Pliny, Letter 10.54

Ep. 10.54.1Pecūniae pūblicae, domine, prōvidentiā tuā et ministeriō nostrō et iam exāctae sunt et exiguntur;The public funds, sir, thanks to your foresight and my own service, have both already been collected and are still being collected; Ep. 10.54.1quae vereor nē ōtiōsae iaceant.and I fear that they may lie idle. Ep. 10.54.1Nam et praediōrum comparandōrum aut nūlla aut rārissima occāsiō est, nec inveniuntur quī velint dēbēre reī pūblicae, praesertim duodēnīs assibus, quantī ā prīvātīs mūtuantur.For there is either no opportunity or only a very rare one for buying estates, nor can people be found who are willing to be in debt to the city, especially at twelve per cent, the rate at which they borrow from private lenders. Ep. 10.54.2Dispice ergō, domine, numquid minuendam ūsūram ac per hoc idōneōs dēbitōrēs invītandōs putēs, et, sī nec sīc reperiuntur, distribuendam inter decuriōnēs pecūniam, ita ut rēctē reī pūblicae caveant;Consider, then, sir, whether you think the interest ought to be lowered and suitable borrowers attracted by this means, and, if even so they are not found, whether the money should be distributed among the town councillors, on condition that they give the city proper security; Ep. 10.54.2quod quamquam invītīs et recūsantibus minus acerbum erit leviōre ūsūrā cōnstitūtā.and although they are unwilling and refuse, this will be less harsh if a lighter rate of interest has been fixed.