TRAIĀNUS PLĪNIŌ
Cīvitātem Alexandrīnam secundum īnstitūtiōnem prīncipum nōn temere dare prōposuī. Sed cum Arpocrātī, iātraliptae tuō, iam cīvitātem Rōmānam impetrāverīs, huic quoque petītiōnī tuae negāre nōn sustineō. Tū, ex quō nōmō sit, nōtum mihi facere dēbēbis, ut epistulam tibi ad Pompēium Plantam, praefectum Aegyptī, amīcum meum, mittam.
notes
Trajan’s response to Pliny about the matter of citizenship for his physician Harpocras.
secundum: adv., “in accordance with” + acc. LS secundum B.
cum ... impetrāverīs: causal cum clause.
Arpocrātī: Pliny’s physician. See 10.5 and 10.6. Dative.
huic ... petītiōnī tuae: dat., with negāre.
nōn sustineō: I cannot bear to + infin. LS sustineo II.B.2.β.
ex quō nomō sit: “what district he is from," indirect question after nōtum mihi facere dēbēbis. The division of ancient Egypt into nomes can be traced back to the Early Dynastic period.
Egypt was divided into 47 nomoi each under a strategos responsible to one of three epistrategoi and through him to the equestrian prefect (Radice).
nōtum mihi facere: “to make it known to me.”
ut ... mittam: purpose clause.
tibi: the so-called ethical dative, used with pronouns to show a certain interest felt by the person indicated. AG 380.
praefctum Aegypti: prefect of Egypt, considered to be the highest ranking equestrian post during the early Empire. He governed this rich and strategic granary in the personal name of the emperor. Pompeius Planta held the post from 98 to 100 AD.
vocabulary
Alexandrīnus –a –um: Alexandrian
secundum: after, behind, according to (+ acc.)
īnstitūtiō –ōnis, f.: disposition, arrangement, practice
prīnceps –ipis: emperor
temerē: rashly
Αrpocrās –ae, m.: Harpocras (name), Ἁρποκρᾶς
iātralipta (iātraliptēs) –ae, m.: physical therapist / trainer, masseur
impetrō –āre –āvī –ātus: to obtain
petītiō petītiōnis, f.: a request, petition
nomos (nomus) –ī, m.: a district, province
Pompēius –iī, m.: Pompey (name)
Planta –ae, m.: Planta (name)
praefectus –ī, m.: prefect, governor in the name of the emperor
Aegyptos (Aegyptus) –ī, f.: Egypt