- 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-lat2:1.5.1-1.5.31
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-27
Horace invites his friend Torquatus to a simple yet hearty banquet at his home on the occasion of Caesar's birthday holiday the next day, urging him to forget his daily worries and enjoy the feast.
Si potes Archiacis conviva recumbere lectis
If you can recline as a guest on Archiac couches
nec modica cenare times holus omne patella,
and do not fear to dine on simple vegetables from a modest dish,
supremo te sole domi, Torquate, manebo,
I shall wait for you, Torquatus, at home at sunset.
vina bibes iterum Tauro diffusa palustris
You will drink wine bottled when Taurus was consul for the second time,
inter Minturnas Sinuessanumque Petrinum.
between marshy Minturnae and Petrinum of Sinuessa.
si melius quid habes, arcesse, vel imperium fer.1
If you have anything better, order it to be brought, or else submit to my command.
iamdudum splendet focus et tibi munda supellex,
For some time now the hearth has been bright and the tableware clean for you.
mitte levis spes et certamina divitiarum
Dismiss fleeting hopes, and the struggles for riches,
et Moschi causam: cras nato Caesare festus
and the lawsuit of Moschus: tomorrow, a holiday on Caesar’s birthday,
dat veniam somnumque dies; impune licebit
grants excuse and sleep; it will be permitted with impunity
aestivam sermone benigno tendere noctem.
to prolong the summer night with friendly conversation.
Quo mihi fortunam,2 si non conceditur uti?
What use is fortune to me, if I am not allowed to enjoy it?
parcus ob heredis curam nimiumque severus
He who is stingy and too severe because of care for his heir
adsidet insano, potare et spargere flores
is next door to a madman. I will begin to drink
incipiam, patiarque vel inconsultus haberi.
and scatter flowers, and I will suffer even to be thought reckless.
quid non ebrietas dissignat? operta recludit,
What does drunkenness not accomplish? It discloses secrets,
spes iubet esse ratas, ad proelia trudit inertem,
bids hopes to be realized, pushes the coward into battles,
sollicitis animis onus eximit, addocet artes.
takes the burden from anxious minds, and teaches new arts.
fecundi calices quem non fecere disertum?
Whom have the flowing cups not made eloquent?
contracta quem non in paupertate solutum?
Whom have they not set free in pinching poverty?
Haec ego procurare et idoneus imperor3 et non
I am directed to arrange these things, both as the fit person and not
invitus, ne turpe toral, ne sordida mappa
unwillingly: that no dirty couch-cover, no soiled napkin
corruget naris, ne non4 et cantharus et lanx
wrinkle your nose; that both tankard and plate, well polished,
ostendat tibi te, ne fidos inter amicos
show you to yourself; that there be no one among faithful friends
sit qui dicta foras eliminet, ut coeat par
to leak abroad what is said; that equal may meet
iungaturque pari. Butram tibi Septiciumque,
and be joined with equal. I shall invite Butra and Septicius for you,
et nisi cena prior potiorque puella Sabinum
and Sabinus too, unless a prior dinner or a more appealing girl
detinet, adsumam. locus est et pluribus umbris:
detains him. There is room also for several “shadows”:
sed nimis arta premunt olidae convivia caprae,
but too crowded a feast is oppressed by the smell of goats.
tu quotus esse velis5 rescribe et rebus omissis
Write back how many you wish to be, and, leaving your business behind,
atria servantem postico falle clientem.
elude by the back door the client guarding your vestibule.
- 1.5.6imperium fer
Meaning "submit to my command (as the host)." It refers to accepting Horace's authority as the host or master of the feast (magister bibendi).
- 1.5.12Quo mihi fortunam
An elliptical question with an accusative, where a verb like prodest or datur is omitted. It is understood as "To what purpose is fortune to me, if I am not allowed to use it?"
- 1.5.21idoneus imperor
The verb impero, which normally takes a dative, is used here in a personal passive construction (nominative with infinitive), accompanied by the nominative adjective idoneus agreeing with the subject ego. It means "I am commanded (to arrange these things) as the fit person."
- 1.5.23ne non
Following the negative purpose clause marker ne from the previous line, non cancels the negation. It means "lest they should not show," i.e., "so that both tankard and plate, being well polished, may show you to yourself."
- 1.5.30tu quotus esse velis
Though quotus originally means "which in order" or "how many-eth," here it is used to ask "how large a party you wish to be (including yourself)," or "how many companions (shadows) you wish to bring."