Letter 4025: I wrote and told you that there was a danger of the ballot leading to abuses.
Pliny the Younger→Messius Maximus|c. 104 AD|Pliny the Younger|Human translated
humorimperial politics
To Messius Maximus.
I wrote and told you that there was a danger of the ballot leading to abuses. * Events have confirmed my view. At the last comitia a number of flippant jests were written on some of the voting cards and even obscenities, while on one of them were found, not the names of the candidates, but those of the voters. The senate was furious, and loudly called upon the offended Emperor to punish the writer. But the guilty person kept quiet and was not discovered - he possibly was one of those who professed the greatest indignation. Yet what conduct may we not consider him capable of at home when he plays such disgraceful jokes in a matter of such importance and at such a serious moment, and yet in the senate is an incisive, courteous, and witty speaker? However, people of no principle are encouraged to act in this shameful way when they feel they can safely say, "Who will find me out?" Such a man asks for a voting card, takes a pen in his hand, bends his head, has no fear of anyone, and holds himself cheap. That is the origin of scurrilities only worthy of the stage and the platform. But where can one turn, and where is one to look for a cure? On every hand the evils are more powerful than the remedies. Yet "all these things will be seen to by one above us," ** whose daily working hours are lengthened and whose labours are considerably increased by this lumpish, yet unbridled, perversity. Farewell.
[Note: See letter iii. 20.
]
[Note: By the Emperor. A quotation probably from some lost Greek play.]
L To Messius Maximus.
I wrote and told you that there was a danger of the ballot leading to abuses. * Events have confirmed my view. At the last comitia a number of flippant jests were written on some of the voting cards and even obscenities, while on one of them were found, not the names of the candidates, but those of the voters. The senate was furious, and loudly called upon the offended Emperor to punish the writer. But the guilty person kept quiet and was not discovered - he possibly was one of those who professed the greatest indignation. Yet what conduct may we not consider him capable of at home when he plays such disgraceful jokes in a matter of such importance and at such a serious moment, and yet in the senate is an incisive, courteous, and witty speaker? However, people of no principle are encouraged to act in this shameful way when they feel they can safely say, "Who will find me out?" Such a man asks for a voting card, takes a pen in his hand, bends his head, has no fear of anyone, and holds himself cheap. That is the origin of scurrilities only worthy of the stage and the platform. But where can one turn, and where is one to look for a cure? On every hand the evils are more powerful than the remedies. Yet "all these things will be seen to by one above us," ** whose daily working hours are lengthened and whose labours are considerably increased by this lumpish, yet unbridled, perversity. Farewell.
(*) See letter iii. 20.
(**) By the Emperor. A quotation probably from some lost Greek play.
C. PLINIUS MAESIO MAXIMO SUO S.
Scripseram tibi verendum esse, ne ex tacitis suffragiis vitium aliquod exsisteret. Factum est. Proximis comitiis in quibusdam tabellis multa iocularia atque etiam foeda dictu, in una vero pro candidatorum nominibus suffragatorum nomina inventa sunt. Excanduit senatus magnoque clamore ei qui scripsisset iratum principem est comprecatus. Ille tamen fefellit et latuit, fortasse etiam inter indignantes fuit. Quid hunc putamus domi facere, qui in tanta re tam serio tempore tam scurriliter ludat, qui denique omnino in senatu dicax et urbanus et bellus est? Tantum licentiae pravis ingeniis adicit illa fiducia: 'quis enim sciet?' Poposcit tabellas, stilum accepit, demisit caput, neminem veretur, se contemnit. Inde ista ludibria scaena et pulpito digna. Quo te vertas? quae remedia conquiras? Ubique vitia remediis fortiora. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα τῷ ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς μελήσει, cui multum cotidie vigiliarum, multum laboris adicit haec nostra iners et tamen effrenata petulantia. Vale.
◆
To Messius Maximus.
I wrote and told you that there was a danger of the ballot leading to abuses. * Events have confirmed my view. At the last comitia a number of flippant jests were written on some of the voting cards and even obscenities, while on one of them were found, not the names of the candidates, but those of the voters. The senate was furious, and loudly called upon the offended Emperor to punish the writer. But the guilty person kept quiet and was not discovered - he possibly was one of those who professed the greatest indignation. Yet what conduct may we not consider him capable of at home when he plays such disgraceful jokes in a matter of such importance and at such a serious moment, and yet in the senate is an incisive, courteous, and witty speaker? However, people of no principle are encouraged to act in this shameful way when they feel they can safely say, "Who will find me out?" Such a man asks for a voting card, takes a pen in his hand, bends his head, has no fear of anyone, and holds himself cheap. That is the origin of scurrilities only worthy of the stage and the platform. But where can one turn, and where is one to look for a cure? On every hand the evils are more powerful than the remedies. Yet "all these things will be seen to by one above us," ** whose daily working hours are lengthened and whose labours are considerably increased by this lumpish, yet unbridled, perversity. Farewell.
[Note: See letter iii. 20.
]
[Note: By the Emperor. A quotation probably from some lost Greek play.]
Human translation — Attalus.org
Latin / Greek Original
C. PLINIUS MAESIO MAXIMO SUO S.
Scripseram tibi verendum esse, ne ex tacitis suffragiis vitium aliquod exsisteret. Factum est. Proximis comitiis in quibusdam tabellis multa iocularia atque etiam foeda dictu, in una vero pro candidatorum nominibus suffragatorum nomina inventa sunt. Excanduit senatus magnoque clamore ei qui scripsisset iratum principem est comprecatus. Ille tamen fefellit et latuit, fortasse etiam inter indignantes fuit. Quid hunc putamus domi facere, qui in tanta re tam serio tempore tam scurriliter ludat, qui denique omnino in senatu dicax et urbanus et bellus est? Tantum licentiae pravis ingeniis adicit illa fiducia: 'quis enim sciet?' Poposcit tabellas, stilum accepit, demisit caput, neminem veretur, se contemnit. Inde ista ludibria scaena et pulpito digna. Quo te vertas? quae remedia conquiras? Ubique vitia remediis fortiora. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα τῷ ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς μελήσει, cui multum cotidie vigiliarum, multum laboris adicit haec nostra iners et tamen effrenata petulantia. Vale.