AP Latin Pliny Letter 10.37 Translation

C. Plīnius Traiānō Imperātōrī salūtem dicit,

C. Pliny sends greetings to Emperor Trajan.

In aquae ductum, Domine, Nīcomēdēnsēs impendērunt HS XXX CCCXVIII,

For an aqueduct, Lord, the Nicomedians have spent 3,318 sesterces,

quī imperfectus adhūc omissus, dēstrūctus etiam est;

which, still unfinished, has been abandoned and even destroyed;

rūrsus in alium ductum ērogāta sunt CC.

again, for another conduit, 200 (sesterces) were expended.

Hōc quoque relictō novō impendiō est opus,

With this one also having been left (unfinished), a new expense is needed,

ut aquam habeant, quī tantam pecūniam male perdidērunt.

so that they may have water, they who have so badly wasted such a great sum of money.

Ipse pervēnī ad fontem pūrissimum,

I myself came to a very pure spring,

ex quō vidētur aqua dēbēre perdūcī,

from which the water seems ought to be led,

sīcut initiō temptātum erat,

as at the beginning it had been attempted,

arcuātō opere,

by an arched structure,

nē tantum ad plāna cīvitātis et humilia perveniat.

so that it may not reach only the level and low parts of the city.

Manent adhūc paucissimī arcūs:

Very few arches still remain;

possunt et ērigī quīdam lapide quadrātō,

and some can be raised with squared stone,

quī ex superiōre opere dētractus est;

which has been taken down from the upper work;

aliqua pars, ut mihi vidētur, testāceō opere agenda erit,

some part, as it seems to me, will have to be done in brickwork,

id enim et facilius et vīlius.

for that (kind of work) is both easier and cheaper.

Sed in prīmīs necessārium est mittī ā tē vel aquilegem vel architectum,

But above all it is necessary that either a water engineer or an architect be sent by you,

nē rūrsus ēveniat quod accidit.

lest again there happen what has (already) occurred.

Ego illud ūnum affirmō,

I declare this one thing,

et ūtilitātem operis et pulchritūdinem saeculō tuō esse dignissimam.

that both the usefulness and the beauty of the work are most worthy of your age.