- 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-lat2:1.3.1-1.3.36
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
Horace writes to Julius Florus, who is campaigning with Augustus' stepson Tiberius, inquiring about the literary pursuits of Florus and his companions, and urging wisdom and reconciliation.
Iuli Flore, quibus terrarum militet oris1
Julius Florus, in what regions of the earth Claudius,
Claudius Augusti privignus, scire laboro.
the stepson of Augustus, is campaigning, I am anxious to know.
Thracane vos Hebrusque nivali compede vinctus,
Does Thrace and the Hebrus bound in icy fetters detain you,
an freta vicinas inter currentia turris,
or the strait flowing between the neighboring towers,
an pingues Asiae campi collesque morantur?
or do the rich plains and hills of Asia delay you?
Quid studiosa cohors operum struit? hoc quoque curo.
What works is his studious cohort preparing? This also is my concern.
quis sibi res gestas Augusti scribere sumit?
Who takes it upon himself to write the exploits of Augustus?
bella quis et paces longum diffundit in aevum?
Who diffuses his wars and peaces into the long ages?
quid Titius, Romana brevi venturus in ora?
What is Titius doing, who will soon be on Roman lips?
Pindarici fontis qui non expalluit haustus,2
He who did not shrink from draughts of the Pindaric spring,
fastidire lacus et rivos ausus apertos, ut valet?
daring to despise open lakes and streams, how is his health?
ut meminit nostri? fidibusne Latinis
How does he remember us? Does he study to adapt Theban measures
Thebanos aptare modos studet auspice Musa,
to Latin strings, under the auspices of the Muse,
an tragica desaevit et ampullatur in arte?
or does he rage and puff himself up in the tragic art?
quid mihi Celsus agit?3 monitus multumque monendus,
What is my Celsus doing? He who has been warned and is much to be warned
privatas ut quaerat opes4 et tangere vitet
to seek private resources and to avoid touching
scripta Palatinus quaecumque recepit Apollo,
whatever writings Palatine Apollo has received,
ne, si forte suas repetitum venerit olim
lest, if by chance the flock of birds should come some day to reclaim
grex avium plumas, moveat cornicula risum
their feathers, the little crow, stripped of its stolen colors,
furtivis nudata coloribus, ipse quid audes?
should move laughter. What are you yourself venturing?
quae circumvolitas agilis thyma? non tibi parvum
Around what wild thyme are you nimbly hovering? You have no small
ingenium, non incultum est et turpiter hirtum.
genius, nor is it uncultivated and shamefully shaggy.
seu linguam causis acuis seu civica iura
Whether you sharpen your tongue for lawsuits, or prepare to give answers
respondere paras seu condis amabile carmen,
in civil law, or compose a lovely poem,
prima feres hederae victricis praemia, quod si
you will bear away the first rewards of the victorious ivy. But if
frigida curarum fomenta relinquere posses,
you could abandon the cold compresses of cares,
quo te caelestis sapientia duceret, ires. hoc opus,
you would go whither divine wisdom would lead you. This work,
hoc studium parvi properemus et ampli,
this pursuit, let us, both small and great, hasten,
si patriae volumus, si nobis vivere cari.
if we wish to live dear to our country and to ourselves.
Debes hoc etiam rescribere, sit tibi curae5
You must also write back this: is Munatius a matter of
quantae conveniat Munatius; an male sarta
as much concern to you as is fitting? Or does the ill-patched
gratia nequiquam coit et rescinditur? at vos
friendship knit in vain and rip open again? But whether
seu calidus sanguis seu rerum inscitia vexat
hot blood or ignorance of things vexes you two,
indomita cervice feros, ubicumque locorum
wild with untamed neck, wherever in the world
vivitis, indigni fraternum rumpere foedus,6
you live, unworthy to break your brotherly covenant,
pascitur in vestrum reditum votiva iuvenca.
a votive heifer is being fed for your return.
- 1.3.1quibus terrarum militet oris
The phrase 'quibus... oris' introduces an indirect question depending on 'scire laboro', with the adjective 'quibus' modifying 'oris'. The genitive plural 'terrarum' depends on 'oris', meaning 'in which regions of the earth'.
- 1.3.10Pindarici fontis qui non expalluit haustus
'haustus' is the accusative plural (or singular) of the fourth-declension noun 'haustus, -us', acting as the object of 'expalluit' (to shrink from, grow pale at). 'Pindarici fontis' is a genitive modifying 'haustus', metaphorically referring to the act of drinking from the Pindaric spring (i.e., attempting Pindaric lyric poetry).
- 1.3.15quid mihi Celsus agit?
'mihi' is an ethical dative (dative of feeling), expressing the speaker's personal interest in and affection for Celsus, rather than representing a literal indirect object.
- 1.3.16privatas ut quaerat opes
The 'ut' clause is a substantive clause of purpose (indirect command) depending on 'monitus' (warned). The phrase 'privatas opes' metaphorically urges Celsus to rely on his own creative resources and originality rather than copying from established authors.
- 1.3.30sit tibi curae
This is a double dative construction, featuring 'tibi' (dative of reference) and 'curae' (dative of purpose/service), meaning 'let it be a matter of care to you' or 'may you care about'.
- 1.3.35indigni fraternum rumpere foedus
The adjective 'indigni' is followed by the prolative infinitive 'rumpere', meaning 'unworthy to break the brotherly covenant'. This construction, restricting the meaning of the adjective with an infinitive, is a poetic usage influenced by Greek syntax.