And does anyone even now look up to the liberal arts, or think that tender song has a dowry?
Talent was once more precious than gold; but now it is a great barbarism to have nothing.
§3.8.5Cum pulchrae dominae nostri placuere libelli, §3.8.6Quo licuit libris, non licet ire mihi; §3.8.7Cum bene laudavit, laudato ianua clausa est.
Though my little books pleased the beautiful mistress, where it was permitted for books, it is not permitted for me to go; though she praised them well, the door is shut to the praised one.
§3.8.8Turpiter huc illuc ingeniosus eo.
Shamefully, I, the talented one, go here and there.
Look, a newly-rich man, with wealth acquired through wounds, a knight fed on blood, is preferred to us!
§3.8.11Hunc potes amplecti formosis, vita, lacertis?
Can you, my life, embrace this man with your beautiful arms?
§3.8.12Huius in amplexu, vita, iacere potes?
Can you, my life, lie in his embrace?
§3.8.13Si nescis, caput hoc galeam portare solebat; §3.8.14Ense latus cinctum, quod tibi servit, erat; §3.8.15Laeva manus, cui nunc serum male convenit aurum, §3.8.16Scuta tulit; dextram tange — cruenta fuit!
If you do not know, this head used to wear a helmet; the flank which serves you was girded with a sword; the left hand, which now gold ill fits so late, carried shields; touch his right hand — it was bloody!
§3.8.17Qua periit aliquis, potes hanc contingere dextram?
Can you touch this right hand, by which someone perished?
§3.8.18Heu, ubi mollities pectoris illa tui?
Alas, where is that softness of your breast?
§3.8.19Cerne cicatrices, veteris vestigia pugnae — §3.8.20Quaesitum est illi corpore, quidquid habet.
See the scars, traces of an old battle — whatever he has was acquired by that body.
§3.8.21Forsitan et, quotiens hominem iugulaverit, ille
And perhaps he would even point out how many times he has slit a man's throat!
§3.8.22Indicet! hoc fassas tangis, avara, manus?
Do you, greedy one, touch hands that have confessed to this?
Shall I, that pure priest of the Muses and Phoebus, sing a useless song to unyielding doors?
§3.8.25Discite, qui sapitis, non quae nos scimus inertes, §3.8.26Sed trepidas acies et fera castra sequi §3.8.27Proque bono versu primum deducite pilum!
Learn, you who are wise, not what we useless ones know, but to follow trembling battle-lines and fierce camps and in place of a good verse lead the first spear!
§3.8.28Nox tibi, si belles, possit, Homere, dari.
A night, Homer, if you should wage war, could be given to you.
Jupiter, having been reminded that nothing is more powerful than gold, himself became the price of the seduced maiden.
§3.8.31Dum merces aberat, durus pater, ipsa severa, §3.8.32Aerati postes, ferrea turris erat; §3.8.33Sed postquam sapiens in munere venit adulter, §3.8.34Praebuit ipsa sinus et dare iussa dedit.
While the reward was absent, there was a harsh father, she herself was severe, bronze were the doorposts, iron was the tower; but after the clever adulterer came with a gift, she herself offered her bosom and gave what she was ordered to give.
But when old Saturn held the kingdoms of heaven, the deep earth pressed down all gain in darkness.
And bronze and silver and, with gold, the weights of iron she had moved near the Manes, and there was no ore-mass.
But she used to give better things — crops without the curved plowshare, and fruits, and honey found in the hollow oak.
§3.8.41Nec valido quisquam terram scindebat aratro, §3.8.42Signabat nullo limite mensor humum, §3.8.43Non freta demisso verrebant eruta remo; §3.8.44Ultima mortali tum via litus erat.
Nor did anyone tear the earth with a strong plow, no land-surveyor marked the ground with a boundary, they did not sweep the dug-up seas with lowered oars; the shore was then the furthest path for mortal man.
On the contrary, human nature, you have been clever against yourself, and too clever to your own detriment.
§3.8.47Quo tibi, turritis incingere moenibus urbes?
What use is it for you to gird cities with turreted walls?
§3.8.48Quo tibi, discordes addere in arma manus?
What use is it for you to put discordant hands into weapons?
§3.8.49Quid tibi cum pelago — terra contenta fuisses!
What have you to do with the sea? You should have been content with the land!
§3.8.50Cur non et caelum, tertia regna, petis?
Why do you not seek heaven too, the third kingdom?
§3.8.51Qua licet, adfectas caelum quoque — templa Quirinus, §3.8.52Liber et Alcides et modo Caesar habent.
Where it is allowed, you affect heaven too — temples Quirinus, Liber, and Alcides, and just now Caesar have.
§3.8.53Eruimus terra solidum pro frugibus aurum.
We dig out solid gold from the earth instead of crops.
§3.8.54Possidet inventas sanguine miles opes.
The soldier possesses wealth gained by blood.
§3.8.55Curia pauperibus clausa est — dat census honores; §3.8.56Inde gravis iudex, inde severus eques!
The Senate-house is closed to the poor — wealth gives honors; hence the grave judge, hence the severe knight!
§3.8.57Omnia possideant; illis Campusque forumque §3.8.58Serviat, hi pacem crudaque bella gerant — §3.8.59Tantum ne nostros avidi liceantur amores, §3.8.60Et — satis est — aliquid pauperis esse sinant!
Let them possess everything; let both the Campus and the Forum serve them, let these make peace and raw wars — only let them not, greedy, bid for our loves, and — it is enough — let them allow something to belong to the poor man!
§3.8.61At nunc, exaequet tetricas licet illa Sabinas, §3.8.62Imperat ut captae qui dare multa potest; §3.8.63Me prohibet custos, in me timet illa maritum.
But now, although she should equal the strict Sabine women, he who can give many things commands her as if she were a captive; the guard keeps me away, on account of me she fears her husband.
§3.8.64Si dederim, tota cedet uterque domo!
If I should give, both will yield the whole house!