Pliny to Calpurnia Hispulla Flashcards
Who was Pliny
a roman politician and a prolific letter writer
How many wives did pliny have and what happened to them
3 wives
- first one died
- second unknown
- third marriage at 40 years old, he died 10 years later
Who was Calpurnia
Plinys 3rd wife
- her father had died and she was under the care of her aunt calpurnia hispulla (to whom the the letter is addressed)
how old was calpurnia when she married
15
how many children did pliny and calpurnia have
0 but they were happily married
Cum sis pietatis exemplum
Since you are a model of family love
filiam fratis tui ut tuam diligis
you care for your brothers daughter as [though she were] your own
nec tantum amitae ei affectum repraesntas verum etiam patris amissi
and show her not only the affection of an aunt but also that of her late father
maxime igitur graudebis, cum cognoveris eam dignam patre, dignam te, dignam avo avedere.
you will therefore be delighted when you learn that she is turning out to be worthy of her father, worthy of you and worthy of her grandfather
summum est acumen, summa frugalitas;
she shows great intelligence [and] great care with money
amat me, quod castitatis indicium est
she loves me, which is a [sure] sign of faithfullness
praeterea studium litterarum ex mei caritate concepit
In addition, from her love for me she ahs developed an interest in literature
meos libellos habet, lectitat, ediscit, etiam
she keeps my writings, she reads them again and again, [and] even learns them by heart!
quanta sollicitudine affictur cum ego acturus sum, quanto gaudio cum egi!
what great anxiety she feels whenever I’m about to speak in court and what great delight when I have finished!
disponit qui nuntient sibi quem assensum quos clamores excitaverim, quem eventum iudicii tulerim
she sends [people] out to tell her what support and what applause i have produced, and what result i have achieved in the trial.
eadem, si quando recito, in proximo discreta velo sedet laudesque meas avidissimus aribus excepit
she even, whenever I’m giving recitals, sits nearby, hidden by a curtain, and listens with most eager ears to the praise i recieve
verus quidem meos cantat formatque cithara
she even sings my poetry and sets music to it on the lyre
non artifice aliquo docente sed amore, qui magister est optimus
without any expert teaching her but love, which is the best teacher
his ex causis in spem certissimam audducor perpetuam nobis maioremque in dies futuram esse concordiam
for these reasons i am led to a very firm hope that our harmony will last forever and will become stronger day by day
mom enimaetatem meam aut corpus
for it is not my age or physique that she loves
quae paulatim occidunt ac senescunt
which gradually grow old and decay
sed gloriam diligit
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 praecdicatione consueverit
who has grown to love me from you recommendation
ergo tibi gratias agimus, ego quod illam mihi, illa quod me sibi dederis. vale.
Therefore, we are both grateful to you- I because [you gave] her to me, she because you gave me to her. Goodbye.
Pietatis dutifulness
Choice of words- a Roman virtue describing C.Hispulla in this way he starts a letter admiring her positive aspects
