Pliny, Letter 6.18

Pleading for the people of Firmum

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Ep. 6.18.1Rogās ut agam Firmānōrum pūblicam causam;You ask me to plead the public case of the people of Firmum; Ep. 6.18.1quod ego quamquam plūrimīs occupātiōnibus distentus adnītar.and though I am distracted by a great many engagements, I shall make the effort. Ep. 6.18.1Cupiō enim et ōrnātissimam colōniam advocātiōnis officiō, et tē grātissimō tibi mūnere obstringere.For I wish both to bind a most distinguished colony to me by the service of advocacy, and to bind you by a favour most welcome to you. Ep. 6.18.2Nam cum familiāritātem nostram, ut solēs praedicāre, ad praesidium ōrnāmentumque tibi sūmpserīs, nihil est quod negāre dēbeam, praesertim prō patriā petentī.For since, as you are fond of declaring, you have taken our friendship as a protection and an ornament to yourself, there is nothing I ought to refuse, especially when you are asking on behalf of your native place. Ep. 6.18.2Quid enim precibus aut honestius piīs aut efficācius amantis?For what is more honourable than the prayers of the dutiful, or more effective than those of one who loves?

Ep. 6.18.3Proinde Firmānīs tuīs ac iam potius nostrīs obligā fidem meam;So pledge my word to your people of Firmum, or rather now ours; Ep. 6.18.3quōs labōre et studiō meō dignōs cum splendor ipsōrum tum hoc maximē pollicētur, quod crēdibile est optimōs esse inter quōs tū tālis exstiteris.their own distinction promises that they are worthy of my labour and zeal, and this above all, that it is credible that those among whom such a man as you has arisen are excellent. Ep. 6.18.3Valē.Farewell.

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Grammar in this passage: indirect statement ×1

Latin vocabulary for this passage (73 words)

rogō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	ask
ut, conj.	as; when; that; ita ut, as
agō, agere, ēgī, āctus	drive; do; pass, lead; grātiās agere, see grātia
pūblicus, -a, -um	public, of the state (rēs pūblica: the state)
causa, -ae, f.	cause, reason; abl. causā, for the sake of
quī, quae, quod, rel. pron.	who, which
ego, meī, pers. pron.	I
quamquam, conj.	however much, although
multus, -a, -um	much, great; plur., many
occupātiō, -ōnis f.	business, engagement, being busy
distineō, -ēre, -tinuī, -tentum	keep apart, keep divided
adnītor, -nītī, -nīsus sum	lean on; exert oneself, support (someone's cause)
cupiō, -ere, -īvī, -ītus	desire, long for, wish
enim, conj.	for
et, conj.	and; et ... et, both ... and
ōrnātus, -a, -um	equipped, fitted out
colōnia, -ae f.	settlement, colony
advocātiō, -ōnis f.	a body of supporters in court; legal assistance, advocacy, a case pleaded
officium, -ī, n.	service; duty
tū, tuī, pers. pron.	thou, you
grātus, -a, -um	pleasing, grateful
mūnus, mūneris, n.	service, office, duty; present, gift
obstringō, -ere, -strīnxī, -strictum	bind, put under obligation
nam, conj.	for
cum, conj.	when, while, after; since; although
familiāritās, -ātis f.	close friendship
noster, -tra, -trum	our
soleō, -ēre, solitus sum	be accustomed, usually do
praedicō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	proclaim; boast of
ad, prep. with acc.	to, toward; at, near; for
praesidium, -ī, n.	protection; guard, escort
ōrnāmentum, -ī n.	honour, distinction; ornament
que, enclitic conj.	and
sūmō, sūmere, sūmpsī, sūmptus	take under or up, take; poenam sūmere, to exact or inflict punishment
nihil, n., indecl.	nothing
sum, esse, fuī, futūrus	be
negō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	say no or not, deny, refuse
dēbeō, -ēre, -uī, -itus	owe; with infin., ought
praesertim (adv.)	especially
prō, prep. with abl.	before, in front of; for, in behalf of; for, as; in return for, for
patria, -ae, f.	fatherland, country
petō, -ere, -īvī or -iī, -ītus	seek, ask; attack
quis, quid, interrog. pron.	who? which? what?
prex, precis f. (usu. pl.)	prayer, entreaty
aut, conj.	or; aut ... aut, either ... or
honestus, -a, -um	respected, honourable
pius, -a, -um	dutiful, devoted, pious
efficāx, -ācis	effective, powerful
amō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	love
proinde (adv.)	therefore, accordingly; so then
tuus, -a, -um	thy, thine, your
atque, ac (conj.)	and; after comparisons: as, than (ac only before consonants)
iam, adv.	now, already
potius (adv.)	rather
obligō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	bind, oblige; mortgage, pledge
fidēs, -eī f.	faith, trust; pledge
meus, -a, -um	my, mine
labor, -ōris, m.	labor, toil
studium, -ī, n.	eagerness, zeal; study, pursuit
dignus, -a, -um (+ abl.)	worthy (of), deserving
splendor, -ōris m.	brightness, light
ipse, ipsa, ipsum, intensive pron.	self, himself, herself, itself, themselves; often to be rendered by very
tum, adv.	then, at that time
hic, haec, hoc, dem. pron.	this; ille ... hīc, that ... this, the former ... the latter
maximē, adv.	very greatly, exceedingly, especially
polliceor, -licērī, -licitus	promise
quod, conj.	that, in that, because
crēdibilis, -e	credible
bonus, -a, -um	good
inter, prep, with acc.	among, between
tālis, -e	such
exsistō, -ere, -stitī	come forth, arise; appear
valeō, -ēre, -uī, -itūrus	be strong or effectual, have effect, prevail

Pliny, Epistulae VI. 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.