Pliny’s Letters: 6.16.1–12 Vocabulary

accedo (adc-), -ere, -cessi, -cessum

to go to, come to, come near, draw near, approach, enter

altum, -i (n.)

height; high sky; deep sea

appareo (adp-), -ere, -ui, -itum

to appear, come in sight, make an appearance

area, -ae (f.)

ground, dry land, open space

avunculus, -i (m.)

maternal uncle, mother’s brother

caelum, -i (n.)

sky, heaven, heavens, vault of heaven

celebro, -are, -avi, -atum

to celebrate, perform; frequent; honor; publicize; discuss

cinis, -eris (m.)

ashes

cresco, -ere, crevi, cretum

to come into being, spring up, arise, be born, grow

cunctor, -ari, -atus sum

to delay, linger, loiter, hesitate, doubt

densus, -a, -um

thick, close, compact, dense, crowded

egredior, -gredi, -gressus sum

to go out, come forth, march out, go away

equidem

truly, indeed, certainly, by all means, of course, to be sure

exitus, -us (m.)

going out, exit, departure; end, conclusion, death

figura, -ae (f.)

form, shape, figure

flecto, -ere, flexi, flexum

to bend, bow, curve, turn, turn round

forte

by chance, by accident

Gaius (or Caius), -i (m.)

Gaius, a Roman male name (praenomen) abbreviated C.

gaudium, -i (n.)

joy, gladness, delight

ibi

in that place, there; on the spot, then, thereupon

immineo (inm-), -ere

to project over, lean toward, hang down over, overhang, loom (over), threaten

incertus, -a, -um

not fixed, unsettled, undetermined; hesitating, undecided, doubtful, at a loss

incido, -ere, -cidi

to fall in, fall, light, strike, reach, find the way

interdum

sometimes, occasionally, now and then

ira, -ae (f.)

anger, wrath, rage, ire, passion, indignation

Italia, -ae (f.)

Italy

labor, -oris (m.)

labor, toil, exertion

laetus, -a, -um

happy, joyful, cheerful, glad, delighted, full of joy

lapis, -idis (m.)

stone

lex, legis (f.)

law, bill, regulation, principle, rule

liber, -bri (m.)

bark of a tree; paper, book

malum, -i (n.)

an evil, mischief, misfortune, calamity

maxime or maxime

in the highest degree, especially, exceedingly, very

Misenum, -i (n.)

Misenum, a town and harbor in Campania

multum

much, very much, greatly

nox, noctis (f.)

night

nubes, -is (f.)

cloud, mist, vapor

ob

(with acc.) on account of, for, because of, by reason of, for the sake of

occido, -ere, -cidi, -casum

to fall down, fall

ora, -ae (f.)

extremity, border, edge, end, boundary, limit, shore

oro, -are, -avi, -atum

to speak, argue, plead, pray, beg, implore, ask for

paulum, paulo

to only a small extent, slightly, a little

Plinius, -i (m.)

Pliny, a Roman male name (nomen – name of a Roman gens)

propius

more nearly, more closely, nearer, closer

proximus or proxumus, -a, -um

nearest, next

pulcher, -chra, -chrum

beautiful, fair, handsome

pumex, -icis (f.)

pumice stone

quamquam

though, although, albeit, notwithstanding that

quasi

as if, just as if, as though

rapio, -ere, -pui, -ptum

to seize and carry off, snatch, tear, drag, hurry away

regina, -ae (f.)

queen

regnum, -i (n.)

kingdom, royal authority, kingship, sovereignty

rego, -ere, rexi, rectum

to keep straight, guide, conduct, direct, control, rule

resideo, -ere, -sedi

to sit back, remain sitting, remain behind, stay, remain, rest, reside

saevus, -a, -um

raging, mad, furious, fierce, savage, ferocious, cruel, violent, severe

scribo, -ere, scripsi, scriptum

to write, write out, compose, draw up, produce

spiritus, -us (m.)

breathing, breath

sub

(with abl.) under, below, beneath, underneath, behind; (with acc.) toward, under, up to

tot

so many, such a number of, as many…as (tot…quot)