BLESILLA

1. Laetor maximē, mea tū, quod iam amplum argumentum mihi istīs falsīs opīniōnibus praebeās quō tē illīs miserē implicitam expediam, ac lūce clārius ostendam istōrum omnium inānem esse fīnem ac lucrum, cum aliōquī ita mē Deus amet ut tuārum misertum est fortūnārum, veritam nē in immedicābilia damna, ab hōc hūmānārum rērum amōre prōvenīre solita, praeceps incīdās. 

2. Sōlātur mē tamen quaedam animō tuō innāta indolēs, ubi, nī fallor, suum sibi locum inveniet (quotiēs decēbit) invicta vēritās. In animō est igitur dē iīs omnibus agere, quae tū tōtō nīxū approbās. Et quamvīs admodum difficile videātur, vel validissimīs ratiōnibus ista apud tē improbāre stat sententia, et, cum tōta in iīs commendandīs fuerīs, discutere tamen omnēs aulicae fēlīcitātis partēs, an dignae sint istō fēlīcitātis nōmine. 

3. Atque in prīmīs sitne prīncipum (ut tū asseris) servitūs suāvior, et dulcis grātia, ac melliflua cōnsuētūdō, quaestuōsa dōna, magnīque honōrēs pretiī, sintne hae idōneae ratiōnēs, quibus aulicam vītam amāre dēbeās, eamque omnibus aliīs longē praestantiōrem crēdere. Nec, sī poterō, praeteream alia omnia palātīna mūnia, palātō tuō adeō dulcia ut reliqua pili facienda et sentiās et asserās.

4.  Ergō (ut ad rem iam adveniāmus) ostendās mihi oportet istīne Prīncipēs quibus īnservīs (ut deceat strēnuōs iīs subesse animōs) sintne undique mūnītī illīs omnibus, quae in vērō Prīncipe dīvīnus ille Platō atque Pȳthagorās exoptant, nec nōn aliī innumerī philosophī; deinde ut probēs opus est illōs, et iam sī tālēs sint quālēs sapientēs dēpingunt, nōn esse obnoxiōs Dāvīdicō illī ēlogiō:

 exībit spīritus eius et revertētur in terram suam; in diē illā perībunt omnēs cōgitātiōnēs eōrum

5. Unde et falsa Prīncipum sunt bona, quoniam mōmentānea, et īnsuāvia, quoniam falsa, ac rūrsus eōrum mala nōn timenda, quoniam saepissimē iniūsta.

    Blesilla –ae f. : Blesilla (name)

    laetor laetārī laetātus sum : to be glad/joyful/delighted; rejoice; be fond (of), delight in; flourish (on/in)

    maximē : most greatly

    argūmentum –ī n. : proof, evidence, argument

    opīniō opīniōnis f. : belief, idea, opinion; rumor

    implicō implicāre implicāvī (implicuī) implicitus : to fold in; involve, entangle, entwine; to wheel; (w. dat.), bind to; infuse; insinuate, mingle; se implicare, cling to

    expediō expedīre expediī/expedīvī expedītus : to set free, provide, be expedient; (impersonal) be profitable, be useful; solve, clear up (difficulties etc.)

    inānis inānis ināne : void, empty, hollow; vain; inane; foolish

    lucrum lucrī n. : gain, profit

    aliōquīn or aliōquī : otherwise

    misereor –ērī miseritus sum : to pity

    immedicābilis –e : incurable, deadly

    prōveniō –venīre –vēnī –ventūrum : to come forth; come about

    solitus –a –um : having been accustomed, wont; p., wonted, usual, habitual

    praeceps praecipitis : plunging head-foremost, falling; headlong; rushing (of winds etc.)

    sōlō –āre –āvī –ātus : to make lonely or desolate; to lay waste, desolate

    innātus –a –um : inborn, innate

    indoles –is f. : that which is bred within; natural disposition; genius, nature, spirit (> indu–, an old form of in–, and cf. olesco, grow)

    nī : if ... not; unless [quid ni? => why not?]

    invictus –a –um : unconquered; invincible

    vēritās vēritātis f. : truth

    nīsus (nīxus) nīsus m. : a pressing upon, pressure, push, striving, exertion, labor, effort

    approbō –āre –āvī –ātum : to express approval of, commend; prove the excellence of

    quamvīs : even though, although, however you like; altogether

    admodum : very, exceedingly, greatly, quite; excessively; just so; certainly, completely

    improbō improbāre improbāvī improbātus : to disapprove, blame, condemn, reject

    commendō commendāre commendāvī commendātus : to entrust, give in trust; commit; recommend, commend to; point out, designate

    discutiō –ere –cussī –cussus : to shake off, strike off; disperse, dissipate, dispel (> dis– and quatio)

    aulicus –a –um : of or pertaining to the court, princely

    fēlīcitās –ātis f. : fertility, happiness, felicity, good–fortune, luck

    fēlīcitās –ātis f. : fertility, happiness, felicity, good–fortune, luck

    asserō asserere asseruī assertum : to join; to claim (as free), lay claim to, appropriate, to protect, to defend, to claim, assert

    servitūs servitūtis f. : slavery

    suāvis suāve : agreeable, pleasant, gratifying, sweet; charming, attractive

    mellifluus –a –um : flowing with honey, honey-dropping, mellifluous:

    quaestuōsus –a –um : gainful, profitable, advantageous, lucrative, productive

    idōneus –a –um : suitable, appropriate, adequate, having right qualities; qualified, able; apt; substantial, solvent; having money to meet obligations, backed by resources

    aulicus –a –um : of or pertaining to the court, princely

    praetereō praeterīre praeterīvī/praeteriī praeteritus : to pass/go by; disregard/neglect/omit/miss; surpass/excel; go overdue; pass over

    Palātīnus –a –um : of the Palatine; the Ludi Palatini were founded by Livia in honor of Augustus (> Palatium)

    mūnia –ium n. : duties, functions, official duties

    palātum –ī n. : roof of the mouth, palate; by metonymy, the mouth (as the organ of speech)

    pilus –ī m. : a hair; something of no value or significance

    asserō asserere asseruī assertum : to join; to claim (as free), lay claim to, appropriate, to protect, to defend, to claim, assert

    īnserviō –servīre : to be serviceable, be devoted, be submissive, serve

    strēnuus –a –um : brisk, prompt, vigorous

    subsum subesse — : to be under, be behind

    mūniō mūnīre mūnīvī mūnītus : to fortify; strengthen; protect, defend, safeguard; build (road)

    vērum –ī n. : that which is true; truth, justice, right

    dīvīnus –a –um : divine, of a deity/god, godlike; sacred; divinely inspired; supernatural; prophetic

    Platō –ōnis m. : Plato, a celebrated Greek philosopher, the disciple of Socrates, the instructor of Aristotle, and founder of the Academic philosophy

    Pȳthagorās –ae m. : Pythagoras, the famous philosopher from Samos (d. c. 495 BCE)

    exoptō –āre –āvī –ātus : to choose out; wish exceedingly, long for, desire much

    innumerus –a –um : countless

    philosophus –a –um : philosophical

    sapiō sapere sapivī : to discern; taste of; be intelligent; perceive

    dē–pingō –pingere –pīnxī –pictum : to depict, portray, paint, draw; embroider

    obnoxius –a –um : liable, addicted, guilty

    Dāvīdicus -a -um : Davidic, of David

    ēlogium –ī n. : an utterance, short saying, maxim; funeral inscription, epitaph; dedicatory inscription; statement of criminal charges

    cōgitātiō cōgitātiōnis f. : thinking, meditation, reflection; thought; intention; plan; opinion, reasoning

    falsum –ī n. : an untruth, falsehood, fraud, deceit

    mōmentārius –a –um  : instantaneous, that operates quickly; brief, of brief duration, momentary, quick

    insuāvis –e : disagreeable, harsh

    malum malī n. : evil, misfortune, calamity

    iniūstus –a –um : unjust

    article nav