What have I to do with you, little books, my unhappy care, who myself, wretched, have perished by my own talent?
§2.1.3cur modo damnatas repeto, mea crimina, Musas?
Why do I seek again the Muses so recently condemned, my own accusations?
§2.1.4an semel est poenam commeruisse parum?
Or is it not enough to have deserved punishment once?
It was verses that made a woman and a man wish to know me, with an omen unfavorable to me.
It was verses that made Caesar brand me and my morals, by my Art, which is now ordered to be removed.
Take away my study, and you will also take away the charges of my life; I credit my guilt to my verses.
This prize of my care and wakeful labors we have received: punishment was found for my talent.
If I were wise, I would have rightly hated the learned sisters, divinities destructive to their own worshipper.
§2.1.15at nunc—tanta meo comes est insania morbo— §2.1.16saxa malum refero rursus ad ista pedem: §2.1.17scilicet ut victus repetit gladiator harenam, §2.1.18et redit in tumidas naufraga puppis aquas,
But now—so great a madness is a companion to my disease— I direct my harmful foot back to those rocks again, indeed, as the defeated gladiator seeks again the arena, and the shipwrecked ship returns into the swelling waters.
§2.1.19forsitan ut quondam Teuthrantia regna tenenti, §2.1.20sic mihi res eadem vulnus opemque feret, §2.1.21Musaque, quam movit, motam quoque leniet iram; §2.1.22exorant magnos carmina saepe deos.
Perhaps, just as once for the ruler of the Teuthrantian realm, so the same thing will bring both wound and help to me, and the Muse will soothe the anger she has stirred up, once it has been stirred; songs often win over the great gods.
Caesar himself also ordered the Ausonian mothers and daughters-in-law to sing songs to the tower-bearing Ops.
He had also ordered them to be sung to Phoebus, at the time when he held the games which a single generation beholds but once.
By these examples, I pray, most gentle Caesar, let your anger become softer on account of my talent.
§2.1.29illa quidem iusta est, nec me meruisse negabo— §2.1.30non adeo nostro fugit ab ore pudor— §2.1.31sed nisi peccassem, quid tu concedere posses?
That anger indeed is just, nor will I deny that I deserved it— shame has not fled so completely from my face— but if I had not sinned, what could you grant?
§2.1.32materiam veniae sors tibi nostra dedit,
Our lot has given you the raw material for pardon.
§2.1.33si, quotiens peccant homines, sua fulmina mittat §2.1.34Iuppiter, exiguo tempore inermis erit; §2.1.35nunc ubi detonuit strepituque exterruit orbem, §2.1.36purum discussis aera reddit aquis,
If, as often as men sin, Jupiter should send his lightnings, in a short time he will be unarmed; now, when he has thundered and terrified the world with his noise, he restores pure air, having dispersed the clouds.
§2.1.37iure igitur genitorque deum rectorque vocatur, §2.1.38iure capax mundus nil Iove maius habet.
Rightly, therefore, is he called both father and ruler of the gods; rightly does the spacious world hold nothing greater than Jupiter.
You too, since you are called ruler and father of your country, use the custom of the god who has the same name.
And indeed you do so, nor was anyone ever able to hold the reins of his empire more temperately than you.
You have often given pardon to the defeated faction, which the victor would not have granted to you.
§2.1.45divitiis etiam multos et honoribus auctos §2.1.46vidi, qui tulerant in caput arma tuum; §2.1.47quaeque dies bellum, belli tibi sustulit iram, §2.1.48parsque simul templis utraque dona tulit; §2.1.49utque tuus gaudet miles, quod vicerit hostem, §2.1.50sic victum cur se gaudeat, hostis habet,
Indeed, I have seen many, increased with riches and honors, who had carried weapons against your life; and whatever day took away the war, took away your anger for the war, and both sides together brought gifts to the temples; and just as your soldier rejoices that he conquered the enemy, so the conquered enemy has reason to rejoice that he was defeated.
My cause is better, who am neither said to have taken up opposing arms, nor to have followed hostile forces.
§2.1.53per mare, per terras, per tertia numina iuro, §2.1.54per te praesentem conspicuumque deum, §2.1.55hunc animum favisse tibi, vir maxime, meque, §2.1.56qua sola potui, mente fuisse tuum.
I swear by the sea, by the lands, by the third divinities, by you, a present and visible god, that this mind favored you, greatest man, and that I, in my mind, which was the only way I could, was yours.
§2.1.57optavi, peteres caelestia sidera tarde, §2.1.58parsque fui turbae parva precantis idem, §2.1.59et pia tura dedi pro te, cumque omnibus unus §2.1.60ipse quoque adiuvi publica vota meis.
I wished that you would seek the celestial stars late, and I was a small part of the crowd praying for the same thing; and I offered pious incense for you, and, one along with everyone, I too aided the public vows with my own.
§2.1.61quid referam libros, illos quoque, crimina nostra, §2.1.62mille locis plenos nominis esse tui?
Why should I mention the books, those too my accusations, that they are full of your name in a thousand places?
§2.1.63inspice maius opus, quod adhuc sine fine tenetur, §2.1.64in non credendos corpora versa modos: §2.1.65invenies vestri praeconia nominis illic, §2.1.66invenies animi pignora multa mei.
Look into my greater work, which is still held without an end, bodies changed into unbelievable forms: you will find there the heraldry of your name, you will find many pledges of my mind.
Your glory does not become greater through songs, nor has it any place where it can grow to become greater.
§2.1.69fama Iovi superest: tamen hunc sua facta referri §2.1.70et se materiam carminis esse iuvat, §2.1.71cumque Gigantei memorantur proelia belli, §2.1.72credibile est laetum laudibus esse suis.
Jupiter has fame in abundance; yet it pleases him that his deeds are recorded, and that he is the subject of a song; and when the battles of the Giant war are recounted, it is believable that he is glad of his praises.
§2.1.73te celebrant alii, quanto decet ore, tuasque §2.1.74ingenio laudes uberiore canunt: §2.1.75sed tamen, ut fuso taurorum sanguine centum, §2.1.76sic capitur minimo turis honore deus.
Others celebrate you with such voice as is fitting, and sing your praises with a richer talent: but yet, just as by the shed blood of a hundred bulls, so a god is won over by the smallest offering of incense.
§2.1.77a! ferus et nobis crudelior omnibus hostis, §2.1.78delicias legit qui tibi cumque meas, §2.1.79carmina ne nostris quae te venerantia libris §2.1.80iudicio possint candidiore legi.
Ah, a wild enemy, and more cruel to me than all, whoever read my trifles to you, lest the songs in my books that revere you might be read with a more favorable judgment.
§2.1.81esse sed irato quis te mihi posset amicus?
But when you were angry, who could be a friend to me?
§2.1.82vix tunc ipse mihi non inimicus eram.
At that time, I myself was scarcely not an enemy to myself.