In short, I do not see a single one among so many writers, whom his own Muse has ruined; I have been found as that one.
§2.1.497quid, si scripsissem mimos obscena iocantes, §2.1.498qui semper vetiti crimen amoris habent, §2.1.499in quibus assidue cultus procedit adulter, §2.1.500verbaque dat stulto callida nupta viro?
What if I had written mimes that jest obscenely, which always have the charge of forbidden love, in which the elegant adulterer constantly comes forward, and the clever bride deceives her foolish husband with words?
§2.1.501nubilis hos virgo matronaque virque puerque §2.1.502spectat, et ex magna parte senatus adest, §2.1.503nec satis incestis temerari vocibus aures; §2.1.504adsuescunt oculi multa pudenda pati; §2.1.505cumque fefellit amans aliqua novitate maritum, §2.1.506plauditur et magno palma favore datur; quodque §2.1.507minus prodest, scaena est lucrosa poetae, §2.1.508tantaque non parvo crimina praetor emit.
These the marriageable maiden, the matron, the man, and the boy watch, and a large part of the senate is present, Nor is it enough for their ears to be defiled by unchaste voices; their eyes become accustomed to enduring many shameful things; and when a lover has deceived a husband with some novelty, there is applause, and the palm of victory is given with great favor; and what is of less benefit, the stage is lucrative for the poet, and the praetor buys such great crimes at no small price.
Inspect the expenses of your games, Augustus: you will read of many such things bought by you at a great price.
§2.1.511haec tu spectasti spectandaque saepe dedisti §2.1.512maiestas adeo comis ubique tua est— §2.1.513luminibusque tuis, totus quibus utitur orbis, §2.1.514scaenica vidisti lentus adulteria.
These you have watched and have often given to be watched— so gracious is your majesty everywhere— and with your eyes, which the whole world uses, you have calmly beheld these theatrical adulteries.
If it is lawful to write mimes that imitate shameful things, a lesser punishment is due to my subject matter.
§2.1.517an genus hoc scripti faciunt sua pulpita tutum, §2.1.518quodque licet, mimis scaena licere dedit?
Or does their stage make this kind of writing safe, and what is allowed, the stage has granted to be allowed to mimes?
My poems too have often been danced for the people, and have often detained even your eyes.
§2.1.521scilicet in domibus nostris ut prisca virorum §2.1.522artificis fulgent corpora picta manu, §2.1.523sic quae concubitus varios venerisque figuras §2.1.524exprimat, est aliquo parva tabella loco.
To be sure, just as in our homes the ancient bodies of heroes, painted by the artist's hand, shine, so is there in some place a small tablet which expresses various joinings and figures of Venus.
§2.1.525utque sedet vultu fassus Telamonius iram, §2.1.526inque oculis facinus barbara mater habet, §2.1.527sic madidos siccat digitis Venus uda capillos, §2.1.528et modo maternis tecta videtur aquis,
And just as the son of Telamon sits, revealing anger on his face, and the barbarian mother has crime in her eyes, so wet Venus dries her drenched hair with her fingers, and seems but now covered by her motherly waters.
§2.1.529bella sonant alii telis instructa eruditis, §2.1.530parsque tui generis, pars tua facta canunt, §2.1.531invida me spatio natura coercuit arto, §2.1.532ingenio vires exiguasque dedit,
Others sound of wars equipped with learned weapons, and some sing of your lineage, some of your deeds; envious nature has confined me within a narrow space, and has given meager strength to my talent.
§2.1.533et tamen ille tuae felix Aeneidos auctor §2.1.534contulit in Tyrios arma virumque toros, §2.1.535nec legitur pars ulla magis de corpore toto, §2.1.536quam non legitimo foedere iunctus amor.
And yet that blessed author of your 'Aeneid' brought 'arms and the man' into Tyrian beds, nor is any part read more from the whole body of work, than that love joined in an unlawful alliance.
§2.1.537Phyllidis hic idem teneraeque Amaiyllidis ignes §2.1.538bucolicis iuvenis luserat ante modis, §2.1.539nos quoque iam pridem scripto peccavimus isto: §2.1.540supplicium patitur non nova culpa novum;
This same man, in his youth, had previously played with the fires of Phyllis and tender Amaryllis in bucolic measures; I too long ago sinned with that writing of mine: a punishment that is new is suffered by a fault that is not new.
And I had published those poems when you, noting offenses, I passed before you so many times as an blameless knight.
§2.1.543ergo quae iuvenis mihi non nocitura putavi §2.1.544scripta parum prudens, nunc nocuere seni.
Therefore, the writings which as a youth I thought would not harm me, written with too little prudence, now have harmed me in my old age.
The late vengeance of an old book has overflowed, and the punishment is far removed from the time of its earning.
§2.1.547ne tamen omne meum credas opus esse remissum. . §2.1.548saepe dedi nostrae grandia vela rati.
Lest, however, you should believe that all my work is trivial, I have often given grand sails to our bark.
§2.1.549sex ego Pastorum scripsi totidemque libellos, §2.1.550cumque suo finem mense volumen habet, §2.1.551idque tuo nuper scriptum sub nomine. Caesar, §2.1.552et tibi sacratum sors mea rupit opus; §2.1.553et dedimus tragicis scriptum regale cothurnis, §2.1.554quaeque gravis debet verba cothurnus habet, §2.1.555dictaque sunt nobis, quamvis manus ultima coeptis §2.1.556defuit, in facies corpora versa novas, §2.1.557atque utinam revoces animum paulisper ab ira, §2.1.558et vacuo iubeas hinc tibi pauca legi? §2.1.559pauca, quibus prima surgens ab origine mundi §2.1.560in tua deduxi tempora. Caesar, opus!
I wrote six books of the 'Fasti' and as many volumes, and each volume has its end with its own month, and that work, recently written under your name, Caesar, and consecrated to you, my lot has interrupted; And I gave a royal writing to the tragic buskins, and it has the words which the grave buskin ought to have, And there were told by me, although the final hand was lacking to the undertaking, bodies changed into new forms; And would that you might recall your mind a little from anger, and in a leisure moment order a few passages from this to be read to you— a few, in which, rising from the first origin of the world, I have brought down my work to your times, Caesar!
§2.1.561aspicies, quantum dederis mihi pectoris ipse, §2.1.562quoque favore animi teque tuosque canam,
You will see how much spirit you yourself have given me, and with what favor of mind I sing of you and yours.
§2.1.563non ego mordaci destrinxi carmine quemquam. §2.1.564nec meus ullius crimina versus habet, §2.1.565candidus a salibus suffusis felle refugi: §2.1.566nulla venenato littera mixta ioco est.
I have not grazed anyone with a biting poem, nor does my verse contain the crimes of anyone, blameless, I have shrunk from jests suffused with gall: no letter has been mixed with a poisoned jest.
Among so many thousands of our people, in so many writings, I shall be the only one whom my Calliope has harmed.
§2.1.569non igitur nostris ullum gaudere Quiritem §2.1.570auguror, at multos indoluisse malis; §2.1.571nec mihi credibile est, quemquam insultasse iacenti §2.1.572gratia candori si qua relata meo est.
Therefore I do not augur that any Roman citizen rejoices in my misfortunes, but rather that many have grieved at them; nor is it credible to me that anyone has insulted me as I lie prostrate, if any gratitude has been returned to my integrity.
§2.1.573his, precor, atque aliis possint tua numina flecti, §2.1.574o pater, o patriae cura salusque tuae!
By these, I pray, and by other things may your divine power be bended, O father, O care and salvation of your country!
§2.1.575non ut in Ausoniam redeam, nisi forsitan olim, §2.1.576cum longo poenae tempore victus eris; §2.1.577tutius exilium pauloque quietius oro, §2.1.578ut par delicto sit mea poena suo.
Not that I may return to Ausonia, unless perhaps one day, when you shall have been overcome by the long duration of my punishment; I pray for a safer and a slightly quieter exile, so that my punishment may be equal to its fault.