Pliny 7.27-Ghosts

(Section 1) And leisure offers to me the ability/opportunity of learning and offers for you the opportunity/ability of teaching. Therefore I really want to know, whether you think ghosts to be (exist) and have their own figures/shapes and any/some divine power/will or that they are empty and fake and take image out of own fears.

Et mihi discendi et tibi docendi facultatem otium praebet. Igitur perquam velim scire, esse phantasmata et habere propriam figuram numenque aliquod putes an inania et vana ex metu nostro imaginem accipere.

(Section 2) I am being led to that place especially that I believe (ghosts) to be, because I hear (what) to have happened to Curtius Rufus. He had stuck to the one ruling Africa, as a companion, still obscure and unimportant. He was walking about in the afternoon in the portico; a figure of a woman is being offered to him, more grand and more beautiful than a human. She said to the terrified (one) that she was the African foreteller of the future: for he would go to Rome and he would receive honors, and also he would even return to the same province (of Africa) with the highest power, and he would die there.

Ego ut esse credam in primis eo ducor, quod audio accidisse Curtio Rufo. Tenuis adhuc et obscurus, obtinenti Africam comes haeserat. Inclinato die spatiabatur in porticu; offertur ei mulieris figura humana grandior pulchriorque. Perterrito Africam se futurorum praenuntiam dixit: iturum enim Romam honoresque gesturum, atque etiam cum summo imperio in eandem provinciam reversurum, ibique moriturum.

(Section 3) All of these things happened. In addition, with him approaching Carthage and leaving the ship the same figure is being told/said to have met (him) on the shore. He himself certainly confused by sickness having predicted the future from the past having predicted obstacles from favorite things, he abandoned hope of health, with no one of his own giving up.

Facta sunt omnia. Praeterea accedenti Carthaginem egredientique nave eadem figura in litore occurrisse narratur. Ipse certe implicitus morbo futura praeteritis, adversa secundis auguratus, spem salutis nullo suorum desperante proiecit.

(Section 4) Now surely that (story) is more terrible and not less amazing which I will explain as I have heard (it)?

Iam illud nonne et magis terribile et non minus mirum est quod exponam ut accepi?

(Section 5) There was in Athens a wide and spacious home but weak and unhealthy. Through the silence of the night the sound of iron, and if you were paying attention more vigilantly the noise of chains first far away, then from nearby was being restored (echoed): soon a ghost was appearing, an old man having been composed with meagerness/leanness and filth, a flowing beard with bristling hair; he was wearing chains on (his) legs and shackles on his hands and he was shaking.

Erat Athenis spatiosa et capax domus sed infamis et pestilens. Per silentium noctis sonus ferri, et si attenderes acrius, strepitus vinculorum longius primo, deinde e proximo reddebatur: mox apparebat idolon, senex macie et squalore confectus, promissa barba horrenti capillo; cruribus compedes, manibus catenas gerebat quatiebatque.

(Section 6) From there sad and awful/harsh nights were being watched by the inhabitants through fear; death and illness from growing fear was following the watch. For also during the day, although the image/ghost had gone away, the memory of the ghost was wandering in the eyes, the fear was longer than the causes of the fear. From there the house was abandoned and was condemned in vacancy and all was abandoned to that monster; however it was being advertised if anyone was wishing to buy or if anyone was wishing to rent ignorant of such great evil.

Inde inhabitantibus tristes diraeque noctes per metum vigilabantur; vigiliam morbus et crescente formidine mors sequebatur. Nam interdiu quoque, quamquam abscesserat imago, memoria imaginis oculis inerrabat, longiorque causis timoris timor erat. Deserta inde et damnata solitudine domus totaque illi monstro relicta; proscribebatur tamen, seu quis emere seu quis conducere ignarus tanti mali vellet.

(Section 7) The philosopher Athenodorus came to Athens, he read the notice and after the price had been heard, since cheapness was suspected, (he was) hesitant he is being taught all (things about the house) and nothing less, rather so much more he rents (it). When it began to get dark, he orders that a made bed for himself in the front in the first part of the house, and he demands writing-tablets, a pencil, a lamp, and he sends away all of his own (slaves) into the inner rooms; he (himself) concentrates/extends (his) mind, eyes and hand to writing, so that his empty mind was not imagining the ghost having been heard about and foolish fears for himself.

Venit Athenas philosophus Athenodorus, legit titulum auditoque pretio, quia suspecta vilitas, percunctatus omnia docetur ac nihilo minus, immo tanto magis conducit. Ubi coepit advesperascere, iubet sterni sibi in prima domus parte, poscit pugillares stilum lumen, suos omnes in interiora dimittit; ipse ad scribendum animum oculos manum intendit, ne vacua mens audita simulacra et inanes sibi metus fingeret.

(Section 8) At first, (as) everywhere the silence of the night; then iron to be clanked, chains to be moved. He did not lift (his) eyes, he did not put down the pen, but he secured (his) mind and he muted (his) ears. Then a crash/noise strengthened/increased, and it approached and already in the doorway, already it was heard within the doorway. He looked back, he sees and he recognizes the described image/ghost for himself.

Initio, quale ubique, silentium noctis; dein concuti ferrum, vincula moveri. Ille non tollere oculos, non remittere stilum, sed offirmare animum auribusque praetendere. Tum crebrescere fragor, adventare et iam ut in limine, iam ut intra limen audiri. Respicit, videt agnoscitque narratam sibi effigiem.

(Section 9) It was standing and it was beckoning as if calling with a finger. He face to face (with the ghost) signals with a hand to wait for little bit and again he continues with letters and pen. That (one) was clamoring/clanking with chains over the head of the writing one. He looked back again at the same one which (was) beckoning earlier, not having delayed, he lifts the lamp and he follows.

Stabat innuebatque digito similis vocanti. Hic contra ut paulum exspectaret manu significat rursusque ceris et stilo incumbit. Illa scribentis capiti catenis insonabat. Respicit rursus idem quod prius innuentem, nec moratus tollit lumen et sequitur.

(Section 10) He was going with a slow pace, as if weighed down with chains. After he turned into the courtyard of the house, suddenly having vanished deserted the friend. Having been left alone, he tore up plants and leaves and placed a sign at the place.

Ibat illa lento gradu quasi gravis vinculis. Postquam deflexit in aream domus, repente dilapsa deserit comitem. Desertus herbas et folia concerpta signum loco ponit.

(Section 11) The following day, he approached the magistrates, he orders them to dig up that place. They find the buried bones having been entangled with chains, which (were) bare and having been consumed by age and earth had left behind a rotting body with chains; having been collected they are being buried in public. After, with the spirits having properly been buried, the house was freed.

Postero die adit magistratus, monet ut illum locum effodi iubeant. Inveniuntur ossa inserta catenis et implicita, quae corpus aevo terraque putrefactum nuda et exesa reliquerat vinculis; collecta publice sepeliuntur. Domus postea rite conditis manibus caruit.

(Section 12) And these indeed I believe from the affirming (ones); that (one) I am able to affirm for others. There is a freedman of mine not illiterate. His little brother was resting with him in the same bed. He seemed to himself to distinguish a certain one remaining in the bed, and moving knives toward his own head (hair), and cutting hairs from the top itself. When it was day, he having been cut around the top, the hairs are discovered lying on the floor. (he woke up, realized that his dream happened in real life as well)

Et haec quidem affirmantibus credo; illud affirmare aliis possum. Est libertus mihi non illitteratus. Cum hoc minor frater eodem lecto quiescebat. Is visus est sibi cernere quendam in toro residentem, admoventemque capiti suo cultros, atque etiam ex ipso vertice amputantem capillos. Ubi illuxit, ipse circa verticem tonsus, capilli iacentes reperiuntur.

(Section 13) A short time was elapsing, and again another similar (thing) happened to credit the first. A slave boy, having been mixed with many others (slave boys) was sleeping in slaves' quarters. Two in white tunics came through the windows - so he says - and they cut off (hair) of the resting one and they left from which/where they had arrived. The day also revealed this one having been shaved and the hairs having been scattered around.

Exiguum temporis medium, et rursus simile aliud priori fidem fecit. Puer in paedagogio mixtus pluribus dormiebat. Venerunt per fenestras — ita narrat — in tunicis albis duo cubantemque detonderunt et qua venerant recesserunt. Hunc quoque tonsum sparsosque circa capillos dies ostendit.

Nothing noteworthy followed, except that I want a defendant in a trial and I would have ben if Domitian under whom these circumstances happened had lived longer. For in his writing desk was found a pamphlet about me given to him by Carus; from this it canbe concluded that becuase it was the custom of the defendants to grow their hair long, that the shaved hair of my people was a sign that the danger which was hanging over me had been driven away.

Nihil notabile secutum, nisi forte quod non fui reus, futurus, si Domitianus sub quo haec acciderunt diutius vixisset. Nam in scrinio eius datus a Caro de me libellus inventus est; ex quo coniectari potest, quia reis moris est summittere capillum, recisos meorum capillos depulsi quod imminebat periculi signum fuisse.

(Section 15) Then I ask, that you apply your knowledge. It is a worthy thing that you consider much by day; I indeed worthy (not unworthy), to whom you make an abundance of you knowledge.

Proinde rogo, eruditionem tuam intendas. Digna res est quam diu multumque consideres; ne ego quidem indignus, cui copiam scientiae tuae facias.

(Section 16) It is even allowed, as you ( are accustomed (to doing), you debate into each side, however be more strongly about one or the other, but you do not leave me hung up in uncertainty, when the cause/reason was for me to consider, so that I cease to doubt. Goodbye.

Licet etiam utramque in partem — ut soles — disputes, ex altera tamen fortius, ne me suspensum incertumque dimittas, cum mihi consulendi causa fuerit, ut dubitare desinerem. Vale.