[100] (1) Cedo tū testāmentum iam inimīcō fīliō ā mātre factum mē, quem istī praedōnem dīcunt, verba singula cum precibus praeeunte. (2) Rumpī tabulās istās iubē, Maxime: inveniēs fīlium hērēdem, mihi vērō tenue nesciō quid honōris grātiā lēgātum, nē, sī quid ei hūmānitus attigisset, nōmēn marītus in uxōris tabulīs nōn habērem. (3) Cape istud mātris tuae testāmentum, vērē hoc quidem inofficiōsum. Quidnī, in quō obsequentissimum marītum exhērēdāvit, inimīcissimum fīlium scrīpsit hērēdem, (4) immō enimvērō nōn fīlium, sed Aemiliānī spēs et Rūfīnī nūptiās, sed tēmulentum illud collēgium, parasītōs tuōs?
(5) Accipe, inquam, fīliōrum optime, et positīs paulisper epistulīs amātōriīs mātris lege potius testāmentum. Sī quid quasi īnsāna scrīpsit, hīc reperiēs et quidem mox ā prīncipiō: 'Sicinius Pudēns fīlius meus mihi hērēs estō.' Fateor, quī hoc lēgerit īnsānum putābit. (6) Hicine fīlius hērēs, quī tē in ipsō frātris suī fūnere advocātā perditissimōrum iuvenum manū voluit exclūdere ē domō quam ipsa dōnāverās, quī tē sibi ā frātre cohērēdem relictam graviter et acerbē tulit, (7) quī cōnfestim tē cum tuō lūctū et maerōre dēseruit et ad Rūfīnum et Aemiliānum dē sinū tuō aufūgit, (8) quī tibi plūrimās posteā contumēliās dīxit cōrām et adiuvante patruō fēcit, quī nōmen tuum prō tribūnālibus ventilāvit, quī pudōrem tuum tuīsmet litterīs cōnatus est pūblicē dēdecorāre, (9) quī marītum tuum, quem ēlēgerās, quem, ut ipse obiciēbat, efflīctim amābās, capitis accūsāvit?
(10) Aperī quaesō, bone puer, aperī testāmentum: facilius insaniam mātris sīc probābis.
Vocabulary
cedo: bring it here!; out with it!
testāmentum testāmentī n.: will, testament
praedō praedōnis m.: robber, legacy hunter, fortune-hunter, gold-digger
prae-eō –īre –īvī –or iī –itus –īre: to go before; to dictate (a formula)
tabulae tabulārum f. pl.: document, esp. a will
(2)
Māximus –ī m.: cognomen of Claudius Maximus, judge in the case
hērēs hērēdis m. or f.: heir
tenuis tenue: slight, insignificant
legātum –ī n.: bequest, legacy, gift left in a will
sīquis (or sīquī) sīqua sīquid: if any (one)
hūmānitus: humanly
attingō attingere attigī attāctus: to happen
marītus –ī m.: husband
inofficiōsus –a –um: undutiful
(3)
quidni?: why not?
obsequēns –entis: devoted, doting, compliant
exhērēdō –āre: to disinherit
immō: actually, on the contrary
(4)
enimvērō (or enim vērō): yes indeed, assuredly
Aemiliānus –ī m.: Sicinius Aemilianus, principal accuser, uncle of Sicinius Pontianus and Sicinius Pudens
Rūfīnus –ī m.: Herennius Rufinus: allegedly son of a bankrupt father, father of (Herennia)
nuptiae –ārum f. pl.: marriage
tēmulentus –a –um: drunken
collēgium collēgiī n.: fraternity, guild
parasītus –ī m.: hanger-on, toady
paulisper: for a short while
(5)
amātōrius –a –um: amatory
sīquis (or sīquī) sīqua sīquid: if any (one)
īnsānus –a –um: insane
Sicinius Pudens: younger brother of Pontianus, collaborating with Herennius Rufinus and Sicinius Aemilianus in their case against Apuleius
advocō advocāre advocāvī advocātus: to summon, call
(6)
exclūdō exclūdere exclūsī exclūsus: to shut out, exclude
cohērēs cohērēdis m./f.: fellow–heir
acerbus –a –um: bitter
cōnfestim: immediately
(7)
lūctus lūctūs m.: mourning, grief
maeror maerōris m.: mourning, grief
aufugiō aufugere aufūgī: to run away, flee
contumēlia contumēliae f.: insulting words or conduct
(8)
corām: (adv. or prep. + abl.) openly, publicly
adiuvō adiuvāre adiūvī adiūtum: to help, assist, support
patruus patruī m.: uncle
tribūnal tribūnālis n.: court
ventilō ventilāre ventilāvī ventilātus: to wave about
-met: an enclitic that intensifies personal pronouns
dēdecorō decorāre: to disgrace, dishonor
marītus –ī m.: husband
(9)
obiiciō obiicere obiēcī obiectus: to bring as a complaint
efflīctim: agonizingly, in torment
accūsō accūsāre accūsāvī accūsātus: to accuse
quaesō quaesere: to beg
(10)
facilius; facillimē: more easily; most easily
īnsānia –ae f.: madness