Kitap 1
22
I remember happening to be present in the court of a praetor who was a man of learning, and that on that occasion an advocate of some repute pleaded in such fashion that he wandered from the subject and did not touch upon the point at issue. Thereupon the praetor said to the man whose case was before him: You have no counsel. And when the pleader protested, saying I am present (supersum) for the honourable gentleman, the praetor wittily retorted: You surely present too much, but you do not represent your client. It is difficult to reproduce the word-play on superesse, be present for and be superfluous. There is a pun also on adesse, be present and help, assist.
