8.19

Pliny asks his friend Maximus to look over a manuscript that Pliny has sent him. 

Maximō: either Novius Maximus, the learned man addressed in 2.14, or possibly the younger Maximus addressed in 8.24. 

(1) Et: supply est.

Et gaudium ... litterīs: so Cicero, during his period of profound grief after the death of his beloved daughter Tullia, writes to his friend Atticus that he talks only to his books (Ad Atticum 12.15) (Poteat).

mihi: dative of reference, “for me.” 

in litterīs: “in the realm of literature,” “in literary pursuits.”

Nihilque tam laetum: supply est. 

quod hīs laetius: supply fiat in a relative clause of characteristic: “that (it cannot be made) happier by these things (i.e. literature).”

tam trīste: supply nihil est. 

quod nōn per hās minus trīste: supply fiat in a relative clause of characteristic: “that it is not made less sad through these things," i.e. literary pursuits.

et īnfirmitāte et  perīculō: ablatives of cause with turbātus.

meōrum: Pliny’s slaves, about sickness and death he wrote in letter 8.16. 

quōrundam … morte: “some of whom have even died.” 

ad ūnicum dolōris levāmentum studia: take with cōnfūgī, “I have fled to my studies, the only thing that could lighten my sorrow.” Unicum dolōris levāmentum is in apposition with studia.

quae praestant ut: "which bring it about that," + subj. in a result clause. OLD praesto 12, "to produce a result, effect, etc."

intellegam: "understand," "perceive," "feel."

adversa: "the ills of life" (Poteat).

quae ... feram: "which make me feel adversity more keenly, but bear it more patiently" (Church).

sed: = sed etiam.

(2) Est autem mihi moris: “but it was customary for me.” The use of the genitive moris with est is idiomatic. LS mos II.

quod sum datūrus in manūs hominum: "(that) which I intend to publish." 

ante: (adv.) "beforehand."

exāmināre: "consider critically." OLD examino 4.

iūdiciō: "using the judgement," abl. of means.

ante ... examināre: that is, "to read privately to a select circle of friends, for their judgment and criticism" (Poteat).

in prīmīs tuō: “especially yours,” i.e. especially your opinion.

intende: supply animum, "give your best attention to" (Poteat).

vereor nē: introducing a fear clause with subjunctive (intenderim) as normal. 

ut trīstis: "on account of my gloomy state of mind" (Poteat). 

parum intenderim: "paid too little attention." LS intendo II.B.2.

Imperāre … dolōrī: “to master (my) grief.”

ut vacuō animō laetōque nōn potuī: supply imperāre dolōrī scriberem with this clause as well, “(but) I was not able to master my grief (sufficiently) to write with an unoccupied mind or a happy heart.” He could muster up the strength to write, but not to unburden his mind or heart, while he was writing. 

Porrō: "moreover," explaining or enlarging on a point. OLD porro 6.

ut … sīc: correlative, “just as … so.”

gaudium: supply prōvenit as a verb with this clause.

studia hilaritāte prōveniunt: “scholarly works originate from cheerfulness.” LS studium II.B.2.α.

proveniunt: the word has here a double sense, as is indicated by the change of construction. “As a glad mind arises out of studies, so are studies promoted by cheerfulness.” This last meaning of provenire (LS provenio II.B.2) is not usual in the Augustan writers (Church).

Porro ... proveniunt: "moreover, if study promotes a pleasing serenity, so does a cheerful mood promote study" (Poteat).