§11.139et Scythicae volucres et phoenicopterus ingens §11.140et Gaetulus oryx hebeti lautissima ferro §11.141caeditur et tota sonat ulmea cena Subura.
Both Scythian birds and the huge flamingo and the Gaetulian oryx are carved with a blunt knife, and the elm-wood dinner resounds through the whole Subura.
§11.142nec frustum capreae subducere nec latus Afrae §11.143novit avis noster, tirunculus ac rudis omni §11.144tempore et exiguae furtis inbutus ofellae.
Our young carver does not know how to steal a slice of roe-deer nor the wing of an African bird, being a raw recruit and untutored at all times, and initiated only into the thefts of a tiny steak.
§11.145plebeios calices et paucis assibus emptos §11.146porriget incultus puer atque a frigore tutus.
Plebeian cups, bought for a few asses, will be handed by an unpolished boy, who is well protected against the cold.
§11.147non Phryx aut Lycius, non a mangone petitus §11.148quisquam erit et magno: cum posces, posce latine.
There will be no Phrygian or Lycian, nor anyone sought from a slave-dealer at a high price; when you ask for something, ask in Latin.
§11.149idem habitus cunctis, tonsi rectique capilli §11.150atque hodie tantum propter convivia pexi.
All have the same appearance: hair close-cut and straight, and combed today only on account of the dinner.
§11.151pastoris duri hic est filius, ille bubulci; §11.152suspirat longo non visam tempore matrem, §11.153et casulam et notos tristis desiderat haedos, §11.154ingenui vultus puer ingenuique pudoris, §11.155quales esse decet quos ardens purpura vestit, §11.156nec pupillares defert in balnea raucus §11.157testiculos, nec vellendas iam praebuit alas, §11.158crassa nec opposito pavidus tegit inguina guto.
One is the son of a hardy shepherd, the other of a cowherd; he sighs for his mother, not seen for a long time, and sadly longs for his little cottage and the familiar kids, a boy of noble countenance and noble modesty, such as it becomes those to be whom the bright purple clothes; he does not, hoarse-voiced, show off his manhood in the baths, nor has he yet yielded his armpits to be plucked, nor does he fearfully cover his robust groin with a oil-flask held in front.
§11.159hic tibi vina dabit diffusa in montibus illis §11.160a quibus ipse venit, quorum sub vertice lusit; §11.162Forsitan expectes ut Gaditana canoro §11.163incipiant prurire choro plausuque probatae §11.164ad terram tremulo descendant clune puellae; §11.165spectant hoc nuptae iuxta recubante marito, §11.166quod pudeat narrare aliquem praesentibus ipsis, §11.167inritamentum veneris languentis et acres §11.168divitis urticae; maior tamen ista voluptas §11.169alterius sexus: magis ille extenditur, et mox §11.170auribus atque oculis concepta urina movetur.
This boy will give you wines bottled on those mountains from which he himself comes, under whose summit he played; Perhaps you expect that the girls of Gades should begin to wanton in a tuneful chorus, and, praised by applause, sink to the ground with trembling loins; wives watch this with their husbands reclining nearby, a thing which anyone would be ashamed to relate in their presence, an incentive to languishing passion, and the sharp nettles of the rich; yet that pleasure is greater for the other sex: she is more aroused, and soon the passion conceived through ears and eyes is set in motion.
§11.171non capit has nugas humilis domus, audiat ille §11.172testarum crepitus cum verbis, nudum olido stans §11.173fornice mancipium quibus abstinet, ille fruatur §11.174vocibus obscaenis omnique libidinis arte, §11.175qui Lacedaemonium pytismate lubricat orbem; §11.176namque ibi fortunae veniam damus, alea turpis, §11.177turpe et adulterium mediocribus: haec eadem illi §11.178omnia cum faciunt, hilares nitidique vocantur,
A humble house does not admit these follies; let him listen to the clatter of castanets with obscene words, from which even a naked slave standing in a smelly brothel abstains; let him enjoy those foul words and every art of lust, who makes the Lacedaemonian marble floor slippery with spit-out wine; for there we excuse fortune; gambling is shameful, and adultery is shameful for common people, but when they do all these same things, they are called jovial and polite.
§11.179nostra dabunt alios hodie convivia ludos, §11.180conditor Iliados cantabitur atque Maronis §11.181altisoni dubiam facientia carmina palmam,
Our feast today will afford other amusements: the author of the Iliad will be sung, and the poems of high-sounding Maro, which make the victory doubtful.
§11.182quid refert, tales versus qua voce legantur?
What does it matter in what voice such verses are read?
§11.183Sed nunc dilatis averte negotia cutis §11.184et gratam requiem dona tibi, quando licebit §11.185per totum cessare diem.
But now, putting aside your cares, turn away from business, and grant yourself a pleasant rest, since it will be permitted to be idle through the whole day.
non faenoris ulla §11.186mentio nec, prima si luce egressa reverti §11.187nocte solet, tacito bilem tibi contrahat uxor §11.188umida suspectis referens multicia rugis §11.189vexatasque comas et vultum auremque calentem.
Let there be no mention of interest, nor, if your wife is accustomed to go out at dawn and return at night, let her stir up your silent anger, bringing back her damp light garments with suspicious wrinkles, and disheveled hair, and a hot face and ear.
§11.190protinus ante meum quidquid dolet exue limen, §11.191pone domum et servos et quidquid frangitur illis §11.192aut perit, ingratos ante omnia pone sodales.
At once lay aside whatever hurts before my threshold; leave behind your house, your slaves, and whatever is broken by them or perishes, and above all leave behind ungrateful friends.
§11.193Interea Megalesiacae spectacula mappae §11.194Idaeum sollemne colunt, similisque triumpho §11.195praeda caballorum praetor sedet, ac mihi pace §11.196inmensae nimiaeque licet si dicere plebis, §11.197totam hodie Romam circus capit, et fragor aurem §11.198percutit, eventum viridis quo colligo panni.
Meanwhile, the spectacles of the Megalesian napkin celebrate the Idaean solemnity, and like a triumph, the praetor sits, the prey of horses; and, if by peace of the immense and too numerous populace I may say so, today the circus holds the whole of Rome, and a roar strikes my ear, from which I gather the success of the green cloth.
§11.199nam si deficeret, maestam attonitamque videres §11.200hanc urbem veluti Cannarum in pulvere victis
For if it failed, you would see this city sad and astonished, just as when the consuls were conquered in the dust of Cannae.
§11.201consulibus, spectent iuvenes, quos clamor et audax §11.202sponsio, quos cultae decet assedisse puellae: §11.203nostra bibat vernum contracta cuticula solem §11.204effugiatque togam, iam nunc in balnea salva
Let the young watch, whom the clamor and bold betting, and sitting next to a well-dressed girl, becomes; let our shriveled skin drink the spring sun, and escape the toga.
§11.205fronte licet vadas, quamquam solida hora supersit §11.206ad sextam, facere hoc non possis quinque diebus §11.207continuis, quia sunt talis quoque taedia vitae §11.208magna: voluptates commendat rarior usus.
Even now you may go to the baths without shame, although a solid hour remains before the sixth; yet you could not do this for five continuous days, since the weariness of such a life is also great: rarer use commends pleasures.