[95] (1) Nōn sum nescius dēbuisse mē post istās Avītī litterās perōrāre. Quem enim laudātōrem locuplētiōrem, quem testem vītae meae sānctiōrem prōdūcam, quem dēnique advocātum fācundiōrem? (2) Multōs in vītā meā Rōmānī nōminis disertōs virōs sēdulō cognōvī, sed sum aequē nēminem admīrātus. (3) Nēmō est hodiē, quantum mea opīniō fert, alicuius in ēloquentiā laudis et speī, (4) quīn Avītus esse longē mālit, sī cum eō sē remōtā invidiā velit cōnferre. Quippe omnēs fandī virtūtēs paene dīversae in illō virō congruunt. (5) Quamcumque ōrātiōnem strūxerit Avītus, ita illa erit undique suī perfectē absolūta, ut in illā neque Catō gravitātem requīrat neque Laelius lēnitātem nec Gracchus impetum nec Caesar calōrem nec Hortēnsius distribūtiōnem nec Calvus argūtiās nec parsimōniam Sālustius nec opulentiam Cicerō. (6) Prōrsus, inquam, nē omnēs persequar, sī Avītum audiās, neque additum quicquam velīs neque dētractum neque autem aliquid commūtātum.
(7) Videō, Maxime, quam benignē audiās, quae in amīcō tuō Avītō recognōscēs. Tua mē cōmitās, ut vel pauca dīcerem dē eō, invītāvit. (8) At nōn usque adeō tuae benevolentiae indulgēbō, ut mihi permittam iam propemodum fessō in causā prōrsus ad fīnem inclīnātā dē ēgregiīs virtūtibus eius nunc dēmum incipere, quīn potius eās integrīs vīribus et temporī līberō servem.
Vocabulary
nescius –a –um: ignorant, unaware
Avītus -ī m.: (L. Hedius Rufus) Lollianus Avitus: proconsul of Africa (probably) 157/8
perōrō perōrāre: to conclude a speech, deliver the summation
laudātor –ōris m.: one who praises
locuplēs –ētis: rich, wealthy; (of style) ample
prōdūcō prōdūcere prōdūxī prōductus: to bring forward
advocātus –ī m.: advocate (in a trial)
fācundus –a –um: eloquent
Rōmānus –a –um: Roman
(2)
disertus -a -um: skilled in speaking, eloquent
sēdulus –a –um: careful, cautious, purposeful
admīror admirārī admirātus sum: to admire, wonder
opīniō opīniōnis f.: opinion
(3)
ēloquentia –ae f.: eloquence
removeō removēre removī remōtus: to set aside
(4)
dīversus -a -um: different; mutually opposed, contradictory, opposite
congruō –gruere –gruī —: to come together, align
struō struere strūxī strūctus: to construct, compose
(5)
absolvō –ere –solvī –solūtum: to absolve (someone of), complete
Catō –ōnis m.: M. Porcius Cato the elder, statesman and orator (234–149 BC)
gravitās gravitātis f.: seriousness
requīrō requīrere requīsīvī requīsītus: to seek, miss, find lacking
Laelius –iī m.: C. Laelius (ca. 190–125 BC), the friend of Scipio; public speaker known for *uerba prisca*
lēnitās –ātis f.: smoothness, fluidity (of style)
Gracchus –ī m.: C. Sempronius Gracchus (154–121 BC), revolutionary politician and eloquent orator
impetus -ūs m.: vehemence, vigor, fury
Caesar Caesaris m.: C. Iulius Caesar (100–44 BC), praised for his *elegantia*
calor –ōris m.: warmth, passion
Hortensius –a um: Q. Hortensius Hortalus (114–50 BC), rival of Cicero
distribūtiō –ōnis f.: arrangement (of a speech), logical structure
Calvus: C. Licinius Macer Calvus (82–47 BC), known for his strict Atticist style
argūtiae –ārum f.: wit, liveliness, animation
parsimōnia –ae f.: economy, concision
Sal(l)ustius –ī m.: C. Sallustius Crispus (86–34 BC), praised for his *breuitas*
opulentia –ae f.: richness (of style)
Cicerō Cicerōnis m.: M. Tullius Cicero (106–43 BC), model of oratory
prōrsus: in short, to sum up, in a word
(6)
persequor persequī persecūtus sum: to follow up (a topic), list out (examples)
dētrahō –ere –trāxī –tractum: subtract, remove
commūtō commūtāre commūtāvī commūtātus: to change
Māximus –ī m.: Maximus, cognomen of Claudius Maximus, judge in the case
benīgnus –a –um: kind
(7)
recognōscō recognōscere recognōvī recognitus: to recognize
cōmitās –ātis f.: courtesy, kindness, politeness
invītō invītāre invītāvī invītātus: to invite
benevolentia benevolentiae f.: goodwill
(8)
indulgeō indulgēre indulsī indultus: to take advantage of (+ dat.)
propemodum or propemodo: nearly, almost
prōrsus: entirely, all the way
inclīnātus -a -um: turned, facing (in a specified direction)
dēmum: finally