ōris m.: writer, author
disputō disputāre disputāvī disputātus: to argue, make a case that
nōtitia –ae or nōtitiēs –eī f.: knowledge, familiarity
commūniō -ōnis f.: mutual participation, acquaintance
doctrīna –ae f.: teaching, doctrine, learning
instrūmentum –ī n.: equipment, the fact of being equipped
ēruditiō –ōnis f.: instruction, learning
cōnfessiō –ōnis f.: a confession
praestābilis –e: excellent
(3)
Claudius Maximus –ī m.: cognomen of Claudius Maximus, judge in the case
(6)
perfectus -a -um: complete, perfect, infallible, excellent
frētus –a –um: relying on (+ ABL.)
stultus –a –um: foolish
impolītus –a –um: unpolished, rough
naucum –ī n.: a trifle
(4)
disputō disputāre disputāvī disputātus: to argue
Pudentilla –ae f.: Pudentilla (name)
venēficium –iī n.: the use of magic, sorcery
nuptiae –ārum f. pl.: marriage
prōlectō –āre: to allure, entice forth
ultrō: voluntarily, unprompted
(5)
improbō improbāre improbāvī improbātus: to criticize, disparage
avāritia avāritiae f.: greed
concupīscō concupiscīre concupīvī concupītus: to desire, long for
dōs dōtis f.: dowry
congressus –ūs m.: meeting
grandis grandis grande: large
ūber ūberis: (adj.) rich, bountiful
Māximus –ī m.: cognomen of Claudius Maximus, judge in the case
(6)
fatīgō fatīgāre fatīgāvī fatīgātus: to tire, wear out
disertus -a -um: well-spoken, fluent, eloquent
tabula tabulae f.: writing tablet, document
rapācitās –ātis f.: greed
coniectō –āre: to infer
impraesentiārum: (adv.) at present
prōvideō prōvidēre prōvīdī prōvīsus: to foresee
dēprehendō dēprehendere dēprehendī dēprehensus: to understand; read
(7)
locuplēs –ētis: rich
modicus modica modicum: moderate, modest, temperate
dōs dōtis f.: dowry
coniūnctiō –ōnis f.: a (marital) union; legal agreement to split up property
(8)
dēmigrō dēmigrāre dēmigrāvī dēmigrātus: to depart, pass away
Pontiānus –ī m.: Pontianus (name)
Pudēns –entis m.: Pudens (name)
sīn: but if
superstes –itis: surviving, remaining alive after death
obeō obīre obiī/obīvī obitum: to go to meet; diem obīre = to die
dīviduus –a –um: divided