Apuleius: Apology and Florida

blackening my character, while the remainder were such general charges as the uninstructed Apuleius refers to the "uninstructed" (imperiti)—the general public who lacked the education to distinguish between scientific inquiry and sorcery. are in the habit of levelling at philosophers In the Roman world, a "philosopher" was not just a teacher but a public figure whose lifestyle and deep studies into nature often made them targets of suspicion or accusations of magic.. It is true that we may regard these accusations as mere interested vapourings, bought at a price and uttered to prove their shamelessness worthy of its hire. It is a recognized practice on the part of professional accusers Original Latin: quadruplatores. These were bounty-hunting informants who received a share of the fines if the person they accused was convicted. to let out the venom of their tongues to another's hurt; nevertheless, if only in my own interest, I must briefly refute these slanders, lest I, whose most earnest endeavour it is to avoid incurring the slightest spot or blemish to my fair fame, should seem, by passing over some of their more ridiculous charges, to have tacitly admitted their truth, rather than to have treated them with silent contempt. 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 abused, however falsely. Even those whose conscience reproaches them with some crime, are strongly moved to anger, when men speak ill of them, although they have been accustomed to such ill report ever since they became evildoers. And even though others say naught of their crimes, they are conscious enough that such charges may at any time deservedly be brought against them. 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 others. For his ears are unused and strange to ill report, and he is so accustomed to hear himself praised that