equiangular .. having all angles equal
veteran … old and experienced; long-practiced
libretto … the words, or text of an opera, oratorio, or other long choral work
attenuate … to make slender or thin
fraud … deceit; trickery; cheating
precarious … dependent on circumstances; uncertain; insecure
hostile … of or characteristic of an enemy; warlike
senior … of the greater age; older
conflation … a combining, as of two variant readings into a single text
succumb … to give way; yield, submit
explicit … clearly stated and leaving nothing implied