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Pliny · Epistulae II

Pliny, Letter 2.8

Longing for Lake Como

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Ep. 2.8.1Studēs an piscāris an vēnāris an simul omnia?Are you studying, or fishing, or hunting, or doing all at once? Ep. 2.8.1Possunt enim omnia simul fierī ad Lārium nostrum.For all can be done at once by our Larius. Ep. 2.8.1Nam lacus piscem, ferās silvae quibus lacus cingitur, studia altissimus iste sēcessus affatim suggerunt.For the lake supplies fish in plenty, the woods that encircle the lake supply game, and that deepest of retreats supplies studies. Ep. 2.8.2Sed sīve omnia simul sīve aliquid facis, nōn possum dīcere "invideō";But whether you are doing everything at once or one thing only, I cannot say 'I envy you'; Ep. 2.8.2angor tamen nōn et mihi licēre, quī sīc concupīscō ut aegrī vīnum balinea fontēs.yet it torments me that I am not allowed it too, longing for it as sick men long for wine, baths and springs. Ep. 2.8.2Numquamnē hōs artissimōs laqueōs, sī solvere negātur, abrumpam?Shall I never break these tightest of snares, if I am not allowed to untie them? Ep. 2.8.2Numquam, putō.Never, I think. Ep. 2.8.3Nam veteribus negōtiīs nova accrēscunt, nec tamen priōra peraguntur: tot nexibus, tot quasi catēnīs maius in diēs occupātiōnum agmen extenditur.For new business grows on top of old, and still the earlier is not finished: with so many bonds, so many chains as it were, the column of my occupations stretches out longer every day.

Ep. 2.8.3Valē.Farewell.

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Latin vocabulary for this passage (70 words)
studeō, -ēre, -uībe eager, give attention, apply oneself
an, conj.or (in questions)
piscor, -ārī, -ātus sumfish, go fishing
vēnor, -ārī, -ātus sumhunt
simul, adv.at the same time; simul atque or ac, as soon as
omnis, -eall, every
possum, posse, potuībe able, have power, can
enim, conj.for
fīō, fierī, factus sumbe done or made, become, happen
ad, prep. with acc.to, toward; at, near; for
noster, -tra, -trumour
nam, conj.for
lacus, -ūs, m.lake
piscis, -is m.fish
fera, -ae, f.wild animal, beast
silva, -ae, f.wood, forest
quī, quae, quod, rel. pron.who, which
cingō, cingere, cinxī, cinctussurround, gird
studium, -ī, n.eagerness, zeal; study, pursuit
altus, -a, -umhigh, deep; altum, -ī, n., the deep
iste, ista, istud, dem. pron.that of yours, that
sēcessus, -ūs m.a withdrawing; a retreat; drain, privy
affatim (adv.)abundantly, sufficiently, in plenty
suggerō, -ere, -gessī, -gestusbring up, supply; prompt, remind (someone of something)
sed, conj.but
sīve or seu, conj.or if; sīve ... sīve, whether ... or
aliquis, -quid, indef. pron.someone, any one, something, anything, some, any
faciō, facere, fēcī, factusmake, do; iter facere, see iter
nōn, adv.not
dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictussay, speak; diem dīcere, to appoint or set a day
invideō, -ēre, invīdī, invīsum (+ dat.)envy, be jealous of
angō, -ere, ānxīchoke; (pass.) be vexed, be distressed
tamen, adv.however, yet, nevertheless
et, conj.and; et ... et, both ... and
ego, meī, pers. pron.I
licet, -ēre, -uit or -itum est, impers.is lawful or permitted
sīc, adv.so, thus
concupīscō, -cupīscere, -cupīvī, -cupītuslong for, covet
ut, conj.as; when; that; ita ut, as
aeger, -gra, -grumsick, ill; as noun, a sick man
vīnum, -ī, n.wine
balineum (balneum), -ī n.bath, bathroom
fōns, fontis, m.fountain, spring
numquam, adv.never
hic, haec, hoc, dem. pron.this; ille ... hīc, that ... this, the former ... the latter
artus, -a, -umclose, tight; dense, thick
laqueus, -ī, m.noose
sī, conj.if
solvō, solvere, solvī, solūtusloosen, unbind, release; pay; with or without nāvem, cast off, set sail, put to sea
negō, -āre, -āvī, -ātussay no or not, deny, refuse
abrumpō, -ere, -rūpī, -ruptusbreak off, cut short
putō, -āre, -āvī, -ātusthink
vetus, veterisold, former
negōtium, -ī, n.business, matter; task, trouble, difficulty
novus, -a, -umnew; novissimus, last
accrēscō (adcrēscō), -ere, -crēvī, -crētumgrow, increase, be added
neque or nec, conj.and not, nor; neque ... neque, neither ... nor; neque enim, for ... not
prior, priusearlier, former; in front (priōrēs: those in front)
peragō, -ere, -ēgī, -āctumcarry through, complete
tot (indecl.)so many
nexus, -ūs m.tie, bond; interlacing, tangle
quasi, conj.as if
catēna, -ae, f.chain
magnus, -a, -umlarge, big, great, mighty; loud
in, prep. with acc. and abl.with acc.: into, onto, against; with abl.: in, on
diēs, -ēī, m. and f.day
occupātiō, -ōnis f.business, engagement, being busy
agmen, -minis, n.band, column
extendō, -ere, -tendī, -tentumstretch out, extend
valeō, -ēre, -uī, -itūrusbe strong or effectual, have effect, prevail
Pliny, Epistulae II. Latin text: the Perseus digital text of Pliny's Letters, public domain; digital text from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA. Word analysis: drafted by our own tagger (trained on the hand-checked texts on this site), with every doubtful word checked by hand. English translation and section titles: written for this app, each checked against the Latin by a second reader.