ROME — Silvio Berlusconi was forced to issue a public apology to his wife last night after she accused the former Italian prime minister of chatting up other women.

After years of suffering her husband’s sexist jokes in silence, Veronica Lario finally snapped.

In a letter in the newspaper La Repubblica, headlined “My husband owes me a public apology,” the 50-year-old former actress said she had been forced to take action because Mr. Berlusconi, 20 years her senior, had failed to apologize in private after flirting with at least three women at an awards ceremony last week.

The enraged Ms. Lario said the billionaire tycoon had deployed chat-up lines such as “If I wasn’t already married, I would marry you right away” and “With you, I’d go anywhere.”

She wrote: “These were declarations that I see as damaging to my dignity and affirmations that for his age, political and social role, and his family status [two children from his first marriage and three from his second] that cannot be treated as just jokes.

“That is why to my husband and to the public man that he is I am asking for a public apology, as I have not received one in private.”

She added: “In the course of our relationship, I have sought to avoid conjugal conflict even when his behavior has created reasons for it.”

After a day in which Italians waited in excited expectation, the former prime minister, who left office last year, finally replied:

“Dear Veronica, here is my apology. I was recalcitrant in private because I am playful and also proud. When challenged in public, the temptation to give in is strong. I could not resist. We have been together a lifetime. Three beautiful children who you have prepared for life with care and rigorous love, from the splendid person you are and that you have always been for me, since the day we met and fell in love.

“Together we have done so many wonderful things, more than we can remember in such a turbulent period.”

He added: “Your dignity is not involved, I treasure it like a priceless gift in my heart even when from out of my mouth comes thoughtless comments.

“But believe me I never made any proposals of marriage to anyone. Therefore forgive me, I beg you, and accept this public apology that I yield to your anger as an act of love. One of many.

“A big kiss. Silvio.”

The couple met and married 20 years ago after Mr. Berlusconi was entranced by Ms. Lario’s charms as she appeared topless on stage in a play in Milan.

The women Mr. Berluconi is reported to have spoken to last week include two female members of Parliament from his Forza Italia Party, Micaela Biancofiore and Mara Carfagna. Ms. Carfagna, 29, also a former beauty queen and topless model, said: “I’d have said yes straight away, but he’s married, and he’s not my age.”