Pliny - To Calpurnia Hispulla, his wife's aunt

cum sis pietatis exemplum, filiam fratris tui ut tuam diligis

Since you are an example of piety, you care for your brother’s daughter as your own,

nec tantum amitae ei affectum repraesentas verum etiam patris amissi.

Not only do you show her the affection of an aunt, but also [the affection] of her dead father.

maxime igitur gaudebis, cum cognoveris eam dignam patre,

Therefore you will be very delighted, when you find out that she is turning out [to be] worthy of her father,

dignam te, dignam avo evadere.

worthy of you, worthy of her grandfather.

summum est acumen,

[Her] intelligence is very great,

summa frugalitas; amat me, quod castitatis indicium est

And she is extremely frugal. She loves me, which is a sign of her chastity.

praeterea studium litterarum ex mei caritate concepit.

Moreover, she developed an enthusiasm for literature as a result of my love.

meos libellos habet, lectitat, ediscit etiam.

She has my little books, she reads them again and again. She has even learned them by heart!

quanta sollicitudine afficitur cum ego acturus sum, quanto gaudio cum egi!

How much anxiety she is affected by when I am about to speak in court, how much pleasure [she feels] when I have delivered my speech!

disponit qui nuntient sibi quem assensum quos clamores excitaverim,

She stations [people] who can tell her what approval [and] what shouts I inspired,

quem eventum iudicii tulerim. eadem, si quando recito,

what outcome I achieved in the trial. This same woman, whenever I give a recital,

in proximo discreta velo sedet laudesque meas avidissimis auribus excipit.

sits nearby hidden by a curtain and she listens to my praise with the most eager ears.

versus quidem meos cantat formatque cithara,

She sings my poems and sets them to the lyre,

non artifice aliquo docente sed amore, qui magister est optimus.

Not with any expert instruction, but with love, which is the best teacher.

his ex causis in spem certissimam adducor perpetuam nobis maioremque in dies futuram esse concordiam.

For these reasons, I am led into the surest hope that our harmony will last forever and will be greater day by day.

non enim aetatem meam aut corpus,

For she does not love me for my body or my youth,

quae paulatim occidunt ac senescunt, sed gloriam diligit.

which gradually decline and grow old, but [she cares for] my reputation.

nec aliud decet puellam tuis manibus educatam,

Nothing else is fit for a girl brought up by your hands,

quae amare me ex tua praedicatione consueverit.

who got used to loving me from your recommendation.

ergo tibi gratias agimus, ego quod illam mihi,

Therefore we give you thanks, I because you gave her to me,

illa quod me sibi dederis. Vale.

And she because you gave me to her. Farewell.