Ep. 5.1.1Lēgātum mihi obvēnit modicum sed amplissimō grātius.A legacy has come to me, a modest one, but more welcome than a very large one. Ep. 5.1.1Cūr amplissimō grātius?Why more welcome than a very large one? Ep. 5.1.1Pompōnia Galla exhērēdātō fīliō Asudiō Curiānō hērēdem relīquerat mē, dederat cohērēdēs Sertōrium Sevērum praetōrium virum aliōsque splendidōs equitēs Rōmānōs.Pomponia Galla, having disinherited her son Asudius Curianus, had left me as her heir, and had given me as co-heirs Sertorius Severus, a man of praetorian rank, and other distinguished Roman knights. Ep. 5.1.2Cūriānus ōrābat, ut sibi dōnārem portiōnem meam sēque praeiūdiciō iuvārem;Curianus kept begging me to make him a gift of my share and to help him by setting a precedent; Ep. 5.1.2eandem tacitā conventiōne salvam mihi pollicēbātur.he promised me, by a silent agreement, that this same share would be kept safe for me. Ep. 5.1.3Respondēbam nōn convenīre mōribus meīs aliud palam aliud agere sēcrētō;I replied that it did not suit my character to do one thing in public and another in secret; Ep. 5.1.3praetereā nōn esse satis honestum dōnāre et locuplētī et orbō;besides, that it was not quite honourable to make a gift to a man who was both rich and childless; Ep. 5.1.3in summā nōn prōfutūrum eī sī dōnāssem, prōfutūrum sī cessissem, esse autem mē parātum cēdere sī inīquē exhērēdātum mihi liquēret.in short, that it would not help him if I gave it, but would help him if I withdrew, and that I was ready to withdraw if it were clear to me that he had been unjustly disinherited.
Ep. 5.1.4Ad hoc ille: "Rogō cognōscās."To this he said: 'I ask you to hear the case.' Ep. 5.1.4Cūnctātus paulum "Faciam" inquam;After hesitating a little, 'I will,' I said; Ep. 5.1.4"neque enim videō cūr ipse mē minōrem putem, quam tibi videor.'for I do not see why I should think myself any less than I seem to you. Ep. 5.1.4Sed iam nunc mementō nōn dēfutūram mihi cōnstantiam, sī ita fidēs dūxerit, secundum mātrem tuam prōnūntiandī."But remember even now that I shall not lack the firmness to give judgement in your mother's favour, if honesty leads me that way.' Ep. 5.1.5"Ut volēs" ait;'As you wish,' he said; Ep. 5.1.5"volēs enim quod aequissimum."'for you will wish what is fairest.' Ep. 5.1.5Adhibuī in cōnsilium duōs quōs tunc cīvitās nostra spectātissimōs habuit, Corellium et Frontīnum.I called in as advisers two men whom our state then held in the highest regard, Corellius and Frontinus. Ep. 5.1.6Hīs circumdatus in cubiculō meō sēdī.With these around me I sat in my bedroom. Ep. 5.1.6Dīxit Cūriānus quae prō sē putābat.Curianus said what he thought told in his favour. Ep. 5.1.6Respondī paucīs ego - neque enim aderat alius, quī dēfūnctae pudōrem tuērētur -, deinde sēcessī, et ex cōnsiliī sententiā "Vidētur" inquam, "Cūriāne, māter tua iūstās habuisse causās īrāscendī tibi."I replied in a few words myself — for there was no one else present to defend the good name of the dead woman — then I withdrew, and on the advice of my council said, 'Curianus, it seems that your mother had just reasons for being angry with you.' Ep. 5.1.6Post hoc ille cum cēterīs subscrīpsit centumvirāle iūdicium, nōn subscrīpsit mēcum.After this he brought a suit before the centumviral court against the others, but not against me.
Ep. 5.1.7Appetēbat iūdiciī diēs;The day of the trial was drawing near; Ep. 5.1.7cohērēdēs meī compōnere et trānsigere cupiēbant nōn diffīdentiā causae, sed metū temporum.my co-heirs wanted to come to terms and settle, not from distrust in their case, but from fear of the times. Ep. 5.1.7Verēbantur quod vidēbant multīs accidisse, nē ex centumvirālī iūdiciō capitis reī exīrent.They were afraid of what they saw had happened to many, that they might leave a centumviral suit as defendants on a capital charge. Ep. 5.1.8Et erant quīdam in illīs, quibus obicī et Gratillae amīcitia et Rusticī posset.And there were some among them who could have had their friendship with Gratilla and with Rusticus thrown in their faces. Ep. 5.1.9Rogant mē ut cum Curiānō loquar.They ask me to talk to Curianus. Ep. 5.1.9Convēnimus in aedem Concordiae.We met in the temple of Concord. Ep. 5.1.9Ibi ego "Sī māter" inquam "tē ex parte quartā scrīpsisset hērēdem, num querī possēs?There I said, 'If your mother had made you heir to a quarter, could you complain? Ep. 5.1.9Quid sī hērēdem quidem īnstituisset ex asse, sed lēgātīs ita exhausisset ut nōn amplius apud tē quam quarta remanēret?What if she had indeed appointed you heir to the whole, but had so drained it with legacies that no more than a quarter remained with you?
Ep. 5.1.9Igitur sufficere tibi dēbet, sī exhērēdātus ā mātre quartam partem ab hērēdibus eius accipiās, quam tamen ego augēbō.So it ought to be enough for you if, disinherited by your mother, you receive a quarter share from her heirs, which I shall nevertheless increase. Ep. 5.1.10Scīs tē nōn subscrīpsisse mēcum, et iam biennium trānsīsse omniaque mē ūsū cēpisse.You know that you did not bring a suit against me, and that two years have now passed and I have acquired everything by possession. Ep. 5.1.10Sed ut tē cohērēdēs meī tractābiliōrem experiantur, utque tibi nihil abstulerit reverentia meī, offerō prō meā parte tantundem."But so that my co-heirs may find you more tractable, and so that your respect for me may have cost you nothing, I offer the same amount for my share.' Ep. 5.1.10Tulī frūctum nōn cōnscientiae modo vērum etiam fāmae.I reaped the reward not only of a good conscience but also of good repute. Ep. 5.1.11Ille ergō Cūriānus lēgātum mihi relīquit et factum meum, nisi forte blandior mihi antīquum, notābilī honōre signāvit.So it is this Curianus who has left me a legacy, and has marked my action — unless perhaps I flatter myself — as one in the old style with a striking honour.
Ep. 5.1.12Haec tibi scrīpsī, quia dē omnibus quae mē vel dēlectant vel angunt, nōn aliter tēcum quam mēcum loquī soleō;I have written this to you because about everything that either delights or distresses me I am accustomed to speak with you no differently than with myself; Ep. 5.1.12deinde quod dūrum exīstimābam, tē amantissimum meī fraudāre voluptāte quam ipse capiēbam.and secondly because I thought it hard to cheat you, who love me so dearly, of the pleasure I was feeling myself. Ep. 5.1.13Neque enim sum tam sapiēns ut nihil meā intersit, an iīs quae honestē fēcisse mē crēdō, testificātiō quaedam et quasi praemium accēdat.For I am not so wise as not to care whether some testimony, and as it were some reward, attaches to what I believe I have done honourably. Ep. 5.1.13Valē.Farewell.