Pliny knew well that no woman was more central to his image than his wife. Indeed, many letters stress that the presence of a good and loving wife is an indication of a life well lived. But Pliny makes equally clear that a good wife does not simply arrive at a man's doorstep on the day she is led into marriage with him. Praiseworthy wives must be carefully selected and cultivated by their husbands, trained by each man to behave in ways that accord with his character and ambitions. Pliny does offer his readers a model for the ideal wife, as scholars have noted for many years; however, the model is not the simple one so often assembled from his many references to the qualities of wives. Instead, we should see in the letters guidelines through which Pliny's readers may fashion their wives, beginning with the selection of a good candidate (the bride) for instruction, proceeding through the early phases of her training, and culminating in the final product, a seasoned matron whose chief concern will be the enhancement of her husband's reputation.