C. PLĪNIUS TRAIĀNŌ IMPERĀTŌRĪ
In aquae ductum, domine, Nīcomēdēnsēs impendērunt HS XXX CCCXVIII, quī imperfectus adhūc omissus, dēstrūctus etiam est; rūrsus in alium ductum ērogāta sunt CC. Hoc quoque relictō novō impendiō est opus, ut aquam habeant, quī tantam pecūniam male perdidērunt. [2] Ipse pervenī ad fontem pūrissimum, ex quō vidētur aqua dēbēre perdūcī, sīcut initiō temptātum erat, arcuātō opere, nē tantum ad plāna cīvitātis et humilia perveniat. Manent adhūc paucissimī arcūs: possunt et ērigī quīdam lapide quadrātō, quī ex superiōre opere dētractus est; aliqua pars, ut mihi vidētur, testāceō opere agenda erit, id enim et facilius et vīlius. [3] Sed in prīmīs necessārium est mittī ā tē vel aquilegem vel architectum, nē rūrsus ēveniat quod accidit. Ego illud ūnum adfirmō, et ūtilitātem operis et pulchritūdinem saeculō tuō esse dignissimam.
vocabulary
ductus –ūs, m.: a leading, commanding; conveyance
Nīcomēdēnsis –e: of Nicomedia
impendō –pendere –pendī –pēnsum: to expend
sestertiūm: pl. gen., rarely sestertiōrum or sestertiūm nummūm, a sesterce, a small silver coin; often abbreviated HS
trīgintā; trīcēsimus or trīcēnsimus –a –um: 30; 30th
trecentī –ae –a; trecentēsimus –a –um: 300, 300th
duodēvīgenti; duodēvīcēsimus –a –um: 18; 18th
omittō –mittere –mīsī –missus: to let go
dēstruō –struere –strūxī –strūctus: to destroy
ērogō –āre: to entreat, prevail on by entreaties; to expend, pay out from the public treasury
ducentī –ae –a; ducentēsimus –a –um: 200; 200th
impendium –ī, n.: money laid out, outlay
opus, n.: (indeclinable) need
pūrus –a –um: pure2
perdūcō –dūcere –dūxī –ductum: to bring to/over
tentō –āre –āvī –ātus: to try
arquātus –a –um: having the jaundice
plānus –a –um: level, flat
humilis –e: humble
arcus arcūs, m.: bow, arch
ērigō ērigere ērēxī ērēctus: to set up, erect
quadrātus –a –um: squared, square
dētrahō –ere –trāxī –tractum: to take away from
testāceus –a –um: consisting of bricks or tiles
vīlis –e: cheap
imprīmīs (in prīmīs): especially3
necessārius –a –um: necessary, essential
aquilex –egis (–icis), m.: a conduit-master, water-inspector
architectus –ī, m.: architect; inventor, designer
ēveniō –venīre –vēnī –ventus: to come out
affirmō affirmāre affirmāvī affirmātus: to strengthen, prove, assert
ūtilitās ūtilitātis, f.: usefulness
pulchritūdō –inis, f.: beauty