§2.1.1‘Sunt quibus in satura videar nimis acer et ultra §2.1.2legem tendere opus; sine nervis altera quidquid §2.1.3conposui pars esse putat similisque meorum §2.1.4mille die versus deduci posse.
"There are those to whom I seem too sharp in satire and to stretch my work beyond its proper law; another part thinks that whatever I have composed is without sinew, and that verses like mine can be spun out a thousand a day.
Trebati, §2.1.5quid faciam? praescribe.
Trebatius, what should I do?
’ ‘quiescas. ’ ‘ne faciam, inquis, §2.1.6omnino versus?’ ‘aio. ’ ‘peream male, si non §2.1.7optimum erat; verum nequeo dormire. ’ ‘ter uncti §2.1.8transnanto Tiberim, somno quibus est opus alto, §2.1.9inriguumque mero sub noctem corpus habento.
Advise me." "Take a rest." "Do you mean, you say, that I should make no verses at all?" "I do." "May I perish miserably if that wouldn't be best; but I cannot sleep." "Let those who need deep sleep swim across the Tiber three times, anointed with oil, and have their bodies well soaked with pure wine before nightfall.
§2.1.10aut si tantus amor scribendi te rapit, aude §2.1.11Caesaris invicti res dicere, multa laborum §2.1.12praemia laturus. ’ ‘cupidum, pater optime, vires §2.1.13deficiunt; neque enim quivis horrentia pilis §2.1.14agmina nec fracta pereuntis cuspide Gallos §2.1.15aut labentis equo describit volnera Parthi. ’ §2.1.16‘attamen et iustum poteras et scribere fortem, §2.1.17Scipiadam ut sapiens Lucilius. ’ ‘haud mihi dero, §2.1.18cum res ipsa feret: nisi dextro tempore, Flacci, §2.1.19verba per attentam non ibunt Caesaris aurem: §2.1.20cui male si palpere, recalcitrat undique tutus. ’ §2.1.21‘quanto rectius hoc quam tristi laedere versu §2.1.22Pantolabum scurram Nomentanumque nepotem, §2.1.23cum sibi quisque timet, quamquam est intactus, et odit. ’
Or, if so great a passion for writing sweeps you away, dare to sing the deeds of unconquered Caesar, destined to carry off many rewards for your labors." "Though I wish to, excellent father, my strength fails me; for not just anyone can describe columns bristling with spears, or Gauls dying with shattered spear-points, or the wounds of a Parthian falling from his horse." "Yet you could still write of him as just and brave, as the wise Lucilius did of Scipio." "I shall not be wanting to myself when the occasion itself brings it; unless at the auspicious moment, the words of Flaccus will not enter the attentive ear of Caesar, whom if you stroke clumsily, he kicks back, well-guarded on all sides." "How much better is this than to wound with gloomy verse the buffoon Pantolabus and the spendthrift Nomentanus, when everyone fears for himself, though untouched, and hates you." "What should I do?
§2.1.24‘quid faciam? saltat Milonius, ut semel icto §2.1.25accessit fervor capiti numerusque lucernis; §2.1.26Castor gaudet equis, ovo prognatus eodem §2.1.27pugnis; quot capitum vivunt, totidem studiorum §2.1.28milia: me pedibus delectat claudere verba §2.1.29Lucili ritu, nostrum melioris utroque.
Milonius dances once the heat has reached his head, struck by wine, and the lamps double in number; Castor delights in horses, and he who was born from the same egg, in boxing; as many thousands of pursuits exist as there are living heads: for me, it delights to enclose words in feet, in the manner of Lucilius, who was better than both of us.
§2.1.30ille velut fidis arcana sodalibus olim §2.1.31credebat libris neque, si male cesserat, usquam §2.1.32decurrens alio neque, si bene; quo fit ut omnis §2.1.33votiva pateat veluti descripta tabella §2.1.34vita senis.
He used of old to entrust his secrets to his books, as to faithful companions, never running off elsewhere, whether things went badly or well; whence it happens that the entire life of the old man lies open, as if depicted on a votive tablet.
sequor hunc, Lucanus an Appulus anceps; §2.1.35nam Venusinus arat finem sub utrumque colonus, §2.1.36missus ad hoc pulsis, vetus est ut fama, Sabellis, §2.1.37quo ne per vacuum Romano incurreret hostis, §2.1.38sive quod Appula gens seu quod Lucania bellum §2.1.39incuteret violenta.
I follow him, doubtful whether I am a Lucanian or an Apulian; for the Venusian colonist plows near both borders, sent for this purpose, as ancient rumor has it, after the Sabellians were driven out, so that the enemy might not rush upon the Romans through an empty space, whether the Apulian nation or violent Lucania should threaten war.
sed hic stilus haud petet ultro §2.1.40quemquam animantem et me veluti custodiet ensis §2.1.41vagina tectus: quem cur destringere coner
But this pen of mine will never willingly attack any living soul, and will protect me like a sword kept in its sheath: why should I try to draw it, when I am safe from hostile robbers?
§2.1.42tutus ab infestis latronibus? o pater et rex §2.1.43Iuppiter, ut pereat positum robigine telum §2.1.44nec quisquam noceat cupido mihi pacis! at ille,
O father and king Jupiter, may the discarded weapon perish with rust, and may no one harm me, who desire peace!
§2.1.45qui me conmorit — melius non tangere, clamo —, §2.1.46flebit et insignis tota cantabitur Urbe.
But he who shall provoke me — 'better not touch me,' I cry out —, shall weep and, marked out, shall be sung of through the whole City.
§2.1.47Cervius iratus leges minitatur et urnam, §2.1.48Canidia Albuci, quibus est inimica, venenum, §2.1.49grande malum Turius, siquid se iudice certes.
Cervius when angered threatens laws and the judicial urn, Canidia daughter of Albucius threatens her enemies with poison, Turius with a huge disaster if you contend when he is judge.
§2.1.50ut quo quisque valet suspectos terreat utque §2.1.51imperet hoc natura potens, sic collige mecum: §2.1.52dente lupus, cornu taurus petit: unde nisi intus
That everyone frightens those they suspect with that in which they are strong, and that powerful nature commands this, gather with me thus: the wolf attacks with its teeth, the bull with its horn: from where was this shown, if not from within?
§2.1.53monstratum? Scaevae vivacem crede nepoti §2.1.54matrem: nil faciet sceleris pia dextera — mirum, §2.1.55ut neque calce lupus quemquam neque dente petit bos —, §2.1.56sed mala tollet anum vitiato melle cicuta.
Entrust a long-lived mother to the spendthrift Scaeva: his dutiful right hand will commit no crime — a wonder, just as the wolf attacks no one with its hoof, nor the ox with its tooth —, but bad hemlock in corrupted honey will carry off the old woman.
§2.1.57ne longum faciam: seu me tranquilla senectus §2.1.58exspectat seu mors atris circumvolat alis, §2.1.59dives, inops, Romae, seu fors ita iusserit, exsul, §2.1.60quisquis erit vitae scribam color. ’ ‘o puer, ut sis §2.1.61vitalis metuo et maiorum nequis amicus §2.1.62frigore te feriat. ’ ‘quid? cum est Lucilius ausus
To not make it long: whether a peaceful old age awaits me, or death hovers around with dark wings, rich, poor, in Rome, or, if chance so orders, an exile, whatever the color of my life shall be, I will write." "O boy, I fear that you will not be long-lived, and that some friend among the great will strike you with a chill." "What?
§2.1.63primus in hunc operis conponere carmina morem §2.1.64detrahere et pellem, nitidus qua quisque per ora §2.1.65cederet, introrsum turpis: num Laelius aut qui §2.1.66duxit ab oppressa meritum Carthagine nomen §2.1.67ingenio offensi aut laeso doluere Metello §2.1.68famosisque Lupo cooperto versibus? atqui
When Lucilius first dared to compose poems in this style of work, and to strip off the skin with which everyone walked about shining before men's faces, though foul within: did Laelius, or he who took his well-earned name from conquered Carthage, take offense at his wit, or grieve because Metellus was hurt and Lupus was covered with scandalous verses?
§2.1.69primores populi arripuit populumque tributim, §2.1.70scilicet uni aequos virtuti atque eius amicis.
And yet he dragged the leaders of the people and the people tribe by tribe, friendly of course only to virtue and to its friends.
§2.1.71quin ubi se a volgo et scaena in secreta remorant §2.1.72virtus Scipiadae et mitis sapientia Laeli, §2.1.73nugari cum illo et discincti ludere, donec §2.1.74decoqueretur holus, soliti.
Nay, when the manly virtue of Scipio and the mild wisdom of Laelius had withdrawn from the crowd and the theater into privacy, they were accustomed to joke with him and play at ease while their herbs were boiling.
quidquid sum ego, quamvis §2.1.75infra Lucili censum ingeniumque, tamen me §2.1.76cum magnis vixisse invita fatebitur usque §2.1.77invidia et fragili quaerens inlidere dentem §2.1.78offendet solido — nisi quid tu, docte Trebati, §2.1.79dissentis. ’ ‘equidem nihil hinc diffindere possum.
Whatever I am, though below the fortune and genius of Lucilius, yet envy, however unwilling, will always confess that I have lived with the great, and, seeking to sink its tooth into something fragile, will strike against the solid — unless you, learned Trebatius, dissent in some way." "Indeed, I can subtract nothing from this.
§2.1.80sed tamen ut monitus caveas, ne forte negoti §2.1.81incutiat tibi quid sanctarum inscitia legum: §2.1.82si mala condiderit in quem quis carmina, ius est §2.1.83iudiciumque. ’ ‘esto, siquis mala; sed bona siquis §2.1.84iudice condiderit laudatus Caesare? siquis
But nevertheless, take care as one warned, lest by chance ignorance of the sacred laws bring some trouble upon you: if anyone composes bad verses against someone, there is a right of action and a court." "Granted, if someone composes bad verses; but what if someone composes good ones, praised with Caesar as judge?