[88] (1) Habēs, Aemiliāne, causam tōtam, cūr tabulae nuptiālēs inter mē ac Pudentillam nōn in oppidō sint sed in vīllā suburbānā cōnsignātae: nē quīnquāgintā mīlia nummum dēnuō profundenda essent nec tēcum aut apud tē cēnandum. Estne causa idōnea?
(2) Mīror tamen quod tū ā vīllā tantopere abhorreās, quī plērumque rūre versēre. (3) Lēx quidem Iūlia dē marītandīs ōrdinibus nusquam suī ad hunc modum interdīcit: 'uxōrem in villā nē dūcitō.' (4) Immō, sī vērum velīs, uxor ad prōlem multō auspicātius in vīllā quam in oppidō dūcitur, in solō ūberī quam in locō sterilī, in agrī caespite quam in forī silice. (5) Māter futūra in ipsō māternō sinū nūbat, in segete adultā, super fēcundam glēbam, vel enim sub ulmō marītā cubet, in ipsō gremiō terrae mātris, inter subolēs herbārum et propāginēs vītium et arborum germina. (6) Ibi et ille celeberrimus in cōmoediīs versus dē proximō congruit:
παίδων ἐπ’ ἀρότῳ, γνησίων ἐπὶ σπορᾷ.
(7) Rōmānōrum etiam maiōribus Quīntīs et Serrānīs et multīs aliīs similibus nōn modo uxōrēs, vērum etiam cōnsulātūs et dictātūrae in agrīs offerēbantur. Cohibēam mē in tam prōlixō locō, nē tibi grātum faciam, sī vīllam laudāverō.
Vocabulary
Aemiliānus –ī m.: Sicinius Aemilianus, principal accuser, uncle of Sicinius Pontianus and Sicinius Pudens.
tabulae nuptialēs f. pl.: marriage contract
Pudentilla –ae f.: Pudentilla (name)
vīlla vīllae f.: country house
suburbānus –a –um: located outside the city
consignō –āre: put a seal on, sign
quīnquāgintā; quīnquāgēsimus –a –um: 50; 50th
nummus –ī m.: coin, money
dēnuō: a second time, again
profundō –ere –fūdī –fūsus: to pour forth; squander
cēnō cēnāre cēnāvī cēnātus: to dine
idōneus –a –um: appropriate, good enough, suitable
(2)
tantō opere or tantopere: to such a great degree, so very much
abhorreō abhorrēre abhoruī: to shrink back from
versor versārī versātus: to be involved; to live, stay
Lex Iūlia –ae f.: the Julian law
(3)
marītō –āre –āvī –ātus: to marry
nusquam: nowhere
interdīcō interdīcere interdīxī interdictum: to forbid
(4)
immō: no indeed
prōlēs prōlis f.: offspring
auspicātus –a –um: auspicious, fortunate, lucky
solum –ī n.: land, earth
ūber ūberis: rich, fertile
sterilis –e: unproductive, unfruitful
caespes (cespes) –itis f.: turf
silex silicis n.: stone, paving stone
māternus –a –um: maternal
(5)
nūbō nūbere nūpsī nūptum: to marry
seges –etis f.: field of grain, crop, standing wheat
adolēscō adolescere adolēvī adultus: to mature, ripen
fēcundus –a –um: fertile
glēba or glaeba –ae f.: lump of earth; clod; soil
ulmus –ī f.: an elm tree
marītus –a –um: married, mated; symbiotic
cubō cubāre cubuī cubitum: to lie down, recline
gremium gremi(ī) n.: lap, bosom
subolēs –is f.: shoot; twig
herba herbae f.: grass, herb
prōpāgō prōpāginis f.: offspring, shoot, growth
vītis –is f.: vine, grapevine
germen –inis n.: bud
(6)
celeber celebris celebre: famous
cōmoedia –ae f.: comedy
proximus –a –um: near, very close
congruō –gruere –gruī —: to agree
versus versūs m.: line (of poetry)
(7)
Rōmānus –a –um: Roman
Quintius –iī m.: Quintius (name)
Serrānus –ī m.: Serranus (name)
cōnsulātus cōnsulātūs m.: consulship
dictātūra –ae f.: dictatorship
cohibeō –ēre –uī –itus: to restrain, hold back
prolixus –a –um: long, extended, wordy
vīlla vīllae f.: country house