Pliny Letter to Calpurnia Hispulla

• cum sis pietatis exemplum, filiam fratris tui ut tuam diligis nec

  Since you are a model of family love, you care for your brother's daughter as [though she were] your own
• tantum amitae ei affectum repraesentas verum etiam patris

  and show her not only the affection of an aunt but also
• amissi.

  that of her late father.
• maxime igitur gaudebis, cum cognoveris eam dignam

  You will therefore be delighted when you learn that
• patre, dignam te, dignam avo evadere.

  she is turning out to be worthy of her father, worthy of you and worthy of her grandfather.
• summum. est acumen,

  She shows great intelligence
• summa frugalitas; amat me, quod castitatis indicium est.

  great care with money. She loves me, which is a [sure] sign of faithfulness.
• praeterea studium litterarum ex mei caritate concepit. meos

  In addition, from her love for me she has developed an interest in literature. She keeps my writings, she reads them again and she again, [and] even learns them by heart!
• quanta sollicitudine afficitur

  What great anxiety she feels
• cum ego acturus sum, quanto gaudio cum egi! disponit qui

  whenever I am about to speak in court, and what great delight when | have finished! She sends [people] out
• nuntient sibi quem assensum quos clamores excitaverim, quem

  to tell her what support and what applause | have produced, and what
• eventum iudicii tulerim.

  result l have achieved in the trial.
• eadem, si quando recito, in proximo

  She even, whenever I'm giving a recital, sits nearby,
• discreta velo sedet laudesque meas avidissimis auribus excipit.

  The hidden by a curtain, and listens with most eager ears to the praise / receive.
• his ex causis in spem certissimam adducor perpetuam nobis maioremque in dies futuram esse concordiam. non enim aetatem meam aut corpus, quae paulatim occidunt ac senescunt, sed gloriam diligit. nec aliud decet puellam tuis manibus educatam, quae amare me ex tua praedicatione consueverit.

  For these reasons I am led to a very firm hope that our harmony will last forever and will become stronger day by day. For it is not my age or my physique that she loves ([things) which gradually grow old and decay), but my reputation. Nothing could more befit a girl brought up in your care, who has grown to love me from your 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.