§2.1.83cum coepit quassata domus subsidere, partes §2.1.84in proclinatas omne recumbit onus, §2.1.85cunctaque fortuna rimam faciente dehiscunt, §2.1.86inque suo cladem pondere tracta ruunt.
When a shaken house begins to sink, the entire weight reclines upon the leaning parts, and all things gape open as fortune makes a rift, and, dragged down by their own weight, they rush to ruin.
§2.1.87ergo hominum quaesitum odium mihi carmine, quosque §2.1.88debuit, est vultus turba secuta tuos.
Therefore, hatred of men was sought for me by my song, and the crowd followed your countenance, as it ought to have done.
Yet, I remember, you used to approve of my life and morals, as I passed by on that horse which you had given.
But if that is of no benefit and no glory of honor is returned, yet I had acquired no crime.
Nor was the fortune of defendants poorly entrusted to us, to be inspected by ten times ten men.
§2.1.95res quoque privatas statui sine crimine iudex, §2.1.96deque mea fassa est pars quoque victa fide.
As a judge, I also decided private suits without blame, and even the defeated party confessed to my good faith.
Wretched me! I could have been safe, more than once, by your judgment, if the last events had not harmed me.
The last things ruin me, and a single storm plunges into the deep sea the ship that was safe so many times.
§2.1.101nec mihi pars nocuit de gurgite parva, sed omnes §2.1.102pressere hoc fluctus oceanusque caput,
Nor did a small part of the abyss harm me, but all the waves and the ocean pressed down upon this head.
§2.1.103cur aliquid vidi? cur noxia lumina feci?
Why did I see anything? Why did I make my eyes guilty?
§2.1.104cur imprudenti cognita culpa mihi?
Why was a fault known to me, imprudent as I was?
Unknowing Actaeon saw Diana without her garment; nevertheless, he was no less a prey to his own dogs.
Clearly, even fortune must be atoned for among the gods above, and chance has no pardon when a divinity is offended.
§2.1.109illa nostra die, qua me malus abstulit error, §2.1.110parva quidem periit, sed sine labe domus: §2.1.111sic quoque parva tamen, patrio dicatur ut aevo §2.1.112clara nec ullius nobilitate minor, §2.1.113et neque divitiis nec paupertate notanda, §2.1.114unde sit in neutrum conspiciendus eques.
On that day of ours, on which a harmful error carried me away, a house, small indeed, but without stain, perished: yet so small in such a way that it is called famous from the time of our fathers, and inferior to no one's nobility, and notable neither for riches nor for poverty, whence the knight is conspicuous in neither direction.
§2.1.115sit quoque nostra domus vel censu parva vel ortu, §2.1.116ingenio certe non latet illa meo, §2.1.117quo videar quamvis nimium iuvenaliter usus, §2.1.118grande tamen toto nomen ab orbe fero, §2.1.119turbaque doctorum Nasonem novit et audet §2.1.120non fastiditis adnumerare viris.
Though our house may be small either in wealth or in origin, certainly it is not hidden, thanks to my talent, which, although I may seem to have used too youthfully, yet I bear a great name throughout the whole world, and the crowd of the learned knows Naso, and dares to number him among men who are not disdained.
§2.1.121corruit haec igitur Musis accepta, sub uno §2.1.122sed non exiguo crimine lapsa domus: §2.1.123atque ea sic lapsa est, ut surgere, si modo laesi §2.1.124ematuruerit Caesaris ira, queat, §2.1.125cuius in eventu poenae clementia tanta est, §2.1.126venerit ut nostro lenior illa metu.
Therefore, this house, acceptable to the Muses, has fallen, collapsed under a single, but not small, accusation: and it has so collapsed that it can rise again, if only the anger of the offended Caesar should grow mellow, in the outcome of whose punishment there is such great clemency that it came milder than our fear.
Life was granted, and your anger stopped short of death, O prince, who used your power sparingly!
§2.1.129insuper accedunt, te non adimente, paternae, §2.1.130tamquam vita parum muneris esset, opes.
In addition, father's wealth remains, since you did not take it away, as if life were too small a gift.
Neither did you condemn my deeds by a decree of the senate, nor was my flight ordered by a selected judge.
§2.1.133tristibus invectus verbis—ita principe dignum— §2.1.134ultus es offensas, ut decet, ipse tuas.
Having advanced with harsh words—so worthy of a prince— you yourself avenged your own offenses, as is fitting.
§2.1.135adde quod edictum, quamvis immite minaxque, §2.1.136attamen in poenae nomine lene fuit; §2.1.137quippe relegatus, non exul, dicor in illo, §2.1.138privaque fortunae sunt ibi verba meae.
Add that the edict, although harsh and threatening, was nevertheless mild in the name of the punishment; for I am called "relegated," not "exiled," in it, and there are words specific to my fortune.
§2.1.139nulla quidem sano gravior mentisque potenti §2.1.140poena est, quam tanto displicuisse viro; §2.1.141sed solet interdum fieri placabile numen: §2.1.142nube solet pulsa candidus ire dies.
Indeed, to a sane man and one in control of his mind, there is no heavier punishment than to have displeased so great a man; but a divinity is accustomed sometimes to become placable: when a cloud is driven away, a bright day is wont to proceed.
I have seen an elm tree, which had been touched by the lightning of cruel Jupiter, loaded with leafy vines.
Although you yourself forbid us to hope, we will hope continuously; this one thing can be done even though you forbid it.
§2.1.147spes mihi magna subit, eum te, mitissime princeps, §2.1.148spes mihi, respicio cum mea facta, cadit.
Great hope rises in me when I look at you, most gentle prince; hope falls when I look back at my own deeds.
§2.1.149ac veluti ventis agitantibus aera non est §2.1.150aequalis rabies continuusque furor, §2.1.151sed modo subsidunt intermissique silescunt, §2.1.152vimque putes illos deposuisse suam: §2.1.153sic abeunt redeuntque mei variantque timores, §2.1.154et spem placandi dantque negantque tui.
And just as when the winds shake the air, their madness is not constant nor is their fury continuous, but at times they subside, and having paused, grow silent, and you would think they had laid aside their force: so my fears depart and return and vary, and your eyes both give and deny the hope of appeasing you.
§2.1.155per superos igitur, qui dant tibi longa dabuntque §2.1.156tempora, Romanum si modo nomen amant, §2.1.157per patriam, quae te tuta et secura parente est, §2.1.158cuius, ut in populo, pars ego nuper eram, §2.1.159sic tibi, quem semper factis animoque mereris, §2.1.160reddatur gratae debitus urbis amor; §2.1.161Livia sic tecum sociales compleat annos, §2.1.162quae, nisi te, nullo coniuge digna fuit, §2.1.163quae si non esset, caelebs te vita deceret,
Therefore, by the gods above, who give and will give you long years, if only they love the Roman name, by the fatherland, which is safe and secure under you as its parent, of which I was recently a part, as one among the people, so may the due love of a grateful city be returned to you, which you always deserve by your deeds and mind; so may Livia complete her companionable years with you, she who was worthy of no spouse except you, and if she were not, a celibate life would befit you,