In Marcus Tullius Cicero's De Oratore (specifically Book 1, Section 179, which falls within the larger chapter 39), the primary speaker Lucius Licinius Crassus (Licinio) рассказывает an anecdote to Marcus Antoniusand their peers regarding a legal blunder made by Marcus Bucculeius (Bucculeo). [1, 2, 3, 4]

The Direct Summary

Crassus states that Bucculeius made a careless legal mistake while selling a house to Lucius Fufius. In the deed of sale (mancipium), Bucculeius guaranteed the "window-lights" exactly as they were at the time. However, Fufius weaponized this poorly drafted guarantee. As soon as a building started going up anywhere in Rome that could be seen from his house, Fufius sued Bucculeius, claiming his light was being altered—no matter how small the obstruction or how far away the new building was. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

What is Said in Latin (and English Translation)

Crassus introduces Bucculeius with a mix of mild praise and irony: [1]

“Quo quidem in genere familiaris noster M. Bucculeius... [neque meo iudicio stultus, et suo valde sapiens]... simili in re quodam modo nuper erravit.” [1]

English: "...our friend M. Bucculeius—a man who is no fool in my opinion, very wise in his own... made a mistake lately in an affair of a somewhat similar nature." (The full, precise Latin text can be found in reference). [1, 2]

He then explains the mistake: [1]

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Attalus.org·https://www.attalus.org

Cicero, De Oratore, 1 (a) - Attalus.org

[7] Who, indeed, is there, that, if he would measure the qualifications of illustrious men, either by the usefulness or magnitude of their actions, would not ...

Internet Archive·https://archive.org

De oratore, book 1. Translated into English with an introd. by E.N.P. ...

with you, Scsevola, and thanks to his oratorical skill will i surpass even ... will say my say as I have begun, and will only beg of you not to let the ...

Wikiversity·https://en.wikiversity.org

Quotes from Cicero's DE ORATORE BOOK I - Wikiversity

The Latin quotes are selected for interest (int), language (lan), and rhetoric (bea), and are translated into English. The line numbers are from the Loeb ...