Pliny’s Ghost Story Extract 3

Philosophus Athenodorus venit Athenas; legit titulum que audito pretio

The philosopher Athenodorus came to Athen; he read the notice and having heard about the price

Percunctatus omnia quia vilitias suspecta docetur

Having investigated everything, because the cheapness raised his suspicions, he was encouraged

Ac nihilio minus immo tanto magic; conducit

And not at all less but truly so much more, he rented it

Ubi coepit advesperascere, iubet sterni sibi in prima domus parte

When it began to get dark, he ordered a couch to be laid in the front part of the house

poscit pugillares stilum lumen, suos omnes in interiora; dimmit omnes suos in interiora

He asked for writing tablets, a pen and a lamp; he sent away all his people to the inner part of the house

Ipse intendit animum oculos manum ad scibendum

He himself devoted his mind, eyes and hand to writing

vacua mens ne fingeret simuclacra et insanes metus

So that his unoccupied thought would not make up imagined noises and empty fears

Inito, quale ubique silentium noctis

In the beginning, like everywhere there was the silence of the night

Dein ferrum concuti vincula moveri

Then iron was clanging, chains were being moved

ille non tollere oculos, non remittere stilum, sed offirmare animum auribusque praetendere.

He did not lift his eyes, he did not put down his pen, but strengthened his mind and pretended with hears that he heard nothing

Tum fragor crebescere adventare et iam audiri ut in limine, iam ut intra limine

Then the noise seemed to increase, to approach and now to be heard as if on the threashold, now as if inside

Respicit, videt agnoscitque narratam sibi effigiem.

He looked round, he saw and he recognised the apparition as had been told to him

Stabat que innuebat digito similis vocanti

It was standing and was beckoning with a finger like calling

Hic significat manu ut exsepectaret paulum que incumbit ceris et stilo rursus

He made a sign with hand to wait a little and bent over to his wax tablets and pen again

Illa insonabat catenis capiti scribentis

It began rattling with its chains at the head of the man writing