§2.2.72festinat calidus mulis gerulisque redemptor, §2.2.73torquet nunc lapidem, nunc ingens machina tignum, §2.2.74tristia robustis luctantur funera plaustris, §2.2.75hac rabiosa fugit canis, hac lutulenta ruit sus: §2.2.76i nunc et versus tecum meditare canoros.
The hot contractor hurries with mules and porters, a huge machine twists now a stone, now a great beam, sad funerals struggle with robust wagons, here a mad dog flees, there a muddy sow rushes: go now and meditate tuneful verses with yourself.
§2.2.77scriptorum chorus omnis amat nemus et fugit urbem, §2.2.78rite cliens Bacchi somno gaudentis et umbra: §2.2.79tu me inter strepitus nocturnos atque diurnos §2.2.80vis canere et contracta sequi vestigia vatum?
Every chorus of writers loves the grove and flees the city, rightly client of Bacchus who rejoices in sleep and shade: do you wish me, amid noises by night and by day, to sing and to follow the narrow footsteps of the bards?
§2.2.81ingenium, sibi quod vacuas desumpsit Athenas §2.2.82et studiis annos septem dedit insenuitque §2.2.83libris et curis, statua taciturnius exit §2.2.84plerumque et risu populum quatit: hic ego rerum §2.2.85fluctibus in mediis et tempestatibus urbis §2.2.86verba lyrae motura sonum conectere digner?
A talent, which has chosen quiet Athens for itself and given seven years to study and grown old in books and cares, usually goes out more silent than a statue and shakes the people with laughter: here, in the midst of the waves of things and the tempests of the city, should I deign to connect words that will stir the sound of the lyre?
§2.2.87Frater erat Romae consulti rhetor, ut alter §2.2.88alterius sermone meros audiret honores, §2.2.89Gracchus ut hic illi, foret huic ut Mucius ille.
There was at Rome a lawyer, the brother of a rhetorician, so that the one would hear nothing but praises from the speech of the other, as if this one were Gracchus to him, and that one Mucius to this.
§2.2.90qui minus argutos vexat furor iste poetas?
How does that madness vex the melodious poets any less?
§2.2.91carmina compono, hic elegos.
I compose songs, this man elegies.
mirabile visu §2.2.92caelatumque novem Musis opus! adspice primum,
A work wonderful to behold and carved by the nine Muses!
Look first, with how much pride, with how much effort we look around at the temple empty for Roman bards!
§2.2.95mox etiam, si forte vacas, sequere et procul audi, §2.2.96quid ferat et qua re sibi nectat uterque coronam.
Soon also, if perchance you are free, follow and listen from afar, what each brings and for what reason each weaves a crown for himself.
We are struck and consume the enemy with as many blows, like Samnites in a slow duel until the first lights.
§2.2.99discedo Alcaeus puncto illius; ille meo quis?
I depart as Alcaeus by his vote; who is he by mine?
§2.2.100quis nisi Callimachus? si plus adposcere visus,
Who but Callimachus?
§2.2.101fit Mimnermus et optivo cognomine crescit.
If he seems to demand more, he becomes Mimnermus and grows with the wished-for surname.
§2.2.102multa fero, ut placem genus irritabile vatum, §2.2.103cum scribo et supplex populi suffragia capto; §2.2.104idem finitis studiis et mente recepta §2.2.105obturem patulas impune legentibus auris.
I endure many things, to appease the irritable race of bards, when I write and, a suppliant, catch at the votes of the people; the same man, having finished my studies and recovered my mind, would plug my open ears with impunity against those who read.
§2.2.106Ridentur mala qui componunt carmina; verum §2.2.107gaudent scribentes et se venerantur et ultro, §2.2.108si taceas, laudant quidquid scripsere beati.
Those who compose bad poems are laughed at; but they rejoice as they write and venerate themselves and voluntarily, if you are silent, praise whatever they have written, happy.
§2.2.109at qui legitimum cupiet fecisse poema, §2.2.110cum tabulis animum censoris sumet honesti; §2.2.111audebit, quaecumque parum splendoris habebunt §2.2.112et sine pondere erunt et honore indigna ferentur, §2.2.113verba movere loco, quamvis invita recedant §2.2.114et versentur adhuc intra penetralia Vestae; §2.2.115obscurata diu populo bonus eruet atque §2.2.116proferet in lucem speciosa vocabula rerum, §2.2.117quae priscis memorata Catonibus atque Cethegis §2.2.118nunc situs informis premit et deserta vetustas; §2.2.119adsciscet nova, quae genitor produxerit usus.
But he who will desire to have made a lawful poem, will take up the mind of an honest censor with his tablets; he will dare, whatever things have too little splendor and will be without weight and are deemed unworthy of honor, to move words from their place, although they recede unwillingly and still turn within the sanctuary of Vesta; long obscured to the people, the good poet will dig out and bring into the light beautiful names of things, which, mentioned by ancient Catos and Cethegi, now shapeless mold and deserted age weigh down; he will adopt new ones, which usage, the parent, has produced.
§2.2.120vemens et liquidus puroque simillimus amni §2.2.121fundet opes Latiumque beabit divite lingua; §2.2.122luxuriantia compescet, nimis aspera sano §2.2.123levabit cultu, virtute carenti tollet, §2.2.124ludentis speciem dabit et torquebitur, ut qui §2.2.125nunc Satyrum, nunc agrestem Cyclopa movetur.
Vigorous and clear, and very like a pure river, he will pour out wealth and bless Latium with a rich tongue; he will check the luxuriant, smooth the too rough with healthy cultivation, remove what lacks strength, he will give the appearance of one playing and yet be twisted, like one who dances now a Satyr, now a rustic Cyclops.
§2.2.126Praetulerim scriptor delirus inersque videri, §2.2.127dum mea delectent mala me vel denique fallant, §2.2.128quam sapere et ringi.
I should prefer to seem a crazy and inactive writer, provided that my bad things delight me or at last deceive me, rather than to be wise and snarl.
fuit haud ignobilis Argis, §2.2.129qui se credebat miros audire tragoedos §2.2.130in vacuo laetus sessor plausorque theatro; §2.2.131cetera qui vitae servaret munia recto §2.2.132more, bonus sane vicinus, amabilis hospes, §2.2.133comis in uxorem, posset qui ignoscere servis §2.2.134et signo laeso non insanire lagoenae, §2.2.135posset qui rupem et puteum vitare patentem.
There was a man not ignoble at Argos, who believed that he heard wonderful tragic actors, a happy sitter and applauder in an empty theater; who, however, kept the other duties of life in a right manner, a truly good neighbor, an amiable host, gentle toward his wife, who could forgive his slaves and not grow mad if the seal of a bottle was broken, who could avoid a cliff and an open well.
§2.2.136hic ubi cognatorum opibus curisque refectus §2.2.137expulit elleboro morbum bilemque meraco, §2.2.138et redit ad sese: “pol, me occidistis, amici, §2.2.139non servastis,” ait, “cui sic extorta voluptas §2.2.140et demptus per vim mentis gratissimus error. ” §2.2.141Nimirum sapere est abiectis utile nugis, §2.2.142et tempestivum pueris concedere ludum, §2.2.143ac non verba sequi fidibus modulanda Latinis, §2.2.144sed verae numerosque modosque ediscere vitae, §2.2.145quocirca mecum loquor haec tacitusque recordor:
This man, when restored by the wealth and care of his kinsmen, had expelled the disease and bile with pure hellebore, and returned to himself, said: "By Pollux, you have killed me, friends, you have not saved me, from whom pleasure has been thus snatched away and the most pleasant error of the mind removed by force." Doubtless to be wise is useful, casting away trifles, and to leave the timely play to boys, and not to follow words to be modulated on Latin strings, but to learn the numbers and modes of true life; therefore, I speak these things with myself and record them in silence: