§2.1.204divitiaeque peregrinae, quibus oblitus actor §2.1.205cum stetit in scaena, concurrit dextera laevae.
And foreign riches; smeared with which, when the actor stands on the stage, the right hand clashes with the left.
§2.1.206dixit adhuc aliquid?
nil sane. quid placet ergo? §2.1.207lana Tarentino violas imitata veneno. §2.1.208ac ne forte putes me, quae facere ipse recusem, §2.1.209cum recte tractent alii, laudare maligne, §2.1.210ille per extentum funem mihi posse videtur §2.1.211ire poeta, meum qui pectus inaniter angit, §2.1.212irritat, mulcet, falsis terroribus implet, §2.1.213ut magus, et modo me Thebis, modo ponit Athenis.
"Has he said anything yet?" "Nothing at all." "What pleases, then?" "The wool imitating violets with Tarentine dye." And lest you should think by chance that I, what I myself refuse to do while others handle it correctly, praise with ill-will, that poet seems to me to be able to go upon a tightrope, who vainly torments my breast, irritates, soothes, fills with false terrors, like a magician, and places me now at Thebes, now at Athens.
§2.1.214Verum age et his, qui se lectori credere malunt §2.1.215quam spectatoris fastidia ferre superbi, §2.1.216curam redde brevem, si munus Apolline dignum §2.1.217vis complere libris et vatibus addere calcar, §2.1.218ut studio maiore petant Helicona virentem.
But come, also to those who prefer to trust themselves to a reader rather than bear the disdain of a proud spectator, give a brief care, if you wish to fill with books the gift worthy of Apollo and to add a spur to poets, so that they may seek green Helicon with greater zeal.
§2.1.219Multa quidem nobis facimus mala saepe poetae §2.1.220(ut vineta egomet caedam mea), cum tibi librum §2.1.221sollicito damus aut fesso; cum laedimur, unum §2.1.222si quis amicorum est ausus reprehendere versum; §2.1.223cum loca iam recitata revolvimus irrevocati; §2.1.224cum lamentamur non apparere labores §2.1.225nostros et tenui deducta poemata filo; §2.1.226cum speramus eo rem venturam ut, simul atque §2.1.227carmina rescieris nos fingere, commodus ultro §2.1.228arcessas et egere vetes et scribere cogas.
Indeed, we poets often do many evils to ourselves (to cut down my own vineyards, as it were), when we give a book to you, solicitous or tired; when we are hurt if anyone of our friends has dared to criticize a single verse; when we repeat uninvited the passages already recited; when we lament that our labors and our poems spun with a fine thread do not appear; when we hope that the matter will come to this, that as soon as you know that we compose songs, you will, obliging, of your own accord summon us, forbid us to be in want, and compel us to write.
§2.1.229sed tamen est operae pretium cognoscere, qualis §2.1.230aedituos habeat belli spectata domique §2.1.231Virtus, indigno non committenda poetae.
But yet it is worth the effort to know what kind of temple-keepers the virtue proved in war and at home possesses, which should not be entrusted to an unworthy poet.
§2.1.232gratus Alexandro regi magno fuit ille §2.1.233Choerilus, incultis qui versibus et male natis §2.1.234rettulit acceptos, regale nomisma, Philippos; §2.1.235sed veluti tractata notam labemque remittunt §2.1.236atramenta, fere scriptores carmine foedo
That Choerilus was pleasing to King Alexander the Great, who to his rude and ill-born verses referred the Philippi, royal coins, he had received; but just as inks when handled leave a mark and stain, so writers generally, with a foul song, besmear illustrious deeds.
§2.1.237splendida facta linunt, idem rex ille, poema §2.1.238qui tam ridiculum tam care prodigus emit, §2.1.239edicto vetuit, ne quis se praeter Apellen §2.1.240pingeret, aut alius Lysippo duceret aera §2.1.241fortis Alexandri voltum simulantia.
That same king, who so prodigally bought a poem so ridiculous and so dear, by edict forbade anyone except Apelles to paint him, or anyone other than Lysippus to mold in bronze the features representing the face of brave Alexander.
quod si §2.1.242iudicium subtile videndis artibus illud §2.1.243ad libros et ad haec Musarum dona vocares, §2.1.244Boeotum in crasso iurares aere natum.
But if you were to summon that judgment, so subtle in viewing arts, to books and to these gifts of the Muses, you would swear he was born in the thick air of the Boeotians.
§2.1.245At neque dedecorant tua de se iudicia atque §2.1.246munera, quae multa dantis cum laude tulerunt §2.1.247dilecti tibi Vergilius Variusque poetae, §2.1.248nec magis expressi voltus per aenea signa, §2.1.249quam per vatis opus mores animique virorum
But neither do your judgments concerning them nor the gifts disgrace you, which with much praise of the giver they received, your beloved poets Virgil and Varius; nor do features expressed through bronze statues appear more clearly than the manners and minds of famous men through the work of a poet.
§2.1.250clarorum apparent, nec sermones ego mallem §2.1.251repentis per humum quam res componere gestas, §2.1.252terrarumque situs et flumina dicere, et arces §2.1.253montibus impositas et barbara regna, tuisque §2.1.254auspiciis totum confecta duclla per orbem, §2.1.255claustraque custodem pacis cohibentia Ianum, §2.1.256et formidatam Parthis te principe Romam, §2.1.257si quantum cuperem possem quoque;
Nor would I prefer to compose talks creeping along the ground rather than epic exploits, and describe the situations of lands, and rivers, and citadels placed on mountains, and barbarian realms, and wars concluded throughout the whole world under your auspices, and the gates confining Janus, the guardian of peace, and Rome dreaded by the Parthians with you as prince, if I were also able to do as much as I desire.
sed neque parvum §2.1.258carmen maiestas recipit tua, nec meus audet §2.1.259rem temptare pudor quam vires ferre recusent.
But neither does your majesty admit a small poem, nor does my modesty dare to attempt a task which my strength refuses to bear.
§2.1.260sedulitas autem stulte quem diligit urget, §2.1.261praecipue cum se numeris commendat et arte; §2.1.262discit enim citius meminitque libentius illud §2.1.263quod quis deridet, quam quod probat et veneratur.
But officiousness foolishly burdens the one whom it loves, especially when it commends itself by numbers and art; for one learns more quickly and remembers more willingly that which someone derides, than that which he approves and venerates.
§2.1.264nil moror officium quod me gravat, ac neque ficto §2.1.265in peius voltu proponi cereus usquam §2.1.266nec prave factis decorari versibus opto, §2.1.267ne rubeam pingui donatus munere, et una §2.1.268cum scriptore meo, capsa porrectus operta, §2.1.269deferar in vicum vendentem tus et odores et piper §2.1.270et quidquid chartis amicitur ineptis.
I care nothing for an office which burdens me, and I do not wish to be set forth anywhere in wax with my face distorted for the worse, nor to be decorated with badly made verses, lest I blush, presented with a heavy gift, and along with my writer, stretched out in a closed box, be carried down into the street that sells frankincense, perfumes, pepper, and whatever is wrapped in foolish papers.