§2.1.68et sapit et mecum facit et Iove iudicat aequo,
is both wise and sides with me, and judges with a favorable Jupiter.
§2.1.69non equidem insector delendave carmina Livi §2.1.70esse reor, memini quae plagosum mihi parvo §2.1.71Orbilium dictare; sed emendata videri §2.1.72pulchraque et exactis minimum distantia miror,
I do not indeed attack the poems of Livius or think they should be destroyed, which I remember the whipping Orbilius dictated to me when I was small; but that they should seem polished and beautiful, and very little different from finished works, I am amazed.
§2.1.73inter quae verbum emicuit si forte decorum, et §2.1.74si versus paulo concinnior unus et alter, §2.1.75iniuste totum ducit venditque poema.
Among which, if by chance a graceful word has shone forth, and if one or two verses are a little more elegant, it unjustly carries and sells the whole poem.
§2.1.76Indignor quicquam reprehendi, non quia crasse §2.1.77compositum illepideve putetur, sed quia nuper, §2.1.78nec veniam antiquis, sed honorem et praemia posci,
I am indignant that anything is blamed, not because it is thought to be composed crudely or without grace, but because it is recent; and that for the ancients not indulgence, but honor and rewards are demanded.
§2.1.79recte necne crocum floresque perambulet Attae §2.1.80fabula si dubitem, clament periisse pudorem §2.1.81cuncti paene patres, ea cum reprehendere coner, §2.1.82quae gravis Aesopus, quae doctus Roscius egit; §2.1.83vel quia nil rectum, nisi quod placuit sibi, ducunt, §2.1.84vel quia turpe putant parere minoribus, et quae §2.1.85imberbes didicere senes perdenda fateri.
Whether or not Atta's play walks rightly over the saffron and flowers, if I should doubt, almost all the elders would cry out that shame has perished, when I endeavor to blame those things which the grave Aesopus, which the learned Roscius acted; either because they reckon nothing right except what has pleased themselves, or because they think it shameful to submit to their juniors, and to confess that what they learned when beardless must be destroyed now they are old.
§2.1.86iam Saliare Numae carmen qui laudat et illud, §2.1.87quod mecum ignorat, solus volt scire videri, §2.1.88ingeniis non ille favet plauditque sepultis, §2.1.89nostra sed impugnat, nos nostraque lividus odit.
Now, he who praises the Salian song of Numa and wants to seem to be the only one to know that which he is ignorant of along with me, he does not favor and applaud buried geniuses, but attacks ours; envious, he hates us and our things.
§2.1.90Quod si tam Graecis novitas invisa fuisset §2.1.91quam nobis, quid nunc esset vetus? aut quid haberet
But if novelty had been as hateful to the Greeks as it is to us, what would now be ancient?
§2.1.92quod legeret tereretque viritim publicus usus?
Or what would the public use have to read and wear out man by man?
§2.1.93Ut primum positis nugari Graecia bellis §2.1.94coepit et in vitium fortuna labier aequa, §2.1.95nunc athletarum studiis, nunc arsit equorum, §2.1.96marmoris aut eboris fabros aut aeris amavit, §2.1.97suspendit picta voltum mentemque tabella, §2.1.98nunc tibicinibus, nunc est gavisa tragoedis; §2.1.99sub nutrice puella velut si luderet infans, §2.1.100quod cupide petiit, mature plena reliquit.
As soon as Greece, having laid aside her wars, began to trifle and to slide into vice with favorable fortune, now she burned with enthusiasm for athletes, now for horses, she loved craftsmen of marble or ivory or bronze, suspended her gaze and mind on painted tablets, now she rejoiced in flute-players, now in tragic actors; just as if an infant girl were playing under a nurse, what she eagerly sought, she quickly left when full.
§2.1.101quid placet aut odio est, quod non mutabile credas?
What pleases or is hated, which you would not believe mutable?
§2.1.102hoc paces habuere bonae ventique secundi.
This is what good peace and favorable winds brought.
§2.1.103Romae dulce diu fuit et sollemne reclusa §2.1.104mane domo vigilare, clienti promere iura, §2.1.105cautos nominibus rectis expendere nummos, §2.1.106maiores audire, minori dicere, per quae §2.1.107crescere res posset, minui damnosa libido.
At Rome it was long pleasant and customary, with open house early in the morning, to be awake, to lay down the law for the client, to pay out money secured by good names, to hear elders, to tell the junior by what means wealth could grow, and ruinous lust be diminished.
§2.1.108mutavit mentem populus levis et calet uno §2.1.109scribendi studio; pueri patresque severi §2.1.110fronde comas vincti cenant et carmina dictant.
The fickle people has changed its mind and burns with a single passion for writing; boys and grave fathers alike, their hair bound with leaves, dine and dictate poems.
§2.1.111ipse ego, qui nullos me adfirmo scribere versus, §2.1.112invenior Parthis mendacior, et prius orto §2.1.113sole vigil calamum et chartas et scrinia posco,
I myself, who affirm that I write no verses, am found more lying than the Parthians, and awake before the rising sun, I call for pen and paper and writing cases.
§2.1.114navem agere ignarus navis timet; habrotonum aegro §2.1.115non audet nisi qui didicit dare; quod medicorum est §2.1.116promittunt medici; tractant fabrilia fabri:
He who is ignorant of a ship fears to steer a ship; to a sick man none dares to give southernwood except he who has learned; what belongs to doctors, doctors undertake; craftsmen handle craftsmen's tools.
§2.1.117scribimus indocti doctique poemata passim.
We write poems everywhere, unlearned and learned alike.
§2.1.118Hic error tamen et levis haec insania quantas §2.1.119virtutes habeat, sic collige, vatis avarus §2.1.120non temere est animus; versus amat, hocstudet unum; §2.1.121detrimenta, fugas servorum, incendia ridet; §2.1.122non fraudem socio puerove incogitat ullam §2.1.123pupillo; vivit siliquis et pane secundo; §2.1.124militiae quamquam piger et malus, utilis urbi, §2.1.125si das hoc, parvis quoque rebus magna iuvari.
Yet how great virtues this error and this light madness has, gather thus: the mind of a poet is rarely greedy; he loves verses, this alone he studies; losses, flight of slaves, fires he laughs at; he plans no fraud against a partner or a boy ward; he lives on pods and second-rate bread; though slow and bad for military service, he is useful to the city, if you grant this, that great things are helped by small things too.
§2.1.126os tenerum pueri balbumque poeta figurat, §2.1.127torquet ab obscenis iam nunc sermonibus aurem, §2.1.128mox etiam pectus praeceptis format amicis, §2.1.129asperitatis et invidiae corrector et irae, §2.1.130recte facta refert, orientia tempora notis §2.1.131instruit exemplis, inopem solatur et aegrum,
The poet fashions the tender and stammering mouth of the boy, turns away his ear even now from obscene words, presently also forms his heart with friendly precepts, corrector of roughness and envy and anger, he relates right deeds, instructs the rising times with famous examples, consoles the poor and the sick.
§2.1.132castis cum pueris ignara puella mariti §2.1.133disceret unde preces, vatem ni Musa dedisset?
With chaste boys, how would the girl ignorant of a husband learn prayers, unless the Muse had given a poet?
§2.1.134poscit opem chorus et praesentia numina sentit,
The chorus demands help and feels the present divinities,