Help with Apuleius

[rd3482]

Salvete,

Here's a sentence from the metamorphoses, the heads or tails of which I simply cannot make. Any help would be appreciated.

Gratias

"Ego denique vespera, dum polentae caseatae modico secus offulam grandiorem in convivas aemulus contruncare gestrio, ..."

gestio, and not gestrio, of course

here's the second half of the passage, if it helps:"mollitie cibi glutinosi faucibus inhaerentis et meacula spiritus distinentis minimo minus interii."

 

[Pacifica]

Salve,

Ego denique vespera, dum polentae caseatae modico secus offulam grandiorem in convivas aemulus contruncare gestio, mollitie cibi glutinosi faucibus inhaerentis et meacula spiritus distinentis minimo minus interii.

Finally, in the evening, as, emulating my table companions, I wanted to gobble up an immoderately big piece of barley-meal mixed with cheese, I all but died because of the softness of the viscous food sticking in my throat and blocking the passages of my breath.

Or, more word-for-word:

I (ego) finally (denique) in the evening (vespera), as/while (dum), [as] a rival for/against the table guests (in convivas aemulus) I want/desire (gestio) to gobble up (contruncare) a too big piece (offulam grandiorem) of barley-meal mixed with cheese (polentae caseatae) otherwise than [what is] moderate (modico secus), died (interii) less by very little (minimo minus) by/from/because of the softness (mollitie) of the viscous food (cibi glutinosi) sticking (inhaerentis) to the throat (faucibus) and (et) blocking (distinentis) the passages (meacula) of breath (spiritus).

Apuleius makes long and complicated sentences sometimes, but his Metamorphoses are nice, I enjoyed them.

 

[rd3482]

That is just incredibly helpful, per usual, Pacis Puella. Thank you so much!

 

[Pacifica]

Np.

 

[robinschweitzer]

secus can mean with, as a prep. Took me down totally wrong avenue.