Sed sumne ego ineptus, qui haec etiam in iudicio? An vos potius calumniosi, qui etiam haec in accusatione, quasi ullum specimen morum sit versibus ludere? Catullum ita respondentem malivolis non legistis? Nam castum esse decet pium poetam ipsum, versiculos nihil necesse est Diuus Adrianus cum Voconi amici sui poetae tumulum versibus muneraretur, ita scripsit: Lasciuus versu, mente pudicus eras, quod nunquam ita dixisset, si forent lepidiora carmina argumentum impudicitiae habenda.
But am I not a fool to mention even these things in court? Or rather are you not a slanderer to include even these things in your charge, as if trifling in verse was any index of character! Have you never read how Catullus made this reply to malicious critics, A virtuous poet should be chaste Himself: his poems neednt be? When the deified Hadrian adorned his friend Voconius tomb with a poem, here is what he wrote: Playful in verse, but pure in heart were you Yet he never would have said so if witty poetry had to be thought proof of immorality.
final_alignments\Apuleius_Apologia.json