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.
vocabulary
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