Nor do I recite to anyone except to friends, and that only when forced, not everywhere or in front of just anyone.
in medio qui §1.4.75scripta foro recitent, sunt multi quique lavantes: §1.4.76suave locus voci resonat conclusus.
There are many who recite their writings in the middle of the forum, and those who do so while bathing: the enclosed space echoes sweetly for the voice.
This pleases empty heads, who do not ask this: whether they do it without sense, or whether they do so at an unseasonable time.
‘laedere gaudes’ §1.4.79inquit ‘et hoc studio pravus facis. ’ unde petitum
"You delight in hurting," says someone, "and you do this with malicious intent." From where sought do you throw this charge at me?
§1.4.80hoc in me iacis? est auctor quis denique eorum, §1.4.81vixi cum quibus? absentem qui rodit, amicum
Who indeed is the author of this among those with whom I have lived?
§1.4.82qui non defendit alio culpante, solutos §1.4.83qui captat risus hominum famamque dicacis, §1.4.84fingere qui non visa potest, conmissa tacere §1.4.85qui nequit: hic niger est, hunc tu, Romane, caveto.
He who backbites an absent friend, who does not defend him when another finds fault, who fishes for the loose laughter of men and the reputation of being witty, who can fabricate things he has not seen, who cannot keep secrets entrusted: this man is black at heart, of him, Roman, beware.
§1.4.86saepe tribus lectis videas cenare quaternos, §1.4.87e quibus unus amet quavis aspergere cunctos §1.4.88praeter eum qui praebet aquam; post hunc quoque potus, §1.4.89condita cum verax aperit praecordia Liber: §1.4.90hic tibi comis et urbanus liberque videtur
Often you may see four dining on each of the three couches, of whom one loves to splash everyone with any kind of abuse except him who provides the water; and later even him when drunk, when truthful Bacchus opens the hidden secrets of the heart: this man seems polite, witty, and free-spoken to you, who are hostile to the black ones.
§1.4.91infesto nigris: ego si risi, quod ineptus §1.4.92pastillos Rufillus olet, Gorgonius hircum, §1.4.93lividus et mordax videor tibi? mentio siquae
If I have laughed because silly Rufillus smells of lozenges, and Gorgonius of a goat, do I seem envious and biting to you?
§1.4.94de Capitolini furtis iniecta Petilli §1.4.95te coram fuerit, defendas, ut tuus est mos: §1.4.96‘me Capitolinus convictore usus amicoque §1.4.97a puero est causaque mea permulta rogatus §1.4.98fecit et incolumis laetor quod vivit in Urbe; §1.4.99sed tamen admiror, quo pacto iudicium illud §1.4.100fugerit’: hic nigrae sucus lolliginis, haec est §1.4.101aerugo mera; quod vitium procul afore chartis, §1.4.102atque animo prius, ut siquid promittere de me §1.4.103possum aliud vere, promitto.
If any mention of the thefts of Petillius Capitolinus should be thrown in in your presence, you would defend him, as is your custom: "Capitolinus has enjoyed me as a companion and friend since boyhood, and when asked, has done very many things for my sake, and I am glad that he lives safe in the City; but yet I wonder how that judgment he escaped": this is the juice of the black cuttlefish, this is pure rust; that this vice shall be far from my pages, and from my mind beforehand, if I can promise anything about myself truly, I promise.
liberius si §1.4.104dixero quid, si forte iocosius, hoc mihi iuris §1.4.105cum venia dabis: insuevit pater optimus hoc me, §1.4.106ut fugerem exemplis vitiorum quaeque notando.
If more freely I say anything, or if perhaps more jokingly, this right you will grant me with indulgence: my excellent father accustomed me to this, that I should avoid individual vices by marking them out with examples.
§1.4.107cum me hortaretur, parce frugaliter atque §1.4.108viverem uti contentus eo quod mi ipse parasset: §1.4.109‘nonne vides, Albi ut male vivat filius utque §1.4.110Barrus inops? magnum documentum, ne patriam rem
When he exhorted me to live sparingly, frugally, and content with what he himself had provided for me: "Don't you see how badly the son of Albius lives, and how Barrus is in want?
§1.4.111perdere quis velit. ’ a turpi meretricis amore §1.4.112cum deterreret: ‘Sectani dissimilis sis. ’ §1.4.113ne sequerer moechas, concessa cum Venere uti §1.4.114possem: ‘deprensi non bella est fama Treboni’ §1.4.115aiebat.
A great proof, lest anyone should wish to waste his ancestral property." When he deterred me from base love of a courtesan: "Do not be like Sectanus." Lest I should pursue adulteresses, when I could enjoy lawful love: "The reputation of caught Trebonius is not pretty," he used to say.
‘sapiens, vitatu quidque petitu §1.4.116sit melius, causas reddet tibi; mi satis est, si §1.4.117traditum ab antiquis morem servare tuamque, §1.4.118dum custodis eges, vitam famamque tueri §1.4.119incolumem possum; simul ac duraverit aetas §1.4.120membra animumque tuum, nabis sine cortice. ’ sic me §1.4.121formabat puerum dictis et, sive iubebat §1.4.122ut facerem quid, ‘habes auctorem, quo facias hoc’ §1.4.123unum ex iudicibus selectis obiciebat, §1.4.124sive vetabat, ‘an hoc inhonestum et inutile factu §1.4.125necne sit, addubites, flagret rumore malo cum §1.4.126hic atque ille?’ avidos vicinum funus ut aegros §1.4.127exanimat mortisque metu sibi parcere cogit, §1.4.128sic teneros animos aliena opprobria saepe §1.4.129absterrent vitiis.
"A philosopher will give you reasons why each thing is to be avoided or sought; it is enough for me if I can preserve the custom handed down from our ancestors, and protect your life and reputation unharmed, as long as you need a guardian; as soon as age has hardened your limbs and mind, you will swim without cork." Thus me he would shape as a boy with his words; and, whether he ordered me to do something, saying "You have an authority by which you may do this," he would present one of the select jurymen, or if he forbade: "Would you doubt whether this is dishonorable and unprofitable to do or not, when this and that man burn with bad rumor?" Just as a neighbor's funeral terrifies greedy sick men, and forces them through fear of death to spare themselves, so other people's disgrace often deters tender minds from vices.
ex hoc ego sanus ab illis §1.4.130perniciem quaecumque ferunt, mediocribus et quis §1.4.131ignoscas vitiis teneor.
From this I am free from those [vices] which bring destruction, and am held by moderate ones and those which you would pardon.
fortassis et istinc §1.4.132largiter abstulerit longa aetas, liber amicus, §1.4.133consilium proprium; neque enim, cum lectulus aut me §1.4.134porticus excepit, desum mihi. ‘rectius hoc est; §1.4.135hoc faciens vivam melius; sic dulcis amicis §1.4.136occurram; hoc quidam non belle: numquid ego illi §1.4.137inprudens olim faciam simile?’ haec ego mecum §1.4.138conpressis agito labris; ubi quid datur oti, §1.4.139inludo chartis.
Perhaps even from these a long life, a candid friend, and my own reflection will take away much; for neither, when my couch or the portico has received me, do I fail myself: "This is more proper; doing this I shall live better; thus I shall meet my friends pleasantly; this thing someone did not nicely: could I ever, without thinking, do something like that?" These things I debate with myself with compressed lips; and when any leisure is given, I play upon paper.
hoc est mediocribus illis §1.4.140ex vitiis unum; cui si concedere nolis, §1.4.141multa poetarum veniat manus, auxilio quae §1.4.142sit mihi — nam multo plures sumus —, ac veluti te §1.4.143Iudaei cogemus in hanc concedere turbam.
This is one of those moderate vices; if you would not grant concession to this, a large band of poets would come, which would be of aid to me—for we are much more numerous—and, just like the Jews, we will force you to yield to our crowd.