Pliny's Letters- 9.6 (Letter 36) At The Races

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  • Created by: Lydia22
  • Created on: 26-12-15 17:35
OMNE hoc tempus inter pugillares ac libellos incundissima quiete transmisi.
i have spent all this time in most pleasant peace among my writing tablets and books.
1 of 9
"Quem ad modum," inquis, "in urbe potuisti?" Circenses erant; quo genere spectaculi ne levissime quidem teneor.
"How could you do that in the city?" you ask. the races were on, a type of spectacle by which I am attracted not even very slightly.
2 of 9
Nihil novum, nihil varium, nihil quod non semel spectasse sufficiat.
nothing new, nothing different, nothing which it is not enough to have seen once.
3 of 9
Quo magis miror tot milia virorum tam pueriliter identidem cupere currentes equos, insistentes curribus homines videre.
for this reason all the more i wonder that so many thousands of men so childishly desire to see horses running, men standing in chariots.
4 of 9
Si tamen aut velocitate equorum aut hominum arte traherentur, esset ratio nonnulla;
if however they were attracted by either the speed of the horses or the skill of the men, there would be no reason;
5 of 9
nunc favent panno, pannum amant, et si in ipso cursu medioque certamine hic color illuc, ille huc transferatur, studium favorque transibit, et repente agitatores illos, equos illos, quos procul noscitant, quorum clamitant nomina, relinquent.
now they support the charioteer's tunic, they love the tunic, and, if in the race itself in the middle of this competition this colour were to be transferred over here and that colour over there, the support and enthusiasm will cross over,
6 of 9
Tanta gratia, tanta auctoritas in una vilissima tunica, mitto apud vulgus, quod vilius tunica, sed apud quosdam graves homines;
so much influence, such authority is there in one worthless tunic, let alone among the common people, but even among certain serious men;
7 of 9
quos ego cum recordor in re inani, frigida, adsidua tam insatiabiliter desidere, capio aliquam voluptatem, quod hac voluptate non capior.
when i recall that they sink in something which is insatiably empty, dull and endless, i take some pleasure in the fact that i am not attracted by this pleasure.
8 of 9
Ac per hos dies libentissime otium meum in litteris colloco, quos alii otiosissimis occupationibus perdunt. Vale.
and i spend my leisure most willingly in letters/literature during which days others lose in most idle occupations.
9 of 9

Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

"Quem ad modum," inquis, "in urbe potuisti?" Circenses erant; quo genere spectaculi ne levissime quidem teneor.

Back

"How could you do that in the city?" you ask. the races were on, a type of spectacle by which I am attracted not even very slightly.

Card 3

Front

Nihil novum, nihil varium, nihil quod non semel spectasse sufficiat.

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Quo magis miror tot milia virorum tam pueriliter identidem cupere currentes equos, insistentes curribus homines videre.

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Si tamen aut velocitate equorum aut hominum arte traherentur, esset ratio nonnulla;

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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