Pliny: Letter to Calpurnia Hispulla

cum sis pietatis exemplum,

Since you are a model of decency,

filiam fratris tui ut tuam diligis

you care for your brother's daughter as your own

nec tantum amitae ei affectum representas

[and] show [her] not only the affection of an aunt

verum etiam patris amissi.

but also of [her] late father.

maxime igitur gaudebis,

You will therefore rejoice very greatly

cum cognoveris eam ... evadere.

when you learn [that] she is turning out to be

dignam patre,

worthy of [her] father,

dignam te,

worthy of you,

dignam avo

worthy of [her] grandfather.

summum est acumen,

Great is [her] intelligence,

summa frugalitas;

great [her] care with money.

amat me,

She loves me,

quod castitatis indicium est.

which is a [sure] sign of faithfulness.

praeterea

In addition,

ex mei caritate

from her love for me,

studium litterarum ... concepit.

she has developed an interest in literature.

meos libellos habet,

She keeps my writings,

lectitat,

she reads [them] over,

ediscit etiam.

she even learns [them] by heart.

quanta sollicitudine afficitur

What great anxiety she feels

cum ego acturus sum,

whenever I am about to speak in court,

quanto gaudio cum egi!

what great delight when I have finished!

disponit qui nuntient sibi

She sends [people] out to report to her

quem assensum quos clamores excitaverim,

what support [and] what shouts [of acclaim] I have aroused,

quem eventum iudicii tulerim.

what result I have achieved in the trial.

eadem, si quando recito,

She even, whenever I'm giving a recital,

in proximo discreta velo sedet,

sits nearby, hidden by a curtain,

laudesque meas avidissimis auribus excipit.

and listens with most eager ears to the praise I receive.

versus quidem meos cantat

She even sings my poetry

formatque cithara,

and sets it to music on the lyre,

non artifice aliquo docente sed amore,

without any expert teaching but love

qui magister est optimus.

which is the best teacher.

his ex causis

For these reasons

in spem certissimam adducor

I am led to a very firm hope

perpetuam nobis maioremque in dies futuram esse concordiam.

[that] our harmony [will] last forever and become greater day by day.

non enim aetatem meam aut corpus ... diligit

For it is not my age or physique [that] she loves

quae paulatim occidunt ac senescunt,

[things] which gradually grow old and decay,

sed gloriam

but [my] reputation.

nec aliud decet puellam tuis manibus educatam,

Nothing could more befit a girl brought up in your care,

quae amare me ex tua praedicatione consueverit.

who has grown to love me from your recommendation.

ergo tibi gratias agimus,

Therefore we are [both] grateful to you

ego quod illam mihi, illa quod me sibi dederis.

I because [you gave] her to me, she because you gave me to her.

vale.

Goodbye.