d my wife--whose whole fortune according
to my accusers I had by this time devoured--I urged her and finally
persuaded her, when her sons demanded back the money of which I spoke
above, to pay over the whole sum at once in the shape of farms, at a
low valuation and at the price suggested by themselves, and further to
surrender from her own private property certain exceedingly fertile
lands, a large house richly decorated, a great quantity of wheat,
barley, wine and oil, and other fruits of the earth, together with not
less than four hundred slaves and a large number of valuable cattle.
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 property. 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 entreaty,
though she was angry and reluctant. I reconciled the mother with her
sons, and began my career as a step-father by enriching my step-sons
with a large sum of money.

94. All Oea was aware of this. Every one execrated Rufinus and
extolled my conduct. Pontianus together with his very inferior brother
had come to visit us, before his mother had completed her donation. He
fell at our feet and implored us to forgive and forget all his past
offences; he wept, kissed our hands and expressed his penitence for
listening to Rufinus and others like him. 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 oratory. He had discovered that I had written to Avitus a few days
previously a full account of all that had happened. I granted him this
request also and gave him a letter with which he set off to Carthage,
where Lollianus Avitus, the term of his proconsulate having nearly
expired, was awaiting your arrival, Maximus. 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 reply. Ah! what learning! what wit! what grace and charm
dwelt in that reply! Only a 'good man and an orator' could have
written it. I know, Maximus, that you will readily give a hearing to
this letter. Indeed, if it is to be read, I will recite it myself.
Give me Avitus' letter. That I should have received