[UENULEIUS libro quinto actionum. ] §21.1.65.prAnimi potius quam corporis uitium est, ueluti si ludos adsidue uelit spectare aut tabulas pictas studiose intueatur, siue etiam mendax aut similibus uitiis teneatur. §21.1.65.1Quotiens morbus sonticus nominatur, eum significari Cassius ait, qui noceat: nocere autem intellegi, qui perpetuus est, non qui tempore finiatur: sed morbum sonticum eum uideri, qui inciderit in hominem postquam is natus sit: sontes enim nocentes dici. §21.1.65.2Seruus tam ueterator quam nouicius dici potest.
[VENULEIUS in the fifth book of Actions.] It is a defect of the mind rather than of the body, for instance, if he should constantly wish to watch games, or should eagerly gaze at paintings, or also if he is a liar or held by similar defects. Cassius says that whenever a serious disease is mentioned, one that causes harm is meant; and by causing harm is understood that which is permanent, not that which is limited by time; but that a disease seems to be a "serious disease" which has fallen upon a person after he was born; for "sontes" is said to mean "nocentes". A slave can be called a veteran as well as a novice.
sed ueteratorem non spatio seruiendi, sed genere et causa aestimandum Caelius ait: nam quicumque ex uenalicio nouiciorum emptus alicui ministerio praepositus sit, statim eum ueteratorum numero esse: nouicium autem non tirocinio animi, sed condicione seruitutis intellegi.
But Caelius says that a veteran is to be valued not by the duration of his service, but by his class and condition; for whoever has been bought from a market of novices and appointed to some office is immediately in the number of veterans; but a novice is understood not by the inexperience of his mind, but by the condition of his servitude.
nec ad rem pertinere, Latine sciat nec ne: nam ob id ueteratorem esse, si liberalibus studiis eruditus sit.
And it is of no consequence whether he knows Latin or not; for on that account he is a veteran if he has been instructed in liberal studies.