Cornelius Nepos
100-24 BCE
Trans RMBullard
Latin (Republican Era/Golden Age of Latin Literature)
CORNELI NEPOTIS ATTICUS
[1] T. POMPONIUS ATTICUS, ab origine ultima stirpis Romanae generatus,
[Titus Pomponius Atticus, born from the very last vestiges of Roman stock,]
perpetuo a maioribus acceptam equestrem obtinuit dignitatem.
[obtain, for perpetuity, the dignified position of a knight that had been passed down from his ancestors.]
2 Patre usus est diligente
et, ut tum erant tempora, diti in primisque studioso litterarum.
[He had the advantage of having a father who was diligent and, as were the times back then, first among leading men in his study of literature.]
Hic, prout ipse amabat litteras, omnibus doctrinis,
quibus puerilis aetas impertiri debet, filium erudivit.
[This man, because he loved reading so very much for his own sake, taught his son all the skills to which young boyhood ought to be endowed.]
3 Erat autem in puero praeter docilitatem ingenii summa suavitas oris atque vocis,
[Nevertheless, besides his good manners, the ease of talent in appearance and speech in the boy was insurpassable,]
ut non solum celeriter acciperet,
[such that he was not only able to learn quickly]
quae tradebantur,
[the things that were taught to him,]
sed etiam excellenter pronuntiaret.
[but also articulate them in excellent fashion.]
Qua ex re in pueritia nobilis inter aequales ferebatur
[For this reason, he was brought up as a noble in his boyhood, among his rivals,]
clariusque exsplendescebat,
[and he shined all the more brightly,]
quam generosi condiscipuli animo aequo ferre possent.
[as his fellow high-born students could endure him with patience.]
4 Itaque incitabat omnes studio suo.
[And so, he impressed everyone with his diligence.]
Quo in numero fuerunt L. Torquatus, C. Marius filius, M. Cicero;
[Including in this group, were Lucius Torquatus, Gaius Marius' son, and Marcus Cicero;]
quos consuetudine sua sic devinxit,
[that is, he so won over these men with demeanor,]
ut nemo his perpetuo fuerit carior.
[that no one was dearer to them, at any time.]
[2] Pater mature decessit.
[His father passed away before his time.]
Ipse adulescentulus propter affinitatem P. Sulpicii, qui tribunus plebi interfectus est, non expers fuit illius periculi.
[As a youngster, he himself, on account of his family relation to Publius Sulpicius, who was killed during his tenure as tribune of the plebs, did not suffer the same danger.]
Namque Anicia, Pomponii consobrina, nupserat Servio, fratri Sulpicii.
[You see, Anicia, Pomponius' neice, had previously married Servius, who was Sulpicius' brother.]
