Ep. 3.6.1Ex hērēditāte quae mihi obvēnit, ēmī proximē Corinthium signum, modicum quidem sed fēstīvum et expressum, quantum ego sapiō, quī fortasse in omnī rē, in hāc certē perquam exiguum sapiō: hoc tamen signum ego quoque intellegō.Out of an inheritance that has come to me I have recently bought a Corinthian bronze statue, small indeed but charming and finely wrought, as far as I understand, who perhaps understand very little in any matter, and certainly in this: yet this statue even I understand. Ep. 3.6.2Est enim nūdum, nec aut vitia sī qua sunt cēlat, aut laudēs parum ostentat.For it is nude, and neither conceals its faults, if it has any, nor fails to display its merits. Ep. 3.6.2Effingit senem stantem;It represents an old man standing; Ep. 3.6.2ossa mūsculī nervī, vēnae rūgae etiam ut spīrantis appārent;the bones, muscles and sinews, the veins, even the wrinkles appear as in a living, breathing man; Ep. 3.6.2rārī et cēdentēs capillī, lāta frōns, contrācta faciēs, exīle collum;the hair thin and receding, the forehead broad, the face shrunken, the neck scrawny; Ep. 3.6.2pendent lacertī, papillae iacent, venter recessit;the arms hang limp, the breasts sag, the belly is sunken; Ep. 3.6.3ā tergō quoque eadem aetās ut ā tergō.from behind, too, the same age shows as from the front.
Ep. 3.6.3Aes ipsum, quantum vērus color indicat, vetus et antīquum;The bronze itself, as far as its true colour indicates, is old and ancient; Ep. 3.6.3tālia dēnique omnia, ut possint artificum oculōs tenēre, dēlectāre imperītōrum.in short, everything about it is such that it can hold the eyes of artists and delight those of the unskilled. Ep. 3.6.4Quod mē quamquam tīrunculum sollicitāvit ad emendum.This tempted me to buy it, novice though I am. Ep. 3.6.4Ēmī autem nōn ut habērem domī - neque enim ūllum adhūc Corinthium domī habeō -, vērum ut in patriā nostrā celebrī locō pōnerem, ac potissimum in Iovis templō;But I bought it not to keep at home — for I do not yet have any Corinthian bronze at home — but to set it up in a frequented place in my native town, preferably in the temple of Jupiter; Ep. 3.6.5vidētur enim dignum templō dignum deō dōnum.for it seems a gift worthy of a temple, worthy of a god. Ep. 3.6.5Tū ergō, ut solēs omnia quae ā mē tibi iniunguntur, suscipe hanc cūram, et iam nunc iubē basim fierī, ex quō volēs marmore, quae nōmen meum honōrēsque capiat, sī hōs quoque putābis addendōs.You, then, as you usually do with everything I lay upon you, take on this task, and order a pedestal to be made at once, of whatever marble you like, to bear my name and my offices, if you think these should be added as well.
Ep. 3.6.6Ego signum ipsum, ut prīmum invēnerō aliquem quī nōn gravētur, mittam tibi vel ipse - quod māvīs - afferam mēcum.I shall send you the statue itself as soon as I find someone who will not mind the trouble, or I shall bring it with me myself, which is what you prefer. Ep. 3.6.6Dēstinō enim, sī tamen officiī ratiō permīserit, excurrere istō.For I intend, if only the demands of my office allow, to make a quick trip there. Ep. 3.6.7Gaudēs quod mē ventūrum esse polliceor, sed contrahēs frontem, cum adiēcerō "ad paucōs diēs": neque enim diūtius abesse mē eadem haec quae nōndum exīre patiuntur.You are glad that I promise to come, but you will knit your brow when I add 'for a few days': for the same business that does not yet let me leave does not let me be away any longer. Ep. 3.6.7Valē.Farewell.