Pliny's Hairy Experience Translation

Translate: Nihil notabile secutum,

• no one noteworthy had followed

• nothing of note follows

• nothing notable followed

Answer explanation

Secutum = followed

Translate:  vēnērunt per fenestras in tunicis albis duo 

• they had come through the window in two white tunics

• two people in white tunics came through the windows

• they came through two windows in white togas

Answer explanation

venerunt = perfect tense

Translate: puer in paedagogio mixtus pluribus dormiebat. 

• the boy, having been mixed in with very many, was sleeping in the dormitory

• the sleeping boy in the dormitory was mixed in with very many

• the boy in the dormitory was sleeping with very many having been mixed in

Translate: cum hoc minor frater eodem lecto quiescebat.

• with the young brother, this one was sleeping on the same bed

• when this one was sleeping with this younger brother on the same bed

• with this one, the younger brother was sleeping on the same bed

Translate: atque etiam ex ipso vertice amputantem capillos. 

• and the hair itself having been cut from the crown

• and he even had cut the hair from around the crown itself

• and even cutting the hair from the crown itself

Translate: capilli iacentes reperiuntur. 

• the lying hairs are being found

• the lying hairs have been found

• the lying hairs were being found

• the lying hairs had been found

Answer explanation

reperiuntur = present passive = are being

Translate:  et qua vēnerant, recessērunt. 

• and by which they had come, they escaped

• and with which they came, they had escaped

• and in which they had come, they had escaped

Answer explanation

venerant = pluperfect = had

recesserunt = perfect

Translate:  Hunc quoque tonsum dies ostendit.

• this day also is showing him cut

• day showed this one also having been cut

• this one also shows day having been cut

Answer explanation

ostendit is perfect

hunc is accusative

Translate:  si Domitianus diutius vixisset. 

• if Domitian was living for a long time

• if Domitian had lived longer

• if Domitian lived longer

Answer explanation

vixisset = pluperfect subjunctive

Translate:  Nam in scrinio eius libellus inventus est; 

• For he has found a little book in his record box

• Since his book is found in the record box

• For a book has been found in his record box.

Answer explanation

inventus est = perfect passive

= has been verbed