In Verrem 2.4.9-11

Question 1

Videte maiorum diligentiam,

Answer 1

Consider the diligence of our ancestors,

Question 2

qui nihildum etiam istius modi suspicabantur,

Answer 2

who were suspecting nothing as yet of this sort even,

Question 3

verum tamen ea quae parvis in rebus accidere poterant providebant.

Answer 3

however they were foreseeing those things which could happen in small matters.

Question 4

Neminem qui cum potestate aut legatione in provinciam esset profectus

Answer 4

They thought that no one who had set out as a governor or an ambassador into the province

Question 5

tam amentem fore putaverunt ut emeret argentum,

Answer 5

(would be) so insane to buy silver,

Question 6

dabatur enim de publico;

Answer 6

for it was given at the public expense;

Question 7

ut vestem, praebebatur enim legibus;

Answer 7

or to buy clothing, for it was supplied by the laws;

Question 8

mancipium putarunt,

Answer 8

they supposed that he might buy a slave,

Question 9

quo et omnes utimur et non praebetur a populo:

Answer 9

which both we all use and which is not supplied by the people:

Question 10

sanxerunt ne quis emeret nisi in demortui locum.

Answer 10

they forbade anyone by law to buy a slave except in the place of a dead slave.

Question 11

Si qui Romae esset demortuus?

Answer 11

If any (slave) had died in Rome?

Question 12

immo, si quis ibidem;

Answer 12

No, if any one had died in the same place as the governor (their master);

Question 13

non enim te instruere domum tuam voluerunt in provincia,

Answer 13

For they did not wish you to furnish your house in the province,

Question 14

sed illum usum provinciae supplere.

Answer 14

but to provide that use in the province.

Question 15

Quae fuit causa cur tam diligenter nos in provinciis ab emptionibus removerent?

Answer 15

What was the reason why they kept us so diligently from making purchases in the provinces?

Question 16

Haec, iudices, quod putabant ereptionem esse,

Answer 16

This is the cause, judges, because they thought this was theft,

Question 17

non emptionem, cum venditori suo arbitratu vendere non liceret.

Answer 17

not a purchase, since it was not allowed for the seller to sell on his own judgement/terms.

Question 18

In provinciis intellegebant,

Answer 18

In the provinces they were understanding

Question 19

si is qui esset cum imperio ac potestate quod apud quemque esset emere vellet,

Answer 19

if the man who was with the power and command was wanting to buy something which was in the possession of anyone,

Question 20

idque ei liceret,

Answer 20

and that was permitted to him,

Question 21

fore uti quod quisque vellet, [auferret]

Answer 21

it would be with the result that what each guy was wanting he would carry it away,

Question 22

sive esset venale sive non esset,

Answer 22

whether it was for sale or it wasn’t

Question 23

quanti vellet auferret.

Answer 23

for however much he wanted

Question 24

Dicet aliquis:

Answer 24

Another would say

Question 25

Sic agam:

Answer 25

Thus I would act in this way:

Question 26

si, quod venale habuit Heius,

Answer 26

if Heius had that which was for sale

Question 27

id quanti aestimabat tanti vendidit,

Answer 27

he sold it for as much as he estimated the value to be,

Question 28

desino quaerere cur emeris.

Answer 28

I cease to ask why you bought it.

Question 29

Quid igitur nobis faciendum est?

Answer 29

What must be done by us therefore?

Question 30

num argumentis utendum in re eius modi?

Answer 30

Must we use arguments in a matter of this kind?

Question 31

Quaerendum, credo, est Heius iste num aes alienum habuerit,

Answer 31

It must be asked, I suppose, whether Heius had debt (bronze of another),

Question 32

num auctionem fecerit;

Answer 32

whether he held an auction;

Question 33

si fecit, num tanta difficultas eum rei nummariae tenuerit,

Answer 33

if he did, whether so great a difficulty of a financial matter held him,

Question 34

tanta egestas,

Answer 34

so much violence,

Question 35

tanta vis presserit ut sacrarium suum spoliaret,

Answer 35

so great a force squeezed/pressed him to plunder his own shrine,

Question 36

ut deos patrios venderet.

Answer 36

to sell his ancestral gods.