19

The judge in this case (Claudius Maximus) is a wealthy man, but that does not mean he will be receptive to your attack on lack of wealth (paupertas) (1). He is a follower of an austere philosophical sect, is accustomed to the hardships of military campaigns (2), and wears his wealth well, like a tunic that is not too long (3–5). The most praiseworthy wealthy individuals are those who live modestly (6), another reason why it is no shame to actually have modest resources (7).

(1)

An: "or perhaps," introducing a rhetorical question.

ad irrīdendam paupertātem: construe with idōneus: "appropriate to mock lack of wealth (in front of)" = "for you to ridicule (people with) modest means."

prōlixam: "extensive," "ample," "abundant."

rem familiārem: "family property" LS res II.B.

sortītus est: "has been blessed with," + acc., OLD sortior 4.

(2)

huius animī frustrā es: frustrā is an adverb meaning "in vain." It is often combined with a form of esse (LS frustra I) = "to be in error." Animī = "opinion" (LS animus II.A.5), a genitive defining the subject about which Aemilianus is in error, and huius defines whose opinion is at issue, namely that of Claudius Maximus. So, "you are entirely mistaken about his views" (Jones). B/O says that the genitive after frustra es is analogous to the genitive after the similar Greek verb σφάλλεσθαι.

sī eum ... mētīris: "if you judge him by the blessings of fortune and not by the standards of philosophy" (Jones), i.e., if you assume that, as a rich man, he has contempt for the less well-off, rather than adopting the more positive view of lack of wealth taken by philosophers. Cēnsūrā = "assessment," "judgment," "opinion" (OLD 2).

tam austērae sectae tamque diūtinae mīlitiae: genitives of characteristic with virum.  The former most likely a reference to Maximus's allegiance to Stoicism (Hunink).

amīciōrem: "more friendly to," + dat. (coercitae mediocritātī, dēlicātae opulentiae).

coercitae: "restrained," "disciplined."

mediocritātī: "moderateness of means."

dēlicātae: "difficult to please," "persnickety," "pampered."

fortūnam … probāre: order: (si non putas eum) probāre fortūnam, velut tunicam, magis concinnam quam longam.

concinnam: "tidy," "neat"

probāre: continuing the indirect discourse (for which don't forget to include the negative): "If you do not think that he approves of."

(3)

quippe: "for," explaining the assertion just made.

etiam ea sī nōn gestētur sed trahātur: "if it (wealth), too, (like a tunic) is not worn (well) but dragged along." Jones comments: In full dress, the male Roman citizen wore a long undergarment (tunica) beneath the toga; the young Julius Caesar and others wore very long tunics, or ones with elaborate fringes.

(4)

omnibus ad vītae mūnia ūtendīs: "in respect to everything which should be used for the functions of life."

onerī potius quam ūsuī: datives of purpose: "causing a burden rather than any usefulness."

exūberat: "becomes an excess."

(5)

inmodicae dīvitiae velut ingentia et ēnormia gubernācula facilius mergunt quam regunt: "vast wealth too, like a huge, bulky rudder, sinks you rather than steering you" (Jones).

(6)

Quīn … laudārī: order: quīn videō ex ipsīs opulentiōribus eōs potissimum laudārī.

Quīn: "in fact," corroborating and amplifying the preceding point.

ex: "from among" (OLD ex 17).

strepitū: "fanfare."

dissimulātīs facultātibus: "with dissimulated riches," i.e., pretending not to be rich.

agunt: "act."

pauperum: genitive, construe with similēs.

(7)

etiam dītibus: "even by the rich," dative of agent with quaeritur.

ad argūmentum modestiae: "as proof of modesty/self-effacement," OLD argumentum 3.

color: "an outward expression," "a show" put on by pretense (LS color II.A). 

cūr eius pudeat tenuiōrēs: "why should it make those of lesser wealth ashamed of it." Tenuis = "humble," "poor," "lowly."

eam: paupertatem. The accusative after fungor is regular in Plautus and Terence, earlier authors whose usage Apuleius often adopts. Ablative is normal in classical authors. LS fungor I.β .

simulātē: "by pretense."

fungimur: Apuleius includes himself in the ranks of the not wealthy by his use of a first person verb.