[69] (1) Eō scrūpulō līberāta cum ā prīncipibus virīs in mātrimōnium peterētur, dēcrēvit sibi diūtius in viduitāte nōn permanendum. Quippe ut sōlitūdinis taedium perpetī posset, tamen aegritūdinem corporis ferre nōn poterat. (2) Mulier sānctē pudīca, tot annīs viduitātis sine culpā, sine fābulā, assuētūdine coniugis torpēns et diūtinō sitū vīscerum saucia, vitiātīs intimīs uterī saepe ad extrēmum vītae discrīmen dolōribus obortīs exanimābātur. (3) Medicī cum obstetrīcibus cōnsentiēbant pēnūriā mātrimōniī morbum quaesītum, malum in diēs augērī, aegritūdinem ingravēscere; dum aetātis aliquid supersit, nuptiīs valētūdinem medicandum.
(4) Cōnsilium istud cum aliī approbant, tum maximē Aemiliānus iste, quī paulō prius cōnfīdentissimō mendāciō adsevērābat numquam dē nuptīīs Pudentillam cōgitāsse, priusquam foret magicīs maleficiīs ā mē coācta, mē sōlum repertum, quī viduitātis eius velut quandam virginitātem carminibus et venēnīs violārem. (5) Saepe audīvī nōn dē nihilō dīcī mendācem memorem esse oportēre; at tibi, Aemiliāne, nōn vēnit in mentem, priusquam ego Oeam venīrem, tē litterās etiam, utī nūberet, scripsisse ad fīlium eius Pontiānum, quī tum adultus Rōmae agēbat.
(6) Cedo tū epistulam, vel potius dā ipsī: lēgat, suā sibi vōce suīsque verbīs sēsē revincat. (7) Estne haec tua epistula? Quid palluistī? Nam ērubēscere tū quidem nōn potes. Estne tua ista subscriptīō? (8) — Recitā quaesō clārius, ut omnēs intellegant quantum lingua eius manū discrepet, quantumque minor illī sit mēcum quam sēcum dissēnsiō. (...)
Vocabulary
scrūpulus –ī m.: worry
līberō līberāre līberāvī līberātus: to free
mātrimōnium –ī(ī) n.: marriage
viduitās –ātis f.: widowhood
permaneō permanēre permānsī permānsum: to remain
sōlitūdō –inis f.: solitude, being alone
taedium –ī n.: weariness, tedium, nuisance, boredom
perpetior –petī –pessus sum: to bear to the end, endure
aegritūdō –inis f.: sickness
pudīcus –a –um: modest, chaste
(2)
assuētūdō –inis f.: custom, habit
torpeō torpēre: to be sluggish, lethargic
diūtinus (diutinus) –a –um: of long duration
situs –ūs m.: disuse, neglect, idleness
vīscus vīsceris n.: innards
saucius –a –um: wounded; afflicted
vitiō vitiāre: to injure, spoil
intimus -a -um: innermost, deepest
uterus –ī m.: the womb
discrīmen discriminis n.: crisis, risk
oborior –orīrī –ortus sum: to arise, appear
exanimō exanimāre exanimāvī exanimātus: to exhaust, prostrate
obstetrīx –īcis f.: midwife
(3)
cōnsentiō cōnsentīre cōnsēnsī cōnsēnsus: to agree
pēnūria –ae f.: a lack
mātrimōnium –ī(ī) n.: marriage
aegritūdō –inis f.: sickness
ingravēscō ingravēscere: to worsen
nuptiae –ārum f. pl.: marriage
valētūdō valētūdinis f.: ill-health, sickness
medicō (medicor) medicāre medicāvī medicātus: to treat, medicate (with); cure
approbō –āre –āvī –ātum: to approve, express approval of
(4)
Aemiliānus –ī m.: Sicinius Aemilianus, principal accuser, uncle of Sicinius Pontianus and Sicinius Pudens.
cōnfīdēns, -ntis: confident; overconfident, brazen
mendācium –ī n.: lie
adsevērō or assevērō –āre: to affirm, assert
nuptiae –ārum f. pl.: marriage
Pudentilla –ae f.: Aemilia Pudentilla, married first to Sicinius Amicus and then to Apuleius; mother of Sicinius Pontianus and Sicinius Pudens.
(2)
magicus –a –um: pertaining to magi, or magicians
maleficium –ī n.: crime, wicked deed
viduitās –ātis f.: widowhood
virginitās –ātis f.: virginity
venēnum venēnī n.: poison, magic potion
violō violāre violāvī violātus: to violate
mendāx –ācis: false, deceitful
memor memoris: remembering, having a good memory
Aemiliānus –ī m.: Sicinius Aemilianus, principal accuser, uncle of Sicinius Pontianus and Sicinius Pudens.
Oea Oeae f.: Oea, a town of Africa, now Tripoli
nūbō nūbere nūpsī nūptum: to marry
Pontiānus –ī m.: Sicinius Pontianus: Roman knight, elder son of Sicinius Amicus and Aemilia Pudentilla, now dead.
adultus -a -um: grown up, adult
cedo: bring it here!; out with it!
(6)
revincō –vincere –vīcī –victum: to refute, disprove
pallēscō –ere palluī –us: to grow pale
(7)
ērubēscō ērubēscere ērubuī: to grow red, blush
subscriptiō –ōnis f.: signature; written legal accusation
recitō recitāre recitāvī recitātus: to read aloud
(8)
quaesō quaesere: to beg, ask, ask for, seek; "please" (idiom)
discrepō discrepāre discrepuī: to be inconsistent
dissēnsiō –ōnis f.: disagreement