2. Pliny 17_32, Ummidia (primer)

cum mandaret mihi studia sui nepotis

When she was entrusting to me the studies of her grandson

dixit se solere,

she said herself to be accustomed,

ut feminam in illo otio sexus,

as a woman in < all> that free time of her sex, laxare animum lusu calculorum,

to relax her mind by the playing of draughts,

solere spectare suos pantomimos ,

to be accustomed to watch her actors,

sed cum esset factura alterutrum,

but when she was about to do one or the other,

semper se imperavisse suo nepoti

always herself to have ordered to her grandson

ut abiret -que studeret;

that he should go off and study;

quod videbatur mihi facere

which < thing> she seemed to me to do non solum amore sed etiam reverentia .

not only from love, but also from deepest respect.

miraberis, ut ego miratus sum:

You will be surprised, as I was surprised:

proximis sacerdotalibus ludis,

At the most recent Priestly Games,

pantomimis productis in commissione,

with mimic actors having been introduced in the opening scene,

cum ego et Quadratus simul egrederemur theatro,

when I and Quadratus together were leaving from the theatre,

dixit mihi:

he said to me:

“ scis-ne me hodie primum

"Do you know me today for the first time

vidisse libertum meae aviae saltantem?”

to have seen the freedman of my grandmother dancing?

nepos hoc.

The grandson < said> this. at Hercle alienissimi homines in honorem Quadratillae

But by Hercules the strangest people in honour of Quadratilla

( dixisse honorem pudet me) adulatione

(to have said "honour" embarrasses me) < rather> in fawning flattery cursitabant in theatrum exsultabant plaudebant mirabantur;

were rushing into the theatre jumping about, clapping their hands, expressing admiration,

deinde reddebant singulos gestus dominae cum canticis ;

then they copied every single gesture< s> of the mistress together with songs; qui nunc accipient minima legata pro praemio

who now will receive the smallest possible legacies as a reward

ab herede, qui numquam spectabat eos .

from the heir, who never used to watch them [the actors].

Vale.

Farewell