§3.3.1Si vacat exiguum profugo dare tempus amico, §3.3.2o sidus Fabiae, Maxime, gentis, ades, §3.3.3dum tibi quae vidi refero, seu corporis umbra §3.3.4seu veri species seu fuit ille sopor.
If there is leisure to give a little time to an exiled friend, O star of the Fabian family, Maximus, be present, while I relate to you what I saw, whether it was a shadow of a body, or an appearance of truth, or whether that was sleep.
It was night, and the moon was entering the double-shuttered windows, as bright as she is wont to shine when the month is nearly mid-way.
§3.3.7publica me requies curarum somnus habebat, §3.3.8fusaque erant toto languida membra toro, §3.3.9cum subito pinnis agitatus inhorruit aer, §3.3.10et gemuit parvo mota fenestra sono.
Sleep, the public rest from cares, was holding me, and my languid limbs were stretched out over the whole bed, when suddenly the air, stirred by wings, shuddered, and the moved window groaned with a slight sound.
§3.3.11territus in cubitum relevo mea membra sinistrum, §3.3.12pulsus et e trepido pectore somnus abit.
Terrified, I raise my limbs onto my left elbow, and sleep, driven away, departs from my trembling breast.
§3.3.13stabat Amor, vultu non quo prius esse solebat, §3.3.14fulcra tenens laeva tristis acerna manu, §3.3.15nec torquem collo, nec habens crinale capillo, §3.3.16nec bene dispositas comptus, ut ante, comas, §3.3.17horrida pendebant molles super ora capilli, §3.3.18et visa est oculis horrida pinna meis, §3.3.19qualis in aeriae tergo solet esse columbae, §3.3.20tractatam multae quam tetigere manus.
Amor was standing there, not with the countenance he was formerly wont to have, holding the maple-wood bedpost with his sad left hand, having neither a necklace on his neck, nor a hairpin in his hair, nor having his hair combed in well-arranged fashion, as before, his soft hair was hanging over his rough face, and his wings seemed rough to my eyes, such as is wont to be on the back of a high-flying dove, which many handling hands have touched.
§3.3.21hunc simul agnovi, neque enim mihi notior alter, §3.3.22talibus adfata est libera lingua sonis: §3.3.23‘o puer, exilii decepto causa magistro, §3.3.24quem fuit utilius non docuisse mihi, §3.3.25huc quoque venisti, pax est ubi tempore nullo, §3.3.26et coit adstrictis barbarus Hister aquis?
As soon as I recognized him—for no other is better known to me— my free tongue addressed him with such sounds: 'O boy, cause of exile to your deceived teacher, whom it would have been more useful for me not to have taught, have you come here too, where there is peace at no time, and the barbarian Hister congeals with frozen waters?
§3.3.27quae tibi causa viae, nisi uti mala nostra videres?
What was the cause of your journey, except that you might see our misfortunes?
§3.3.28quae sunt, si nescis, invidiosa tibi.
Which, if you do not know, bring odium upon you.
§3.3.29tu mihi dictasti iuvenalia carmina primus: §3.3.30apposui senis te duce quinque pedes, §3.3.31nec me Maeonio consurgere carmine nec me §3.3.32dicere magnorum passus es acta ducum, §3.3.33forsitan exiguas, aliquas tamen, arcus et ignes §3.3.34ingenii vires comminuere mei.
You first dictated to me my youthful poems: under your guidance, I added five feet to six, nor did you permit me to rise in Maeonian song, nor to speak of the deeds of great leaders, perhaps your bow and fires diminished the powers of my genius, small indeed, yet some.
§3.3.35namque ego dum canto tua regna tuaeque parentis §3.3.36in nullum mea mens grande vacavit opus, §3.3.37nec satis hoc fuerat, stulto quoque carmine feci, §3.3.38Artibus ut posses non rudis esse meis. §3.3.39pro quibus exilium misero est mihi reddita merces, §3.3.40id quoque in extremis et sine pace locis.
For while I sing of your realms and those of your mother, my mind had no leisure for any grand work, nor had this been enough; I also made it, by a foolish poem, so that you might not be unpolished through my "Arts." In return for which, exile was returned to wretched me as a reward, and that too in the most remote and peaceless places.
§3.3.41at non Chionides Eumolpus in Orphea talis, §3.3.42in Phryga nec Satyrum talis Olympus erat, §3.3.43praemia nec Chiron ab Achille talia cepit, §3.3.44Pythagoraeque ferunt non nocuisse Numam.
But Chione's son Eumolpus was not such toward Orpheus, nor was Olympus such toward the Phrygian Satyr, nor did Chiron receive such rewards from Achilles, and they say Numa did not harm Pythagoras.
And lest I recount names collected through a long age, I alone have perished by my own disciple.
§3.3.47dum damus arma tibi, dum te, lascive, docemus, §3.3.48haec te discipulo dona magister habet, §3.3.49scis tamen, et liquido iuratus dicere possis, §3.3.50non ine legitimos sollicitasse toros.
While we give weapons to you, while we teach you, playful one, your teacher has these gifts with you as disciple, yet you know, and, having sworn, you could speak clearly, that I did not disturb lawful marriage beds.
§3.3.51scripsimus haec illis, quarum nec vitta pudicos §3.3.52contingit crines nec stola longa pedes, §3.3.53dic, precor, ecquando didicisti fallere nuptas, §3.3.54et facere incertum per mea iussa genus?
I wrote these things for those whose chaste hair no fillet touches, nor long stola touches their feet, say, I pray, did you ever learn to deceive brides, and to make the lineage uncertain through my instructions?'