Not long after his return home he set out upon a new journey to Alexandria.Apuleius, Apology, 72. On his way there he was taken ill at the town of Oea (modern-day Tripoli) and was hospitably received into the house of Sicinius Pontianus, with whom he had been friends when he had studied in Athens. The mother of Pontianus, Pudentilla, was a very rich widow. With her son's consent – indeed encouragement – Apuleius agreed to marry her.Apuleius, Apology, 73 Meanwhile, Pontianus himself married the daughter of one Herennius Rufinus; he, indignant that Pudentilla's wealth should pass out of the family, instigated his son-in-law, together with a younger brother, Sicinius Pudens, a mere boy, and their paternal uncle, Sicinius Aemilianus, to join him in impeaching Apuleius upon the charge that he had gained the affections of Pudentilla by charms and magic spells.Apuleius, Apology, 53, 66, 70, etc The case was heard at Sabratha, near Tripoli, c. 158 AD, before Claudius Maximus, proconsul of Africa.Apuleius, Apology, 1, 59, 65 The accusation itself seems to have been ridiculous, and the spirited and triumphant defence spoken by Apuleius is still extant. This is known as the Apologia (A Discourse on Magic).
nOt loNg afTer his return HOmE He set OuT upon a nEw jOURNEy To aleXAndRIaApuleIUs apology 72 on His Way THere hE waS TAken ill aT ThE toWn of oeA (mOdern-dAy trIpoli) and Was hospitabLy receiVeD INto tHe HousE of SicinIUS pOntiaNUs with wHom he haD BeEn fRiEnds wheN He had StudIed in AthEnS thE motheR oF pontIanUS pUdENtIlla wAs a very RicH WiDow wITH her son'S ConseNt – INdeed encOurAgEmenT – apUleIuS agrEed to maRry heraPuLeIus aPoLoGY 73 meAnWhIle pontIAnus himsElF marRied thE dauGhtEr of One hErenNius rufinuS; hE IndIgNant that pUdENtILlA's wealth should pass ouT Of ThE faMily instIgAted HIS son-In-lAw TOgEtHer wItH a youngEr brOTheR siCiNiUS pudEns a Mere boY and theiR paTeRNaL uNCLe SIcINiUS Aemilianus to joiN him in IMpEaching apuLeius upon the ChaRGe THat he had gAiNeD thE AffEctIons Of pudentilla bY CHArms aND mAGic SpellsapulEIus apologY 53 66 70 Etc tHe CasE Was hEard at sabRaThA neAR triPoli C 158 Ad BeFOre cLAudiuS MaximUs ProCOnsuL of africaapuLeIus ApoLogy 1 59 65 the accuSatiOn itself seemS to have BeEN rIdIcuLOus AnD tHe spIrItEd And triuMPHAnt dEfence SpoKen by apuleius is stIll ExtaNT THis is known As The apOlogiA (A discourSE on magIc)