Latin - Pliny

ante lucem ibat ad Vespasianum imperatorem (nam ille quoque noctibus utebatur), deinde ad officium sibi delegatum

Before dawn he used to go to the Emperor Vespasian (for that man also used to make use of the nights), then to the duty that had been assigned to him.

reversus domum reliquum tempus studiis dabat

Having returned home he used to give the remaining time to study.

saepe post cibum (qui veterum more interdiu levis et facilis erat) aestate, si quid otii erat, iacebat in sole, liber legebatur, adnotabat excerpebatque

Often after his food, (which in the custom of the forefathers was light and easily digested), in summer, if there was any leisure, he used to lie in the sun, a book was being read, and he used to take notes and make extracts.

nihil enim legit quod non excerperet; dicere etiam solebat nullum librum esse tam malum ut non aliqua parte prodesset

For he read nothing that he could not make extracts on; he was even accustomed to say that no book was so bad that it could not be of use in some part.

post solem plerumque aqua frigida lavabatur, deinde gustabat dormiebatque minimum; mox quasi alio die studebat in cenae tempus

After some sun, he usually used to be washed with cold water, then he used to have a snack and a very short sleep; soon, as if another day, he was studying into dinner time.

super cenam liber legebatur adnotabatur, et quidem cursim

Over dinner, a book was read and having notes made from it and indeed rapidly.

haec inter medios labores urbisque fremitum

He did these things in the middle of his work and bustle of the city.

in secessu solum balinei tempus studiis eximebatur (cum dico 'balinei', de interioribus loquor; nam dum destringitur tergiturque, audiebat aliquid aut dictabat)

Away from the city, only time bathing was exempt from study (when I say 'bathing', I am talking about the interior rooms; for while he was being rubbed down and dried, he was listening to something or dictating).

in itinere quasi solutus ceteris curis, huic uni vacabat

On journeys as if free from other cares, he devoted himself to this one thing.

ad latus notarius cum libro et pugillaribus, cuius manus hieme manicis muniebantur, ut ne caeli quidem asperitas ullum studii tempus eriperet

By his side was his secretary with a book and writing tablets, whose hands in winter were protected by long sleeves, so that not even the harshness of the weather should take away from study.

qua ex causa Romae quoque sella vehebatur

For this reason also in Rome he was being carried by a sedan chair.

repeto otium me correptum ab eo, quod ambularem: 'poteras' inquit' has horas non perdere'; nam perire omne tempus arbitrabatur, quod studiis non impenderetur. vale

I remember I was scolded by him because I was walking: he said, 'You were able to not waste these hours'; for he was thinking that all time was wasted that was not devoted to study. Goodbye.

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