§14.1Plurima sunt, Fuscine, et fama digna sinistra §14.2aet nitidis maculam haesuram figentia rebus, §14.3aquae monstrant ipsi pueris traduntque parentes,
There are very many things, Fuscinus, worthy of an ill repute and fixing a lasting stain on bright things, which parents themselves show and hand down to their children.
If the ruinous die pleases the old man, the heir also plays, wearing the bulla, and moves the same arms in his tiny dice-box.
§14.6nec melius de se cuiquam sperare propinquo §14.7concedet iuvenis, qui radere tubera terrae, §14.8boletum condire et eodem iure natantis §14.9mergere ficedulas didicit nebulone parente §14.10et cana monstrante gula;
Nor will the youth allow any of his relatives to hope for anything better from him, who has learned to peel truffles, to season mushrooms, and to submerge fig-peckers swimming in the same sauce, with a scoundrel parent and a hoary gluttony showing the way.
cum septimus annus §14.11transierit puerum, nondum omni dente renato, §14.12barbatos licet admoveas mille inde magistros, §14.13hinc totidem, cupiet lauto cenare paratu §14.14semper et a magna non degenerare culina.
When the seventh year has passed over the boy, before all his teeth are grown back, though you should bring a thousand bearded masters from this side and as many from that, he will wish to dine with luxurious preparation always and not to degenerate from a grand kitchen.
§14.15Mitem animum et mores modicis erroribus aequos §14.16praecipit, atque animas servorum et corpora nostra §14.17materia constare putat paribusque elementis,
Does Rutilus prescribe a mild mind and character indulgent to moderate errors, and does he think that the souls of slaves and our bodies consist of the same matter and equal elements?
§14.18an saevire docet Rutilus, qui gaudet acerbo §14.19plagarum strepitu et nullam Sirena flagellis §14.20conparat, Antiphates trepidi laris ac Polyphemus, §14.21tunc felix, quotiens aliquis tortore vocato §14.22uritur ardenti duo propter lintea ferro?
Or does he teach how to be cruel, he who rejoices in the bitter sound of lashes and compares no Siren to whips, an Antiphates and a Polyphemus to his trembling household, happy then, whenever, after calling the torturer, someone is branded with a hot iron because of two napkins?
§14.23quid suadet iuveni laetus stridore catenae, §14.24quem mire adficiunt inscripta, ergastula, carcer?
What does he advise the youth, who rejoices in the clanking of chains, whom branded slaves, workhouses, and prisons wonderfully attract?
§14.25rusticus expectas ut non sit adultera Largae §14.26filia, quae numquam maternos dicere moechos §14.27tam cito nec tanto poterit contexere cursu, §14.28ut non terdecies respiret? conscia matri
Do you, rustic, expect that the daughter of Larga will not be an adulteress, she who could never recite her mother’s lovers so quickly or string them together in such a rapid run that she does not have to take breath thirteen times?
§14.29virgo fuit, ceras nunc hac dictante pusillas §14.30implet et ad moechum dat eisdem ferre cinaedis.
She was an accomplice to her mother as a maiden; now, with her mother dictating, she fills little wax tablets and gives them to the same pathics to carry to her lover.
§14.31sic natura iubet: velocius et citius nos §14.32corrumpunt vitiorum exempla domestica, magnis §14.33cum subeant animos auctoribus, unus et alter
So nature commands: domestic examples of vices corrupt us more swiftly and rapidly, since they enter our minds with great authorities.
§14.34forsitan haec spernant iuvenes, quibus arte benigna §14.35et meliore luto finxit praecordia Titan, §14.36sed reliquos fugienda patrum vestigia ducunt §14.37et monstrata diu veteris trahit orbita culpae.
One or two young men perhaps may despise these things, whose hearts the Titan has fashioned with kindly art and of a better clay; but the footprints of their fathers, which should be avoided, lead the rest, and the long-shown track of old fault drags them along.
§14.38Abstineas igitur damnandis.
Therefore abstain from what is to be condemned.
huius enim vel §14.39una potens ratio est, ne crimina nostra sequantur §14.40ex nobis geniti, quoniam dociles imitandis §14.41turpibus ac pravis omnes sumus, et Catilinam §14.42quocumque in populo videas, quocumque sub axe, §14.43sed nec Brutus erit Bruti nec avunculus usquam,
For of this indeed there is at least one powerful reason: lest those begotten of us should follow our crimes, since we are all teachable in imitating shameful and depraved things, and you may see a Catiline among any people, under any sky, but neither a Brutus nor Brutus's uncle will be found anywhere.
§14.44nil dictu foedum visuque haec limina tangat, §14.45intra quae pater est; procul, a procul inde puellae §14.46lenonum et cantus pernoctantis parasiti.
Let nothing foul to be said or seen touch these thresholds, within which is a father; far, oh far from there be the girls of procurers and the songs of the parasite spending the night.
§14.47maxima debetur puero reverentia, siquid §14.48turpe paras; nec tu pueri contempseris annos, §14.49sed peccaturo obstet tibi filius infans.
The greatest reverence is owed to a boy, if you plan anything base; and do not despise the years of the boy, but let your infant son stand in your way when you are about to sin.
§14.50nam siquid dignum censoris fecerit ira §14.51quandoque et similem tibi se non corpore tantum §14.52nec vultu dederit, morum quoque filius, et qui §14.53omnia deterius tua per vestigia peccet, §14.54corripies nimirum et castigabis acerbo §14.55clamore ac post haec tabulas mutare parabis.
For if he should do anything worthy of the censor's anger at some time, and show himself similar to you, not only in body and face, but also as a son of your character, and one who sins in all things worse, following your footsteps, you will surely reprove him and chastise him with bitter shouting, and after these things you will prepare to alter your will.
§14.56unde tibi frontem libertatemque parentis, §14.57cum facias peiora senex vacuumque cerebro §14.58iam pridem caput hoc ventosa cucurbita quaerat?
Whence do you get a parent’s brow and freedom of speech, when you, an old man, do worse things, and this head of yours, long void of brains, has been asking for the windy cupping-glass?
§14.59Hospite venturo cessabit nemo tuorum.
When a guest is about to come, no one of your people will rest.
§14.60‘verre pavimentum, nitidas ostende columnas, §14.61arida cum tota descendat aranea tela; §14.62hic leve argentum, vasa aspera tergeat alter’: §14.63vox domini furit instantis virgamque tenentis.
"Sweep the pavement, display the bright columns, let the dry spider descend with all its web; let one polish the smooth silver, another the rough vessels!" The voice of the master rages as he urges them on and holds the rod.
§14.64ergo miser trepidas, ne stercore foeda canino §14.65atria displiceant oculis venientis amici, §14.66ne perfusa luto sit porticus; et tamen uno §14.67semodio scobis haec emendat servulus unus:
Therefore, wretched man, you tremble lest the atrium, foul with dog's dung, displease the eyes of your coming friend, or lest the portico be covered with mud; and yet, a single little slave corrects these things with one half-modius of sawdust.
Do you not trouble yourself with this, that your son should behold a holy home, without any stain and free from vice?
§14.70gratum est quod patriae civem populoque dedisti, §14.71si facis ut patriae sit idoneus, utilis agris, §14.72utilis et bellorum et pacis rebus agendis, §14.73plurimum enim intererit quibus artibus et quibus hunc tu §14.74moribus instituas.
It is a welcome thing that you have given a citizen to your country and people, if you make sure that he is fit for the country, useful to the fields, and useful in managing the affairs of both war and peace; for it will matter immensely with what arts and with what morals you train him.
serpente ciconia pullos §14.75nutrit et inventa per devia rura lacerta: §14.76illi eadem sumptis quaerunt animalia pinnis.
The stork nurtures its young with a serpent and with a lizard found in out-of-the-way fields; they seek the same animals once their wings are taken up.
§14.77vultur iumento et canibus crucibusque relictis §14.78ad fetus properat partemque cadaveris adfert: §14.79hic est ergo cibus magni quoque vulturis et se §14.80pascentis, propria cum iam facit arbore nidos.
The vulture, leaving dead beasts and dogs and crosses, hastens to its offspring and brings a part of the carcass: this, therefore, is the food also of the great vulture when feeding itself, when it now makes its nests in its own tree.