Pliny, Letter 3.8

Handing on a military tribunate

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Ep. 3.8.1Facis prō cēterā reverentiā quam mihi praestās, quod tam sollicitē petis ut tribūnātum, quem ā Nerātiō Mārcellō clārissimō virō impetrāvī tibi, in Caesennium Silvānum propinquum tuum trānsferam.You act in keeping with all the respect you show me in asking so earnestly that I transfer the tribunate, which I obtained for you from that most distinguished man Neratius Marcellus, to your kinsman Caesennius Silvanus. Ep. 3.8.2Mihi autem sīcut iūcundissimum ipsum tē tribūnum, ita nōn minus grātum alium per tē vidēre.For my part, just as it would be most delightful to see you yourself a tribune, so it is no less welcome to see another made one through you. Ep. 3.8.2Neque enim esse congruēns arbitror, quem augēre honōribus cupiās, huic pietātis titulīs invidēre, quī sunt omnibus honōribus pulchriōrēs.Nor do I think it consistent to begrudge the man you wish to advance with honours the credit of family affection, which is finer than all honours. Ep. 3.8.3Videō etiam, cum sit ēgregium et merērī beneficia et dare, utramque tē laudem simul assecūtūrum, sī quod ipse meruistī aliī tribuās.I see too that, since it is excellent both to deserve favours and to bestow them, you will win both kinds of praise at once if you give to another what you have yourself deserved.

Ep. 3.8.3Praetereā intellegō mihi quoque glōriae fore, sī ex hōc tuō factō nōn fuerit ignōtum amīcōs meōs nōn gerere tantum tribūnātūs posse vērum etiam dare.Besides, I understand that it will redound to my glory as well if, from this act of yours, it becomes known that my friends can not only hold tribunates but also give them. Ep. 3.8.4Quārē ego vērō honestissimae voluntātī tuae pāreō.So I gladly comply with your most honourable wish. Ep. 3.8.4Neque enim adhūc nōmen in numerōs relātum est, ideōque līberum est nōbīs Silvānum in locum tuum subdere;For the name has not yet been entered on the rolls, and so we are free to put Silvanus in your place; Ep. 3.8.4cui cupiō tam grātum esse mūnus tuum, quam tibi meum est.and I hope your gift will be as welcome to him as mine is to you. Ep. 3.8.4Valē.Farewell.

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Grammar in this passage: indirect statement ×2

Latin vocabulary for this passage (93 words)

faciō, facere, fēcī, factus	make, do; iter facere, see iter
prō, prep. with abl.	before, in front of; for, in behalf of; for, as; in return for, for
cēterī, -ae, -a, plur. adj.	the other, the remaining, the rest of
reverentia, -ae f.	respect, modesty, shyness
quī, quae, quod, rel. pron.	who, which
ego, meī, pers. pron.	I
praestō, -stāre, -stitī, -stitus	stand in front; show
quod, conj.	that, in that, because
tam, adv.	so
sollicitē (adv.)	anxiously, carefully, with great care
petō, -ere, -īvī or -iī, -ītus	seek, ask; attack
ut, conj.	as; when; that; ita ut, as
tribūnātus, -ūs m.	tribuneship, office of tribune (military or of the people)
ā, ab (prep. + abl.)	away from, from; by (ā only before consonants)
clārus, -a, -um	clear, loud; famous
vir, virī, m.	man
impetrō, -petrāre, -petrāvī, -petrātus	gain one's end, obtain (a request)
tū, tuī, pers. pron.	thou, you
in, prep. with acc. and abl.	with acc.: into, onto, against; with abl.: in, on
propinquus, -a, -um; as noun, -ī m./-a f.	near; (noun) relative
tuus, -a, -um	thy, thine, your
trānsferō, -ferre, -tulī, -lātus	carry across, transfer
autem, conj.	moreover; but, however; now
sīcut (conj.)	just as
iūcundus, -a, -um	sweet, pleasant
ipse, ipsa, ipsum, intensive pron.	self, himself, herself, itself, themselves; often to be rendered by very
tribūnus, -ī m.	tribune (tribūnus mīlitum: senior officer of a legion)
ita, adv.	in this manner, thus, so; ita ut, as
nōn, adv.	not
minus, comp. adv.	less
grātus, -a, -um	pleasing, grateful
alius, -a, -ud	another, other; aliī ... aliī, some ... others
per, prep, with ace.	through, by means of
videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsus	see; pass., seem
neque or nec, conj.	and not, nor; neque ... neque, neither ... nor; neque enim, for ... not
enim, conj.	for
sum, esse, fuī, futūrus	be
congruō, -ere, -uī	agree, fit, coincide
arbitror, -ārī, -ātus	consider, think, judge
augeō, -ēre, auxī, auctum	increase, enlarge
honor, -ōris, m.	honor
cupiō, -ere, -īvī, -ītus	desire, long for, wish
hic, haec, hoc, dem. pron.	this; ille ... hīc, that ... this, the former ... the latter
pietās, -ātis f.	dutifulness, devotion to family and gods
titulus, -ī m.	notice, inscription, label
invideō, -ēre, invīdī, invīsum (+ dat.)	envy, be jealous of
omnis, -e	all, every
pulcher, pulchra, pulchrum	beautiful
etiam, adv.	and now, also, too, even
cum, conj.	when, while, after; since; although
ēgregius, -a, -um	outstanding, excellent
et, conj.	and; et ... et, both ... and
mereor, -ērī, meritus sum	deserve; (dē) do service to
beneficium, -ī, n.	well-doing, kindness, service, benefit
dō, dare, dedī, datus	give
uterque, utraque, utrumque	each, either, both
laus, laudis f.	praise, glory
simul, adv.	at the same time; simul atque or ac, as soon as
assequor, -sequī, -secūtus sum	overtake; attain, accomplish
sī, conj.	if
mereō, -ēre, meruī, meritus	deserve, earn
tribuō, -ere, tribuī, tribūtum	assign, attribute
praetereā, adv.	besides this, besides, moreover
intellegō, -legere, -lēxī, -lēctus	perceive, understand
quoque, adv.	also
glōria, -ae, f.	glory
ex, ē (prep. + abl.)	out of, from; of (ē only before consonants)
factum, -ī n.	deed, act
ignōtus, -a, -um	unknown
amīcus, -ī, m.	friend
meus, -a, -um	my, mine
gerō, gerere, gessī, gestus	carry, wear; carry on, do
tantum, adv.	so much or far, only
possum, posse, potuī	be able, have power, can
vērum (conj.)	but, but in fact; nōn modo ... vērum etiam: not only ... but also
quārē (adv.)	why; for which reason
vērō, adv.	in truth, indeed; however
honestus, -a, -um	respected, honourable
voluntās, -tātis, f.	wish, will
pāreō, -ēre, -uī	obey
adhūc, adv.	to this point, up to this time, yet, still
nōmen, -minis, n.	name (that by which one is known)
numerus, -ī, m.	number
referō, referre, rettulī, relātus	bring or carry back, return; pedem referre, to draw back, retire, retreat; grātiam referre, see grātia
ideō (adv.)	for that reason, therefore
que, enclitic conj.	and
līber, lībera, līberum	free
nōs	plur. of ego
locus, -ī, m., plur. loca, -orum, n.	place, situation
subdō, -dere, -didī, -ditus	put under, apply
mūnus, mūneris, n.	service, office, duty; present, gift
quam, adv.	how? as; than; with superl., as ... as possible
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.