- 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-lat2:1.18.1-1.18.56
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-28
The poet advises Lollius on the art of associating with powerful patrons, warning him to avoid both servile flattery and rude, obstinate bluntness in favor of virtuous moderation. He emphasizes the importance of keeping secrets, avoiding competitive vanity, and yielding to the patron's pursuits (such as hunting) rather than insisting on one's own.
Si bene te novi, metues, liberrime Lolli,
If I know you well, most free-spoken Lollius, you will fear
scurrantis speciem praebere, professus amicum
to present the appearance of a flatterer, having professed yourself a friend.
ut matrona meretrici dispar erit atque
As a matron will be different and of a different color
discolor, infido scurrae distabit amicus,
from a courtesan, so a friend will differ from an unfaithful flatterer.
est huic diversum vitio vitium prope maius,
There is a different vice opposite to this, almost greater,
asperitas agrestis et inconcinna gravisque,
a rustic, unpolished, and heavy roughness,
quae se commendat tonsa cute, dentibus atris,
which commends itself by a close-shaven skin and black teeth,
dum volt libertas dici mera veraque virtus,
while it wishes to be called pure freedom and true virtue.
virtus est medium vitiorum et utrimque reductum.
Virtue is the middle of vices and removed from both sides.
alter in obsequium plus aequo pronus et imi
The one, prone to compliance more than is right, a mocker of the lowest
derisor lecti sic nutum divitis horret,
couch, so dreads the nod of the rich man,
sic iterat voces et verba cadentia tollit,
so repeats his words and catches his falling terms,
ut puerum saevo credas dictata magistro
that you would believe a boy was repeating his lessons to a cruel master
reddere vel partis mimum tractare secundas.
or a mime was playing the second parts.
alter rixatur de lana saepe caprina,1
The other often quarrels about goat’s wool,
propugnat nugis armatus: “scilicet, ut non
and fights armed with trifles: “Indeed, that
sit mihi prima fides,2 et vere quod placet ut non
first credit should not be given to me, and that I should not bark out fiercely
acriter elatrem! pretium aetas altera sordet.”
what truly pleases me! Another lifetime is too cheap a price for this.”
ambigitur quid enim? Castor sciat an Dolichos plus;
For what is disputed? Whether Castor or Dolichos knows more;
Brundisium Minuci melius via ducat an Appi.
whether the Minucian or the Appian road leads better to Brundisium.
Quem damnosa Venus, quem praeceps alea nudat,
Him whom ruinous love, whom headlong dice strip bare,
gloria quem supra vires et vestit et unguit,
whom vanity clothes and anoints beyond his means,
quem tenet argenti sitis importuna famesque,
whom an importunate thirst and hunger for money holds,
quem paupertatis pudor et fuga, dives amicus,
whom shame and flight of poverty possess, his rich friend,
saepe decem vitiis instructior, odit et horret,3
often furnished with ten times more vices, hates and dreads;
aut, si non odit, regit ac veluti pia mater
or, if he does not hate, he rules him, and like a pious mother
plus quam se sapere et virtutibus esse priorem
wishes him to be wiser than himself and superior in virtues,
volt et ait prope vera: “meae (contendere noli)
and says what is nearly true: “My wealth (do not strive to compete)
stultitiam patiuntur opes; tibi parvola res est.
allows my folly; your property is very small.
arta decet sanum comitem toga; desine mecum
A narrow toga becomes a sensible companion; cease to contend
certare.” Eutrapelus, cuicumque nocere volebat,
with me.” Eutrapelus, to whomever he wished to do harm,
vestimenta dabat pretiosa: “beatus enim iam
would give precious clothes: “For now, happy,
cum pulchris tunicis sumet nova consilia et spes,
with beautiful tunics he will take up new plans and hopes,
dormiet in lucem, scorto postponet honestum
he will sleep until daylight, postpone honorable duty
officium, nummos alienos pascet, ad imum
for a courtesan, feed other people’s money, and at last
Thraex erit aut holitoris aget mercede caballum.”
become a gladiator or drive a vegetable seller’s horse for pay.”
Arcanum neque tu scrutaberis illius umquam,
You will never pry into his secrets,
commissumque teges et vino tortus et ira.
and you will conceal what is committed to you, though tortured by wine and anger.
nec tua laudabis studia aut aliena reprendes,
Neither praise your own pursuits nor find fault with those of others,
nec, cum venari volet ille, poemata panges.
nor write poems when he wishes to hunt.
gratia sic fratrum geminorum, Amphionis atque
Thus the brotherly love of the twins, Amphion and
Zethi, dissiluit, donec suspecta severo
Zethus, was broken, until the lyre, suspected by the severe brother,
conticuit lyra. fraternis cessisse putatur
fell silent. Amphion is believed to have yielded
moribus Amphion: tu cede potentis amici
to his brother’s habits: you yield to the gentle commands
lenibus imperiis, quotiensque educet in agros
of your powerful friend, and as often as he leads out into the fields
Aetolis onerata plagis iumenta canesque,
the beasts and dogs laden with Aetolian nets,
surge et inhumanae senium depone Camenae,4
rise and lay aside the moodiness of your unsocial Muse,
cenes ut pariter pulmenta laboribus empta:
so that you may dine together on the food bought by your labors.
Romanis sollemne viris opus, utile famae
This is a customary work for Roman men, useful for fame,
vitaeque et membris; praesertim cum valeas et
for life, and for limbs; especially since you are well and
vel cursu superare canem vel viribus aprum
can surpass a dog in running or a boar in strength.
possis, adde virilia quod speciosius arma
Add that there is no one who handles manly weapons
non est qui tractet; scis, quo clamore coronae
more gracefully; you know with what applause of the spectators
proelia sustineas campestria; denique saevam
you sustain the battles of the Campus; finally,
militiam puer et Cantabrica bella tulisti
as a youth you endured harsh military service and the Cantabrian wars
sub duce qui templis Parthorum signa refigit
under the leader who is now reclaiming our standards from the temples of the Parthians.
- 1.18.15de lana caprina
The phrase 'de lana caprina' (about goat's wool) is a Latin idiom referring to a useless dispute over nothing or something of utterly trivial value, since goats do not produce wool like sheep do.
- 1.18.16scilicet, ut non sit mihi prima fides
The subjunctive with 'ut' (sit, elatrem) in this independent sentence functions as an exclamatory or indignant subjunctive, expressing protest or rejection ('As if I should not have the first credit!'). This vividly depicts the exaggerated reaction of the disputant.
- 1.18.25saepe decem vitiis instructior, odit et horret
The subject is 'dives amicus' (line 24), and the object is represented by the preceding relative clauses starting with 'Quem...' (lines 21-24) referring to the clients. The structure shows the patron's hypocrisy: though ten times more vicious himself (decem vitiis instructior), he hates and tries to reform his clients.
- 1.18.47inhumanae senium depone Camenae
'Camenae' is a genitive modifying 'senium'. The adjective 'inhumanae' (unsocial, severe) modifies 'Camenae' (the Muse), reflecting a self-satirical view of poetic pursuit as withdrawing one from social duties. 'Senium' (moodiness, gloom) is what Lollius is urged to 'lay aside' (depone) to join the hunt.