Pliny, Letter 6.8

A debt owed to Atilius Crescens

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Ep. 6.8.1Atīlium Crēscentem et nōstī et amās.You both know and love Atilius Crescens. Ep. 6.8.1Quis enim illum spectātior paulō aut nōn nōvit aut nōn amat?For who of any distinction at all does not know him or does not love him? Ep. 6.8.1Hunc ego nōn ut multī, sed artissimē dīligō.I love him not as many do, but most closely. Ep. 6.8.2Oppida nostra ūnīus diēī itinere dirimuntur;Our towns are separated by a single day's journey; Ep. 6.8.2ipsī amāre invicem, quī est flagrantissimus amor, adulēscentulī coepimus.we ourselves began to love each other when we were very young, which is the most ardent love. Ep. 6.8.2Mānsit hic posteā, nec refrīxit iūdiciō sed invaluit.It has remained since, and has not cooled with judgement but grown stronger. Ep. 6.8.2Sciunt quī alterutrum nostrum familiārius intuentur.Those who observe either of us more intimately know this. Ep. 6.8.2Nam et ille amīcitiam meam lātissimā praedicātiōne circumfert, et ego prae mē ferō, quantae sit mihi cūrae modestia quiēs sēcūritās eius.For he carries my friendship about, proclaiming it far and wide, and I make it plain how much his modesty, his quiet, his security matter to me.

Ep. 6.8.3Quīn etiam, cum īnsolentiam cuiusdam tribūnātum plēbis initūrī verērētur, idque indicāsset mihi, respondī: οὔ τις ἐμεῦ ζῶντος.Indeed, when he was afraid of the insolence of a certain man about to enter on the tribunate of the people, and had told me so, I replied: 'No one, while I live.' Ep. 6.8.3Quōrsus haec?Where is this leading? Ep. 6.8.3ut sciās, nōn posse Atīlium mē incolumī iniūriam accipere.To let you know that Atilius cannot suffer wrong while I am unharmed. Ep. 6.8.4Iterum dīcēs "Quōrsus haec?"Again you will say, 'Where is this leading?' Ep. 6.8.4Dēbuit eī pecūniam Valerius Vārus.Valerius Varus owed him money. Ep. 6.8.4Huius est hērēs Maximus noster, quem et ipse amō, sed coniūnctius tū.His heir is our friend Maximus, whom I too love, but you more intimately. Ep. 6.8.5Rogō ergō, exigō etiam prō iūre amīcitiae, cūrēs ut Atīliō meō salva sit nōn sors modo vērum etiam ūsūra plūrium annōrum.So I ask you, I even demand by the right of friendship, to see to it that not only the principal but also the interest of several years is kept safe for my Atilius.

Ep. 6.8.5Homō est aliēnī abstinentissimus suī dīligēns;He is a man most scrupulous about what belongs to others, careful of his own; Ep. 6.8.5nūllīs quaestibus sustinētur, nūllus illī nisi ex frūgālitāte reditus.he is supported by no business gains, he has no income except from his thrift. Ep. 6.8.6Nam studia, quibus plūrimum praestat, ad voluptātem tantum et glōriam exercet.For literature, in which he excels greatly, he pursues only for pleasure and glory. Ep. 6.8.6Gravis est eī vel minima iactūra;Even the smallest loss is heavy for him; Ep. 6.8.6quamquam reparāre quod āmīserīs gravius.although to recover what you have lost is heavier. Ep. 6.8.7Exime hunc illī, exime hunc mihi scrūpulum: sine mē suāvitāte eius, sine lepōribus perfruī.Remove this worry from him, remove it from me: let me enjoy to the full his charm and his wit. Ep. 6.8.7Neque enim possum trīstem vidēre, cuius hilaritās mē trīstem esse nōn patitur.For I cannot see him sad, whose cheerfulness does not allow me to be sad. Ep. 6.8.8In summā nōstī facētiās hominis;In short, you know the man's humour; Ep. 6.8.8quās velim attendās, nē in bīlem et amāritūdinem vertat iniūria.I should like you to take care that injury does not turn it to bile and bitterness.

Ep. 6.8.8Quam vim habeat offēnsus, crēde eī quam in amōre habet.How much force it has when he is offended, believe from the force it has in affection. Ep. 6.8.8Nōn feret magnum et līberum ingenium cum contumēliā damnum.A great and free spirit will not bear loss joined with insult. Ep. 6.8.9Vērum, ut ferat ille, ego meum damnum meam contumēliam iūdicābō, sed nōn tamquam prō meā - hoc est, gravius - īrāscar.But even if he bears it, I shall judge the loss mine, the insult mine, and yet I shall be angry not as on my own account — that is, more heavily. Ep. 6.8.9Quamquam quid dēnūntiātiōnibus et quasi minīs agō?But why do I deal in warnings and, as it were, threats? Ep. 6.8.9Quīn potius, ut coeperam, rogō ōrō dēs operam, nē ille sē - quod valdissimē vereor - ā mē, ego mē neglēctum ā tē putem.Rather, as I had begun, I ask, I beg you to take pains that he may not think himself neglected by me — which I fear very greatly — nor I myself by you. Ep. 6.8.9Dabis autem, sī hoc perinde cūrae est tibi quam illud mihi.And you will take pains, if this is as much your concern as that is mine.

Ep. 6.8.9Valē.Farewell.

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Grammar in this passage: purpose clauses ×2, indirect statement ×2

Latin vocabulary for this passage (172 words)

et, conj.	and; et ... et, both ... and
nōscō, -ere, nōvī, nōtum	get to know (perf. nōvī: know)
amō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	love
quis, quid, interrog. pron.	who? which? what?
enim, conj.	for
ille, illa, illud, dem. pron.	that; he, she, it, they; ille ... hīc, see hīc
spectātus, -a, -um	tested, proved; admirable, distinguished
paulō, adv.	by a little, a little, somewhat
aut, conj.	or; aut ... aut, either ... or
nōn, adv.	not
hic, haec, hoc, dem. pron.	this; ille ... hīc, that ... this, the former ... the latter
ego, meī, pers. pron.	I
ut, conj.	as; when; that; ita ut, as
multus, -a, -um	much, great; plur., many
sed, conj.	but
artē (adv.); comp. artius	closely, tightly
dīligō, -ere, -lēxī, -lēctus	love, value highly
oppidum, -ī, n.	town
noster, -tra, -trum	our
ūnus, -a, -um	one; only, alone
diēs, -ēī, m. and f.	day
iter, itineris, n.	a going, journey, march; iter facere, to journey, march
dirimō, -ere, dirēmī, dirēmptum	break off, interrupt
ipse, ipsa, ipsum, intensive pron.	self, himself, herself, itself, themselves; often to be rendered by very
invicem (adv.)	in turn, mutually; ad invicem: to one another
quī, quae, quod, rel. pron.	who, which
sum, esse, fuī, futūrus	be
flagrāns, -antis	blazing; ardent, passionate, intense
amor, -ōris, m.	love
adulēscentulus, -ī m.	a very young man
coepī, coepisse, coeptus (used in tenses of completed action)	have begun, began
maneō, manēre, mānsī, mānsus	remain
posteā, adv.	after this, afterwards
neque or nec, conj.	and not, nor; neque ... neque, neither ... nor; neque enim, for ... not
refrīgēscō, -ere, -frīxī	grow cold; cool off, lose force
iūdicium, -ī n.	trial, court; judgment
invalēscō, -ere, -valuī	grow strong, increase in strength
sciō, -īre, -īvī, -ītus	know
alteruter, -tra, -trum	one or the other; ad alterutrum: to one another (Late Latin)
nōs	plur. of ego
familiāriter, adv.	on intimate terms, closely
intueor, -tuērī, -tuitus	look upon, behold
nam, conj.	for
amīcitia, -ae f.	friendship, alliance
meus, -a, -um	my, mine
lātus, -a, -um	broad, wide
praedicātiō, -ōnis f.	proclamation; praise
circumferō, -ferre, -tulī, -lātus	carry around
prae (prep. + abl.)	in comparison with; because of
ferō, ferre, tulī, lātus	bear, bring
quantus, -a, -um	how great or much?
cūra, -ae f.	care, concern (cūrae esse: to be a concern)
modestia, -ae f.	moderation, discipline, restraint
quiēs, quiētis, f.	rest, repose
sēcūritās, -ātis f.	freedom from care, composure
is, ea, id, dem. pron.	this, that; he, she, it, they
quīn, conj.	so that ... not, but that, but
etiam, adv.	and now, also, too, even
cum, conj.	when, while, after; since; although
īnsolentia, -ae f.	arrogance, insolence
quīdam, quaedam, quoddam, indef. pron.	a certain, certain
tribūnātus, -ūs m.	tribuneship, office of tribune (military or of the people)
plēbs, plēbis f.	the common people
ineō, -īre, -iī, -itus	go into, enter; adopt
vereor, -ērī, -itus	fear
que, enclitic conj.	and
indicō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	point out, reveal, give information; inform against
respondeō, -spondēre, -spondī, -spōnsus	reply, answer
quōrsum (quōrsus) (adv.)	to what end? where to?; quorsum haec?: what is the point of this?
possum, posse, potuī	be able, have power, can
incolumis, -e	unhurt, safe
iniūria, -ae, f.	injury, wrong, hurt, harm
accipiō, -cipere, -cēpī, -ceptus	take to oneself, receive, accept; hear; suffer
iterum, adv.	again, a second time
dīcō, dīcere, dīxī, dictus	say, speak; diem dīcere, to appoint or set a day
dēbeō, -ēre, -uī, -itus	owe; with infin., ought
pecūnia, -ae, f.	money (the possession of cattle constituting wealth in early times)
hērēs (haerēs), -ēdis m.	heir
coniūnctē (adv.)	jointly; intimately, on close terms
tū, tuī, pers. pron.	thou, you
rogō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	ask
ergō (adv.)	therefore, then; quid ergō? what then?
exigō, -ere, -ēgī, -āctum	drive out; finish, spend (a season)
prō, prep. with abl.	before, in front of; for, in behalf of; for, as; in return for, for
iūs, iūris, n.	right, justice, law; iūs dīcere, to pronounce judgment; iūs iūrandum, iūris iūrandī, oath
cūrō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	take care of; (+ gerundive) have something done
salvus, -a, -um	safe, unharmed
sors, sortis, f.	lot
modo, adv.	only
vērum (conj.)	but, but in fact; nōn modo ... vērum etiam: not only ... but also
ūsūra, -ae f.	use, enjoyment; interest (on money)
plūrēs, -a, plur. adj.	more, many, several
annus, -ī, m.	year
homō, hominis, m.	man
aliēnus, -a, -um	belonging to another, out of place
abstinēns, -entis	self-restrained, keeping one's hands off (others' property), honest; alieni abstinens: not covetous
suus, -a, -um	his, her, its, or their own; his, her, its, their
dīligēns, -entis	careful, attentive, conscientious
nūllus, -a, -um	not any, none, no
quaestus, -ūs m.	gain, profit
sustineō, -tinēre, -tinuī, -tentus	hold or bear up, sustain, withstand
nisi, conj.	if not, unless
ex, ē (prep. + abl.)	out of, from; of (ē only before consonants)
frūgālitās, -ātis f.	thrift, frugality, self-restraint
reditus, -ūs, m.	return
studium, -ī, n.	eagerness, zeal; study, pursuit
plūrimum (adv.)	most, very much (plūrimum posse: be most powerful)
praestō, -stāre, -stitī, -stitus	stand in front; show
ad, prep. with acc.	to, toward; at, near; for
voluptās, -tātis, f.	pleasure
tantum, adv.	so much or far, only
glōria, -ae, f.	glory
exerceō, -ercēre, -ercuī, -ercitus	exercise
gravis, -e	heavy; severe, grievous, serious
vel	or; vel … vel: either … or
parvus, -a, -um	little, small
iactūra, -ae f.	loss, sacrifice; expense
quamquam, conj.	however much, although
reparō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	restore, make good; get in exchange
āmittō, -mittere, -mīsī, -missus	send away, lose
eximō, -ere, -ēmī, -ēmptus	take away, remove; use up (a day)
scrūpulus, -ī m.	worry, anxiety, scruple
sine, prep. with abl.	without
suāvitās, -ātis f.	sweetness, pleasantness (odor suāvitātis: a pleasing smell)
lepōs, -ōris m.	charm, grace, wit
perfruor, -fruī, -frūctus sum	enjoy to the full (+ abl.)
trīstis, -e	sad, gloomy
videō, vidēre, vīdī, vīsus	see; pass., seem
hilaritās, -ātis f.	cheerfulness, merriment
patior, patī, passus, bear	suffer, allow
in, prep. with acc. and abl.	with acc.: into, onto, against; with abl.: in, on
summa, -ae f.	total, sum; supreme command
facētiae, -ārum f. pl.	wit, humour, jokes
volō, velle, voluī	wish
attendō, -tendere, -tendī, -tentus	turn one's mind to, pay attention, notice
nē, adv.	not; nē ... quidem, not ... even; conj., that not, lest
bīlis, -is f.	bile, gall; anger, irritation
amāritūdō, -inis f.	bitterness; grief, anguish
vertō, vertere, vertī, versus	turn
quī, quae, quod, interrog. pron. adj.	what?
vīs, vīs, f.	violence, force; virtue, potency, efficacy; plur. vīrēs, -ium, strength; omnibus vīribus, with all one's strength, with might and main
habeō, -ēre, -uī, -itus	have, hold; consider
offendō, -fendere, -fendī, -fēnsus	offend
crēdō, -dere, -didī, -ditus	believe
magnus, -a, -um	large, big, great, mighty; loud
līber, lībera, līberum	free
ingenium, -ī n.	natural ability, talent, cleverness; character
cum, prep, with abl.	with
contumēlia, -ae f.	insult, outrage
damnum, -ī, n.	harm, injury
iūdicō, -āre, -āvī, -ātum	judge, decide
tamquam (adv., conj.)	as, just as; as if
graviter, adv.	severely, seriously
īrāscor, īrāscī, īrātus	be angry
dēnūntiātiō, -ōnis f.	warning, threat; announcement
quasi, conj.	as if
minae, -ārum, f. plur.	threats
agō, agere, ēgī, āctus	drive; do; pass, lead; grātiās agere, see grātia
potius (adv.)	rather
ōrō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	speak; beg, pray
dō, dare, dedī, datus	give
opera, -ae, f.	effort, work, labor
suī, sibi, sē or sēsē, reflexive pron.	himself, herself, itself, themselves
valdē, adv.	very, greatly
ā, ab (prep. + abl.)	away from, from; by (ā only before consonants)
neglegō, -legere, -lēxī, -lēctus	disregard, neglect
putō, -āre, -āvī, -ātus	think
autem, conj.	moreover; but, however; now
sī, conj.	if
perinde (adv.)	in the same way, equally; haud perinde: not so much
quam, adv.	how? as; than; with superl., as ... as possible
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.