Letter to Maecenas: Independence and Freedom in the Country — Horace, Epistles Book 1 (1.7.1–1.7.98), Latin & English

Quinque dies tibi pollicitus me rure futurum,

Having promised you that I would be in the country for five days,

Sextilem totum mendax desideror. atque

liar that I am, I am missed through the whole of August. And yet,

si me vivere vis sanum recteque valentem,

if you wish me to live healthy and in right good health,

quam mihi das aegro, dabis aegrotare timenti,¹

you will grant to me who fear to fall ill the same indulgence that you grant when I am sick,

Maecenas, veniam, dum ficus prima calorque

Maecenas, while the first fig and the heat

dissignatorem decorat lictoribus atris,

adorn the undertaker with his black lictors,

dum pueris omnis pater et matercula pallet,

while every father and anxious mother turns pale for their children,

officiosaque sedulitas et opella forensis

and dutiful assiduity and the petty business of the forum

adducit febris et testamenta resignat.

bring on fevers and unseal wills.

quod si bruma nives Albanis illinet agris,

But if winter shall smear the Alban fields with snow,

ad mare descendet vates tuus et sibi parcet

your poet will go down to the sea, and spare himself,

contractusque leget; te, dulcis amice, reviset

and read, huddled up; he will revisit you, sweet friend,

cum Zephyris, si concedes, et hirundine prima.

with the Zephyrs, if you permit, and with the first swallow.

Non quo more piris vesci Calaber iubet hospes,

It was not in the manner that a Calabrian host bids you eat his pears

tu me fecisti locupletem. vescere, sodes.

that you have made me rich. “Eat, please.”

iam satis est. at tu quantum vis tolle. benigne.

”I have had enough already.” “But take as much as you wish.” “Thank you.”

non invisa feres pueris munuscula parvis.

”You will carry back no unwelcome little gifts to your little children.”

tam teneor dono, quam si dimittar onustus.

”I am as much obliged by the offer as if I were sent away fully laden.”

ut libet; haec porcis hodie comedenda relinques.

”As you please; you will leave these to be eaten by the pigs today.”

prodigus et stultus donat quae spernit et odit;

The prodigal and foolish man gives what he despises and hates;

haec seges ingratos tulit et feret omnibus annis,

this soil has produced, and will produce in all years, ungrateful men.

vir bonus et sapiens dignis ait esse paratus,²

A good and wise man says he is ready to help the deserving,

nec tamen ignorat quid distent aera lupinis.

and yet he is not ignorant of how much real money differs from lupines.

dignum praestabo me etiam pro laude merentis.

I will also show myself worthy in proportion to the praise of my benefactor.

quod si me noles usquam discedere, reddes

But if you would have me never depart anywhere, you must restore to me

forte latus, nigros angusta fronte capillos,

my strong chest, the black hair on my narrow forehead,

reddes dulce loqui, reddes ridere decorum³ et

you must restore my sweet speech, my graceful laughter, and

inter vina fugam Cinarae maerere protervae.

my lamenting, amid our cups, the flight of wanton Cinara.

Forte per angustam tenuis volpecula rimam

It happened that a lean little fox had crept through a narrow chink

repserat in cumeram frumenti, pastaque rursus

into a bin of corn, and having fed, was trying in vain

ire foras pleno tendebat corpore frustra;

to get out again with its full body, but in vain;

cui mustela procul, si vis, ait, “effugere istinc,

to whom a weasel from afar said: “If you wish to escape from there,

macra cavum repetes artum, quem macra subisti.”

you must seek again, lean, the narrow hole which you entered lean.”

hac ego si compellor imagine, cuncta resigno;

If I am addressed by this fable, I resign all;

nec somnum plebis laudo satur altilium nec

nor do I praise the sleep of the common people only when sated with fattened fowl, nor

otia divitiis Arabum Uberrima muto.

would I exchange my free leisure for the richest wealth of the Arabs.

saepe verecundum laudasti, rexque paterque

You have often praised my modesty, and have been called “king” and “father”

audisti coram nec verbo parcius absens:

by me in your presence, nor was I more sparing of the word in your absence:

inspice si possum donata reponere laetus.

see if I can cheerfully restore your gifts.

haud male Telemachus, proles parientis Ulixei:

Not badly spoke Telemachus, the offspring of patient Ulysses:

“non est aptus equis Ithace locus, ut neque planis

”Ithaca is not a country fit for horses, as it is neither stretched out

porrectus spatiis nec multae prodigus herbae:

in level plains, nor rich in abundant grass:

Atride, magis apta tibi tua dona relinquam.”

son of Atreus, I will leave your gifts behind, as they are more suited for yourself.”

parvum parva decent: mihi iam non regia Roma,

Small things become the small: to me now, not royal Rome,

sed vacuum Tibur placet aut imbelle Tarentum.

but quiet Tibur pleases, or peaceful Tarentum.

Strenuus et fortis causisque Philippus agendis

Philippus, active and strong, and famous for pleading causes,

clarus, ab officiis octavam circiter horam

was returning from his duties around the eighth hour,

dum redit atque Foro nimium distare Carinas

and while complaining that the Carinae was too far from the Forum

iam grandis natu queritur, conspexit, ut aiunt,

for his advanced age, he espied, as they say,

adrasum quendam vacua tonsoris in umbra

a certain clean-shaven man in a vacant barber’s shop,

cultello proprios purgantem leniter unguis.

gently cleaning his own nails with a small knife.

Demetri, (puer hic non laeve iussa Philippi

”Demetrius,” (this boy received the orders of Philippus

accipiebat) “abi, quaere et refer, unde domo, quis,

not awkwardly) “go, inquire and bring back word, from what home, who he is,

cuius fortunae, quo sit patre quove patrono.”

of what fortune, who is his father, or who is his patron.”

it, redit et narrat, Voltcium nomine Menam,

He goes, returns, and relates: that his name is Volteius Mena,

praeconem, tenui censu, sine crimine, notum

a crier, of slender fortune, free from blame, known

et properare loco et cessare et quaerere et uti,

both to exert himself in due season and to relax, to get and to spend,

gaudentem parvisque sodalibus et lare certo

delighting in humble companions and a settled home,

et ludis et post decisa negotia Campo.

and in the games, and, after business is over, in the Campus.

“scitari libet ex ipso quodcumque refers: dic

”I should like to ask of himself all that you report: tell him

ad cenam veniat.” non sane credere Mena,

to come to dinner.” Mena could not indeed believe it;

mirari secum tacitus, quid multa? benigne,

he wondered with himself in silence. To be brief, “Most kind,”

respondet. neget ille mihi? “negat improbus et te

he replies. “Does he refuse me?” “The rascal refuses, and

neglegit aut horret.” Volteium mane Philippus

slights or dreads you.” In the morning Philippus catches Volteius

vilia vendentem tunicato scruta popello

selling cheap trumpery to the tunic-clad common people,

occupat et salvere iubet prior, ille Philippo

and is the first to bid him good morning. He to Philippus

excusare laborem et mercennaria vincla,

began to excuse his work and the shackles of his trade,

quod non mane domum venisset, denique quod non

for not having come to his house in the morning, and finally for not

providisset eum. “sic ignovisse putato

having seen him first. “Consider yourself forgiven on this condition,

me tibi, si cenas hodie mecum.” ut libet. “ergo

if you dine with me today.” “As you please.” “Then

post nonam venies: nunc i, rem strenuus auge.”

you will come after the ninth hour; now go, and actively increase your fortune.”

ut ventum ad cenam est, dicenda tacenda locutus

When he came to dinner, having talked of things to be said and things to be unsaid,

tandem dormitum dimittitur. Hic ubi saepe

at length he is dismissed to go to sleep. When he had often been seen

occultum visus decurrere piscis ad hamum,

to run like a fish to the hidden hook,

mane cliens et iam certus conviva, iubetur

a morning client and now a regular guest, he is ordered,

rura suburbana indictis comes ire Latinis,

on the occasion of the Latin holidays to accompany him to his country estate near town;

impositus mannis arvum caelumque Sabinum

mounted on a pony, he never ceases to praise

non cessat laudare, videt ridetque Philippus,

the Sabine fields and climate. Philippus sees and laughs,

et sibi dum requiem, dum risus undique quaerit,

and while seeking relaxation for himself, and amusement from every quarter,

dum septem donat sestertia, mutua septem

while he gives him seven thousand sesterces, and promises to lend another seven thousand,

promittit, persuadet uti mercetur agellum.

he persuades him to buy a small farm.

mercatur. ne te longis ambagibus ultra

He buys it. Not to delay you with a long roundabout story beyond

quam satis est morer, ex nitido fit rusticus atque

what is necessary, from a dapper gent he becomes a rustic, and

sulcos et vineta crepat mera, praeparat ulmos,

prates of nothing but furrows and vineyards, prepares his elms,

immoritur studiis et amore senescit habendi.

kills himself with his efforts and grows old with the love of possessing.

verum ubi oves furto, morbo periere capellae,

But when his sheep were lost by theft, and his goats by disease,

spem mentita seges, bos est enectus arando,

when his crops disappointed his hopes, and his ox was worked to death by plowing,

offensus damnis media de nocte caballum

provoked by his losses, in the middle of the night he seizes his horse,

arripit iratusque Philippi tendit ad aedis.

and in a rage makes for the house of Philippus.

quem simul aspexit scabrum intonsumque Philippus,

As soon as Philippus beheld him, rough and unshorn,

durus, ait, “Voltei, nimis attentusque videris

he says: “Volteius, you seem to me to be too hard-pressed

esse mihi.” “pol, me miserum, patrone, vocares,

and too anxious.” “By Pollux! patron,” he says, “you would call me wretched,

si velles,” inquit, “verum mihi ponere nomen.

if you wished to give me my true name.

quod te per Genium dextramque deosque Penatis

Therefore, by your Genius, your right hand, and your household gods

obsecro et obtestor, vitae me redde priori!”

I beseech and implore you, restore me to my former life!”

Qui semel aspexit, quantum dimissa petitis

He who has once seen how much what he has given up excels what he seeks,

praestent, mature redeat repetatque relicta.

let him return in time and seek again what he left behind.

metiri se quemque suo modulo ac pede⁴ verum est.

It is right that everyone should measure himself by his own rule and foot.

Syntax notes4 items

1.7.4dabis aegrotare timenti
dabis is a second-person singular future indicative, here conveying a polite but firm request or mild command. aegrotare timenti is a dative participial phrase meaning 'to one who fears to fall ill' (referring to Horace himself), standing in contrast with aegro (to a sick man) in the previous line, and serving as the indirect object of dabis.
1.7.22dignis ait esse paratus
In the infinitive clause following ait (he says), the complement paratus is in the nominative rather than the accusative (paratum) because the logical subject of the infinitive is identical to the subject of the main clause (vir bonus et sapiens). This is a construction influenced by Greek syntax (nominative with infinitive). dignis is a dative meaning 'for the deserving' and complements the adjective paratus.
1.7.27reddes dulce loqui, reddes ridere decorum
loqui and ridere are substantival infinitives functioning as the direct objects (accusative) of the transitive verb reddes (you will restore). dulce and decorum are neuter singular accusative adjectives modifying these substantival infinitives, clearly showing that loqui and ridere are treated as nouns.
1.7.98metiri se quemque suo modulo ae pede
An accusative-with-infinitive (A.C.I.) construction serving as the subject of the impersonal expression verum est (it is right). The logical subject of the infinitive metiri is quemque (everyone, accusative), while the object is the reflexive pronoun se (himself, accusative). Due to hyperbaton, the object se is placed before the subject quemque.

Translated by Gemini 3.5 Flash (published 2026-05-22) · Revision history (1, latest 2026-09-22)

2026-09-22 AI review — source 1

urn:cts:latinLit:phi0893.phi005.humanitext-lat2:1.7.1-1.7.98