by ,case ,western ,reserve ,university  
,preservation ,department ,digital      
,library7          ,transcriber's ,note3
 ,out-of-order entries in the endnotes  
have been corrected4     ,,the          
,,apologia ,,and ,,florida ,,of         
,,apuleius ,,of ,,madaura   ,,translated
  ,,by ,h4,e4 ,,butler  ,,fellow ,,of   
,,new ,,college   ,,oxford ,,at ,,the   
,,clarendon ,,press  #aiji  ,,henry     
,,frowde1 ,m4,a4 ,,publisher ,,to ,,the 
,,university ,,of ,,oxford ,,london1    
,,edinburgh1 ,,new ,,york ,,toronto     
,,and ,,melbourne     ,,preface   ,for  
the purposes of this translation ,i have
 used ,helm's text of the ,apologia1 and
 ,van der ,vliet's text of the ,florida4
 ,both texts are published by the firm  
of ,teubner1 to whom ,i am indebted for 
permission to use their publications as 
the basis of this work4 ,divergences    
from the text are indicated in the      
footnotes1 and ,i have made a few1      
perhaps unnecessary1 expurgations4 ,for 
the elucidation of the magical portions 

of the ,apologia ,i am specially        
indebted to ,abt's commentary 7,apologie
 des ,apuleius1 ,giessen1 #aijf74 ,i    
also owe much to the articles on        
,apuleius in ,schanz's ,geschichte der  
roemischen ,litteratur1 and in          
,pauly-,wissowa's ,real-,encyclopaedie1 
and to ,hildebrand's commentary on the  
works of ,apuleius 7,leipzig1 #ahdb74   
,h4,e4 ,,butler4     ,,table ,,of       
,,contents                              
,,page  ,,introduction                  
#e  ,,the ,,apologia                    
#ai  ,,the ,,florida                    
#aei  ,,notes ,,on ,,the ,,apologia     
#bai  ,,notes ,,on ,,the ,,florida      
#bce     ,,introduction   ,our          
authorities for the life of ,apuleius   
are in the main the ,apologia1 the      
,florida1 and the last book of the      
,metamorphoses4 ,he has a passion for   
taking his audience into his confidence1
 and as a result it is not hard to      
reconstruct a considerable portion of   
his life4 ,he was a native of ,madaura1 

the modern ,mdaurusch1 a ,numidian town 
loftily situated above the valley of the
 ,medjerda4 ,the town was a flourishing 
,roman colony 7,apol4 #bd71 and the     
family of ,apuleius was among the       
wealthiest and most important of the    
town4 ,his father attained to the       
position of duumvir1 the highest        
municipal office 7,apol4 loc4 cit471 and
 left his son the considerable fortune  
of #b1jjj1jjj sesterces 7,l#bj1jjj74 ,as
 to the date of ,apuleius' birth there  
is some uncertainty4 ,but as he was the 
fellow student 7,florida #af7 at ,rome  
of ,aemilianus ,strabo 7consul #aef     
,a4,d471 and was considerably younger   
than his wife ,pudentilla1 whom he      
married about #aee ,a4,d41 when she had 
'barely passed the age of forty' 7,apol4
 #hi71 the estimate which places his    
birth about #abe ,a4,d4 cannot be far   
wrong4 ,his name is generally given as  
,lucius ,apuleius1 though the only      
authority for the praenomen is the      
evidence of late ,,mss41 and it is not  

improbable that the origin of the name  
is to be found in the curious           
identification of himself with ,lucius1 
the hero of the ,metamorphoses 7xi4     
#bg74 ,at an early age the young        
,apuleius was sent to school at         
,carthage 7,florida #ah71 whence on     
attaining to manhood he proceeded to    
complete his education at ,athens       
7,florida loc4 cit474 ,there he studied 
philosophy1 rhetoric1 geometry1 music1  
and poetry 7,florida #bj71 and laid the 
foundations of that encyclopaedic1 if   
superficial knowledge1 which in after   
years he so delighted to parade4 ,on    
leaving ,athens he set forth on lengthy 
travels1 in the course of which he spent
 a large portion of his patrimony       
7,apol4 #bc74 ,he speaks of the temple  
of ,hera at ,samos as an eyewitness     
7,florida #ae71 and elsewhere mentions a
 visit to ,hierapolis in ,phrygia 7de   
mundo #ag74 ,returning from the ,east he
 came to ,corinth1 where--if we may     
accept his identification of himself    

with the ,lucius of the                 
,metamorphoses--he fell into the        
clutches of the priests of ,isis1 who   
played upon his emotional and           
superstitious temperament to their      
hearts' content4 ,he was first initiated
 into the mysteries of ,isis            
7,metamorph4 xi4 #bc1 #bd74 ,a few days 
after this auspicious event the goddess 
appeared to him in a vision and bade him
 set forth homewards4 ,he therefore took
 ship for ,rome1 where for the space of 
a year he dwelt1 a fervent worshipper at
 the temple of ,isis on the ,campus     
,martius4 ,once more visions of the     
night began to afflict him2 he consulted
 the priests and discovered the cause2  
he required yet to be initiated into the
 mysteries of ,osiris4 ,the priests of  
,corinth had worked upon his credulity  
to such good effect1 that he found      
himself in serious financial            
difficulties1 but by practising as a    
lawyer he succeeded in making a         
sufficient income to provide more than  

adequately for the expenses of this     
fresh initiation 7,metamorph4 xi4 #bh1  
#cj74 ,while at ,rome he made the       
acquaintance of ,aemilianus ,strabo and 
,scipio ,orfitus1 men of distinguished  
position1 whom he was to meet again when
 their official career brought them to  
,africa as proconsuls of that province  
7,florida #af1 #ag74  ,at last he       
returned home1 and it was probably at   
this period of his career that he wrote 
his famous novel1 the ,metamorphoses or 
,golden ,ass4#a ,it is based on the lost
 work of a certain ,lucius of ,patras1  
of which we have another version in the 
,greek3 ,loukios e onos1 falsely        
attributed to ,lucian4 ,he enlarged the 
original by the free insertion of       
sensational or humorous stories of the  
kind popularized later by the ,decameron
 of ,boccaccio1 above all by the        
insertion of the beautiful fairy-tale of
 ,cupid and ,psyche4 ,and then at the   
end comes the curious personal note1    
where ,lucius1 a ,greek at the outset of

 the romance1 becomes strangely         
transformed into a native of ,madaura4  
,footnote #a3 ,see ,introd4 to my       
translation of ,metamorphoses4  ,but he 
did not settle down in his native town4 
,after a time he visited ,alexandria1   
and it was in the course of his return  
from the capital of ,egypt that the     
crisis in his life occurred1 to which we
 owe that remarkable human document1 the
 ,apologia4 ,for on his homeward journey
 he fell sick at ,oea1 the modern       
,tripoli4#b ,in this town there dwelt a 
wealthy lady1 named ,aemilia            
,pudentilla1 the widow of ,sicinius     
,amicus1 by whom she had two sons1      
,sicinius ,pontianus and his younger    
brother1 ,sicinius ,pudens4 ,pontianus  
was already the friend of ,apuleius2 he 
had made his acquaintance at ,athens2 an
 intimacy had sprung up between them1   
and they had lived together in the same 
lodgings4 ,hearing1 therefore1 of       
,apuleius' sickness1 he called on him at
 the house of their mutual friends the  

,appii1 where he was lodging4 ,the      
reasons for ,pontianus' visit were      
somewhat remarkable4 ,his grandfather   
had been anxious that ,pudentilla should
 take a second husband in the person of 
his son and her brother-in-law1         
,sicinius ,clarus1 and with this end in 
view threatened to exclude her sons1    
whose guardian he was1 from the         
possession of any of their father's     
property1 if she married elsewhere4 ,she
 therefore suffered herself to be       
betrothed to ,sicinius ,clarus1 'a      
boorish and decrepit old man1' but put  
off the marriage1 until her             
father-in-law's death released her from 
all embarrassment4 ,pontianus and       
,pudens succeeded to the property1 and  
,pudentilla felt herself free to take a 
husband of her own choice4 ,she informed
 her sons of her intentions4 ,pontianus 
approved1 but since the property left to
 himself and ,pudens by their           
grandfather was small1 and all his      
expectations of wealth depended on the  

ultimate inheritance of his mother's    
fortune 7#d1jjj1jjj sesterces           
,l#dj1jjj71 he was most anxious that his
 mother should marry an honest man who  
might reasonably be expected to treat   
his step-sons fairly4 ,at this point1 in
 the very nick of time1 ,apuleius was   
detained at ,oea4 ,pontianus saw in him 
a heaven-sent step-father1 and it was   
with this in his mind that he called    
upon ,apuleius4 ,he did not declare his 
intentions at once4 ,he contented       
himself at first with dissuading        
,apuleius from pursuing his journey     
homeward till the next winter came      
round1 and persuaded him to come and    
stay in his mother's house4 ,apuleius   
accepted his offer and their old        
intimacy revived4 ,at last a suitable   
occasion offered for the declaration of 
,pontianus' wishes4 ,apuleius had given 
a public lecture at ,oea4 ,his audience 
broke into frenzied applause and begged 
,apuleius to become a citizen of their  
town4  ,footnote #b3 ,see ,apol4 #fh    

sqq4  ,when the audience were gone1     
,pontianus took ,apuleius aside and1    
saying that the popular enthusiasm was a
 sign from heaven1 begged ,apuleius to  
marry ,pudentilla4 ,after much          
deliberation ,apuleius consented1 though
 the lady was neither fair to view nor  
young4 ,she had been a widow for more   
than thirteen years1 and was now over   
forty4 ,soon1 however1 he began to love 
,pudentilla for her own sake2 her       
virtues and intelligence won his heart  
and overcame his desire for further     
travel4 ,the marriage was duly          
solemnized4 ,but it brought ,apuleius no
 peace4 ,sicinius ,aemilianus1 another  
brother of her first husband1 and       
,herennius ,rufinus1 the disreputable   
father-in-law of ,pontianus1 were both  
up in arms4 ,rufinus had hoped1 through 
his son-in-law1 to reap a rich harvest  
from ,pudentilla's fortune2 ,aemilianus 
resented the treatment of his brother1  
,sicinius ,clarus4 ,they sought1        
therefore1 how they might have their    

revenge4 ,their first step was to win   
,pontianus and ,pudens to their side4   
,this they succeeded in doing1 in spite 
of the generous treatment accorded by   
,apuleius to his step-sons4 ,pontianus  
fell sick and died before they could    
carry out their designs4 ,he had1       
moreover1 repented of his baseness to   
his former friend1 though death         
prevented him from showing what his     
repentance was worth4 ,pudens1 however1 
was completely under the thumb of       
,aemilianus and ,rufinus1 and a number  
of more or less serious charges were    
brought against ,apuleius in his name4  
,he was accused of having won the heart 
of ,pudentilla by sorcery1 of being a   
man of immoral life1 and of having      
married his elderly bride solely for the
 sake of her money4 ,the trial took     
place at ,sabrata 7,apol4 #ei71 the     
modern ,zowara1 lying on the coast some 
sixty miles west of ,oea4 ,the case was 
tried by the proconsul himself1         
,claudius ,maximus4 ,the date cannot be 

precisely fixed4 ,but ,claudius ,maximus
 was probably proconsul at some time    
between the years #aee-aeh ,a4,d4 7see  
note on ,apol4 #a71 at any rate not     
later than #afa ,a4,d41 since ,antoninus
 ,pius is mentioned as the reigning     
princeps 7died ,march #afa ,a4,d474     
,apuleius had no difficulty in disposing
 of the charges brought against him1 and
 incidentally found an opportunity for a
 flamboyant display of the learning of  
which he was so proud4 ,he may well on  
occasion have practised magic3 his      
insatiable curiosity must assuredly have
 led him to experiment in this          
direction1 and his subsequent reputation
 confirms these suspicions4 ,but the    
specific charges of magic on this       
occasion were frivolous and absurd4 ,in 
the first portion of the speech         
,apuleius plays with his accusers1      
mocking them from the heights of his    
superior learning4 ,in the second       
portion1 where he defends his marriage  
with ,pudentilla and justifies his      

dealings with his step-sons1 he clears  
himself in good earnest1 nay does more  
than clear himself4 ,for he unveils in  
the most merciless fashion the villany  
of his accusers--the base ingratitude of
 ,pudens1 and the unspeakable turpitude 
of ,rufinus4  ,that ,apuleius was       
acquitted cannot be doubted4 ,his case  
speaks for itself4 ,but it is noteworthy
 that we hear of him no more at ,oea1   
where he had resided for three years at 
the time of the trial4 ,this distressing
 family quarrel must have caused some   
bitterness of feeling1 and ,augustine   
7,ep4 #ach4 #ai7 mentions a quarrel with
 the inhabitants of ,oea on the question
 of the erection of a statue in his     
honour4 ,these facts may not improbably 
have led him to seek residence          
elsewhere4 ,be this as it may1 when we  
next hear of him he is in ,carthage1    
enjoying the highest renown as          
philosopher1 poet1 and rhetorician4 ,it 
was during this residence at ,carthage  
that he delivered the flamboyant        

orations of which fragments have been   
preserved to us in the ,florida4 ,a few 
of these excerpts can be dated4 ,the    
seventeenth is written during the       
proconsulate of ,scipio ,orfitus in     
#afc-afd ,a4,d4 ,the ninth contains a   
panegyric of the proconsul ,severianus1 
who must have held office some time     
during the joint reign of ,marcus       
,aurelius and ,lucius ,verus1 #afa-afi  
,a4,d4 7see note1 p4 #bcf74 ,the        
sixteenth refers to ,aemilianus ,strabo1
 who was consul in #aef ,a4,d4 and had  
not yet become proconsul of ,africa4 ,as
 the interval between holding the       
consulate and the proconsulate was from 
ten to thirteen years1 this fragment may
 be dated1 if not before #aff1 at any   
rate before #afi ,a4,d4  ,apuleius won  
more than mere applause4 ,carthage      
decreed a statue in his honour 7,florida
 #af71 and conferred on him the         
chief-priesthood of the province4 ,this 
office entitled its holder to the first 
place in the provincial council1 and was

 the highest honour that the province   
could bestow 7,florida #af74 ,civil     
office he never held 7,augustine1 ,ep4  
#ach4 #ai71 perhaps never sought4 ,his  
genius1 it may be said with confidence1 
was far from fitting him for judicial or
 administrative functions4 ,if we may   
trust ,apollinaris ,sidonius 7,ep4 ,,ii4
 #aj4 #e71 ,pudentilla showed herself a 
model wife by the passionate interest   
she took in her husband's work4         
',pudentilla was for ,apuleius what     
,marcia was for ,hortensius1 ,terentia  
for ,cicero1 ,calpurnia for ,piso1      
,rusticiana for ,symmachus3 these noble 
women held the lamp while their husbands
 read and meditated6' ,it is even       
possible that she bore him a son1 as the
 second book of the de ,platone is      
dedicated to 'my son ,faustinus'4 ,of   
his death we know nothing4 ,testimony as
 to his appearance is conflicting4 ,his 
accusers 7,apol4 #d7 charge him with    
being a 'handsome philosopher'4 ,he     
replies that his body is worn by the    

fatigues of study and his hair as       
tangled as a lump of tow6  ,his works   
were astonishingly numerous4 ,beside    
those already mentioned there have come 
down to us two books on the life and    
philosophy of ,plato1#c a highly        
rhetorical treatise on the ',demon of   
,socrates'1 and a free translation of   
the pseudo-,aristotelian treatise 'on   
the ,universe'1 though ,apuleius is     
regrettably far from making due         
acknowledgement of his debt to the      
original4 ,none of these works can be   
described as interesting1 though the    
treatise on the ',demon of ,socrates'   
contains some characteristic purple     
passages4  ,footnote #c3 ,he regarded   
,plato as his master above all others4  
,we find ,platonicus attached to him as 
an honorific title in the ,,mss4  ,it   
would1 however1 scarcely be an          
exaggeration to say that more of        
,apuleius' works have perished than     
survived4 ,he has told us in the        
,florida 7#bj7 that he has written      

dialogues1 hymns1 music1 history1 and   
satire4 ,and we have copious references 
to works from his pen1 that1 perhaps    
fortunately1 no longer exist4 ,beside   
the three poems which survive in the    
,apologia and a translation of a passage
 of ,menander1 preserved in a manuscript
 once at ,beauvais1 but now lost        
7,baehrens1 ,poet4 ,lat4 ,min4 #d1 p4   
#ajd71 he mentions a hymn to            
,aesculapius1 written both in ,latin and
 ,greek 7,florida #ah71 and a panegyric 
in verse on the virtues of ,scipio      
,orfitus 7,florida #ag74 ,he wrote also 
another novel entitled ,hermagoras1 a   
collection of famous love-stories of the
 past1 sundry 'histories'1 a translation
 of the ,phaedo1 and numerous scientific
 works1 dealing with problems of        
mathematics1 music1 astronomy1 medicine1
 botany1 and zoology4  ,the glory won by
 ,apuleius during his lifetime survived 
after his death4 ,augustine knows his   
works well4 ,he recognizes his          
importance as a writer1 but abhors him  

as a magician4 ,apuleius is a           
thaumaturge against whom the faithful   
need to be warned4 ',the enemies of     
,christianity1' says ,augustine 7,ep4   
#ach71 'venture to place ,apuleius and  
,apollonius of ,tyana on the same or    
even a higher level than ,christ4' ,but 
in the same letter he speaks of him as a
 'great orator' whose fame still lives  
among his fellow countrymen of ,africa4 
,above all the ,golden ,ass has kept his
 name alive to our own day4 ,even those 
who know nothing of the work as a whole1
 or who would relegate it to obscurity  
for its occasional gross indecency1 know
 and love the story of ,cupid and       
,psyche1 if not in the original at least
 in many a work of art1 and in the pages
 of ,la ,fontaine1 ,walter ,pater1 or   
,william ,morris4  ,as might be expected
 from one who left so few themes        
untouched1 ,apuleius is one of the most 
superficial of ancient writers4 ,it has 
been well said of him by ,m4 ,paul      
,monceaux1 ',apulee est un de ces       

esprits encyclopediques1 apres a la     
curee de toutes les connaissances1 qui  
se rencontrent au commencement et a la  
fin des civilisations4' ,for the        
acquisition of his extraordinary        
reputation he needed an age and an      
audience in which learning and          
literature alike were decadent1 though  
far from forgotten4 ,he has none of the 
scientific spirit4 ,he does not really  
understand the authors he quotes2 he has
 no critical spirit1 and his own        
investigations are prompted by          
indiscriminate curiosity4 ,but he has   
vast stores of miscellaneous knowledge  
such as might delight the half-educated1
 and as a rhetorician he possesses a    
strange and debased brilliance1 fired by
 an astonishing if disorderly           
imagination4 ,the verve1 the humour1 and
 above all the welter of warmth and     
colour that characterize the ,golden    
,ass make us forgive the palpable       
degradation of the ,latin language4 ,not
 less remarkable is the ,apologia4      

,there are few speeches of antiquity    
that give such a vivid impression of the
 character of the author and of the life
 of the society in which he moved4 ,the 
style1 it is true1 is often bombastic   
and affected1 many of the arguments are 
almost more puerile and absurd than the 
accusations1 while the intense conceit  
and complacency of the author often make
 him ridiculous4 ,a man of wide and     
varied knowledge1 he has no depth of    
intellect4 ,he is always half charlatan1
 and the reader is rarely free from the 
impression that he is taking liberties  
with the uncertain taste and ignorance  
of his provincial audience4 ,but even   
the weaknesses of style and argument    
have their charm for the modern reader4 
,for1 if he never entirely fails to     
laugh with ,apuleius1 he certainly      
indulges in many a hearty laugh at him4 
,the ,florida are no less superficial   
and bombastic1 and the vanity of        
,apuleius is revealed even more         
remarkably than in the ,apologia4 ,but  

they are never long enough to be        
tedious1 and contain much that is       
amusing1 be the humour unconscious or   
intentional2 and even if we can rarely  
give whole-hearted admiration to the    
style1 we cannot but marvel at its      
dexterity1 while its very bizarrerie is 
not without its charm4  ,this is hardly 
the place for a disquisition upon       
,african ,latin4 ,it is sufficient here 
to say that the two main features of the
 style of ,apuleius are its archaism and
 its extreme floridity4 ,it has been    
asserted that this strange style is of  
purely ,african growth1#d and that it   
owes much of its oriental wealth of     
colour to the ,semitic element that must
 still have formed so large a proportion
 of the population of ,africa4 ,but     
there seems little really to support    
this view2 it is probable that1 allowing
 for the personal factor1 in this case  
exceptionally important1 and the        
eccentricities to which ,apuleius'      
erudition may have led him1 we are      

confronted with no more than an         
exaggerated revival of the ,asiatic     
style of oratory4 ,no doubt the seed    
fell on good ground1 but it is          
impossible to set one's finger on any   
definitely ,african element4#e          
,footnote #d3 ,for a vivacious          
exposition of this view cf4 ,monceaux1  
,les ,africains4 ,paris1 #ahid4         
,footnote #e3 ,see the chapter on       
,apuleius in ,norden's admirable work1  
,die antike ,kunstprosa1 ,leipzig1      
#ahih4  ,the style presents grave       
difficulties to the translator4 ,the    
,english language will not carry the    
requisite amount of bombast2 the        
assonances and the puns are generally   
incapable of reproduction4 ,even when   
this allowance has been made1 it is in  
many cases impossible to give anything  
approximating to a translation in       
natural ,english4 ,i can only trust that
 the ,english of this translation has   
not wholly lost the colour to which     
,apuleius owes so much of his charm4    

,the sacrifice is not so great in these 
works as it must necessarily be in any  
,english translation of the more exotic 
and more brilliant-hued ,metamorphoses1 
better known as ,the ,golden ,ass4 ,but 
in any case the cooler tints and        
sobriety of our native language         
must--even in hands less unskilled than 
mine--fail to do justice to the         
fantastic ,latin of the original4 ,the  
vivacity of ,french coupled with the    
richness and warmth of ,italian would   
need to be combined to produce anything 
approaching a really good translation1  
even of the least fantastic works of    
,apuleius4     ,,the ,,apologia   #a4   
,for my part1 ,maximus ,claudius1 and   
you1 gentlemen who sit beside him on the
 bench1 ,i regarded it as a foregone    
conclusion that ,sicinius ,aemilianus   
would for sheer lack of any real ground 
for accusation cram his indictment with 
mere vulgar abuse2 for the old rascal is
 notorious for his unscrupulous         
audacity1 and1 further1 launched forth  

on his task of bringing me to trial in  
your court before he had given a thought
 to the line his prosecution should     
pursue4 ,now while the most innocent of 
men may be the victim of false          
accusation1 only the criminal can have  
his guilt brought home to him4 ,it is   
this thought that gives me special      
confidence1 but ,i have further ground  
for self-congratulation in the fact that
 ,i have you for my judge on an occasion
 when it is my privilege to have the    
opportunity of clearing philosophy of   
the aspersions cast upon her by the     
uninstructed and of proving my own      
innocence4 ,nevertheless these false    
charges are on the face of them serious 
enough1 and the suddenness with which   
they have been improvised makes them the
 more difficult to refute4 ,for you will
 remember that it is only four or five  
days since his advocates of malice      
prepense attacked me with slanderous    
accusations1 and began to charge me with
 practice of the black art and with the 

murder of my step-son ,pontianus4 ,i was
 at the moment totally unprepared for   
such a charge1 and was occupied in      
defending an action brought by the      
brothers ,granius against my wife1      
,pudentilla4 ,i perceived that these    
charges were brought forward not so much
 in a serious spirit as to gratify my   
opponents' taste for wanton slander4 ,i 
therefore straightway challenged them1  
not once only1 but frequently and       
emphatically1 to proceed with their     
accusation4 ,the result was that        
,aemilianus1 perceiving that you1       
,maximus1 not to speak of others1 were  
strongly moved by what had occurred1 and
 that his words had created a serious   
scandal1 began to be alarmed and to seek
 for some safe refuge from the          
consequences of his rashness4  #b4      
,therefore as soon as he was compelled  
to set his name to the indictment1 he   
conveniently forgot ,pontianus1 his own 
brother's son1 of whose death he had    
been continually accusing me only a few 

days previously4 ,he made absolutely no 
mention of the death of his young       
kinsman#f2 he abandoned this most       
serious charge1 but--to avoid the       
appearance of having totally abandoned  
his mendacious accusations--he selected1
 as the sole support of his indictment1 
the charge of magic--a charge with which
 it is easy to create a prejudice       
against the accused1 but which it is    
hard to prove4 ,even that he had not the
 courage to do openly in his own person1
 but a day later presented the          
indictment in the name of my step-son1  
,sicinius ,pudens1 a mere boy1 adding   
that he appeared as his representative4 
,this is a new method4 ,he attacks me   
through the agency of a third person1   
whose tender age he employs to shield   
his unworthy self against a charge of   
false accusation4 ,you1 ,maximus1 with  
great acuteness saw through his designs 
and ordered him to renew his original   
accusation in person4 ,in spite of his  
promise to comply1 he cannot be induced 

to come to close quarters1 but actually 
defies your authority and continues to  
skirmish at long range with his false   
accusations4 ,he persistently shirks the
 perilous task of a direct attack1 and  
perseveres in his assumption of the safe
 role of the accuser's legal            
representative4 ,as a result1 even      
before the case came into court1 the    
real nature of the accusation became    
obvious to the meanest understanding4   
,the man who invented the charge and was
 the first to utter it had not the      
courage to take the responsibility for  
it4 ,moreover the man in question is    
,sicinius ,aemilianus1 who1 if he had   
discovered any true charge against me1  
would scarcely have been so backward in 
accusing a stranger of so many serious  
crimes1 seeing that he falsely asserted 
his own uncle's will to be a forgery    
although he knew it to be genuine3      
indeed he maintained this assertion with
 such obstinate violence1 that even     
after that distinguished senator1       

,lollius ,urbicus1 in accordance with   
the decision of the distinguished       
consulars1 his assessors1 had declared  
the will to be genuine and duly proven1 
he continued--such was his mad fury--in 
defiance of the award given by the voice
 of that most distinguished citizen1 to 
assert with oaths that the will was a   
forgery4 ,it was only with difficulty   
that ,lollius ,urbicus refrained from   
making him suffer for it4  ,footnote #f3
 ,i conjecture3 de morte cognati        
adolescentis subito tacens tanti        
criminis descriptione destitit1 ne tamen
 omnino desistere calumnia magiam1 c4   
#c4 ,i rely1 ,maximus1 on your sense of 
justice and on my own innocence1 but ,i 
hope that in this trial also we shall   
hear the voice of ,lollius raised       
impulsively in my defence2 for          
,aemilianus is deliberately accusing a  
man whom he knows to be innocent1 a     
course which comes the more easy to him1
 since1 as ,i have told you1 he has     
already been convicted of lying in a    

most important case1 heard before the   
,prefect of the city4 ,just as a good   
man studiously avoids the repetition of 
a sin once committed1 so men of depraved
 character repeat their past offence    
with increased confidence1 and1 ,i may  
add1 the more often they do so1 the more
 openly they display their impudence4   
,for honour is like a garment2 the older
 it gets1 the more carelessly it is     
worn4 ,i think it my duty1 therefore1 in
 the interest of my own honour1 to      
refute all my opponent's slanders before
 ,i come to the actual indictment       
itself4 ,for ,i am pleading not merely  
my own cause1 but that of philosophy as 
well1 philosophy1 whose grandeur is such
 that she resents even the slightest    
slur cast upon her perfection as though 
it were the most serious accusation4    
,knowing this1 ,aemilianus' advocates1  
only a short time ago1 poured forth with
 all their usual loquacity a flood of   
drivelling accusations1 many of which   
were specially invented for the purpose 

of blackening my character1 while the   
remainder were such general charges as  
the uninstructed are in the habit of    
levelling at philosophers4 ,it is true  
that we may regard these accusations as 
mere interested vapourings1 bought at a 
price and uttered to prove their        
shamelessness worthy of its hire4 ,it is
 a recognized practice on the part of   
professional accusers to let out the    
venom of their tongues to another's     
hurt2 nevertheless1 if only in my own   
interest1 ,i must briefly refute these  
slanders1 lest ,i1 whose most earnest   
endeavour it is to avoid incurring the  
slightest spot or blemish to my fair    
fame1 should seem1 by passing over some 
of their more ridiculous charges1 to    
have tacitly admitted their truth1      
rather than to have treated them with   
silent contempt4 ,for a man who has any 
sense of honour or self-respect must    
needs--such at least is my opinion--feel
 annoyed when he is thus abused1 however
 falsely4 ,even those whose conscience  

reproaches them with some crime1 are    
strongly moved to anger1 when men speak 
ill of them1 although they have been    
accustomed to such ill report ever since
 they became evildoers4 ,and even though
 others say naught of their crimes1 they
 are conscious enough that such charges 
may at any time deservedly be brought   
against them4 ,it is therefore doubly   
vexatious to the good and innocent man  
when charges are undeservedly brought   
against him which he might with justice 
bring against others4 ,for his ears are 
unused and strange to ill report1 and he
 is so accustomed to hear himself       
praised that insult is more than he can 
bear4 ,if1 however1 ,i seem to be       
anxious to rebut charges which are      
merely frivolous and foolish1 the blame 
must be laid at the door of those1 to   
whom such accusations1 in spite of their
 triviality1 can only bring disgrace4 ,i
 am not to blame4 ,ridiculous as these  
charges may be1 their refutation cannot 
but do me honour4  #d4 ,to begin then1  

only a short while ago1 at the          
commencement of the indictment1 you     
heard them say1 ',he1 whom we accuse in 
your court1 is a philosopher of the most
 elegant appearance and a master of     
eloquence not merely in ,latin but also 
in ,greek6' ,what a damning insinuation6
 ,unless ,i am mistaken1 those were the 
very words with which ,tannonius        
,pudens1 whom no one could accuse of    
being a master of eloquence1 began the  
indictment4 ,i wish that these serious  
reproaches of beauty and eloquence had  
been true4 ,it would have been easy to  
answer in the words1 with which ,homer  
makes ,paris reply to ,hector3--        
,greek3 ou toi apoblet' esti theon      
erikudea dora4      hossa ken autoi     
dosin1 hekon d' ouk an tis heloito4--   
which ,i may interpret thus3 ',the most 
glorious gifts of the gods are in no    
wise to be despised2 but the things     
which they are wont to give are withheld
 from many that would gladly possess    
them4' ,such would have been my reply4  

,i should have added that philosophers  
are not forbidden to possess a handsome 
face4 ,pythagoras1 the first to take the
 name of 'philosopher'1 was the         
handsomest man of his day4 ,zeno also1  
the ancient philosopher of ,velia1 who  
was the first to discover that most     
ingenious device of refuting hypotheses 
by the method of self-inconsistency1    
that same ,zeno was--so ,plato          
asserts--by far the most striking in    
appearance of all the men of his        
generation4 ,it is further recorded of  
many other philosophers that they were  
comely of countenance and added fresh   
charm to their personal beauty by their 
beauty of character4 ,but such a defence
 is1 as ,i have already said1 far from  
me4 ,not only has nature given me but a 
commonplace appearance1 but continued   
literary labour has swept away such     
charm as my person ever possessed1 has  
reduced me to a lean habit of body1     
sucked away all the freshness of life1  
destroyed my complexion and impaired my 

vigour4 ,as to my hair1 which they with 
unblushing mendacity declare ,i have    
allowed to grow long as an enhancement  
to my personal attractions1 you can     
judge of its elegance and beauty4 ,as   
you see1 it is tangled1 twisted and     
unkempt like a lump of tow1 shaggy and  
irregular in length1 so knotted and     
matted that the tangle is past the art  
of man to unravel4 ,this is due not to  
mere carelessness in the tiring of my   
hair1 but to the fact that ,i never so  
much as comb or part it4 ,i think this  
is a sufficient refutation of the       
accusations concerning my hair which    
they hurl against me as though it were a
 capital charge4  #e4 ,as to my         
eloquence--if only eloquence were       
mine--it would be small matter either   
for wonder or envy if ,i1 who from my   
earliest years to the present moment    
have devoted myself with all my powers  
to the sole study of literature and for 
this spurned all other pleasures1 had   
sought to win eloquence to be mine with 

toil such as few or none have ever      
expended1 ceasing neither night nor day1
 to the neglect and impairment of my    
bodily health4 ,but my opponents need   
fear nothing from my eloquence4 ,if ,i  
have made any real advance therein1 it  
is my aspirations rather than my        
attainments on which ,i must base my    
claim4 ,certainly if the aphorism said  
to occur in the poems of ,statius       
,caecilius be true1 that innocence is   
eloquence itself1 to that extent ,i may 
lay claim to eloquence and boast that ,i
 yield to none4 ,for on that assumption 
what living man could be more eloquent  
than myself8 ,i have never even         
harboured in my thoughts anything to    
which ,i should fear to give utterance4 
,nay1 my eloquence is consummate1 for ,i
 have ever held all sin in abomination2 
,i have the highest oratory at my       
command1 for ,i have uttered no word1 ,i
 have done no deed1 of which ,i need    
fear to discourse in public4 ,i will    
begin therefore to discourse of those   

verses of mine1 which they have produced
 as though they were something of which 
,i ought to be ashamed4 ,you must have  
noticed the laughter with which ,i      
showed my annoyance at the absurd and   
illiterate manner in which they recited 
them4  #f4 ,they began by reading one of
 my jeux d'esprit1 a brief letter in    
verse1 addressed to a certain           
,calpurnianus on the subject of a       
tooth-powder4 ,when ,calpurnianus       
produced my letter as evidence against  
me1 his desire to do me a hurt blinded  
him to the fact that if anything in the 
letter could be urged as a reproach     
against me1 he shared in that reproach4 
,for the verses testify to the fact that
 he had asked me to send him the        
wherewithal to clean his teeth3         
,good morrow6 friend ,calpurnianus1 take
      ,the salutation these swift verses
 make4      ,wherewith ,i send1         
responsive to thy call1      ,a powder  
rare to cleanse thy teeth withal4       
,this delicate dust of ,arab spices fine

      ,with ivory sheen shall make thy  
mouth to shine1      ,shall smooth the  
swollen gums and sweep away      ,the   
relics of the feast of yesterday4       
,so shall no foulness1 no dark smirch be
 seen1      ,if laughter show thy teeth 
their lips between4  ,i ask you1 what is
 there in these verses that is          
disgusting in point either of matter or 
of manner8 ,what is there that a        
philosopher should be ashamed to own8   
,unless indeed ,i am to blame for       
sending a powder made of ,arabian spices
 to ,calpurnianus1 for whom it would be 
more suitable that he should            
,polish his teeth and ruddy gums1  as   
,catullus says1 after the filthy fashion
 in vogue among the ,iberians4  #g4 ,i  
saw a short while back that some of you 
could scarcely restrain your laughter1  
when our orator treated these views of  
mine on the cleansing of the teeth as a 
matter for savage denunciation1 and     
condemned my administration of a        
tooth-powder with fiercer indignation   

than has ever been shown in condemning  
the administration of a poison4 ,of     
course it is a serious charge1 and one  
that no philosopher can afford to       
despise1 to say of a man that he will   
not allow a speck of dirt to be seen    
upon his person1 that he will not allow 
any visible portion of his body to be   
offensive or unclean1 least of all the  
mouth1 the organ used most frequently1  
openly and conspicuously by man1 whether
 to kiss a friend1 to conduct a         
conversation1 to speak in public1 or to 
offer up prayer in some temple4 ,indeed 
speech is the prelude to every kind of  
action and1 as the greatest of poets    
says1 proceeds from 'the barrier of our 
teeth'4 ,if there were any one present  
here to-day with like command of the    
grand style1 he might say after his     
fashion that those above all men who    
have any care for their manner of       
speaking1 should pay closer attention to
 their mouth than to any other portion  
of their body1 for it is the soul's     

antechamber1 the portal of speech1 and  
the gathering place where thoughts      
assemble4 ,i myself should say that in  
my poor judgement there is nothing less 
seemly for a free-born man with the     
education of a gentleman than an        
unwashen mouth4 ,for man's mouth is in  
position exalted1 to the eye            
conspicuous1 in use eloquent4 ,true1 in 
wild beasts and cattle the mouth is     
placed low and looks downward to the    
feet1 is in close proximity to their    
food and to the path they tread1 and is 
hardly ever conspicuous save when its   
owner is dead or infuriated with a      
desire to bite4 ,but there is no part of
 man that sooner catches the eye when he
 is silent1 or more often when he       
speaks4  #h4 ,i should be obliged1      
therefore1 if my critic ,aemilianus     
would answer me and tell me whether he  
is ever in the habit of washing his     
feet1 or1 if he admits that he is in the
 habit of so doing1 whether he is       
prepared to argue that a man should pay 

more attention to the cleanliness of his
 feet than to that of his teeth4        
,certainly1 if like you1 ,aemilianus1 he
 never opens his mouth save to utter    
slander and abuse1 ,i should advise him 
to pay no attention to the state of his 
mouth nor to attempt to remove the      
stains from his teeth with oriental     
powders3 he would be better employed in 
rubbing them with charcoal from some    
funeral pyre4 ,least of all should he   
wash them with common water2 rather let 
his guilty tongue1 the chosen servant of
 lies and bitter words1 rot in the filth
 and ordure that it loves6 ,is it       
reasonable1 wretch1 that your tongue    
should be fresh and clean1 when your    
voice is foul and loathsome1 or that1   
like the viper1 you should employ       
snow-white teeth for the emission of    
dark1 deadly poison8 ,on the other hand 
it is only right that1 just as we wash a
 vessel that is to hold good liquor1 he 
who knows that his words will be at once
 useful and agreeable should cleanse his

 mouth as a prelude to speech4 ,but why 
should ,i speak further of man8 ,even   
the crocodile1 the monster of the       
,nile--so they tell me--opens his jaws  
in all innocence1 that his teeth may be 
cleaned4 ,for his mouth being large1    
tongueless1 and continually open in the 
water1 multitudes of leeches become     
entangled in his teeth3 these1 when the 
crocodile emerges from the river and    
opens his mouth1 are removed by a       
friendly waterbird1 which is allowed to 
insert its beak without any risk to     
itself4  #i4 ,but enough of this6 ,i now
 come to certain other of my verses1    
which according to them are amatory2 but
 so vilely and coarsely did they read   
them as to leave no impression save one 
of disgust4 ,now what has it to do with 
the malpractices of the black art1 if ,i
 write poems in praise of the boys of my
 friend ,scribonius ,laetus8 ,does the  
mere fact of my being a poet make me a  
wizard8 ,who ever heard any orator      
produce such likely ground for          

suspicion1 such apt conjectures1 such   
close-reasoned argument8 ',apuleius has 
written verses6' ,if they are bad1 that 
is something against him qua poet1 but  
not qua philosopher4 ,if they be good1  
why do you accuse him8 ',but they were  
frivolous verses of an erotic           
character4' ,so that is the charge you  
bring against me8 and it was a mere slip
 of the tongue when you indicted me for 
practising the black art8 ,and yet many 
others have written such verse1 although
 you may be ignorant of the fact4 ,among
 the ,greeks1 for instance1 there was a 
certain ,teian1 there was a             
,lacedaemonian1 a ,cean1 and countless  
others2 there was even a woman1 a       
,lesbian1 who wrote with such grace and 
such passion that the sweetness of her  
song makes us forgive the impropriety of
 her words2 among our own poets there   
were ,aedituus1 ,porcius1 and ,catulus1 
with countless others4 ',but they were  
not philosophers4' ,will you then deny  
that ,solon was a serious man and a     

philosopher8 ,yet he is the author of   
that most wanton verse3       ,longing  
for thy body and the kiss of thy sweet  
lips4  ,what is there so lascivious in  
all my verses compared with that one    
line8 ,i will say nothing of the        
writings of ,diogenes the ,cynic1 of    
,zeno the founder of ,stoicism1 and many
 other similar instances4 ,let me recite
 my own verses afresh1 that my opponents
 may realize that ,i am not ashamed of  
them3       ,critias my treasure is and 
you1      ,light of my life1 ,charinus1 
too      ,hold in my love-tormented     
heart      ,your own inalienable part4  
,ah6 doubt not6 with redoubled spite    
,though fire on fire consume me quite1  
,the flames ye kindle1 boys divine1     
,i can endure1 so ye be mine4      ,only
 to each may ,i be dear      ,as your   
own selves are1 and as near2      ,grant
 only this and you shall be      ,dear  
as mine own two eyes to me4  ,now let me
 read you the others also which they    
read last as being the most intemperate 

in expression4       ,i lay these       
garlands1 ,critias sweet1      ,and this
 my song before thy feet2      ,song to 
thyself ,i dedicate1      ,wreaths to   
the ,angel of thy fate4      ,the song  
,i send to hymn the praise      ,of     
this1 the best of all glad days1        
,whereon the circling seasons bring     
,the glory of thy fourteenth spring2    
,the garlands1 that thy brows may shine 
,with splendour worthy spring's and     
thine1      ,that thou in boyhood's     
golden hours      ,mayst deck the flower
 of life with flowers4      ,wherefore  
for these bright blooms of spring       
,thy springtide sweet surrendering1     
,the tribute of my love repay      ,and 
all my gifts with thine outweigh4       
,surpass the twined garland's grace     
,with arms entwined in soft embrace2    
,the crimson of the rose eclipse        
,with kisses from thy rosy lips4        
,or if thou wilt1 be this my meed       
,and breathe thy soul into the reed2    
,then shall my songs be shamed and mute 

,before the music of thy flute4  #aj4   
,these are the verses1 ,maximus1 which  
they throw in my teeth1 as though they  
were the work of an infamous rake and   
had lover's garlands and serenades for  
their theme4 ,you must have noticed also
 that in this connexion they further    
attack me for calling these boys        
,charinus and ,critias1 which are not   
their true names4 ,on this principle    
they may as well accuse ,caius ,catullus
 for calling ,clodia ,lesbia1 ,ticidas  
for substituting the name ,perilla for  
that of ,metella1 ,propertius for       
concealing the name ,hostia beneath the 
pseudonym of ,cynthia1 and ,tibullus for
 singing of ,delia in his verse1 when it
 was ,plania who ruled his heart4 ,for  
my part ,i should rather blame ,caius   
,lucilius1 even allowing him all the    
license of a satiric poet1 for          
prostituting to the public gaze the boys
 ,gentius and ,macedo1 whose real names 
he mentions in his verse without any    
attempt at concealment4 ,how much more  

reserved is ,mantua's poet1 who1 when   
like myself he praised the slave-boy of 
his friend ,pollio in one of his light  
pastoral poems1 shrinks from mentioning 
real names and calls himself ,corydon   
and the boy ,alexis4 ,but ,aemilianus1  
whose rusticity far surpasses that of   
the shepherds and cowherds of ,vergil1  
who is1 in fact1 and always has been a  
boor and a barbarian1 though he thinks  
himself far more austere than ,serranus1
 ,curius1 or ,fabricius1 those heroes of
 the days of old1 denies that such      
verses are worthy of a philosopher who  
is a follower of ,plato4 ,will you      
persist in this attitude1 ,aemilianus1  
if ,i can show that my verses were      
modelled upon ,plato8 ,for the only     
verses of ,plato now extant are         
love-elegies1 the reason1 ,i imagine1   
being that he burned all his other poems
 because they were inferior in charm and
 finish4 ,listen then to the verses     
written by ,plato in honour of the boy  
,aster1 though ,i doubt if at your age  

it is possible for you to learn to      
appreciate literature3       ,thou wert 
the morning star among the living       
,ere thy fair light had fled2--         
,now having died1 thou art as ,hesperus 
giving        ,new light unto the       
dead4#g  ,footnote #g3 ,shelley's       
translation4  ,there is another poem by 
,plato dealing conjointly with the boys 
,alexis and ,phaedrus3       ,i did but 
breathe the words ',alexis fair'1       
,and all men gazed on him with wondering
 eyes1        ,my soul1 why point to    
questing beasts their prize8      ',twas
 thus we lost our ,phaedrus2 ah6 beware6
  ,without citing any further examples  
,i will conclude by quoting a line      
addressed by ,plato to ,dion of         
,syracuse3       ,dion1 with love thou  
hast distraught my soul4  #aa4 ,which of
 us is most to blame8 ,i who am fool    
enough to speak seriously of such things
 in a law-court8 or you who are         
slanderous enough to include such       
charges in your indictment8 ,for        

sportive effusions in verse are         
valueless as evidence of a poet's       
morals4 ,have you not read ,catullus1   
who replies thus to those who wish him  
ill3       ,a virtuous poet must be     
chaste4 ,agreed4      ,but for his      
verses there is no such need4  ,the     
divine ,hadrian1 when he honoured the   
tomb of his friend the poet ,voconius   
with an inscription in verse from his   
own pen1 wrote thus3       ,thy verse   
was wanton1 but thy soul was chaste1    
words which he would never have written 
had he regarded verse of somewhat too   
lively a wit as proving their author to 
be a man of immoral life4 ,i remember   
that ,i have read not a few poems by the
 divine ,hadrian himself which were of  
the same type4 ,come now1 ,aemilianus1  
,i dare you to say that that was ill    
done which was done by an emperor and   
censor1 the divine ,hadrian1 and once   
done was recorded for subsequent        
generations4 ,but1 apart from that1 do  
you imagine that ,maximus will censure  

anything that has ,plato for its model1 
,plato whose verses1 which ,i have just 
read1 are all the purer for being frank1
 all the more modest for being          
outspoken8 ,for in these matters and the
 like1 dissimulation and concealment is 
the mark of the sinner1 open            
acknowledgement and publication a sign  
that the writer is but exercising his   
wit4 ,for nature has bestowed on        
innocence a voice wherewith to speak1   
but to guilt she has given silence to   
veil its sin4  #ab4 ,i say nothing of   
those lofty and divine ,platonic        
doctrines1 that are familiar to but few 
of the elect and wholly unknown to all  
the uninitiate1 such for instance as    
that which teaches us that ,venus is not
 one goddess1 but two1 each being strong
 in her own type of love and several    
types of lovers4 ,the one is the goddess
 of the common herd1 who is fired by    
base and vulgar passion and commands not
 only the hearts of men1 but cattle and 
wild beasts also1 to give themselves    

over to the gratification of their      
desires3 she strikes down these         
creatures with fierce intolerable force 
and fetters their servile bodies in the 
embraces of lust4 ,the other is a       
celestial power endued with lofty and   
generous passion3 she cares for none    
save men1 and of them but few2 she      
neither stings nor lures her followers  
to foul deeds4 ,her love is neither     
wanton nor voluptuous1 but serious and  
unadorned1 and wins her lovers to the   
pursuit of virtue by revealing to them  
how fair a thing is nobility of soul4   
,or1 if ever she commends beautiful     
persons to their admiration1 she puts a 
bar upon all indecorous conduct4 ,for   
the only claim that physical beauty has 
upon the admiration is that it reminds  
those whose souls have soared above     
things human to things divine1 of that  
beauty which once they beheld in all its
 truth and purity enthroned among the   
gods in heaven4 ,wherefore let us admit 
that ,afranius shows his usual beauty of

 expression when he says3       ,only   
the sage can love1 only desire      ,is 
known to others2  although if you would 
know the real truth1 ,aemilianus1 or if 
you are capable of ever comprehending   
such high matters1 the sage does not    
love1 but only remembers4  #ac4 ,i would
 therefore beg you to pardon the        
philosopher ,plato for his amatory      
verse1 and relieve me of the necessity  
of offending against the precepts put by
 ,ennius into the mouth of ,neoptolemus 
by philosophizing at undue length2 on   
the other hand if you refuse to pardon  
,plato1 ,i am quite ready to suffer     
blame on this count in his company4 ,i  
must express my deep gratitude to you1  
,maximus1 for listening with such close 
attention to these side issues1 which   
are necessary to my defence inasmuch as 
,i am paying back my accusers in their  
own coin4 ,your kindness emboldens me to
 make this further request1 that you    
will listen to all that ,i have to say  
by way of prelude to my answer to the   

main charge with the same courtesy and  
attention that you have hitherto shown4 
,i beg this1 since ,i have next to deal 
with that long oration1 austere as any  
censor's1 which ,pudens delivered on the
 subject of my mirror4 ,he nearly       
exploded1 so violently did he declaim   
against the horrid nature of my offence4
 ',the philosopher owns a mirror1 the   
philosopher actually possesses a        
mirror4' ,grant that ,i possess it3 if  
,i denied it1 you might really think    
that your accusation had gone home3     
still it is by no means a necessary     
inference that ,i am in the habit of    
adorning myself before a mirror4 ,why6  
suppose ,i possessed a theatrical       
wardrobe1 would you venture to argue    
from that that ,i am in the frequent    
habit of wearing the trailing robes of  
tragedy1 the saffron cloak of the mimic 
dance1 or the patchwork suit of the     
harlequinade8 ,i think not4 ,on the     
contrary there are plenty of things of  
which ,i enjoy the use without the      

possession4 ,but if possession is no    
proof of use nor non-possession of      
non-use1 and if you complain of the fact
 that ,i look into the mirror rather    
than that ,i possess it1 you must go on 
to show when and in whose presence ,i   
have ever looked into it2 for as things 
stand1 you make it a greater crime for a
 philosopher to look upon a mirror than 
for the uninitiated to gaze upon the    
mystic emblems of ,ceres4  #ad4 ,come   
now1 let me admit that ,i have looked   
into it4 ,is it a crime to be acquainted
 with one's own likeness and to carry it
 with one wherever one goes ready to    
hand within the compass of a small      
mirror1 instead of keeping it hidden    
away in some one place8 ,are you        
ignorant of the fact that there is      
nothing more pleasing for a man to look 
upon than his own image8 ,at any rate ,i
 know that fathers love those sons most 
who most resemble themselves1 and that  
public statues are decreed as a reward  
for merit that the original may gladden 

his heart by looking on them4 ,what else
 is the significance of statues and     
portraits produced by the various arts8 
,you will scarcely maintain the paradox 
that what is worthy of admiration when  
produced by art is blameworthy when     
produced by nature2 for nature has an   
even greater facility and truth than    
art4 ,long labour is expended over all  
the portraits wrought by the hand of    
man1 yet they never attain to such truth
 as is revealed by a mirror4 ,clay is   
lacking in life1 marble in colour1      
painting in solidity1 and all three in  
motion1 which is the most convincing    
element in a likeness3 whereas in a     
mirror the reflection of the image is   
marvellous1 for it is not only like its 
original1 but moves and follows every   
nod of the man to whom it belongs2 its  
age always corresponds to that of those 
who look into the mirror1 from their    
earliest childhood to their expiring    
age3 it puts on all the changes brought 
by the advance of years1 shares all the 

varying habits of the body1 and imitates
 the shifting expressions of joy and    
sorrow that may be seen on the face of  
one and the same man4 ,for all we mould 
in clay or cast in bronze or carve in   
stone or tint with encaustic pigments or
 colour with paint1 in a word1 every    
attempt at artistic representation by   
the hand of man after a brief lapse of  
time loses its truth and becomes        
motionless and impassive like the face  
of a corpse4 ,so far superior to all    
pictorial art in respect of truthful    
representation is the craftsmanship of  
the smooth mirror and the splendour of  
its art4  #ae4 ,two alternatives then   
are before us4 ,we must either follow   
the precept of the ,lacedaemonian       
,agesilaus1 who had no confidence in his
 personal appearance and refused to     
allow his portrait to be painted or     
carved2 or we must accept the universal 
custom of the rest of mankind which     
welcomes portraiture both in sculpture  
and painting4 ,in the latter case1 is   

there any reason for preferring to see  
one's portrait moulded in marble rather 
than reflected in silver1 in a painting 
rather than in a mirror8 ,or do you     
regard it as disgraceful to pay         
continual attention to one's own        
appearance8 ,is not ,socrates said      
actually to have urged his followers    
frequently to consider their image in a 
glass1 that so those of them that prided
 themselves on their appearance might   
above all else take care that they did  
no dishonour to the splendour of their  
body by the blackness of their hearts2  
while those who regarded themselves as  
less than handsome in personal          
appearance might take especial pains to 
conceal the meanness of their body by   
the glory of their virtue8 ,you see2 the
 wisest man of his day actually went so 
far as to use the mirror as an          
instrument of moral discipline4 ,again1 
who is ignorant of the fact that        
,demosthenes1 the greatest master of the
 art of speaking1 always practised      

pleading before a mirror as though      
before a professor of rhetoric8 ,when   
that supreme orator had drained deep    
draughts of eloquence in the study of   
,plato the philosopher1 and had learned 
all that could be learned of            
argumentation from the dialectician     
,eubulides1 last of all he betook       
himself to a mirror to learn perfection 
of delivery4 ,which do you think should 
pay greatest attention to the           
decorousness of his appearance in the   
delivery of a speech8 ,the orator when  
he wrangles with his opponent or the    
philosopher when he rebukes the vices of
 mankind8 ,the man who harangues for a  
brief space before an audience of       
jurymen drawn by the chance of the lot1 
or he who is continually discoursing    
with all mankind for audience8 ,the man 
who is quarrelling over the boundaries  
of lands1 or he whose theme is the      
boundaries of good and evil8 ,moreover  
there are other reasons why a           
philosopher should look into a mirror4  

,he is not always concerned with the    
contemplation of his own likeness1 he   
contemplates also the causes which      
produce that likeness4 ,is ,epicurus    
right when he asserts that images       
proceed forth from us1 as it were a kind
 of slough that continually streams from
 our bodies8 ,these images when they    
strike anything smooth and solid are    
reflected by the shock and reversed in  
such wise as to give back an image      
turned to face its original4 ,or should 
we accept the view maintained by other  
philosophers that rays are emitted from 
our body8 ,according to ,plato these    
rays are filtered forth from the centre 
of our eyes and mingle and blend with   
the light of the world without us2      
according to ,archytas they issue forth 
from us without any external support2   
according to the ,stoics these rays are 
called into action#h by the tension of  
the air3 all agree that1 when these     
emanations strike any dense1 smooth1 and
 shining surface1 they return to the    

surface from which they proceeded in    
such manner that the angle of incidence 
is equal to the angle of reflection1 and
 as a result that which they approach   
and touch without the mirror is imaged  
within the mirror4  ,footnote #h3 facti 
,,mss4  #af4 ,what think you8 ,should   
not philosophers make all these problems
 subjects of research and inquiry and in
 solitary study look into mirrors of    
every kind1 solid and liquid8 ,there is 
also over and above these questions     
further matter for discussion4 ,for     
instance1 why is it that in flat mirrors
 all images and objects reflected are   
shown in almost precisely their original
 dimensions1 whereas in convex and      
spherical mirrors everything is seen    
smaller1 in concave mirrors on the other
 hand larger than nature8 ,why again and
 under what circumstances are left and  
right reversed8 ,when does one and the  
same mirror seem now to withdraw the    
image into its depths1 now to extrude it
 forth to view8 ,why do concave mirrors 

when held at right angles to the rays of
 the sun kindle tinder set opposite     
them8 ,what is the cause of the         
prismatic colours of the rainbow1 or of 
the appearance in heaven of two rival   
images of the sun1 with sundry other    
phenomena treated in a monumental volume
 by ,archimedes of ,syracuse1 a man who 
showed extraordinary and unique subtlety
 in all branches of geometry1 but was   
perhaps particularly remarkable for his 
frequent and attentive inspection of    
mirrors4 ,if you had only read this     
book1 ,aemilianus1 and1 instead of      
devoting yourself to the study of your  
fields and their dull clods1 had studied
 the mathematician's slate and          
blackboard1 believe me1 although your   
face is hideous enough for a tragic mask
 of ,thyestes1 you would assuredly1 in  
your desire for the acquisition of      
knowledge1 look into the glass and      
sometimes leave your plough to marvel at
 the numberless furrows with which      
wrinkles have scored your face4  ,but ,i

 should not be surprised if you prefer  
me to speak of your ugly deformity of a 
face and to be silent about your morals1
 which are infinitely more repulsive    
than your features4 ,i will say nothing 
of them4 ,in the first place ,i am not  
naturally of a quarrelsome disposition1 
and secondly ,i am glad to say that     
until quite recently you might have been
 white or black for all ,i knew4 ,even  
now my knowledge of you is inadequate4  
,the reason for this is that your rustic
 occupations have kept you in obscurity1
 while ,i have been occupied by my      
studies1 and so the shadow cast about   
you by your insignificance has shielded 
your character from scrutiny1 while ,i  
for my part take no interest in others' 
ill deeds1 but have always thought it   
more important to conceal my own faults 
than to track out those of others4 ,as a
 result you have the advantage of one   
who1 while he is himself shrouded in    
darkness1 surveys another who chances to
 have taken his stand in the full light 

of day4 ,you from your darkness can with
 ease form an opinion as to what ,i am  
doing in my not undistinguished position
 before all the world2 but your position
 is so abject1 so obscure1 and so       
withdrawn from the light of publicity   
that you are by no means so conspicuous4
  #ag4 ,i neither know nor care to know 
whether you have slaves to till your    
fields or whether you do so by          
interchange of service with your        
neighbours4 ,but you know that at ,oea  
,i gave three slaves their freedom on   
the same day1 and your advocate has cast
 it in my teeth together with other     
actions of mine of which you have given 
him information4 ,and yet but a few     
minutes earlier he had declared that ,i 
came to ,oea accompanied by no more than
 one slave4 ,i challenge you to tell me 
how ,i could have made one slave into   
three free men4 ,but perhaps this is one
 of my feats of magic4 ,has lying made  
you blind1 or shall ,i rather say that  
from force of habit you are incapable of

 speaking the truth8 ',apuleius1' you   
say1 'came to ,oea with one slave1' and 
then only a very few words later you    
blurt out1 ',apuleius on one and the    
same day at ,oea gave three slaves their
 freedom4' ,not even the assertion that 
,i had come with three slaves and had   
given them all their freedom would have 
been credible3 but suppose ,i had done  
so1 what reason have you for regarding  
three slaves as a mark of my poverty1   
rather than for considering three freed 
men as a proof of my wealth8 ,poor      
,aemilianus1 you have not the least idea
 how to accuse a philosopher3 you       
reproach me for the scantiness of my    
household1 whereas it would really have 
been my duty to have laid claim1 however
 falsely1 to such poverty4 ,it would    
have redounded to my credit1 for ,i know
 that not only philosophers of whom ,i  
boast myself a follower1 but also       
generals of the ,roman people have      
gloried in the small number of their    
slaves4 ,have your advocates really     

never read that ,marcus ,antonius1 a man
 who had filled the office of consul1   
had but eight slaves in his house8 ,that
 that very ,carbo who obtained supreme  
control of ,rome had fewer by one8 ,that
 ,manius ,curius1 famous beyond all men 
for the crowns of victory that he had   
won1 ,manius ,curius who thrice led the 
triumphal procession through the same   
gate of ,rome1 had but two servants to  
attend him in camp1 so that in good     
truth that same man who triumphed over  
the ,sabines1 the ,samnites1 and        
,pyrrhus had fewer slaves than triumphs8
 ,marcus ,cato did not wait for others  
to tell it of him1 but himself records  
the fact in one of his speeches that    
when he set out as consul for ,spain he 
took but three slaves from the city with
 him4 ,when1 however1 he came to stay at
 a state residence1 the number seemed   
insufficient1 and he ordered two slaves 
to be bought in the market to wait on   
him at table1 so that he took five in   
all to ,spain4 ,had ,pudens come across 

these facts in his reading1 he would1 ,i
 think1 either have omitted this        
particular slander or would have        
preferred to reproach me on the ground  
that three slaves were too large rather 
than too small an establishment for a   
philosopher4  #ah4 ,pudens actually     
reproached me with being poor1 a charge 
which is welcome to a philosopher and   
one that he may glory in4 ,for poverty  
has long been the handmaid of           
philosophy2 frugal and sober1 she is    
strong in her weakness and is greedy for
 naught save honour2 the possession of  
her is a prophylactic against wealth1   
her mien is free from care1 and her     
adornment simple2 her counsels are      
beneficent1 she puffs no man up with    
pride1 she corrupts no man with passions
 beyond his control1 she maddens no man 
with the lust for power1 she neither    
desires nor can indulge in the pleasures
 of feasting and of love4 ,these sins   
and their like are usually the nurslings
 of wealth4 ,count over all the greatest

 crimes recorded in the history of      
mankind1 you will find no poor man among
 their guilty authors4 ,on the other    
hand1 it is rare to find wealthy men    
among the great figures of history4 ,all
 those at whom we marvel for their great
 deeds were the nurslings of poverty    
from their very cradles1 poverty that   
founded all cities in the days of old1  
poverty mother of all arts1 witless of  
all sin1 bestower of all glory1 crowned 
with all honour among all the peoples of
 the world4 ,take the history of        
,greece3 the justice of poverty is seen 
in ,aristides1 her benignity in         
,phocion1 her force in ,epaminondas1 her
 wisdom in ,socrates1 her eloquence in  
,homer4 ,it was this same poverty that  
established the empire of the ,roman    
people in its first beginnings1 and even
 to this day ,rome offers up            
thanksgivings for it to the immortal    
gods with libations poured from a wooden
 ladle and offerings borne in an earthen
 platter4 ,if the judges sitting to try 

this case were ,caius ,fabricius1       
,cnaeus ,scipio1 ,manius ,curius1 whose 
daughters on account of their poverty   
were given dowries from the public      
treasury and so went to their husbands  
bringing with them the honour of their  
houses and the wealth of the state2 if  
,publicola1 who drove out the ,kings1 or
 ,agrippa1 the healer of the people's   
strife1 men whose funerals were on      
account of their poverty enriched by the
 gift of a few farthings per man from   
the whole ,roman people2 if ,atilius    
,regulus1 whose lands on account of his 
own poverty were cultivated at the      
public expense2 if1 in a word1 all the  
heroes of the old ,roman stock1 consuls 
and censors and triumphant generals1    
were given a brief renewal of life and  
sent back to earth to give hearing to   
this case1 would you dare in the        
presence of so many poor consuls to     
reproach a philosopher with poverty8    
#ai4 ,perhaps ,claudius ,maximus seems  
to you to be a suitable person before   

whom to deride poverty1 because he      
himself is in enjoyment of great wealth 
and enormous opulence4 ,you are wrong1  
,aemilianus1 you are wholly mistaken in 
your estimate of his character1 if you  
take the bounty of his fortune rather   
than the sternness of his philosophy as 
the standard for your judgement and fail
 to realize that one1 who holds so      
austere a creed and has so long endured 
military service1 is more likely to     
befriend a moderate fortune with all its
 limitations than opulence with all its 
luxury1 and holds that fortunes1 like   
tunics1 should be comfortable1 not long4
 ,for even a tunic1 if it be not carried
 high1 but is allowed to drag1 will     
entangle and trip the feet as badly as a
 cloak that hangs down in front4 ,in    
everything that we employ for the needs 
of daily life1 whatever exceeds the mean
 is superfluous and a burden rather than
 a help4 ,so it is that excessive       
riches1 like steering oars of too great 
weight and bulk1 serve to sink the ship 

rather than to guide it2 for their bulk 
is unprofitable and their superfluity a 
curse4 ,i have noticed that of the      
wealthy themselves those win most praise
 who live quietly and in moderate       
comfort1 concealing their actual        
resources1 administering their great    
possessions without ostentation or pride
 and showing like poor folk under the   
disguise of their moderation4 ,now1 if  
even the rich to some extent affect the 
outward form and semblance of poverty to
 give evidence of their moderation1 why 
should we of slenderer means be ashamed 
of being poor not in appearance only but
 in reality8  #bj4 ,i might even engage 
with you in controversy over the word   
poverty1 urging that no man is poor who 
rejects the superfluous and has at his  
command all the necessities of life1    
which nature has ordained should be     
exceedingly small4 ,for he who desires  
least will possess most1 inasmuch as he 
who wants but little will have all he   
wants4 ,the measure of wealth ought     

therefore not to be the possession of   
lands and investments1 but the very soul
 of man4 ,for if avarice make him       
continually in need of some fresh       
acquisition and insatiable in his lust  
for gain1 not even mountains of gold    
will bring him satisfaction1 but he will
 always be begging for more that he may 
increase what he already possesses4     
,that is the genuine admission of       
poverty4 ,for every desire for fresh    
acquisition springs from the            
consciousness of want1 and it matters   
little how large your possessions are if
 they are too small for you4 ,philus had
 a far smaller household than ,laelius1 
,laelius than ,scipio1 ,scipio than     
,crassus the ,rich1 and yet not even    
,crassus had as much as he wanted2 and  
so1 though he surpassed all others in   
wealth1 he was himself surpassed by his 
own avarice and seemed rich to all save 
himself4 ,on the other hand1 the        
philosophers of whom ,i have spoken     
wanted nothing beyond what was at their 

disposal1 and1 thanks to the harmony    
existing between their desires and their
 resources1 they were deservedly rich   
and happy4 ,for poverty consists in the 
need for fresh acquisition1 wealth in   
the satisfaction springing from the     
absence of needs4 ,for the badge of     
penury is desire1 the badge of wealth   
contempt4 ,therefore1 ,aemilianus1 if   
you wish me to be regarded as poor1 you 
must first prove that ,i am avaricious4 
,but if my soul lacks nothing1 ,i care  
little how much of the goods of this    
world be lacking to me2 for it is no    
honour to possess them and no reproach  
to lack them4  #ba4 ,but let us suppose 
it to be otherwise4 ,suppose that ,i am 
poor1 because fortune has grudged me    
riches1 because my guardian1 as often   
happens1 misappropriated my inheritance1
 some enemy robbed me1 or my father left
 me nothing4 ,is it just to reproach a  
man for that which is regarded as no    
reproach to the animal kingdom1 to the  
eagle1 to the bull1 to the lion8 ,if the

 horse be strong in the possession of   
his peculiar excellences1 if he is      
pleasant to ride and swift in his paces1
 no one rebukes him for the poverty of  
his food4 ,must you then reproach me1   
not for any scandalous word or deed1 but
 simply because ,i live in a small      
house1 possess an unusually small number
 of slaves1 subsist on unusually light  
diet1 wear unusually light clothing1 and
 make unusually small purchases of food8
 ,yet however scanty my service1 food1  
and raiment may seem to you1 ,i on the  
contrary regard them as ample and even  
excessive4 ,indeed ,i am desirous of    
still further reducing them1 since the  
less ,i have to distract me the happier 
,i shall be4 ,for the soul1 like the    
body1 goes lightly clad when in good    
health2 weakness wraps itself up1 and it
 is a sure sign of infirmity to have    
many wants4 ,we live1 just as we swim1  
all the better for being but lightly    
burdened4 ,for in this stormy life as on
 the stormy ocean heavy things sink us  

and light things buoy us up4 ,it is in  
this respect1 ,i find1 that the gods    
more especially surpass men1 namely that
 they lack nothing3 wherefore he of     
mankind whose needs are smallest is most
 like unto the gods4  #bb4 ,i therefore 
regarded it as a compliment when to     
insult me you asserted that my whole    
household consisted of a wallet and a   
staff4 ,would that my spirit were made  
of such stern stuff as to permit me to  
dispense with all this furniture and    
worthily to carry that equipment for    
which ,crates sacrificed all his wealth6
 ,crates1 ,i tell you1 though ,i doubt  
if you will believe me1 ,aemilianus1 was
 a man of great wealth and honour among 
the nobility of ,thebes2 but for love of
 this habit1 which you cast in my face  
as a crime1 he gave his large and       
luxurious household to his fellow       
citizens1 resigned his troops of slaves 
for solitude1 so contemned the countless
 trees of his rich orchards as to be    
content with one staff1 exchanged his   

elegant villas for one small wallet1    
which1 when he had fully appreciated its
 utility1 he even praised in song by    
diverting from their original meaning   
certain lines of ,homer in which he     
extols the island of ,crete4 ,i will    
quote the first lines1 that you may not 
think this a mere invention of mine     
designed to meet the needs of my own    
case3       ,there is a town named      
,wallet in the midst      ,of smoke     
that's dark as wine4  ,the lines which  
follow are so wonderful1 that had you   
read them you would envy me my wallet   
even more than you envy me my marriage  
with ,pudentilla4 ,you reproach         
philosophers for their staff and wallet4
 ,you might as well reproach cavalry for
 their trappings1 infantry for their    
shields1 standard-bearers for their     
banners1 triumphant generals for their  
chariots drawn by four white horses and 
their cloaks embroidered with           
palm-leaves4 ,the staff and wallet are  
not1 it is true1 carried by the         

,platonic philosophers1 but are the     
badges of the ,cynic school4 ,to        
,diogenes and ,antisthenes they were    
what the crown is to the king1 the cloak
 of purple to the general1 the cowl to  
the priest1 the trumpet to the augur4   
,indeed the ,cynic ,diogenes1 when he   
disputed with ,alexander the ,great1 as 
to which of the two was the true king1  
boasted of his staff as the true        
sceptre4 ,the unconquered ,hercules     
himself1 since you despise my instances 
as drawn from mere mendicancy1 ,hercules
 that roamed the whole world1           
exterminated monsters1 and conquered    
races1 god though he was1 had but a skin
 for raiment and a staff for company in 
the days when he wandered through the   
earth4 ,and yet but a brief while       
afterwards he was admitted to heaven as 
a reward for his virtue4  #bc4 ,but if  
you despise these examples and challenge
 me1 not to plead my case1 but to enter 
into a discussion of the amount of my   
fortune1 to put an end to your ignorance

 on this point1 if it exists1 ,i        
acknowledge that my father left my      
brother and myself a little under       
#b1jjj1jjj sesterces--a sum on which my 
lengthy travels1 continual studies1 and 
frequent generosity have made           
considerable inroads4 ,for ,i have often
 assisted my friends and have shown     
substantial gratitude to many of my     
instructors1 on more than one occasion  
going so far as to provide dowries for  
their daughters4 ,nay1 ,i should not    
have hesitated to expend every farthing 
of my patrimony1 if so ,i might acquire1
 what is far better1 a contempt for it4 
,but as for you1 ,aemilianus1 and       
ignorant boors of your kidney1 in your  
case the fortune makes the man4 ,you are
 like barren and blasted trees that     
produce no fruit1 but are valued only   
for the timber that their trunks        
contain4 ,but ,i beg you1 ,aemilianus1  
in future to abstain from reviling any  
one for their poverty1 since you        
yourself used1 after waiting for some   

seasonable shower to soften the ground1 
to expend three days in ploughing       
single-handed1 with the aid of one      
wretched ass1 that miserable farm at    
,zarath1 which was all your father left 
you4 ,it is only recently that fortune  
has smiled on you in the shape of wholly
 undeserved inheritances which have     
fallen to you by the frequent deaths of 
relatives1 deaths to which1 far more    
than to your hideous face1 you owe your 
nickname of ,charon4  #bd4 ,as to my    
birthplace1 you assert that my writings 
prove it to lie right on the marches of 
,numidia and ,gaetulia1 for ,i publicly 
described myself as half ,numidian1 half
 ,gaetulian in a discourse delivered in 
the presence of that most distinguished 
citizen ,lollianus ,avitus4 ,i do not   
see that ,i have any more reason to be  
ashamed of that than had the elder      
,cyrus for being of mixed descent1 half 
,mede1 half ,persian4 ,a man's          
birthplace is of no importance1 it is   
his character that matters4 ,we must    

consider not in what part of the world1 
but with what purpose he set out to live
 his life4 ,vendors of wine and cabbages
 are permitted to enhance the value of  
their wares by advertising the          
excellence of the soil whence they      
spring1 as for instance with the wine of
 ,thasos and the cabbages of ,phlius4   
,for those products of the soil are     
wonderfully improved in flavour by the  
fertility of the district which produces
 them1 the moistness of the climate1 the
 mildness of the winds1 the warmth of   
the sun1 and the richness of the soil4  
,but in the case of man1 the soul enters
 the tenement of the body from without4 
,what1 then1 can such circumstances as  
these add to or take away from his      
virtues or his vices8 ,has there ever   
been a time or place in which a race has
 not produced a variety of intellects1  
although some races seem stupider and   
some wiser than others8 ,the ,scythians 
are the stupidest of men1 and yet the   
wise ,anacharsis was a ,scyth4 ,the     

,athenians are shrewd1 and yet the      
,athenian ,meletides was a fool4 ,i say 
this not because ,i am ashamed of my    
country1 since even in the time of      
,syphax we were a township4 ,when he was
 conquered we were transferred by the   
gift of the ,roman people to the        
dominion of ,king ,masinissa1 and       
finally as the result of a settlement of
 veteran soldiers1 our second founders1 
we have become a colony of the highest  
distinction4 ,in this same colony my    
father attained to the post of duumvir  
and became the foremost citizen of the  
place1 after filling all the municipal  
offices of honour4 ,i myself1           
immediately after my first entry into   
the municipal senate1 succeeded to my   
father's position in the community1 and1
 as ,i hope1 am in no ways a degenerate 
successor1 but receive like honour and  
esteem for my maintenance of the dignity
 of my position4 ,why do ,i mention     
this8 ,that you1 ,aemilianus1 may be    
less angry with me in future and may    

more readily pardon me for having been  
negligent enough not to select your     
',attic' ,zarath for my birthplace4     
#be4 ,are you not ashamed to produce    
such accusations with such violence     
before such a judge1 to bring forward   
frivolous and self-contradictory        
accusations1 and then in the same breath
 to blame me on both charges at once8   
,is it not a sheer contradiction to     
object to my wallet and staff on the    
ground of austerity1 to my poems and    
mirror on the ground of undue levity2 to
 accuse me of parsimony for having only 
one slave1 and of extravagance in having
 three2 to denounce me for my ,greek    
eloquence and my barbarian birth8 ,awake
 from your slumber and remember that you
 are speaking before ,claudius ,maximus1
 a man of stern character1 burdened with
 the business of the whole province4    
,cease1 ,i say1 to bring forward these  
empty slanders4 ,prove your indictment1 
prove that ,i am guilty of ghastly      
crimes1 detestable sorceries1 and black 

art-magic4 ,why is it that the strength 
of your speech lies in mere noise1 while
 it is weak and flabby in point of      
facts8  ,i will now deal with the actual
 charge of magic4 ,you spared no        
violence in fanning the flame of hatred 
against me4 ,but you have disappointed  
all men's expectations by your old      
wives' fables1 and the fire kindled by  
your accusations has burned itself away4
 ,i ask you1 ,maximus1 have you ever    
seen fire spring up among the stubble1  
crackling sharply1 blazing wide and     
spreading fast1 but soon exhausting its 
flimsy fuel1 dying fast away1 leaving   
not a wrack behind8 ,so they have       
kindled their accusation with abuse and 
fanned it with words1 but it lacks the  
fuel of facts and1 your verdict once    
given1 is destined to leave not a wrack 
of calumny behind4 ,the whole of        
,aemilianus' calumnious accusation was  
centred in the charge of magic4 ,i      
should therefore like to ask his most   
learned advocates how1 precisely1 they  

would define a magician4 ,if what ,i    
read in a large number of authors be    
true1 namely1 that magician is the      
,persian word for priest1 what is there 
criminal in being a priest and having   
due knowledge1 science1 and skill in all
 ceremonial law1 sacrificial duties1 and
 the binding rules of religion1 at least
 if magic consists in that which ,plato 
sets forth in his description of the    
methods employed by the ,persians in the
 education of their young princes8 ,i   
remember the very words of that divine  
philosopher4 ,let me recall them to your
 memory1 ,maximus3 ',when the boy has   
reached the age of fourteen he is handed
 over to the care of men known as the   
,royal ,masters4 ,they are four in      
number1 and are chosen as being the best
 of the elders of ,persia1 one the      
wisest1 another the justest1 a third the
 most temperate1 a fourth the bravest4  
,and one of these teaches the boy the   
magic of ,zoroaster the son of          
,oromazes2 and this magic is no other   

than the worship of the gods4 ,he also  
teaches him the arts of kingship4'  #bf4
 ,do you hear1 you who so rashly accuse 
the art of magic8 ,it is an art         
acceptable to the immortal gods1 full of
 all knowledge of worship and of prayer1
 full of piety and wisdom in things     
divine1 full of honour and glory since  
the day when ,zoroaster and ,oromazes   
established it1 high-priestess of the   
powers of heaven4 ,nay1 it is one of the
 first elements of princely instruction1
 nor do they lightly admit any chance   
person to be a magician1 any more than  
they would admit him to be a king4      
,plato--if ,i may quote him again--in   
another passage dealing with a certain  
,zalmoxis1 a ,thracian and also a master
 of this art1 has written that 'magical 
charms are merely beautiful words'4 ,if 
that is so1 why should ,i be forbidden  
to learn the fair words of ,zalmoxis or 
the priestly lore of ,zoroaster8 ,but if
 these accusers of mine1 after the      
fashion of the common herd1 define a    

magician as one who by communion of     
speech with the immortal gods has power 
to do all the marvels that he will1     
through a strange power of incantation1 
,i really wonder that they are not      
afraid to attack one whom they          
acknowledge to be so powerful4 ,for it  
is impossible to guard against such a   
mysterious and divine power4 ,against   
other dangers we may take adequate      
precautions4 ,he who summons a murderer 
before the judge comes into court with  
an escort of friends2 he who denounces a
 poisoner is unusually careful as to    
what he eats2 he who accuses a thief    
sets a guard over his possessions4 ,but 
for the man who exposes a magician1     
credited with such awful powers1 to the 
danger of a capital sentence1 how can   
escort or precaution or watchmen save   
him from unforeseen and inevitable      
disaster8 ,nothing can save him1 and    
therefore the man who believes in the   
truth of such a charge as this is       
certainly the last person in the world  

who should bring such an accusation4    
#bg4 ,but it is a common and general    
error of the uninitiated to bring the   
following accusations against           
philosophers4 ,some of them think that  
those who explore the origins and       
elements of material things are         
irreligious1 and assert that they deny  
the existence of the gods4 ,take1 for   
instance1 the cases of ,anaxagoras1     
,leucippus1 ,democritus1 and ,epicurus1 
and other natural philosophers4 ,others 
call those magicians who bestow unusual 
care on the investigation of the        
workings of providence and unusual      
devotion on their worship of the gods1  
as though1 forsooth1 they knew how to   
perform everything that they know       
actually to be performed4 ,so           
,epimenides1 ,orpheus1 ,pythagoras1 and 
,ostanes were regarded as magicians1    
while a similar suspicion attached to   
the 'purifications' of ,empedocles1 the 
'demon' of ,socrates and the 'good' of  
,plato4 ,i congratulate myself therefore

 on being admitted to such distinguished
 company4  ,i fear1 however1 ,maximus1  
that you may regard the empty1          
ridiculous and childish#i fictions which
 my opponents have advanced in support  
of their case as serious charges merely 
because they have been put forward4     
',why1' says my accuser1 'have you      
sought out particular kinds of fish8'   
,why should not a philosopher be        
permitted to do for the satisfaction of 
his desire for knowledge what the       
gourmand1 is permitted to do for the    
satisfaction of his gluttony8 ',what1'  
he asks1 'induced a free woman to marry 
you after thirteen years of widowhood8' 
',surely1' ,i answer1 'it is more       
remarkable that she should have remained
 a widow so long4' ',why1 before she    
married you1 did she express certain    
opinions in a letter8' ',is it          
reasonable1' ,i ask1 'to demand of any  
one the reasons of another person's     
private opinions8' ',but1' he goes on1  
'although she was your senior in years1 

she did not despise your youth4' ,surely
 this simply serves to show that there  
was no need of magic to induce a woman  
to marry a man1 or a widow to wed a     
bachelor some years her junior4 ,there  
are more charges equally frivolous4     
',apuleius1' he persists1 'keeps a      
mysterious object in his house which he 
worships with veneration4' ,surely it   
would be a worse offence to have nothing
 to worship at all4 ',a boy fell to the 
ground in ,apuleius' presence4' ,what if
 a young man or even an old man had     
fallen in my presence through a sudden  
stroke of disease or merely owing to the
 slipperiness of the ground8 ,do you    
really think to prove your charge of    
magic by such arguments as these2 the   
fall of a wretched boy1 my marriage to  
my wife1 my purchases of fish8          
,footnote #i3 et simplicia1 vulgo4  #bh4
 ,i should run but small risk if ,i were
 to content myself with what ,i have    
already said and begin my peroration4   
,but since as a result of the length at 

which my accusers spoke1 the water-clock
 still allows me plenty of time1 let us1
 if there is no objection1 consider the 
charges in detail4 ,i will deny none of 
them1 be they true or false4 ,i will    
assume their truth1 that this great     
crowd1 which has gathered from all      
directions to hear this case1 may       
clearly understand not only that no true
 incrimination can be brought against   
philosophers1 but that not even any     
false charge can be fabricated against  
them1 which--such is their confidence in
 their innocence--they will not be      
prepared to admit and to defend1 even   
though it be in their power to deny it4 
,i will therefore begin by refuting     
their arguments1 and will prove that    
they have nothing to do with magic4     
,next ,i will show that even on the     
assumption of my being the most         
consummate magician1 ,i have never given
 cause or occasion for conviction of any
 evil practice4 ,i will also deal with  
the lies with which they have           

endeavoured to arouse hostility against 
me1 with their misquotation and         
misinterpretation of my wife's letters1 
and with my marriage with ,pudentilla1  
whom1 as ,i will proceed to prove1 ,i   
married for love and not for money4     
,this marriage of ours caused frightful 
annoyance and distress to ,aemilianus4  
,hence springs all the anger1 frenzy1   
and raving madness that he has shown in 
the conduct of this accusation4 ,if ,i  
succeed in making all these points      
abundantly clear and obvious1 ,i shall  
then appeal to you1 ,claudius ,maximus1 
and to all here present to bear me out1 
that the boy ,sicinius ,pudens1 my      
step-son1 through whom and with whose   
consent his uncle now accuses me1 was   
quite recently stolen from my charge    
after the death of ,pontianus his       
brother1 who was as much his superior in
 character as in years1 and that he was 
fiercely embittered against myself and  
his mother through no fault of mine3    
that he abandoned his study of the      

liberal arts and cast off all restraint1
 and--thanks to the education afforded  
him by this villainous accusation--is   
more likely to resemble his uncle       
,aemilianus than his brother ,pontianus4
  #bi4 ,i will now1 as ,i promised1 take
 ,aemilianus' ravings one by one1       
beginning with that charge which you    
must have noticed was given the place of
 honour in the accuser's speech1 as his 
most effective method of exciting       
suspicion against me as a sorcerer1 the 
charge that ,i had sought to purchase   
certain kinds of fish from some         
fishermen4 ,which of these two points is
 of the slightest value as affording    
suspicion of sorcery8 ,that fishermen   
sought to procure me the fish8 ,would   
you have me entrust such a task to      
gold-embroiderers or carpenters1 and1 to
 avoid your calumnies1 make them change 
their trades so that the carpenter would
 net me the fish1 and the fisherman take
 his place and hew his timber8 ,or did  
you infer that the fish were wanted for 

evil purposes because ,i paid to get    
them8 ,i presume1 if ,i had wanted them 
for a dinner-party1 ,i should have got  
them for nothing4 ,why do not you go    
farther and accuse me on many similar   
grounds8 ,i have often bought wine and  
vegetables1 fruit and bread4 ,the       
principles laid down by you would       
involve the starvation of all purveyors 
of dainties4 ,who will ever venture to  
purchase food from them1 if it be       
decided that all provisions for which   
money is given are wanted not for food  
but for sorcery8 ,but if there is       
nothing in all this that can give rise  
to suspicion1 neither the payment of the
 fishermen to ply their usual trade1 to 
wit1 the capture of fish--,i may point  
out that the prosecution never produced 
any of these fishermen1 who are1 as a   
matter of fact1 wholly creatures of     
their imagination--nor the purchase of a
 common article of sale--the prosecution
 have never stated the amount paid1 for 
fear that if they mentioned a small sum1

 it would be regarded as trivial1 or if 
they mentioned a large sum it would fail
 to win belief1--if1 ,i say1 there is no
 cause for suspicion on any of these    
grounds1 ,i would ask ,aemilianus to    
tell me what1 failing these1 induced    
them to accuse me of magic4  #cj4 ',you 
seek to purchase fish1' says he4 ,i will
 not deny it4 ,but1 ,i ask you1 is any  
one who does that a magician8 ,no more1 
in my opinion1 than if ,i should seek to
 purchase hares or boar's flesh or      
fatted capons4 ,or is there something   
mysterious in fish and fish alone1      
hidden from all save sorcerers only8 ,if
 you know what it is1 clearly you are a 
magician4 ,if you do not know1 you must 
confess that you are bringing an        
accusation of the nature of which you   
are entirely ignorant4 ,to think that   
you should be so ignorant not only of   
all literature1 but even of popular     
tales1 that you cannot even invent      
charges that will have some show of     
plausibility6 ,for of what use for the  

kindling of love is an unfeeling chilly 
creature like a fish1 or indeed anything
 else drawn from the sea1 unless indeed 
you propose to bring forward in support 
of your lie the legend that ,venus was  
born from the sea8 ,i beg you to listen 
to me1 ,tannonius ,pudens1 that you may 
learn the extent of the ignorance which 
you have shown by accepting the         
possession of a fish as a proof of      
sorcery4 ,if you had read your ,vergil1 
you would certainly have known that very
 different things are sought for this   
purpose4 ,he1 as far as ,i recollect1   
mentions 'soft garlands' and 'rich herbs
 and 'male incense' and 'threads of     
diverse hues'1 and1 in addition to      
these1 'brittle laurel1' 'clay to be    
hardened1' and 'wax to be melted in the 
fire'4 ,there are also the objects      
mentioned by him in a more serious poem4
       ,rank herbs are sought1 with     
milky venom dark      ,by brazen sickles
 under moonlight mown2      ,sought also
 is that wondrous talisman1      ,torn  

from the forehead of the foal at birth  
,ere yet its dam could snatch it4  ,but 
you who take such exception to fish     
attribute far different instruments to  
magicians1 charms not to be torn from   
new-born foreheads1 but to be cut from  
scaly backs2 not to be plucked from the 
fields of earth1 but to be drawn up from
 the deep fields of ocean2 not to be    
mowed with sickles1 but to be caught on 
hooks4 ,finally1 when he is speaking of 
the black art1 ,vergil mentions poison1 
you produce an entree2 he mentions herbs
 and young shoots1 you talk of scales   
and bones2 he crops the meadow1 you     
search the waves4 ,i would also have    
quoted for your benefit similar passages
 from ,theocritus with many others from 
,homer and ,orpheus1 from the comic and 
tragic poets and from the historians1   
had ,i not noticed ere now that you were
 unable to read ,pudentilla's letter    
which was written in ,greek4 ,i will1   
therefore1 do no more than cite one     
,latin poet4 ,those who have read       

,laevius#aj will recognize the lines4   
,footnote #aj3 ,,mss4 ,laelius4         
,love-charms the warlocks seek through  
all the world3      ,the 'lover's knot' 
they try1 the magic wheel1      ,ribbons
 and1 nails and roots and herbs and     
shoots1      ,the two-tailed lizard that
 draws on to love1#aa      ,and eke the 
charm that glads the whinnying mare4    
,footnote #aa3 ,saurae inlices          
bicodulae4 ,helm1 wrongly ,i think1     
places a comma between saurae and       
inlices4  #ca4 ,you would have made out 
a far more plausible case by pretending 
that ,i made use of such things instead 
of fish1 if only you had possessed the  
slightest erudition4 ,for the belief in 
the use of these things is so widespread
 that you might have been believed4 ,but
 of what use are fish save to be cooked 
and eaten at meals8 ,in magic they seem 
to me to be absolutely useless4 ,i will 
tell you why ,i think so4 ,many hold    
,pythagoras to have been a pupil of     
,zoroaster1 and1 like him1 to have been 

skilled in magic4 ,and yet it is        
recorded that once near ,metapontum1 on 
the shores of ,italy1 his home1 which   
his influence had converted into a      
second ,greece1 he noticed certain      
fishermen draw up their net4 ,he offered
 to buy whatever it might contain1 and  
after depositing the price ordered all  
the fish caught in meshes of the net to 
be released and thrown back into the    
sea4 ,he would assuredly never have     
allowed them to slip from his possession
 had he known them to possess any       
valuable magical properties4 ,for being 
a man of abnormal learning1 and a great 
admirer of the men of old1 he remembered
 that ,homer1 a poet of manifold or1    
rather ,i should say1 absolute knowledge
 of all that may be known1 spoke of the 
power of all the drugs that earth       
produces1 but made no mention of the    
sea1 when speaking of a certain witch1  
he wrote the line3       ,all drugs1    
that wide earth nourishes1 she knew4    
,similarly in another passage he says3  

,earth the grain-giver      ,yields up  
to her its store of drugs1 whereof      
,many be healing1 mingled in the cup1   
,and many baneful4  ,but never in the   
works of ,homer did ,proteus anoint his 
face nor ,ulysses his magic trench1 nor 
,aeolus his windbags1 nor ,helen her    
mixing bowl1 nor ,circe her cup1 nor    
,venus her girdle1 with any charm drawn 
from the sea or its inhabitants4 ,you   
alone within the memory of man have been
 found to sweep as it were by some      
convulsion of nature all the powers of  
herbs and roots and young shoots and    
small pebbles from their hilltops into  
the sea1 and there confine them in the  
entrails of fish4 ,and so whereas       
sorcerers at their rites used to call on
 ,mercury the giver of oracles1 ,venus  
that lures the soul1 the moon that knows
 the mystery of the night1 and ,trivia  
the mistress of the shades1 you will    
transfer ,neptune1 with ,salacia and    
,portumnus and all the company of       
,nereids from the cold tides of the sea 

to the burning tides of love4  #cb4 ,i  
have given my reasons for refusing to   
believe that magicians and fish have    
anything to do with one another4 ,but   
now1 if it please you1 we will assume   
with ,aemilianus that fish are useful   
for making magical charms as well as for
 their usual purposes4 ,but does that   
prove that whoever acquires fish is ipso
 facto a magician8 ,on those lines it   
might be urged that whoever acquires a  
sloop is a pirate1 whoever acquires a   
crowbar a burglar1 whoever acquires a   
sword an assassin4 ,you will say that   
there is nothing in the world1 however  
harmless1 that may not be put to some   
bad use1 nothing so cheerful that it may
 not be given a gloomy meaning4 ,and yet
 we do not on that account put a bad    
interpretation on everything1 as though1
 for instance1 you should hold that     
incense1 cassia1 myrrh1 and similar     
other scents are purchased solely for   
the purpose of funerals2 whereas they   
are also used for sacrifice and         

medicine4 ,but on the lines of your     
argument you must believe that even the 
comrades of ,menelaus were magicians2   
for they1 according to the great poet1  
averted starvation at the isle of       
,pharos by their use of curved          
fish-hooks4 ,nay1 you will class in the 
same category of sorcerers seamews1     
dolphins1 and the lobster2 gourmands    
also1 who sink whole fortunes#ab in the 
sums they pay to fishermen2 and         
fishermen themselves1 who by their art  
capture all manner of fish4 ',but what  
do you want fish for8' you insist4 ,i   
feel myself under no necessity to tell  
you1 and refuse to do so4 ,but ,i       
challenge you to prove unsupported that 
,i bought them for the purpose you      
assert2 as though ,i had bought         
hellebore or hemlock or opium or any    
other of those drugs1 the moderate use  
of which is salutary1 although they are 
deadly when given with other substances 
or in too large quantities4 ,who would  
endure it if you made this a ground for 

accusing me of being a poisoner1 merely 
because those drugs are capable of      
killing a man8  ,footnote #ab3 merguntur
 ,,mss4  #cc4 ,however1 let us see what 
these fish were1 fish so necessary for  
my possession and so hard to find1 that 
they were well worth the price ,i paid  
for their acquisition4 ,they have       
mentioned no more than three4 ,to one   
they gave a false name2 as regards the  
other two they lied4 ,the name was      
false1 for they asserted that the fish  
was a sea-hare1 whereas it was quite    
another fish1 which ,themison1 my       
servant1 who knows something of         
medicine1 as you heard from his own     
lips1 bought of his own suggestion for  
me to inspect4 ,for1 as a matter of     
fact1 he has not as yet ever come across
 a sea-hare4 ,but ,i admit that ,i      
search for other kinds of fish as well1 
and have commissioned not only fishermen
 but private friends to search for all  
the rarest kinds of fish1 begging them  
either to describe the appearance of the

 fish or to send it me1 if possible1    
alive1 or1 failing that1 dead4 ,why ,i  
do so ,i will soon make clear4 ,my      
accusers lied--and very cunning they    
thought themselves--when they closed    
their false accusation by pretending    
that ,i had sought for two sea-beasts   
known by gross names4 ,that fellow      
,tannonius wished to indicate the nature
 of the obscenity1 but failed1 matchless
 pleader that he is1 owing to his       
inability to speak4 ,after long         
hesitation he indicated the name of one 
of them by means of some clumsy and     
disgusting circumlocution4 ,the other he
 found impossible to describe with      
decency1 and evaded the difficulty by   
turning to my works and quoting a       
certain passage from them in which ,i   
described the attitude of a statue of   
,venus4  #cd4 ,he also with that lofty  
puritanism which characterizes him1     
reproached me for not being ashamed to  
describe foul things in noble language4 
,i might justly retort on him that1     

though he openly professes the study of 
eloquence1 that stammering voice of his 
often gives utterance to noble things so
 basely as to defile them1 and that     
frequently1 when what he has to say     
presents not the slightest difficulty1  
he begins to stutter or even becomes    
utterly tongue-tied4 ,come now6 ,suppose
 ,i had said nothing about the statue of
 ,venus1 nor used the phrase which was  
of such service to you1 what words would
 you have found to frame a charge1 which
 is as suited to your stupidity as to   
your powers of speech8 ,i ask you1 is   
there anything more idiotic than the    
inference that1 because the names of two
 things resemble each other1 the things 
themselves are identical8 ,or did you   
think it a particularly clever invention
 on your part to pretend that ,i had    
sought out these two fish for the       
purpose of using them as magical charms8
 ,remember that it is as absurd an      
argument to say that these sea-creatures
 with gross names were sought for gross 

purposes1 as to say that the sea-comb is
 sought for the adornment of the hair1  
the fish named sea-hawk to catch birds1 
the fish named the little boar for the  
hunting of boars1 or the sea-skull to   
raise the dead4 ,my reply to these lying
 fabrications1 which are as stupid as   
they are absurd1 is that ,i have never  
attempted to acquire these playthings of
 the sea1 these tiny trifles of the     
shore1 either gratis or for money4  #ce4
 ,further1 ,i reply that you were quite 
ignorant of the nature of the objects   
which you pretended that ,i sought to   
acquire4 ,for these worthless fish you  
mention can be found on any shore in    
heaps and multitudes1 and are cast up on
 dry land by the merest ripple without  
any need for human agency4 ,why do you  
not say that at the same time ,i        
commissioned large numbers of fishermen 
to secure for me at a price striped     
sea-shells from the shore1 smooth       
pebbles1 crabs' claws1 sea-urchins'     
husks1 the tentacles of cuttlefish1     

shingle1 straws1 cordage1 not to        
mention#ac worm-eaten oyster-shells1    
moss1 and seaweed1 and all the flotsam  
of the sea that the winds drive1 or the 
salt wave casts up1 or the storm sweeps 
back1 or the calm leaves high and dry   
all along our shores8 ,for their names  
are no less suitable than those ,i      
mentioned above for the purpose of      
awakening suspicions4 ,you have said    
that certain objects drawn from the sea 
have a certain value for gross purposes 
on account of the similarity of their   
names4 ,on this analogy why should not a
 stone be good for diseases of the      
bladder1 a shell for the making of a    
will1 a crab for a cancer1 seaweed for  
an ague8 ,really1 ,claudius ,maximus1 in
 listening to these appallingly         
long-winded accusations to their very   
close you have shown a patience that is 
excessive and a kindness which is too   
long-suffering4 ,for my part when they  
uttered these charges of theirs1 as     
though they were serious and cogent1    

while ,i laughed at their stupidity1 ,i 
marvelled at your patience4  ,footnote  
#ac3 ne pergam 7,helm74  #cf4 ,however1 
since he takes so much interest in my   
affairs1 ,i will now tell ,aemilianus   
why ,i have examined so many fishes     
already and why ,i am unwilling to      
remain in ignorance of some ,i have not 
yet seen4 ,although he is in the decline
 of life and suffering from senile      
decay1 let him1 if he will1 acquire some
 learning even at the eleventh hour4    
,let him read the works of the          
philosophers of old1 that now at any    
rate he may learn that ,i am not the    
first ichthyologist1 but follow in the  
steps of authors1 centuries my seniors1 
such as ,aristotle1 ,theophrastus1      
,eudemus1 ,lycon1 and the other         
successors of ,plato1 who have left many
 books on the generation1 life1 parts   
and differences of animals4 ,it is a    
good thing1 ,maximus1 that this case is 
being tried before a scholar like       
yourself1 who have read ,aristotle's    

numerous volumes 'on the generation1 the
 anatomy1 the history of animals'1      
together with his numberless ',problems'
 and works by others of his school1     
treating of various subjects of this    
kind4 ,if it is an honour and glory to  
them that they should have put on record
 the results of their careful           
researches1 why should it be disgraceful
 to me to attempt the like task1        
especially since ,i shall attempt to    
write on those subjects both in ,greek  
and ,latin and in a more concise and    
systematic manner1 and shall strive     
either to make good omissions or remedy 
mistakes in all these authors8 ,i beg of
 you1 if you think it worth while1 to   
permit the reading of extracts from my  
'magic' works1 that ,aemilianus may     
learn that my sedulous researches and   
inquiries have a wider range than he    
thinks4 ,bring a volume of my ,greek    
works--some of my friends who are       
interested in questions of natural      
history may perhaps have them with them 

in court--take by preference one of     
those dealing with problems of natural  
philosophy1 and from among those that   
volume in particular which treats of the
 race of fish4 ,while he is looking for 
the book1 ,i will tell you a story which
 has some relevance to this case4  #cg4 
,the poet ,sophocles1 the rival and     
survivor of ,euripides--for he lived to 
extreme old age--on being accused by his
 own son of insanity on the ground that 
the advance of age had destroyed his    
wits1 is said to have produced that     
matchless tragedy1 his ,oedipus         
,coloneus1 on which he happened to be   
engaged at the time1 and to have read it
 aloud to the jury without adding       
another word in his defence1 except that
 he bade them without hesitation to     
condemn him as insane if an old man's   
poetry displeased them4 ,at that        
point--so ,i have read--the jury rose to
 their feet as one man to show their    
admiration of so great a poet1 and      
praised him marvellously both for the   

shrewdness of his argument and for the  
eloquence of his tragic verse4 ,and     
indeed they were not far off unanimously
 condemning the accuser as the madman   
instead4  ,have you found the book8     
,thank you4 ,let us try now whether what
 ,i write may serve me in good stead in 
a law-court4 ,read a few lines at the   
beginning1 then some details concerning 
the fish4 ,and do you while he reads    
stop the water-clock4 7,a passage from  
the book is read47  #ch4 ,you hear1     
,maximus4 ,you have doubtless frequently
 read the like in the works of ancient  
philosophers4 ,remember too that these  
volumes of mine describe fishes only1   
distinguishing those that spring from   
the union of the sexes from those which 
are spontaneously generated from the    
mud1 discussing how often and at what   
periods of the year the males and       
females of each species come together1  
setting forth the distinction           
established by nature between those of  
them who are viviparous and those who   

are oviparous--for thus ,i translate the
 ,greek phrases ,greek3 zootoka and     
,greek3 ootoka--together with the causes
 of this distinction and the organic    
differences by which it is              
characterized1 in a word--for ,i would  
not weary you by discussing all the     
different methods of generation in      
animals--treating of the distinguishing 
marks of species1 their various manners 
of life1 the difference of their members
 and ages1 with many other points       
necessary for the man of science but out
 of place in a law-court4 ,i will ask   
that a few of my ,latin writings dealing
 with the same science may be read1 in  
which you will notice some rare pieces  
of knowledge and names but little known 
to the ,romans2 indeed they have never  
been produced before to-day1 but yet1   
thanks to my toil and study they have   
been so translated from the ,greek1 that
 in spite of their strangeness they are 
none the less of ,latin mintage4 ,do you
 deny this1 ,aemilianus8 ,if so1 let    

your advocates tell me in what ,latin   
author they have ever before read such  
words as those which ,i will cause to be
 recited to you4 ,i will mention only   
aquatic animals1 nor will ,i make any   
reference to other animals save in      
connexion with the characteristics which
 distinguish them from aquatic          
creatures4 ,listen then to what ,i say4 
,you will cry out at me saying that ,i  
am giving you a list of magic names such
 as are used in ,egyptian or ,babylonian
 rites4 ,greek3 ,selacheia malacheia    
malakostraka chondrakantha ostrakoderma 
karcharodonta amphibia lepidota         
pholidota dermoptera steganopoda monere 
synagelastika4 ,i might continue the    
list1 but it is not worth wasting time  
over such trifles1 and ,i need time to  
deal with other charges4 ,meanwhile read
 out my translation into ,latin of the  
few names ,i have just given you4 7,the 
translation is read4 ,the ,latin names  
are lost47  #ci4 ,what think you8 ,is it
 disgraceful for a philosopher who is no

 rude and unlearned person of the       
reckless ,cynic type1 but who remembers 
that he is a disciple of ,plato1 is it  
disgraceful for such an one to know and 
care for such learning or to be ignorant
 and indifferent8 to know how far such  
things reveal the workings of           
providence1 or to swallow all the tales 
his father and mother told him of the   
immortal gods8 ,quintus ,ennius wrote a 
poem on dainties3 he there enumerates   
countless species of fish1 which of     
course he had carefully studied4 ,i     
remember a few lines and will recite    
them3       ,clipea's sea-weasels are of
 all the best1      ,for 'mice' the     
place is ,aenus2 oysters rough      ,in 
greatest plenty from ,abydos come4      
,the sea-comb's found at ,mitylene and  
,ambracian ,charadrus1 and ,i praise    
,brundisian sargus3 take him1 if he's   
big4      ,know that ,tarentum's small  
sea-boar is prime2      ,the sword-fish 
at ,surrentum thou shouldst buy2        
,blue fish at ,cumae4 ,what6 have ,i    

passed by      ,scarus8 the brain of    
,jove is not less sweet4      ,you catch
 them large and good off ,nestor's home4
      ,have ,i passed by the black-tail 
and the 'thrush'1      ,the sea-merle   
and the shadow of the sea8      ,best to
 ,corcyra go for cuttlefish1      ,for  
the acarne and the fat sea-skull        
,the purple-fish1 the little murex too1 
,mice of the sea and the sea-urchin     
sweet4  ,he glorified many fish in other
 verses1 stating where each was to be   
found and whether they were best fried  
or stewed1 and yet he is not blamed for 
it by the learned4 ,spare then to blame 
me1 who describe things known to few    
under elegant and appropriate names both
 in ,greek and ,latin4  #dj4 ,enough of 
this6 ,i call your attention to another 
point4 ,what if ,i take such interest   
and possess such skill in medicine as to
 search for certain remedies in fish8   
,for assuredly as nature with impartial 
munificence has distributed and         
implanted many remedies throughout all  

other created things1 so also similar   
remedies are to be found in fish4 ,now1 
do you think it more the business of a  
magician than of a doctor1 or indeed of 
a philosopher1 to know and seek out     
remedies8 ,for the philosopher will use 
them not to win money for his purse1 but
 to give assistance to his fellow men4  
,the doctors of old indeed knew how to  
cure wounds by magic song1 as ,homer1   
the most reliable of all the writers of 
antiquity1 tells us1 making the blood of
 ,ulysses to be stayed by a chant as it 
gushed forth from a wound4 ,now nothing 
that is done to save life can be matter 
for accusation4 ',but1' says my         
adversary1 'for what purpose save evil  
did you dissect the fish brought you by 
your servant ,themison8' ,as if ,i had  
not told you just now that ,i write     
treatises on the organs of all kind of  
animals1 describing the place1 number   
and purpose of their various parts1     
diligently investigating ,aristotle's   
works on anatomy and adding to them     

where necessary4 ,i am1 therefore1      
greatly surprised that you are only     
aware of my having inspected one small  
fish1 although ,i have actually         
inspected a very large number under all 
circumstances wherever ,i might find    
them1 and have1 moreover1 made no secret
 of my researches1 but conducted them   
openly before all the world1 so that the
 merest stranger may1 if it please him1 
stand by and observe me4 ,in this ,i    
follow the instruction of my masters1   
who assert that a free man of free      
spirit should as far as possible wear   
his thoughts upon his face4 ,indeed ,i  
actually showed this small fish1 which  
you call a sea-hare1 to many who stood  
by4 ,i do not yet know what name to call
 it#ad without closer research1 since in
 spite of its rarity and most remarkable
 characteristics ,i do not find it      
described by any of the ancient         
philosophers4 ,this fish is1 as far as  
my knowledge extends1 unique in one     
respect1 for it contains twelve bones   

resembling the knuckle-bones of a       
sucking-pig1 linked together like a     
chain in its belly4 ,apart from this it 
is boneless4 ,had ,aristotle known this1
 ,aristotle who records as a most       
remarkable phenomenon the fact that the 
fish known as the small sea-ass alone of
 all fishes has its diminutive heart    
placed in its stomach1 he would         
assuredly have mentioned the fact4      
,footnote #ad3 vocem 7,colvius74  #da4  
',you dissected a fish1' says he4 ,who  
can call this a crime in a philosopher  
which would be no crime in a butcher or 
cook8 ',you dissected a fish4' ,perhaps 
you object to the fact that it was raw4 
,you would not regard it as criminal if 
,i had explored its stomach and cut up  
its delicate liver after it was cooked1 
as you teach the boy ,sicinius ,pudens  
to do with his own fish at meals4 ,and  
yet it is a greater crime for a         
philosopher to eat fish than to inspect 
them4 ,are augurs to be allowed to      
explore the livers of victims and may   

not a philosopher look at them too1 a   
philosopher who knows that he can draw  
omens from every animal1 that he is the 
high-priest of every god8 ,do you bring 
that as a reproach against me which is  
one of the reasons for the admiration   
with which ,maximus and myself regard   
,aristotle8 ,unless you drive his works 
from the libraries and snatch them from 
the hands of students you cannot accuse 
me4 ,but enough6 ,i have said almost    
more on this subject than ,i ought4     
,see1 too1 how they contradict          
themselves4 ,they say that ,i sought my 
wife in marriage with the help of the   
black art and charms drawn from the sea 
at the very time when they acknowledge  
me to have been in the midmost mountains
 of ,gaetulia1 where1 ,i suppose1       
,deucalion's deluge has made it possible
 to find fish6 ,i am1 however1 glad that
 they do not know that ,i have read     
,theophrastus' ',on beasts that bite and
 sting' and ,nicander ',on the bites of 
wild animals'2 otherwise they would have

 accused me of poisoning as well6 ,as a 
matter of fact ,i have acquired a       
knowledge of these subjects thanks to my
 reading of ,aristotle and my desire to 
emulate him4 ,i owe something also to   
the advice of my master ,plato1 who says
 that those who make such investigations
 as these 'pursue a delightful form of  
amusement which they will never regret'4
  #db4 ,since ,i have sufficiently      
cleared up this business of the fish1   
listen to another of their inventions   
equally stupid1 but much more           
extravagant and far more wicked4 ,they  
themselves knew that their argument     
about the fish was futile and bound to  
fail4 ,they realized1 moreover1 its     
strange absurdity 7for who ever heard of
 fish being scaled and boned for dark   
purposes of magic871 they realized that 
it would be better for their fictions to
 deal with things of more common report1
 which have ere now been believed4 ,and 
so they devised the following fiction   
which does at least fall within the     

limits of popular credence and rumour4  
,they asserted that ,i had taken a boy  
apart to a secret place with a small    
altar and a lantern and only a few      
accomplices as witnesses1 and there so  
bewitched him with a magical incantation
 that he fell in the very spot where ,i 
pronounced the charm1 and on being      
awakened was found to be out of his     
wits4 ,they did not dare to go any      
further with the lie4 ,to complete their
 story they should have added that the  
boy uttered many prophecies4 ,for this  
we know is the prize of magical         
incantations1 namely divination and     
prophecy4 ,and this miracle in the case 
of boys is confirmed not only by vulgar 
opinion but by the authority of learned 
men4 ,i remember reading various        
relations of the kind in the philosopher
 ,varro1 a writer of the highest        
learning and erudition1 but there was   
the following story in particular4      
,inquiry was being made at ,tralles by  
means of magic into the probable issue  

of the ,mithridatic war1 and a boy who  
was gazing at an image of ,mercury      
reflected in a bowl of water foretold   
the future in a hundred and sixty lines 
of verse4 ,he records also that ,fabius1
 having lost five hundred denarii1 came 
to consult ,nigidius2 the latter by     
means of incantations inspired certain  
boys so that they were able to indicate 
to him where a pot containing a certain 
portion of the money had been hidden in 
the ground1 and how the remainder had   
been dispersed1 one denarius having     
found its way into the possession of    
,marcus ,cato the philosopher4 ,this    
coin ,cato acknowledged he had received 
from a certain lackey as a contribution 
to the treasury of ,apollo4  #dc4 ,i    
have read this and the like concerning  
boys and art-magic in several authors1  
but ,i am in doubt whether to admit the 
truth of such stories or no1 although ,i
 believe ,plato when he asserts that    
there are certain divine powers holding 
a position and possessing a character   

midway between gods and men1 and that   
all divination and the miracles of      
magicians are controlled by them4       
,moreover it is my own personal opinion 
that the human soul1 especially when it 
is young and unsophisticated1 may by the
 allurement of music or the soothing    
influence of sweet smells be lulled into
 slumber and banished into oblivion of  
its surroundings so that1 as all        
consciousness of the body fades from the
 memory1 it returns and is reduced to   
its primal nature1 which is in truth    
immortal and divine2 and thus1 as it    
were in a kind of slumber1 it may       
predict the future4 ,but howsoever these
 things may be1 if any faith is to be   
put in them1 the prophetic boy must1 as 
far as ,i can understand1 be fair and   
unblemished in body1 shrewd of wit and  
ready of speech1 so that a worthy and   
fair shrine may be provided for the     
divine indwelling power--if indeed such 
a power does enter into the boy's       
body--or that the boy's mind when       

wakened may quickly apply itself to its 
inherent powers of divination1 find them
 ready to its use and reproduce their   
promptings undulled and unimpaired by   
any loss of memory4 ,for1 as ,pythagoras
 said1 not every kind of wood is fit to 
be carved into the likeness of ,mercury4
 ,if that be so1 tell me who was that   
healthy1 unblemished1 intelligent1      
handsome boy whom ,i deemed worthy of   
initiation into such mysteries by the   
power of my spells4 ,as a matter of     
fact1 ,thallus1 whom you mentioned1     
needs a doctor rather than a magician4  
,for the poor wretch is such a victim to
 epilepsy that he frequently has fits   
twice or thrice in one day without the  
need for any incantations1 and exhausts 
all his limbs with his convulsions4 ,his
 face is ulcerous1 his head bruised in  
front and behind1 his eyes are dull1 his
 nostrils distended1 his feet stumbling4
 ,he may claim to be the greatest of    
magicians in whose presence ,thallus has
 remained for any considerable time upon

 his feet4 ,for he is continually lying 
down1 either a seizure or mere          
weariness#ae causing him to collapse4   
,footnote #ae3 seu 7,casaubon74  #dd4   
,yet you say that it is my incantations 
that have overwhelmed him1 simply       
because he has once chanced to have a   
fit in my presence4 ,many of his fellow 
servants1 whose appearance as witnesses 
you have demanded1 are present in court4
 ,they all can tell you why it is they  
spit upon ,thallus1 and why no one      
ventures to eat from the same dish with 
him or to drink from the same cup4 ,but 
why do ,i speak of these slaves8 ,you   
yourselves have eyes4 ,deny then1 if you
 dare1 that ,thallus used to have fits  
of epilepsy long before ,i came to ,oea1
 or that has frequently been shown to   
doctors4 ,let his fellow slaves who are 
in your service deny this3 ,i will      
confess myself guilty of everything1 if 
he has not long since been sent away    
into the country1 far from the sight of 
all of them1 to a distant farm1 for fear

 he should infect the rest of the       
household4 ,they cannot deny this to be 
the fact4 ,for the same reason it is    
impossible for us to produce him here   
to-day4 ,the whole of this accusation   
has been reckless and sudden1 and it was
 only the day before yesterday that     
,aemilianus demanded that we should     
produce fifteen slaves before you4 ,the 
fourteen living in the town are present 
to-day4 ,thallus only is absent owing to
 the fact that he has been banished to a
 place some hundred miles distant4      
,however1 we have sent a man to bring   
him here in a carriage4 ,i ask you1     
,maximus1 to question these fourteen    
slaves whom we have produced as to where
 the boy ,thallus is and what is the    
state of his health2 ,i ask you to      
question my accuser's slaves4 ,they will
 not deny that this boy is of revolting 
appearance1 that his body is rotten     
through and through with disease1 that  
he is liable to fits1 and is a barbarian
 and a clodhopper4 ,this is indeed a    

handsome boy whom you have selected as  
one who might fairly be produced at the 
offering of sacrifice1 whom one might   
touch upon the head and clothe in a fair
 white cloak in expectation of some     
prophetic reply from his lips4 ,i only  
wish he were present4 ,i would have     
entrusted him to your tender mercies1   
,aemilianus1 and would be ready to hold 
him myself that you might question him4 
,here in open court before the judges he
 would have rolled his wild eyes upon   
you1 he would have foamed at the mouth1 
spat in your face1 drawn in his hands   
convulsively1 shaken his head and fallen
 at last in a fit into your arms4  #de4 
,here are fourteen slaves whom you bade 
me produce in court4 ,why do you refuse 
to question them8 ,you want one         
epileptic boy who1 you know as well as  
,i1 has long been absent from ,oea4     
,what clearer evidence of the falseness 
of your accusations could be desired8   
,fourteen slaves are present1 as you    
required2 you ignore them4 ,one young   

boy is absent3 you concentrate your     
attack on him4 ,what is it that you     
want8 ,suppose ,thallus were present4   
,do you want to prove that he had a fit 
in my presence8 ,why1 ,i myself admit   
it4 ,you say that this was the result of
 incantation4 ,i answer that the boy    
knows nothing about it1 and that ,i can 
prove that it was not so4 ,even you will
 not deny that ,thallus was epileptic4  
,why then attribute his fall to magic   
rather than disease8 ,was there anything
 improbable in his suffering that fate  
in my presence1 which he has often      
suffered on other occasions in the      
presence of a number of persons8 ,nay1  
even supposing ,i had thought it a great
 achievement to cast an epileptic into a
 fit1 why should ,i use charms when1 as 
,i am told by writers on natural        
history1 the burning of the stone named 
gagates is an equally sure and easy     
proof of the disease8 ,for its scent is 
commonly used as a test of the soundness
 or infirmity of slaves even in the     

slave-market4 ,again1 the spinning of a 
potter's wheel will easily infect a man 
suffering from this disease with its own
 giddiness4 ,for the sight of its       
rotations weakens his already feeble    
mind1 and the potter is far more        
effective than the magician for casting 
epileptics into convulsions4 ,you had no
 reason for demanding that ,i should    
produce these slaves4 ,i have good      
reason for asking you to name those who 
witnessed that guilty ritual when ,i    
cast the moribund ,thallus into one of  
his fits4 ,the only witness you mention 
is that worthless boy1 ,sicinius        
,pudens1 in whose name you accuse me4   
,he says that he was present4 ,his      
extreme youth is no reason why we should
 reject his sworn evidence1 but the fact
 that he is one of my accusers does     
detract from his credibility4 ,it would 
have been easier for you1 ,aemilianus1  
and your evidence would have carried    
much more weight1 had you said that you 
were present at the rite and had been   

mad ever since1 instead of entrusting   
the whole business to the evidence of   
boys as though it were a mere joke4 ,a  
boy had a fit1 a boy saw him4 ,was it   
also some boy that bewitched him8  #df4 
,at this point ,tannonius ,pudens1 like 
the old hand he is1 saw that this lie   
also was falling flat and was doomed to 
failure by the frowns and murmurs of the
 audience1 and so1 in order to check the
 suspicions of some of them by kindling 
fresh expectations1 he said that he     
would produce other boys as well whom ,i
 had similarly bewitched4 ,he thus      
passed to another line of accusation4 ,i
 might ignore it1 but ,i will go out of 
my way to challenge it as ,i have done  
with all the rest4 ,i want those boys to
 be produced4 ,i hear they have been    
bribed by the promise of their liberty  
to perjure themselves4 ,but ,i say no   
more4 ,only produce them4 ,i demand and 
insist1 ,tannonius ,pudens1 that you    
should fulfil your promise4 ,bring      
forward those boys in whose evidence you

 put your trust2 produce them1 name     
them4 ,you may use the time allotted to 
my speech for the purpose4 ,speak1 ,i   
say1 ,tannonius4 ,why are you silent8   
,why do you hesitate8 ,why look round8  
,if he does not remember his            
instructions1 or has forgotten his      
witnesses' names1 do you at any rate1   
,aemilianus1 come forward and tell us   
what instructions you gave your         
advocate1 and produce those boys4 ,why  
do you turn pale8 ,why are you silent8  
,is this the way to bring an accusation8
 ,is this the way to indict a man on so 
serious a charge8 ,is it not rather an  
insult to so distinguished a citizen as 
,claudius ,maximus1 and a false and     
slanderous persecution of myself8       
,however1 if your representative has    
made a slip in his speech1 and there are
 no such boys to produce1 at any rate   
make some use of the fourteen whom ,i   
have brought into court4 ,if you refuse1
 why did you demand the appearance of   
such a housefull8  #dg4 ,you have       

demanded fifteen slaves to support an   
accusation of magic2 how many would you 
be demanding if it were a charge of     
violence8 ,the inference is that fifteen
 slaves know something1 and that        
something is still a mystery4 ,or is it 
nothing mysterious and yet something    
connected with magic8 ,you must admit   
one of these two alternatives3 either   
the proceeding to which ,i admitted so  
many witnesses had nothing improper     
about it1 or1 if it had1 it should not  
have been witnessed by so many4 ,now    
this magic of which you accuse me is1 ,i
 am told1 a crime in the eyes of the    
law1 and was forbidden in remote        
antiquity by the ,twelve ,tables because
 in some incredible manner crops had    
been charmed away from one field to     
another4 ,it is then as mysterious an   
art as it is loathly and horrible2 it   
needs as a rule night-watches and       
concealing darkness1 solitude absolute  
and murmured incantations1 to hear which
 few free men are admitted1 not to speak

 of slaves4 ,and yet you will have it   
that there were fifteen slaves present  
on this occasion4 ,was it a marriage8 or
 any other crowded ceremony8 or a       
seasonable banquet8 ,fifteen slaves take
 part in a magic rite as though they had
 been created quindecimvirs for the     
performance of sacrifice6 ,is it likely 
that ,i should have permitted so large a
 number to be present on such an        
occasion1 if they were too many to be   
accomplices8 ,fifteen free men form a   
borough1 fifteen slaves a household1    
fifteen fettered serfs a chain-gang4    
,did ,i need such a crowd to help me by 
holding the lustral victims during the  
lengthy rite8 ,no6 the only victims you 
mentioned were hens6 ,were they to count
 the grains of incense8 or to knock     
,thallus down8  #dh4 ,you assert also   
that by promising to heal her ,i        
inveigled to my house a free woman who  
suffered from the same disease as       
,thallus2 that she1 too1 fell senseless 
as a result of my incantations4 ,it     

appears to me that you are accusing a   
wrestler not a magician1 since you say  
that all who visited me had a fall4 ,and
 yet ,themison1 who is a physician and  
who brought the woman for my inspection1
 denied1 when you asked him1 ,maximus1  
that ,i had done anything to the woman  
other than ask her whether she heard    
noises in her ears1 and if so1 which ear
 suffered most4 ,he added that she      
departed immediately after telling me   
that her right ear was most troubled in 
that way4 ,at this point1 ,maximus1     
although ,i have for the present been   
careful to abstain from praising you1   
lest ,i should seem to have flattered   
you with an eye to winning my case1 yet 
,i cannot help praising you for the     
astuteness of your questions4 ,after    
they had spent much time in discussing  
these points and asserting that ,i had  
bewitched the woman1 and after the      
doctor who was present on that occasion 
had denied that ,i had done so1 you1    
with shrewdness more than human1 asked  

them what profit ,i derived from my     
incantations4 ,they replied1 ',the woman
 had a fit4' ',what then8' you asked1   
',did she die8' ',no1' said they4 ',what
 is your point then8 ,how did the fact  
of her having a fit profit ,apuleius8'  
,that third question showed brilliant   
penetration and persistence4 ,you knew  
that it was necessary to submit all     
facts to stringent examination of their 
causes1 that often facts are admitted   
while motives remain to seek1 and that  
the representatives of litigants are    
called pleaders of causes1 because they 
set forth the causes of each particular 
act4 ,to deny a fact is easy and needs  
no advocate1 but it is far more arduous 
and difficult a task to demonstrate the 
rightness or wrongness of a given       
action4 ,it is waste of time1 therefore1
 to inquire whether a thing was done1   
when1 even if it were done1 no evil     
motive can be alleged4 ,under such      
circumstances1 if no criminal motive is 
forthcoming1 a good judge releases the  

accused from all further vexatious      
inquiry4 ,so now1 since they have not   
proved that ,i either bewitched the     
woman or caused her to have a fit1 ,i   
for my part will not deny that ,i       
examined her at the request of a        
physician2 and ,i will tell you1        
,maximus1 why ,i asked her if she had   
noises in her ears4 ,i will do this not 
so much to clear myself of the charge   
which you1 ,maximus1 have already       
decided to involve neither blame nor    
guilt1 as to impart to you something    
worthy of your hearing and interesting  
to one of your erudition4 ,i will tell  
you in as few words as possible4 ,i have
 only to call your attention to certain 
facts4 ,to instruct you would be        
presumption4  #di4 ,the philosopher     
,plato1 in his glorious work1 the       
,timaeus1 sets forth with more than     
mortal eloquence the constitution of the
 whole universe4 ,after discoursing with
 great insight on the three powers that 
make up man's soul1 and showing with the

 utmost clearness the divine purpose    
that shaped our various members1 he     
treats of the causes of all diseases    
under three heads4 ,the first cause lies
 in the elements of the body1 when the  
actual qualities of those elements1     
moisture and cold and their two         
opposites1 fail to harmonize4 ,that     
comes to pass when one of these elements
 assumes undue proportions or moves from
 its proper place4 ,the second cause of 
disease lies in the vitiation of those  
components of the body which1 though    
formed out of the simple elements1 have 
coalesced in such a manner as to have a 
specific character of their own1 such as
 blood1 entrails1 bone1 marrow1 and the 
various substances made from the        
blending of each of these4 ,thirdly1 the
 concretion in the body of various      
juices1 turbid vapours1 and dense       
humours is the last provocative of      
sickness4  #ej4 ,of these causes that   
which contributes most to epilepsy1 the 
disease of which ,i set out to speak1 is

 a condition when the flesh is so melted
 by the noxious influence of fire as to 
form a thick and foaming humour4 ,this  
generates a vapour1 and the heat of the 
air thus compressed within the body     
causes a white and eruptive ferment4 ,if
 this ferment succeeds in escaping from 
the body1 it is dispersed in a manner   
that is repulsive rather than dangerous4
 ,for it causes an eczema to break out  
upon the surface of the skin of the     
breast and mottles it with all kinds of 
blotches4 ,but the person to whom this  
happens is never again attacked with    
epilepsy1 and so he rids himself of a   
most sore disease of the spirit at the  
price of a slight disfigurement of the  
body4 ,but if1 on the other hand1 this  
dangerous corruption#af be contained    
within the body and mingle with the     
black bile1 and so run fiercely through 
every vein1 and then working its way    
upwards to the head flood the brain with
 its destructive stream1 it straightway 
weakens that royal part of man's spirit 

which is endowed with the power of      
reason and is enthroned in the head of  
man1 that is its citadel and palace4    
,for it overwhelms and throws into      
confusion those channels of divinity and
 paths of wisdom4 ,during sleep it makes
 less havoc1 but when men are full of   
meat and wine it makes its presence     
somewhat unpleasantly felt by a choking 
sensation1 the herald of epilepsy4 ,but 
if it reaches such strength as to attack
 the heads of men when they are wide    
awake1 then their minds grow dull with a
 sudden cloud of stupefaction and they  
fall to the ground1 their bodies        
swooning as in death1 their spirit      
fainting within them4 ,men of our race  
have styled it not only the ',great     
sickness' and the ',comitial sickness'1 
but also the ',divine sickness'1 in this
 resembling the ,greeks1 who call it    
,greek3 hiera nosos1 the holy sickness4 
,the name is just2 for this sickness    
does outrage to the rational part of the
 soul1 which is by far the most holy4   

,footnote #af3 putredo 7conj4 ,helm74   
#ea4 ,you recognize1 ,maximus1 the      
theory of ,plato1 as far as ,i have been
 able to give it a lucid explanation in 
the time at my disposal4 ,i put my trust
 in him when he says that the cause of  
epilepsy is the overflowing of this     
pestilential humour into the head4 ,my  
inquiry therefore was1 ,i think1        
reasonable when ,i asked the woman      
whether her head felt heavy1 her neck   
numb1 her temples throbbing1 her ears   
full of noises4 ,the fact that she      
acknowledged these noises to be more    
frequent in her right ear was proof that
 the disease had gone home4 ,for the    
right-hand organs of the body are the   
strongest1 and therefore their infection
 with the disease leaves small hope of  
recovery4 ,indeed ,aristotle has left it
 on record in his ,problems that        
whenever in the case of epileptics the  
disease begins on the right side1 their 
cure is very difficult4 ,it would be    
tedious were ,i to repeat the opinion of

 ,theophrastus also on the subject of   
epilepsy4 ,for he has left a most       
excellent treatise on convulsions4 ,he  
asserts1 however1 in another book on the
 subject of animals ill-disposed towards
 mankind1 that the skins of newts--which
 like other reptiles they shed at fixed 
intervals for the renewal of their      
youth--form a remedy for fits4 ,but     
unless you snatch up the skin as soon as
 it be shed1 they straightway turn upon 
it and devour it1 whether from a malign 
foreknowledge of its value to men or    
from a natural taste for it4 ,i have    
mentioned these things1 ,i have been    
careful to quote the arguments of       
renowned philosophers1 and to mention   
the books where they are to be found1   
and have avoided any reference to the   
works of physicians or poets1 that my   
adversaries may cease to wonder that    
philosophers have learnt the causes of  
remedies and diseases in the natural    
course of their researches4 ,well then1 
since this woman was brought to be      

examined by me in the hope that she     
might be cured1 and since it is clear   
both from the evidence of the physician 
who brought her and from the arguments  
,i have just set forth that such a      
course was perfectly right1 my opponents
 must needs assert that it is the part  
of a magician and evildoer to heal      
disease1 or1 if they do not dare to say 
that1 must confess that their           
accusations in regard to this epileptic 
boy and woman are false1 absurd1 and    
indeed epileptic4  #eb4 ,yes1           
,aemilianus1 if you would hear the      
truth1 you are the real sufferer from   
the falling sickness1 so often have your
 false accusations failed and cast you  
helpless to the ground4 ,bodily collapse
 is no worse than intellectual1 and it  
is as important to keep one's head as to
 keep one's feet1 while it is as        
unpleasant to be loathed by this        
distinguished gathering as to be spat   
upon in one's own chamber4 ,but you     
perhaps think yourself sane because you 

are not confined within doors1 but      
follow the promptings of your madness   
whithersoever it lead you3 and yet      
compare your frenzy with that of        
,thallus2 you will find that there is   
but little to choose between you1 save  
that ,thallus confines his frenzy to    
himself1 while you direct yours against 
others2 ,thallus distorts his eyes1 you 
distort the truth2 ,thallus contracts   
his hands convulsively1 you not less    
convulsively contract with your         
advocates2 ,thallus dashes himself      
against the pavement1 you dash yourself 
against the judgement-seat4 ,in a word1 
whatever he does1 he does in his        
sickness erring unconsciously2 but you1 
wretch1 commit your crimes with full    
knowledge and with your eyes open1 such 
is the vehemence of the disease that    
inspires your actions4 ,you bring false 
accusations as though they were true2   
you charge men with doing what has never
 been done2 though a man's innocence be 
clear to you as daylight1 you denounce  

him as though he were guilty4  #ec4     
,nay1 further1 though ,i had almost     
forgotten to mention it1 there are      
certain things of which you confess your
 ignorance1 and which nevertheless you  
make material for accusation as though  
you knew all about them4 ,you assert    
that ,i kept something mysterious       
wrapped up in a handkerchief among the  
household gods in the house of          
,pontianus4 ,you confess your ignorance 
as to what may have been the nature or  
appearance of this object2 you further  
admit that no one ever saw it1 and yet  
you assert that it was some instrument  
of magic4 ,you are not to be            
congratulated on this method of         
procedure4 ,your accusation reveals no  
shrewdness1 and has not even the merit  
of impudence4 ,do not think so for a    
moment4 ,no6 it shows naught save the   
ill-starred madness of an embittered    
spirit and the pitiable fury of         
cantankerous old age4 ,the words you    
used in the presence of so grave and    

perspicacious a judge amounted to       
something very like this4 ',apuleius    
kept certain things wrapped in a cloth  
among the household gods in the house of
 ,pontianus4 ,since ,i do not know what 
they were1 ,i therefore argue that they 
were magical4 ,i beg you to believe what
 ,i say1 because ,i am talking of that  
of which ,i know nothing4' ,what a      
wonderful argument1 in itself an obvious
 refutation of the charge4 ',it must    
have been this1 because ,i do not know  
what it was4' ,you are the only person  
hitherto discovered who knows that which
 he does not know4 ,you so far surpass  
all others in folly1 that whereas       
philosophers of the most keen and       
penetrating intellect assert that we    
should not trust even the objects that  
we see1 you make statements about things
 which you have never seen or heard4 ,if
 ,pontianus still lived and you were to 
ask him what the cloth contained1 he    
would reply that he did not know4 ,there
 is the freedman who still has charge of

 the keys of the place2 he is one of    
your witnesses1 but he says that he has 
never examined these objects1 although1 
as the servant responsible for the books
 kept there1 he opened and shut the     
doors almost daily1 continually entered 
the room1 not seldom in my company but  
more often alone1 and saw the cloth     
lying on the table unprotected by seal  
or cord4 ,quite natural1 was it not8    
,magical objects were concealed in the  
cloth1 and for that reason ,i took      
little care for its safe custody1 but   
left it about anyhow for any one to     
examine and inspect1 if he liked1 or    
even to carry it away6 ,i entrusted it  
to the custody of others1 ,i left it to 
others to dispose of at their pleasure6 
,what credence do you expect us to give 
you after this8 ,are we to believe that 
you1 on whom ,i have never set eyes save
 in this court1 know that of which      
,pontianus1 who actually lived under the
 same roof1 was ignorant8 or shall we   
believe that you1 who have never so much

 as approached the room where they were 
placed1 have seen what the freedman     
never saw1 although he had every        
opportunity to inspect them during the  
sedulous performance of his duties8 ,in 
a word1 that which you never saw must   
have been what you assert it to have    
been6 ,and yet1 you fool1 if this very  
day you had succeeded in getting that   
handkerchief into your hands1 ,i should 
deny the magical nature of whatever you 
might produce from it4  #ed4 ,i give you
 full leave2 invent what you like1 rack 
your memory and your imagination to     
discover something that might           
conceivably seem to be of a magical     
nature4 ,even then1 should you succeed  
in so doing1 ,i should argue the point  
with you4 ,i should say that the object 
in question had been substituted by you 
for the original1 or that it had been   
given as a remedy1 or that it was a     
sacred emblem that had been placed in my
 keeping1 or that a vision had bidden me
 to carry it thus4 ,there are a thousand

 other ways in which ,i might refute you
 with perfect truth and without giving  
any explanation which is abnormal or    
lies outside the limits of common       
observation4 ,you are now demanding that
 a circumstance1 which1 even if it were 
proved up to the hilt1 would not        
prejudice me in the eyes of a good      
judge1 should be fatal to me when1 as it
 is1 it rests on vague suspicion1       
uncertainty1 and ignorance4 ,you will   
perhaps1 as is your wont1 say1 ',what1  
then1 was it that you wrapped in a linen
 cloth and were so careful to deposit   
with the household gods8' ,really1      
,aemilianus6 is this the way you accuse 
your victims8 ,you produce no definite  
evidence yourself1 but ask the accused  
for explanations of everything4 ',why do
 you search for fish8 ,why did you      
examine a sick woman8 ,what had you     
hidden in your handkerchief8' ,did you  
come here to accuse me or to ask me     
questions8 ,if to accuse me1 prove your 
charges yourself2 if to ask questions1  

do not anticipate the truth by          
expressing opinions on that concerning  
which your ignorance compels you to     
inquire4 ,if this precedent be followed1
 if there is no necessity for the       
accuser to prove anything1 but on the   
contrary he is given every facility for 
asking questions of the accused1 there  
is not a man in all the world but will  
be indicted on some charge or other4 ,in
 fact1 everything that he has ever done 
will be used as a handle against any man
 who is charged with sorcery4 ,have you 
written a petition on the thigh of some 
statue8 ,you are a sorcerer6 ,else why  
did you write it8 ,have you breathed    
silent prayers to heaven in some temple8
 ,you are a sorcerer6 ,else tell us what
 you asked for8 ,or take the contrary   
line4 ,you uttered no prayer in some    
temple6 ,you are a sorcerer6 ,else why  
did you not ask the gods for something8 
,the same argument will be used if you  
have made some votive dedication1 or    
offered sacrifice1 or carried sprigs of 

some sacred plant4 ,the day will fail me
 if ,i attempt to go through all the    
different circumstances of which1 on    
these lines1 the false accuser will     
demand an explanation4 ,above all1      
whatever object he has kept concealed or
 stored under lock and key at home will 
be asserted by the same argument to be  
of a magical nature1 or will be dragged 
from its cupboard into the light of the 
law-court before the seat of judgement4 
#ee4 ,i might discourse at greater      
length on the nature and importance of  
such accusations1 on the wide range for 
slander that this path opens for        
,aemilianus1 on the floods of           
perspiration that this one poor         
handkerchief1 contrary to its natural   
duty1 will cause his innocent victims6  
,but ,i will follow the course ,i have  
already pursued4 ,i will acknowledge    
what there is no necessity for me to    
acknowledge1 and will answer            
,aemilianus' questions4 ,you ask1       
,aemilianus1 what ,i had in that        

handkerchief4 ,although ,i might deny   
that ,i had deposited any handkerchief  
of mine in ,pontianus' library1 or even 
admitting that it was true enough that  
,i did so deposit it1 ,i might still    
deny that there was anything wrapped up 
in it4 ,if ,i should take this line1 you
 have no evidence or argument whereby to
 refute me1 for there is no one who has 
ever handled it1 and only one freedman1 
according to your own assertion1 who has
 ever seen it4 ,still1 as far as ,i am  
concerned ,i will admit the cloth to    
have been full to bursting4 ,imagine    
yourself1 please1 to be on the brink of 
a great discovery1 like the comrades of 
,ulysses who thought they had found a   
treasure when they stole the bag that   
contained all the winds4 ,would you like
 me to tell you what ,i had wrapped up  
in a handkerchief and entrusted to the  
care of ,pontianus' household gods8 ,you
 shall have your will4 ,i have been     
initiated into various of the ,greek    
mysteries1 and preserve with the utmost 

care certain emblems and mementoes of my
 initiation with which the priests      
presented me4 ,there is nothing abnormal
 or unheard of in this4 ,those of you   
here present who have been initiated    
into the mysteries of father ,liber     
alone1 know what you keep hidden at     
home1 safe from all profane touch and   
the object of your silent veneration4   
,but ,i1 as ,i have said1 moved by my   
religious fervour and my desire to know 
the truth1 have learned mysteries of    
many a kind1 rites in great number1 and 
diverse ceremonies4 ,this is no         
invention on the spur of the moment2    
nearly three years since1 in a public   
discourse on the greatness of           
,aesculapius delivered by me during the 
first days of my residence at ,oea1 ,i  
made the same boast and recounted the   
number of the mysteries ,i knew4 ,that  
discourse was thronged1 has been read   
far and wide1 is in all men's hands1 and
 has won the affections of the pious    
inhabitants of ,oea not so much through 

any eloquence of mine as because it     
treats of ,aesculapius4 ,will any one1  
who chances to remember it1 repeat the  
beginning of that particular passage in 
my discourse8 ,you hear1 ,maximus1 how  
many voices supply the words4 ,i will   
order this same passage to be read      
aloud1 since by the courteous expression
 of your face you show that you will not
 be displeased to hear it4 7,the passage
 is read aloud47  #ef4 ,can any one1 who
 has the least remembrance of the nature
 of religious rites1 be surprised that  
one who has been initiated into so many 
holy mysteries should preserve at home  
certain talismans associated with these 
ceremonies1 and should wrap them in a   
linen cloth1 the purest of coverings for
 holy things8 ,for wool1 produced by the
 most stolid of creatures and stripped  
from the sheep's back1 the followers of 
,orpheus and ,pythagoras are for that   
very reason forbidden to wear as being  
unholy and unclean4 ,but flax1 the      
purest of all growths and among the best

 of all the fruits of the earth1 is used
 by the holy priests of ,egypt1 not only
 for clothing and raiment1 but as a veil
 for sacred things4 ,and yet ,i know    
that some persons1 among them that      
fellow ,aemilianus1 think it a good jest
 to mock at things divine4 ,for ,i learn
 from certain men of ,oea who know him1 
that to this day he has never prayed to 
any god or frequented any temple1 while 
if he chances to pass any shrine1 he    
regards it as a crime to raise his hand 
to his lips in token of reverence4 ,he  
has never given firstfruits of crops or 
vines or flocks to any of the gods of   
the farmer1 who feed him and clothe him2
 his farm holds no shrine1 no holy      
place1 nor grove4 ,but why do ,i speak  
of groves or shrines8 ,those who have   
been on his property say they never saw 
there one stone where offering of oil   
has been made1 one bough where wreaths  
have been hung4 ,as a result1 two       
nicknames have been given him3 he is    
called ,charon1 as ,i have said1 on     

account of his truculence of spirit and 
of countenance1 but he is also--and this
 is the name he prefers--called         
,mezentius1 because he despises the     
gods4 ,i therefore find it the easier to
 understand that he should regard my    
list of initiations in the light of a   
jest4 ,it is even possible that1 thanks 
to his rejection of things divine1 he   
may be unable to induce himself to      
believe that it is true that ,i guard so
 reverently so many emblems and relics  
of mysterious rites4 ,i care not a straw
 what ,mezentius may think of me2 but to
 others ,i make this announcement       
clearly and unshrinkingly4 ,if any of   
you that are here present had any part  
with me in these same solemn ceremonies1
 give a sign and you shall hear what it 
is ,i keep thus4 ,for no thought of     
personal safety shall induce me to      
reveal to the uninitiated the secrets   
that ,i have received and sworn to      
conceal4  #eg4 ,i have1 ,i think1       
,maximus1 said enough to satisfy the    

most prejudiced of men and1 as far as   
the handkerchief is concerned1 have     
cleared myself of every speck of guilt4 
,i shall run no risk in passing from the
 suspicions of ,aemilianus to the       
evidence of ,crassus1 which my accusers 
read out next as if it were of the      
utmost importance4 ,you heard them read 
from a written deposition1 the evidence 
of a gorging brute1 a hopeless glutton1 
named ,junius ,crassus1 that ,i         
performed certain nocturnal rites at his
 house in company with my friend ,appius
 ,quintianus1 who had taken lodgings    
there4 ,this1 mark you1 ,crassus says   
that he discovered 7in spite of the fact
 that he was as far away as ,alexandria 
at the time67 from finding the feathers 
of birds and traces of the smoke of a   
torch4 ,i suppose that while he was     
enjoying a round of festivities at      
,alexandria--for ,crassus is one who is 
ready even to encroach upon the daylight
 with his gluttonies--,i suppose1 ,i    
say1 that there from his reeking tavern 

he espied1 with eye keen as any         
fowler's1 feathers of birds wafted      
towards him from his house1 and saw the 
smoke of his home rising far off from   
his ancestral roof-tree4 ,if he saw this
 with his eyes1 he saw even further than
 ,ulysses prayed and yearned to see4    
,for ,ulysses spent years in gazing     
vainly from the shore to see the smoke  
rising from his home1 while ,crassus    
during a few months' absence from home  
succeeded1 without the least difficulty1
 in seeing this same smoke as he sat in 
a wine-shop6 ,if1 on the other hand1 it 
was his nose discerned the smoke1 he    
surpasses hounds and vultures in the    
keenness of his sense of smell4 ,for    
what hound1 what vulture hovering in the
 ,alexandrian sky1 could sniff out      
anything so far distant as ,oea8        
,crassus is1 ,i admit1 a gourmand of the
 first order1 and an expert in all the  
varied flavours of kitchen-smoke1 but in
 view of his love of drinking1 his only 
real title to fame1 it would have been  

easier for the fumes of his wine1 rather
 than the fumes of his chimney1 to reach
 him at ,alexandria4  #eh4 ,even he saw 
that this would pass belief4 ,for he is 
said to have sold this evidence before  
eight in the morning while he was still 
fasting from food and drink6 ,and so he 
wrote that he had made his discovery in 
the following manner4 ,on his return    
from ,alexandria he went straight to his
 house1 which ,quintianus had by this   
time left4 ,there in the entrance-hall  
he came across a large quantity of      
birds' feathers3 the walls1 moreover1   
were blackened with soot4 ,he asked the 
reason of this from the slave whom he   
had left at ,oea1 and the latter        
informed him of the nocturnal rites     
carried out by myself and ,quintianus4  
,what an ingenious lie6 ,what a probable
 invention6 ,that ,i1 had ,i wished to  
do anything of the sort1 should have    
done it there rather than in my own     
house6 ,that ,quintianus1 who is        
supporting me here to-day1 and whom ,i  

mention with the greatest respect and   
honour for the close love that binds him
 to me1 for his deep erudition and      
consummate eloquence1 that this same    
,quintianus1 supposing him to have dined
 off some birds or1 as they assert1     
killed them for magical purposes1 should
 have had no slave to sweep up the      
feathers and throw them out of doors6   
,or further that the smoke should have  
been strong enough to blacken the walls 
and that ,quintianus should have        
suffered such defacement of the room in 
which he slept1 while it was still in   
his occupation6 ,nonsense1 ,aemilianus6 
,there is no probability in the story1  
unless indeed ,crassus on his return    
went not to the bedroom1 but after his  
fashion made straight for the kitchen4  
,and what made his slave suspect that   
the walls had been blackened by night in
 particular8 ,was it the colour of the  
smoke8 ,does night smoke differ from day
 smoke in being darker8 ,and why did so 
suspicious and conscientious a slave    

allow ,quintianus to leave the house    
before having it cleaned8 ,why did those
 feathers lie like lead and await the   
arrival of ,crassus for so long8 ,let   
not ,crassus accuse his slave4 ,it is   
much more likely that he himself        
fabricated this mendacious nonsense     
about feathers and soot1 being unable   
even in his evidence to divorce himself 
further from his kitchen4  #ei4 ,and why
 did you read out this evidence from a  
written deposition8 ,where in the world 
is ,crassus8 ,has he returned to        
,alexandria out of disgust at the state 
of his house8 ,is he washing his walls8 
or1 as is more likely1 is the glutton   
feeling ill after his debauch8 ,i myself
 saw him yesterday here at ,sabrata     
hiccoughing in your face1 ,aemilianus1  
in the most conspicuous manner in the   
middle of the market-place4 ,pray1      
,maximus1 ask your slaves whose duty it 
is to keep you informed of people's     
names--although1 ,i admit1 ,crassus is  
better known to the keepers of          

taverns--yet ask them1 ,i say1 whether  
they have ever seen ,junius ,crassus1 a 
citizen of ,oea1 in this place4 ,they   
will answer 'yes'4 ,let ,aemilianus then
 produce this most admirable young man  
on whose testimony he relies4 ,you      
notice the time of day4 ,i tell you that
 ,crassus has long since been snoring in
 a drunken slumber or has taken a second
 bathe and is now evaporating the sweat 
of intoxication at the bath that he may 
be equal to a fresh drinking bout after 
supper4 ,he presents himself in writing 
only4 ,that is the way he speaks to you1
 ,maximus4 ,even he is not so dead to   
sense of shame as to be able to lie to  
your face without a blush4 ,but there is
 perhaps another reason for his absence4
 ,he may have been unable to abstain    
from the wine-cup#ag sufficiently long  
to keep sober against this moment2 or it
 may be that ,aemilianus took good care 
not to subject him to your severe and   
searching gaze1 lest you should damn the
 brute with his close-shaven cheeks and 

his disgusting appearance by a mere     
glance at his face1 when you saw a young
 man with his features stripped of the  
beard and hair that should adorn them1  
his eyes heavy with wine1 his lids      
swollen1 his broad#ah grin1 his         
slobbering lips1 his harsh voice1 his   
trembling hands1 his breath#ai reeking  
of the cook-shop4 ,he has long since    
devoured his fortune2 nothing is left   
him of his patrimony save a house that  
serves him for the sale of his false    
witness1 and never did he make a more   
remunerative contract than he has done  
with regard to this evidence he offers  
to-day4 ,for he sold ,aemilianus his    
drunken fictions for #c1jjj sesterces1  
as every one at ,oea is aware4          
,footnote #ag3 a bria 7,hildebrand74    
,footnote #ah3 rictum diductum 7,jahn74 
,footnote #ai3 ructus popinam           
7,pricaeus74  #fj4 ,we all knew of this 
before it actually took place4 ,i might 
have prevented the transaction by       
denouncing it1 but ,i knew that so      

foolish a lie would be prejudicial to   
,aemilianus1 who wasted his money to    
secure it1 rather than to myself1 who   
treated it with the contempt it         
deserved4 ,i wished not only that       
,aemilianus should lose his money1 but  
that ,crassus should have his reputation
 ruined by his disgraceful perjury4 ,it 
was but the day before yesterday that   
the transaction took place in the most  
open manner at the house of ,rufinus1 of
 whom ,i shall soon have something to   
say4 ,rufinus and ,calpurnianus acted as
 middlemen and arranged the bargain4#bj 
,the former carried out the task with   
all the more readiness because he was   
certain that his wife1 at whose         
misconduct he knowingly connives1 would 
be sure to recover from ,crassus a large
 proportion of his fee for perjury4 ,i  
noticed that you also1 ,maximus1        
suspected with your usual acuteness that
 they1 as soon as this written evidence 
was produced1 had formed a league and   
conspiracy against me2 and ,i saw from  

your face that the whole affair excited 
your disgust4 ,finally my accusers1 in  
spite of their being paragons of        
audacity and monsters of shamelessness1 
did not dare to read out ,crassus'      
evidence in full or to build anything   
upon it2 for they saw that at the       
mention of his name you smelt a rat4 ,i 
have mentioned these facts not because  
,i am afraid of these dreadful feathers 
and stains of soot--least of all with   
you to judge me--but that ,crassus might
 meet with due punishment for having    
sold mere smoke to a helpless rustic    
like ,aemilianus4  ,footnote #bj3       
depectoribus 7,kronenberg74  #fa4 ,their
 next#ba charge concerns the manufacture
 of a seal which they produced when they
 read ,pudentilla's letters4 ,this seal1
 they assert1 ,i had fashioned of the   
rarest wood by some secret process for  
purposes of the black art4 ,they add    
that1 although it is loathly and        
horrible to look upon1 being in the form
 of a skeleton1 ,i yet give it especial 

honour and call it in the ,greek tongue1
 ,greek3 basileus1 my king4 ,i think ,i 
am right in saying that ,i am following 
the various stages of their accusation  
in due order and reconstructing the     
whole fabric of their slander detail by 
detail4  ,footnote #ba3 inde            
7,acidalius74  ,now how can the         
manufacture of this seal have been      
secret1 as you assert1 when you are     
sufficiently well acquainted with the   
maker to have summoned him to appear in 
court8 ,here is ,cornelius ,saturninus1 
the artist1 a man whose skill is famous 
among his townsfolk and whose character 
is above reproach4 ,a little while back1
 in answer1 ,maximus1 to your careful   
cross-examination1 he explained the     
whole sequence of events in the most    
convincing and truthful manner4 ,he said
 that ,i visited his shop and1 after    
looking at many geometrical patterns all
 carved out of boxwood in the most      
cunning and ingenious manner1 was so    
much attracted by his skill that ,i     

asked him to make me certain mechanical 
devices and also begged him to make me  
the image of some god to which ,i might 
pray after my custom4 ,the particular   
god and the precise material ,i left to 
his choice1 my only stipulation being   
that it should be made of wood4 ,he     
therefore first attempted to work in    
boxwood4 ,meanwhile1 during my absence  
in the country1 ,sicinius ,pontianus1 my
 step-son1 wishing to gratify me1#bb    
procured some ebony tablets from that   
excellent lady ,capitolina and brought  
them to his shop1 exhorting him to make 
what ,i had ordered out of this rarer   
and more durable material3 such a gift1 
he said1 would be most gratifying to me4
 ,our artist did as ,pontianus          
suggested1 as far as the size of the    
ebony tablets permitted4 ,by careful    
dove-tailing of minute portions of the  
tablets he succeeded in making a small  
figure of ,mercury4  ,footnote #bb3     
gratum factum 7,van der ,vliet74  #fb4  
,you heard all the evidence just as ,i  

repeat it4 ,moreover it receives exact  
confirmation from the answers given to  
you in cross-examination by             
,capitolina's son1 a youth of the most  
excellent character1 who is here in     
court to-day4 ,he said that ,pontianus  
asked for the tablets1 that ,pontianus  
took them to the artist ,saturninus4    
,nor does he deny that ,pontianus       
received the completed signet from      
,saturninus and afterwards gave it me4  
,all these things have been openly and  
manifestly proved4 ,what remains1 in    
which any suspicion of sorcery can lie  
concealed8 ,nay1 what is there that does
 not absolutely convict you of obvious  
falsehood8 ,you said that the seal was  
of secret manufacture1 whereas          
,pontianus1 a distinguished member of   
the equestrian order1 gave the          
commission for it4 ,the figure was      
carved in public by ,saturninus as he   
sat in his shop4 ,he is a man of        
sterling character and recognized       
honesty4 ,the work was assisted by the  

munificence of a distinguished married  
lady1 and many both among the slaves and
 the acquaintances who frequented my    
house were aware both of the commission 
for the work and its execution4 ,you    
were not ashamed falsely to pretend that
 ,i had searched high and low for the   
requisite wood through all the town1    
although you know that ,i was absent    
from ,oea at that time1 and although it 
has been proved that ,i gave a free hand
 as to the material4  #fc4 ,your third  
lie was that the figure which was made  
was the lean1 eviscerated frame of a    
gruesome corpse1 utterly horrible and   
ghastly as any goblin4 ,if you had      
discovered such definite proof of my    
sorceries1 why did you not insist on my 
producing it in court8 ,was it that you 
might have complete freedom for         
inventing lies in the absence of the    
subject of your slanders8 ,if so1 the   
opportunity afforded you for mendacity  
has been lost you1 thanks to a certain  
habit of mine which comes in most       

opportunely4 ,it is my wont wherever ,i 
go to carry with me the image of some   
god hidden among my books and to pray to
 him on feast days with offerings of    
incense and wine and sometimes even of  
victims4 ,when1 therefore1 ,i heard     
persistent though outrageously          
mendacious assertions that the figure ,i
 carried was that of a skeleton1 ,i     
ordered some one to go and bring from my
 house my little image of ,mercury1 the 
same that ,saturninus had made for me at
 ,oea4 ,you there1 give it them6 ,let   
them see it1 hold it1 examine it4 ,there
 you see the image which that scoundrel 
called a skeleton4 ,do you hear these   
cries of protest that arise from all    
present8 ,do you hear the condemnation  
of your lie8 ,are you not at last       
ashamed of all your slanders8 ,is this a
 skeleton1 this a goblin1 is this the   
familiar spirit you asserted it to be8  
,is this a magic symbol or one that is  
common and ordinary8 ,take it1 ,i beg   
you1 ,maximus1 and examine it4 ,it is   

good that a holy thing should be        
entrusted to hands as pure and pious as 
yours4 ,see there1 how fair it is to    
view1 how full of all a wrestler's grace
 and vigour6 ,how cheerful is the god's 
face1 how comely the down that creeps on
 either side his cheeks1 how the curled 
hair shows upon his head beneath the    
shadow of his hat's brim1 how neatly the
 tiny pair of pinions project about his 
brows1 how daintily the cloak is drawn  
about his shoulders6 ,he who dares call 
this a skeleton1 either never sees an   
image of a god or if he does ignores it4
 ,indeed1 he who thinks this to         
represent a goblin must have goblins on 
the brain4  #fd4 ,but in return for that
 lie1 ,aemilianus1 may that same god who
 goes between the lords of heaven and   
the lords of hell grant you the hatred  
of the gods of either world and ever    
send to meet you the shadows of the dead
 with all the ghosts1 with all the      
fiends1 with all the spectres1 with all 
the goblins of all the world1 and thrust

 upon your eyes all the terror that     
walketh by night1 all the dread dwellers
 in the tomb1 all the horrors of the    
sepulchre1 although your age and        
character have brought you near enough  
to them already4 ,but we of the family  
of ,plato know naught save what is      
bright and joyous1 majestic and heavenly
 and of the world above us4 ,nay1 in its
 zeal to reach the heights of wisdom1   
the ,platonic school has explored       
regions higher than heaven itself and   
has stood triumphant on the outer       
circumference of this our universe4     
,maximus knows that ,i speak truth1 for 
in his careful study of the ,phaedrus he
 has read of the 'place that is higher  
than heaven1 being builded on heaven's  
back4' ,maximus also clearly            
understands--,i am now going to reply to
 your accusation about the name--who he 
is whom not ,i but ,plato was first to  
call the ',king'4 ',all things1' he     
says1 'depend upon the ,king of all     
things and for him only all things      

exist4' ,maximus knows who that ',king' 
is1 even the cause and reason and primal
 origin of all nature1 the lord and     
father of the soul1 the eternal saviour 
of all that lives1 the unwearying       
builder of his world4 ,yet builds he    
without labour1 yet saves he without    
care1 he is father without begetting1 he
 knows no limitation of space or time or
 change1 and therefore few may conceive 
and none may tell of his power4  #fe4 ,i
 will even go out of my way to aggravate
 the suspicion of sorcery2 ,i will not  
tell you1 ,aemilianus1 who it is that ,i
 worship as my king4 ,even if the       
proconsul should ask me himself who my  
god is1 ,i am dumb4  ,about the name ,i 
have said enough for the present4 ,for  
the rest ,i know that some of my        
audience are anxious to hear why ,i     
wanted the figure made not of silver or 
gold1 but only of wood1 though ,i think 
that their desire springs not so much   
from their anxiety to see me cleared of 
guilt as from eagerness for knowledge4  

,they would like to have this last doubt
 removed1 even although they see that ,i
 have amply rebutted all suspicion of   
any crime4 ,listen1 then1 you who would 
know1 but listen with all the sharpness 
and attention that you may1 for you are 
to hear the very words that ,plato wrote
 in his old age in the last book of the 
,laws4 ',the man of moderate means when 
he makes offerings to the gods should do
 so in proportion to his means4 ,now1   
earth and the household hearths of all  
men are holy to all the gods4 ,let no   
one therefore dedicate any shrines to   
the gods over and above these4' ,he     
forbids this with the purpose of        
preventing men from venturing to build  
private shrines2 for he thinks that the 
public temples suffice his citizens for 
the purposes of sacrifice4 ,he then     
continues1 ',gold and silver in other   
cities1 whether in the keeping of       
private persons or of temples1 are      
invidious possessions2 ivory taken from 
a body wherefrom the life has passed is 

not a welcome offering2 iron and bronze 
are instruments of war4 ,whatsoever a   
man dedicates1 let it be of wood and    
wood only1 or if it be of stone1 of     
stone only4' ,the general murmur of     
assent shows1 ,o ,maximus1 and you1     
gentlemen1 who have the honour to assist
 him1 that ,i am adjudged to have made  
admirable use of ,plato1 not only as a  
guide in life1 but as an advocate in    
court1 to whose instructions1 as you    
see1 ,i give implicit obedience4  #ff4  
,it is now time for me to turn first and
 foremost to the letters of ,pudentilla1
 or rather to retrace the whole course  
of events a little further back still4  
,for ,i desire to make it abundantly    
clear that ,i1 whom they keep accusing  
of having forced my way into            
,pudentilla's house solely through love 
of money1 ought really never to have    
come near that house1 had the thought of
 money ever crossed my mind4 ,my        
marriage has for many reasons brought me
 the reverse of prosperity and1 but for 

the fact that my wife's virtues are     
compensation for any number of          
disadvantages1 might be described as    
disastrous4  ,disappointment and envy   
are the sole causes that have involved  
me in this trial1 and even before that  
gathered many mortal perils about my    
path4 ,what motives for resentment has  
,aemilianus against me1 even assuming   
him to be correctly informed when he    
accuses me of magic8 ,no least word of  
mine has ever injured him in such a way 
as to give him the appearance of        
pursuing a just revenge4 ,it is         
certainly no lofty ambition that prompts
 him to accuse me1 ambition such as     
fired ,marcus ,antonius to accuse       
,cnaeus ,carbo1 ,caius ,mucius to accuse
 ,aulus ,albucius1 ,publius ,sulpicius  
to accuse ,cnaeus ,norbanus1 ,caius     
,furius to accuse ,manius ,aquilius1    
,caius ,curio to accuse ,quintus        
,metellus4 ,they were young men of      
admirable education and were led by     
ambition to undertake these accusations 

as the first step in a forensic career1 
that by the conduct of some cause       
celebre they might make themselves a    
name among their fellow citizens4 ,this 
privilege was conceded by antiquity to  
young men just entering public life as a
 means of winning glory for their       
youthful genius4 ,the custom has long   
since become obsolete1 but even if the  
practice were still common1 it would not
 apply to ,aemilianus4 ,it would not    
have been becoming to him to make any   
display of his eloquence1 for he is rude
 and unlettered2 nor to show a passion  
for renown1 since he is a mere barbarian
 bumpkin2 nor thus to open his career as
 an advocate1 for he is an old man on   
the brink of the grave4 ,the only       
hypothesis creditable to him would be   
that he is perhaps giving an example of 
his austerity of character and has      
undertaken this accusation through sheer
 hatred of wrongdoing and to assert his 
own integrity4 ,but ,i should hardly    
accept such an hypothesis even in the   

case of a greater ,aemilianus1 not our  
,african friend here1 but the conqueror 
of ,africa and ,numantia1 who held1     
moreover1 the office of censor at ,rome4
 ,much less will ,i believe that this   
dull blockhead1 ,i will not say1 hates  
sin1 but recognizes it when he sees it4 
#fg4 ,what then was his motive8 ,it is  
as clear as day to any one that envy is 
the sole motive that has spurred him and
 ,herennius ,rufinus1 his instigator--of
 whom ,i shall have more to say         
later--and the rest of my enemies1 to   
fabricate these false charges of        
sorcery4  ,well1 there are five points  
which ,i must discuss4 ,if ,i remember  
aright1 their accusations as regards    
,pudentilla were as follows4 ,firstly1  
they said that after the death of her   
first husband she resolutely set her    
face against re-marriage1 but was       
seduced by my incantations4 ,secondly1  
there are her letters1 which they regard
 as an admission that ,i used sorcery4  
,thirdly and fourthly1 they object that 

she made a love-match at the advanced   
age of sixty and that the marriage      
contract was sealed not in the town but 
at a country house4 ,lastly1 there is   
the most invidious of all these         
accusations1 namely1 that which concerns
 the dowry4 ,it is into this charge they
 have put all their force and all their 
venom2 it is this that vexes them most  
of all4 ,they assert that at the very   
outset of our wedded life ,i forced my  
devoted wife in the absolute seclusion  
of her country house to make over to me 
a large dowry4 ,i will show that all    
these statements are so false1 so       
worthless1 so unsubstantial1 and ,i     
shall refute them so easily and         
unquestionably1 that in good truth1     
,maximus1 and you1 gentlemen1 his       
assessors1 ,i fear you may think that ,i
 have suborned my accusers to bring     
these charges1 that ,i might have the   
opportunity of publicly dispelling the  
hatred of which ,i am the victim4 ,i    
will ask you to believe now1 what you   

will understand when the facts are      
before you1 that ,i shall need to put   
out all my strength to prevent you from 
thinking that such a baseless accusation
 is a cunning device of my own rather   
than a stupid enterprise of my enemies4 
#fh4 ,i shall now briefly retrace events
 and force ,aemilianus himself to admit1
 when he has heard the facts1 that his  
envy was groundless and that he has     
strayed far from the truth4 ,in the     
meantime ,i beg you1 as you have already
 done1 or if possible yet more than you 
have already done1 to give the best of  
your attention to me as ,i trace the    
whole case to its fount and source4     
,aemilia ,pudentilla1 now my wife1 was  
once the wife of a certain ,sicinius    
,amicus4 ,by him she had two sons1      
,pontianus and ,pudens4 ,these two boys 
were left by their father's death under 
the guardianship of their paternal      
grandfather--for ,amicus predeceased his
 father--and were brought up by their   
mother with remarkable care and         

affection for about fourteen years4 ,she
 was in the flower of her age1 and it   
was not of her own choosing that she    
remained a widow for so long4 ,but the  
boys' grandfather was eager that she    
should1 in spite of her reluctance1 take
 his son1 ,sicinius ,clarus1 for her    
second husband#bc and with this in view 
kept all other suitors at a distance4   
,he further threatened her that if she  
married elsewhere he would by his will  
exclude her sons from the possession of 
any of their father's heritage4 ,when   
she saw that nothing could move him to  
alter the condition that he had laid    
down1 such was her wisdom1 and so       
admirable her maternal affection1 that  
to prevent her sons' interests suffering
 any damage in this respect1 she made a 
contract of marriage with ,sicinius     
,clarus in accordance with her          
father-in-law's bidding1 but by various 
evasions managed to avoid the marriage  
until the boys' grandfather died1       
leaving them as his heirs1 with the     

result that ,pontianus1 the elder son1  
became his brother's guardian4          
,footnote #bc3 iterum 7,riese74  #fi4   
,she was now freed from all             
embarrassment1 and being sought in      
marriage by many distinguished persons  
resolved to remain a widow no longer4   
,the dreariness of her solitary life she
 might have borne1 but her bodily       
infirmities had become intolerable4     
,this chaste and saintly lady1 after so 
many years of blameless widowhood1      
without even a breath of scandal1 owing 
to her long absence from a husband's    
embraces1 began to suffer internal pains
 so severe that they brought her to the 
brink of the grave4 ,doctors and wise   
women agreed that the disease had its   
origin in her long widowhood1 that the  
evil was increasing daily and her       
sickness steadily assuming a more       
serious character2 the remedy was that  
she should marry before her youth       
finally departed from her4 ,there were  
many who welcomed this recommendation1  

but none more so than that fellow       
,aemilianus1 who a little while back    
asserted with the most unhesitating     
mendacity that ,pudentilla had never    
thought of marriage until ,i compelled  
her to be mine by my exercise of the    
black art2 that ,i alone had been found 
to outrage the virgin purity of her     
widowhood by incantations and love      
philtres4 ,i have often heard it said   
with truth that a liar should have a    
good memory4 ,had you forgotten1        
,aemilianus1 that before ,i came to     
,oea1 you wrote to her son ,pontianus1  
who had then attained to man's estate   
and was pursuing his studies at ,rome1  
suggesting that she should marry8 ,give 
me the letter1 or better give it to     
,aemilianus and let him refute himself  
in his own voice with his own words4    
,is this your letter8 ,why do you turn  
pale8 ,we know you are past blushing4   
,is this your signature8 ,read a little 
louder1 please1 that all may realize how
 his written words belie his speech and 

how much more he is at variance with    
himself than with me4  #gj4 ,did you1   
,aemilianus1 write what has just been   
read out8 ',i know that she is willing  
to marry and that she ought to do so1   
but ,i do not know the object of her    
choice4' ,you were right there4 ,you    
knew nothing about it4 ,for ,pudentilla1
 though she admitted that she wished to 
marry again1 said nothing to you about  
her suitor4 ,she knew the intrusive     
malignity of your nature too well4 ,but 
you still expected her to marry your    
brother ,clarus and were induced by your
 false hopes to go further and to urge  
her son to assent to the match4 ,and of 
course1 if she had wedded ,clarus1 a    
boorish and decrepit old man1 you would 
have asserted that she had long desired 
to marry him of her own free will       
without the intervention of any magic4  
,but now that she has married a young   
man of the elegance which you attribute 
to him1 you say that she had always     
refused to marry and must have done so  

under compulsion6 ,you did not know1 you
 villain1 that the letter you had       
written on the subject was being        
preserved1 you did not know that you    
would be convicted by your own          
testimony4 ,the fact is that            
,pudentilla1 knowing your changeableness
 and unreliability no less than your    
shamelessness and mendacity1 rather than
 forward the letter preferred to keep it
 as clear evidence of your intentions1  
and wrote a letter of her own on the    
same subject to her son ,pontianus at   
,rome1 in which she gave full reasons   
for her determination4 ,she told him    
pretty fully about the state of her     
health2 there was no longer any reason  
for her to persist in remaining a widow2
 she had so remained for thus long and  
had sacrificed her health solely to     
procure him the inheritance of his      
grandfather's fortune1 a fortune to     
which she had by the exercise of the    
greatest care made considerable         
additions3 ,pontianus himself was now by

 the grace of heaven ripe for marriage  
and his brother for the garb of manhood4
 ,she begged them to suffer her at      
length to solace her lonely existence   
and to relieve her ill health3 they need
 have no fears as to her final choice or
 as to her motherly affection2 she would
 still be as a wife what she had been as
 a widow4 ,i will order a copy of this  
letter to her son to be read aloud4     
7,the letter is read47  #ga4 ,this      
letter makes it1 ,i think1 sufficiently 
clear that it needed no incantations of 
mine to move ,pudentilla from her       
resolve to remain a widow1 but that she 
had been for some time by no means      
averse to marriage1 when she chose      
me--it may be in preference to others4  
,i cannot see why such a choice by so   
excellent a woman should be brought     
against me as matter for reproach rather
 than honour4 ,but ,i admit feeling     
surprise that ,aemilianus and ,rufinus  
should be annoyed at the lady's         
decision1 when those who were actually  

suitors for her hand acquiesce in her   
preference for myself4 ,she was indeed  
guided in making her choice less by her 
personal inclination than by the advice 
of her son1 a fact which ,aemilianus    
cannot deny4 ,for ,pontianus on         
receiving his mother's letter hastily   
flew hither from ,rome1 fearing that1 if
 the man of her choice proved to be     
avaricious1 she might1 as often happens1
 transfer her whole fortune to the house
 of her new husband4 ,this anxiety      
tormented him not a little4 ,all his own
 expectations of wealth together with   
those of his brother depended on his    
mother4 ,his grandfather had left but a 
moderate fortune1 his mother possessed  
#d1jjj1jjj sesterces4 ,of this sum1 it  
is true1 she owed a considerable portion
 to her sons1 but they had no security  
for this1 relying--naturally enough--on 
her word alone4 ,he gave but silent     
expression to his fears2 he did not     
venture to show any open opposition for 
fear of seeming to distrust her4  #gb4  

,things being in this delicate position 
owing to the matrimonial intentions of  
the mother and the fears of the son1    
chance or destiny brought me to ,oea on 
my way to ,alexandria4 ,did not my      
respect for my wife prevent me1 ,i would
 say ',would ,god it had never          
happened'4 ,it was winter when this     
occurred4 ,overcome by the fatigues of  
the journey1 ,i was laid up for a       
considerable number of days in the house
 of my friends the ,appii1 whom ,i name 
to show the affection and esteem with   
which ,i regard them4 ,there ,pontianus 
came to see me2 for not so very long    
before certain common friends had       
introduced him to me at ,athens1 and we 
had afterwards lodged together and come 
to know each other intimately4 ,he      
greeted me with the utmost courtesy1    
inquired anxiously after my health1 and 
touched dexterously on the subject of   
love4 ,for he thought that he had found 
an ideal husband for his mother to whom 
he could without the slightest risk     

entrust the whole fortune of the house4 
,at first he sounded me as to my        
inclinations in somewhat ambiguous      
language1 and seeing that ,i was        
desirous of resuming my journey and was 
not in the least disposed to take a     
wife1 he begged me at any rate to remain
 at ,oea for a little while1 as he      
himself was desirous of travelling with 
me4 ,since my physical infirmity had    
made it impossible for me to profit by  
the present winter1 he urged that it    
would be well to wait for the next owing
 to the danger presented by the passage 
of the ,syrtes and the risk of          
encountering wild beasts4 ,his urgent   
entreaty induced my friends the ,appii  
to allow me to leave them and to become 
his guest in his mother's house4 ,i     
should find the situation healthier1 he 
said1 and should get a freer view of the
 sea--a special attraction in my eyes4  
#gc4 ,he had shown the greatest         
eagerness in inducing me to come to this
 decision1 and strongly recommended his 

mother and his brother--that boy        
there--to my consideration4 ,i gave them
 some help in our common studies and a  
marked intimacy sprang up between us4   
,meanwhile ,i gradually recovered my    
health4 ,at the instance of my friends  
,i gave a discourse in public4 ,this    
took place in the basilica1 which was   
thronged by a vast audience4 ,i was     
greeted with many expressions of        
approval1 the audience shouted 'bravo6  
bravo6' like one man1 and besought me to
 remain and become a citizen of ,oea4   
,on the dispersal of the audience       
,pontianus approached me1 and by way of 
prelude said that such universal        
enthusiasm was nothing less than a sign 
from heaven4 ,he then revealed to me    
that it was his cherished design--with  
my permission--to bring about a match   
between myself and his mother1 for whose
 hand there were many suitors4 ,he added
 that ,i was the only friend in the     
world in whom he could put implicit     
trust and confidence4 ,if ,i were to    

refuse to undertake such a              
responsibility1 simply because it was no
 fair heiress that was offered me1 but a
 woman of plain appearance and the      
mother of children--if ,i were moved by 
these considerations and insisted on    
reserving myself for a more attractive  
and wealthier match1 my behaviour would 
be unworthy of a friend and a           
philosopher4 ,it would take too         
long--even if ,i were willing--to tell  
you what ,i replied and how long and how
 frequently we conversed on the subject1
 with how many pressing entreaties he   
plied me1 never ceasing until he finally
 won my consent4 ,i had had ample       
opportunity for observing ,pudentilla's 
character1 for ,i had lived for a whole 
year continually in her company and had 
realized how rich was her endowment of  
good qualities2 but my desire for travel
 led me to desire to refuse the match as
 an impediment4 ,but ,i soon began to   
love her for her virtues as ardently as 
though ,i had wooed her of my own       

initiative4 ,pontianus had also         
persuaded his mother to give me the     
preference over all her other suitors1  
and showed extraordinary eagerness for  
the marriage to take place at the       
earliest possible date4 ,we could       
scarcely induce him to consent to the   
very briefest postponement to such time 
as he himself should have taken a wife  
and his brother in due course have      
assumed the garb of manhood4 ,that done1
 we would be married at once4  #gd4     
,would to heaven it were possible       
without serious damage to my case to    
pass by what ,i have now to relate4 ,i  
freely forgave ,pontianus when he begged
 for pardon1 and ,i have no wish to seem
 to reproach him now for the fickleness 
of his conduct4 ,i acknowledge the truth
 of a circumstance brought against me by
 my accusers1 ,i admit that ,pontianus1 
after taking to himself a wife1 broke   
his pledged word and suddenly changed   
his mind2 that he tried to prevent the  
fulfilment of this project with no less 

obstinacy than he had shown zeal in     
forwarding it4 ,he was ready to make any
 sacrifice1 to go any lengths1 to       
prevent our marriage taking place4      
,nevertheless this discreditable change 
of attitude1 this deliberate quarrel    
with his mother1 must not be laid to his
 charge1 but to that of his             
father-in-law1 ,herennius ,rufinus1 whom
 you see before you1 a man than whom no 
more worthless1 wicked1 and             
grime-stained soul lives upon this      
earth4 ,i will--since ,i cannot avoid   
it--give a brief description of this    
man's character1 using such moderation  
as ,i may1 lest1 if ,i pass him by in   
silence1 the energy which he has shown  
in engineering this accusation against  
me should have been spent all in vain4  
,this is the man who poisoned that      
worthless boy against me1 who is the    
prime mover in this accusation1 who has 
hired advocates and bought witnesses4   
,this is the furnace in which all this  
calumny has been forged1 this the       

firebrand1 this the scourge that has    
driven ,aemilianus here to his task4 ,he
 makes it his boast before all men in   
the most extravagant language that it is
 through his machinations that my       
indictment has been procured4 ,in truth 
he has some reason for                  
self-congratulation4 ,for he is the     
organizer of every lawsuit1 the deviser 
of every perjury1 the architect of every
 lie1 the seed-ground of every          
wickedness1 the vile haunt and hideous  
habitation of lust and gluttony1 the    
mark of every scandal since his earliest
 years3 in boyhood1 ere he became so    
hideously bald1 the ready servant of the
 vilest vices2 in youth a stage dancer  
limp and nerveless enough in all        
conscience1 but1 they tell me1 clumsy   
and inartistic in his very effeminacy4  
,except for his immodesty he is said not
 to have possessed a single quality that
 should distinguish an actor4  #ge4 ,he 
is older now--,god's curse upon him6 ,i 
crave your pardon for my warmth of      

language4 ,but his house is the         
dwelling-place of panders1 his whole    
household foul with sin1 himself a man  
of infamous character1 his wife a       
harlot1 his sons like their parents4    
,his door night and day is battered with
 the kicks of wanton gallants1 his      
windows loud with the sound of loose    
serenades1 his dining-room wild with    
revel1 his bedchambers the haunt of     
adulterers4 ,for no one need fear to    
enter it save he who has no gift for the
 husband4 ,thus does he make an income  
from his own dishonour4 ,what else      
should the wretch do8 ,he has lost a    
considerable fortune1 though ,i admit   
that he only got that fortune           
unexpectedly through a fraudulent       
transaction on the part of his father4  
,the latter1 having borrowed money from 
a number of persons1 preferred to keep  
their money at the cost of his own good 
name4 ,bills poured in on every side    
with demands for payment4 ,every one    
that met him laid hands on him as though

 he were a madman4 ',steady1 now6' says 
he1 ',i can't find the cash4' ,so he    
resigned his golden rings and all the   
badges of his position in society and   
thus came to terms with his creditors4  
,but he had by a most ingenious fraud   
transferred the greater part of his     
property to his wife1 and so1 although  
he himself was needy1 ill-clad and      
protected by the very depth of his fall1
 managed to leave this same ,rufinus--,i
 am telling you the truth and nothing   
but the truth--no less than #c1jjj1jjj  
sesterces to be squandered on riotous   
living4 ,this was the sum that came to  
him unencumbered from his mother's      
property1 over and above the daily dowry
 brought him by his wife4 ,yet all this 
money has been ravenously devoured by   
this glutton in a few short years1 all  
this fortune has been destroyed by the  
infinite variety of his gormandizing2 so
 that you might really think him to be  
afraid of seeming in any way to be the  
gainer by his father's dishonesty4 ,this

 honourable fellow actually took care   
that what had been ill-gained should be 
ill-spent1 nor was anything left him    
from his too ample fortune1 save his    
depraved ambition and his boundless     
appetite4  #gf4 ,his wife1 however1 was 
getting old and worn out and refused to 
continue to support the whole household 
by her own dishonour4 ,but there was a  
daughter who1 at her mother's           
instigation1 was exhibited to all the   
wealthy young men1 but in vain4 ,had she
 not come across so easy a victim as    
,pontianus she would perhaps still have 
been sitting at home a widow who had    
never been a bride4 ,pontianus1 in spite
 of urgent attempts on our part to      
dissuade him1 gave her the right--false 
and illusory though it was--to be called
 a bride4 ,he did this knowing that1 but
 a short time before he married her1 she
 had been seduced and deserted by a     
young man of good family to whom she had
 been previously betrothed4 ,and so his 
new bride came to him1 not as other     

brides come1 but unabashed and          
undismayed1 her virtue lost1 her modesty
 gone1 her bridal-veil a mockery4 ,cast 
off by her previous lover1 she brought  
to her wedding the name without the     
purity of a maid4 ,she rode in a litter 
carried by eight slaves4 ,you who were  
present saw how impudently she made eyes
 at all the young and how immodestly she
 flaunted her charms4 ,who did not      
recognize her mother's pupil1 when they 
saw her dyed lips1 her rouged cheeks1   
and her lascivious eyes8 ,her dowry was 
borrowed1 every farthing of it1 on the  
eve of her wedding1 and was indeed      
greater than could be expected of so    
large and impoverished a family4  #gg4  
,but though ,rufinus' fortune is small1 
his hopes are boundless4 ,with avarice  
rivalled only by his need he had already
 devoured ,pudentilla's #d1jjj1jjj in   
vain anticipation4 ,with this in view he
 decided that ,i must be got out of the 
way1 in order that he might find fewer  
obstacles in his attempt to hoodwink the

 weak ,pontianus and the lonely         
,pudentilla4 ,he began1 therefore1 to   
upbraid his son-in-law for having       
betrothed his mother to me4 ,he urged   
him to draw back without delay from so  
perilous a path1 while there was yet    
time2 to keep his mother's fortune      
himself rather than deliberately        
transfer it to the keeping of a         
stranger4 ,he threatened that1 if he    
refused1 he would take away his         
daughter1 the device of an old hand to  
influence a young man in love4 ,to be   
brief1 he so wrought upon the           
simple-minded young man1 who was1       
moreover1 a slave to the charms of his  
new bride1 as to mould him to his will  
and move him from his purpose4          
,pontianus went to his mother and told  
her what ,rufinus had said to him4 ,but 
he made no impression on her steadfast  
character4 ,on the contrary1 she rebuked
 him for his fickleness and inconstancy1
 and it was no pleasant news he took    
back to his father-in-law4 ,his mother  

had shown a firmness of purpose not to  
be expected of one of her placid        
disposition1 and to make matters worse  
his expostulations had made her angry1  
which was likely seriously to increase  
her obstinacy3 in fact1 she had finally 
replied1 that it was no secret to her   
that his expostulations were instigated 
by ,rufinus1 a fact which made the      
support and assistance of a husband     
against his desperate greed all the more
 necessary to her4  #gh4 ,when he heard 
this1 the ruffian was stung to fury and 
burst into such wild and ungovernable   
rage that in the presence of her own son
 he heaped insults1 such as he might    
have used to his own wife1 on the purest
 and most modest of women4 ,in the      
presence of many witnesses1 whom1 if you
 desire it1 ,i will name1 he loudly     
denounced her as a wanton and myself as 
a sorcerer and poisoner1 threatening to 
murder me with his own hands4 ,i can    
hardly restrain my anger1 such fierce   
indignation fills my soul4 ,that you1   

the most effeminate of men1 should      
threaten any man with death at your     
hand6 ,your hand6 ,what hand6 ,the hand 
of ,philomela or ,medea or              
,clytemnestra8 ,why1 when you dance in  
those characters you show such          
contemptible timidity1 you are so       
frightened at the sight of steel1 that  
you will not even carry a property      
sword8 ,but ,i am digressing4           
,pudentilla1 seeing to her astonishment 
that her son had fallen lower than she  
could have deemed possible1 went into   
the country and by way of rebuke wrote  
him the notorious letter1 in which1     
according to my accusers1 she confessed 
that my magical practices had made her  
lose her reason and fall in love with   
me4 ,and yet1 ,maximus1 the day before  
yesterday at your command ,i took a copy
 of the letter in the presence of       
witnesses and of ,pontianus' secretary4 
,aemilianus also was there and          
countersigned the copy4 ,what is the    
result8 ,in contradiction to my         

accusers' assertion everything is found 
to tell in my favour4  #gi4 ,and yet1   
even if she had spoken somewhat strongly
 and had called me a magician1 it would 
be a reasonable explanation that she    
had1 in defending her conduct to her    
son1 preferred to allege compulsion on  
my part rather than her own inclination4
 ,is ,phaedra the only woman whom love  
has driven to write a lying letter8 ,is 
it not rather a device common to all    
women that1 when they have begun to feel
 strong desire for anything of this     
kind1 they should prefer to make        
themselves out the victims of           
compulsion8 ,but even supposing she had 
genuinely regarded me as a magician1    
would the mere fact of ,pudentilla's    
writing to that effect be a reason for  
actually regarding me as a magician8    
,you1 with all your arguments and your  
witnesses and your diffuse eloquence1   
have failed to prove me a magician4     
,could she prove it with one word8 ,a   
formal indictment1 written and signed   

before a judge1 is a far more weighty   
document than what is written in a      
private letter6 ,why do not you prove me
 a magician by my own deeds instead of  
having recourse to the mere words of    
another8 ,if your principle be followed1
 and whatever any one may have written  
in a letter under the influence of love 
or hatred be admitted as proof1 many a  
man will be indicted on the wildest     
charges4 ',pudentilla called you a      
magician in her letter2 therefore you   
are a magician6' ,if she had called me a
 consul1 would that make me one8 ,what  
if she had called me a painter1 a       
doctor1 or even an innocent man8 ,would 
you accept any of these statements1     
simply because she had made them8 ,you  
would accept none of them4 ,yet it is a 
gross injustice to believe a person when
 he speaks evil of another and to refuse
 to believe him when he speaks well4 ,it
 is a gross injustice that a letter     
should have power to destroy and not to 
save4 ',but1' says my accuser1 'she was 

out of her wits1 she loved you          
distractedly4' ,i will grant it for the 
moment4 ,but are all persons1 who are   
the objects of love1 magicians1 just    
because the person in love with them    
chances to say so in a letter8 ,if1     
indeed1 ,pudentilla wrote in a letter to
 another person what would clearly be   
prejudicial to myself1 ,i think she     
could hardly have been in love with me  
at the moment in question4  #hj4 ,tell  
me now1 what is your contention8 ,was   
she mad or sane when she wrote8 ,sane1  
do you say8 ,then she was not the victim
 of magic4 ,insane8 ,in that case she   
did not know what she was writing and   
must not be believed4 ,nay1 even        
supposing her to have been insane1 she  
would not have been aware of the fact4  
,for just as to say ',i am silent' is to
 make a fool of oneself1 since these    
very words actually break silence1 and  
the act of speaking impugns the         
substance of one's speech1 so it is even
 more absurd to say ',i am mad'4 ,it    

cannot be true unless the speaker knows 
what he says1 and he who knows what     
madness is1 is ipso facto sane4 ,for    
madness cannot know itself any more than
 blindness can see itself4 ,therefore   
,pudentilla was in possession of her    
senses1 if she thought she was out of   
them4 ,i could say more on this point1  
but enough of dialectic6 ,i will read   
out the letter which gives crying       
witness to a very different state of    
things and might indeed have been       
specially prepared to suit this         
particular trial4 ,take it and read it  
out until ,i interrupt4 7,the letter is 
read47  ,stop a moment before you go on 
to what follows4 ,we have come to the   
crucial point4 ,so far1 ,maximus1 as far
 at any rate as ,i have noticed1 the    
lady has made no mention of magic1 but  
has merely repeated in the same order   
the statements which ,i quoted a short  
time ago about her long widowhood1 the  
proposed remedy for her ill health1 her 
desire to marry1 the good report she had

 heard of me from ,pontianus1 his own   
advice that she should marry me in      
preference to others4  #ha4 ,so much for
 what has been read4 ,there remains a   
portion of the letter which1 although   
like the first part it was written in my
 defence1 also turns against me4 ,for   
although it was specially written to    
rebut the charge of magic brought       
against me1 a remarkable piece of       
ingenuity on the part of ,rufinus has   
altered its meaning and brought me into 
discredit with certain citizens of ,oea 
as being a proved sorcerer4 ,maximus1   
you have heard much from the lips of    
others1 you have learned yet more by    
reading1 and your own personal          
experience has taught you not a little4 
,but you will say that never yet have   
you come across such insidious cunning  
or such marvellous dexterity in crime4  
,what ,palamedes1 what ,sisyphus1 what  
,eurybates or ,phrynondas could ever    
have devised such guile8 ,all those whom
 ,i have mentioned1 together with all   

the notorious deceivers of history1     
would seem mere clowns and pantaloons1  
were they to attempt to match this one  
single instance of ,rufinus' craftiness4
 ,o miracle of lies6 ,o subtlety worthy 
of the prison and the stocks6 ,who could
 imagine that what was written as a     
defence could without the alteration of 
a single letter be transformed into an  
accusation6 ,good ,god6 it is           
incredible4 ,but ,i will make clear to  
you how the incredible came to pass4    
#hb4 ,the mother was rebuking her son   
because1 after extolling me to her as a 
model of all the virtues1 he now1 at    
,rufinus' instigation1 asserted that ,i 
was a magician4 ,the actual words were  
as follows3 ',apuleius is a magician and
 has bewitched me to love him4 ,come to 
me1 then1 while ,i am still in my       
senses6' ,these words1 which ,i have    
quoted in ,greek1 have been selected by 
,rufinus and separated from their       
context4 ,he has taken them round as a  
confession on the part of ,pudentilla1  

and1 with ,pontianus at his side all    
dissolved in tears1 has shown them      
through all the market-place1 allowing  
men only to read that portion which ,i  
have just cited and suppressing all that
 comes before and after4 ,his excuse was
 that the rest of the letter was too    
disgusting to be shown2 it was          
sufficient that publicity should be     
given to ,pudentilla's confession as to 
my sorcery4 ,what was the result8 ,every
 one thought it probable enough4 ,that  
very letter1 which was written to clear 
my character1 excited the most violent  
hatred against me amongst those who did 
not know the facts4 ,this foul villain  
went rushing about in the midst of the  
market-place like any bacchanal2 he kept
 opening the letter and proclaiming1    
',apuleius is a sorcerer6 ,she herself  
describes her feelings and her          
sufferings6 ,what more do you demand8'  
,there was no one to take my part and   
reply1 ',give us the whole letter1      
please6 ,let me see it all1 let me read 

it from beginning to end4 ,there are    
many things which1 produced apart from  
their context1 may seem open to a       
slanderous interpretation4 ,any speech  
may be attacked1 if a passage depending 
for its sense on what has preceded be   
robbed of its commencement1 or if       
phrases be expunged at will from the    
place they logically occupy1 or if what 
is written ironically be read out in    
such a tone as to make it seem a        
defamatory statement4' ,with what       
justice this protest or words to that   
effect might have been uttered the      
actual order of the letter will show4   
#hc4 ,now1 ,aemilianus1 try to remember 
whether the following were not the words
 of which1 together with myself1 you    
took a copy in the presence of          
witnesses1 ',for since ,i desired to    
marry for the reasons of which ,i told  
you1 you persuaded me to choose         
,apuleius in preference to all others1  
since you had a great admiration for him
 and were eager through me to become yet

 more intimate with him4 ,but now that  
certain ill-natured persons have brought
 accusations against us and attempt to  
dissuade you1 ,apuleius has suddenly    
become a magician and has bewitched me  
to love him4 ,come to me1 then1 while ,i
 am still in my senses4'  ,i ask you1   
,maximus1 if letters--some of which are 
actually called vocal#bd--;could find a 
voice1 if words1 as poets say1 could    
take them wings and fly1 would they not1
 when ,rufinus first made disingenuous  
excerpts from that letter1 read but a   
few lines and deliberately said nothing 
of much that bore a more favourable     
meaning1 would not the remaining letters
 have cried out that they were unjustly 
kept out of sight8 ,would not the words 
suppressed by ,rufinus have flown from  
his hands and filled the whole          
market-place with tumult1 crying that   
they too had been sent by ,pudentilla1  
they too had been entrusted with        
something to say1 and calling upon men  
to listen to them instead of giving ear 

to a dishonest villain who was          
attempting to prove a lie by means of   
another's letter8 for ,pudentilla had   
never accused ,apuleius of magic1 while 
,rufinus' accusation was tantamount to  
an acquittal4 ,all these things were not
 said then1 but now1 when they are of   
more effectual service to me1 their     
truth appears clearer than day4         
,rufinus1 your cunning stands revealed1 
your fraud stares us in the face1 your  
lies are laid bare2 truth dethroned for 
a while rises once more and slander     
sinks#be downward to the bottomless pit4
  ,footnote #bd3 i4e4 vowels4  ,footnote
 #be3 se ecfert--calumnia se mergit     
7,salmasius74  #hd4 ,you challenged me  
with ,pudentilla's letter3 with that    
letter ,i win the day4 ,if you like to  
hear the conclusion1 ,i will not grudge 
it you4 ,tell me1 what were the words   
with which she ended the letter1 that   
poor bewitched1 lunatic1 insane1        
infatuated lady8 ',i am not bewitched1  
,i am not in love2 it is my destiny4'#bf

 ,would you have anything more8         
,pudentilla throws your words in your   
teeth and publicly vindicates her sanity
 against your slanderous aspersions4    
,the motive or necessity of her         
marriage1 whichever it was1 she now     
ascribes to fate1 and between fate and  
magic there is a great gulf1 indeed they
 have absolutely nothing in common4 ,for
 if it be true that the destiny of each 
created thing is like a fierce torrent  
that may neither be stayed nor diverted1
 what power is left for magic drugs or  
incantations8 ,pudentilla1 therefore1   
not only denied that ,i was a magician1 
but denied the very existence of magic4 
,it is a good thing that ,pontianus1    
following his usual custom1 kept his    
mother's letter safe in its entirety3 it
 is a good thing that the speed with    
which this case has been hurried on left
 you no opportunity for adding to that  
letter at your leisure4 ,for this ,i    
have to thank you and your foresight1   
,maximus4 ,you saw through their        

slanders from the beginning and hurried 
on the case that they might not gather  
strength as the days went by2 you gave  
them no breathing space and wrecked     
their designs4 ,suppose now that the    
mother1 after her wont1 had made        
confession of her passion for me in some
 private letter to her son4 ,was it     
just1 ,rufinus1 was it consistent1 ,i   
will not say with filial piety but with 
common humanity1 that these letters     
should be circulated and1 above all1    
published and proclaimed abroad by her  
own son8 ,but perhaps ,i am no better   
than a fool to ask you to have regard   
for another's sense of decency when you 
have so long lost your own4  ,footnote  
#bf3 ,greek3 ten heimarmenen echo       
7,rossbach74  #he4 ,why should ,i only  
complain of what is past8 ,the present  
is equally distressing4 ,to think that  
this unhappy boy should have been so    
corrupted by you as to read aloud in the
 proconsular court1 before a man of such
 lofty character as ,claudius ,maximus1 

a letter from his mother1 which he      
chooses to regard as amatory1 and in the
 presence of the statues of the emperor 
,pius to accuse his mother of yielding  
to a shameful passion and reproach her  
with her amours8 ,who is there of such  
gentle temper1 but that this would wake 
him to fury8 ,vilest of creatures1 do   
you pry into your mother's heart in such
 matters1 do you watch her glances1     
count her sighs1 sound her affections1  
intercept her letters1 and accuse her of
 being in love8 ,do you seek to discover
 what she does in the privacy of her own
 chamber1 do you demand--,i will not say
 that she should be above love          
affairs--but that she should cease to be
 a woman8 ,cannot you conceive the      
possibility that she should show any    
affection save the affection of a mother
 for her son8 ,ah6 ,pudentilla1 you are 
unhappy in your offspring6 ,far better  
have been barren than have borne such   
children6 ,ill-omened were the long     
months through which you bore them in   

your womb and thankless your fourteen   
years of widowhood6 ,the viper1 ,i am   
told1 reaches the light of day only by  
gnawing through its mother's womb2 its  
parent must die ere it be born4 ,but    
your son is full-grown and the wounds he
 deals are far bitterer1 for they are   
inflicted on you while you yet live and 
see the light of day4 ,he insults your  
reserve1 he arraigns your modesty1 he   
wounds you to the heart and outrages    
your dearest affections4 ,is this the   
gratitude with which a dutiful son like 
yourself repays his mother for the life 
she gave him1 for the inheritance she   
won him1 for her long fourteen years of 
seclusion8 ,is the result of your       
uncle's teaching this1 that1 if you were
 sure your sons would be like yourself1 
you should be afraid to take a wife8    
,there is a well-known line       ,i    
hate the boy that's wise before his     
time4  ,yes1 and who would not loathe   
and detest a boy that is 'wicked before 
his time'1 when he sees you1 like some  

frightful portent1 old in sin but young 
in years1 with the bodily powers of a   
boy1 yet deep in guilt1 with the bright 
face of a child1 but with wickedness    
such as might match grey hairs8 ,nay1   
the most offensive thing about him is   
that his pernicious deeds go scot free2 
he is too young to punish1 yet old      
enough to do injury4 ,injury1 did ,i    
say8 ,no6 crime1 unfilial1 black1       
monstrous1 intolerable crime6  #hf4 ,the
 ,athenians1 when they captured the     
correspondence of their enemy1 ,philip  
of ,macedon1 and the letters were being 
read in public one by one1 out of       
reverence for the common rights of      
humanity forbade one letter to be read  
aloud1 a letter addressed by ,philip to 
his wife ,olympias4 ,they spared the    
enemy that they might not intrude on the
 privacy of husband and wife2 they      
placed the law that is common to all    
mankind above the claims of private     
vengeance4 ,so enemy dealt with enemy6  
,how have you dealt with the mother that

 bore you8 ,you see how close is my     
parallel4 ,yet you read out aloud       
letters written by your mother which1   
according to your assertion1 concern her
 love affairs1 and you do so before this
 gathering here assembled1 a gathering  
before which you would not dare to read 
the verses of some obscene poet1 even if
 bidden to do so1 but you would be      
restrained by some sense of shame4 ,nay1
 you would never have touched your      
mother's letters1 had you ever been in  
touch with letters in the wider sense of
 the term4 ,but you have also dared to  
submit a letter of your own to be read1 
a letter written about your mother in   
outrageously disrespectful1 abusive1 and
 unseemly language1 written too at a    
time when you were still being brought  
up under her loving care4 ,this letter  
you sent secretly to ,pontianus1 and you
 have now produced it to avoid the      
reproach of having sinned only once and 
to rescue so good a deed from           
oblivion6#bg ,poor fool1 do you not     

realize that your uncle permitted you to
 do this1 that he might clear himself in
 public estimation by using your letter 
as proof that even before you migrated  
to his house1 even at the time when you 
caressed your mother with false words of
 love1 you were already as cunning as   
any fox and devoid of all filial        
affection8  ,footnote #bg3 oblivio      
7,casaubon74  #hg4 ,i cannot bring      
myself to believe ,aemilianus such a    
fool as to think that the letter of a   
mere boy1 who is also one of my         
accusers1 could seriously tell against  
me4  ,there is also that forged letter  
by which they attempted to prove that ,i
 beguiled ,pudentilla with flattery4 ,i 
never wrote it and the forgery is not   
even plausible4 ,what need had ,i of    
flattery1 if ,i put my trust in magic8  
,and how did they secure possession of  
that letter which must1 as is usual in  
such affairs1 have been sent to         
,pudentilla by some confidential        
servant8 ,why1 again1 should ,i write in

 such faulty words1 such barbarous      
language1 ,i whom my accusers admit to  
be quite at home in ,greek8 ,and why    
should ,i seek to seduce her by flattery
 so absurd and coarse8 ,they themselves 
admit that ,i write amatory verse with  
sufficient sprightliness and skill4 ,the
 explanation is obvious to every one2 it
 is this4 ,he who could not read the    
letter which ,pudentilla wrote in ,greek
 altogether too refined for his         
comprehension1 found it easier to read  
this letter and set it off to greater   
advantage because it was his own4  ,one 
more point and ,i shall have said enough
 about the letters4 ,pudentilla1 after  
writing in jest and irony those words   
',come then1 while ,i am yet in my      
senses'1 sent for her sons and her      
daughter-in-law and lived with them for 
about two months4 ,i beg this most      
dutiful of sons to tell us whether he   
then noticed his mother's alleged       
madness to have affected for the worse  
either her words or her deeds4 ,let him 

deny that she showed the utmost         
shrewdness in her examination of the    
accounts of the bailiffs1 grooms1 and   
shepherds1 that she earnestly warned his
 brother ,pontianus to be on his guard  
against the designs of ,rufinus1 that   
she rebuked him severely for having     
freely published the letter she had sent
 him without having read it honestly as 
it was written6 ,let him deny that1     
after what ,i have just related to you1 
his mother married me in her country    
house1 as had been agreed some time     
previously6  #hh4 ,the reason for our   
decision to be married by preference at 
her country house not far from ,oea was 
to avoid a fresh concourse of citizens  
demanding largesse4 ,it was but a short 
time before that ,pudentilla had        
distributed #ej1jjj sesterces to the    
people on the occasion of ,pontianus'   
marriage and this boy's assumption of   
the garb of manhood4 ,we wished also to 
avoid the frequent and wearisome        
dinner-parties which custom generally   

imposes on newly-married couples4 ,this 
is the whole reason1 ,aemilianus1 why   
our marriage contract was signed not in 
the town but at a country house in the  
neighbourhood--to avoid squandering     
another #ej1jjj sesterces and to escape 
dining in your company or at your house4
 ,is that sufficient8 ,i must say that  
,i am surprised that you object so      
strongly to the country house1          
considering that you spend most of your 
time in the country4 ,the ,julian       
marriage-law nowhere contains a clause  
to the effect that no man shall wed in a
 country house4 ,indeed1 if you would   
know the truth1 it is of far better omen
 for the expectation of offspring that  
one should marry one's wife in a country
 house in preference to the town1 on    
rich soil in preference to barren       
ground1 on the greensward of the meadow 
rather than the pavement of the         
market-place4 ,she that would be a      
mother should marry in the very bosom of
 her mother1 among the standing crops1  

on the fruitful plough-land1 or she     
should lie beneath the elm that weds the
 vine1 on the very lap of mother earth1 
among the springing herbage1 the        
trailing vine-shoots and the budding    
trees4 ,i may add that the metaphor in  
the line so well known in comedy        
,that in the furrow children true be    
sown  bears out this view most strongly4
 ,the ancient ,romans also1 such as     
,quintius1 ,serranus and many others1   
were offered not only wives but         
consulships and dictatorships in the    
open field4 ,but ,i am becoming         
long-winded4 ,i will restrain myself for
 fear of gratifying you by my praise of 
country life4  #hi4 ,as to ,pudentilla's
 age1 concerning which you lied so      
boldly as to assert that she had married
 at the age of sixty1 ,i will reply in a
 few words4 ,it is not necessary to     
speak at length in discussing a matter  
where the truth is so obvious4  ,her    
father acknowledged her for his daughter
 in the usual fashion2 the documents in 

which he did so are preserved partly in 
the public record office1 partly in his 
house4 ,here they are before your very  
eyes4 ,please hand the documents to     
,aemilianus4 ,let him examine the linen 
strip that bears the seal2 let him      
recognize the seal stamped upon it1 let 
him read the names of the consuls for   
the year1 let him count up the years4   
,he gave her sixty years4 ,let him bring
 out the total at fifty-five1 admitting 
that he lied and gave her five too many4
 ,nay1 that is hardly enough4 ,i will   
deal yet more liberally with him4 ,he   
gave ,pudentilla such a number of years 
that ,i will reward him by returning    
ten4 ,mezentius has been wandering with 
,ulysses2 let him at least prove that   
she is fifty4 ,to cut the matter short1 
as ,i am dealing with an accuser who is 
used to multiplying by four1 ,i will    
multiply five years by four and subtract
 twenty years at one fell swoop4 ,i beg 
you1 ,maximus1 to order the number of   
consuls since her birth to be reckoned4 

,if ,i am not mistaken1 you will find   
that ,pudentilla has barely passed her  
fortieth year4 ,the insolent audacity of
 this falsehood6 ,twenty years' exile   
would be a worthy punishment for such   
mendacity6 ,your fiction has added a    
good half to the sum1 your fabrication  
is one and a half times the size of the 
original4 ,had you said thirty years    
when you ought to have said ten1 it     
might have been supposed that you had   
made a slip in the gesture used for your
 calculation1 that you had placed your  
forefinger against the middle joint of  
your thumb1 when you should have made   
them form a circle4 ,but whereas the    
gesture indicating forty is the simplest
 of all such gestures1 for you have     
merely to hold out the palm of your     
hand--you have increased the number by  
half as much again4 ,there is no room   
for an erroneous gesture2 the only      
possible hypothesis is that1 believing  
,pudentilla to be thirty1 you got your  
total by adding up the number of        

consuls1 two to each year4  #ij4 ,i have
 done with this4 ,i come now to the very
 heart of the accusation1 to the actual 
motive for the use of magic4 ,i ask     
,rufinus and ,aemilianus to answer me   
and tell me--even assuming that ,i am   
the most consummate magician--what had  
,i to gain by persuading ,pudentilla to 
marry me by means of my love philtres   
and my incantations4 ,i am well aware   
that many persons1 when accused of some 
crime or other1 even if it has been     
shown that there was some real motive   
for the offence1 have amply cleared     
themselves of guilt by this one line of 
defence1 that the whole record of their 
lives renders the suspicion of such a   
crime incredible and that even though   
there may have been strong temptation to
 sin1 the mere fact of the existence of 
the temptation should not be counted    
against them4 ,we have no right to      
assume that everything that might have  
been done actually has been done4       
,circumstances may alter2 the one true  

guide is a man's character2 the one sure
 indication that a charge should be     
rejected or believed is the fact that   
through all his life the accused has set
 his face towards vice or virtue as the 
case may be4 ,i might with the utmost   
justice put in such a plea for myself1  
but ,i waive my right in your favour1   
and shall think that ,i have made out   
but a poor case for myself1 if ,i do no 
more than amply clear myself of all your
 charges and show that there exists not 
the slightest ground for suspecting me  
of sorcery4 ,consider what confidence in
 my innocence and what contempt of you  
is implied by my conduct4 ,if you can   
discover one trivial reason that might  
have led me to woo ,pudentilla for the  
sake of some personal advantage1 if you 
can prove that ,i have made the very    
slightest profit out of my marriage1 ,i 
am ready to be any magician you         
please--the great ,carmendas himself or 
,damigeron or ,moses#bh of whom you have
 heard1 or ,jannes or ,apollobex or     

,dardanus himself or any sorcerer of    
note from the time of ,zoroaster and    
,ostanes till now4  ,footnote #bh3 is   
,moses 7,jan4 ,parrhasius74  #ia4 ,see1 
,maximus1 what a disturbance they have  
raised1 merely because ,i have mentioned
 a few magicians by name4 ,what am ,i to
 do with men so stupid and uncivilized8 
,shall ,i proceed to prove to you that  
,i have come across these names and many
 more in the course of my study of      
distinguished authors in the public     
libraries8 ,or shall ,i argue that the  
knowledge of the names of sorcerers is  
one thing1 participation in their art   
another1 and that it is not tantamount  
to confessing a crime to have one's     
brain well stored with learning and a   
memory retentive of its erudition8 ,or  
shall ,i take what is far the best      
course and1 relying on your learning1   
,maximus1 and your perfect erudition1   
disdain to reply to the accusations of  
these stupid and uncultivated fellows8  
,yes1 that is what ,i will do4 ,i will  

not care a straw for what they may      
think4 ,i will go on with the argument  
on which ,i had entered and will show   
that ,i had no motive for seducing      
,pudentilla into marriage by the use of 
love philtres4  ,my accusers have gone  
out of their way to make disparaging    
remarks both about her age and her      
appearance2 they have denounced me for  
desiring such a wife from motives of    
greed and robbing her of her vast and   
magnificent dowry at the very outset of 
our wedded life4 ,i do not intend to    
weary you1 ,maximus1 with a long reply  
on these points4 ,there is no need for  
words from me1 our deeds of settlement  
will speak more eloquently than ,i can  
do4 ,from them you will see that both in
 my provision for the future and in my  
action at the time my conduct was       
precisely the opposite of that which    
they have attributed to me1 inferring my
 rapacity from their own4 ,you will see 
that ,pudentilla's dowry was small1     
considering her wealth1 and was made    

over to me as a trust not as a gift1 and
 moreover that the marriage only took   
place on this condition that if my wife 
should die without leaving me any       
children1 the dowry should go to her    
sons ,pontianus and ,pudens1 while if at
 her death she should leave me one son  
or daughter1 half of the dowry was to go
 to the offspring of the second         
marriage1 the remainder to the sons of  
the first4  #ib4 ,this1 as ,i say1 ,i   
will prove from the actual deed of      
settlement4 ,it may be that ,aemilianus 
will still refuse to believe that the   
total sum recorded is only #cjj1jjj     
sesterces1 and that the reversion of    
this sum is given by the settlement to  
,pudentilla's sons4 ,take the deeds into
 your own hands1 give them to ,rufinus  
who incited you to this accusation4 ,let
 him read them1 let him blush for his   
arrogant temper and his pretentious     
beggary4 ,he is poor and ill-clad and   
borrowed #djj1jjj sesterces to dower his
 daughter1 while ,pudentilla1 a woman of

 fortune1 was content with #cjj1jjj1 and
 her husband1 who has often refused the 
hand of the richest heiresses1 is also  
content with this trifling dowry1 a mere
 nominal sum4 ,he cares for nothing save
 his wife and counts the mutual love and
 harmony of his wedded life as his sole 
treasure1 his only wealth4 ,who that had
 the least experience of life1 would    
dare to pass any censure if a widow of  
inconsiderable beauty and considerable  
age1 being desirous of marriage1 had by 
the offer of a large dowry and easy     
conditions invited a young man1 who1    
whether as regards appearance1 character
 or wealth1 was no despicable match1 to 
become her husband8 ,a beautiful maiden1
 even though she be poor1 is amply      
dowered4 ,for she brings to her husband 
a fresh untainted spirit1 the charm of  
her beauty1 the unblemished glory of her
 prime4 ,the very fact that she is a    
maiden is rightly and deservedly        
regarded by all husbands as the         
strongest recommendation4 ,for whatever 

else you receive as your wife's dowry   
you can1 when it pleases you and if you 
desire to feel yourself under no further
 obligation1 repay in full just as you  
received it2 you can count back the     
money1 restore the slaves1 leave the    
house1 abandon the estates4 ,virginity  
only1 once it has been given1 can never 
be repaid2 it is the one portion of the 
dowry that remains irrevocably with the 
husband4 ,a widow on the other hand1 if 
divorced1 leaves you as she came4 ,she  
brings you nothing that she cannot ask  
back1 she has been another's and is     
certainly far from tractable to your    
wishes2 she looks suspiciously on her   
new home1 while you regard her with     
suspicion because she has already been  
parted from one husband3 if it was by   
death she lost her husband1 the evil    
omen of her ill-starred union minimizes 
her attractions1 while1 if she left him 
by divorce1 she possesses one of two    
faults3 either she was so intolerable   
that she was divorced by her husband1 or

 so insolent as to divorce him4 ,it is  
for reasons of this kind among others   
that widows offer a larger dowry to     
attract suitors for their hands4        
,pudentilla would have done the same had
 she not found a philosopher indifferent
 to her dowry4  #ic4 ,consider4 ,if ,i  
had desired her from motives of avarice1
 what could have been more profitable to
 me in my attempt to make myself master 
in her house than the dissemination of  
strife between mother and sons1 the     
alienation of her children from her     
affections1 so that ,i might have       
unfettered and supreme control over her 
loneliness8 ,such would have been1 would
 it not1 the action of the brigand you  
pretend me to be4 ,but as a matter of   
fact ,i did all ,i could to promote1 to 
restore and foster quiet and harmony and
 family affection1 and not only         
abstained from sowing fresh feuds1 but  
utterly extinguished those already in   
existence4 ,i urged my wife--whose whole
 fortune according to my accusers ,i had

 by this time devoured--,i urged her and
 finally persuaded her1 when her sons   
demanded back the money of which ,i     
spoke above1 to pay over the whole sum  
at once in the shape of farms1 at a low 
valuation and at the price suggested by 
themselves1 and further to surrender    
from her own private property certain   
exceedingly fertile lands1 a large house
 richly decorated1 a great quantity of  
wheat1 barley1 wine and oil1 and other  
fruits of the earth1 together with not  
less than four hundred slaves and a     
large number of valuable cattle4        
,finally ,i persuaded her to abandon all
 claims on the portion she had given    
them and to give them good hopes of one 
day coming into the rest of the         
property4 ,all these concessions ,i     
extorted from ,pudentilla with          
difficulty and against her will--,i have
 her leave to tell the whole story as it
 happened--,i wrung them from her by my 
urgent entreaty1 though she was angry   
and reluctant4 ,i reconciled the mother 

with her sons1 and began my career as a 
step-father by enriching my step-sons   
with a large sum of money4  #id4 ,all   
,oea was aware of this4 ,every one      
execrated ,rufinus and extolled my      
conduct4 ,pontianus together with his   
very inferior brother had come to visit 
us1 before his mother had completed her 
donation4 ,he fell at our feet and      
implored us to forgive and forget all   
his past offences2 he wept1 kissed our  
hands and expressed his penitence for   
listening to ,rufinus and others like   
him4 ,he also most humbly begged me to  
make his excuses to the most honourable 
,lollianus ,avitus to whom ,i had       
recommended him not long before when he 
was beginning the study of oratory4 ,he 
had discovered that ,i had written to   
,avitus a few days previously a full    
account of all that had happened4 ,i    
granted him this request also and gave  
him a letter with which he set off to   
,carthage1 where ,lollianus ,avitus1 the
 term of his proconsulate having nearly 

expired1 was awaiting your arrival1     
,maximus4 ,after reading my letters he  
congratulated ,pontianus with the       
exquisite courtesy which always         
characterizes him for having so soon    
rectified his error and entrusted him   
with a reply4 ,ah6 what learning6 what  
wit6 what grace and charm dwelt in that 
reply6 ,only a 'good man and an orator' 
could have written it4 ,i know1         
,maximus1 that you will readily give a  
hearing to this letter4 ,indeed1 if it  
is to be read1 ,i will recite it myself4
 ,give me ,avitus' letter4 ,that ,i     
should have received it has always      
flattered me4 ,to-day it shall do more  
than flatter1 it shall save me6 ,you may
 let the water-clock continue1 for ,i   
would gladly read and re-read the letter
 of that excellent man to the third and 
fourth time at the cost of any amount of
 the time allowed me4 7,the letter is   
read47  #ie4 ,i know that after reading 
this letter ,i should bring my speech to
 a close4 ,for what ampler commendation1

 what purer testimony could ,i produce  
in my support1 what more eloquent       
advocacy8 ,i have in the course of my   
life listened with rapt attention to    
many eloquent ,romans1 but never have ,i
 admired any so much as ,avitus4 ,there 
is in my opinion no one living of any   
attainments or promise in oratory who   
would not far sooner be ,avitus1 if he  
compare him with himself impartially and
 without envy4 ,for practically all the 
different excellencies of oratory are   
united in him4 ,whatever speech ,avitus 
composes will be found so absolutely    
perfect and complete in all respects    
that it would satisfy ,cato by its      
dignity1 ,laelius with its smoothness1  
,gracchus with its energy1 ,caesar with 
its warmth1 ,hortensius with its        
arrangement1 ,calvus with its point1    
,sallust with its economy and ,cicero   
with its wealth of rhetoric4 ,in fact1  
not to go through all his merits1 if you
 were to hear ,avitus1 you would wish   
nothing added1 withdrawn or altered of  

anything that he says4  ,i see1         
,maximus1 with what pleasure you listen 
to the recital of the virtues which you 
recognize your friend ,avitus to        
possess4 ,your courtesy invited me to   
say a few words about him4 ,but ,i will 
not trespass on your kindness so far as 
to permit myself to commence a discourse
 on his extraordinary virtues at this   
period of the case4 ,it is wearing to   
its end and my powers are almost        
exhausted4 ,i will rather reserve the   
praise of ,avitus' virtues for some day 
when my time is free and my powers      
unimpaired4  #if4 ,now1 ,i grieve to    
say1 it is my duty to turn from the     
description of so great a man to discuss
 these pestilent fellows here4  ,do you 
dare then1 ,aemilianus1 to match        
yourself against ,avitus8 ,will you     
attack with accusations of magic and the
 black art him whom ,avitus describes as
 a good man1 and whose disposition he   
praises so warmly in his letter8 ,or    
have you greater reason to be vexed at  

my forcing my way into ,pudentilla's    
house and pillaging her goods than      
,pontianus would have had1 ,pontianus1  
who not only in my presence but even    
before ,avitus in my absence1 made      
amends for the strife of a few days that
 had sprung up between us at your       
instigation1 and expressed his gratitude
 to me in the presence of so great a    
man8 ,suppose ,i had read a report of   
what took place in ,avitus' presence    
instead of reading merely his letter4   
,what is there in the whole affair that 
could give you or any one else#bi a     
handle for accusing me8 ,pontianus      
himself considered himself in my debt   
for the money given him by his mother2  
,pontianus rejoiced with the utmost     
sincerity in his good fortune in having 
me for his step-father4 ,ah6 would that 
he had returned from ,carthage safe and 
sound6 or since it was not fated that   
that should be1 would that you1         
,rufinus1 had not poisoned his judgement
 at the last6 ,what gratitude he would  

have expressed to me either personally  
or in his will6 ,however1 as things are1
 ,i beg you1 ,maximus1--it will not take
 long--to allow the reading of these    
letters full of expressions of respect  
and affection for myself1 which he sent 
me1 some of them from ,carthage1 some as
 he drew near on his homeward journey1  
some written while he still enjoyed his 
health1 and some when the sickness was  
already upon him4 ,thus his brother1 my 
accuser1 will realize with what#cj lack 
of success he pursues his literary      
studies compared with his brother of    
blessed memory4 7,pontianus' letters are
 read47  ,footnote #bi3 quas vel tu vel 
quisquis 7,van der ,vliet74 ,there is no
 doubt as to the sense required3 the    
precise correction must remain doubtful4
  ,footnote #cj3 quam in omnibus minor  
,minervae 7,h4,e4,b474  #ig4 ,did you   
hear the phrases which your brother     
,pontianus used in speaking of me8 ,he  
called me his father1 his master1 his   
instructor not only on various occasions

 in his lifetime but actually on his    
deathbed4 ,i might follow this#ca by    
producing similar letters from you1 if  
,i thought that the delay thus caused   
would be worth while4 ,but ,i should    
prefer to produce your brother's recent 
will1 unfinished though it may be1 in   
which he made most dutiful and          
respectful mention of myself4 ,but      
,rufinus never allowed this will to be  
drawn up or completed owing to his      
chagrin at the loss of the inheritance  
which he had regarded in the light of a 
rich payment#cb for his daughter's      
embraces during the few months in which 
he was ,pontianus' father-in-law4 ,he   
had further consulted certain ,chaldean 
soothsayers as to what profit his       
daughter1 whom he regarded in the light 
of an investment1 would bring him in4   
,they1 ,i am told1 prophesied           
truly--would they had not--that her     
first husband would die in a few months4
 ,the rest of the prophecy dealing with 
the inheritance was as usual fabricated 

to suit the desires of their client4    
,but ,rufinus gaped for his prey in vain
 like a wild beast that has gone blind4 
,for ,pontianus not only did not leave  
,rufinus' daughter as his heir--he had  
discovered her evil character--but he   
did not even make her a respectable     
legacy4 ,he left her by way of insult   
linen to the value of #bjj denarii1 to  
show that he had not forgotten or       
ignored her1 but that he set this value 
on her as an expression of his          
resentment4 ,as his heirs--in this just 
as in the former will which has been    
read aloud--he appointed his mother and 
his brother1 against whom1 mere boy as  
he is1 ,rufinus is1 as you see1 bringing
 his old artillery into play3 ,i refer  
to his daughter4 ,he thrusts her upon   
his embraces although she is            
considerably his elder and but a brief  
while ago was his brother's wife4       
,footnote #ca3 post quae 7,beyte74      
,footnote #cb3 ,omitting ,helm's        
insertion of praemium after quam4  #ih4 

,pudens was so captivated and possessed 
by the charms of that harlot and by the 
beguiling words of the pander1 her      
father1 that the moment his brother had 
breathed his last1 he left his mother   
and migrated to his uncle's house4 ,the 
design was to facilitate the carrying   
out of the schemes already afoot by     
removing him from our influence4 ,for   
,aemilianus is backing ,rufinus and     
desires his success4 7,a movement among 
the audience47 ,ah6 ,thank you6 ,you    
rightly remind me that this excellent   
uncle has hopes of his own mixed up in  
this affair1 for he knows that if this  
boy dies intestate he will be his       
heir-at-law1 whatever he may be in point
 of equity4 ,i wish ,i had not let this 
slip4 ,i am a man of great self-control 
and it is not my way to blurt out openly
 the silent suspicions that must have   
occurred to every one4 ,you did wrong in
 suggesting this point to me4 ,but to be
 frank1 if you will have the truth1 many
 have been wondering at the sudden      

affection which you1 ,aemilianus1 have  
begun to show for this boy since the    
death of his brother ,pontianus1 whereas
 formerly you were such a stranger to   
him that frequently1 even when you met  
him1 you failed to recognize the face of
 your brother's son4 ,but now you show  
yourself so patient towards him1 you so 
spoil him by your indulgence and grant  
his every whim to such an extent that   
your conduct makes the more suspicious  
think their suspicions well grounded4   
,you took him from us a mere boy and    
straightway gave him the garb of        
manhood4 ,while he was under our        
guardianship1 he used to go to school3  
now he has bidden a long farewell to    
study and betaken himself to the        
delights of the tavern4 ,he despises    
serious friends1 and1 boy as he is1     
spends his tender years in revelling    
with the most abandoned youths among    
harlots and wine-cups4 ,he rules your   
house1 orders your slaves1 directs your 
banquets4 ,he is a frequent visitor to  

the gladiatorial school and there--as a 
boy of position should6--he learns from 
the keeper of the school the names of   
the gladiators1 the fights they have    
fought1 the wounds they have received4  
,he never speaks any language save      
,punic1 and though he may occasionally  
use a ,greek word picked up from his    
mother1 he neither will nor can speak   
,latin4 ,you heard1 ,maximus1 a little  
while ago1 you heard my step-son--oh6   
the shame of it6--the brother of that   
eloquent young fellow ,pontianus1 hardly
 able to stammer out single syllables1  
when you asked him whether his mother   
had given himself and his brother the   
gifts which1 as ,i told you just now1   
she actually gave them with my hearty   
support4  #ii4 ,i call you1 therefore1  
,claudius ,maximus1 and you1 gentlemen1 
his assessors1 and you that with me     
stand before this tribunal1 to bear     
witness that this boy's disgraceful     
falling away in morals is due to his    
uncle here and that candidate for the   

privilege of becoming his father-in-law1
 and that ,i shall henceforth count it a
 blessing that such a step-son has      
lifted the burden of superintending him 
from my shoulders1 and that from this   
day forth ,i will never intercede for   
him with his mother4 ,for recently--,i  
had almost forgotten to mention it--when
 ,pudentilla1 who had fallen ill after  
the death of her son ,pontianus1 was    
writing her will1 ,i had a prolonged    
struggle to prevent her disinheriting   
this boy on account of the outrageous   
insult and injury he had inflicted on   
her4 ,i prayed her with the utmost      
earnestness to erase that most important
 clause1 which1 ,i can assure you1 she  
had already written1 every word of it6  
,finally1 ,i even threatened to leave   
her1 if she refused to accede to my     
request1 and begged her to grant me this
 boon1 to conquer her wicked son by     
kindness1 and to save me from all the   
ill feeling which her action would      
create4 ,i did not desist till she      

complied4 ,i regret that ,i should have 
smoothed ,aemilianus' way for him and   
showed him such an unexpected path#cc to
 wealth4 ,look1 ,maximus1 see how       
confused he is at hearing this1 see how 
he casts his eyes upon the ground4 ,he  
had not unnaturally expected something  
very different4 ,he knew that my wife   
was angry with her son on account of his
 insolent behaviour and that she        
returned my devotion4 ,he had reason    
also for fear in regard to myself2 for  
any one else1 even if like myself he had
 been above coveting the inheritance1   
would gladly have seen so undutiful a   
step-son punished4 ,it was this anxiety 
above all others that spurred them on to
 accuse me4 ,their own avarice led them 
falsely to conjecture that the whole    
inheritance had been left to me4 ,as far
 as the past is concerned1 ,i will      
dispel your fears on that point4 ,i was 
proof against the temptation both of    
enriching myself and of revenging       
myself4 ,i--a step-father1 mind         

you--contended for my wicked step-son   
with his mother1 as a father might      
contend against a stepmother in the     
interests of a virtuous son2 nor did ,i 
rest satisfied till1 with a perfectly   
extravagant sense of fairness1 ,i had   
restrained my good wife's lavish        
generosity towards myself4  ,footnote   
#cc3 semitam 7codd4 inferiores74  #ajj4 
,give me the will which was made in the 
interests of so unfilial a son by his   
mother4 ,each word of it was preceded by
 an entreaty from myself1 whom my       
accusers speak of as a mere robber4     
,order the tablets to be broken open1   
,maximus4 ,you will find that her son is
 the heir1 that ,i get nothing save some
 trifling complimentary legacy inserted 
to avoid the non-appearance of my name1 
the husband's name1 mark you1 in my     
wife's will1 supposing she succumbed to 
any of the ills to which this flesh is  
heir4 ,take up your mother's will4 ,you 
are right1 in one respect it is         
undutiful4 ,she excludes her devoted    

husband from the inheritance in favour  
of her most unfilial son8 ,nay1 it is   
not her son to whom she leaves her      
fortune2 she leaves it rather to the    
greedy ,aemilianus and the matchmaking  
,rufinus and that drunken gang1 that    
hang about you and prey upon you4 ,take 
it1 ,o best of sons6 ,lay aside your    
mother's love-letters for a while and   
read her will instead4 ,if she ever     
wrote anything while not in her right   
mind1 you will find it here1 nor will   
you have to go far to find it4 ',let    
,sicinius ,pudens1 my son1 be my heir4' 
,i admit it6 he who reads this1 will    
think it insanity4 ,is this same son    
your heir1 who at his own brother's     
funeral attempted with the help of a    
gang of the most abandoned youths to    
shut you out of the house which you     
yourself had given him1 who is so deeply
 and bitterly incensed to find that his 
brother left you co-heir with himself1  
who hastened to desert you when you were
 plunged in grief and mourning1 and fled

 from your bosom to ,aemilianus and     
,rufinus1 who afterwards uttered many   
insults against you to your face1 and   
manufactured others with the help of his
 uncle1 who has dragged your name       
through the law-courts1 has attempted by
 using your own letters publicly to     
besmirch your fair fame1 and has accused
 upon a capital charge the husband of   
your choice1 with whom1 as ,pudens      
himself objected1 you were madly in     
love6 ,open the will1 my good boy1 open 
it1 ,i beg you4 ,you will find it easier
 then to prove your mother's insanity4  
,why do you draw back8 ,why do you      
refuse to look at it1 now that you are  
free from all anxiety about the         
inheritance of your mother's fortune8   
#aja4 ,he may do as he likes1 ,maximus1 
but for my part ,i cast these tablets at
 your feet and call you to witness that 
henceforth ,i shall show greater        
indifference as to what ,pudentilla may 
write in her will4 ,he may approach his 
mother himself for the future2 he has   

made it impossible for me to plead for  
him again4 ,he is now a man and his own 
master2 henceforth let him himself      
dictate to his mother the terms#cd of an
 unpalatable will1 himself smooth away  
her anger4 ,he who can plead in court1  
will be able to plead with his mother4  
,i am more than satisfied not only to   
have refuted the miscellaneous          
accusations brought against myself1 but 
also to have utterly swept away the     
hateful charge on which the whole trial 
is based1 the charge of having attempted
 to secure the inheritance for myself4  
,footnote #cd3 ,omit qui inserted by    
,helm after ut4  ,i will bring one final
 proof to show the falsity of that last 
charge before ,i bring my speech to a   
close4 ,i wish to pass nothing over in  
silence4 ,you asserted that ,i bought a 
most excellent farm in my own name1 but 
with a large sum of money which belonged
 to my wife4 ,i say that a tiny property
 was bought for #fj1jjj sesterces1 and  
bought not by me but by ,pudentilla in  

her own name1 that ,pudentilla's name is
 in the deed of sale1 and that the taxes
 paid on the land are paid in the name  
of ,pudentilla4 ,the honourable         
,corvinus ,celer1 the state treasurer to
 whom the tax is paid1 is here in court4
 ,cassius ,longinus also is present1 my 
wife's guardian and trustee1 a man of   
the loftiest and most irreproachable    
character4 ,i cannot speak of him save  
with the deepest respect4 ,ask him1     
,maximus1 what was the purchase which he
 authorized1 and what was the trifling  
sum for which this wealthy lady bought  
her little estate4 7,cassius ,longinus  
and ,corvinus ,celer give evidence47    
,is it as ,i said8 ,is my name ever     
mentioned in the deed of sale8 ,is the  
price paid for this trifling property   
such as should excite any prejudice     
against me1 or did my wife give me even 
so much as this small gift8  #ajb4 ,what
 is there left1 ,aemilianus1 that in    
your opinion ,i have failed to refute8  
,what had ,i to gain by my magic that   

should lead me to attempt to win        
,pudentilla by love-philtres8 ,what had 
,i to gain from her8 ,a small dowry     
instead of a large one8 ,truly my       
incantations were miraculous4 ,that she 
should refund her dowry to her sons     
rather than leave it in my possession8  
,what magic can surpass this8 ,that she 
should at my exhortation present the    
bulk of her property to her sons and    
leave me nothing1 although before her   
marriage with myself she had shown them 
no special generosity8 ,what a criminal 
use of love-philtres6 or perhaps ,i had 
better call it a generous action which  
has not received its deserts6 ,by her   
will1 which she drew up in a fit of     
violent irritation against her son1 she 
leaves as her heir that same son with   
whom she had quarrelled1 rather than    
myself to whom she was devoted6 ,for all
 my incantations it was only with       
difficulty that ,i persuaded her to     
this4 ,suppose that you were pleading   
your case1 not before ,claudius         

,maximus1 a man of the utmost fairness  
and unswerving justice1 but before a    
judge of depraved morals and of         
ferocious temper1 one in fact who       
naturally inclined to the side of the   
accuser and was only too ready to       
condemn the accused6 ,give him some hint
 to follow6 ,give him even the slightest
 reasonable opportunity for declaring in
 your favour6 ,at least invent          
something1 devise some suitable reply to
 questions such as have been put to you4
 ,nay1 since every action must          
necessarily have some motive1 answer me 
this1 you who say that ,apuleius tried  
to influence ,pudentilla's heart by     
magical charms1 answer me this6 ,what   
did he seek to get from her by so doing8
 ,was he in love with her beauty8 ,you  
say not6 ,did he covet her wealth8 ,the 
evidence of the marriage settlement     
denies it1 the evidence of the deed of  
gift denies it1 the evidence of the will
 denies it6 ,it shows not only that ,i  
did not court the generosity of my wife1

 but that ,i even repulsed it with some 
severity4 ,what other motives can you   
allege8 ,why are you struck dumb8 ,why  
this silence8 ,what has become of that  
ferocious utterance with which you      
opened the indictment1 couched in the   
name of my step-son8 ',this is the man1 
most excellent ,maximus1 whom ,i have   
resolved to indict before you4'  #ajc4  
,why did you not add ',he whom ,i indict
 is my teacher1 my step-father1 my      
mediator'8 ,but how did you proceed8    
',he is guilty of the most palpable and 
numerous sorceries4' ,produce one of    
these many sorceries or at least some   
doubtful instance from those which you  
style so palpable4 ,nay1 see whether ,i 
cannot reply to your various charges    
with two words to each4 ',you clean your
 teeth4' ,excusable cleanliness4 ',you  
look into mirrors4' ,philosophers       
should4 ',you write verse4' ',tis       
permitted4 ',you examine fish4'         
,following ,aristotle4 ',you worship a  
piece of wood4' ,so ,plato4 ',you marry 

a wife4' ,obeying law4 ',she is older   
than you4' ,nothing commoner4 ',you     
married for money4' ,take the           
marriage-settlement1 remember the deed  
of gift1 read the will6  ,if ,i have    
rebutted all their charges1 word by     
word1 if ,i have refuted all their      
slanders1 if ,i am beyond reproach1 not 
only as regards their accusations but   
also as regards their vulgar abuse1 if  
,i have done nothing to impair the      
honour of philosophy1 which is dearer to
 me than my own safety1 but on the      
contrary have smitten my adversary hip  
and thigh and vanquished him at all     
points1 if all my contentions are true1 
,i can await your estimate of my        
character with the same confidence with 
which ,i await the exercise of your     
power2 for ,i regard it as less serious 
and less terrible to be condemned by the
 proconsul than to incur the disapproval
 of so good and so perfect a man4       
,,the ,,florida   ,the exordium to a    
discourse delivered in a town through   

which ,apuleius passes in the course of 
a journey4  #a4 ,it is the usual        
practice of wayfarers with a religious  
disposition1 when they come upon a      
sacred grove or holy place by the       
roadside1 to utter a prayer1 to offer an
 apple1 and pause for a moment from     
their journeying4 ,so ,i1 on entering   
the revered walls of your city1 feel    
that1 for all my haste1 it is my duty to
 ask your favour1 to make an address1   
and to break the speed of my journey4 ,i
 cannot conceive aught that could give a
 traveller juster cause to halt in sign 
of reverence2 no altar crowned with     
flowers1 no grotto shadowed with        
foliage1#ce no oak bedecked with horns1 
no beech garlanded with the skins of    
beasts1 no mound whose engirdling hedge 
proclaims its sanctity1 no tree-trunk   
hewn into the semblance of a god1 no    
turf still wet with libations1 no stone 
astream with precious unguents4 ,for    
these are but small things1 and though  
there be a few that seek them out and do

 them worship1 the majority note them   
not and pass them by4  ,footnote #ce3   
frondibus1 cod4 ,florent4 #bi4 #b man4  
primi correctoris4   ,man's sight       
compared with that of the eagle4  #b4   
,but such was not the opinion of my     
master ,socrates4 ,for once when he saw 
a youth of handsome appearance who      
remained for a long time without        
uttering a syllable1 he said to him1    
',say something1 that ,i may see what   
you are like4' ,for ,socrates felt that 
a man who spoke not at all was in a     
sense invisible1 since he held that it  
was not with the bodily vision1 but with
 the mind's eye and the sight of the    
soul that men should be regarded4 ,in   
this he disagreed with the soldier in   
,plautus1 who says1       ,one man that 
has eyes is better by far as a witness  
than      ten that have ears4  ,indeed1 
for the purpose of examining men he had 
practically reversed the meaning of the 
line to       ,one man that has ears is 
better by far as a witness than      ten

 that have eyes4  ,moreover1 if the     
judgements of the eye were of greater   
value than those of the soul1 we should 
assuredly have to yield the palm for    
wisdom to the eagle4 ,for we men cannot 
see things far removed from us nor yet  
things that are very near us1 but all of
 us to a certain extent are blind4 ,and 
if you confine us to the eyes alone with
 their dim earthly vision1 the words of 
the great poet will be very true1 that a
 cloud as it were is shed upon our eyes 
and we cannot see beyond a stone's cast4
 ,the eagle1 on the other hand1 soars   
exceeding high in heaven to the very    
clouds1 and rides on his pinions through
 all that space where there is rain and 
snow1 regions beyond whose heights      
thunderbolts and lightnings have no     
place1 even to the very floor of heaven 
and the topmost verge of the storms of  
earth4 ,and having towered thus high1   
with gentle motion he turns his great   
body to glide to left or right1         
directing his wings1 that are as sails1 

whither he will by the movement of his  
tail1 which1 small though it be1 serves 
as a rudder4 ,thence he gazes down on   
the world1 staying awhile in that far   
height#cf the ceaseless oarage of his   
wings and1 poised almost motionless with
 hovering flight1 looks all around him  
and seeks what prey he shall choose     
whereon to swoop#cg sudden like a       
thunderbolt from heaven on high4 ,in one
 glance he sees all cattle in the field1
 all beasts upon the mountains1 all men 
in their cities1 all threatened at once 
by his intended swoop1 and thence he    
falls to pierce with his beak and clutch
 with his claws the unsuspecting lamb1  
the timid hare1 or whatsoever living    
creature chance offers to his hunger or 
his talons4  ,footnote #cf3 inhibens    
7,heinsius7 pinnarum eminus 7,,mss474   
,footnote #cg3 fulminis vicem de caelo  
improvisa1 simul4 ,van der ,vliet places
 a comma after vicem and gives none     
after improvisa4   ,the story of        
,marsyas and his challenge to ,apollo4  

#c4 ,hyagnis1 according to tradition1   
was the father and instructor of the    
piper ,marsyas1 and skilled in song     
beyond all others in the years when     
music was still in its infancy4 ,it is  
true that as yet the sound of his breath
 lacked the finer modulations2 he knew  
but a few simple modes and his pipe had 
but few stops4 ,for the art was but     
newly born and only just beginning to   
grow4 ,there is nothing that can attain 
perfection in its first beginnings2     
everything must commence by mastering   
the elements in hope1 ere it can attain 
experience and success4 ,well1 then1    
before ,hyagnis the majority of         
musicians could do no more than the     
shepherds or cowherds of ,vergil who    
,made sorry strains on pipes of scrannel
 straw4  ,if any of them seemed to have 
made some real advance in art1 even he  
played only on one pipe or one trumpet4 
,hyagnis was the first to separate his  
hands when he played1 the first to fill 
two pipes with one breath1 the first to 

finger stops with either hand and make  
sweet harmony of shrill treble and      
booming bass4 ,marsyas was his son1 and 
though he possessed his father's skill  
upon the pipe1 he was in all else a     
barbarous ,phrygian1 with a filthy beard
 and the grim and shaggy face of a wild 
beast4 ,all his body was covered with   
hair and bristles1 and yet--good        
heavens6 he is said to have striven for 
mastery with ,apollo4 ',twas hideousness
 contending with beauty1 a rude boor    
against a sage1 a beast against a god4  
,the ,muses and ,minerva1 hiding their  
amusement1 stood by to judge1 that they 
might make a mockery of the monster's   
uncouth presumption and punish his      
stupidity4 ,but ,marsyas1 like the      
peerless fool he was1 never perceived   
that he was an object of ridicule1 and  
before he began to blow upon his pipes  
stammered out in his barbarous jargon   
some insane boasts about himself and    
,apollo4 ,he prided himself on the mane 
thrown back from his brow1 on his       

unkempt beard1 his shaggy breast1 his   
skill upon the pipes and his lack of    
wealth4 ,by contrast--oh the absurdity  
of it6--he blamed ,apollo for the       
opposite of these qualities1 for being  
,apollo1 for wearing his hair long1 for 
having a fair face and smooth body1 for 
his skill in so many arts1 and for the  
opulence of his fortune4 ',in the first 
place1' he said1 'his hair is smoothed  
and plastered into tufts and curls that 
fall about his brow and hang before his 
face4 ,his body is fair from head to    
foot1 his limbs shine bright1 his tongue
 gives oracles1 and he is equally       
eloquent in prose or verse1 propose     
which you will4 ,what of his robes so   
fine in texture1 so soft to the touch1  
aglow with purple8 ,what of his lyre    
that flashes gold1 gleams white with    
ivory1 and shimmers with rainbow gems8  
,what of his song1 so cunning and so    
sweet8 ,nay1 all these allurements suit 
with naught save luxury4 ,to virtue they
 bring shame alone6' ,and then he       

proceeded to display his own body as the
 model of perfection4 ,the ,muses       
laughed when they heard him denounce    
,apollo for possessing gifts such as the
 wise would pray to possess1 and when   
this boastful piper had been defeated in
 the contest and had been skinned as    
though he were a two-footed bear1 they  
left him with his entrails torn and     
exposed to the air4 ,thus did ,marsyas  
sing for his own undoing1 and such was  
his fall4 ,as for ,apollo he was ashamed
 of so inglorious a victory4   ,the     
piper ,antigenidas4  #d4 ,there was a   
certain piper named ,antigenidas1 whose 
every note made honeyed harmony4 ,he had
 skill1 too1 to make music in every     
mode1 choose which you would1 the simple
 ,aeolian or the complex ,ionian1 the   
mournful ,lydian1 the solemn ,phrygian1 
or the warlike ,dorian4 ,being therefore
 the most famous of all that played upon
 the pipe1 he said that nothing so      
tormented him1 nothing so vexed his     
heart and soul1 as the fact that the    

musicians who played the trumpet at     
funerals were dignified by the name of  
pipers4 ,but he would have endured this 
identity of names with equanimity1 had  
he ever seen the performance of mimes2  
for he would have noted that the        
magistrates1 who preside in the theatre1
 and the characters on the stage1 who   
come in for a good cudgelling1 are clad 
in practically the same purple garments4
 ,so too1 had he ever watched our games6
 ,for he would have seen one presiding1 
another fighting1 yet both of them      
sharing the same common humanity4 ,he   
would have noted that the ,roman toga is
 worn alike by him who performs a vow to
 heaven and by him that lies dead upon  
the bier1 that the ,grecian pallium     
serves to shroud the dead no less than  
to clothe the philosopher4   ,fragment  
from the opening of a discourse         
delivered in a theatre4  #e4 ,you have1 
,i feel assured1 come to this theatre   
with the best will in the world4 ,for   
you know that the importance of an      

oration does not depend on the place in 
which it is delivered1 but that the     
first thing that has to be considered   
is1 ',what form of entertainment is the 
theatre going to provide8' ,if it is a  
mime1 you will laugh2 if a rope-walker1 
you will tremble lest he fall2 if a     
comedian1 you will applaud him1 while1  
if it be a philosopher1 you will learn  
from him4   ,india and the              
,gymnosophists4  #f4 ,india is a        
populous country of enormous extent4 ,it
 lies far to the east of us1 close to   
the point where ocean turns back upon   
himself and the sun rises1 on that verge
 where meet the last of lands and the   
first stars of heaven4 ,far away it     
lies1 beyond the learned ,egyptians1    
beyond the superstitious ,jews and the  
merchants of ,nabataea1 beyond the      
children of ,arsaces in their long      
flowing robes1 the ,ityreans1 to whom   
earth gives but scanty harvest1 and the 
,arabs1 whose perfumes are their wealth4
 ,wherefore ,i marvel not so much at the

 great stores of ivory possessed by     
these ,indians1 their harvests of       
pepper1 their exports of cinnamon1 their
 finely-tempered steel1 their mines of  
silver and their rivers of gold4 ,i     
marvel not so much that in the ,ganges  
they have the greatest of all rivers    
which       ,lord of all the waters of  
the ,east      ,is cloven and parted in 
a hundred streams4      ,a hundred vales
 are his1 a hundred mouths1      ,and   
hundred-fold the flood that meets the   
main2  nor wonder ,i that the ,indians  
that dwell at the very portals of day   
are yet of the hue of night1 nor that in
 their land vast serpents engage in     
combat with huge elephants1 to the equal
 danger and the common destruction of   
either2 for they envelop and bind their 
prey in slippery coils so that they     
cannot disengage their feet nor in any  
wise break the scaly fetters of these   
clinging snakes1 but must needs find    
vengeance by hurling their vast bulk to 
the ground and crushing the foe that    

grips them by the weight of their whole 
bodies4 ,but it is of the marvels of men
 rather than of nature that ,i would    
speak4#ch ,for the dwellers in this land
 are divided into many castes4 ,there is
 one whose sole skill lies in tending   
herds of oxen1 whence they are known as 
the oxherds4 ,there are others who are  
cunning in the barter of merchandise1   
others who are sturdy warriors in battle
 and have skill to fight at long range  
with arrows or hand to hand with swords4
 ,there is1 further1 one caste that is  
especially remarkable4 ,they are called 
gymnosophists4 ,at these ,i marvel most 
of all4 ,for they are skilled--not in   
growing the vine1 or grafting           
fruit-trees1 or ploughing the soil4     
,they know not how to till the fields1  
or wash gold1 or break horses1 or tame  
bulls1 or to clip or feed sheep or      
goats4 ,what1 then1 is their claim to   
distinction8 ,this3 one thing they know 
outweighing all they know not4 ,they    
honour wisdom one and all1 the old that 

teach and the young that learn4 ,nor is 
there aught ,i more commend in them than
 that they hate that their minds should 
be sluggish and idle4 ,and so1 when the 
table is set in its place1 before the   
viands are served1 all the youths leave 
their homes and professions to flock to 
the banquet4 ,the masters ask each one  
of them what good deed he has performed 
between the rising of the sun and the   
present hour4 ,thereupon one tells how  
he has been chosen as arbiter between   
two of his fellows1 has healed their    
quarrel1 reconciled their strife1       
dispelled their suspicions and made them
 friends instead of foes4 ,another tells
 how he has obeyed some command of his  
parents1 another relates some discovery 
that his meditations have brought him or
 some new knowledge won from another's  
exposition4 ,and so with the rest of    
them1#ci they tell their story4 ,he who 
can give no good reason for joining in  
the feast is thrust fasting from the    
doors to go to his work4  ,footnote #ch3

 libentius ego 7,,mss474  ,footnote #ci3
 denique ceteri commemorant 7,,mss474   
,on ,alexander and false philosophers4  
#g4 ,the famous ,alexander1 by far the  
noblest of all kings1 won the title of  
the ,great from the deeds that he had   
done and the empire he had built1 and   
thus it was secured that the man who had
 won glory without peer should never be 
so much as named without a word of      
praise4 ,for he alone since time began1 
alone of all whereof man's memory bears 
record1 after he had conquered a        
world-wide empire such as none may ever 
surpass1 proved himself greater than his
 fortune4 ,by his energy he challenged  
the most glorious successes that fortune
 could bestow1 equalled them by his     
worth1 surpassed them by his virtues1   
and stood alone in peerless glory1 so   
that none might dare even hope for such 
virtue or pray for such fortune4 ,the   
life of this ,alexander is marked by so 
many lofty deeds and glorious acts1 be  
it of prowess in the battle or          

statecraft in the council chamber1 that 
you may marvel at them till you are     
weary4 ,it is the story of all these    
great achievements that my friend       
,clemens1 most learned and sweetest of  
poets1 has attempted to glorify in the  
exquisite strains of his verse4  ,now   
among the most remarkable acts recorded 
of ,alexander is this4 ,desiring that   
his likeness should be handed down to   
posterity with as little variation as   
possible1 he refused to permit it to be 
profaned by a multitude of artists1 and 
issued a proclamation to all the world  
over which he ruled that no one should  
rashly counterfeit the king's likeness  
in bronze or with the painter's colours1
 or with the sculptor's chisel4 ,only   
,polycletus might portray him in bronze1
 only ,apelles depict him in colour1    
only ,pyrgoteles carve his form with the
 engraver's chisel4 ,if any other than  
these three1 each supreme in his        
peculiar art1 should be discovered to   
have set his hand to reproduce the      

sacred image of the king1 he should be  
punished as severely as though he had   
committed sacrilege4 ,this order struck 
such fear into all men that ,alexander  
alone of mankind was always like his    
portraits1 and that every statue1       
painting1 or bronze revealed the same   
fierce martial vigour1 the same great   
and glorious genius1 the same fresh and 
youthful beauty1 the same fair forehead 
with its back-streaming hair4 ,and would
 that philosophy could issue a like     
proclamation that should have equal     
weight1 forbidding unauthorized persons 
to reproduce her likeness2 then the     
study and contemplation of wisdom in all
 her aspects would be in the hands of a 
few good craftsmen who had been         
carefully trained1 and unlettered       
fellows of base life and little learning
 would ape the philosopher no longer    
7though their imitation does not go     
beyond the professor's gown71 and the   
queen of all studies1 whose aim is no   
less excellence of speech than          

excellence of life1 would no longer be  
profaned by evil speech and evil living3
 and1 mark you1 profanation of either   
kind is far from hard4 ,what is more    
readily come by than madness of speech  
and worthlessness of character8 ,the    
former springs from contempt of others1 
the latter from contempt of self4 ,for  
to show little care for one's own       
character is self-contempt1 while to    
attack others with uncouth and savage   
speech is an insult to those that hear  
you4 ,for is it not the height of       
insolence1 think you1 that a man should 
deem you to rejoice in hearing abuse of 
the best of men1 and should believe that
 you do not understand evil and wicked  
words1 or1 if you do understand them1   
hold them to be good8 ,what boor1 what  
porter1 what taverner is so poor of     
speech that could not curse more        
eloquently than these folk1 if he would 
consent to assume the professor's gown8 
,a eulogy of the proconsul of ,africa4  
#h4 ,he owes more to his personal       

character than to his rank1 although    
even his rank is one that is shared by  
few4 ,for out of numberless multitudes  
of men not many are senators1 of        
senators but few are of noble birth1 of 
the noble but few attain to the rank of 
consul1 of consuls but few are good1 and
 of the good but few are learned4 ,but  
to confine what ,i have to say to his   
high office1 'tis not lightly that any  
man may assume the insignia of his rank 
either as regards clothing or foot-gear4
   ,a defence of himself against his    
critics and a laudation of the proconsul
 ,severianus4  #i4 ,if it should so     
chance that in this magnificent         
gathering there should sit any of those 
that envy or hate me1 since in a great  
city persons may always be found who    
prefer to abuse rather than imitate     
persons better than themselves1 and1    
since they cannot be like them1 affect  
to hate them4 ,they do this of course in
 order to illumine the obscurity that   
shrouds their own names by the splendour

 that falls from mine2 if then1 ,i say1 
any one of these envious persons sullies
 this distinguished audience with the   
stain of his presence1 ,i would ask him 
for a moment to cast his eyes round this
 incredibly vast concourse4 ,when he has
 contemplated a throng such as before my
 day never yet gathered to listen to a  
philosopher1 let him consider in his    
heart how great a risk to his reputation
 is undertaken by a man who is not used 
to contempt in appearing here to-day2   
for it is an arduous task1 and far from 
easy of accomplishment1 to satisfy even 
the moderate expectations of a few4     
,above all it is difficult for me1 for  
the fame ,i have already won and your   
own kindly anticipation of my skill will
 not permit me to deliver any           
ill-considered or superficial utterance4
 ,for what man among you would pardon me
 one solecism or condone the barbarous  
pronunciation of so much as one         
syllable8 ,who of you will suffer me to 
stammer in disorderly and faulty phrases

 such as might rise to the lips of      
madmen8 ,in others of course you would  
pardon such lapses1 and very rightly so4
 ,but you subject every word that ,i    
utter to the closest examination1 you   
weigh it carefully1 you try it by the   
plumb-line and the file1 you test it by 
the polish of the lathe and the         
sublimity of the tragic buskin4 ,such is
 the indulgence accorded to mediocrity1 
such the severity meted out to          
distinction4 ,i recognize1 therefore1   
the difficulty of the task that lies    
before me1 and ,i do not ask you to     
alter the opinions you entertain of me4 
,yet ,i would not have you deceived by  
false and petty resemblances1 for1 as ,i
 have often said1 there are certain     
strolling beggars who assume a          
professor's gown to win their           
livelihood4 ,not only the proconsul1 but
 the town crier also ascends the        
tribunal and appears wearing the toga   
like his master4 ,but the crier stands  
upon his feet for hours together1 or    

strides to and fro1 or bawls his news   
with all the strength of his lungs4 ,the
 proconsul1 on the contrary1 speaks     
quietly and with frequent pauses1 sits  
while he speaks1 and often reads from a 
written document4 ,this is only natural4
 ,for the garrulous voice of the crier  
is the voice of a hired servant1 the    
words read by the proconsul from a      
written document constitute a judgement1
 which1 once read1 may not have one     
letter added to it or taken away1 but so
 soon as it is delivered1 is set down in
 the provincial records4 ,my literary   
position will provide a humble analogy4 
,all that ,i utter before you is        
forthwith taken down and read4 ,i can   
withdraw or change nothing1 nor make the
 least correction4 ,i must therefore be 
all the more careful in what ,i say     
before you1 and that too with regard to 
more than one form of composition4 ,for 
there is greater variety in the works of
 my muse than in all the elaborate      
achievements of ,hippias4 ,if you will  

give me your best attention ,i will     
explain what ,i mean with greater detail
 and precision4  ,hippias was one of the
 sophists1 and surpassed all his fellows
 in the variety of his accomplishments1 
while as an orator he was second to     
none4 ,he was a contemporary of         
,socrates1 and a native of ,elis4 ,of   
his family nothing is known4 ,but his   
fame was great1 his fortune moderate2   
moreover he had a noble wk and an       
extraordinary memory1 pursued many      
branches of study1 and had many rivals4 
,this ,hippias1 of whom ,i speak1 once  
came to ,pisa during the ,olympian games
 arrayed in raiment that was as         
remarkable to the eye as it was         
wonderful in its workmanship4 ,for he   
had purchased nothing of what he wore3  
it was all the work of his own hands1   
the clothes in which he was clad1 the   
shoes wherewith he was shod1 and the    
jewels that made him conspicuous4 ,next 
his skin he wore an undershirt of triple
 weft and the finest texture1 double    

dyed with purple4 ,he had woven it for  
himself in his own house with his own   
hands4 ,he had for girdle a belt1       
broidered in ,babylonian fashion with   
many varied colours4 ,in this also no   
man else had helped him4 ,for outer     
garment he had a white cloak cast about 
his shoulders2 this cloak also is known 
to have been the work of his own hands4 
,he had fashioned even the shoes that   
covered his feet and the ring of gold   
with its cunningly engraved signet which
 he displayed on his left hand4 ,himself
 he had wrought the circle of gold1 had 
closed the bezel around the gem and     
engraved the stone4 ,i have not yet told
 you all the tale of his achievements4  
,but ,i will not shrink from enumerating
 all the marvels that he thought it no  
shame to show4 ,for he proclaimed before
 that vast concourse that his own hands 
had fashioned the oil-flask which he    
carried4 ,it was in shape a flattened   
sphere1 and its outlines were round and 
smooth4 ,beside it he showed an         

exquisite flesh-scraper1 the handle#dj  
of which was straight1 while the tongue 
was curved and grooved with hollow      
channels1 so that the hand might have a 
firm grip and the sweat might be carried
 off in a trickling stream from the     
blade4 ,who could withhold praise from a
 man who had such manifold knowledge of 
so many arts1 who had won such glory in 
every branch of knowledge1 who was1 in  
fact1 a very ,daedalus1#da such skill   
had he to fashion so many useful        
instruments8 ,nay1 ,i myself praise     
,hippias1 but ,i prefer to imitate his  
fertile genius in respect of the        
learning1 rather than of the furniture  
with which it was so richly equipped4 ,i
 have1 ,i confess1 but indifferent skill
 in these sedentary arts4 ,when ,i want 
clothes ,i buy them from the weaver1    
when ,i want sandals1 such as ,i am now 
wearing1 ,i purchase them from the      
shoemaker4 ,i do not carry a ring1 since
 ,i regard gold and precious stones of  
as little value as pebbles or lead4 ,as 

for flesh-scrapers and oil-flasks and   
other utensils of the bath ,i procure   
them in the market4 ,i will not go to   
the extent of denying that ,i am wholly 
ignorant how to use a shuttle1 an awl1 a
 file1 a lathe1 and other tools of the  
kind1 but ,i confess that ,i infinitely 
prefer to all these instruments one     
simple pen1 with which ,i may write     
poems of all kinds1 such as may suit    
with the reciter's wand and the         
accompaniment of the lyre or grace the  
comic or the tragic stage4 ,satires also
 do ,i write and riddles1 histories also
 on diverse themes1 speeches that the   
eloquent and dialogues that philosophers
 have praised4 ,nay1 and ,i write all   
these and much besides with equal       
fluency in ,greek and ,latin1 with equal
 pleasure1 like ardour and uniform      
skill4 ,most excellent proconsul1 ,i    
would ,i could offer all these works of 
mine not in fragments and quotations but
 in entirety and completeness6 ,would ,i
 might enjoy the priceless boon of your 

testimony to the merits of all the      
offspring of my muse6 ,it is not that ,i
 lack praise1 for my glory has long     
bloomed fresh and bright before the eyes
 of all your predecessors1 till to-day  
it is presented to you6 ,but there is   
none whose admiration ,i would more     
gladly win than yours1 for ,i admire you
 beyond all other men by reason of your 
surpassing virtues4 ,such is the        
ordinance of nature4 ,praise implies    
love and1 love once given to another1 we
 demand his praise in return4 ,and ,i   
acknowledge that ,i love you2 no private
 tie of interest binds me to you1 it is 
in your public capacity that you have   
won my devotion4 ,i have never received 
any favour at your hands1 for ,i have   
never asked for one4 ,but philosophy has
 taught me not only to love my          
benefactors1 but even such as may have  
done me injury1 to attach greater       
importance to justice than to my private
 interests1 and to prefer the           
furtherance of the public welfare to the

 service of my own4 ,and so it comes    
about that while most men love you for  
the actual benefits conferred upon them 
by your goodness1 ,i love you for the   
zeal with which that goodness is        
inspired4 ,and the secret of my devotion
 is this4 ,i have seen your moderation  
in dealing with the affairs of the      
inhabitants of this province1 a         
moderation which has won the affection  
of those who have come into contact with
 you by the benefits you have conferred 
on them1 of those with whom you have    
never come into contact by the good     
example you have set4 ,for while many   
have received your benefits1 all have   
profited by your example4 ,who would not
 gladly learn from you by what          
moderation one may acquire your pleasing
 gravity1 your severity tempered with   
mercy1 your unruffled resolution and the
 kindly energy of your character8       
,africa has within my knowledge had no  
proconsul whom she reverenced more or   
feared less4 ,your year of office stands

 alone2 for in it shame rather than fear
 has been the motive to set a check on  
crime4 ,no other invested with your     
power has more often blessed1 more      
rarely terrified3 no governor has ever  
brought a son with him more like his    
father's virtues than is yours2 and for 
this reason no proconsul has ever       
resided longer at ,carthage than have   
you4 ,for during the period which you   
devoted to visiting the province1       
,honorinus remained with us2 wherefore1 
though we have never regretted our      
governor's absence more1 we have felt it
 less4 ,for the son has all his father's
 sense of justice1 the youth has all an 
old man's wisdom1 the deputy has all the
 consul's authority4 ,in a word1 he     
presents such a perfect pattern and     
likeness of your virtues1 that the glory
 acquired by one so young would1 ,i vow1
 be a greater source of wonder than your
 own1 save for one fact2 he has         
inherited it from you4 ,would we might  
live in the joy of his perpetual        

presence6 ,what need have we of change  
of governors8 ,what profit of these     
short years1 these fleeting months of   
office8 ,ah6 how swiftly pass the days1 
when the good are with us1 how quickly  
spent the term of power for all the best
 of those who have ruled over us6 ,ah6  
,severianus1 the whole province will    
sigh for your departure4 ,but ,honorinus
 at least is called away by the honours 
which are his due2 the praetorship      
awaits him2 the favour of the two       
,caesars forms him for the consulate2   
to-day our love enfolds him1 and the    
hopes of ,carthage promise that in the  
years to come he will be here once more4
 ,your example is our sole comfort2 he  
who has served as deputy shall soon     
return to us as proconsul6  ,footnote   
#dj3 clausulae vulgo4  ,footnote #da3   
,daedalum 7,krueger74   ,on ,providence 
and its marvels4       #aj4 ,first hail 
we thee1 ,o ,sun1          ,whose fiery 
course and rushing steeds reveal        
,the glowing splendour of thy ardent    

flame4  ,hail we also the ,moon1 who    
learns of his light how she herself may 
shine1 and the influences also of the   
five planets--,jupiter that brings      
blessings1 ,venus that brings pleasure1 
,mercury the giver of swiftness1 ,saturn
 the worker of bane1 ,mars with his     
temper of fire4 ,there are also other   
divine influences1 that lie midway      
'twixt earth and heaven1 influences that
 we may feel but not see1 such as the   
power of ,love and the like1 whose force
 we feel1 though we have never seen     
their form4 ,so too on earth 'tis this  
force that1 in accordance with the wise 
behests of providence1 here bids the    
lofty peaks of mountains rise1 there has
 spread forth the low flat levels of the
 plain1 has marked out the streams of   
rivers and the greensward of the        
meadows1 has given birds the power to   
fly1 reptiles to crawl1 wild beasts to  
run1 and men to walk4   ,a comparison   
between those who lack wealth and those 
who lack virtue4  #aa4 ,he whose soul is

 barren of virtue is like those poor    
wretches that till a barren inheritance 
of stony fields1 mere heaps of rocks and
 thorns4 ,since they may win no harvest 
from their own wildernesses1 and find no
 fruit in a soil where only       ,wild 
oats and darnel rank have mastery1      
conscious of their own poverty they go  
forth to steal the fruits of others and 
rifle their gardens1 that they may      
mingle their neighbours' flowers with   
their own thistles4   ,on the ,parrot4  
#ab4 ,the parrot is an ,indian bird1 in 
size very slightly smaller than a dove4 
,but there is nothing dovelike in its   
hue4 ,for it has nothing of the milky   
whiteness or dull blue1 blended or      
distinct1 nor yet of the pale yellow or 
iridescence that characterize the dove4 
,the parrot is green from the roots of  
its feathers to their very tips1 save   
only for the markings on the neck4 ,for 
its tiny neck is girdled and crowned    
with a slender band of crimson like a   
collar of gold1 which is of equal       

brilliance through all its extent4 ,its 
beak is extraordinarily hard4 ,if after 
it has soared to a great height it      
swoops headlong on to some rock1 it     
breaks the force of its fall with its   
beak1 which it uses as an anchor4 ,its  
head is not less hard than its beak4    
,when it is being taught to imitate     
human speech1 it is beaten over the head
 with an iron wand1 that it may         
recognize its master's command4 ,this is
 the rod of its school-days4 ,it can be 
taught to speak from the day of its     
birth to its second year1 while its     
mouth is still easily formed and its    
tongue sufficiently soft to learn the   
requisite modulations4 ,on the other    
hand1 if caught when it is old1 it is   
hard to teach and forgets what it has   
learned4 ,the parrot which is most      
easily taught the language of man is one
 that feeds on acorns and manlike has   
five toes on each foot4 ,all parrots do 
not possess this last peculiarity1 but  
there is one point which all have in    

common3 their tongue is broader than    
that of any other bird4 ,wherefore they 
articulate human words more easily owing
 to the size of their palate and the    
organ of speech4 ,when it has learnt    
anything1 it sings or rather speaks it  
out with such perfect imitation that1 if
 you should hear it1 you would think a  
man was speaking2 on the contrary if you
 hear a crow#db attempting to speak1 you
 would still call the result croaking   
rather than speech4 ,but crow and parrot
 are alike in this2 they can only utter 
words that they have been taught4 ,teach
 a parrot to curse and it will curse    
continually1 making night and day       
hideous with its imprecations4 ,cursing 
becomes its natural note and its ideal  
of melody4 ,when it has repeated all its
 curses1 it repeats the same strain     
again4 ,should you desire to rid        
yourself of its bad language1 you must  
either cut out its tongue or send it    
back as soon as possible to its native  
woods4  ,footnote #db3 corvinam quidem  

si audias idem conantem1 crocire non    
loqui4 ,the text is corrupt1 ,van der   
,vliet's suggestion probably gives the  
correct sense4   ,a comparison between  
the eloquence of the philosopher and the
 song of birds4  #ac4 444 ,for the      
eloquence bestowed on me by philosophy  
has no resemblance to the song that     
nature has given to certain birds which 
sing but for a brief space and at       
certain times only4 ,for instance1 the  
swallows sing at morn1 the cicalas at   
noon1 the night-owl late in the dark1   
the screech-owl at even1 the horned-owl 
at midnight1 the cock before the dawn4  
,indeed these animals seem to have made 
a compact together as to the various    
times and tones of their song4 ,the     
crowing of the cock is a sound should   
wake men from their beds1 the horned-owl
 groans1 the screech-owl shrieks1 the   
night-owl cries 'tuwhit1 tuwhoo'1 the   
cicalas chatter1 and the swallows       
twitter shrill4 ,but the wisdom and     
eloquence of the philosopher are ready  

at all times1 waken awe in them that    
hear1 are profitable to the             
understanding1 and their music is of    
every tone4   ,on ,crates the ,cynic4   
#ad4 ,these arguments and the like which
 he had heard from the lips of          
,diogenes1 together with others which   
suggested themselves to him on other    
occasions1 had such influence with      
,crates1 that at last he rushed out into
 the market-place and there renounced   
all his fortune as being a mere filthy  
encumbrance1 a burden rather than a     
benefit4 ,his action having caused a    
crowd to collect1 he cried in a loud    
voice1 saying1 ',crates1 even ,crates   
sets thee free4' ,thenceforth he lived  
not only in solitude1 but naked and in  
perfect freedom and1 so long as he      
lived1 his life was happy4 ,and such was
 the passion he inspired that a maiden  
of noble birth1 spurning suitors more   
youthful and more wealthy than he1      
actually went so far as to beg him to   
marry her4 ,in answer ,crates bared his 

shoulders which were crowned with a     
hump1 placed his wallet1 staff and cloak
 upon the ground1 and said to the girl1 
',there is all my gear6 and your eyes   
can judge of my beauty4 ,take good      
counsel1 lest later ,i find you         
complaining of your lot4' ,but          
,hipparche accepted his conditions1     
replying that she had already considered
 the question and taken sufficient      
counsel1 for nowhere in all the world   
could she find a richer or a fairer     
husband4 ',take me where you will6' she 
cried4444   ,of the isle of ,samos and  
,pythagoras4  #ae4 ,samos is an island  
of no great size in the ,icarian sea1   
and lies over against ,miletus to the   
west1 with but a small space of sea     
between them4 ,in whichever direction   
you sail from this island1 though you   
make no great haste1 the next day will  
see you safe in harbour4 ,the land does 
not respond readily to the cultivation  
of corn1 and it is waste of time to     
plough it4 ,but the olive grows better  

in it1 and those who grow vines or      
vegetables have no fault to find with   
it4 ,its farmers are entirely taken up  
with hoeing the ground and the          
cultivation of trees1 for it is from    
these rather than from cereals that     
,samos derives its wealth4 ,the native  
population is numerous1 and the island  
is visited by many strangers4 ,the      
capital town is unworthy of its         
reputation1 but the abundant ruins of   
its walls testify to its former size4   
,it possesses1 however1 a temple of     
,juno famous from remote antiquity3 to  
reach it1 if ,i remember aright1 one    
must follow the shore for not more than 
twenty furlongs from the city4 ,the     
treasury of the goddess is              
extraordinarily rich1 containing great  
quantities of gold and silver plate1 in 
the form of platters1 mirrors1 cups1 and
 all manner of utensils4 ,there is also 
a great quantity of brazen images of    
different kinds4 ,these are of great    
antiquity1 and remarkable for their     

workmanship2 ,i may mention one of them 
in particular1 a statue of ,bathyllus   
standing in front of the altar2 it was  
the gift of the tyrant ,polycrates1 and 
,i think ,i have never seen anything    
more perfect4 ,some hold that it        
represents ,pythagoras1 but this opinion
 is incorrect4 ,the statue represents a 
youth of remarkable beauty2 his hair is 
parted evenly in the midst of his       
forehead and streams over either cheek4 
,behind his hair is longer and reaches  
down to his shoulders1 covering the neck
 whose sheen one may detect between the 
tresses4 ,the neck is plump1 the jaws   
full1 the cheeks fine1 and there is a   
dimple in the middle of his chin4 ,his  
pose is that of a player on the lyre4   
,he is looking at the goddess1 and has  
the appearance of one that sings1 while 
his embroidered tunic streams to his    
very feet4 ,he is girt in the ,greek    
style1 and a cloak covers either arm    
down to the wrists4 ,the rest of the    
cloak hangs down in graceful folds4 ,his

 lyre is fastened by an engraven        
baldric1 which holds it close to the    
body4 ,his hands are delicate and taper4
 ,the left touches the strings with     
parted fingers1 the right is in the     
attitude of one that plays and is       
approaching the lyre with the plectrum1 
as though ready to strike as soon as the
 voice ceases for a moment to sing4     
,meanwhile the song seems to well forth 
from the delicate mouth1 whose lips are 
half open for the effort4 ,this statue  
may represent one of the youthful       
favourites of the tyrant ,polycrates#dc 
hymning his master's love in            
,anacreontic#dd strain4 ,but it is far  
from#de likely that it is a statue of   
the philosopher ,pythagoras4 ,it is true
 he was a native of ,samos1 remarkable  
for his unusual beauty1 and skilled     
beyond all men in harping and all manner
 of music1 and living at the period when
 ,polycrates was lord of ,samos4 ,but   
the philosopher was far from being a    
favourite of this tyrant4 ,indeed       

,pythagoras fled secretly from the      
island at the very beginning of the     
tyrant's reign4 ,he had recently lost   
his father ,mnesarchus1 who was1 ,i     
read1 a skilful jeweller excelling in   
the carving of gems1 though it was fame 
rather than wealth that he sought in the
 exercise of his art4 ,there are some   
who assert that ,pythagoras was about   
this time carried to ,egypt among the   
captives of ,king ,cambyses1 and studied
 under the magi of ,persia1 more        
especially under ,zoroaster the priest  
of all holy mysteries2 later they assert
 he was ransomed by a certain ,gillus1  
,king of ,croton4 ,however1 the more    
generally accepted tradition asserts    
that it was of his own choice he went to
 study the wisdom of the ,egyptians4    
,there he was initiated by their priests
 into the mighty secrets of their       
ceremonies1 passing all belief2 there he
 learned numbers in all their marvellous
 combinations1 and the ingenious laws of
 geometry4 ,not content with these      

sciences1 he next approached the        
,chaldaeans and the ,brahmins1 a race of
 wise men who live in ,india4#df ,among 
these ,brahmins he sought out the       
gymnosophists4 ,the ,chaldaeans taught  
him the lore of the stars1 the fixed    
orbits#dg of the wandering lords of     
heaven1 and the influence of each on the
 births of men4 ,also they instructed   
him in the art of healing1 and revealed 
to him remedies in the search for which 
men have lavished their wealth and      
wandered far by land and sea4#dh ,but it
 was from the ,brahmins that he derived 
the greater part of his philosophy1 the 
arts of teaching the mind and exercising
 the body1 the doctrines as to the parts
 of the soul and its various            
transmigrations1 the knowledge of the   
torments and rewards ordained for each  
man1 according to his deserts1 in the   
world of the gods below4 ,further he had
 for his master ,pherecydes1 a native of
 the island of ,syros and the first who 
dared throw off the shackles of verse   

and write in the free style of          
unfettered prose4 ,pherecydes died of a 
horrible disease1 for his flesh rotted  
and was devoured of lice2 ,pythagoras   
buried him with reverent care4 ,he is   
said also to have studied the laws of   
nature under ,anaximander of ,miletus1  
to have followed the ,cretan            
,epimenides1 a famous prophet skilled   
also in rites of expiation1 that he     
might learn from him and also ,leodamas1
 the pupil of ,creophylus1 the reputed  
guest and rival of the poet ,homer4     
,taught by so many sages1 and having    
drained such deep and varied draughts of
 learning through all the world1 and    
being moreover dowered with a vast      
intellect whose grandeur almost passes  
man's understanding1 he was the founder 
of the science and the inventor of the  
name of philosophy4 ,the first of all   
his lessons to his disciples was the    
lesson of silence4 ,with him meditation 
was a necessary preliminary to wisdom1  
meditation set a bridle on all speech1  

robbed words1 which poets style winged1 
of their pinions and restrained them    
within the white barrier of the teeth4  
,this1 ,i tell you1 was for him the     
first axiom of wisdom1 ',meditation is  
learning1 speech is unlearning4' ,his   
disciples1 however1 did not refrain from
 speech all their lives1 nor did their  
master impose dumbness on all for a like
 space of time4 ,for those of more solid
 character a brief term of silence was  
considered sufficient discipline2 the   
more talkative were punished by exile   
from speech for as much as five years4  
,i may add that my master ,plato        
deviates little or not at all from the  
principles of this school1 and in most  
of his utterances is a follower of      
,pythagoras4 ,and that ,i too might win 
from my instructors the right to be     
called one of his followers1 ,i have    
learned this double lesson in the course
 of my philosophical studies--to speak  
boldly when there is need of speech and 
gladly to be mute when there is need of 

silence4 ,as a result of this           
self-command1 ,i think ,i may say that  
,i have won from your predecessors no   
less praise for my seasonable silence   
than approval for the timeliness of my  
speech4  ,footnote #dc3 qui vulgo4      
,footnote #dd3 ,anacreonteum vulgo4     
,footnote #de3 ceterum multum abest     
7,,mss474  ,footnote #df3 ,omitting illa
 before ,indiae gens est4  ,footnote    
#dg3 statos ambitus 7,krueger74         
,footnote #dh3 mortalibus ,,mss4 late   
pecuniis 7,stewech74   ,an oration of   
thanks to ,aemilianus ,strabo and the   
senate of ,carthage for decreeing a     
statue in his honour4  #af4 ,before ,i  
begin1 illustrious representatives of   
,africa1 to thank you for the statue1   
with the demand for which you honoured  
me while ,i was still with you1 setting 
the seal upon your kindness by actually 
decreeing its erection during my        
absence1 ,i wish first to explain to you
 why ,i absented myself for a           
considerable number of days from the    

sight of my audience and betook myself  
to the ,persian baths1 where the healthy
 may find delightful bathing1 and the   
sick a no less welcome relief4 ,for ,i  
have resolved to make it clear to you1  
to whose service ,i have dedicated      
myself irrevocably and for ever1 that   
every moment of my life is well spent4  
,there shall be no action of mine1      
important or trivial1 but you shall be  
informed of it and pass judgement upon  
it4 ,well then6 to come to the reason   
for my sudden departure from the        
presence of this most distinguished     
assembly1 ,i will tell you a story of   
the comic poet ,philemon which is not so
 very unlike my own and will serve to   
show you how sudden and unexpected are  
the perils that threaten the life of    
man4 ,you all are well acquainted with  
his talents1 listen then to a few words 
concerning his death1 or perhaps you    
would like a few words on his talents as
 well4  ,this ,philemon was a poet1 a   
writer of the middle comedy1 and        

composed plays for the stage in         
competition with ,menander and contested
 against him4 ,he may not have been his 
equal1 he was certainly his rival4 ,nay1
 on not a few occasions--,i am almost   
ashamed to mention it--he actually      
defeated him4 ,however this may be1 you 
will certainly find his works full of   
humour3 the plots are full of wittily   
contrived intrigue1 the denouements     
clear1 the characters suited to the     
situations1 the words true to life1 the 
jests never unworthy of true comedy1 the
 serious passages never quite on the    
level of tragedy4 ,seductions are rare  
in his plays2 if he introduces love     
affairs1 it is as a concession to human 
weakness4 ,that does not1 however1      
prevent the presence in his plays of the
 faithless pander1 the passionate lover1
 the cunning slave1 the coquetting      
mistress1 the jealous wife whose word is
 law1 the indulgent mother1 the crusty  
uncle1 the friend in need1 the warlike  
soldier1 aye and hungry parasites1      

skinflint parents1 and saucy drabs4 ,one
 day1 long after these excellences had  
made him famous as a writer of comedy1  
he happened to give a recitation of a   
portion of a play which he had just     
written4 ,he had reached the third act1 
and was beginning to arouse in his      
audience those pleasurable emotions so  
dear to comedy1 when a sudden shower    
descended and forced him to put off the 
audience gathered to hear him and the   
recitation which he had just begun4 ,a  
similar event befell me1 you will       
remember1 quite recently when ,i was    
addressing you4 ,however1 ,philemon1 at 
the demand of various persons1 promised 
to finish his recitation the next day   
without further postponement4 ,on the   
morrow1 therefore1 a vast crowd         
assembled to hear him with the utmost   
enthusiasm4 ,everybody who could do so  
took a seat facing the stage and as near
 to it as he could get4 ,late arrivals  
made signs to their friends to make room
 for them to sit3 those who sat at the  

end of a row complained of being thrust 
off their seat into the gangway2 the    
whole theatre was crammed with a vast   
audience4 ,a hum of conversation#di     
arose4 ,those who had not been present  
the previous day began to ask what had  
been recited2 those who had been present
 began to recall what they had heard1   
and finally when everybody had made     
themselves acquainted with what had     
preceded1 all began to look forward to  
what was to come4 ,meanwhile the day    
wore on and ,philemon failed to come at 
the appointed time4 ,some blamed the    
poet for the delay1 more defended him4  
,but when they had sat there for quite  
an unreasonable length of time and still
 ,philemon did not make his appearance1 
some of the more active members of the  
audience were sent to fetch him4 ,they  
found him lying in his bed--dead4 ,he   
had just breathed his last1 and lay     
there upon the couch stiff and stark in 
the attitude of one plunged in          
meditation4 ,his fingers still were     

twined about his book1 his mouth still  
pressed against the page he had been    
reading4 ,but the life had left him2 he 
had forgotten his book1 and little      
recked he now of his audience4 ,those   
who had entered the room stood          
motionless for a space1 struck dumb by  
the strange suddenness of the blow and  
the wondrous beauty of his death4 ,then 
they returned and reported to the people
 that the poet ,philemon1 for whom they 
were waiting that there in the theatre  
he might finish the drama of his        
imagination1 had finished the one true  
play1 the drama of life1 in his own     
home4 ,to this world he had said        
'farewell' and 'applaud'1 but to his    
friends 'weep and make your moan'4 ',the
 shower of yesterday1' they continued1  
'was an omen of our tears2 the comedy   
has ended in the torch of funeral or    
ever it could come to the torch of      
marriage4 ,nay1 since so great a poet   
has laid aside the mask of this life1   
let us go straight from the theatre to  

perform his burial4 ',tis his bones we  
now must gather to our hearts2 his verse
 must for awhile take second place4'    
,footnote #di3 loqui 7,van der ,vliet74 
,it was long ago that ,i first learned  
the story ,i have just told you1 but the
 peril ,i have undergone during the last
 few days#ej has brought it afresh to my
 mind4 ,for when my recitation was--as  
,i am sure you remember--interrupted by 
the rain1 at your desire ,i put it off  
till the morrow1 and in good truth it   
was nearly with me as it was with       
,philemon4 ,for on that same day ,i     
twisted my ankle so violently at the    
wrestling school that ,i almost tore the
 joint from my leg4 ,however1 it        
returned to its socket1 though my leg is
 still weak with the sprain4 ,but there 
is more to tell you4 ,my efforts to     
reduce the dislocation were so great    
that my body broke out into a profuse   
sweat and ,i caught a severe chill4     
,this was followed by agonizing pain in 
my bowels1 which only subsided when its 

violence was on the point of killing me4
 ,a moment more and like ,philemon ,i   
should have gone to the grave1 not to my
 recital1 should have finished not my   
speech but my destiny1 should have      
brought not my tale but my life to a    
close4 ,well then1 as soon as the gentle
 temperature and still more the soothing
 medical properties of the ,persian     
baths had restored to me the use of my  
foot--for though it gave naught save the
 most feeble support1 it sufficed me in 
my eagerness to appear before you--,i   
set forth to perform my pledge4 ,and in 
the interval you have conferred such a  
boon upon me that you have not only     
removed my lameness but have made me    
positively nimble4  ,footnote #ej3 ,the 
reading is uncertain4 ,van der ,vliet's 
suggestion seems to give the outline of 
the sense desired4  ,was ,i not right to
 make all speed that ,i might express my
 boundless gratitude for the honour     
which you have conferred unasked4 ,true1
 ,carthage is so illustrious a city that

 it were an honour to her that a        
philosopher should beg to be thus       
rewarded1 but ,i wished the boon you    
have bestowed on me to have its full    
value with no taint of detraction1 to   
suffer no loss of grace by any petition 
on my part1 in a word to be wholly      
disinterested4 ,for he that begs pays so
 heavily1 and so large is the price that
 he to whom the petition is addressed   
receives1 that1 where the necessaries of
 life are concerned1 one had rather     
purchase them one and all than ask them 
as a gift4 ,above all1 this principle   
applies to cases where honours are      
concerned4 ,he to whom they come as the 
result of importunate petition owes#ea  
no gratitude for his success to any save
 himself4 ,on the other hand1 he who    
receives honours without descending to  
vexatious canvassing is obliged to the  
givers for two reasons2 he has not asked
 and yet he has received4 ,the thanks1  
therefore1 which ,i owe you are double  
or rather manifold1 and my lips shall   

proclaim them at all times and places4  
,but on the present occasion ,i will1 as
 is my wont1 make public protestation of
 my gratitude from a written address    
which ,i have specially composed in view
 of this distinction4 ,for assuredly    
that is the method in which a           
philosopher should return thanks to a   
city that has decreed him a public      
statue4 ,my discourse will1 however1    
depart slightly from this method as a   
mark of respect to the exalted character
 and position of ,aemilianus ,strabo4 ,i
 hope that ,i may be able to compose a  
suitable discourse if only you will     
permit me to submit it to your          
approbation#eb to-day4 ,for ,strabo is  
so distinguished a scholar1 that his own
 talents bring him even greater honour  
than his noble rank and his tenure of   
the consulate4 ,in what terms1          
,aemilianus ,strabo1 who of all men that
 have been1 are1 or yet shall be1 are   
most renowned among the virtuous1 most  
virtuous among the renowned1 most       

learned amongst either1 in what terms   
can ,i hope to thank or commemorate the 
gracious thoughts you have entertained  
for me8 ,how may ,i hope adequately to  
celebrate the honour to which your      
kindness has prompted you8 ,how may my  
speech repay you worthily for the glory 
conferred by your action8 ,it baffles my
 imagination4 ,but ,i will seek         
earnestly and strive to find a way      
,while breath still rules these limbs   
and memory      ,is conscious of its    
being4  ,footnote #ea3 unam gratiam     
vulgo4  ,footnote #eb3 vobis comprobari 
7,krueger74  ,for at the present moment1
 ,i will not deny it1 the gladness of my
 heart is too loud for my eloquence1 ,i 
cannot think for pleasure1 delight is   
master of my soul and bids me rejoice   
rather than speak4 ,what shall ,i do8 ,i
 wish to show my gratitude1 but my joy  
is such that ,i have not yet leisure to 
express my thanks4 ,no one1 however sour
 and stern he be1 will blame me if the  
honour bestowed on me makes me no less  

nervous#ec than appreciative1 if the    
testimony to my merits1 delivered by a  
man of such fame and learning1 has      
transported me with exultation4 ,for he 
delivered it in the senate of ,carthage1
 a body whose kindness is only equalled 
by its distinction2 and he that spoke   
was one who had held the consulship1 one
 by whom it were an honour even to be   
known4 ,such was the man who appeared   
before the most illustrious citizens of 
the province of ,africa to sing my      
praise6  ,footnote #ec3 non minus uereor
 quam intellego 7,krueger74  ,i have    
been told that two days ago he sent a   
written request in which he demanded    
that my statue should be given a        
conspicuous place1 and above all told of
 the bonds of friendship which began    
under such honourable circumstances1    
when we served together beneath the     
banner of literature and studied under  
the same masters2 he then recorded#ed   
all the good wishes for his success with
 which ,i had welcomed each successive  

step of his advance in his official     
career4 ,he had already done me a       
compliment in remembering that ,i had   
once been his fellow student3 it was a  
fresh compliment that so great a man    
should record my friendship for him as  
though ,i were his equal4 ,but he went  
further4 ,he stated that other peoples  
and cities had decreed not only statues1
 but other distinctions as well in my   
honour4 ,could anything be added to such
 a panegyric as this1 delivered by the  
lips of an ex-consul8 ,yes3 for he cited
 the priesthood ,i had undertaken1 and  
showed that ,i had attained the highest 
honour that ,carthage can bestow4 ,but  
the greatest and most remarkable        
compliment#ee paid me was this3 after   
producing such a wealth of flattering   
testimonials he commended me to your    
notice by himself voting in my favour4  
,finally1 he1 a man in whose honour     
every province rejoices through all the 
world to erect four or six horse        
chariots1 promised that he would erect  

my statue at ,carthage at his own       
expense4  ,footnote #ed3 nunc postea    
vota omnia mea 7,,mss474  ,footnote #ee3
 om4 honos following ,,mss4  ,what lacks
 there to sanction and establish my     
glory and to set it on the topmost      
pinnacle of fame8 ,i ask you1 what is   
there lacking8 ,aemilianus ,strabo1 who 
has already held the consulship and is  
destined1 as we all hope and pray1 soon 
to be a proconsul1 proposed the         
resolution conferring these honours upon
 me in the senate-house of ,carthage4   
,you gave your unanimous assent to the  
proposal4 ,surely in your eyes this was 
more than a mere resolution1 it was a   
solemn enactment of law4 ,nay more1 all 
the ,carthaginians gathered in this     
august assembly showed such readiness in
 granting a site for the statue that    
they might make it clear to you that1 if
 they put off a resolution for the      
erection of a second statue1 as ,i      
hope1#ef to the next meeting of the     
senate1 they were influenced by the     

desire to show the fullest reverence and
 respect to their honourable consular1  
and to avoid seeming to emulate rather  
than imitate his beneficence4 ,that is  
to say1 they wished to set apart a whole
 day for the business of conferring on  
me the public honour still in store4    
,moreover1 these most excellent         
magistrates1 these most gracious chiefs 
of your city1 remembered that the charge
 with which you men of ,carthage had    
entrusted them was in full harmony with 
their desires4 ,would you have me be    
ignorant1 be silent1 as to these        
details8 ,it would be rank ingratitude4 
,far from that1 ,i offer my very warmest
 thanks to the whole assembly for their 
most lavish favour4 ,i could not be more
 grateful4 ,for they have honoured me   
with the most flattering applause in    
that senate-house1 where even to be     
named is the height of honour4 ,and so  
,i have in some sense achieved--pardon  
my vanity--that which was so hard to    
achieve1 and seemed indeed not          

unnaturally to be beyond my powers4 ,i  
have won the affections of the people1  
the favour of the senate1 the           
approbation of the magistrates and the  
chief men of the city4 ,what lacks there
 now to the honour of my statue1 save   
the price of the bronze and the service 
of the artist8 ,these have never been   
denied me even in small cities4 ,much   
less shall ,carthage deny it1 ,carthage1
 whose senate1 even where greater issues
 are at stake1 decrees and counts not   
the cost4 ,but ,i will speak of this    
more fully at a later date1 when you    
have given fuller effect to your        
resolution4 ,moreover1 when the time    
comes for the dedication of my statue1  
,i will proclaim my gratitude to you yet
 more amply in another written          
discourse1 will declare it to you1 noble
 senators1 to you1 renowned citizens1 to
 you1 my worthy friends4 ,yes1 ,i will  
commit my gratitude to the retentive    
pages of a book1 that it may travel     
through every province and1 worlds and  

ages hence1 record my praises of your   
kindness to all peoples and all time4   
,footnote #ef3 quantum spero 7,,mss474  
,fragment of a panegyric on ,scipio     
,orfitus4  #ag4 ,i leave it to those who
 are in the habit of obtruding          
themselves upon their proconsul's       
leisure moments#eg to attempt to commend
 their wits by the exuberance of their  
speech1 and to glorify themselves by    
affecting to bask in the smiles of your 
friendship4 ,both of these offences are 
far from me1 ,scipio ,orfitus4 ,for on  
the one hand my poor wit1 such as it is1
 is too well known to all men to have   
any need of further commendation2 on the
 other hand1 ,i prefer to enjoy rather  
than to parade the friendship of        
yourself and such as you2 ,i desire such
 friendship1 but ,i do not boast of it1 
for desire can in no case be other than 
genuine1 whereas boasting may always be 
false4 ,with this in view ,i have ever  
cultivated the arts of virtue1 ,i have  
always sought both here in ,africa and  

when ,i moved among your friends in     
,rome to win a fair name both for my    
character and studies1 as you yourself  
can amply testify1 with the result that 
you should be no less eager to court my 
friendship than ,i to long for yours4   
,reluctance to excuse the rarity of a   
friend's appearances is a sign that you 
desire his continual presence2 if you   
delight in the frequency of his visits  
or are angry with him for neglecting to 
come1 if you welcome his company and    
regret its cessation1 it is clear proof 
of love1 since it is obvious that his   
presence must be a pleasure whose       
absence is a pain4 ,but the voice1 if it
 be refrained in continued silence1 is  
as useless as the nostrils when choked  
by a cold in the head1 the ears when    
they are blocked with dirt1 the eyes    
when they are sealed by cataract4 ,what 
can the hands do1 if they are fettered1 
or what the feet1 if they are shackled8 
,what can#eh the mind that rules and    
directs us do1 if it be relaxed in sleep

 or drowned in wine or crushed beneath  
the weight of disease8 ,nay1 as the     
sword acquires its sheen by usage1 and  
rusts if it lie idle1 so the voice is   
dulled by its long torpor if it be      
hidden in the sheath of silence4        
,desuetude must needs beget sloth1 and  
sloth decay4 ,if the tragic actor       
declaim not daily1 the resonance of his 
voice is dulled and its channels grow   
hoarse4 ,wherefore he purges his        
huskiness by loud and repeated          
recitation4 ,however1 it is vain toil   
and useless labour#ei for a man to      
attempt to improve the natural quality  
of the human voice4 ,there are many     
sounds that surpass it4 ,the trumpet's  
blare is louder1 the music of the lyre  
more varied1 the plaint of the flute    
more pleasing1 the murmurs of the pipe  
sweeter1 the message of the bugle       
further heard4 ,i forbear to mention the
 natural sounds of many animals which   
challenge admiration by their different 
peculiarities1 as1 for instance1 the    

deep bellow of the bull1 the wolf's     
shrill howl1 the dismal trumpeting of   
the elephant1 the horse's lively neigh1 
the bird's piercing song1 the angry roar
 of the lion1 together with the cries of
 other beasts1 harsh or musical1        
according as they are roused by the     
madness of anger or the charms of       
pleasure4 ,in place of such cries the   
gods have given man a voice of narrower 
compass2 but if it give less delight to 
the ear1 it is far more useful to the   
understanding4 ,wherefore it should be  
all the more cultivated by the most     
frequent use1 and that nowhere else#fj  
than in the presence of an audience     
presided over by so great a man1 and in 
the midst of so numerous and            
distinguished a gathering of learned men
 who come kindly disposed to hear4 ,for 
my part1 if ,i were skilled to make     
ravishing music on the lyre1 ,i should  
never play save before crowded          
assemblies4 ,it was in solitude that    
,orpheus to woods1 to fish ,arion sang4 

,footnote #eg3 om4 et negotiosis        
following ,,mss4  ,footnote #eh3 quid si
 etiam 7,krueger74  ,footnote #ei3      
cassus labor supervacaneo studio4       
,plurifariam superatur1 7,,mss474 ,the  
reading is uncertain1 but the above     
punctuation will yield adequate sense4  
,footnote #fj3 om4 usquam libentius with
 ,,mss4  ,for if we may believe legend1 
,orpheus had been driven to lonely      
exile1 ,arion hurled from his ship4 ,one
 of them soothed savage beasts1 the     
other charmed beasts that were          
compassionate3 both musicians were      
unhappy1 inasmuch as they strove not for
 honour nor of their free choice1 but   
for their safety and of hard necessity4 
,i should have admired them more if they
 had pleased men1 not beasts4 ,such     
solitude were far better suited to      
birds1 to blackbird and nightingale and 
swan4 ,the blackbird whistles like a    
happy boy in distant wilds1 the         
nightingale trills its song of youthful 
passion in the lonely places of ,africa1

 the swan by far-off rivers chants the  
music of old age4 ,but he who would     
produce a song that shall profit boys1  
youths1 and greybeards1 must sing it in 
the midst of thousands of men1 even as  
now ,i sing the virtues of ,orfitus4 ,it
 is late1 perhaps1 but it is meant in   
all earnestness1 and may prove no less  
pleasing than profitable to the boys1   
the youths1 and the old men of          
,carthage4 ,for all have enjoyed the    
indulgence of the best of all           
proconsuls3 he has tempered their       
desires and restrained them with gentle 
remedies1 he has given to boys the boon 
of plenty1 to young men merriment1 and  
to the old security4 ,but now1 ,scipio1 
that ,i have come to touch on your      
merits1 ,i fear lest either your own    
noble modesty or my own native          
bashfulness may close my mouth4 ,but ,i 
cannot refrain from touching on a very  
few of the many virtues which we so     
justly admire in you4 ,citizens whom he 
has saved1 show with me that you        

recognize them6   ,a discourse          
pronounced before the ,carthaginians1   
incidentally treating of ,thales and    
,protagoras4  #ah4 ,you have come in    
such large numbers to hear me that ,i   
feel ,i ought rather to congratulate    
,carthage for possessing so many friends
 of learning among her citizens than    
demand pardon for myself1 the professed 
philosopher who ventures to speak in    
public4 ,for the crowd that has         
collected is worthy of the grandeur of  
our city1 and the place chosen for my   
speech is worthy of so great a          
multitude4 ,moreover1 in a theatre we   
must consider1 not the marble of its    
pavements1 not the boards of the stage1 
nor the columns of the back-scene1 nay1 
nor yet the height of its gables1 the   
splendour of its fretted roofs1 the     
expanse of its tiers of seats2 we need  
not call to mind that this place is     
sometimes the scene for the foolery of  
the mime1 the dialogue of comedy1 the   
sonorous rant of tragedy1 the perilous  

antics of the rope-walker1 the juggler's
 sleight of hand1 the gesticulation of  
the dancer1 with all the tricks of their
 respective arts that are displayed     
before the people by other artists4 ,all
 these considerations may be put on one 
side2 all that we need consider is this1
 the discourse of the orator and the    
reasons for the presence of the         
audience4 ,wherefore1 just as poets in  
this place shift the scene to various   
other cities--take1 for instance1 the   
tragic poet who makes his actor say     
,liber1 that dwellest on these heights  
august      ,of famed ,cithaeron  or the
 comic poet who says       ,plautus but 
asks you for a tiny space      ,within  
the circuit vast of these fair walls1   
,whither without the aid of architect   
,he may transport old ,athens1--  even  
so ,i beg your leave to shift my scene1 
not1 however1 to any distant city       
overseas1 but to the senate-house or    
public library of ,carthage4 ,i ask you1
 therefore1 if any of my utterances be  

worthy of the senate-house1 to imagine  
that you are listening to me within the 
very walls of the senate-house2 if my   
words reveal learning1 ,i beg you to    
regard them as though you were reading  
them in the public library4 ,would that 
,i could find words enough to do justice
 to the magnitude of this assembly and  
did not falter just when ,i would be    
most eloquent4 ,but the old saying is   
true1 that heaven never blesses any man 
with unmixed and flawless prosperity2   
even in the keenest joys there is ever  
some slight undertone of grief1 some    
blend of gall and honey2 there is no    
rose without a thorn4 ,i have often     
experienced the truth of this1 and never
 more than at the present moment4 ,for  
the more ,i realize how ready you are to
 praise me1 the more exaggerated becomes
 the awe in which ,i stand of you1 and  
the greater my reluctance to speak4 ,i  
have spoken to strange audiences often1 
and with the utmost fluency1 but now    
that ,i am confronted with my own folk1 

,i hesitate4 ,strange to say1 ,i am     
frightened by what should allure1 curbed
 by what should spur me on1 and         
restrained by what should make me bold4 
,there is much that should give me      
courage in your presence4 ,i have made  
my home in your city which ,i knew well 
as a boy1 and where my student days were
 spent4 ,you know my philosophic views1 
my voice is no stranger to you1 you have
 read my books and approved of them4 ,my
 birthplace is represented in the       
council of ,africa1 that is1 in your own
 assembly2 my boyhood was spent with    
you1 you were my teachers1 it was here  
that my philosophy found its first      
inspiration1 though 'twas ,attic ,athens
 brought it to maturity1 and1 during the
 last six years1 my voice1 speaking in  
either language1 has been familiar to   
your ears4 ,nay more1 my books have no  
higher title to the universal praise    
that is theirs1 than the fact that you  
have passed a favourable judgement upon 
them4 ,all these great and varied       

allurements1 appealing as they do to you
 as well as to me1 hamper and intimidate
 me just in proportion as they attract  
you to the pleasure of hearing me4 ,i   
should find it far easier to sing your  
praises before the citizens of some     
other city than to your face4 ,to such  
an extent is it true that modesty is a  
serious obstacle to one confronted by   
his fellow citizens1 while truth may    
speak unfettered in the presence of     
strangers4 ,but always and everywhere ,i
 praise you as my parents and the first 
teachers of my youth1 and do my best to 
repay my debt4 ,but the reward ,i offer 
you is not that which the sophist       
,protagoras stipulated to receive and   
never got1 but that which the wise      
,thales got without ever stipulating for
 it4 ,what is it you want8 ,ah6 ,i      
understand4 ,i will tell you both       
stories4  ,protagoras was a sophist with
 knowledge on an extraordinary number of
 subjects1 and one of the most eloquent 
among the first inventors of the art of 

rhetoric4 ,he was a fellow citizen and  
contemporary of the physicist           
,democritus1 and it was from ,democritus
 he derived his learning4 ,the story    
runs that ,protagoras made a rash       
bargain with his pupil ,euathlus1       
contracting for an exceptionally high   
fee on the following conditions4 ,the   
money was to be paid if ,euathlus was   
successful in the first suit he pleaded 
in court4 ,the young man therefore first
 learned all the methods employed to win
 the votes of the jurors1 all the tricks
 of opposing counsel1 and all the       
artifices of oratory4 ,this he did with 
ease1 for he was a very clever fellow   
with a natural aptitude for strategy4   
,when he had satisfied himself that he  
had learned all he desired to know1 he  
began to show reluctance to perform his 
part of the contract4 ,at first he      
baffled his teacher's requests for      
payment by interposing various ingenious
 delays1 and for a considerable time    
refused either to plead in court or to  

pay the stipulated fee4 ,at last        
,protagoras called him into court1 set  
forth the conditions under which he had 
accepted him as a pupil1 and propounded 
the following dilemma4 ',if ,i win1' he 
said1 'you must pay the fee1 for you    
will be condemned to do so4 ,if you win1
 you will still have to pay under the   
terms of your contract4 ,for you will   
have won the first suit you have ever   
pleaded4 ,so if you win1 you lose under 
the terms of the contract3 if you are   
defeated1 you lose by the sentence of   
the court4' ,what more would you have8  
,the jury thought the argument a marvel 
of shrewdness and quite irrefutable4    
,but ,euathlus showed himself a very    
perfect pupil of so cunning a master1   
and turned back the dilemma on its      
inventor4 ',in that case1' he replied1  
',i owe your fee under neither count4   
,for either ,i win and am acquitted by  
the court1 or lose and am released from 
the bargain1 which states that ,i do not
 owe you the fee if ,i am defeated in my

 first case in court4 ,and this is my   
first case6 ,so in any case ,i come off 
scot free2 if ,i lose1 ,i am saved by   
the contract2 if ,i win1 by the verdict 
of the jury4' ,what think you8 ,does not
 the opposition of these sophistic      
arguments remind you of brambles1 that  
the wind has entangled one with another8
 ,they cling together2 thorns of like   
length on either side1 each penetrating 
to an equal depth1 each dealing wound   
for wound4 ,so we will leave            
,protagoras' reward to shrewd and greedy
 folk4 ,it involves too many thorny     
difficulties4 ,far better is that other 
reward1 which they say was suggested    
by#fa ,thales4  ,footnote #fa3 ,thalem  
444 suasisse 7,,mss474  ,thales of      
,miletus was easily the most remarkable 
of the famous seven sages4 ,for he was  
the first of the ,greeks to discover the
 science of geometry1 was a most        
accurate investigator of the laws of    
nature1 and a most skilful observer of  
the stars4 ,with the help of a few small

 lines he discovered the most momentous 
facts3 the revolution of the years1 the 
blasts of the winds1 the wanderings of  
the stars1 the echoing miracle of       
thunder1 the slanting path of the       
zodiac1 the annual turnings of the sun1 
the waxing of the moon when young1 her  
waning when she has waxed old1 and the  
shadow of her eclipse2 of all these he  
discovered the laws4 ,even when he was  
far advanced into the vale of years1 he 
evolved a divinely inspired theory      
concerning the period of the sun's      
revolution through the circle in which  
he moves in all his majesty4 ,this      
theory1 ,i may say1 ,i have not only    
learned from books1 but have also proved
 its truth by experiment4 ,this theory  
,thales is said to have taught soon     
after its discovery to ,mandraytus of   
,priene4 ,the latter1 fascinated by the 
strangeness and novelty of his newly    
acquired knowledge1 bade ,thales choose 
whatever recompense he might desire in  
return for such precious instruction4   

',it is enough recompense1' replied     
,thales the wise1 'if you will refrain  
from claiming as your own the theory ,i 
have taught you1 whenever you begin to  
impart it to others1 and will proclaim  
me and no other as the discoverer of    
this new law4' ,in truth that was a     
noble recompense1 worthy of so great a  
man and beyond the reach of time4 ,for  
that recompense has been paid to ,thales
 down to this very day1 and shall be    
paid to all eternity by all of us who   
have realized the truth of his          
discoveries concerning the heavens4     
,such is the recompense ,i pay you1     
citizens of ,carthage1 through all the  
world1 in return for the instruction    
that ,carthage gave me as a boy4        
,everywhere ,i boast myself your city's 
nursling1 everywhere and in every way ,i
 sing your praises1 do zealous honour to
 your learning1 give glory to your      
wealth and reverent worship to your     
gods4 ,now1 therefore1 ,i will begin by 
speaking of the god ,aesculapius4 ,with 

what more auspicious theme could ,i     
engage your ears8 ,for he honours the   
citadel of our own ,carthage with the   
protection of his undoubted presence4   
,see1 ,i will sing to you both in ,greek
 and ,latin a hymn which ,i have        
composed to his glory and long since    
dedicated to him4 ,for ,i am well known 
as a frequenter of his rites1 my worship
 of him is no new thing1 my priesthood  
has received the smile of his favour1   
and ere now ,i have expressed my        
veneration for him both in prose and    
verse4 ,even so now ,i will chant a hymn
 to his glory both in ,greek and ,latin4
 ,i have prefaced it with a dialogue    
likewise in both tongues1 in which      
,sabidius ,severus and ,julius ,persius 
shall speak together4 ,they are men who 
are deservedly bound alike to one       
another1 and to you and the public weal 
by the closest ties of friendship4 ,both
 are equally distinguished for their    
learning1 their eloquence1 and their    
benevolence4 ,it is difficult to say    

whether they are more remarkable for    
their great moderation1 their ready     
energy1 or the distinction of their     
career4 ,they are united one to another 
by the most complete harmony4 ,there is 
but one point on which rivalry exists   
between them1 namely this3 they dispute 
which has the greater love for          
,carthage2 for this they contend with   
all their strength and all their soul1  
and neither is vanquished in the        
contest4 ,thinking1 then1 that you would
 be most delighted to listen to their   
converse1 and that such a theme suited  
my powers and would be a welcome        
offering to the god1 ,i begin at the    
outset of my book by making one of my   
fellow students of ,athens demand of    
,persius in ,greek what was the subject 
of the declamation delivered by myself  
on the previous day in the temple of    
,aesculapius4 ,as the dialogue proceeds 
,i introduce ,severus to their company4 
,his part is written in the language of 
,rome4 ,for ,persius1 although a master 

of ,latin1 shall yet to-day speak to you
 in the ,attic tongue4   ,a story of the
 physician ,asclepiades4  #ai4 ,the     
famous ,asclepiades1 who ranks among the
 greatest of doctors1 indeed1 if you    
except ,hippocrates1 as the very        
greatest1 was the first to discover the 
use of wine as a remedy4 ,it requires1  
however1 to be administered at the      
proper moment1 and it was in the        
discovery of the right moment that he   
showed especial skill1 noting most      
carefully the slightest symptom of      
disorder or undue rapidity of the pulse4
 ,it chanced that once1 when he was     
returning to town from his country      
house1 he observed an enormous funeral  
procession in the suburbs of the city4  
,a huge multitude of men who had come   
out to perform the last honours stood   
round about the bier1 all of them       
plunged in deep sorrow and wearing worn 
and ragged apparel4 ,he asked whom they 
were burying1 but no one replied2 so he 
went nearer#fb to satisfy his curiosity 

and to see who it might be that was     
dead1 or1 it may be1 in the hope to make
 some discovery in the interests of his 
profession4 ,be this as it may1 he      
certainly snatched the man from the jaws
 of death as he lay there on the verge  
of burial4 ,the poor fellow's limbs were
 already covered with spices1 his mouth 
filled with sweet-smelling unguent4 ,he 
had been anointed and was all ready for 
the pyre4 ,but ,asclepiades looked upon 
him1 took careful note of certain signs1
 handled his body again and again and   
perceived that the life was still in    
him1 though scarcely to be detected4    
,straightway he cried out ',he lives6   
,throw down your torches1 take away your
 fire demolish the pyre1 take back the  
funeral feast and spread it on his board
 at home'4 ,while he spoke a murmur     
arose2 some said that they must take the
 doctor's word1 others mocked at the    
physician's skill4 ,at last1 in spite of
 the opposition offered even by his     
relations1 perhaps because they had     

already entered into possession of the  
dead man's property1 perhaps because    
they did not yet believe his words1     
,asclepiades persuaded them to put off  
the burial for a brief space4 ,having   
thus rescued him from the hands of the  
undertaker1 he carried the man home1 as 
it were from the very mouth of hell1 and
 straightway revived the spirit within  
him1 and by means of certain drugs      
called forth the life that still lay    
hidden in the secret places of the body4
  ,footnote #fb3 uti 7,beyte7           
cognosceret more ingenii 7,,mss474 more 
ingenii may be corrupt4 ,if it may      
stand1 it must mean 'as his nature      
prompted him'1 i4e4 to satisfy his      
curiosity4   ,a panegyric on his own    
talents4  #bj4 ,there is a remarkable   
saying of a wise man concerning the     
pleasures of the table to the effect    
that1 ',the first glass quenches thirst1
 the second makes merry1 the third      
kindles desire1 the fourth madness4'    
,but in the case of a draught from the  

,muses' fountain the reverse is true4   
,the more cups you drink and the more   
undiluted the draught the better it will
 be for your soul's good4 ,the first cup
 is given by the master that teaches you
 to read and write and redeems you from 
ignorance#fc1 the second is given by the
 teacher of literature and equips you   
with learning1 the third arms you with  
the eloquence of the rhetorician4 ,of   
these three cups most men drink4 ,i1    
however1 have drunk yet other cups at   
,athens--the imaginative draught of     
poetry1 the clear draught of geometry1  
the sweet draught of music1 the austerer
 draught of dialectic1 and the nectar of
 all philosophy1 whereof no man may ever
 drink enough4 ,for ,empedocles composed
 verse1 ,plato dialogues1 ,socrates     
hymns1 ,epicharmus music1 ,xenophon     
histories1 and ,xenocrates satire4 ,but 
your friend ,apuleius cultivates all    
these branches of art together and      
worships all nine ,muses with equal     
zeal4 ,his enthusiasm is1 ,i admit1 in  

advance of his capacity1 but that       
perhaps makes him all the more          
praiseworthy1 inasmuch as in all high   
enterprises it is the effort that merits
 praise1 success is after all a matter  
of chance4 ,as an illustration ,i may   
remind you1 that the law punishes even  
the premeditation of crime1 though the  
criminal's purpose may never have been  
carried out2 the hand may be pure1 but  
there is blood upon the soul1 and that  
suffices4 ,as1 then1 to call down the   
doom of law it suffices to purpose deeds
 meet for punishment1 so to win praise  
it is sufficient to essay deeds worthy  
of the voice of fame2 and what greater  
or surer claim to praise may any man    
have than to glorify ,carthage8 ,for    
you1 her citizens1 are full of learning 
to a man1 your boys learn1 your young   
men display1 and your old men teach all 
manner of knowledge4 ,carthage is the   
venerable instructress of our province1 
,carthage is the heavenly muse of       
,africa1 ,carthage is the fount whence  

all the ,roman world draws draughts of  
inspiration4  ,footnote #fc3            
litteratoris1 ruditate 7,krueger74   ,an
 excuse for delay caused by social      
duties4  #ba4 ,sometimes even when haste
 is most incumbent on us1 the delays    
that slow our progress may bring such   
honour1 that often we shall be glad to  
have been thwarted of our purpose4 ,for 
instance1 take the case of persons who  
are compelled to journey in such high   
haste1 that they prefer the perils of   
the saddle to a seat in a carriage on   
account of the trouble caused by their  
baggage1 the weight of the vehicle1 the 
delays to progress1 the roughness of the
 track1 not to mention the boulders that
 beset the route1 the tree trunks fallen
 across the way1 the rivers that        
intersect the level1 and the steep      
slopes of the mountains4 ,well1 then1   
those who wish to avoid all these       
obstacles select a horse of tried       
endurance1 mettle1 and speed1 that is to
 say1 one strong to bear and swift to   

go1 like the horse described by         
,lucilius that       ,with one sole     
stride o'erpasses plain and hill4  ,none
 the less1 if as this horse bears them  
along on the wings of his speed1 they   
chance to see some great personage1 a   
man of noble birth1 high wisdom1 and    
universal fame1 then1 however pressing  
their haste1 they refrain their speed   
that they may do him honour1 slacken    
their pace and rein in their horse3 then
 straightway leaping to the ground they 
transfer to their left hand the switch1 
which they carry wherewith to beat the  
horse1 and with right hand thus left    
free approach the great man and salute  
him4 ,if it please him for a while to   
ask questions of them1 they will walk   
with him for a while and talk with him3 
in fact they will gladly suffer any     
amount of delay in the performance of   
the duty which they owe him4   ,on the  
,virtues of ,crates4  #bb4 ,crates1 the 
well-known disciple of ,diogenes1 was   
honoured at ,athens by the men of his   

own day as though he had been a         
household god4 ,no house was ever closed
 to him1 no head of a family had ever so
 close a secret as to regard ,crates as 
an unseasonable intruder3 he was always 
welcome2 there was never a quarrel1     
never a lawsuit between kinsfolk1 but he
 was accepted as mediator and his word  
was law4 ,the poets tell that ,hercules 
of old by his valour subdued all the    
wild monsters of legend1 beast or man1  
and purged all the world of them4 ,even 
so our philosopher was a very ,hercules 
in the conquest of anger1 envy1 avarice1
 lust1 and all the other monstrous sins 
that beset the human soul4 ,he expelled 
all these pests from their minds1 purged
 households1 and tamed vice4 ,nay1 he   
too went half-naked and was             
distinguished by the club he carried1   
aye1 and he sprang from that same       
,thebes1 where ,hercules1 men say1 was  
born4 ,even before he became ,crates    
pure and simple1 he was accounted one of
 the chief men in ,thebes3 his family   

was noble1 his establishment numerous1  
his house had a fair and ample porch3   
his lands were rich and his clothing    
sumptuous4 ,but later1 when he          
understood that the wealth which had    
been transmitted to him1 carried with it
 no safeguard whereon he might lean as  
on a staff in the ways of life1 but that
 all was fragile and transitory1 that   
all the wealth that is in all the world 
was of no assistance to a virtuous      
life4444   ,on the uncertainty of       
fortune4  #bc4 ,imagine some good ship1 
wrought by skilled hands1 well built    
within and fairly adorned without1 with 
rudder answering to the touch1 taut     
rigging1 lofty mast1 resplendent tops1  
and shining sails2 in a word1 supplied  
with all such gear as may serve either  
for use or the delight of the eye4      
,imagine all this and then think how    
easily1 if the tempest and no helmsman  
be her guide1 the deep may engulf her or
 the reefs grind her to pieces with all 
her goodly gear4 ,again1 when physicians

 enter a sick man's house to visit him1 
none of them bids the invalid be of good
 cheer on account of the exquisite      
balconies with which they see the house 
to be adorned1 nor on account of the    
fretted ceilings all overlaid with gold1
 or the multitudes of handsome boys and 
youths that stand about the couch in his
 chamber4 ,rather the physician sits    
down by the man's bedside1 takes his    
hand1 feels it and explores the beat and
 movements of the pulse4 ,if he         
discovers any irregularity or disorder1 
he informs his patient that he is       
seriously ill4 ,our rich man is bidden  
fast3 on that day mid all the abundant  
store of his own house1 he touches not  
even bread3 and meanwhile all his slaves
 feast and are merry1 and their servile 
state makes no difference to them4   ,an
 improvisation4  #bd4 ,you have asked me
 to give you an improvisation4 ,listen  
then4 ,you have heard me speak prepared1
 now hear me unprepared4 ,i think ,i    
risk but little in making an attempt to 

speak without premeditation in view of  
the extraordinary approval which ,i have
 won by my set speeches4 ,for having    
pleased you by more serious efforts1 ,i 
have no fear of displeasing you when ,i 
speak on a frivolous subject4 ,but in   
order that you may know me in all my    
infinite variety1 make trial of me in   
what ,lucilius called       ,the        
improviser's formless art1  and see     
whether ,i have the same skill at short 
notice as ,i have after preparation2 if 
indeed there be any of you who have     
never heard the trifles ,i toss off on  
the spur of the moment4 ,you will listen
 to them with the same critical         
exactitude that ,i have bestowed on     
their composition1 but with greater     
complaisance1 ,i hope1 than ,i can feel 
in reciting them4 ,for prudent judges   
are wont to judge finished works by a   
somewhat severe standard1 but are far   
more complaisant to improvisations4 ,for
 you weigh and examine all that is      
actually written1 but in the case of    

extempore speaking pardon and criticism 
go hand in hand1 as it is right they    
should4 ,for what we read forth from    
manuscript will remain such as it was   
when set down1 even though you say      
nothing1 but those words which ,i must  
utter now and the travail of whose birth
 you must share with me1 will be just   
such as your favour shall make them4    
,for the more ,i modify my style to suit
 your taste1 the more ,i shall please   
you4#fd ,i see that you hear me gladly4 
,from this moment it lies with you to   
furl or spread my sails1 that they hang 
not slack and drooping nor be reefed and
 brailed4  ,footnote #fd3 modificabor1  
tanto a vobis in maius tolletur4 ,so all
 editions before ,van der ,vliet4 ,the  
words tanto 444 tolletur have no ,,ms4  
support1 but some such insertion is     
necessary for the sense4  ,i will try to
 apply the saying of ,aristippus4       
,aristippus was the founder of the      
,cyrenaic school of philosophy and was a
 disciple of ,socrates--a fact which he 

regarded as the greater honour of the   
two4 ,a certain tyrant asked him what   
benefit he had derived from so long and 
so devoted a study of philosophy4 ',it  
has given me the power1' replied        
,aristippus1 'to converse with all men  
without fear or concern4'  ,my speech   
has begun with a certain abruptness of  
expression due to the suddenness with   
which the subject suggested itself to   
me4 ,it is as though ,i were building a 
loose wall in which one must be content 
to pile the stones haphazard without    
filling the interior with rubble1       
levelling the front1 or making all lines
 true to rule4 ,for in building up this 
speech ,i shall not bring stones from my
 own quarry1 hewn foursquare and planed 
on all sides with their outer edge cut  
smooth and level1 so that the nail slips
 lightly over it4 ,no6 at every point ,i
 must fit in material that is rough and 
uneven1 or slippery and smooth1 or      
jagged1 projecting and angular1 or round
 and rolling4 ,there will be no         

correction by rule1 no measure or       
proportion1 no attention to the         
perpendicular4 ,for it is impossible to 
produce a thing on the spur of the      
moment and to give it careful           
consideration1 nor is there anything in 
the world that can hope at one and the  
same time to be praised for its care and
 admired for its speed4   ,the fable of 
the fox and the crow4  #be4 ,i have     
complied with the desire of certain     
persons who just now begged me to speak 
extempore4 ,but1 by ,hercules1 ,i fear  
that ,i may suffer the fate that befell 
the crow in ,aesop's fable3 namely1 that
 in the attempt to win this new species 
of glory ,i may lose the little ,i have 
already acquired4 ,what is this parable1
 you ask me8 ,i will gladly turn        
fabulist for awhile4 ,a crow and a fox  
caught sight of a morsel of food at the 
same moment and hurried to seize it4    
,their greed was equal1 but their speed 
was not4 ,reynard ran1 but the crow     
flew1 with the result that the bird was 

too quick for the quadruped1 sailed down
 the wind on extended pinions1          
outstripped and forestalled him4 ,then1 
rejoicing at his victory in the race for
 the booty1 the crow flew into a        
neighbouring oak and sat out of reach on
 the topmost bough4 ,the fox being      
unable to hurl a stone1 launched a trick
 at him and reached him4 ,for coming up 
to the foot of the tree1 he stopped     
there1 and seeing the robber high above 
him exulting in his booty1 began to     
praise him with cunning words4 ',fool   
that ,i was thus vainly to contend with 
,apollo's bird6 ,for his body is        
exquisitely proportioned1 neither       
exceeding small nor yet too large1 but  
just of the size demanded by use and    
beauty2 his plumage is soft1 his head   
sharp and fine1 his beak strong4 ,nay1  
more1 he has wings with which to follow1
 keen eyes with which to see1 and claws 
with which to seize his prey4 ,as for   
his colour1 what can ,i say8 ,there are 
two transcendent hues1 the blackness of 

pitch and the whiteness of snow1 the    
colours that distinguish night and day4 
,both of these hues ,apollo has given to
 the birds he loves1 white to the swan  
and black to the crow4 ,would he had    
given the latter a voice like the sweet 
song he has conferred upon the swan1    
that so fair a bird1 so far excelling   
all the fowls of the air1 might not     
live1 as now he lives1 voiceless1 the   
darling of the god of eloquence1 but    
himself mute and tongueless4' ,when the 
crow heard that1 though possessed of so 
many qualities1 there yet lacked this   
one1 he was seized with a desire to     
utter as loud a cry as possible1 that   
the swan might not have the advantage of
 him in this respect at any rate1 and   
forgetting the morsel which he held in  
his beak1 he opened his mouth to its    
widest extent1 and thus lost by his song
 what his wings had won him1 while the  
fox recovered by craft what his feet had
 lost him4 ,let us reduce this fable to 
the smallest number of words possible4  

,the crow1 to prove himself musical--for
 the fox pretended that this1 the       
absence of a voice1 was the sole slur on
 such exquisite beauty--began to croak1 
and delivered over the spoil which he   
carried in his mouth to the enemy who   
had thus ensnared him4   ,a transition  
from ,greek to ,latin4  #bf4 ,i have    
known for a long time what it is your   
demonstrations demand3 namely1 that ,i  
should deal with the rest of my material
 in ,latin4 ,for ,i remember that at the
 very beginning1 when you were divided  
in opinion1 ,i promised that neither    
party among you1 neither those who      
insisted on ,greek nor those who        
insisted on ,latin1 should go away      
without hearing the language he desired4
 ,wherefore1 if it seems good to you1   
let us consider that my speech has been 
,attic long enough4 ,it is time to      
migrate from ,greece to ,latium4 ,for we
 are now almost half through our inquiry
 and1 as far as ,i can see1 the second  
half does not yield to the first part   

which ,i have delivered in ,greek4 ,it  
is as strong in argument1 as full of    
epigram1 as rich in illustration and as 
admirable in style4     ,,notes   ,,the 
,,apologia  ,,chapter #a4 ,claudius     
,maximus1 proconsul of ,africa1 is      
spoken of as having succeeded ,lollianus
 ,avitus4 ,lollianus ,avitus was consul 
in #add ,a4,d4 ,as ten to thirteen years
 usually elapsed between tenure of the  
consulate and proconsulate1 ,lollianus  
,avitus may have been proconsul #aed-g  
,a4,d41 and ,claudius ,maximus #aee-h   
,a4,d4  gentlemen who sit beside him on 
the bench4 ,the governor of the         
province1 when holding his assize1 would
 be assisted by a consilium of assessors
 drawn partly from his staff1 partly    
from the local conventus civium         
,romanorum4  ,granii4 ,nothing is known 
of this suit4 ,granii are mentioned as  
connexions of ,lollius ,urbicus         
7,c4,i4,l4 viii4 #fgje74  ,,chapter #b4 
,lollius ,urbicus is described a few    
lines lower down as praefectus urbi1    

which is borne out by an inscription    
7,c4,i4,l4 vi4 #bh74 ,the lawsuit of    
,aemilianus must therefore have been    
heard at ,rome4 ,the explanation of the 
words quam quidem vocem1 c41 which      
follow1 imply that ,lollius was now in  
,numidia4 ,this is possible enough since
 an inscription 7,c4,i4,l4 viii4 #fgje7 
proves him to have been a native of     
,tiddis in ,numidia4 ,the praefectus    
urbi was assisted by a consilium1 not by
 iudices4 ,here the members of the      
consilium are described as consulares4  
,cp4 ,karlowa1 ,roem4 ,rechtgesch41 p4  
#eea4  ,,chapter #d4 not merely in      
,latin but also in ,greek4 ,cp4         
,florida1 chaps4 #ah and #bf4           
,tannonius ,pudens1 an advocatus of the 
accusers and1 presumably1 a relative4   
,homer1 sc4 ,il4 iii4 #fe4  ,pythagoras1
 inventor of the term ,greek3           
philosophia2 cp4 ,diog4 ,laert4 i1      
proem4 #ab4 ,he was a native of ,samos  
and migrated to ,croton4 ,see ,florida1 
chap4 #ae4 ,floruit circa #ecj ,b4,c4   

,zeno of ,velia or ,elea in ,lucania was
 the founder of dialectic4 ,floruit     
circa #dej ,b4,c4  self inconsistency4  
,the phrase argumenta ambifariam        
dissolvere is very obscure4 ,i am       
indebted to ,professor ,cook ,wilson for
 the following note4 ',a comparison of  
the passage with the captious argument  
of ,protagoras 7,florida1 chap4 #ag1    
ambifariam proposuit71 which is in the  
form of a dilemma1 might suggest that   
ambifariam in both places means by      
dilemma4 ,but this is not a natural way 
of describing the method of ,zeno4 ,the 
characteristic of his philosophy was1   
according to tradition1 that he tried to
 prove the thesis of ,parmenides        
negatively by disproving the hypothesis 
contradictory to it4 ,the disproof      
consisted in showing that the hypothesis
 in question involved a contradiction4  
,if1 therefore1 ambifariam means by     
dilemma it would appear that ,apuleius  
did not understand the true             
characteristic of ,zeno's method2 for   

dissolvere should refer to ,zeno's      
method of disproof1 which is not        
properly called dilemma4  ',but perhaps 
it is not necessary to assume such a    
mistake on the part of ,apuleius4       
,ambifariam may mean ambiguously in the 
sense of involving both sides of a      
contradiction 7i4e4 both of two         
contradictory propositions74 ,this would
 suit the ,protagoras passage well1 for 
the argument1 as the context shows1     
involves a contradiction4 ,zeno's       
argumentation also could be correctly   
described as ambifariam dissolvere1     
because he refuted the thesis opposed to
 that of ,parmenides by showing that it 
involves a contradiction4 ,then the     
meaning of the passage would be that    
,zeno's cleverness 7sollertissimum      
artificium7 lay in the use of the       
reductio ad absurdum argument4 ,in that 
case the translation would be as given  
in the text4' ,i find a confirmation of 
,professor ,cook ,wilson's view in the  
following line1 cited from ,timon of    

,phlius by ,diog4 ,laert4 ix4 v4 #b1    
where the word ,greek3 amphoteroglossos 
is used with reference to ,zeno's       
methods of argument1 sc4 ,greek3        
amphoteroglossou te mega sthenos ouk    
alapadnon4  ,plato1 sc4 ,parmenides1    
#abg;b4  capital charge4 ,there is an   
untranslatable pun here1 capitalis      
bearing the double meaning 'capital' and
 'pertaining to the head'4  ,,chapter   
#e4 ,statius ,caecilius1 one of the most
 famous writers of comedy4 ,he died #afh
 ,b4,c4  ,,chapter #f4 tooth-powder1    
clearly a magical compound according to 
the accusers4  ,catullus1 sc4 xxxix4    
#ag-ba4  ,,chapter #g4 the barrier of   
the teeth4 ,homer1 ,odyss4 i4 #fd4      
,,chapter #h4 the crocodile4 ,see       
,herodotus ii4 #fh4  ,,chapter #i4      
,teian1 sc4 ,anacreon1 circa #ebj ,b4,c4
  ,lacedaemonian1 sc4 ,alcman1 circa    
#fej ,b4,c4  ,cean1 sc4 ,simonides1     
circa #ebj ,b4,c4  ,lesbian1 sc4        
,sappho1 circa #fjj ,b4,c4  ,aedituus1  
,porcius1 ,catulus1 erotic              

epigrammatists of the ,republican       
period1 #acj-ajj ,b4,c4 ,the latter was 
,marius' colleague in the ,cimbrian     
wars4  ,solon4 ,the line ascribed to    
,solon is almost too gross in the       
original to be genuine4  ,diogenes1 the 
founder of the ,cynic school 7died #cbd 
,b4,c471 wrote 'concerning marriage and 
the begetting of children' in an erotic 
fashion4 ,diog4 ,laert4 vi4 #b4 #ab4    
,zeno of ,citium1 founder of the ,stoic 
school 7died #bfd ,b4,c471 wrote an 'art
 of love'4 ,diog4 ,laert4 vii4 #ba4 #bi4
  ,,chapter #aj4 ,ticidas1 an erotic    
poet1 contemporary with ,catullus and1  
like him1 belonging to the ,alexandrian 
school4  ,lucilius1 the first of ,rome's
 great satirists 7#adh-ajc ,b4,c471     
famous for the extraordinary vigour with
 which he lashed the vices of the age4  
,the allusion in the present passage is 
unknown1 though a fragment is preserved 
containing the name of ,macedo and      
possibly also of ,gentius 7cp4          
,baehrens1 ,fragm4 ,poet4 ,rom41 p4     

#afh74  the ,mantuan poet4 ,vergil1     
,ecl4 ii4  ,serranus1 the cognomen of   
,atilius ,regulus1 consul #beg ,b4,c41  
the famous ,regulus of the first ,punic 
war4  ,curius ,dentatus1 thrice consul1 
and victor over the ,samnites and       
,pyrrhus4  ,fabricius1 general in the   
war against ,pyrrhus4 ,consul in #bhb   
and #bgh ,b4,c4 ,these three great      
soldiers were selected as types of      
,roman virtue4 ,cp4 ,verg4 ,aen4 vi4    
#dhe4  ,dion1 brother-in-law and        
son-in-law of ,dionysius ,,ii1 tyrant of
 ,syracuse1 the friend and pupil of     
,plato1 and for a brief space tyrant of 
,syracuse4  ,,chapter #aa4 ,catullus    
xvi4 #e4  ,hadrian1 ,emperor1 #aag-ach  
,a4,d4  ,voconius1 mentioned here only4 
,,chapter #ab4 ,venus is not one goddess
 but two4 ,for this doctrine see        
,plato's ,symposium1 p4 #aha4           
,afranius1 the most famous writer of    
purely ,roman comedy 7fabulae togatae71 
floruit circa #aaj ,b4,c4  ,,chapter    
#ac4 ,ennius 7#bci-afi ,b4,c471 the     

'father of ,roman ,poetry'4 ,cp4 ,cic4  
de ,or4 ii4 #aef 'ac sic decrevi        
philosophari potius ut ,neoptolemus apud
 ,ennium paucis3 nam omnino haud        
placet'4  the mirror1 clearly regarded  
by the accusers1 though ,apuleius does  
not say so1 as a magical instrument4    
,,chapter #ae4 ,the ,lacedaemonian      
,agesilaus1 the greatest of the ,spartan
 kings1 #ddj-cfj ,b4,c4 ,cp4 ,cic4 ad   
,fam4 v4 #ab4  ,socrates4 ,cp4 ,diog4   
,laert4 ii4 #e1 #cc4  ,demosthenes and  
,plato4 ,cp4 ,quint4 xii4 #b4 #bb and   
#aj4 #bc4  ,eubulides1 a sophist of     
,miletus4 ,cp4 ,diog4 ,laert4 ii4 #aj4  
#d4  the orator when he wrangles1 c4    
,the pun on iurgari1 'wrangles1' and    
obiurgari1 'rebukes1' can scarcely be   
reproduced4 ',disproves' and            
'disapproves' would weaken the          
translation4  ,epicurus of ,samos1 born 
#cdb ,b4,c4 ,for his views on vision cp4
 ,lucret4 iv4 #aef1 on mirrors1 #bic4   
,plato4 ,cp4 ,timaeus1 p4 #df ,a1       
',within the eyes they 7the gods7       

planted that variety of fire which does 
not burn1 but it is called light        
homogeneous with the light without4 ,we 
are enabled to see in the daytime1      
because the light within our eyes pours 
out through the centre of them and      
commingles with the light without4 ,the 
two being thus confounded together      
transmit movements from every object    
they touch through the eye inward to the
 soul1 and thus bring about the         
sensation of the sight4' ,grote's ,plato
 iii4 #bfe4  ,archytas of ,tarentum1 a  
,pythagorean 7circa #djj ,b4,c474 ,the  
,stoics--believed that sight consisted  
in a refined fluid or visual effluence  
proceeding from the central intelligence
 through the eyes4 ',in the process of  
seeing1 the ,greek3 horatikon pneuma    
7visual effluence7 coming into the eyes 
from the ,greek3 hegemonikon 7central   
intelligence7 gives a spherical form to 
the air before the eye by virtue of its 
,greek3 tonike kinesis 7i4e4 the tension
 it sets up71 and by means of the sphere

 of air comes in contact with things2   
and since by this process rays of light 
emanate from the eye1 darkness must be  
visible4' ,zeller1 ,the ,stoics1        
,epicureans1 and ,sceptics1 p4 #bji1    
note4 ,cp4 ,plut4 ,plac4 ,phil4 iv4 #ae4
  ,,chapter #af4 two rival images of the
 sun4 ,apparently an allusion to the    
phenomenon of mock suns4 ,archimedes    
had1 according to ,apuleius1 treated of 
the rainbow and the mock sun in         
connexion with his researches into      
mirrors4  ,,chapter #ag4 ,marcus        
,antonius1 the orator1 born #adc ,b4,c41
 ,consul #ii ,b4,c4  ,carbo1 consul     
#he-hb ,b4,c41 one of the leaders of the
 ,marian party and the chief opponent of
 ,sulla after ,marius' death4  ,manius  
,curius4 ,see note on chap4 #aj4        
,marcus ,cato1 consul in #aie ,b4,c41   
conducted a successful campaign in      
,spain in that and the following year4  
,,chapter #ah4 ,aristides1 the ,athenian
 statesman and general1 surnamed the    
just1 died circa #dfh ,b4,c4  ,phocion1 

an ,athenian general and statesman1 born
 #djb ,b4,c41 died #cag ,b4,c4 ,he was  
famous for his virtue and his poverty4  
,epaminondas1 the great ,theban general 
who fell at ,mantinea1 #cfb ,b4,c4 ,he  
was of noble birth but poor4            
,fabricius4 ,see note on chap4 #aj4     
,gnaeus ,scipio4 ,cp4 ,val4 ,max4 iv4   
#d4 #aj4 ',in the second ,punic war     
,gnaeus ,scipio wrote to the senate from
 ,spain1 begging that he might be       
replaced in his command4 ,for his       
daughter was now of marriageable age1   
but could not be provided with a dowry  
during his absence from ,rome4'         
,publicola 7,valerius71 colleague of    
,brutus in the consulship in the first  
year of the ,republic4  ,agrippa1       
,menenius1 consul #ejc ,b4,c41 mediator 
between the plebs and the nobles in #dic
 ,b4,c41 in which year he died4         
,atilius ,regulus4 ,see note on         
,serranus1 chap4 #aj4  ,,chapter #bj4   
,philus1 a sceptical academician1 one of
 the circle of ,scipio ,africanus the   

younger4  ,laelius1 the intimate friend 
of the younger ,africanus4  ,crassus1   
the famous financier1 triumvir with     
,caesar and ,pompey4  ,,chapter #bb4    
,crates4 ,see ,florida #ad for some     
account of him4 ,the rest of the poem on
 his wallet is preserved by ,diog4      
,laert4 vi4 #e4 #a1 but is scarcely     
worth quoting4  ,antisthenes1 the       
founder of the ,cynic school of         
philosophy1 flourished circa #cff ,b4,c4
 ,he was the teacher of ,diogenes4      
,,chapter #bd4 ,lollianus ,avitus4 ,see 
note on ,claudius ,maximus1 chap4 #a4   
,anacharsis1 a ,scythian prince who     
travelled far in search of knowledge4   
,he came to ,athens in the time of      
,solon and created a great impression by
 his wisdom4  ,meletides 7or more       
properly ,melitides7 was an ,athenian of
 proverbial stupidity1 whose name was   
synonymous for blockhead4 ,eustathius on
 ,odyss4 x4 #eeb1 says that he could not
 count above five or distinguish between
 his father and mother6  ,syphax1 king  

of the ,massaesyli in ,w4 ,numidia1     
fought for the ,carthaginians during the
 second ,punic war1 and was finally     
defeated and captured by ,scipio in #bjc
 ,b4,c4 ,after his fall ,masinissa1     
,king of the ,massyli1 was left supreme 
in ,numidia4  duumvir4 ,the chief       
magistrates in a colonia were styled    
duumviri iure dicundo4  the dignity of  
my position4 ,this is generally         
interpreted as meaning that ,apuleius   
himself had become duumvir4 ,it is more 
likely1 considering his age and his     
continued absences from ,madaura1 that  
it means merely the position acquired   
for him by his father's distinguished   
office4  ,,chapter #be4 ,magician is the
 ,persian word for priest4 ',the name   
magi applied to all workers of miracles1
 strictly designates the priests of     
,mazdeism1 and well-attested tradition  
made certain ,persians the inventors of 
genuine magic1 the magic which the      
,middle ,ages styled the black art4 ,if 
they did not invent it1 for it is as old

 as humanity1 they were at least the    
first to give magic a doctrinal basis   
and to assign it a place in a           
well-defined theological system4444 ,by 
the ,alexandrian period1 books          
attributed to ,zoroaster1 ,hostanes1 and
 ,hystaspes were translated into        
,greek4' ,cumont1 ,les ,religions       
,orientales dans le ,paganisme ,romain1 
p4 #bbg4 ,cp4 ,pliny1 ,n4,h4 xxx4 #g4   
,plato1 ,alcibiades i4 #aba ,e4         
,zoroaster1 son of ,oromazes1 the       
founder of the ancient religion of      
,persia 7,mazdeism74  ,,chapter #bf4    
,plato4 ,the allusion is to ,charmides1 
p4 #aeg ,a4 ,socrates offers ,charmides 
a charm to cure the headache4 ,but the  
charm will do more than cure the        
headache4 ',i learnt it1 when serving   
with the army1 of one of the physicians 
of the ,thracian ,king ,zamolxis4 ,he   
was one of those who are said to give   
immortality4 ,this ,thracian said to me 
444 ,zamolxis1 our king1 who is also a  
god1 says that as you ought not to      

attempt to cure the eyes without the    
head or the head without the eyes1 so   
neither ought you to attempt to cure the
 body without the soul1 444 ,for all    
good and evil1 whether in the body or in
 human nature1 originates1 as he        
declared1 in the soul1 and overflows    
from thence1 as from the head into the  
eyes4 ,and therefore if the head and    
body are to be well1 you must begin by  
curing the soul2 that is the first      
thing4 ,and the cure has to be effected 
by the use of certain charms1 and these 
charms are fair words2 and by them      
temperance is implanted in the soul1 and
 where temperance is1 there health is   
speedily implanted1 not only to the     
head1 but to the whole body4' 7,jowett's
 ,translation47 ,apuleius scarcely makes
 a fair use of ,plato's words1 which he 
has so far detached from their context  
as to give them almost entirely a new   
meaning4  ,zamolxis1 probably an        
indigenous deity of the ,getae4 ,greek  
legend made him a ,getan slave of       

,pythagoras1 who on manumission went    
home1 became priest of the chief deity  
of the ,getae1 and taught the           
,pythagorean doctrine of the immortality
 of the soul4  ,,chapter #bg4           
,anaxagoras of ,clazomenae1 born about  
#dii ,b4,c4 ,he came to ,athens and had 
great influence there1 being the friend 
of ,pericles and ,euripides4 ,he was1   
however1 banished for unorthodoxy and   
died at ,lampsacus aged #gb4            
,leucippus1 the founder of the atomic   
theory4 ,his exact date and place of    
birth are uncertain4  ,democritus of    
,abdera1 born about #dej ,b4,c4 ,he     
developed the atomic theory of          
,leucippus4  ,epicurus1 like ,democritus
 and ,leucippus1 maintained the atomic  
theory4 ,cp4 note on chap4 #ae4         
,epimenides1 a seer and prophet of      
,crete who purified ,athens of the      
plague with which she was afflicted in  
consequence of the crime of ,cylon1     
circa #eif ,b4,c4  ,ostanes1 or         
,hostanes1 a famous semi-fabulous       

magician of ,persia4  the               
'purifications' of ,empedocles4         
,empedocles of ,agrigentum 7flourished  
circa #dej ,b4,c47 wrote a poem of      
#c1jjj lines1 entitled 'purifications'  
7,greek3 katharmoi74 ,in this he        
recommended good moral conduct as a     
means of averting epidemics and other   
evils4 ,but as a fragment quoted by     
,diog4 ,laert4 viii4 #ei1 shows1 he     
claimed also to have power over the     
winds4  the 'demon' of ,socrates1 the   
divine sign or voice ,greek3 daimonion1 
which is represented by ,socrates as    
having guided his actions1 is never     
spoken of by him in terms that would    
lead us to suppose that he regarded it  
as a familiar spirit1 though it is so   
treated by later writers 7e4g4          
,plutarch1 de genio ,socratis1 and      
,apuleius1 de deo ,socratis74  the      
'good' of ,plato4 ,the reference is     
probably to the identification of       
,greek3 to agathon with the ,greek3     
demiourgos the creator spoken of in the 

,timaeus4  ,,chapter #cj4 ,vergil4 ,cp4 
,ecl4 viii4 #fd-hb4 ,aen4 iv4 #eac-af4  
the wondrous talisman4 ,the allusion is 
to the hippomanes or growth said to be  
found on the forehead of a new-born     
foal4 ,unless the mother was prevented  
she devoured it4  ,theocritus1 sc4 ,id4 
ii4  ,homer1 e4g4 the adventures with   
,circe4  ,orpheus4 ,see the ,orphica    
7,abel71 ,fr4 #agb2 ,argonaut4 #iee sqq4
 ,lithica #agb sqq4  ,laevius4 ,the     
,,mss4 give ,laelius4 ,but no poet      
,laelius is known4 ,there was1 however1 
a poet ,laevius at the beginning of the 
first century ,b4,c4  the lover's knot4 
,the ,latin is antipathes1 explained by 
,abt 7,apologie des ,apuleius1 p4 #ajc7 
as quod mutuum affectum provocat4  the  
magic wheel spun rapidly to draw the    
beloved to the lover4 ,cp4 ,theocr4 ii4 
#cj4 ',and as this brazen wheel spins1  
so may ,delphis be spun by ,aphrodite to
 my door4'  nails4 ,portions of the     
beloved were valuable ingredients in    
charms4 ,cp4 ,apul4 ,metamorph4 bk4 iii1

 #af1 #ag1 where hair from the beloved's
 head is required4  ribbons used as     
fillets during the ritual4 ,cp4 chap4   
#cj1 'soft garlands4'  the two-tailed   
lizard4 ,theocr4 ii4 #eg1 testifies to  
the use of the lizard as a love charm4  
,a magic papyrus from ,egypt 7,griffiths
 ,thompson1 col4 xiii 7#bc71 p4 #ig7    
mentions a two-tailed lizard as an      
ingredient in a charm to cause death4   
the charm that glads1 c41 sc4           
hippomanes2 see note on preceding page4 
,,chapter #ca4 ,homer4 ,iliad xi4 #gda4 
,odyssey iv4 #bbi4  ,proteus4 ,odyssey  
iv4 #cfd4  ,ulysses4 ,odyssey xi4 #be4  
,aeolus4 ,odyssey x4 #ai4  ,helen4      
,odyssey iv4 #ei4  ,circe4 ,odyssey x4  
#bcd4  ,venus4 ,iliad xiv4 #bad4        
,mercury4 ,cp4 the magic hymn contained 
in a magical papyrus 7,papyr4 ,lond4    
#df4 #dad74 ',thou art told of as       
foreknower of the fates and as the      
godlike dream sending oracles both by   
day and night4'  ,trivia  ,hecate4      
,salacia1 a ,roman sea-goddess1 the wife

 of ,neptune4  ,portumnus1 the ,roman   
harbour-god4  ,,chapter #cb4 ,menelaus4 
,hom4 ,odyss4 iv4 #cfh4  ,,chapter #ce4 
,a shell for the making of a will4 ,the 
pun testa ad testamentum cannot be      
reproduced in ,english4  seaweed for an 
ague4 ,here again there is an           
untranslatable jest4 ,alga 7seaweed7    
suggests algere1 'to be cold1' one of   
the symptoms of the ague 7querceram74   
,,chapter #cf4 ,theophrastus of ,eresus1
 the favourite pupil of ,aristotle4     
,eudemus of ,rhodes1 also a disciple of 
,aristotle4  ,lycon of ,troas1 a        
distinguished ,peripatetic philosopher  
7floruit circa #bgb ,b4,c474  ,,chapter 
#ci4 ,quintus ,ennius1 #bci-afi ,b4,c4  
,the lines which follow are all that    
survive of the ,hedyphagetica4 ,they    
seem to be closely imitated from the    
,gastronomia of ,archestratus quoted by 
,athenaeus iii1 pp4 #ib4 #cjj4 #cah4    
,there is great uncertainty as to the   
text1 and but few of the fish mentioned 
can be identified with any certainty4   

,,chapter #dj4 ,homer4 ,odyssey xix4    
#def4  ,,chapter #da4 ,and yet it is a  
greater crime1 c4 ,an allusion to the   
vegetarianism of the ,pythagoreans and  
others4  ,nicander of ,colophon1 an     
,alexandrian didactic poet4 ,the ,greek3
 theriaka survives1 is over #a1jjj lines
 long1 and deals with the bites of wild 
beasts4  ,plato4 ,the words are not     
actually found in ,plato's extant works2
 ,apuleius is probably slightly         
misquoting ,timaeus #ei;c4  ,,chapter   
#db4 ,varro 7,marcus ,terentius71       
#aaf-bh ,b4,c4 ,the most learned and    
voluminous of ,roman authors4  an image 
of ,mercury4 ,clearly the reference is  
to some such practice as that of        
'screeing' in the ink-pool4 ,cp4        
,kinglake1 ,eothen1 chap4 #ah4  ,cato   
7the famous ,marcus ,cato1 see chap4    
#ag1 note7 was priest of ,apollo and    
received offerings to the god4          
,,chapter #dc4 ,plato4 ,sympos4 #bjb1   
where ,greek3 daimones are spoken of as 
powers 'which interpret and convey to   

the gods the prayers and sacrifices of  
men and to men the commands and rewards 
of gods4' ,also cp4 de deo ,socratis1   
chap4 #f4  fair and unblemished of body4
 ,beauty and virginity are insisted on  
in various passages in the magical      
papyri 7see ,abt op4 cit41 p4 #ahe7 as  
necessary in the boy through whom the   
god is to speak4 ,cp4 also ,benvenuto   
,cellini's ,autobiography 7,symond's    
,translation1 p4 #abf1 ed4 #aija74      
,pythagoras4 ',i think also it was said 
by the ,pythagoreans respecting those   
who teach for the sake of reward1 that  
they show themselves to be worse than   
statuaries or those artists who perform 
their work sitting4 ,for these1 when    
some one orders them to make a statue of
 ,hermes1 search for wood adapted to the
 reception of the proper form2 but those
 pretend that they can readily produce  
the works of virtue from every nature4' 
,iamblichus1 ,life of ,pythagoras1 chap4
 #cd 7,taylor's ,translation74          
,,chapter #dd4 as might fairly be       

produced at a sacrifice1 c4 ,the        
divination is preceded by sacrifice just
 as in ,benvenuto ,cellini 7loc4 cit47  
the sorcerer first burns incense4 ,the  
head is touched as being the source from
 which the oracle is to proceed 7arx et 
regia1 chap4 #ej74 ,the clean robe is   
necessary1 to ritual purity and is      
mentioned more than once in the magic   
papyri4  ,,chapter #de4 ,gagates is1    
according to ,pliny1 ,n4,h4 xxxvi4 #ada1
 #b1 a black smooth stone1 resembling   
pumice4 ,it is light and fragile and    
differs but little from wood4 ,when     
powdered it emits a strong odour2 when  
burned it smells sulphurous1 and1       
wonderful to relate1 it is kindled by   
water and extinguished by oil4          
,,chapter #dg4 ,twelve ,tables4 ,in     
this1 the earliest ,roman code1         
punishment was imposed on any person qui
 fruges excantassit1 or qui malum carmen
 incantassit4 ,pliny1 ,n4,h4 xxviii4 #b4
 #ag4  ,quindecimvirs4 ,the             
quindecimviri sacris faciundis were     

priests of ,apollo and had charge of the
 ,sibylline books4  ,,chapter #di4 ,the 
,timaeus1 pp4 #hb-f4  ,the three powers 
that make up the soul are those         
mentioned in the ,timaeus1 #ce sqq41    
i4e4 ,same1 ,other1 and ,essence4       
,,chapter #ej4 ,the ,comitial sickness1 
so called because1 if a case of epilepsy
 occurred during the meeting of the     
comitia1 the assembly was immediately   
broken up4  ,,chapter #ea4 ,the         
,problems4 ,aristot4 ,fr4 ed4 ,rose1 p4 
#aha4  ,theophrastus1 cp4 fragm4 #agew4 
,diog4 ,laert4 v4 #b4 #ac4  ,,chapter   
#eb4 ,thallus contracts his hands1 c4   
',thallus manus contrahit1 tu patronos4'
 ,the pun is 7a7 bad and 7b7            
untranslatable into reasonably good     
,english4 ,the literal meaning is       
',thallus contracts his hands1 you      
collect advocates'4  ,,chapter #ee4 ,the
 comrades of ,ulysses1 c4 ,odyss4 x4    
#bh-ee4  ,aesculapius4 ,cp4 ,florida    
#ah4  the mysteries of father ,liber4   
,the mysterious object is probably the  

mystic casket 7cista7 containing the    
,greek3 phallos1 emblem of fertility4   
,,chapter #ef4 ,the followers of        
,orpheus and ,pythagoras abstained from 
the slaying of animals for the service  
of man4 ,cp4 ,herodotus ii4 #ha4        
,mezentius4 ,cp4 ,verg4 ,aen4 vii4 #fdg 
'contemptor divom'4  ,,chapter #eg4     
,ulysses4 ,odyss i4 #eh4  ,,chapter #fb4
 ,high and low through all the town4    
,the pun on oppido1 'exceedingly1' and  
oppido1 'town1' does not admit of       
reproduction4  ,,chapter #fd4 ,the      
,phaedrus1 #bdg4 ',for the immortal     
souls1 when they are at the end of their
 course1 go out and stand upon the back 
of heaven1 and the revolution of the    
spheres carries them round and they     
behold the world beyond4 ,now of the    
heaven which is above the heavens1 no   
earthly poet has sung or ever will sing 
in a worthy manner4 ,but ,i must tell1  
for ,i am bound to speak truly when     
speaking of the truth4 ,the colourless  
and formless and intangible essence is  

visible to the mind1 which is the only  
lord of the soul4 ,circling around this 
in the region above the heavens is the  
place of true knowledge4' 7,jowett's    
,translation74  ,the ,king4 ,the passage
 quoted is from ,plato1 ,epist4 ii1 p4  
#cab 7#djc74 ,it goes on to say 'and he 
is the cause of all things that are     
beautiful'4 ,compare the ,greek3 nous   
basileus identified with the cosmic soul
 in the ,philebus #bi;,e-#cj;,a4        
,,chapter #fe4 ,the ,laws1 pp4 #iee1 #f4
 ,it is possible that ,greek3 monoxylon 
may mean 'of one wood only'4  ,,chapter 
#ff4 ,marcus ,antonius1 ,cnaeus ,carbo1 
c4 ,of these causes celebres nothing is 
known worthy of mention here4 ,apuleius 
errs in saying that ,mucius accused     
,albucius4 ,as a matter of fact         
,albucius accused ,mucius on the ground 
of extortion4 ,cp4 ,cic4 ,brut4 #bf4    
#ajb4 ,for the suit between ,metellus   
and ,curio cp4 ,ascon4 in ,cornel4 #fc4 
,cnaeus ,norbanus should probably be    
,caius ,norbanus1 and ,caius ,furius1   

,lucius ,fufius4 ,cp4 ,cic4 de ,off4 ii4
 #ad4 #di1 de ,or4 ii4 #ba4 #hi1 and    
,cic4 ,brut4 #fb4 #bbb1 de ,off4 ii4    
#ad4 #ej4  ,,chapter #gc4 ,a discourse  
in public4 ,fragments of such discourses
 are to be found in the ,florida4       
,,chapter #ge4 ,his gold rings4 ,by the 
time of ,hadrian the wearing of a gold  
ring 7ius anuli aurei7 was no more than 
a sign of free birth1 and the only      
privilege conferred was that of         
obtaining office4 ,see ,anulus1 ,dict4  
,ant4  ,,chapter #gh4 ,when you dance in
 those characters4 ,tragedy proper had  
been replaced on the ,roman stage by the
 saltica fabula1 in which the pantomimus
 executed a mimetic dance illustrating a
 libretto sung by a chorus4  ,,chapter  
#ha4 ,palamedes was famous for having   
detected the pretended madness of       
,ulysses1 by which he sought to avoid   
going upon the expedition to ,troy4     
,ulysses was ploughing and ,palamedes   
placed the infant ,telemachus in front  
of the ploughshare4 ,ulysses revealed   

his sanity by stopping the plough4      
,sisyphus1 ,king of ,corinth1 was famous
 as a master of all manner of deceit1   
outwitting even the arch-thief          
,autolycus4 ,he was finally cast into   
,tartarus for having discovered the     
amour of ,zeus with the nymph ,aegina4  
,eurybates 7or ,eurybatus7 coupled with 
,phrynondas by ,plato 7,protagoras      
#cbg74 ,he was an ,ephesian sent by     
,croesus to ,greece with a large sum of 
money to hire mercenaries4 ,he betrayed 
his trust and went over to ,cyrus4      
,phrynondas1 a stranger 7probably a     
,boeotian7 who lived at ,athens during  
the ,peloponnesian war and became       
proverbial as a scoundrel4  clowns and  
pantaloons4 ,maccus and ,bucco were     
stock characters in the ,atellan farce4 
,,chapter #he4 ,the viper4 ,this        
superstition arises from the fact that  
the viper does not lay eggs1 but is     
viviparous4  a well-known line4 ,the    
author is unknown4  ,,chapter #hg4      
,quite at home in ,greek4 ,see note on  

chap4 #d4  ,,chapter #hh4 ,the line so  
well known in comedy4 ,the reading      
nearest to the ,,mss4 would be ,greek3  
paidon ep' apoto1 gnesion epi spora     
7,van der ,vliet74 ,unless1 however1 the
 phrase ,greek3 paidon ep' apoto gnesion
 is a stock phrase which occurred in    
more than one comedy1 which might       
perhaps be argued from the plural       
comoediis1 there can be no doubt that   
the words ,greek3 epi spora are         
interpolated1 inasmuch as the line      
occurs in the fragment of the ,greek3   
perikeiromene of ,menander1 discovered  
at ,oxyrhynchus by ,drs4 ,greenfell and 
,hunt 7,ox4 ,pap4 ii1 ,no4 #baa1 p4 #aa 
sqq471 and runs as follows              
,greek3 tauten gnesion      paidon ep'  
apoto soi didomi4 ,pol4 lambano4        
,serranus4 ,see note on chap4 #aj4      
,,chapter #hi4 ,multiplying by four4    
,the pun in the word quadruplator cannot
 be reproduced in ,english4 ,the name   
was given to a public informer who sued 
for a fourfold penalty4  a slip in the  

gesture4 ,bede 7,op4 ,colon41 ,,mdcxii1 
vol4 i1 p4 #acb b7 says1 ',when you say 
ten1 you will place the nail of the     
forefinger against the middle joint of  
the thumb1 when you say thirty1 you will
 join the nails of thumb and forefinger 
in a gentle embrace4' ,here the ,,mss4  
read adperisse1 which suggests          
aperuisse4 ,but aperuisse does not      
naturally express the gesture described 
by ,bede1 and ,helm's emendation        
adgessisse seems necessary4  ,,chapter  
#ij4 ,carmendas1 ,damigeron1 c4         
,carmendas is unknown4 ,damigeron is    
mentioned elsewhere as a magician       
7,tertull4 de ,anima1 #eg71 but nothing 
is known of him4 ,moses appears as a    
magician in the magical papyri          
7,griffiths ,thompson pap4 col4 v1 p4   
#dg 7#ac774 ,the miracles wrought by    
,moses in ,egypt sufficiently account   
for this4 ,jannes1 one of the ,egyptian 
magicians worsted by ,moses4 ,cp4       
,epistle to ,timothy ii4 #c4 #h4        
,apollobex1 a magician named            

,apollobeches is mentioned by ,pliny1   
,n4,h4 xxx4 #i1 as also is ,dardanus4   
,for ,ostanes and ,zoroaster see chaps4 
#be and #bg1 notes4  ,,chapter #ie4     
,cato1 the earliest of the great orators
 of ,rome3 for his excellences see      
,cicero1 ,brutus1 #fe sqq4 7,cp4 note on
 chap4 #ag74  ,laelius1 see note on     
chap4 #bj4 ,cicero selects lenitas as   
the chief characteristic of his style   
7de ,orat4 iii4 #g4 #bh74  ,gracchus    
7,caius ,sempronius7 was famous for the 
fire of his oratory 7cp4 ,cic4 ,brut4   
#abe1 #abf1 de ,orat4 iii4 #ef4 #bad74  
,caesar is generally praised chiefly for
 elegantia in his oratory1 rather than  
for his warmth 7cp4 ,cic4 ,brut4 #beb1  
#bfa1 ,quint4 x4 #a4 #aad74             
,hortensius1 ,cicero's chief rival3 a   
master of the ,asiatic style 7cp4 ,cic4 
,brut4 #bbh1 #i4 #cjb1 #c4 #cbe-h74     
,calvus1 a contemporary of ,cicero4 ,one
 of the chief representatives of the    
,attic style 7cp4 ,cic4 ,brut4 #bhc74   
,sallust1 the famous historian4         

,,chapter #ih4 ,the garb of manhood4 ,he
 had already assumed the toga virilis1  
cp4 chap4 #hh4 ,this must be taken      
metaphorically  ',you let him behave    
like a man4'  ,,chapter #aja4 ,he who   
can plead in court1 c4 ,there is a play 
on perorare 7 to plead in court7 and    
exorare 7 to win over his mother by     
prayer74  ,,chapter #ajb4 ,what a       
criminal use of love-philtres1 c4 ,there
 is a pun on veneficium and beneficium  
which cannot be reproduced4   ,,the     
,,florida  ,,chapter #b4 ,plautus4      
,truculentus1 ii4 #f4 #h4  the great    
poet4 ,homer1 ,iliad1 iii4 #ab4         
,,chapter #c4 ,vergil4 ,ecl4 iii4 #bg4  
,,chapter #d4 ,antigenidas1 a famous    
musician of the first half of the fourth
 century ,b4,c4 ,others attribute the   
grievance to his pupil ,ismenias4 ,this 
story is also told by ,dio ,chrysostom  
xlix4  ,,chapter #f4 ,nabataea1 a       
district at the north-east end of the   
,red ,sea4  ,arsaces1 a king of ,persia 
7perhaps ,artaxerxes ,,ii1 #cgi ,b4,c47 

from whom the ,parthian kings traced    
their descent4 ,here ,arsacidae         
,parthians4  ,ityraea1 a district under 
,mount ,hermon to the north of ,bashan4 
,ganges4 ,the quotation is from         
,statius1 ,silvae1 ii4 #d4 #be4  wash   
gold4 ,lat4 colare  to strain1 sift4    
,,chapter #g4 ,alexander4 ,this story of
 his portraits is told by many writers1 
though ,lysippus is substituted for     
,polycletus by the more accurate1       
inasmuch as ,polycletus was a sculptor  
of the fifth century1 and contemporary  
with ,pheidias6 ,this is quite          
characteristic of ,apuleius4  ,apelles1 
the greatest of ,greek painters1 floruit
 circa #ccb ,b4,c4  ,pyrgoteles1 one of 
the most famous gem-engravers of        
,greece4 ,little is known of him beyond 
this story4  the professor's gown4 ,cp4 
,aulus ,gellius1 ix4 #b1 where a man    
with a long beard and huge cloak tries  
to persuade ,herodes ,atticus that he is
 a philosopher4 ,herodes replies1 ',i   
see the cloak and the gown1 but not the 

philosopher4'  ,,chapter #i4 ,hippias of
 ,elis1 one of the early sophists       
7middle of the fifth century ,b4,c472   
cp4 ,plat4 ,hipp4 ,min4 #cfh ,b4  the   
reciter's wand4 ,it was the custom in   
,greece for a reciter to hold in his    
hand a wand or ,greek3 rhabdos4         
,severianus1 proconsul of ,africa       
between #afa and #afi ,a4,d41 as is     
shown by the words the two ,caesars1 ,m4
 ,aurelius and ,l4 ,verus4  ,,chapter   
#aj4 ,the ,sun4 ,the passage quoted is  
from some unknown tragedy1 perhaps a    
,phoenissae1 cp4 ,eur4 ,phoen4 #a4      
,mercury4 ,those born under ,mercury had
 a 'mercurial' disposition1 those under 
,mars a 'martial' temper 7cp4 ignita74  
other divine influences that lie midway4
 ,cp4 note on ,apologia1 chap4 #dc4     
,,chapter #aa4 darnel4 ,the quotation is
 from ,vergil1 ,georgic i4 #aed4 ,cp4   
also ,ecl4 v4 #cg4  ,,chapter #ad4      
,crates4 ,cp4 ,florida #bb1 and         
,apologia1 chap4 #bb4  ,,chapter #ae4   
,polycrates1 floruit circa #ecj ,b4,c4  

,pythagoras4 ,see note on ,apologia1    
chap4 #d4  ,pherecydes4 ,see note on    
,apologia1 ch4 #bg4  ,anaximander1 an   
,ionian philosopher1 born #faj ,b4,c4   
,epimenides4 ,see note on ,apologia1    
chap4 #bg4  ,creophylus1 an early epic  
poet1 reputed author of the ',capture of
 ,oechalia'1 which he was said to have  
received from ,homer as the dowry of the
 latter's daughter4  ,leodamas4 ,nothing
 is known of this ,leodamas4 ,apuleius  
may have made a slip and written        
,leodamas for ,hermodamas1 who is       
mentioned by ,diog4 ,laert4 viii4 #b1 as
 the descendant of ,creophylus4         
,,chapter #af4 ,philemon was a writer of
 the 'new'1 not the 'middle' comedy4    
'farewell' and 'applaud'4 ,cp4 the      
well-known epitaph3--'iam mea peracta1  
mox vestra agetur fabula3 valete et     
plaudite4'  ,aemilianus ,strabo was     
consul suffectus in #aef ,a4,d4 ,see    
,prosopographia imp4 ,rom4 part #c4 nr4 
#fgd1 p4 #bge4  while breath still1 c41 
from ,vergil1 ,aeneid iv4 #ccf4         

priesthood of the province of ,africa4  
,see ,introduction1 p4 #ab4  ,,chapter  
#ag4 ,scipio ,orfitus1 proconsul of     
,africa1 #afc1 #d ,a4,d4 ,see           
,prosopographia imp4 ,rom4 part #a1 nr4 
#aahd1 p4 #dfd4  ,orpheus to woods1 c41 
from ,vergil1 ,eclogue vii4 #ef4        
,,chapter #ah4 the tragic poet4         
,unknown4  ,plautus4 ,truculentus1      
prologue #a-c4  no rose without a thorn4
 ,the ,latin is ubi uber1 ibi tuber4    
,wherever you get rich soil1 there you  
will find pignuts4  the council of      
,africa was theoretically an association
 for the worship of the imperial house4 
,it had some political importance1      
however1 inasmuch as it might criticize 
the governor and forward its criticisms 
to the ,emperor at ,rome4  ,protagoras1 
a famous sophist of ,abdera 7latter half
 of fifth century74  dilemma4 ,see note 
on ,apologia1 chap4 #i1                 
self-inconsistency4 ,a closely parallel 
story is told of ,corax and ,tisias1    
rhetoricians slightly earlier in date4  

,thales of ,miletus1 the first of the   
great mathematicians and physical       
philosophers of ,greece3 one of the     
seven sages4 ,he flourished towards the 
end of the seventh century ,b4,c4       
,,chapter #ai4 ,asclepiades1 a famous   
physician from ,bithynia1 of the first  
half of the first century ,b4,c4        
,,chapter #bj4 ,the first cup1 c4 ,the  
wise author of this saying was1         
according to ,diog4 ,laert1 i4 #gb1     
,anacharsis4  ,empedocles4 ,see note on 
,apologia1 chap4 #bg4  ,epicharmus1 a   
famous comic poet of ,megara in ,sicily4
 ,he flourished early in the fifth      
century ,b4,c4  ,xenocrates4 ,diog4     
,laert4 mentions five writers of this   
name1 none of them of any great         
importance4 ,it is possible that we     
should read ,xenophanes1 who1 according 
to ,diog4 ,laert4 ix4 #aj1 wrote silli1 
a form of lampoon or satire4 ,he was the
 founder of the ,eleatic school and     
probably flourished about #ejj ,b4,c4   
,,chapter #bb4 ,crates pure and simple1 

i4e4 by his renunciation of the world   
described in chap4 #ae4  ,,chapter #bd4 
,the ,,mss4 give this as a prologue to  
the de deo ,socratis4 ,it belongs1      
however1 manifestly to the ,florida4    
,aristippus1 founder of the ,cyrenaic   
school1 a friend and younger            
contemporary of ,socrates4         99   
99       99       99       99  ,,oxford 
,,printed ,,at ,,the ,,clarendon ,,press
 ,,by ,,horace ,,hart1 ,m4,a4 ,,printer 
,,to ,,the ,,university