[85] (1) Cūr autem praeterita conqueror, cum nōn sint minus acerba praesentia? Hocusque ā vōbīs miserum istum puerum dēprāvātum, ut mātris suae epistulās, quās putat amātōriās, (2) prō tribūnālī proconsulārī recitet apud vīrum sānctissimum Claudium Maximum, ante hās imperātōris Piī statuās fīlius mātrī suae pudenda exprobret stupra et amōrēs obiectet? (3) Quis tam est mītis quīn exacerbēscat? Tūne, ultime, parentis tuae animum in istīs scrūtāris, oculōs observās, suspīritūs numerās, adfectiōnēs explōrās, tabulās intercipis, amōrem revincīs? (4) Tūne quid in cubiculō agat perquīris, nē māter tua nōn dīcō amātrīx, sed nē omnīnō fēmina sit? Nihilne tū in eā cōgitās nisi ūnam parentis religiōnem? (5) Ō īnfēlīx uterum tuum, Pudentilla, ō sterilitās līberīs potior, ō īnfaustī decem mēnsēs, ō ingrātī XIIII annī viduitātis! Vīpera, ut audiō, exēsō mātris uterō in lūcem prōserpit atque ita parricīdiō gignitur; at enim tibi ā fīliō iam adultō acerbiōrēs morsūs vīventī et videntī offeruntur. (6) Silentium tuum laniātur, pudor tuus carpitur, pectus tuum foditur, vīscera intima prōtrahuntur.
(7) Hāscine grātiās bonus fīlius mātrī rependis ob datam vītam, ob adquīsītam hērēditātem, ob XIIII annōrum longās alimōniās? Hīscīne tē patruus disciplīnīs ērudīuit, ut, sī compertum habeās fīliōs tibi similēs futūrōs, nōn audeās dūcere uxōrem? (8) Est ille poētae versus nōn ignōtus:
'ōdī puerulōs praecoquī sapientiā.'
Sed enim malitiā praecoquī puerum quis nōn āversētur atque ōderit, cum videat velut mōnstrum quoddam prius rōbustum scelere quam tempore, ante nocentem quam potentem, viridī pueritiā, cānā malitiā, (9) vel potius hōc magis noxium, quod cum veniā perniciōsus est et nōndum poenae, iam iniūriae sufficit – iniūriae dīcō? Immō enim scelerī adversum parentem nefandō, immānī, impetibilī.
Vocabulary
praeteritus -a -um: past
conqueror –querī –questus sum: to complain, lament
acerbus –a –um: bitter
praesens -ntis: current, present, at hand
hōcusque: to this extent
dēprāvō –āre: to corrupt
amātōrius –a –um: of lovers; inducing love
(2)
tribūnal tribūnālis n.: platform, judicial venue, judgment seat
prōcōnsulāris –e: pertaining to a proconsul (provincial governor)
recitō recitāre recitāvī recitātus: to read aloud
Claudius Māximus: Claudius Maximus: proconsul of Africa 158/9, presiding at Apuleius’ trial.
statua statuae f.: statue
pudeō –ēre –duī –ditus: to make ashamed
exprobrō exprobrāre exprobrāvī exprobrātus: to reproach with, blame for, find fault
stuprum stuprī n.: illicit sex; sexual violation
obiectō obiectāre obiectāvī obiectātus: to cite with disapproval, bring up as a criticism
(3)
mītis mīte: mild, forgiving
exacerbēscō –ere — —: to become exasperated or angry
scrūtor scrūtārī scrūtātus sum: examine thoroughly, scrutinize
observō observāre observāvī observātus: to watch, observe
suspīritus –ūs m.: a deep breath, sigh
numerō numerāre numerāvī numerātus: to count
adfectiō (affectiō) –ōnis f.: emotion, disposition
explōrō explōrāre explōrāvī explōrātus: to explore, investigate
tabula tabulae f.: writing tablet
intercipiō –ere –cēpī –ceptus: to catch a thing passing along; intercept
revincō –vincere –vīcī –victum: to condemn
(4)
cubiculum –ī n.: bedroom
perquīrō perquīrere perquīsīvī perquīsītum: to ask diligently after
amātrīx –īcis f.: a female lover, "hussy"
omnīnō: entirely
religiō religiōnis f.: duty, moral obligation
(5)
īnfēlīx īnfēlīcis: unfortunate, unhappy
uterum –ī n.: the womb
Pudentilla –ae f.: Pudentilla (name)
sterilitās –ātis f.: barrenness, sterility
līberī līberōrum m. pl.: children
īnfaustus –a –um: unfortunate
mēnsis mēnsis m.: month
XIIII quattuordecim quārtus –a –um decimus –a –um: 14, 14th
viduitās –ātis f.: bereavement, widowhood
vīpera –ae f.: a viper
exedō –ere –ēdī –ēsus: to eat out
prōserpō –ere: to creep forwards or forth
parricīdium parrīcidiī n.: parricide, murder of a close relative
adultus -a -um: grown up
acerbus –a –um: bitter
morsus morsūs m.: bite
(6)
silentium (silentum) silenti(ī) n.: silence
laniō laniāre laniāvī laniātus: to lacerate, mangle, tear to pieces
carpō carpere carpsī carptum: to pluck, seize, tear apart
fodiō fodere fōdī fossum: to stab, dig, remove by digging
vīscus vīsceris n.: innards
intimus -a -um: innermost (> intus)
prōtrahō –ere –trāxī –trāctus: to draw forth
(7)
rependō –pendere –pendī –pensum: to make up for, pay back
adquīsītus -a -um: acquired
hērēditās hērēditātis f.: inheritance
alimōnium –(i)ī n. or alimōnia –ae f.: food; upbringing; the cost of upbringing
patruus patruī m.: uncle
ērudiō ērudīre ērudiī ērudītum: to instruct, train
comperiō comperīre comperī compertus: to find out
(8)
versus versūs m.: line (of poetry)
īgnōtus –a –um: unknown
puerulus –ī m.: little boy
praecoquo -coquere -coxī -coctum: to ripen prematurely
malitia –ae f.: spite, malice, wickedness
āversor āversārī: to turn away from, be revolted by, scorn, shun
mōnstrum mōnstrī n.: monster
rōbustus –a –um: strong, mature, hardy
viridis –e: green; youthful
pueritia pueritiae f.: boyhood
cānus –a –um: white, of the hair and beard; aged
(9)
noxius –a –um: guilty, harmful
venia veniae f.: pardon, indulgence
perniciōsus –a –um: destructive
sufficiō sufficere suffēcī suffectum: to suffice, be ready for (+ dat.)
immō: no indeed
adversum: (prep.) against
nefandus –a –um: unspeakable, unutterable
immānis immāne: monstrous
impetibilis –e: insufferable, intolerable