Details of History from Epistles

[guidoLaMoto]

While Livy. Cassius Dio, Tacitus, etc give us the typical major points of history concerning events, wars, important leaders,dates etc, much of the details of everyday life, customs and philosophy is gained thru the letters of men like Cicero, Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger.

I've been reading those of Pliny the Younger lately. I like comparing the original Latin to the versions translated to English, and am continually impressed by how much the info in the translations involve extrapolation of details not actually present in the original. This particular egregious example has motivated this post--

Letter XXVI To Calvissius https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2811/2811-h/2811-h.htm#link2H_4_0027 in which Pliny is describing the lifestyle of his elderly  friend, poet and 2x consul Spurinna--

The translation says "...After this he has a good brisk game of TENNIS..." (!!!???)....But, in fact, the original Latin https://www.thelatinlibrary.com/pliny.ep3.html merely states "Deinde movetur pila vehementer et diu."..."Then a ball is moved vigorously and for a long time."

..and I'm still struggling to understand the couple of lines just before that example-- "Ubi hora balinei nuntiata est ......in sole, si caret vento, ambulat nudus." = "When the hour for bathing is announced....in the sun, if the wind is lacking, he walks nude."...

Now. I realize that the prolonged effects of gravity over a lifetime can elongate certain body parts, but to the point that the wind makes a difference?? Really now.