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No one is “poor” who has everything he needs (1–2), thus wealth should be measured by a person’s attitude, not material possessions (3–4); no matter how rich you are, somebody always has more (5–6); philosophers who match their desires to their circumstances are the truly blessed ones (7–8); if you want to prove I am “poor,” Aemilianus, you must show that I am greedy, but I do not care about such externals (9).

(1)

et ipsīus nōminis: "even (out) of the word (pauper) itself." The essence of poverty was a stock theme in philosophical discussions. The entire passage is strongly reminiscent of Seneca (Hunink). As in the previous sections, pauper should be understood as being "not wealthy," but not totally indigent.

neminem ... esse: indirect statement supplying the substance of the argument Apuleius claims he could make.

nostrum: gen. pl., partitive after nēminem. "not one of us."

nolit ... possideat: subjunctive in a clause of characteristic with an indefinite antecedent.

nātūrā: "by nature" = "in a natural (inartificial) state of living."

oppidō: "remarkably."

(2)

is ... qui: "that person ... who."

habēbit ... dēsīderābit ... habēbit ... volet: English tends to use the present tense for statements (like this) of a general rule.

(3)

nōn melius: modifies aestimantur.

in ipsō hominis animō: "by a man's inner self" (Jones).

sī est avāritiā egēnus: avāritiā is abl. of cause, "if he (the rich man) is 'needy' due to avarice" = "if avarice makes him needy" (Jones).

ad omne lucrum: "in response to every profit," (OLD ad 33.a), after inexplēbilis: "unsatisfied whatever his profit" (Jones).

ante parta ut augeat: ut augeat (ea quae sibi) ante parta (sunt).

ante parta: "(what was) acquired before," LS pario II.

(4)

Quae: "this," i.e., semper aliquid mendīcāre; quae is a connecting relative; it is feminine because it looks forward to vēra cōnfessiō.  

cōnfessiō: "proof."

opinione: "perception." Similar thought in Seneca, Consolatio ad Helviam 12.1.

nec refert: "and it is of no importance," "it does not matter," LS refert II. 

quam magnum sit: “how large (a thing) is.” 

tibi minus: “too small for you."

(5)

rem familiārem: "estate," "fortune."

Philus: Lucius Furius Philus, consul 136 BC, considered a model of virtue. He is one of three contemporaneous Roman consuls mentioned in this passage, all known for their love of Greek culture, and all of whom figure as speakers in some of Cicero's philosophical dialogues (B/O).

Laelius: Gaius Laelius, nicknamed Sapiens, "the Wise," consul 140 BC.

Scīpiō: P. Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus (usually called Scipio Aemilianus to distinguish him from Scipio Africanus) consul 147 and 134 BC, the destroyer of Carthage, the friend of Laelius and Philus (B/O). 

Crassus Dīves: usually identified as P. Licinius Crassus Dives Mucianus, a contemporary of the three Roman consuls just mentioned. Some scholars, however, consider the person named to be Marcus Licinius Crassus the triumvir, who also bore the cognomen Dīves. 

quantam: supply habuit from what precedes.

(6)

cum omnēs superāret: concessive.

potius ... quam: "rather than," "except," "but."

(7)

poterant: supply habēre, possidēre vel sim. "could command" (Jones).

congruentibus: "matching (one another)," modifying both dēsīderiīs and facultātibus in an ablative absolute.

iure meritōque: the adverbs are often paired: "justly and properly." 

(8)

appetendī egestāte: "the craving of acquiring," "the urge to acquire" (Jones), see OLD egestas 2.b. The thought is similar to sī est avāritiā egēnus above.

dīves: supply fīs.

nōn egendī satietāte: "from the satiety of not desiring," LS egeo II.C.

quippe quī: "in as much as," "since," a common phrase in many genres.  

inopia ... opulentia: subjects of cernuntur in asyndeton.

cernuntur: "is perceived from," “is recognized by,” + abl. (LS cerno II.A.b). Both inopia and opulentia are the subjects.

(9)

habērī: "to be considered."

avārum esse: supply mē as the subject of an indirect statement after doceās.

doceās: (ut) doceās, substantive subjunctive clause as the subject of necesse est: “that you demonstrate,” OLD doceo 3.

dē rēbus extrāriīs quantum dēsit nōn labōrō: order: nōn labōrō quantum dēsit dē rēbus extrāriīs. Dē rēbus extrāriīs is foregrounded to emphasize the antithesis with in animō.

quārum: antecedent is rēbus extrāriīs; partitive genitive with cōpiā, pēnūriā: "in a large supply of which ... in a lack of which ...."

cōnsistit: "there is" LS consisto II.B.2.