[94] (1) Cognitum hoc est tōtā cīvitāte. Rufinum omnēs execrātī mē laudibus tulēre. (2) Vēnerat ad nōs, priusquam istam dōnātiōnem perficeret, cum dissimilī istō frātre suō Pontiānus, pedēs nostrōs advolūtus veniam et oblīviōnem praeteritōrum omnium postulārat, flēns et manūs nostrās ōsculābundus ac dīcēns paenitēre quod Rufīnō et similibus auscultārit. (3) Petit posteā suppliciter, utī sē Lolliānō quoque Avītō clārissimō virō pūrgem, cui haud prīdem tīrōciniō ōrātiōnis suae fuerat ā mē commendātus. (4) Quippe compererat ante paucōs diēs omnia mē, ut ācta erant, ad eum perscrīpsisse. (5) Id quoque ā mē impetrat. Itaque acceptīs litterīs Carthāginem pergit, ubi iam prope exāctō cōnsulātūs suī mūnere Lolliānus Avītus tē, Maxime, opperiēbātur. (6) Is epistulīs meīs lectīs prō suā eximiā hūmānitāte grātulātus Pontiānō, quod cito errōrem suum corrēxisset, rescrīpsit mihi per eum quās litterās, dī bonī, quā doctrīnā, quō lepōre, quā verbōrum amoenitāte simul et iūcunditāte, prōrsus ut 'vir bonus dīcendī perītus'!
(7) Sciō tē, Maxime, libenter eius litterās audītūrum, et quidem, sī praelegam, meā vōce prōnūntiābō. Cedo tū Avītī epistulās, ut quae semper ōrnāmentō mihi fuērunt sint nunc etiam salūtī. (8) At tū licēbit aquam sinās fluere; namque optimī virī litterās ter et quater aveō quantōvis temporis dispendiō lēctitāre. (...)
Vocabulary
Rūfīnus –ī m.: Rufinus (name)
execror –ārī –ātus sum: to curse bitterly; execrate
dōnātiō –ōnis f.: a donation, gift-giving, gift
(2)
perficiō perficere perfēcī perfectus: to complete, accomplish
dissimilis dissimile: dissimilar
Pontiānus –ī m.: Pontianus (name)
advolvō –ere –volvī –volūtus: to fall down at
venia veniae f.: pardon, forgiveness
oblīviō –ōnis f.: forgetfulness, forgiveness
praeterita -ōrum n. pl.: things gone by, the past
postulō postulāre postulāvī postulātus: to ask, pray for, beg for
ōsculābundus –a –um: kissing
paenitet paenitēre paenituit: (impers.) it causes regret to (+ acc.), it makes sorry
auscultō –āre –āvī –ātum: to listen to
suppliciter: as a suppliant (> supplex)
(3)
Lolliānus Avītus –ī m.: (L. Hedius Rufus) Lollianus Avitus: proconsul of Africa (probably) 157/8
pūrgō pūrgāre pūrgāvī pūrgātus: to absolve, clear one's name
prīdem: long ago
tīrocinium –(i)ī n.: initial period of training, apprenticeship
commendō commendāre commendāvī commendātus: to entrust, recommend, approve
comperiō comperīre comperī compertus: to find out
(4)
perscrībō perscrībere perscrīpsī perscrīptum: to write out in full
impetrō impetrāre impetrāvī impetrātus: to obtain
(5)
Carthāgō Carthāginis f.: Carthage, capital of the province of Africa
exigō exigere exēgī exāctum: to complete
cōnsulātus cōnsulātūs m.: (pro)consulship, governorship of a province
Māximus –ī m.: cognomen of Claudius Maximus, judge in the case
opperior opperīrī oppertus/opperitus sum: to await, expect
eximius –a –um: exceptional, distinguished
(6)
hūmānitās hūmānitātis f.: humanity, kindness
grātulor gratulārī gratulātus sum: to congratulate (+ dat.)
corrigō corrigere corrēxī corrēctus: to put right, reform
rescrībō rescrībere rescrīpsī rescrīptum: to rewrite, reply (to)
doctrīna –ae f.: erudition, learning
lepus leporis m.: pleasantness, agreeableness, charm, grace, politeness, wit
amoenitās –ātis f.: pleasantness, delightfulness
iūcunditās –ātis f.: pleasantness
prōrsus: exactly
perītus –a –um: skilled in (+ gen.)
Māximus –ī m.: Maximus
(7)
prae–legō –legere –lēgī –lēctum: to read aloud
prōnūntiō prōnuntiāre prōnuntiāvī prōnuntiātus: to pronounce, speak
cedo: bring it here!
ōrnāmentum –ī n.: a mark of distinction, an honor
ter: 3 times
(8)
quater: 4 times
aveō –ēre: to desire
quantusvīs quantavis quantumvis: as much or as many as you could wish
dispendium –ī n.: expenditure, loss
lectitō –āre: to read repeatedly