[95] (1) Nōn sum nescius dēbuisse mē post istās Avītī litterās perōrāre. Quem enim laudātōrem locuplētiōrem, quem testem vītae meae sānctiōrem prōdūcam, quem dēnique advocātum fācundiōrem? (2) Multōs in vītā meā Rōmānī nōminis disertōs virōs sēdulō cognōvī, sed sum aequē nēminem admīrātus. (3) Nēmō est hodiē, quantum mea opīniō fert, alicuius in ēloquentiā laudis et speī, (4) quīn Avītus esse longē mālit, sī cum eō sē remōtā invidiā velit cōnferre. Quippe omnēs fandī virtūtēs paene dīversae in illō virō congruunt. (5) Quamcumque ōrātiōnem strūxerit Avītus, ita illa erit undique suī perfectē absolūta, ut in illā neque Catō gravitātem requīrat neque Laelius lēnitātem nec Gracchus impetum nec Caesar calōrem nec Hortēnsius distribūtiōnem nec Calvus argūtiās nec parsimōniam Sālustius nec opulentiam Cicerō. (6) Prōrsus, inquam, nē omnēs persequar, sī Avītum audiās, neque additum quicquam velīs neque dētractum neque autem aliquid commūtātum.

(7) Videō, Maxime, quam benignē audiās, quae in amīcō tuō Avītō recognōscēs. Tua mē cōmitās, ut vel pauca dīcerem dē eō, invītāvit. (8) At nōn usque adeō tuae benevolentiae indulgēbō, ut mihi permittam iam propemodum fessō in causā prōrsus ad fīnem inclīnātā dē ēgregiīs virtūtibus eius nunc dēmum incipere, quīn potius eās integrīs vīribus et temporī līberō servem.

    nescius –a –um: ignorant, unaware

    Avītus -ī m.: (L. Hedius Rufus) Lollianus Avitus: proconsul of Africa (probably) 157/8

    perōrō perōrāre: to conclude a speech, deliver the summation

    laudātor –ōris m.: one who praises

    locuplēs –ētis: rich, wealthy; (of style) ample

    prōdūcō prōdūcere prōdūxī prōductus: to bring forward

    advocātus –ī m.: advocate (in a trial)

    fācundus –a –um: eloquent

    Rōmānus –a –um: Roman

    (2)

    disertus -a -um: skilled in speaking, eloquent

    sēdulus –a –um: careful, cautious, purposeful

    admīror admirārī admirātus sum: to admire, wonder

    opīniō opīniōnis f.: opinion

    (3)

    ēloquentia –ae f.: eloquence

    removeō removēre removī remōtus: to set aside

    (4)

    dīversus -a -um: different; mutually opposed, contradictory, opposite

    congruō –gruere –gruī —: to come together, align

    struō struere strūxī strūctus: to construct, compose

    (5)

    absolvō –ere –solvī –solūtum: to absolve (someone of), complete

    Catō –ōnis m.: M. Porcius Cato the elder, statesman and orator (234–149 BC)

    gravitās gravitātis f.: seriousness

    requīrō requīrere requīsīvī requīsītus: to seek, miss, find lacking

    Laelius –iī m.: C. Laelius (ca. 190–125 BC), the friend of Scipio; public speaker known for *uerba prisca*

    lēnitās –ātis f.: smoothness, fluidity (of style)

    Gracchus –ī m.: C. Sempronius Gracchus (154–121 BC), revolutionary politician and eloquent orator

    impetus -ūs m.: vehemence, vigor, fury

    Caesar Caesaris m.: C. Iulius Caesar (100–44 BC), praised for his *elegantia*

    calor –ōris m.: warmth, passion

    Hortensius –a um: Q. Hortensius Hortalus (114–50 BC), rival of Cicero

    distribūtiō –ōnis f.: arrangement (of a speech), logical structure

    Calvus: C. Licinius Macer Calvus (82–47 BC), known for his strict Atticist style

    argūtiae –ārum f.: wit, liveliness, animation

    parsimōnia –ae f.: economy, concision

    Sal(l)ustius –ī m.: C. Sallustius Crispus (86–34 BC), praised for his *breuitas*

    opulentia –ae f.: richness (of style)

    Cicerō Cicerōnis m.: M. Tullius Cicero (106–43 BC), model of oratory

    prōrsus: in short, to sum up, in a word

    (6)

    persequor persequī persecūtus sum: to follow up (a topic), list out (examples)

    dētrahō –ere –trāxī –tractum: subtract, remove

    commūtō commūtāre commūtāvī commūtātus: to change

    Māximus –ī m.: Maximus, cognomen of Claudius Maximus, judge in the case

    benīgnus –a –um: kind

    (7)

    recognōscō recognōscere recognōvī recognitus: to recognize

    cōmitās –ātis f.: courtesy, kindness, politeness

    invītō invītāre invītāvī invītātus: to invite

    benevolentia benevolentiae f.: goodwill

    (8)

    indulgeō indulgēre indulsī indultus: to take advantage of (+ dat.)

    propemodum or propemodo: nearly, almost

    prōrsus: entirely, all the way

    inclīnātus -a -um: turned, facing (in a specified direction)

    dēmum: finally

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