§2.2.1Flore, bono claraque fidelis amice Neroni, §2.2.2si quis forte velit puerum tibi vendere natum §2.2.3Tibure vel Gabiis, et tecum sic agat: “hic et §2.2.4candidus et talos a vertice pulcher ad imos §2.2.5fiet eritque tuus nummorum milibus octo, §2.2.6verna ministeriis ad nutus aptus erilis, §2.2.7litterulis Graecis imbutus, idoneus arti §2.2.8cuilibet; argilla quidvis imitaberis uda; §2.2.9quin etiam canet indoctum sed dulce bibenti.
Florus, faithful friend to the good and illustrious Nero, if anyone should perchance wish to sell you a boy born at Tibur or Gabii, and should deal with you thus: "This boy is both fair and beautiful from his head to his lowest ankles; he shall become and be yours for eight thousand sesterces; a home-born slave fit for services at his master's beck, imbued with a little Greek learning, suitable for any art; you will fashion him into anything, like wet clay; nay, he will even sing untutored but sweetly to you as you drink.
§2.2.10multa fidem promissa levant, ubi plenius aequo §2.2.11laudat venalis qui volt extrudere merces,
Many promises diminish credit, when he who wishes to thrust out his saleable wares praises them more fully than is fair.
§2.2.12res urget me nulla; meo sum pauper in aere.
No necessity presses me; I am poor within my own means.
No other slave-dealer would do this for you; not easily from me would anyone carry off the same bargain.
semel hic cessavit et, ut fit, §2.2.15in scalis latuit metuens pendentis habenae:
Once he shirked his duty and, as happens, hid under the stairs, fearing the hanging strap.
§2.2.16des nummos, excepta nihil te si fuga laedit:” §2.2.17ille ferat pretium poenae securus, opinor, §2.2.18prudens emisti vitiosum; dicta tibi est lex:
Give me the money, if this running away, which is excepted, does not trouble you." The seller would carry off the price, secure from penalty, I suppose; you bought a defective boy with your eyes open; the condition was stated to you.
§2.2.19insequens tamen hunc et lite moraris iniqua?
Do you nevertheless pursue him and delay him with an unjust lawsuit?
§2.2.20dixi me pigrum proficiscenti tibi, dixi §2.2.21talibus officiis prope mancum, ne mea saevus §2.2.22iurgares ad te quod epistula nulla rediret.
I told you when you were setting out that I was lazy; I told you that I was almost crippled for such duties, lest you should fiercely chide me because no letter of mine returned to you.
§2.2.23quid tum profeci, mecum facientia iura
What did I gain then, if you nevertheless attack the laws that side with me?
§2.2.24si tamen attemptas? quereris super hoc etiam, quod §2.2.25exspectata tibi non mittam carmina mendax.
You complain moreover about this, that, deceitful, I do not send you the poems you expected.
§2.2.26Luculli miles collecta viatica multis §2.2.27aerumnis, lassus dum noctu stertit, ad assem §2.2.28perdiderat: post hoc vehemens lupus, et sibi et hosti §2.2.29iratus pariter, ieiunis dentibus acer, §2.2.30praesidium regale loco deiecit, ut aiunt, §2.2.31summe munito et multarum divite rerum,
A soldier of Lucullus, having collected his travel-savings through many hardships, while he snored at night, tired, lost to the last penny; after this, like a fierce wolf, angry equally at himself and the enemy, sharp with hungry teeth, dislodged a royal garrison, as they say, from a place highly fortified and rich in many things.
§2.2.32clarus ob id factum donis ornatur honestis, §2.2.33accipit et bis dena super sestertia nummum,
Famous for this deed, he is decorated with honorable gifts, and receives besides twenty thousand sesterces of coin.
§2.2.34forte sub hoc tempus castellum evertere praetor §2.2.35nescio quod cupiens hortari coepit eundem §2.2.36verbis quae timido quoque possent addere mentem: §2.2.37“i, bone, quo virtus tua te vocat, i pede fausto, §2.2.38grandia laturus meritorum praemia, quid stas?” §2.2.39post haec ille catus, quantumvis rusticus: “ibit, §2.2.40ibit eo, quo vis, qui zonam perdidit,” inquit. §2.2.41Romae nutriri mihi contigit atque doceri §2.2.42iratus Grais quantum nocuisset Achilles.
It happened about this time that the general, desiring to overthrow some fort or other, began to encourage the same man with words which could add courage even to a coward: "Go, my brave fellow, whither your valor calls you, go with lucky foot, to bear away great rewards for your merits; why do you stand still?" After this, that shrewd fellow, however rustic, replied: "He will go, he will go whither you wish, who has lost his purse." It fell to my lot to be brought up at Rome, and to be taught how much the angered Achilles had harmed the Greeks.
§2.2.43adiecere bonae paulo plus artis Athenae, §2.2.44scilicet ut vellem curvo dinoscere rectum §2.2.45atque inter silvas Academi quaerere verum.
Kindly Athens added a little more of fine art, to wit, that I should wish to distinguish the straight from the crooked, and to seek truth among the groves of Academus.
§2.2.46dura sed emovere loco me tempora grato §2.2.47civilisque rudem belli tulit aestus in arma §2.2.48Caesaris Augusti non responsura lacertis.
But the harsh times moved me from that pleasant place, and the tide of civil war bore me, inexperienced, to the arms that were not to be a match for the muscles of Caesar Augustus.
§2.2.49unde simul primum me dimisere Philippi, §2.2.50decisis humilem pennis inopemque paterni §2.2.51et laris et fundi, paupertas impulit audax §2.2.52ut versus facerem: sed quod non desit habentem §2.2.53quae poterunt umquam satis expurgare cicutae, §2.2.54ni melius dormire putem quam scribere versus?
Whence, as soon as Philippi first discharged me, with wings clipped, humbled and destitute of my father's house and land, daring poverty impelled me to write verses; but now that I have what is sufficient, what hemlock will ever be able to purge me sufficiently, unless I were to think it better to sleep than to write verses?
§2.2.55Singula de nobis anni praedantur euntes; §2.2.56eripuere iocos, Venerem, convivia, ludum; §2.2.57tendunt extorquere poemata: quid faciam vis?
The passing years plunder us of each thing one by one; they have snatched away jokes, love, banquets, play; they are striving to wrest away my poems; what do you want me to do?
§2.2.58denique non omnes eadem mirantur amantque: §2.2.59carmine tu gaudes, hic delectatur iambis, §2.2.60ille Bioneis sermonibus et sale nigro.
Lastly, not everyone admires and loves the same things: you rejoice in lyric song, this man is delighted with iambics, that other with Bionean discourses and black salt.
Three guests seem to me almost to disagree, demanding widely different things with a varied palate.
§2.2.63quid dem? quid non dem? renuis tu, quod iubet alter; §2.2.64quod petis, id sane est invisum acidumque duobus.
What should I give? What not give? You refuse what another orders; what you seek, that is indeed hateful and sour to the other two.
§2.2.65Praeter cetera me Romaene poemata censes §2.2.66scribere posse inter tot curas totque labores?
Besides other things, do you think that I can write poems at Rome, amid so many cares and so many labors?
§2.2.67hic sponsum vocat, hic auditum scripta, relictis §2.2.68omnibus officiis; cubat hic in colle Quirini, §2.2.69hic extremo in Aventino, visendus uterque; §2.2.70intervalla vides humane commoda.
One calls me to be a surety, another to hear his writings, neglecting all duties; this one lies sick on the Quirinal hill, that one on the furthest Aventine, both to be visited; you see the distances, conveniently commodious for a human.
“verum §2.2.71purae sunt plateae, nihil ut meditantibus obstet. ”
"But," you say, "the streets are clear, so that nothing blocks those who are meditating."