Letters of Pliny
only acknowledge the charge, but glory in it; for can there be a nobler
error than an overflowing benevolence? But still, who are these, let me
ask, that are better acquainted with my friends than I am myself? Yet
grant there are any such, why will they deny me the satisfaction of so
pleasing a mistake? For supposing my friends not to deserve the highest
encomiums I give them, yet I am happy in believing they do. Let them
recommend then this malignant zeal to those (and their number is not
inconsiderable) who imagine they show their judgment when they indulge
their censure upon their friends. As for myself, they will never be able
to persuade me I can be guilty of an excess[121] in friendship,
Farewell.
LXXXV -- To TACITUS
I PREDICT (and I am persuaded I shall not be deceived) that your
histories will be immortal. I frankly own therefore I so much the more
earnestly wish to find a place in them. If we are generally careful to
have our faces taken by the best artists, ought we not to desire that
our actions may be celebrated by an author of your distinguished
abilities? I therefore call your attention to the following matter,
which, though it cannot have escaped your notice, as it is mentioned in
the public journals, still I call your attention to, that you may the
more readily believe how agreeable it will be to me that this action,
greatly heightened by the risk which attended it, should receive
additional lustre from the testimony of a man of your powers. The senate
appointed Herennius Senecio, and myself, counsel for the province of
Baetica, in their impeachment of Boebius Massa. He was condemned, and
the house ordered his effects to be seized into the hands of the public
officer. Shortly after, Senecio, having learnt that the consuls intended
to sit to hear petitions, came and said to me, "Let us go together, and
petition them with the same unanimity in which we executed the office
which had been enjoined us, not to suffer Massa's effects to be
dissipated by those who were appointed to preserve them." I answered,
"As we were counsel in this affair by order of the senate, I recommend
it to your consideration whether it would be proper for us, after
sentence passed, to interpose any farther." "You are at liberty," said
he, "to prescribe what bounds you please to yourself, who have no
particular connections with the province, except what arise from your
late services to them; but then I was born there, and enjoyed the post
of quaestor among them." "If such," I replied, "is your determined
resolution, I am ready to accompany you, that whatever resentment may be
the consequence of this affair, it may not fall singly upon yourself."
We accordingly proceeded to the consuls, where Senecio said what was
pertinent to the affair, and I added a few words to the same effect.
Scarcely had we ended when Massa, complaining that Senecio had not acted
against him with the fidelity of an advocate, but the bitterness of an
enemy, desired he might be at liberty to prosecute him for treason. This
occasioned general consternation. Whereupon I rose up; "Most noble
consuls," said I, "I am afraid it should seem that Massa has tacitly
charged me with having favoured him in this cause, since he did not
think proper to join me with Senecio in the desired prosecution." This
short speech was immediately received with applause, and afterwards got
much talked about everywhere. The late emperor Nerva (who, though at
that time in a private station, yet interested himself in every
meritorious action performed in public) wrote a most impressive letter
to me upon the occasion, in which he not only congratulated me, but the
age which had produced an example so much in the spirit (as he was
pleased to call it) of the good old days. But, whatever be the actual
fact, it lies in your power to raise it into a grander and more
conspicuously illustrious position, though I am far from desiring you in
the least to exceed the bounds of reality. History ought to be guided by
strict truth, and worthy actions require nothing more. Farewell.
LXXX VI -- To SEPTITIUS
I HAD a good journey here, excepting only that some of my servants were
upset by the excessive heat. Poor Encolpius, my reader,[122] who is so
indispensable to me in my studies and amusements, was so affected with
the dust that it brought on a spitting of blood: an accident which will
prove no less unpleasant to me than unfortunate to himself, should he be
thereby rendered unfit for the literary work in which he so greatly
excels. If that should unhappily result, where shall I find one who will
read my works so well, or appreciate them so thoroughly as he? Whose
tones will my ears drink in as they do his? But the gods seem to favour
our better hopes, as the bleeding is stopped, and the pain abated.
Besides, he is extremely temperate; while no concern is wanting on my
part or care on his physician's. This, together with the wholesomeness
of the air, and the quiet of retirement, gives us reason to expect that
the country will contribute as much to the restoration of his health as
to his rest. Farewell.
LXXXVII -- To CALVISIUS
OTHER people visit their estates in order to recruit their purses;
whilst I go to mine only to return so much the poorer. I had sold my
vintage to the merchants, who were extremely eager to purchase it,
encouraged by the price it then bore, and what it was probable it would
rise to: however they were disappointed in their expectations. Upon this
occasion to have made the same general abatement to all would have been
much the easiest, though not so equitable a method. Now I hold it
particularly worthy of a man of honour to be governed by principles of
strict equity in his domestic as well as public conduct; in little
matters as in great ones; in his own concerns as well as in those of
others. And if every deviation from rectitude is equally criminal,[123]
every approach to it must be equally praiseworthy. So accordingly I
remitted to all in general one-eighth part of the price they had agreed
to give me, that none might go away without some compensation: next, I
particularly considered those who had advanced the largest sums towards
their purchase, and done me so much the more service, and been greater
sufferers themselves. To those, therefore, whose purchase amounted to
more than ten thousand sesterces,[124] I returned (over and above that
which I may call the general and common eighth) a tenth part of what
they had paid beyond that sum. I fear I do not express myself
sufficiently clearly; I will endeavour to explain my meaning more fully:
for instance, suppose a man had purchased of me to the value of fifteen
thousand sesterces,[125] I remitted to him one-eighth part of that whole
sum, and likewise one-tenth of five thousand.[126] Besides this, as
several had deposited, in different proportions, part of the price they
had agreed to pay, whilst others had advanced nothing, I thought it
would not be at all fair that all these should be favoured with the same
undistinguished remission. To those, therefore, who had made any
payments, I returned a tenth part upon the sums so paid. By this means I
made a proper acknowledgment to each, according to their respective
deserts, and likewise encouraged them, not only to deal with me for the
future, but to be prompt in their payments. This instance of my good-
nature or my judgment (call it which you please) was a considerable
expense to me. However, I found my account in it; for all the country
greatly approved both of the novelty of these abatements and the manner
in which I regulated them. Even those whom I did not "mete" (as they
say) "by the same measure," but distinguished according to their several
degrees, thought themselves obliged to me, in proportion to the probity
of their principles, and went away pleased with having experienced that
not with me
"The brave and mean an equal honour find."<a href="#linknote-127"
name="linknoteref-127" id="linknoteref-127">[127]</a>
Farewell.
LXXX VIII -- To ROMANUS
HAVE you ever seen the source of the river Clitumnus? If you have not
(and I hardly think you can have seen it yet, or you would have told
me), go there as soon as possible. I saw it yesterday, and I blame
myself for not having seen it sooner. At the foot of a little hill, well
wooded with old cypress trees, a spring gushes out, which, breaking up
into different and unequal streams, forms itself, after several
windings, into a large, broad basin of water, so transparently clear
that you may count the shining pebbles, and the little pieces of money
thrown into it, as they lie at the bottom. From thence it is carried off
not so much by the declivity of the ground as by its own weight and
exuberance. A mere stream at its source, immediately, on quitting this,
you find it expanded into a broad river, fit for large vessels even,
allowing a free passage by each other, according as they sail with or
against the stream. The current runs so strong, though the ground is
level, that the large barges going down the river have no occasion to
make use of their oars; while those going up find it difficult to make
headway even with the assistance of oars and poles: and this alternate
interchange of ease and toil, according as you turn, is exceedingly
amusing when one sails up and down merely for pleasure. The banks are
well covered with ash and poplar, the shape and colour of the trees
being as clearly and distinctly reflected in the stream as if they were
actually sunk in it. The water is cold as snow, and as white too. Near
it stands an ancient and venerable temple, in which is placed the river-
god Clitumnus clothed in the usual robe of state; and indeed the
prophetic oracles here delivered sufficiently testify the immediate
presence of that divinity. Several little chapels are scattered round,
dedicated to particular gods, distinguished each by his own peculiar
name and form of worship, and some of them, too, presiding over
different fountains. For, besides the principal spring, which is, as it
were, the parent of all the rest, there are several other lesser
streams, which, taking their rise from various sources, lose themselves
in the river; over which a bridge is built that separates the sacred
part from that which lies open to common use. Vessels are allowed to
come above this bridge, but no person is permitted to swim except below
it. The Hispellates, to whom Augustus gave this place, furnish a public
bath, and likewise entertain all strangers, at their own expense.
Several villas, attracted by the beauty of this river, stand about on
its borders. In short, every surrounding object will afford you
entertainment. You may also amuse yourself with numberless inscriptions
upon the pillars and walls, by different persons, celebrating the
virtues of the fountain, and the divinity that presides over it. Many of
them you will admire, while some will make you laugh; but I must correct
myself when I say so; you are too humane, I know, to laugh upon such an
occasion. Farewell.
LXXXIX -- To ARISTO
As you are no less acquainted with the political laws of your country
(which include the customs and usages of the senate) than with the
civil, I am particularly desirous to have your opinion whether I was
mistaken in an affair which lately came before the house, or not. This I
request, not with a view of being directed in my judgment as to what is
passed (for that is now too late), but in order to know how to act in
any possible future case of the kind. You will, ask, perhaps, "Why do
you apply for information concerning a point on which you ought to be
well instructed?" Because the tyranny of former reigns,[128] as it
introduced a neglect and ignorance of all other parts of useful