Pliny, Letters 9.33

Ep. 9.33.1Incidī in māteriam vēram sed simillimam fictae, dignamque istō laetissimō altissimō plānēque poēticō ingeniō;

I have come across a subject that is true but very like fiction, and worthy of that cheerful, lofty and truly poetic genius of yours;

Note. Pliny writes to the poet Caninius Rufus, suggesting the story as a subject for a poem. Incidī in māteriam: 'I have come across a subject'. simillimam fictae: 'very like an invented one' (similis + dative). istō … ingeniō: 'that genius of yours' (iste often means 'your'). plānē poēticō: 'truly poetic'.

Ep. 9.33.1incidī autem, dum super cēnam varia mīrācula hinc inde referuntur.

I came across it while all sorts of marvels were being told from one side of the table to the other at dinner.

Note. dum … referuntur: dum with the present, 'while … were being told'. super cēnam: 'at dinner'. hinc inde: 'from this side and that'.

Ep. 9.33.1Magna auctōrī fidēs: tametsī quid poētae cum fidē?

The source is very trustworthy: though what does a poet care about trustworthiness?

Note. Magna auctōrī fidēs: supply est, 'great trust is placed in my source'. quid poētae cum fidē?: 'what has a poet to do with truth?' — a joke at the expense of his poet friend.

Ep. 9.33.1Is tamen auctor, cui bene vel historiam scrīptūrus crēdidissēs.

Still, he is a source you would have trusted even if you were going to write history.

Note. Is tamen auctor (est), cui … crēdidissēs: 'he is a source whom you would have trusted'. vel historiam scrīptūrus: 'even if you were going to write history', a more demanding genre than poetry.

Ep. 9.33.2Est in Āfricā Hippōnēnsis colōnia marī proxima.

In Africa there is a colony called Hippo, very close to the sea.

Note. Hippōnēnsis colōnia: Hippo Diarrhytus, a Roman colony on the coast of North Africa (modern Bizerte). marī proxima: 'very close to the sea' (proximus + dative).

Ep. 9.33.2Adiacet nāvigābile stagnum;

Beside it lies a navigable lagoon;

Note. Adiacet: 'lies beside it'. nāvigābile stagnum: 'a navigable lagoon', the subject.

Ep. 9.33.2ex hōc in modum flūminis aestuārium ēmergit, quod vice alternā, prōut aestus aut repressit aut impulit, nunc īnfertur marī, nunc redditur stagnō.

from this a channel runs out like a river, which, by turns, as the tide has held it back or driven it on, is now carried to the sea, now returned to the lagoon.

Note. ex hōc: 'from this' (the lagoon). in modum flūminis: 'like a river'. aestuārium: 'a channel, inlet'. quod vice alternā …: 'which in turn … now is carried to the sea, now is returned to the lagoon'. prout aestus aut repressit aut impulit: 'as the tide has held it back or driven it on'.

Ep. 9.33.3Omnis hīc aetās piscandī nāvigandī atque etiam natandī studiō tenētur, maximē puerī, quōs ōtium lūsusque sollicitat.

People of every age here are taken up with a passion for fishing, sailing and swimming too, especially the boys, whom leisure and play attract.

Note. Omnis hīc aetās: 'every age here', i.e. people of all ages. piscandī nāvigandī … natandī: gerunds in the genitive with studiō, 'by a passion for fishing, sailing and swimming'. maximē puerī: 'the boys especially'.

Ep. 9.33.3Hīs glōria et virtūs altissimē prōvehī: victor ille, quī longissimē ut lītus ita simul natantēs relīquit.

For them glory and courage lie in going out farthest: the winner is the one who has left both the shore and his fellow swimmers farthest behind.

Note. Hīs: dative, 'for them'. glōria et virtūs (est) altissimē prōvehī: 'it is glory and courage to be carried out farthest'. ut lītus ita simul natantēs: 'both the shore and at the same time his fellow swimmers'.

Ep. 9.33.4Hōc certāmine puer quīdam audentior cēterīs in ulteriōra tendēbat.

In this contest one boy, more daring than the rest, was heading farther out.

Note. audentior cēterīs: 'bolder than the rest' (ablative of comparison). in ulteriōra tendēbat: 'was heading farther out'.

Ep. 9.33.4Delphīnus occurrit, et nunc praecēdere puerum nunc sequī nunc circumīre, postrēmō subīre dēpōnere iterum subīre, trepidantemque perferre prīmum in altum, mox flectit ad lītus, redditque terrae et aequālibus.

A dolphin met him, and now swam ahead of the boy, now followed him, now circled him, at last dived under him, put him off, dived under him again, carried him, terrified, first out to sea, then turned to the shore and returned him to land and to his friends.

Note. The dolphin's movements are given in a rush of historic infinitives (praecēdere, sequī, circumīre, subīre, dēpōnere, perferre), which Pliny then turns into present tenses (flectit, reddit). nunc … nunc … nunc: 'now … now … now'. trepidantem: 'him in his panic'. aequālibus: 'to his companions' (boys of his own age).

Ep. 9.33.5Serpit per colōniam fāma;

The story creeps through the colony;

Note. Serpit … fāma: 'the story creeps through'. The present tenses make the scene vivid.

Ep. 9.33.5concurrere omnēs, ipsum puerum tamquam mīrāculum aspicere, interrogāre audīre narrāre.

everyone runs together to look at the boy himself as if he were a marvel, to question him, to listen, to tell the tale.

Note. concurrere, aspicere, interrogāre, audīre, narrāre: historic infinitives, with omnēs as subject. tamquam mīrāculum: 'as if he were a marvel'.

Ep. 9.33.5Posterō diē obsident lītus, prōspectant mare et sī quid est marī simile.

The next day they crowd the shore, gazing out at the sea and at anything like the sea.

Note. obsident lītus: 'they crowd the shore'. et sī quid est marī simile: 'and anything that is like the sea', i.e. the lagoon and channel.

Ep. 9.33.5Natant puerī, inter hōs ille, sed cautius.

The boys swim, and he among them, but more cautiously.

Note. inter hōs ille: 'he among them'. cautius: comparative adverb, 'more cautiously'.

Ep. 9.33.5Delphīnus rūrsus ad tempus, rūrsus ad puerum.

The dolphin comes again at the same time, and again to the boy.

Note. Supply venit: 'the dolphin (comes) again at the same time, again to the boy'. ad tempus: 'at the (same) time'.

Ep. 9.33.5Fugit ille cum cēterīs.

He runs away with the others.

Note. Fugit: present tense, 'he runs away'.

Ep. 9.33.5Delphīnus, quasi invītet et revocet, exsilit mergitur, variōsque orbēs implicat expeditque.

The dolphin, as if inviting him and calling him back, leaps out and dives, and coils and uncoils in all sorts of circles.

Note. quasi invītet et revocet: 'as if it were inviting and calling (him) back', subjunctive after quasi. variōs orbēs implicat expeditque: 'twists itself into all sorts of circles and straightens out again'.

Ep. 9.33.6Hoc alterō diē, hoc tertiō, hoc plūribus, dōnec hominēs innūtrītōs marī subīret timendī pudor.

This happened the next day, and the day after, and on several more, until people raised beside the sea grew ashamed of being afraid.

Note. Hoc (fit) alterō diē, hoc tertiō, hoc plūribus: 'this (happened) on the second day, on the third, on more'. dōnec … subīret: 'until shame at being afraid came over …' (subeō + accusative). hominēs innūtrītōs marī: 'men brought up by the sea'. timendī pudor: 'shame of fearing'.

Ep. 9.33.6Accēdunt et allūdunt et appellant, tangunt etiam pertrectantque praebentem.

They come close and play with it and call to it, and even touch and stroke it as it offers itself.

Note. praebentem: 'it, as it offered itself' (supply sē).

Ep. 9.33.6Crēscit audācia experīmentō.

Their boldness grows with experience.

Note. experīmentō: ablative, 'with trial, with experience'.

Ep. 9.33.6Maximē puer, quī prīmus expertus est, adnatat nantī, īnsilit tergō, fertur referturque, agnōscī sē amārī putat, amat ipse;

Above all the boy who first tried it swims beside it as it swims, jumps onto its back, is carried out and back, thinks it knows him and loves him, and loves it himself;

Note. Maximē puer, quī prīmus expertus est: 'above all the boy who first experienced it'. adnatat natantī: 'swims up to it as it swims'. tergō: dative, 'onto its back'. fertur referturque: 'is carried out and carried back'. agnōscī sē amārī putat: 'thinks he is recognized and loved'.

Ep. 9.33.6neuter timet, neuter timētur;

neither fears, neither is feared;

Note. neuter … neuter: 'neither … neither'. A neat balance of active and passive.

Ep. 9.33.6huius fīdūcia, mānsuētūdō illīus augētur.

the boy's confidence and the dolphin's tameness grow.

Note. huius fīdūcia, mānsuētūdō illīus: 'the confidence of the one (the boy), the tameness of the other (the dolphin)' — huius the nearer, illīus the farther.

Ep. 9.33.7Nec nōn aliī puerī dextrā laevāque simul eunt hortantēs monentēsque.

Other boys, too, go with them on the right and the left, cheering them on and calling out advice.

Note. Nec nōn: 'and also' (two negatives make a positive). dextrā laevāque: 'on the right and the left'. hortantēs monentēsque: 'urging and warning'.

Ep. 9.33.7Ībat ūnā- id quoque mīrum- delphīnus alius, tantum spectātor et comes.

With it went, and this too is remarkable, another dolphin, only as a spectator and companion.

Note. Ībat ūnā: 'went along together'. id quoque mīrum: a parenthesis, 'this too is remarkable'. tantum spectātor et comes: 'only as a watcher and companion'.

Ep. 9.33.7Nihil enim simile aut faciēbat aut patiēbātur, sed alterum illum dūcēbat redūcēbat, ut puerum cēterī puerī.

For it did nothing of the kind and allowed nothing of the kind, but escorted the other one there and back, as the other boys did the boy.

Note. Nihil simile aut faciēbat aut patiēbātur: 'it neither did nor let itself be done anything of the kind' (it was not ridden). alterum illum: 'the other one'. dūcēbat redūcēbat: 'escorted out and back'. ut puerum cēterī puerī: 'as the other boys (escorted) the boy'.

Ep. 9.33.8Incrēdibile, tam vērum tamen quam priōra, delphīnum gestātōrem collūsōremque puerōrum in terram quoque extrahī solitum, harēnīsque siccātum, ubi incaluisset in mare revolvī.

It is hard to believe, but as true as the rest, that the dolphin who carried the boys and played with them used to be dragged up onto the land as well, and when it had dried off on the sand and grew warm, it would roll back into the sea.

Note. Incrēdibile (est), tam vērum tamen quam priōra: 'it is incredible, but as true as what went before'. The accusative and infinitive follows: delphīnum … extrahī solitum (esse), 'that the dolphin used to be pulled out'. gestātōrem collūsōremque puerōrum: 'carrier and playmate of the boys'. ubi incaluisset: pluperfect subjunctive of repeated action, 'whenever it had grown warm'. revolvī: 'rolled back'.

Ep. 9.33.9Cōnstat Octāvium Avītum, lēgātum prōcōnsulis, in lītus ēductō religiōne prāvā superfūdisse unguentum, cuius illum novitātem odōremque in altum refūgisse, nec nisi post multōs diēs vīsum languidum et maestum, mox redditīs vīribus priōrem lascīviam et solita ministeria repetīsse.

It is well known that Octavius Avitus, the governor's deputy, out of misguided religious feeling poured perfume over it when it was brought up on the shore, and that it fled out to sea from the strangeness and smell of it, and was not seen for many days, and then listless and gloomy; but soon, when its strength returned, it took up its old playfulness and its usual services again.

Note. Cōnstat: 'it is agreed that …', followed by accusatives and infinitives. lēgātum prōcōnsulis: 'the governor's deputy'. ēductō: 'over it when it was brought out', dative with superfūdisse. religiōne prāvā: 'from misguided religious feeling' — he treated the dolphin as divine. cuius … novitātem odōremque: 'the strangeness and smell of which'. vīsum: supply esse. redditīs vīribus: ablative absolute, 'when its strength was restored'.

Ep. 9.33.10Cōnfluēbant omnēs ad spectāculum magistrātūs, quōrum adventū et morā modicā rēs pūblica novīs sūmptibus atterēbātur.

All the officials flocked to the spectacle, and their arrival and their stays, however short, wore the town down with new expenses.

Note. Cōnfluēbant … magistrātūs: 'the officials flocked'. quōrum adventū et morā modicā: 'by whose arrival and stay, however short' — a town had to entertain visiting officials. rēs pūblica: here 'the town's finances'. atterēbātur: 'was being worn down'.

Ep. 9.33.10Postrēmō locus ipse quiētem suam sēcrētumque perdēbat: placuit occultē interficī, ad quod coībātur.

Finally the place itself was losing its peace and privacy: it was decided that the dolphin should be killed in secret, the creature everyone was gathering to see.

Note. quiētem suam sēcrētumque: 'its peace and privacy'. placuit occultē interficī: 'it was decided that (the dolphin) be secretly killed'. ad quod coībātur: 'to which (people) were gathering' — impersonal passive.

Ep. 9.33.11Haec tū quā miserātiōne, quā cōpiā dēflēbis ōrnābis attollēs!

With what pity, with what eloquence you will lament it, adorn it and exalt it!

Note. Haec: object of the three verbs. quā miserātiōne, quā cōpiā: 'with what pity, with what richness (of language)!' dēflēbis ōrnābis attollēs: futures, 'you will lament, adorn, exalt' — no conjunctions (asyndeton).

Ep. 9.33.11Quamquam nōn est opus affingās aliquid aut astruās;

Though there is no need for you to invent or add anything;

Note. Quamquam: 'and yet'. nōn est opus affingās: 'there is no need that you invent', ut omitted. astruās: 'add'.

Ep. 9.33.11sufficit nē ea quae sunt vēra minuantur.

it is enough that what is true should not be diminished.

Note. sufficit nē … minuantur: 'it is enough that (the true facts) are not diminished'.

Ep. 9.33.11Valē.

Farewell.

Note. Valē: 'farewell'.