C. Plinius Caecilius Secundus, Epistulae 10.6

Plīnius writes again to Trāiānus after his earlier petition (10.5) was granted. He thanks the emperor but explains a procedural oversight involving the special status of Aegyptiī under Roman law, and asks Trajan to supplement his grant accordingly.

 

Tier 1

C. PLĪNIUS TRĀIĀNŌ IMPERĀTŌRĪ

domine, grātiās tibi agō. cīvitātem Rōmānam lībertīs amīcae meae sine morā dedistī. cīvitātem Rōmānam etiam Arpocrātī, medicō meō, dedistī. hoc citō fēcistī. ego igitur grātus sum.

sed errāvī, domine. prīmum tibi annōs eius et cēnsum (id est, aetātem eius et bona) scrīpsī. id enim tū iusserās. tum virī doctīdocuērunt: "Arpocrās Aegyptius est. Aegyptiī autem aliī sunt quam cēterī peregrīnī. Aegyptius prīmum cīvitātem Alexandrīnam accipere dēbet. tum sōlum cīvitātem Rōmānam accipere potest." haec ego nōn sciēbam.

anteā putābam: "Aegyptiī sunt similēs cēterīs peregrīnīs." sed errāvī. itaque hoc sōlum tibi anteā scrīpseram: Arpocrās ā peregrīnā līber factus est, et patrōna eius iam prīdem mortua est.

sed nōn doleō quod errāvī. immō gaudeō. nam nunc tibi prō eōdem homine iterum grātiās agere possum, et hoc mihi grātum est.

rogō igitur, domine: eī et cīvitātem Alexandrīnam et cīvitātem Rōmānam. tum beneficium tuum erit plēnum. annōs autem eius et cēnsum lībertīs tuīs iam mīsī. ita nūlla mora erit.

The Pericles Group Foundation
The Pericles Group Foundation
501(c)(3) Nonprofit

The content here is free — and we'd like to keep it that way.

This site is a public-good resource for Latin students and teachers everywhere. There are no paywalls, no ads, and no logins required.

If the materials have been useful to you, please consider making a donation to support its continued development.

♡ Donate