Chapter 64

Question 1

velut haec tota fabella veteris et plurimarum fabularum poetriae quam est sine argumento,

Answer 1

For instance, this whole little drama of the experienced poetess of many, many stories, how devoid of plot it is,

Question 2

quam nullum invenire exitum potest! quid enim?

Answer 2

how entirely impossible it is to find an ending! How come?

Question 3

isti tot viri - nam necesse est fuisse non paucos, ut et comprehendi Licinius facile posset

Answer 3

Why did so many men - for it is necessary that there were not few (men), in order that both Licinius could be easily seized

Question 4

et res multorum oculis esset testatior - cur Licinium de manibus amiserunt?

Answer 4

and that (the assault on Licinius) could be attested more (by the account of) many eyes - lose Licinius from their hands?

Question 5

qui minus enim Licinius comprehendi potuit, cum se retraxit ne pyxidem traderet quam si tradidisset?

Answer 5

For why was Licinius less able to be arrested when he withdrew so as not to hand over the box, than if he had handed it over?

Question 6

Erant enim illi positi, ut comprehenderent Licinium, ut manifesto Licinius teneretur aut cum retineret venenum aut cum tradidisset.

Answer 6

For those men had been positioned there to arrest Licinius, so that he could be quite clearly caught either when he was still holding the poison or when he had just handed it over.

Question 7

hoc fuit totum consilium mulieris, haec istorum provincia, qui rogati sunt;

Answer 7

This was the woman’s entire plan, this special task of those men, who were asked (to carry it out);

Question 8

quos quidem tu quam ob rem temere prosiluisse dicas atque ante tempus non reperio.

Answer 8

I don’t understand why you say that those men indeed had jumped forward without due consideration and before the right moment.

Question 9

fuerant ad hoc rogati, fuerant ad hanc rem collocati,

Answer 9

They had been asked to do this,they had been stationed to achieve this very object,

Question 10

ut venenum, ut insidiae, facinus denique ipsum ut manifesto comprehenderetur.

Answer 10

that the poison be clearly seized, the plots manifestly detected, and finally that the crime itself be openly exposed.