Defense of Readers' Poets and Declining Augustus's Epic — Horace, Epistles Book 2 (2.1.204–2.1.270), Latin & English

204

divitiaeque peregrinae, quibus oblitus actor

And foreign riches; smeared with which, when the actor

205

cum stetit in scaena, concurrit dextera laevae.

stands on the stage, the right hand clashes with the left.

dixit adhuc aliquid? nil sane. quid placet ergo?

”Has he said anything yet?” “Nothing at all.” “What pleases, then?”

lana Tarentino violas imitata veneno.

”The wool imitating violets with Tarentine dye.”

ac ne forte putes¹ me, quae facere ipse recusem,

And lest you should think by chance that I, what I myself refuse to do

cum recte tractent alii, laudare maligne,

while others handle it correctly, praise with ill-will,

210

ille per extentum funem mihi posse videtur

that poet seems to me to be able to go

ire² poeta, meum qui pectus inaniter angit,

upon a tightrope, who vainly torments my breast,

irritat, mulcet, falsis terroribus implet,

irritates, soothes, fills with false terrors,

ut magus, et modo me Thebis, modo ponit Athenis.

like a magician, and places me now at Thebes, now at Athens.

Verum age et his, qui se lectori credere malunt

But come, also to those who prefer to trust themselves to a reader

215

quam spectatoris fastidia ferre superbi,

rather than bear the disdain of a proud spectator,

curam redde brevem, si munus Apolline dignum

give a brief care, if you wish to fill with books

vis complere libris et vatibus addere calcar,

the gift worthy of Apollo and to add a spur to poets,

ut studio maiore petant Helicona virentem.

so that they may seek green Helicon with greater zeal.

Multa quidem nobis facimus mala saepe poetae

Indeed, we poets often do many evils to ourselves

220

(ut vineta egomet caedam mea),³ cum tibi librum

(to cut down my own vineyards, as it were), when we give a book to you,

sollicito damus aut fesso; cum laedimur, unum

solicitous or tired; when we are hurt if anyone of our friends

si quis amicorum est ausus reprehendere versum;

has dared to criticize a single verse;

cum loca iam recitata revolvimus irrevocati;

when we repeat uninvited the passages already recited;

cum lamentamur non apparere labores

when we lament that our labors and our poems spun

225

nostros et tenui deducta poemata filo;

with a fine thread do not appear;

cum speramus eo rem venturam ut, simul atque

when we hope that the matter will come to this, that as soon as

carmina rescieris nos fingere, commodus ultro

you know that we compose songs, you will, obliging, of your own accord

arcessas et egere vetes et scribere cogas.

summon us, forbid us to be in want, and compel us to write.

sed tamen est operae pretium cognoscere, qualis

But yet it is worth the effort to know what kind of

230

aedituos habeat belli spectata domique

temple-keepers the virtue proved in war and at home

Virtus, indigno non committenda poetae.⁴

possesses, which should not be entrusted to an unworthy poet.

gratus Alexandro regi magno fuit ille

That Choerilus was pleasing to King Alexander the Great,

Choerilus, incultis qui versibus et male natis

who to his rude and ill-born verses

rettulit acceptos, regale nomisma, Philippos;

referred the Philippi, royal coins, he had received;

235

sed veluti tractata notam labemque remittunt

but just as inks when handled leave a mark and stain,

atramenta, fere scriptores carmine foedo

so writers generally, with a foul song,

splendida facta linunt, idem rex ille, poema

besmear illustrious deeds. That same king,

qui tam ridiculum tam care prodigus emit,

who so prodigally bought a poem so ridiculous and so dear,

edicto vetuit, ne quis se praeter Apellen

by edict forbade anyone except Apelles

240

pingeret, aut alius Lysippo duceret aera

to paint him, or anyone other than Lysippus to mold in bronze

fortis Alexandri voltum simulantia. quod si

the features representing the face of brave Alexander. But if

iudicium subtile videndis artibus illud

you were to summon that judgment, so subtle in viewing arts,

ad libros et ad haec Musarum dona vocares,

to books and to these gifts of the Muses,

Boeotum in crasso iurares⁵ aere natum.

you would swear he was born in the thick air of the Boeotians.

245

At neque dedecorant tua de se iudicia atque

But neither do your judgments concerning them nor the gifts disgrace you,

munera, quae multa dantis cum laude tulerunt

which with much praise of the giver they received,

dilecti tibi Vergilius Variusque poetae,

your beloved poets Virgil and Varius;

nec magis expressi voltus per aenea signa,

nor do features expressed through bronze statues appear

quam per vatis opus mores animique virorum

more clearly than the manners and minds of famous men

250

clarorum apparent, nec sermones ego mallem

through the work of a poet. Nor would I prefer to compose talks

repentis per humum quam res componere gestas,

creeping along the ground rather than epic exploits,

terrarumque situs et flumina dicere, et arces

and describe the situations of lands, and rivers, and citadels

montibus impositas et barbara regna, tuisque

placed on mountains, and barbarian realms, and wars

auspiciis totum confecta duella per orbem,

concluded throughout the whole world under your auspices,

255

claustraque custodem pacis cohibentia Ianum,

and the gates confining Janus, the guardian of peace,

et formidatam Parthis te principe Romam,

and Rome dreaded by the Parthians with you as prince,

si quantum cuperem possem quoque;⁶ sed neque parvum

if I were also able to do as much as I desire. But neither

carmen maiestas recipit tua, nec meus audet

does your majesty admit a small poem, nor does my modesty

rem temptare pudor quam vires ferre recusent.

dare to attempt a task which my strength refuses to bear.

260

sedulitas autem stulte quem diligit urget,

But officiousness foolishly burdens the one whom it loves,

praecipue cum se numeris commendat et arte;

especially when it commends itself by numbers and art;

discit enim citius meminitque libentius illud

for one learns more quickly and remembers more willingly that

quod quis deridet, quam quod probat et veneratur.

which someone derides, than that which he approves and venerates.

nil moror officium quod me gravat, ac neque ficto

I care nothing for an office which burdens me, and I do not wish

265

in peius voltu proponi cereus usquam

to be set forth anywhere in wax with my face distorted for the worse,

nec prave factis decorari versibus opto,

nor to be decorated with badly made verses,

ne rubeam pingui donatus munere, et una

lest I blush, presented with a heavy gift, and along

cum scriptore meo, capsa porrectus operta,

with my writer, stretched out in a closed box,

deferar in vicum vendentem tus et odores et piper

be carried down into the street that sells frankincense, perfumes, pepper,

270

et quidquid chartis amicitur ineptis.

and whatever is wrapped in foolish papers.

Syntax notes6 items

2.1.208ac ne forte putes
The clause ne... putes with the present subjunctive putes is a adverbial clause of purpose ("lest you should think"), modifying the main assertion starting with videtur in line 210, explaining that the poet does not completely dismiss dramatic poetry.
2.1.210per extentum funem... ire
"Going upon a tightrope" is a metaphorical expression for achieving an extremely difficult feat. Here, it praises the supreme dramatic skill of a poet who can freely manipulate the audience's emotions.
2.1.220ut vineta egomet caedam mea
An idiomatic expression meaning "to cut down my own vineyards," used here to self-deprecatingly expose the faults or embarrassments of one's own class (fellow poets and oneself).
2.1.231Virtus, indigno non committenda poetae
Virtus (valor/virtue) is modified by belli... domique (in war and at home) and the gerundive non committenda (not to be entrusted). This whole phrase functions as the subject of the indirect question introduced by qualis aedituos habeat.
2.1.241quod si... vocares... iurares
A contrary-to-fact conditional sentence in the present/past, using the imperfect subjunctives vocares and iurares. It highlights the contrast between Alexander the Great's highly refined taste in visual arts and his complete ignorance regarding poetry (implied by being born in the "thick air of the Boeotians").
2.1.250nec sermones ego mallem... si quantum cuperem possem quoque
The subjunctive mallem (imperfect subjunctive of preferability) in line 250 and si... possem in line 257 form a contrary-to-fact conditional sentence. Horace is explaining, with humble apology, his inability to write an epic on Augustus's great deeds.

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-lat2:2.1.204-2.1.270