[98] (1) At ille puellae meretrīcis blandīmentīs et lēnōnis patris illectāmentīs captus et possessus, exinde ut frāter eius animam ēdidit, relictā mātre ad patruum commigrāvit, quō facilius remōtīs nōbīs coepta perficerentur. (2) Favet enim Rufīnō Aemiliānus et prōventum cupit. (...) Ehem, rēctē vōs ammonētis: etiam suam spem bonus patruus temperat in istō ac fovet, quī sciat intestātī puerī lēgitimum magis quam iūstum hērēdem futūrum. (3) Nōllem hercule hoc ā mē prōfectum: nōn fuit meae moderātiōnis tacitās omnium suspīciōnēs palam abrumpere. Male vōs, quī suggessistis!
(4) Plānē quidem, sī vērum velīs, multī mīrantur, Aemiliāne, tam repentīnam circā puerum istum pietātem tuam, postquam frāter eius Pontiānus est mortuus, cum anteā tam ignōtus illī fueris, ut saepe nē in occursū quidem fīlium frātris tuī dē faciē agnōscerēs. (5) At nunc adeō patientem tē eī praebēs itaque eum indulgentiā corrumpis, adeō eī nūllā rē adversāre, ut per haec suspicāciōribus fidem faciās. Investem ā nōbīs accēpistī; vesticipem īlicō reddidistī. (6) Cum ā nōbīs regerētur, ad magistrōs itābat; ab iīs nunc magnā fugēlā in gāneum fūgit, amīcōs sēriōs aspernātur, cum adulēscentulīs postremissumīs inter scorta et pōcula puer hōc aevī convīvium agitat. (7) Ipse domī tuae rēctor, ipse familiae dominus, ipse magister convīviō. In lūdō quoque gladiātōriō frequēns vīsitur; nōmina gladiātōrum et pugnās et vulnera plānē quidem ut puer honestus ab ipsō lanistā docētur. (8) Loquitur numquam nisi Pūnicē et sī quid adhūc ā mātre graecissat; enim Latīnē loquī neque vult neque potest. (9) Audīstī, Maxime, paulō ante – prō nefās! – prīvignum meum, frātrem Pontiānī, disertī iuvenis, vix singulās syllabās fringultientem, cum ab eō quaererēs dōnāssetne illīs māter quae ego dīcēbam mē adnītente dōnāta.
Vocabulary
meretrix meretricis f.: prostitute
blandīmentum –ī n.: flattery, charm
lēnō lēnōnis m.: pimp
illectāmentum (inlectāmentum) –ī n.: an allurement, charm
possīdō possīdere possēdī possessus: to take possession of
exinde (exin): from that time
patruus patruī m.: uncle
commigrō –āre: to move in, move residence
removeō removēre removī remōtus: to remove
perficiō perficere perfēcī perfectus: to complete, accomplish
faveō favēre fāvī fautus: to favor, support (+ dat.)
(2)
Rūfīnus –ī m.: Herennius Rufinus, allegedly son of a bankrupt father, father of (Herennia)
Aemiliānus –ī m.: Sicinius Aemilianus, principal accuser, uncle of Sicinius Pontianus and Sicinius Pudens
prōventus –ūs m.: success
ehem: ha! what! (exclamation)
ammoneō (admoneō) –ēre –uī –itus: to remind
temperō temperāre temperāvī temperātus: to blend; arrange
foveō fovēre fōvī fōtus: to cherish
intestātus –a –um: having made no will, intestate
lēgitimus –a –um: lawful, according to the law of inheritance
hērēs hērēdis m./f.: heir
herculē: By Hercules!!
(3)
prōficiō prōficere prōfēcī prōfectum: to advance, put forward
moderātiō –ōnis f.: moderation
suspiciō –ōnis m.: suspicion
palam: openly
abrumpō abrumpere abrūpī abruptum: to blurt out
suggerō –ere –gessī –gestus: to suggest
plānē: clearly, obviously
(4)
repentīnus –a –um: sudden
Pontiānus –ī m.: Sicinius Pontianus, Roman knight, elder son of Sicinius Amicus and Aemilia Pudentilla, now dead
anteā: before, formerly
īgnōtus –a –um: unknown
occursus –ūs m.: a meeting
āgnōscō āgnōscere āgnōvī agnitus: to recognize
indulgentia –ae f.: indulgence, leniency
(5)
adversor –ārī –ātus sum: to be against
suspicāx –ācis: distrustful, suspicious
investis –e: pre-pubescent
vesticeps –ipis: sexually mature
īlicō: in that very place, on the spot, there
itō –āre: to go frequently
(6)
fugēla –ae f.: flight
gāneum –ī n.: a dive bar, low tavern
sērius –a –um: serious-minded, studious
aspernor –ārī –ātus sum: to spurn, avoid
adolēscentulus adulēscentulī m.: young man
postrēmus –a –um: least, worst
scortum scortī n.: prostitute
pōculum pōculī n.: drinking–cup
rēctor –ōris m.: ruler, one who makes the rules, boss
(7)
lūdus lūdī m.: (gladiatorial) school, barracks
gladiātōrius (gladiātōricius) –a –um: gladiatorial
gladiātor gladiatōris m.: gladiator
vīsō vīsere vīsī visum: to see
plānē: clearly, simply
lanista –ae m.: a trainer of gladiators
Pūnicus –a –um: Punic; Carthaginian (*Punicē* [adv.] in Punic)
(8)
sīquis (sīquī) sīqua sīquid: if any (one)
graecissō –āre –āvī —: to speak Greek
Latīnus –a –um: Latin (*Latinē* [adv.] in Latin)
Māximus –ī m.: cognomen of Claudius Maximus, judge in the case
(9)
prīvignus –ī m.: a step-son
dissertus –a –um: eloquent
syllaba –ae f.: a syllable
fringultiō –īre — —: to stammer, stutter
adnītor –nīsus (–nīxus) sum: to urge