[84] (1) Ad litterās Pudentillae prōvocāstis: litterīs vincō, quārum sī vultis extrēmam quoque clausulam audīre, nōn invidēbō. Dīc tū, quibus verbīs epistulam fīnierit mulier obcantāta, vēcors, āmēns, amāns: (2)
ἐγὼ οὔτι ου μεμάγευμαι , ὅτι δ ̓ ἐρῶ , αἰτία ἡ εἱμαρμένη ἔφυ
Etiamne amplius? Reclāmat vōbīs Pudentilla et sānitātem suam ā vestrīs calumniīs quōdam praecōniō vindicat. (3) Nūbendī autem seu ratiōnem seu necessitātem fātō adscrībit, ā quō multum magīa remōta est vel potius omnīnō sublāta. Quae enim relinquitur vīs cantāminibus et venēficiīs, sī fātum reī cuiusque velutī violentissimus torrēns neque retinērī potest neque impellī? (4) Igitur hāc sententiā suā Pudentilla nōn modo mē magum, sed omnīnō esse magīam negāvit. (5) Bene, quod integrās epistolās mātris Pontiānus ex mōre adservāvit; bene, quod vōs festīnātiō iūdiciī antevortit, nē quid in istīs litterīs ex ōtiō novārētis. (6) Tuum hoc, Maxime, tuaeque prōvidentiae beneficium est, quod ā prīncipiō intellēctās calumniās, nē corrōborārentur tempore, praecipitāstī et nūllā impertītā morā subnerviāstī.
(7) Finge nunc aliquid mātrem fīliō sēcrētīs litterīs dē amōre, utī adsolet, cōnfessam. Hocine vērum fuit, Rūfīne, hoc nōn dīcō pium, sed saltem hūmānum, provulgārī eās litterās et potissimum fīlī praecōniō publicārī? (8) Sed sumne ego īnscius, quī postulō ut aliēnum pudōrem cōnservēs quī tuum perdiderīs?
Vocabulary
Pudentilla –ae f.: Pudentilla (name)
prōvocō prōvocāre –āvī –ātus: to summon, challenge; cite as evidence
clausula –ae f.: closing sentence, last part
invideō invidēre invīdī invīsus: begrudge, refuse (+dat.)
fīniō fīnīre fīnīvī fīnītus: to finish
obcantō –āre –āvī –ātus: to bewitch
vēcors –cordis: demented
āmēns āmentis: mad, insane
(2)
amplius: further, more, in addition.
reclāmō –āre: to contradict, refute
sānitās –ātis f.: health, sanity
calumnia –ae f.: the bringing of a false accusation; false statement
praecōnium –ī n.: public declaration, proclamation
vindicō vindicāre vindicāvī vindicātus: defend, vindicate, protect from, champion
(3)
nūbō nūbere nūpsī nūptum: to marry
ascrībō (adscr–) ascrībere ascrīpsī ascrīptum: to ascribe, put down to
magīa –ae f.: magic, sorcery
remōtus -a -um: distant, different, remote from
omnīnō: entirely
tollo tollere susttulī sublatum: remove, exclude
cantāmen –inis n.: a spell, a charm, magic incantation
venēficium –iī n.: poison
violentus –a –um: violent, savage
torrēns -ntis: a torrent, rushing river
impellō impellere impulī impulsum: impel faster, force to go faster
(4)
magus magī m.: magician, mage
magīa –ae f.: magic, sorcery
(5)
Pontiānus –ī m.: Pontianus (name)
adservō adservāre adservāvī adservātus: to preserve
festīnātiō –ōnis f.: speed, quickness, the act of hastening, efficiency
antevertō –antevertere –antevertī –anteversum: anticipate, prevent, forestall
novō novāre novāvī novātus: to alter, change
(6)
Māximus –ī m.: Maximus
prōvidentia –ae f.: foresight; divine providence
calumnia –ae f.: the bringing of a false accusation; false statement
corrōborō corroborāre corroborāvī corroborātus: to strengthen, reinforce
praecipitō praecipitāre praecipitāvī praecipitātus: to hasten, keep moving, press forward
impertiō impertīre or impertior impertīrī: to share with
subnerv(i)ō –āre –āvī –ātus: to hamstring, undercut
(7)
adsoleō –ēre (only in 3rd person, adsolet): is usual, normal
Rūfīnus –ī m.: Rufinus (name)
saltem or saltim: at least, at any rate
prōvulgō –āre: to divulge, make public
potissimum: especially
praecōnium –ī n.: public declaration, proclamation
pūblicō pūblicāre pūblicāvī pūblicātus: to make public
(8)
īnscīus –a –um: ignorant, foolish, naive
postulō postulāre postulāvī postulātus: to demand
cōnservō cōnservāre cōnservāvī cōnservātus: to keep, preserve