A Day's Hunting- PLINY

Question 1

C. PLINIUS CORNELIO TACITO SUO S.

Answer 1

C. Plinius sends greetings to his dear Cornelius Tacitus.

Question 2

ridebis, et licet rideas.

Answer 2

You will laugh, and you may well laugh.

Question 3

ego, ille quem nosti,

Answer 3

I, the man whom you know [all about],

Question 4

apros tres et quidem pulcherrimos cepi.

Answer 4

have caught three boars – and very fine ones too!

Question 5

‘ipse?’ inquis.

Answer 5

‘(You) yourself?’ you say.

Question 6

ipse;

Answer 6

[Yes], me/myself:

Question 7

non tamen (so that I) ut omnino ab inertia mea et quiete discederem.

Answer 7

not, however, so that I totally abandoned my usual inactivity and peacefulness.

Question 8

ad retia sedebam;

Answer 8

I was sitting close to the hunting-nets;

Question 9

(near were) erat in proximo non venabulum aut lancea,

Answer 9

near were, not a hunting-spear or a javelin,

Question 10

sed stilus et pugillares;

Answer 10

but my pen and writing tablets.

Question 11

(I was thinking something) meditabar aliquid enotabamque,

Answer 11

I was thinking something [over] and noting it down,

Question 12

(So that, even if) ut si manus vacuas, plenas tamen ceras reportarem.

Answer 12

so that, even if I brought back empty hands, I should at least bring back full wax-tablets.

Question 13

(there is no reason you should) non est quod contemnas hoc studendi genus;

Answer 13

There is no reason that you should frown on this kind of studying;

Question 14

(stimulated by) mirum est ut animus agitatione motuque corporis excitetur;

Answer 14

it is amazing how the mind is stimulated by the exercise and motion of the body;

Question 15

(already all around) iam undique silvae et solitudo

Answer 15

the woods already all around, and the solitude,

Question 16

ipsumque illud (and that very) silentium quod venationi datur,

Answer 16

and that very silence which is devoted to hunting,

Question 17

(are all great) magna cogitationis incitamenta sunt.

Answer 17

are all great inducements for thought.

Question 18

(accordingly, when) proinde cum venabere,

Answer 18

Accordingly, when you [next] go hunting,

Question 19

(on my advice, you should) licebit auctore me ut panarium et lagunculam sic etiam pugillares feras:

Answer 19

on my advice, you should carry writing-tablets as well as your picnic basket and drinking-flask:

Question 20

(you will find) experieris non Dianam magis montibus quam Minervam inerrare.

Answer 20

you will find that Diana does not roam the hills any more than Minerva.

Question 21

vale.

Answer 21

Goodbye