10.90

An aqueduct for Sinope. 

Sinōpēnsēs: the people of Sinope, modern Sinop, Turkey, a major port since the time of the Hittites.

The former capital of Mithridates Eupator, King of Pontus, now a civitas libera with a Roman colony alongside.

aquā dēficiuntur: “lack a water supply.” The passive is normal. LS deficio II.b.

There was a similar lack at Nicomedia itself, which like other Greek cities also set about provision of water supplies on the Roman model in this period. See letter 10.37 (Sherwin-White).

quae vidētur: “which seems,” looking forward to the infinitive posse. The antecedent of quae is aquā.

ab sextō decimō miliariō: “from the sixteenth milestone,” i.e. from sixteen miles away. OLD miliarium 1.b.

Est: "there is," looking forward to locus. This prospective use is standard when est comes first in its clause.

statim ab: "(stretching) right from."

capite: "the water source." LS caput I.2.b.α.

paulō amplius passūs mīlle: “for a bit more than a mile.” Passūs mīlle is acc. expressing extent of space, AG 425.

suspectus et mollis: i.e. marshy, and so potentially difficult to build on.

modicō impendiō: abl. of price.

an recipere et sustinēre opus possit: indirect question after explōrārī. Pliny has ordered men to evaluate whether the land is capable of supporting an aqueduct.

opus = opus arcuātum. See letter 10.37 (Sherwin-White).

(2)

cūrantibus nōbīs contracta: i.e. collected by Pliny and his staff from local notables, as in letter 10.39, for the theater buildings at Nicomedia. Cūrantibus nōbīs is ablative absolute.

hoc genus operis: direct object of indulseris.

et salūbritātī et amoenitātī: datives of purpose, “both for the health and for the pleasantness.”

valdē sitientis colōniae: genitive with valdē intensifying it, “of this incredibly thirsty colony.”