- 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-lat2:2.1.135-2.1.203
- Generated
- Humanitext Reader · reader.humanitext.ai · 2026-10-28
The poet describes the religious and social utility of poetry, traces the historical evolution of Roman drama from Fescennine verses to the imitation of Greek tragedy, and criticizes both the artistic carelessness of comic playwrights and the vulgar appetite of Roman audiences for visual spectacles over genuine drama.
caelestis implorat1 aquas docta prece blandus,
winning with learned prayer, it implores heavenly waters,
avertit morbos, metuenda pericula pellit,
turns away diseases, drives off feared dangers,
impetrat et pacem et locupletem frugibus annum,
obtains both peace and a year rich in crops;
carmine di superi placantur, carmine Manes.
by song the gods above are appeased, by song the Manes.
Agricolae prisci, fortes parvoque beati,
Ancient farmers, sturdy and happy with a little,
condita post frumenta levantes tempore festo
when refreshing their bodies and their very minds, which bore hardships in the hope of the end,
corpus et ipsum animum spe finis dura ferentem,
during festival times after the grain was stored,
cum sociis operum et pueris et coniuge fida.
along with the partners of their labors, their children, and faithful wife,
Tellurem porco, Silvanum lacte piabant,
they appeased Tellus with a pig, Silvanus with milk,
floribus et vino Genium memorem brevis aevi,2
and with flowers and wine the Genius, mindful of brief life.
Fescennina per hunc inventa licentia morem
Through this custom, the Fescennine license, invented,
versibus alternis opprobria rustica fudit,
poured forth rustic insults in alternate verses,
libertasque recurrentis accepta per annos
and this freedom, welcomed as years returned,
lusit amabiliter, donec iam saevus apertam
played amiably, until now the cruel
in rabiem coepit verti iocus et per honestas
jest began to turn into open madness, and through honorable
ire domos impune minax, doluere3 cruento
houses to go, threatening with impunity. They grieved who were stung
dente lacessiti; fuit intactis quoque cura
by its bloody tooth; those untouched also had concern
condicione super communi; quin etiam lex
about the common condition; indeed even a law
poenaque lata, malo quae nollet carmine quemquam
and penalty were passed, which forbade anyone to be described in abusive song: they changed their tune, and by fear of the club
describi: vertere modum, formidine fustis4ad bene dicendum delectandumque redacti.
were reduced to speaking well and delighting.
Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit et artis
Captured Greece took captive her fierce conqueror and arts
intulit agresti Latio, sic horridus ille
introduced to rustic Latium; thus that rough
defluxit numerus Saturnius, et grave virus
Saturnian meter flowed away, and the offensive poison
munditiae pepulere; sed in longum tamen aevum
refinements expelled; yet for a long time
manserunt hodieque manent vestigia ruris.
there remained and today remain traces of the countryside.
serus5 enim Graecis admovit acumina chartis
For late did the Roman apply his intellect to Greek writings,
et post Punica bella quietus quaerere coepit,
and peaceful after the Punic wars, began to seek
quid Sophocles et Thespis et Aeschylus utile ferrent.
what useful thing Sophocles, Thespis, and Aeschylus brought.
temptavit quoque rem, si digne vertere posset,
He also tried the task, to see if he could translate worthily,
et placuit sibi, natura sublimis et acer:
and pleased himself, being by nature sublime and vigorous:
nam spirat tragicum satis et feliciter audet,
for he breathes tragedy enough and dares successfully,
sed turpem putat inscite metuitque lituram.6
but he thinks erasure is shameful in his ignorance and fears it.
Creditur, ex medio quia res accersit, habere
It is believed, because it summons its subjects from common life, to have
sudoris minimum, sed habet Comoedia tanto
the least sweat; but Comedy has so much
plus oneris, quanto veniae minus, adspice, Plautus
more burden, as it has less indulgence. See, how Plautus
quo pacto partis tutetur amantis ephebi,
supports the role of the loving youth,
ut patris attenti, lenonis ut insidiosi,
as of the watchful father, as of the deceitful pimp,
quantus sit Dossennus edacibus in parasitis,
how great Dossennus is among greedy parasites,
quam non adstricto percurrat pulpita socco.7
with how loose a slipper he runs over the stage.
gestit enim nummum in loculos demittere, post hoc
For he is eager to drop a coin into his pocket, after this
securus cadat an recto stet fabula talo.
indifferent whether his play falls or stands on steady ankles.
Quem tulit ad scaenam ventoso Gloria curru,
The one whom Glory has brought to the stage in her windy chariot,
exanimat lentus spectator, sedulus inflat: sic leve,
an indifferent spectator disheartens, an attentive one inflates: so light,
sic parvum est, animum quod laudis avarum
so small is that which overthrows or restores a mind greedy for praise.
subruit aut reficit. valeat res ludicra, si me
Farewell to the drama, if the denied
palma negata macrum, donata reducit opimum.
palm brings me back lean, and the awarded palm brings me back fat.
Saepe etiam audacem fugat hoc terretque poetam,
Often also this routs and terrifies even a bold poet:
quod numero plures, virtute et honore minores,
that those who are more in number, but less in worth and honor,
indocti stolidique et depugnare parati,
unlearned and stupid and ready to fight,
si discordet eques, media inter carmina poscunt
if the knight disagrees, demand in the middle of the play
aut ursum aut pugiles: his nam plebecula gaudet.
either a bear or boxers; for in these the rabble delights.
verum equitis quoque iam migravit ab aure voluptas
But even all the pleasure of the knight has now migrated from the ear
omnis ad incertos oculos et gaudia vana.
to the shifting eyes and vain delights.
quattuor aut pluris aulaea premuntur8 in horas,
For four or more hours the curtains are kept lowered,
dum fugiunt equitum turmae peditumque catervae;
while squadrons of cavalry and bands of infantry flee;
mox trahitur manibus regum fortuna retortis,
presently the fortune of kings is dragged with hands bound behind their backs,
esseda festinant, pilenta, petorrita, naves,
chariots hurry by, carriages, wagons, ships,
captivum portatur ebur, captiva Corinthus.
captured ivory is carried, a captured Corinth.
si foret in terris, rideret Democritus, seu
If he were on earth, Democritus would laugh, whether
diversum confusa genus panthera camelo
a panther mixed with a camel, a different species,
sive elephans albus volgi converteret ora;
or a white elephant should draw the faces of the crowd;
spectaret populum ludis attentius ipsis
he would watch the people more closely than the plays themselves,
ut sibi praebentem nimio spectacula plura:
as offering him far more spectacles;
scriptores autem narrare putaret asello
while as for the writers, he would think they were telling a story
fabellam surdo. nam quae pervincere voces
to a deaf ass. For what voices have been able to overpower
evaluere sonum, referunt quem nostra theatra?
the sound which our theaters echo?
Garganum mugire putes nemus aut mare Tuscum;
You would think the Garganian grove is roaring, or the Tuscan sea;
tanto cum strepitu ludi spectantur et artes
with such great noise are the plays and the arts viewed
- 2.1.135implorat
The subject of the verb 'implorat' is the chorus ('chorus'), which appeared in the preceding line (§2.1.134).
- 2.1.144Genium memorem brevis aevi
The phrase 'Genius mindful of brief life' reflects the Roman conception of the Genius as a personal tutelary spirit closely tied to one's transient life, highlighting the imperative to enjoy life while it lasts.
- 2.1.150doluere
The syncopated perfect form 'doluere' (= 'doluerunt'). The subject is 'lacessiti' in the next line, referring to those who were provoked or stung by the cruel wit.
- 2.1.154formidine fustis
The 'fear of the club' refers to the legal penalty of beating to death ('fustuarium') prescribed in the Twelve Tables for composing defamatory or slanderous songs.
- 2.1.161serus
The adjective 'serus' is used adverbially ('late' or 'tardily'), modifying the verb 'admovit'. The implied subject is the Roman writer or spirit.
- 2.1.167lituram
Literally referring to 'erasing' or 'smearing out' text on a wax tablet. In literary contexts, it means editing and critical revision, which Horace notes Roman tragic poets foolishly avoided.
- 2.1.174socco
The 'soccus' (low-heeled slipper) is the conventional footwear of comic actors, serving as a metonymy for comedy (in contrast to the tragic 'cothurnus'). The phrase 'non adstricto' (loose, unbound) metaphorically criticizes the careless metrical and structural composition of the play.
- 2.1.189aulaea premuntur
In Roman theaters, curtains ('aulaea') were lowered ('premuntur') into a slot in the stage floor at the beginning of a play and raised at the end. Curtains being kept down for hours indicates that the performance is dominated by prolonged, non-literary visual spectacles.