Pliny, Letter 5.19

A sick freedman sent to recover

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Ep. 5.19.1Videō quam molliter tuōs habeās;I see how gently you treat your household; Ep. 5.19.1quō simplicius tibi cōnfitēbor, quā indulgentiā meōs trāctem.all the more frankly, then, shall I confess to you with what indulgence I treat mine. Ep. 5.19.2Est mihi semper in animō et Homēricum illud et hoc nostrum pater familiae et hoc nostrum "pater familiae".I always have in mind both that line of Homer, 'and he was gentle as a father', and our own phrase 'father of the household'. Ep. 5.19.2Quod sī essem nātūrā asperior et dūrior, frangeret mē tamen īnfirmitās lībertī meī Zōsimī, cui tantō maior hūmānitās exhibenda est, quantō nunc illa magis eget.But even if I were by nature harsher and harder, I should still be broken by the illness of my freedman Zosimus, to whom all the greater kindness must be shown, the more he needs it now. Ep. 5.19.3Homō probus officiōsus litterātus;He is honest, obliging and well read; Ep. 5.19.3et ars quidem eius et quasi īnscrīptiō cōmoedus, in quā plūrimum facit.and his skill, and as it were his label, is that of a comic actor, in which he is very good.

Ep. 5.19.3Nam prōnūntiat ācriter sapienter aptē decenter etiam;For he delivers his lines with spirit, intelligence, aptness and even grace; Ep. 5.19.3ūtitur et citharā perītē, ultrā quam cōmoedō necesse est.he also plays the lyre skilfully, beyond what a comic actor needs. Ep. 5.19.3Īdem tam commodē ōrātiōnēs et historiās et carmina legit, ut hoc sōlum didicisse videātur.He also reads speeches, histories and poems so well that this seems to be the only thing he has learned. Ep. 5.19.4Haec tibi sēdulō exposuī, quō magis scīrēs, quam multa ūnus mihi et quam iūcunda ministeria praestāret.I have set this out for you carefully, so that you may know better how many and how pleasant are the services this one man performs for me. Ep. 5.19.4Accēdit longa iam cāritās hominis, quam ipsa perīcula auxērunt.Added to this is my long-standing affection for the man, which his very dangers have increased. Ep. 5.19.5Est enim ita nātūrā comparātum, ut nihil aequē amōrem incitet et accendat quam carendī metus;For nature has so arranged things that nothing rouses and kindles love so much as the fear of losing it; Ep. 5.19.5quem ego prō hōc nōn semel patior.and this fear I have suffered for him more than once.

Ep. 5.19.6Nam ante aliquot annōs, dum intentē īnstanterque prōnūntiat, sanguinem rēiēcit atque ob hoc in Aegyptum missus ā mē post longam peregrīnātiōnem cōnfirmātus rediit nūper;For some years ago, while he was delivering his lines intensely and vehemently, he coughed up blood, and having been sent by me to Egypt because of this, he recently returned strengthened after a long stay abroad; Ep. 5.19.6deinde dum per continuōs diēs nimis imperat vōcī, veteris īnfirmitātis tussiculā admonitus rūrsus sanguinem reddidit.then, while for days on end he was overworking his voice, he was warned of his old weakness by a little cough and again brought up blood. Ep. 5.19.7Quā ex causā dēstināvī eum mittere in praedia tua, quae Forō Iūliī possidēs.For this reason I have decided to send him to your estate which you own at Forum Julii. Ep. 5.19.7Audīvī enim tē saepe referentem esse ibi et āera salūbrem et lāc eiusmodī cūrātiōnibus accommodātissimum.For I have often heard you say that both the air there is healthy and the milk is very well suited to treatments of this kind. Ep. 5.19.8Rogō ergō scrībās tuīs, ut illī vīlla, ut domus pateat, offerant etiam sūmptibus eius, sī quid opus erit.So I ask you to write to your people, to see that the farm and the house are open to him, and that they also meet his expenses, if he needs anything.

Ep. 5.19.9Erit autem opus modicō;But he will need little; Ep. 5.19.9est enim tam parcus et continēns, ut nōn sōlum dēliciās vērum etiam necessitātēs valētūdinis frūgālitāte restringat.for he is so sparing and abstemious that he restricts by his thrift not only luxuries but even what his health requires. Ep. 5.19.9Ego proficīscentī tantum viāticī dabō, quantum sufficiat euntī in tua.When he sets out I shall give him as much for the journey as will suffice for him to reach your property. Ep. 5.19.9Valē.Farewell.

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Grammar in this passage: gerunds and gerundives ×2, purpose clauses ×1, indirect statement ×1

Latin vocabulary for this passage (179 words)

videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsus	see; pass., seem
quam, adv.	how? as; than; with superl., as ... as possible
molliter (adv.)	softly, gently; in comfort, luxuriously
tuus, -a, -um	thy, thine, your
habeō, -ēre, -uī, -itus	have, hold; consider
quō, adv.	to what place? whither? to which place, whither; for which reason, wherefore, therefore; quō ūsque, till when? how long?
simpliciter (adv.)	simply, plainly, frankly
tū, tuī, pers. pron.	thou, you
cōnfiteor, -ērī, -fessus sum	admit, confess
quī, quae, quod, interrog. pron. adj.	what?
indulgentia, -ae f.	kindness, indulgence, favour
meus, -a, -um	my, mine
trāctō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	handle, touch, feel
sum, esse, fuī, futūrus	be
ego, meī, pers. pron.	I
semper, adv.	always
in, prep. with acc. and abl.	with acc.: into, onto, against; with abl.: in, on
animus, -ī, m.	mind; heart; spirit, courage
et, conj.	and; et ... et, both ... and
Homēricus, -a, -um	of Homer, Homeric
ille, illa, illud, dem. pron.	that; he, she, it, they; ille ... hīc, see hīc
hic, haec, hoc, dem. pron.	this; ille ... hīc, that ... this, the former ... the latter
noster, -tra, -trum	our
pater, patris, m.	father
familia, -ae f.	household (incl. slaves and dependents)
quod, conj.	that, in that, because
sī, conj.	if
nātūra, -ae, f.	nature, character
asper, -era, -erum	rough, harsh; difficult
dūrus, -a, -um	hard; harsh; difficult
frangō, frangere, frēgī, frāctus	break; dash to pieces, wreck
tamen, adv.	however, yet, nevertheless
īnfirmitās, -ātis f.	weakness; fickleness
lībertus, -ī m.	freedman (a former slave, in relation to his former master)
quī, quae, quod, rel. pron.	who, which
tantus, -a, -um	so great or much
magnus, -a, -um	large, big, great, mighty; loud
hūmānitās, -tātis f.	culture, refinement
exhibeō, -ēre, -uī, -itus	show, display, present
quantus, -a, -um	how great or much?
nunc, adv.	now
magis, comp. adv.	more, rather
egeō, -ēre, eguī (+ abl. or gen.)	need, lack, be in want of
homō, hominis, m.	man
probus, -a, -um	good, honest, upright; (of a woman) respectable
officiōsus, -a, -um	dutiful, obliging, ready to do a service (in + acc.: towards)
litterātus, -a, -um	learned, well-read, cultured
ars, artis, f.	art
quidem, adv.	in fact, indeed, certainly; nē ... quidem, not ... even
is, ea, id, dem. pron.	this, that; he, she, it, they
quasi, conj.	as if
īnscrīptiō, -ōnis f.	inscription, writing on something
cōmoedus, -ī m.	comic actor, performer of comedy
plūrimum (adv.)	most, very much (plūrimum posse: be most powerful)
faciō, facere, fēcī, factus	make, do; iter facere, see iter
nam, conj.	for
prōnūntiō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	proclaim, announce
ācriter, adv.	sharply, fiercely
sapienter (adv.)	wisely
aptē (adv.)	fitly, suitably
decenter, adv.	fittingly, gracefully, properly
etiam, adv.	and now, also, too, even
ūtor, ūtī, ūsus	use
cithara, -ae, f.	cithara, lute, lyre
perītē (adv.)	skilfully, expertly
ultrā (prep. + acc.)	beyond
necesse, indecl. adj.	necessary
īdem, eadem, idem, dem. pron.	the same; sometimes to be translated likewise, also
tam, adv.	so
commodē (adv.)	conveniently, easily, well
ōrātiō, -ōnis, f.	speech; ōrātiōnem habēre, to deliver an oration, speak
historia, -ae f.	history, an account of past events
carmen, -minis, n.	song, charm
legō, legere, lēgī, lēctus	choose, pick out; read
ut, conj.	as; when; that; ita ut, as
sōlus, -a, -um	alone
discō, discere, didicī	learn
sēdulō (adv.)	busily, diligently
expōnō, -pōnere, -posuī, -positus	put out, set forth; put on shore, land; explain
sciō, -īre, -īvī, -ītus	know
multus, -a, -um	much, great; plur., many
ūnus, -a, -um	one; only, alone
iūcundus, -a, -um	sweet, pleasant
ministerium, -ī n.	service, office, duty
praestō, -stāre, -stitī, -stitus	stand in front; show
accēdō, -ere, accessī, accessum	come near, approach; be added
longus, -a, -um	long; tedious
iam, adv.	now, already
cāritās, -ātis f.	dearness; love, affection
ipse, ipsa, ipsum, intensive pron.	self, himself, herself, itself, themselves; often to be rendered by very
perīculum, -ī, n.	danger, peril, risk
augeō, -ēre, auxī, auctum	increase, enlarge
enim, conj.	for
ita, adv.	in this manner, thus, so; ita ut, as
comparō, -parāre, -parāvī, -parātus	prepare, collect
nihil, n., indecl.	nothing
aequē (adv.)	equally, just as; aequē ac: just as
amor, -ōris, m.	love
incitō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	stir up, provoke
accendō, -cendere, -cendī, -cēnsus	kindle, light
careō, -ēre, -uī	be without, lack (+ abl.)
metus, -ūs m.	fear, dread
prō, prep. with abl.	before, in front of; for, in behalf of; for, as; in return for, for
nōn, adv.	not
semel (adv.)	once (semel atque iterum: again and again)
patior, patī, passus, bear	suffer, allow
ante, prep, with acc. and adv.	before
aliquot (indecl.)	several, some
annus, -ī, m.	year
dum, conj.	while, as; as long as; until
intentē (adv.)	attentively, intently; vigorously
īnstanter (adv.)	urgently, insistently
que, enclitic conj.	and
sanguis, sanguinis, m.	blood
rēiciō, -ere, rēiēcī, rēiectum	throw back, drive back
atque, ac (conj.)	and; after comparisons: as, than (ac only before consonants)
ob, prep. with acc.	on account of, for; in compounds, to, against
mittō, mittere, mīsī, missus	send
ā, ab (prep. + abl.)	away from, from; by (ā only before consonants)
post, adv.	after, later; prep. with acc., after, behind
peregrīnātiō, -ōnis f.	travel abroad, journey; sojourn in a foreign land
cōnfirmō, -firmāre, -firmāvī, -firmātus	strengthen, establish; declare, assert
redeō, -īre, -iī, -itus	go back, return
nūper, adv.	newly, lately, recently
deinde, adv.	then, next
per, prep, with ace.	through, by means of
continuus, -a, -um	continuous, successive
diēs, -ēī, m. and f.	day
nimis (adv.)	too much, too
imperō, -perāre, -perāvī, -perātus	command, order, enjoin
vōx, vōcis, f.	voice; word
vetus, veteris	old, former
tussicula, -ae f.	slight cough
admoneō, -ēre, -uī, -itus	remind, warn, advise
rūrsus, adv.	again
reddō, -dere, -didī, -ditus	give back, return, restore; render
ex, ē (prep. + abl.)	out of, from; of (ē only before consonants)
causa, -ae, f.	cause, reason; abl. causā, for the sake of
dēstinō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	fasten, make fast
praedium, -ī n.	estate, farm
forum, -ī n.	market place, public square
possideō, -sidēre, -sēdī, -sessus	hold, possess
audiō, -īre, -īvī, -ītus	hear; listen or attend to
saepe, adv.	often, frequently
referō, referre, rettulī, relātus	bring or carry back, return; pedem referre, to draw back, retire, retreat; grātiam referre, see grātia
ibi, adv.	in that place, there
āēr, āeris, m.	air
salūbris, -e	healthy, wholesome
lāc, lactis, n.	milk
eiusmodī (adv.)	of that kind, such
cūrātiō, -ōnis f.	medical treatment, cure; care, management, charge
accommodātus, -a, -um	suited, fitted
rogō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	ask
ergō (adv.)	therefore, then; quid ergō? what then?
scrībō, scrībere, scrīpsī, scrīptus	write
vīlla, -ae, f.	country-house, villa
domus, -ūs, f.	house, home
pateō, -ēre, -uī	lie open; extend, stretch
offerō, offerre, obtulī, oblātus	bear to, proffer, offer
sūmptus, -ūs m.	expense
quis, qua, quid, indef. pron.	any one, anybody, anything, some one, somebody, something
opus, operis, n.	work, task
autem, conj.	moreover; but, however; now
modicus, -a, -um	moderate, small; modicum: a little
parcus, -a, -um	sparing, thrifty, frugal
continēns, -entis, f.	'mainland, continent
sōlum (adv.); solum, -ī n.	only (nōn sōlum … sed etiam: not only … but also); ground, soil
dēliciae, -ārum f. pl.	delights, luxuries, pleasures
vērum (conj.)	but, but in fact; nōn modo ... vērum etiam: not only ... but also
necessitās, -ātis f.	necessity, compulsion
valētūdō, -inis f.	health, state of health; ill health
frūgālitās, -ātis f.	thrift, frugality, self-restraint
restringō, -ere, -strīnxī, -strictus	restrain, limit; tie back
proficīscor, -ficīscī, -fectus sum	set out, depart, march
viāticum, -ī n.	travel money, provisions for a journey; savings
dō, dare, dedī, datus	give
sufficiō, -ere, -fēcī, -fectus	be enough, hold out; supply
eō, īre, iī, itus	go
valeō, -ēre, -uī, -itūrus	be strong or effectual, have effect, prevail

Pliny, Epistulae V. 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.