§2.4.1‘Unde et quo, Catius?’ ‘non est mihi tempus, aventi §2.4.2ponere signa novis praeceptis, qualia vincent §2.4.3Pythagoran Anytique reum doctumque Platona. ’ §2.4.4‘peccatum fateor, cum te sic tempore laevo §2.4.5interpellarim; sed des veniam bonus, oro.
'Where from, and where to, Catius?' 'I have no time, as I am desiring to commit to writing new precepts, such as will surpass Pythagoras, and the accused of Anytus, and the learned Plato.' 'I confess my fault, in having interrupted you at so unseasonable a time; but kindly grant me pardon, I pray.
§2.4.6quodsi interciderit tibi nunc aliquid, repetes mox, §2.4.7sive est naturae hoc sive artis, mirus utroque. ’ §2.4.8‘quin id erat curae, quo pacto cuncta tenerem §2.4.9utpote res tenuis, tenui sermone peractas. ’ §2.4.10‘ede hominis nomen, simul et, Romanus an hospes. ’ §2.4.11‘ipsa memor praecepta canam, celabitur auctor.
But if anything has escaped you just now, you will soon recall it, whether this is of nature or of art, you who are wonderful in both.' 'Nay, that was indeed my concern, how I might retain them all, seeing they are subtle matters, treated in a subtle style.' 'Tell me the man's name, and at the same time, whether he is a Roman or a stranger.' 'I will sing the precepts themselves from memory; the author shall be concealed.
§2.4.12longa quibus facies ovis erit, illa memento, §2.4.13ut suci melioris et ut magis alba rotundis, §2.4.14ponere: namque marem cohibent callosa vitellum.
Remember to serve those eggs which have an oblong shape, as being of better flavor and whiter than the round ones; for their tough shells enclose a male yolk.
Cabbage grown in dry suburban fields is sweeter; nothing is more watery than the produce of a well-watered garden.
§2.4.17si vespertinus subito te oppresserit hospes, §2.4.18ne gallina malum responset dura palato, §2.4.19doctus eris vivam musto mersare Falerno: §2.4.20hoc teneram faciet.
If a guest should unexpectedly come upon you in the evening, lest a tough hen should prove unpleasant to his palate, you will show your skill by drowning it alive in Falernian must; this will make it tender.
pratensibus optima fungis §2.4.21natura est; aliis male creditur.
Meadow mushrooms have the best nature; others are not safely trusted.
ille salubris §2.4.22aestates peraget, qui nigris prandia moris §2.4.23finiet, ante gravem quae legerit arbore solem.
He will spend healthy summers, who finishes his lunch with black mulberries, which he has gathered from the tree before the sun becomes heavy.
§2.4.24Aufidius forti miscebat mella Falerno: §2.4.25mendose, quoniam vacuis conmittere venis §2.4.26nil nisi lene decet: leni praecordia mulso §2.4.27prolueris melius.
Aufidius used to mix honey with strong Falernian wine: erroneously, since it is proper to commit to empty veins nothing but what is mild: you will wash your stomach better with mild mead.
si dura morabitur alvus, §2.4.28mitulus et viles pellent obstantia conchae §2.4.29et lapathi brevis herba, sed albo non sine Coo.
If your bowels are sluggish, limpets and cheap shellfish will drive away the obstacles, and the small sorrel herb, but not without white Coan wine.
§2.4.30lubrica nascentes inplent conchylia lunae; §2.4.31sed non omne mare est generosae fertile testae:
The waxing moons fill the slimy shellfish; but not every sea is fertile in noble shellfish.
§2.4.32murice Baiano melior Lucrina peloris, §2.4.33ostrea Circaeis, Miseno oriuntur echini, §2.4.34pectinibus patulis iactat se molle Tarentum.
The Lucrine giant mussel is better than the Baian murex, oysters come from Circeii, sea-urchins from Misenum, and soft Tarentum boasts of her open scallops.
§2.4.35nec sibi coenarum quivis temere arroget artem, §2.4.36non prius exacta tenui ratione saporum.
Nor let anyone rashly claim for himself the art of dining, without first having thoroughly investigated the subtle theory of flavors.
§2.4.37nec satis est cara piscis averrere mensa §2.4.38ignarum, quibus est ius aptius et quibus assis §2.4.39languidus in cubitum iam se conviva reponet.
Nor is it enough to sweep away fish from a costly stall, ignorant of which ones are better with sauce, and for which ones, when roasted, the guest, already languid, will raise himself again on his elbow.
§2.4.40umber et iligna nutritus glande rotundas §2.4.41curvat aper lances carnem vitantis inertem; §2.4.42nam Laurens malus est, ulvis et harundine pinguis.
The Umbrian boar, fed on holm-oak acorns, bends the round dishes of one who avoids flabby meat; for the Laurentian is bad, fattened on sedge and reeds.
§2.4.43vinea submittit capreas non semper edulis.
The vineyard supplies roe-deer that are not always good to eat.
§2.4.44fecundae leporis sapiens sectabitur armos.
The wise man will seek the shoulders of a fertile hare.
§2.4.45piscibus atque avibus quae natura et foret aetas, §2.4.46ante meum nulli patuit quaesita palatum.
What the nature and age of fish and birds should be, was revealed to no one before my palate investigated it.
§2.4.47sunt quorum ingenium nova tantum crustula promit.
There are those whose talent produces only new pastries.
§2.4.48nequaquam satis in re una consumere curam, §2.4.49ut siquis solum hoc, mala ne sint vina, laboret, §2.4.50quali perfundat piscis securus olivo.
It is by no means enough to spend one's care on a single object, as if someone should labor only on this, that his wines be not bad, careless as to what kind of oil he pours over his fish.
§2.4.51Massica si caelo suppones vina sereno, §2.4.52nocturna siquid crassi est tenuabitur aura §2.4.53et decedet odor nervis inimicus; at illa §2.4.54integrum perdunt lino vitiata saporem.
If you expose Massic wines to a clear sky, whatever thick sediment there is will be thinned by the night air, and the smell that is hostile to the nerves will depart; but those wines lose their full flavor if spoiled by linen.
§2.4.55Surrentina vafer qui miscet faece Falerna §2.4.56vina, columbino limum bene colligit ovo, §2.4.57quatenus ima petit volvens aliena vitellus.
He who cunningly mixes Surrentine wine with Falernian dregs, clears the sediment well with a pigeon's egg, since the yolk seeks the bottom, rolling down the foreign substances.
§2.4.58tostis marcentem squillis recreabis et Afra §2.4.59potorem coclea; nam lactuca innatat acri §2.4.60post vinum stomacho; perna magis et magis hillis §2.4.61flagitat inmorsus refici, quin omnia malit §2.4.62quaecumque inmundis fervent allata popinis.
You will revive the flagging drinker with roasted prawns and African snails; for lettuce floats on the acid stomach after wine; the stomach rather demands to be refreshed by ham and sausages, nay, it would prefer anything that is brought piping hot from dirty taverns.
It is worth the trouble to understand thoroughly the nature of the double sauce.
simplex e dulci constat olivo, §2.4.65quod pingui miscere mero muriaque decebit §2.4.66non alia quam qua Byzantia putuit orca.
The simple consists of sweet olive oil, which it will be proper to mix with rich wine and brine, of no other kind than that with which the Byzantine jar has stunk.
§2.4.67hoc ubi confusum sectis inferbuit herbis §2.4.68Corycioque croco sparsum stetit, insuper addes §2.4.69pressa Venafranae quod baca remisit olivae.
When this, mixed with shredded herbs, has boiled, and has cooled down sprinkled with Corycian saffron, you shall add besides what the pressed berry of the Venafran olive has yielded.
The apples of Tibur yield to those of Picenum in juice, for they surpass them in appearance.
§2.4.72rectius Albanam fumo duraveris uvam.
The Venuculan grape is suitable for jars; you will do better to dry the Alban grape in the smoke.
§2.4.73hanc ego cum malis, ego faecem primus et allec, §2.4.74primus et invenior piper album cum sale nigro §2.4.75incretum puris circumposuisse catillis.
I was the first to serve this grape with apples, I the first to place dregs and fish-brine, and first discovered to have served white pepper mixed with black salt, sifted, around the guests on clean side-dishes.
It is a monstrous fault to give three thousand sesterces to the meat-market, and yet to cramp wide-roaming fish in a narrow dish.
§2.4.78magna movet stomacho fastidia, seu puer unctis §2.4.79tractavit calicem manibus, dum furta ligurrit, §2.4.80sive gravis veteri creterrae limus adhaesit.
It causes great disgust to the stomach, whether a slave boy with greasy hands has touched the cup while licking the stolen scraps, or if offensive dirt has clung to an ancient mixing-bowl.
§2.4.81vilibus in scopis, in mappis, in scobe quantus
In cheap brooms, in napkins, in sawdust, how great an expense is there?
§2.4.82consistit sumptus? neglectis flagitium ingens.
If they are neglected, the scandal is immense.
§2.4.83ten’ lapides varios lutulenta radere palma §2.4.84et Tyrias dare circum inlota toralia vestis, §2.4.85oblitum, quanto curam sumptumque minorem §2.4.86haec habeant, tanto reprehendi iustius illis, §2.4.87quae nisi divitibus nequeunt contingere mensis?’ §2.4.88‘docte Cati, per amicitiam Divosque rogatus §2.4.89ducere me auditum, perges quocumque, memento.
Is it for you to sweep checkered pavements with a dirty palm-broom, and to put unwashed covers around Tyrian tapestries, forgetting that, the less care and expense these things require, the more justly are they blamed, than those things which can only belong to wealthy tables?' 'O learned Catius, entreated by our friendship and the gods, remember to take me to hear him, wherever you shall go.
§2.4.90nam quamvis memori referas mihi pectore cuncta, §2.4.91non tamen interpres tantundem iuveris.
For although you report everything to me with a faithful memory, yet as an interpreter you cannot delight me as much.
adde §2.4.92voltum habitumque hominis, quem tu vidisse beatus §2.4.93non magni pendis, quia contigit; at mihi cura §2.4.94non mediocris inest, fontis ut adire remotos §2.4.95atque haurire queam vitae praecepta beatae. ’
Add to this the look and bearing of the man, whom you, happy to have seen, do not value highly, because it has happened; but to me there is no small anxiety, that I may be able to approach those remote sources and drink in the precepts of a happy life.'