[68] (1) Nunc dum ordinem reī breviter persequor et efficiō, ut ipse Aemiliānus, rē cognitā, falsō sē ad invidiam meam inductum et longē ā vērō aberrāsse necesse habeat cōnfitērī, quaesō, utī adhūc fēcistis vel sī quō magis etiam potestis, ipsum fontem et fundāmentum iūdiciī huiusce dīligentissimē cognōscātis.
(2) Aemilia Pudentilla, quae nunc mihi uxor est, ex quōdam Siciniō Amīcō, quīcum anteā nupta fuerat, Pontiānum et Pudentem fīliōs genuit eōsque pūpillōs relictōs in potestāte paternī avī – nam superstite patre Amīcus dēcesserat – per annōs fermē quattuordecim memorābilī pietāte sēdulō aluit, (3) nōn tamen libenter, in ipsō aetātis suae flōre, tam diū vidua. (4) Sed puerōrum avus invītam eam conciliāre studēbat fīliō suō Siciniō Clarō eōque cēterōs procōs absterrēbat. Et praetereā minābātur, sī extrāriō nūbsisset, nihil sē fīliīs eius ex paternīs eōrum bonīs testāmentō relictūrum. (5) Quam condiciōnem cum obstinātē prōpositam vidēret mulier sapiēns et ēgregiē pia, nē quid fīliīs suīs eō nōmine incommodāret, facit quidem tabulās nuptiālēs cum quō iubēbātur, cum Siciniō Clarō, (6) vērum enimvērō vānīs frūstrātiōnibus nuptiās ēlūdit eō ad dum puerōrum avus fātō concessit, relictīs fīliīs eius hērēdibus, ita ut Pontiānus, quī maior nātū erat, frātrī suō tūtor esset.
Vocabulary
persequor persequī persecūtus sum: to follow through, follow up on
Aemiliānus –ī m.: Sicinius Aemilianus, principal accuser, uncle of Sicinius Pontianus and Sicinius Pudens.
indūcō inducere indūxī inductus: to induce
aberrō –āre: to go astray
quaesō quaesere: to beg, ask, ask for, seek; "please" (idiom)
fundāmentum –ī n.: foundation, basis
-ce: intensifying demonstrative particle (equivalent to γέ)
Aemilia Pudentilla: Aemila Pudentilla, married first to Sicinius Amicus and then to Apuleius; mother of Sicinius Pontianus and Sicinius Pudens.
(2)
Sicinius Amicus: Sicinius Amicus: first husband of Aemilia Pudentilla
anteā: before, formerly
nūbō nūbere nūpsī nūptum: to marry
Pontiānus –ī m.: Sicinius Pontianus: Roman knight, elder son of Sicinius Amicus and Aemilia Pudentilla, now dead.
Pudēns –entis m.: younger son of Sicinius Amicus and Aemilia Pudentilla
pūpillus –ī m.: ward, a boy who is an orphan or under the care of a guardian
paternus –a –um: paternal
avus avī m.: grandfather
superstes –itis: surviving, remaining alive
dēcēdō dēcēdere dēcessī dēcessus: to die
fermē: almost, nearly, approximately
quattuordecim quārtus –a –um decimus –a –um: 14, 14th
memorābilis –e: memorable, notable
sēdulus –a –um: careful, cautious, purposeful
vidua viduae f.: unmarried woman, widow
(3)
invītus –a –um: unwilling
(4)
conciliō conciliāre conciliāvī conciliātus: to marry off (acc.) to someone (+ dat.)
Sicinius Clarus: Sicinius Clarus: intended by his father, Sicinius—, to be Pudentilla’s second husband, after the death of Amicus.
procus –ī m.: suitor, wooer
absterreō abterrēre absterruī absterritum: to frighten away
minor minārī minātus sum: to threaten
extrārius –a –um: outside the family
paternus –a –um: paternal
testāmentum testāmentī n.: will, testament
obstināte: (adv.) stubbornly, obstinately
(5)
sapiēns -ntis: wise, intelligent
incommodō –āre: to cause inconvenience or disadvantage
tabulae nuptiālēs f. pl.: marriage contract
enimvērō or enim vērō: yes indeed, assuredly
(6)
frūstrātiō –ōnis f.: a deception, delay
nuptiae –ārum f. pl.: marriage
ēlūdō ēlūdere ēlūsī ēlūsus: to elude, avoid
hērēs hērēdis m. or f.: heir
nātus –a –um: born
tūtor tūtōris m.: legal guardian