- Source
- Horace, Satires, Epistles and Ars Poetica. Fairclough, H. Rushton (Henry Rushton), editor. London: William Heinemann Ltd.; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1929.
- Translation
- AI-generated (gemini-3.5-flash) — machine translation; may contain errors
- Languages
- 日本語 · English · 简体中文 · 한국어
- CTS URN
- urn:cts:latinLit:phi0893.phi005.humanitext-lat2:1.13.1-1.13.19
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
The poet instructs Vinius, his messenger, on how to deliver his sealed volumes to Augustus with utmost care, cautioning him against clumsy behavior that might cause offense or invite public ridicule.
Ut proficiscentem docui te saepe diuque,
As I taught you often and at length when you were setting out,
Augusto reddes signata volumina, Vini,
you shall deliver the sealed volumes to Augustus, Vinius,
si validus, si laetus erit, si denique poscet;
if he is well, if he is cheerful, if in short he demands them;
ne studio nostri1 pecces odiumque libellis
lest through zeal for me you make a mistake, and as an over-busy servant
sedulus importes opera vehemente minister.
bring hatred upon my little books by your vehement efforts.
si te forte meae gravis uret sarcina chartae,
If by chance the heavy burden of my paper chafes you,
abicito potius, quam2 quo perferre iuberis
throw it away rather than, at the place where you are ordered to carry it,
clitellas ferus impingas, Asinaeque paternum
brutally slam down the pack-saddle, and turn your father’s cognomen of Asina
cognomen vertas in risum et fabula fias.
into a laughing-stock, and become a public jest.
Viribus uteris per divos, flumina, lamas.3
Use your strength, by the gods, through rivers and bogs.
victor propositi simul ac perveneris illuc,
As soon as you arrive there, having achieved your purpose,
sic positum servabis onus, ne forte sub ala
you shall keep the burden placed in such a way, lest by chance under your arm
fasciculum portes librorum ut rusticus agnum,
you carry the bundle of books as a rustic does a lamb,
ut vinosa glomus furtivae Pyrria lanae,
as drunken Pyrria does a ball of stolen wool,
ut cum pilleolo soleas conviva tribulis.
or as a fellow-tribesman guest does his slippers and cap.
neu volgo narres te sudavisse ferendo
Nor tell the crowd that you sweated in carrying
carmina, quae possint oculos aurisque morari
poems which might delay the eyes and ears
Caesaris, oratus multa prece,4 nitere porro,
of Caesar; though entreated with many a prayer, push forward,
vade; vale; cave ne titubes mandataque frangas.
go; farewell; take care lest you stumble and break your commission.
- 1.13.4studio nostri
nostri is the genitive plural of the personal pronoun nos, functioning here as an objective genitive, meaning "zeal for me (us)."
- 1.13.7potius, quam
The present subjunctives impingas, vertas, and fias introduced by potius quam express an undesirable consequence to be avoided. The syntax means "throw it away rather than [doing these things]."
- 1.13.10per divos, flumina, lamas
The preposition per is used in two different senses: per divos is an oath ("by the gods"), while flumina, lamas denotes physical pathways or obstacles ("through rivers and bogs").
- 1.13.18oratus multa prece
The perfect passive participle oratus ("having been entreated") functions as an appositive participle expressing cause, referring to the current situation ("since you are earnestly entreated by me").