The wave ahead obstructs; the crowd that follows presses upon our loins in a great column.
ferit hic cubito, ferit assere duro §3.246alter, at hic tignum capiti incutit, ille metretam.
One strikes with his elbow, another strikes with a hard pole, and here this one strikes a beam against one's head, that one a cask.
§3.247pinguia crura luto, planta mox undique magna §3.248calcor, et in digito clavus mihi militis haeret.
My legs are thick with mud, soon on all sides by a great sole I am trampled, and a soldier's nail sticks in my toe.
§3.249Nonne vides quanto celebretur sportula fumo?
Do you not see with how much smoke the sportula is celebrated?
§3.250centum convivae, sequitur sua quemque culina.
A hundred guests; his own kitchen follows each one.
§3.251Corbulo vix ferret tot vasa ingentia, tot res §3.252inpositas capiti, quas recto vertice portat §3.253servulus infelix et cursu ventilat ignem,
Corbulo could scarcely bear so many huge vessels, so many things placed upon the head, which, with neck upright, a poor little slave carries, and fans the fire as he runs.
§3.254scinduntur tunicae sartae modo, longa coruscat §3.255serraco veniente abies, atque altera pinum §3.256plaustra vehunt; nutant alte populoque minantur.
Tunics just mended are torn; a long fir-tree brandishes from the approaching wagon, and another cart carries a pine; they nod on high and threaten the people.
For if the axle which carries Ligurian stones has broken down, and poured the overturned mountain upon the columns, what remains of their bodies?
§3.259quid superest de corporibus? quis membra, quis ossa
Who finds limbs, who bones?
§3.260invenit? obtritum vulgi perit omne cadaver
Every crushed corpse of the common people perishes like a soul.
§3.261more animae, domus interea secura patellas §3.262iam lavat et bucca foculum excitat et sonat unctis §3.263striglibus et pleno componit lintea guto.
Meanwhile, the household, secure, already washes the dishes, and stirs the hearth with a breath, and makes a noise with oiled scrapers, and arranges the linen towels with a full oil-flask.
§3.264haec inter pueros varie properantur, at ille §3.265iam sedet in ripa taetrumque novicius horret, §3.266porthmea nec sperat caenosi gurgitis alnum §3.267infelix nec habet quem porrigat ore trientem.
These things are variously hastened among the slaves, but he already sits on the bank and, a newcomer, shudders at the grim ferryman, nor does he hope for the boat of the muddy gulf, unhappy wretch, nor has he a coin in his mouth to proffer.
§3.268Respice nunc alia ac diversa pericula noctis: §3.269quod spatium tectis sublimibus unde cerebrum §3.270testa ferit, quotiens rimosa et curta fenestris §3.271vasa cadant, quanto percussum pondere signent §3.272et laedant silicem, possis ignavus haberi §3.273et subiti casus inprovidus, ad cenam si §3.274intestatus eas: adeo tot fata, quot illa §3.275nocte patent vigiles te praetereunte fenestrae.
Look now at other and different dangers of the night: what space from the lofty roofs from which a tile strikes the head, how often cracked and broken vessels fall from windows, with what weight they mark and damage the flintstone: you could be held indolent and improvident of sudden casualty if you go to dinner intestate; indeed there are as many deaths as there are vigilant windows open as you pass by.
Therefore you should hope and carry a wretched prayer with you, that they may be content to pour out wide basins.
§3.278Ebrius ac petulans, qui nullum forte cecidit, §3.279dat poenas, noctem patitur lugentis amicum §3.280Pelidae, cubat in faciem, mox deinde supinus; §3.282somnum rixa facit, sed quamvis improbus annis §3.283atque mero fervens, cavet hunc, quem coccina laena §3.284vitari iubet et comitum longissimus ordo, §3.285multum praeterea flammarum et aenea lampas; §3.286me, quem luna solet deducere vel breve lumen §3.287candelae, cuius dispenso et tempero filum,
The drunk and insolent fellow, who by chance has killed no one, suffers punishment, enduring a night like that of Achilles mourning his friend, he lies on his face, then soon on his back; a fight brings him sleep, but however insolent in his years and heated with wine, he avoids him whom a scarlet cloak and a very long train of attendants command to be avoided, besides a great deal of torches and a bronze lamp; me, whom the moon is wont to escort, or the brief light of a candle, whose wick I dispense and regulate, he despises.
§3.288contemnit, miserae cognosce prohoemia rixae, §3.289si rixa est, ubi tu pulsas, ego vapulo tantum,
Learn the prelude of this wretched fight, if it is a fight, where you strike and I only am beaten.
§3.290stat contra starique iubet: parere necesse est; §3.291nam quid agas, cum te furiosus cogat et idem
He stands opposite and orders you to stop; obey you must; for what are you to do when a madman compels you and he is also stronger?
§3.292fortior?
"unde venis?"
, exclamat, ‘cuius aceto, §3.293cuius conche tumes? quis tecum sectile porrum
'Where do you come from?' he yells, 'with whose vinegar, with whose beans are you bloated?
§3.294sutor et elixi vervecis labra comedit?
What shoemaker ate sliced leek and boiled sheep's lips with you?
§3.295nil mihi respondes? aut dic aut accipe calcem.
Do you answer nothing to me? Either speak or take a kick.
§3.296ede ubi consistas; in qua te quaero proseucha?’ §3.297dicere si temptes aliquid tacitusve recedas, §3.298tantumdem est: feriunt pariter, vadimonia deinde
Say where you stay; in which prayer-house am I to look for you?' If you try to say anything or withdraw in silence, it is all the same: they strike just the same, and then, angry, they demand bail.
§3.299irati faciunt, libertas pauperis haec est: §3.300pulsatus rogat et pugnis concisus adorat §3.301ut liceat paucis cum dentibus inde reverti.
This is the liberty of a poor man: having been beaten, he begs, and cut to pieces by fists, he implores that he may be allowed to return from there with a few teeth left.
§3.302Nec tamen haec tantum metuas, nam qui spoliet te §3.303non derit clausis domibus, postquam omnis ubique §3.304fixa catenatae siluit compago tabernae.
Nor yet should you fear these things alone; for one to despoil you will not be lacking when the houses are shut, after every shutter of the chained shop, fixed, everywhere has fallen silent.
§3.305interdum et ferro subitus grassator agit rem; §3.306armato quotiens tutae custode tenentur §3.307et Pomptina palus et Gallinaria pinus, §3.308sic inde huc omnes tamquam ad vivaria currunt
Sometimes too, a sudden footpad does the business with steel; whenever the Pontine marsh and the Gallinarian pine forest are kept safe by an armed guard, all run from there to here as if to a game preserve.
§3.309qua fornace graves, qua non incude catenae?
In what furnace, on what anvil are heavy chains not made?
§3.310maximus in vinclis ferri modus, ut timeas ne §3.311vomer deficiat, ne marrae et sarcula desint.
The greatest amount of iron is used for chains, so that you may fear lest the ploughshare should fail, lest hoes and mattocks should be wanting.
§3.312felices proavorum atavos, felicia dicas §3.313saecula quae quondam sub regibus atque tribunis §3.314viderunt uno contentam carcere Romam.
Happy you would call the ancestors of our grandfathers, happy the ages which formerly, under kings and tribunes, saw Rome content with a single prison.
§3.315His alias poteram et pluris subnectere causas; §3.316sed iumenta vocant et sol inclinat, eundum est; §3.317nam mihi commota iam dudum mulio virga §3.318adnuit.
To these I could have added other and more reasons; but the beasts call and the sun declines, I must go; for already long ago the muleteer, brandishing his whip, has signaled to me.
ergo vale nostri memor, et quotiens te §3.319Roma tuo refici properantem reddet Aquino, §3.320me quoque ad Helvinam Cererem vestramque Dianam §3.321converte a Cumis, saturarum ego, ni pudet illas, §3.322auditor gelidos veniam caligatus in agros. ’
Therefore, farewell, mindful of us, and as often as Rome restores you, hurrying to be refreshed, to your Aquino, summon me too from Cumae to your Helvian Ceres and Diana; I will come to your cold fields to hear your satires, if they are not ashamed of me, as a listener, in heavy boots.