Pliny, Letter 3.19

Whether to buy a neighbouring estate

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Ep. 3.19.1Assūmō tē in cōnsilium reī familiāris, ut soleō.I am taking you into counsel on a matter of family property, as I usually do. Ep. 3.19.1Praedia agrīs meīs vīcīna atque etiam īnserta vēnālia sunt.An estate neighbouring my lands and even running into them is for sale. Ep. 3.19.1In hīs mē multa sollicitant, aliqua nec minōra dēterrent.In it many things tempt me, and some, no less important, deter me. Ep. 3.19.2Sollicitat prīmum ipsa pulchritūdō iungendī;What tempts me first is the very attraction of joining them together; Ep. 3.19.2deinde, quod nōn minus ūtile quam voluptuōsum, posse utraque eādem operā eōdem viāticō invīsere, sub eōdem prōcūrātōre ac paene īsdem āctōribus habēre, ūnam vīllam colere et ōrnāre, alteram tantum tuērī.then — which is no less useful than pleasant — being able to visit both with the same effort and the same travelling expenses, to keep them under the same steward and almost the same agents, to cultivate and adorn one villa and merely maintain the other. Ep. 3.19.3Īnest huic computātiōnī sūmptus supellectilis, sūmptus ātriēnsium topiāriōrum fabrōrum atque etiam vēnātōriī īnstrūmentī;Included in this calculation is the expense of furniture, the expense of housekeepers, gardeners, workmen, and even hunting gear; Ep. 3.19.3quae plūrimum rēfert ūnum in locum cōnferās an in dīversa dispergās.and it makes a great difference whether you bring these together in one place or scatter them in different ones.

Ep. 3.19.4Contrā vereor nē sit incautum, rem tam magnam īsdem tempestātibus īsdem cāsibus subdere;On the other hand, I fear it may be imprudent to expose so large a property to the same weather and the same mishaps; Ep. 3.19.4tūtius vidētur incerta fortūnae possessiōnum varietātibus experīrī.it seems safer to meet the uncertainties of fortune by variety of possessions. Ep. 3.19.4Habet etiam multum iūcunditātis sōlī caelīque mūtātiō, ipsaque illa peregrīnātiō inter sua.There is also much pleasure in a change of soil and climate, and in that very travelling about among one's own properties. Ep. 3.19.5Iam, quod dēlīberātiōnis nostrae caput est, agrī sunt fertilēs pinguēs aquōsī;Now, which is the chief point of our deliberation, the fields are fertile, rich and well watered; Ep. 3.19.5cōnstant campīs vīneīs silvīs, quae māteriam et ex eā reditum sīcut modicum ita statum praestant.they consist of plains, vineyards and woods, which provide timber and from it an income, modest but steady. Ep. 3.19.6Sed haec fēlīcitās terrae imbēcillīs cultōribus fatīgātur.But this richness of the land is being worn out by feeble cultivators. Ep. 3.19.6Nam possessor prior saepius vēndidit pignora, et dum reliqua colōnōrum minuit ad tempus, vīrēs in posterum exhausit, quārum dēfectiōne rūrsus reliqua crēvērunt.For the previous owner rather often sold off the tenants' securities, and while he reduced their arrears for the moment, he exhausted their resources for the future, and with their failure the arrears grew again.

Ep. 3.19.7Sunt ergō īnstruendī, eō plūris quod frūgī, mancipiīs;The tenants must therefore be equipped with slaves, the more costly because they must be honest; Ep. 3.19.7nam nec ipse usquam vinctōs habeō nec ibi quisquam.for I myself keep no slaves in chains anywhere, nor does anyone there. Ep. 3.19.7Superest ut sciās quantī videantur posse emī.It remains for you to know at what price it seems it could be bought. Ep. 3.19.7Sēstertiō trīciēns, nōn quia nōn aliquandō quīnquāgiēns fuerint, vērum et hāc pēnūriā colōnōrum et commūnī temporis inīquitāte ut reditus agrōrum sīc etiam pretium retrō abiit.Three million sesterces, not because it was not once worth five, but because of this shortage of tenants and the general hardship of the times, the price, like the income of the land, has gone down. Ep. 3.19.8Quaeris an hoc ipsum trīciēns facile colligere possīmus.You ask whether we can easily raise this very three million. Ep. 3.19.8Sum quidem prope tōtus in praediīs, aliquid tamen fēnerō, nec molestum erit mūtuārī;I am indeed almost wholly invested in land, yet I have some money out at interest, and it will be no trouble to borrow; Ep. 3.19.8accipiam ā socrū, cuius arcā nōn secus ac meā ūtor.I shall get it from my mother-in-law, whose cash-box I use no differently from my own.

Ep. 3.19.9Proinde hoc tē nōn moveat, sī cētera nōn refrāgantur, quae velim quam dīligentissimē exāminēs.So do not let this trouble you, if the other considerations do not stand in the way; and I would like you to examine them as carefully as possible. Ep. 3.19.9Nam cum in omnibus rēbus tum in dispōnendīs facultātibus plūrimum tibi et ūsūs et prōvidentiae superest.For in all matters, but especially in managing property, you have an abundance of both experience and foresight. Ep. 3.19.9Valē.Farewell.

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Grammar in this passage: gerunds and gerundives ×3, indirect statement ×1, purpose clauses ×1

Latin vocabulary for this passage (199 words)

assūmō, -ere, -sūmpsī, -sūmptus	take up, receive; take to oneself
tū, tuī, pers. pron.	thou, you
in, prep. with acc. and abl.	with acc.: into, onto, against; with abl.: in, on
cōnsilium, -ī, n.	advice; plan, design, purpose; prudence
rēs, reī, f.	thing, matter, affair, circumstance, situation; rē vērā, in truth, in fact, really
familiāris, -e; as noun, -is m.	of the household (rēs familiāris: private property); friend
ut, conj.	as; when; that; ita ut, as
soleō, -ēre, solitus sum	be accustomed, usually do
praedium, -ī n.	estate, farm
ager, agri, m.	field, land
meus, -a, -um	my, mine
vīcīnus, -ī m.	neighbor
atque, ac (conj.)	and; after comparisons: as, than (ac only before consonants)
etiam, adv.	and now, also, too, even
īnserō, -ere, -seruī, -sertum	put in, insert
vēnālis, -e	for sale; venal, open to bribery
sum, esse, fuī, futūrus	be
hic, haec, hoc, dem. pron.	this; ille ... hīc, that ... this, the former ... the latter
ego, meī, pers. pron.	I
multus, -a, -um	much, great; plur., many
sollicitō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	stir up, tempt
aliquis, -quid, indef. pron.	someone, any one, something, anything, some, any
neque or nec, conj.	and not, nor; neque ... neque, neither ... nor; neque enim, for ... not
parvus, -a, -um	little, small
dēterreō, -terrēre, -terruī, -territus	frighten off, deter
prīmum, adv.	first, in the first place
ipse, ipsa, ipsum, intensive pron.	self, himself, herself, itself, themselves; often to be rendered by very
pulchritūdō, -inis f.	beauty
iungō, iungere, iūnxī, iūnctus	join; yoke, harness
deinde, adv.	then, next
quī, quae, quod, rel. pron.	who, which
nōn, adv.	not
minus, comp. adv.	less
ūtilis, -e	useful, advantageous
quam, adv.	how? as; than; with superl., as ... as possible
voluptuōsus, -a, -um	delightful, pleasurable
possum, posse, potuī	be able, have power, can
uterque, utraque, utrumque	each, either, both
īdem, eadem, idem, dem. pron.	the same; sometimes to be translated likewise, also
opera, -ae, f.	effort, work, labor
viāticum, -ī n.	travel money, provisions for a journey; savings
invīsō, -ere, -vīsī, -vīsus	go to see, visit
sub, prep. with acc. and abl.	under; sub vesperum, towards evening
prōcūrātor, -ōris m.	manager, agent; regent
paene, adv.	almost, nearly
āctor, -ōris m.	a driver (of cattle), herdsman; agent, manager; doer
habeō, -ēre, -uī, -itus	have, hold; consider
ūnus, -a, -um	one; only, alone
vīlla, -ae, f.	country-house, villa
colō, colere, coluī, cultus	till, cultivate; inhabit; worship
et, conj.	and; et ... et, both ... and
ōrnō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	equip, adorn
alter, -era, -erum	one or the other (of two); another, second
tantum, adv.	so much or far, only
tueor, -ērī, tuitus sum	watch over, protect, defend
īnsum, inesse, īnfuī	be in, be present in (dat.)
computātiō, -ōnis f.	reckoning, calculation
sūmptus, -ūs m.	expense
supellex, -lectilis f.	household furniture, equipment, utensils
ātriēnsis, -is m.	house-steward, slave in charge of the hall
topiārius, -ī m.	ornamental gardener
faber, fabrī, m.	smith
vēnātōrius, -a, -um	of hunting, hunter's
īnstrūmentum, -ī n.	tool, equipment; pl. gear, baggage
plūrimum (adv.)	most, very much (plūrimum posse: be most powerful)
rēfert, rēferre, rētulit (impers.)	it matters, it is of importance
locus, -ī, m., plur. loca, -orum, n.	place, situation
cōnferō, cōnferre, contulī, conlātus	bring together; grant, confer; sē cōnferre, to betake oneself, make one's way
an, conj.	or (in questions)
dīversus, -a, -um	turned different ways, opposite, contrary, different
dispergō, -ere, -spersī, -spersum	scatter
contrā, prep, with acc.	against, contrary to
vereor, -ērī, -itus	fear
nē, adv.	not; nē ... quidem, not ... even; conj., that not, lest
incautus, -a, -um	off one's guard, careless
tam, adv.	so
magnus, -a, -um	large, big, great, mighty; loud
tempestās, -tātis, f.	weather; storm, tempest
cāsus, -ūs, m.	fall; chance, accident
subdō, -dere, -didī, -ditus	put under, apply
tūtus, -a, -um	safe
videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsus	see; pass., seem
incertus, -a, -um	uncertain, unreliable
fortūna, -ae, f.	fortune
possessiō, -ōnis f.	property, possession
varietās, -ātis f.	variety; mottled color
experior, -īrī, expertus sum	try, test, experience
iūcunditās, -ātis f.	delight, pleasure, joy; pleasantness, charm
sōlum (adv.); solum, -ī n.	only (nōn sōlum … sed etiam: not only … but also); ground, soil
caelum, -ī, n.	heaven, sky
que, enclitic conj.	and
mūtātiō, -ōnis f.	change, alteration
ille, illa, illud, dem. pron.	that; he, she, it, they; ille ... hīc, see hīc
peregrīnātiō, -ōnis f.	travel abroad, journey; sojourn in a foreign land
inter, prep, with acc.	among, between
suus, -a, -um	his, her, its, or their own; his, her, its, their
iam, adv.	now, already
dēlīberātiō, -ōnis f.	weighing up, deliberation
noster, -tra, -trum	our
caput, capitis, n.	head
fertilis, -e	fertile, fruitful
pinguis, -e	fat
aquōsus, -a, -um	watery, rainy
cōnstō, -stāre, -stitī, -stātūrus	stand together, agree; consist;
campus, -ī, m.	plain, field
vīnea, -ae f.	shed (a movable shelter for besiegers)
silva, -ae, f.	wood, forest
māteria, -ae f.	timber, material
ex, ē (prep. + abl.)	out of, from; of (ē only before consonants)
is, ea, id, dem. pron.	this, that; he, she, it, they
reditus, -ūs, m.	return
sīcut (conj.)	just as
modicus, -a, -um	moderate, small; modicum: a little
ita, adv.	in this manner, thus, so; ita ut, as
sistō, -ere, stitī, status	stop, halt; set up
praestō, -stāre, -stitī, -stitus	stand in front; show
sed, conj.	but
fēlīcitās, -ātis f.	good fortune, luck
terra, -ae, f.	land, earth
imbēcillus, -a, -um	weak, feeble
cultor, -ōris m.	worshipper; tiller, cultivator
fatīgō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	tire, wear out
nam, conj.	for
possessor, -ōris m.	owner, occupier (of land or property)
prior, prius	earlier, former; in front (priōrēs: those in front)
saepe, adv.	often, frequently
vēndō, -ere, vēndidī, vēnditum	sell
pignus, -oris n.	pledge, token, keepsake
dum, conj.	while, as; as long as; until
reliquus, -a, -um	left, the remaining, the other, the rest of
colōnus, -ī m.	settler, colonist; farmer
minuō, -ere, minuī, minūtum	lessen, reduce
ad, prep. with acc.	to, toward; at, near; for
tempus, temporis, n.	time, season
vīs, vīs, f.	violence, force; virtue, potency, efficacy; plur. vīrēs, -ium, strength; omnibus vīribus, with all one's strength, with might and main
posterus, -a, -um	following, next
exhaurio, -haurīre, -hausī, -haustus	drink up or off, drain
dēfectiō, -ōnis f.	revolt, desertion
rūrsus, adv.	again
crēscō, -ere, crēvī, crētum	grow, rise (in power)
ergō (adv.)	therefore, then; quid ergō? what then?
īnstruo, -struere, -strūxī, -strūctus	build in or into; draw up; equip, furnish,
eō (adv.)	to that place, thither; to that point (usque eō); (with comparatives) by so much, all the (more)
quod, conj.	that, in that, because
frūgī (indecl.)	honest, worthy; thrifty, frugal
mancipium, -ī n.	a slave (as property); formal purchase, ownership
usquam (adv.)	anywhere
vinciō, vincīre, vinxī, vinctus	bind
ibi, adv.	in that place, there
quisquam, quicquam, indef. pron.	any one, anything
supersum, -esse, -fuī	be over or left, remain
sciō, -īre, -īvī, -ītus	know
quantus, -a, -um	how great or much?
emō, -ere, ēmī, ēmptum	buy
sēstertium, -ī n.	a thousand sesterces
trīciēns (trīciēs) (adv.)	thirty times; sēstertium trīciēns: three million sesterces
quia (conj.)	because
aliquandō, adv.	at some time or other; finally, at length
quīnquāgiēs (quīnquāgiēns) (adv.)	fifty times; sēstertium quīnquāgiēs: five million sesterces
vērum (conj.)	but, but in fact; nōn modo ... vērum etiam: not only ... but also
pēnūria, -ae f.	want, need, poverty
commūnis, -e	common, shared, public
inīquitās, -ātis f.	unevenness; unfairness, difficulty
sīc, adv.	so, thus
pretium, -ī, n.	price, charge
retrō (adv.)	backwards, behind, from behind
abeō, -īre, -iī, -itūrus	go away, depart
quaerō, quaerere, quaesīvī, quaesītus	seek; ask, inquire
facile, adv.	easily
colligō, -ere, -lēgī, -lēctum	gather, collect (sē colligere: recover oneself)
quidem, adv.	in fact, indeed, certainly; nē ... quidem, not ... even
prope (adv. and prep. + acc.)	near, nearly
tōtus, -a, -um	all the, the whole or entire
tamen, adv.	however, yet, nevertheless
fēnerō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	lend at interest
molestus, -a, -um	troublesome; molestus esse (+ dat.), to bother
mūtuor, -ārī, -ātus sum	borrow; obtain (help) from others
accipiō, -cipere, -cēpī, -ceptus	take to oneself, receive, accept; hear; suffer
ā, ab (prep. + abl.)	away from, from; by (ā only before consonants)
socrus, -ūs f.	mother-in-law
arca, -ae, f.	chest, box, ark
secus (prep. + acc.)	beside, along
ūtor, ūtī, ūsus	use
proinde (adv.)	therefore, accordingly; so then
moveō, movēre, mōvī, mōtus	move
sī, conj.	if
cēterī, -ae, -a, plur. adj.	the other, the remaining, the rest of
refrāgor, -ārī, -ātus sum	oppose, vote against, work against
volō, velle, voluī	wish
dīligenter, adv.	carefully, diligently
exāminō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	weigh, test
cum, conj.	when, while, after; since; although
omnis, -e	all, every
tum, adv.	then, at that time
dispōnō, -ere, -posuī, -positum	station here and there, post
facultās, -tātis, f.	possibility, opportunity, chance, means
ūsus, -ūs, m.	use; experience
prōvidentia, -ae f.	foresight
valeō, -ēre, -uī, -itūrus	be strong or effectual, have effect, prevail

Pliny, Epistulae III. 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.