the only
friend in the world in whom he could put implicit trust and
confidence. If I were to refuse to undertake such a responsibility,
simply because it was no fair heiress that was offered me, but a woman
of plain appearance and the mother of children--if I were moved by
these considerations and insisted on reserving myself for a more
attractive and wealthier match, my behaviour would be unworthy of a
friend and a philosopher. It would take too long--even if I were
willing--to tell you what I replied and how long and how frequently we
conversed on the subject, with how many pressing entreaties he plied
me, never ceasing until he finally won my consent. I had had ample
opportunity for observing Pudentilla's character, for I had lived for
a whole year continually in her company and had realized how rich was
her endowment of good qualities; but my desire for travel led me to
desire to refuse the match as an impediment. But I soon began to love
her for her virtues as ardently as though I had wooed her of my own
initiative. Pontianus had also persuaded his mother to give me the
preference over all her other suitors, and showed extraordinary
eagerness for the marriage to take place at the earliest possible
date. We could scarcely induce him to consent to the very briefest
postponement to such time as he himself should have taken a wife and
his brother in due course have assumed the garb of manhood. That done,
we would be married at once.

74. Would to heaven it were possible without serious damage to my case
to pass by what I have now to relate. I freely forgave Pontianus when
he begged for pardon, and I have no wish to seem to reproach him now
for the fickleness of his conduct. I acknowledge the truth of a
circumstance brought against me by my accusers, I admit that
Pontianus, after taking to himself a wife, broke his pledged word and
suddenly changed his mind; that he tried to prevent the fulfilment of
this project with no less obstinacy than he had shown zeal in
forwarding it. He was ready to make any sacrifice, to go any lengths,
to prevent our marriage taking place. Nevertheless this discreditable
change of attitude, this deliberate quarrel with his mother, must not
be laid to his charge, but to that of his father-in-law, Herennius
Rufinus, whom you see before you, a man than whom no more worthless,
wicked, and grime-stained soul lives upon this earth. I will--since I
cannot avoid it--give a brief description of this