§9.78ad quem pervenit lecti sonus et dominae vox. §9.79instabile ac dirimi coeptum et iam paene solutum §9.80coniugium in multis domibus servavit adulter.
to whom the sound of the bed and the voice of the mistress reached. An unstable marriage, beginning to be broken up and already almost dissolved, the adulterer has saved in many homes. Whither will you turn yourself?
§9.81quo te circumagas? quae prima aut ultima ponas? §9.82nullum ergo meritum est, ingrate ac perfide, nullum, §9.83quod tibi filiolus vel filia nascitur ex me? §9.84tollis enim et libris actorum spargere gaudes §9.85argumenta viri.
What will you put first or last? Is it then no merit, ungrateful and treacherous man, none, that a little son or daughter is born to you from me? For you rear them and rejoice to publish in the public registers the proofs of your manhood.
foribus suspende coronas: §9.86iam pater es, dedimus quod famae opponere possis, §9.87iura parentis habes, propter me scribens heres, §9.88legatum omne capis nec non et dulce caducum. §9.89commoda praeterea iungentur multa caducis, §9.90si numerum, si tres implevero. ’ Iusta doloris, §9.91Naevole, causa tui; contra tamen ille quid adfert? §9.92‘neglegit atque alium bipedem sibi quaerit asellum, §9.93haec soli commissa tibi celare memento §9.94et tacitus nostras intra te fige querellas. §9.95nam res mortifera est inimicus pumice levis; §9.96qui modo secretum commiserat, ardet et odit, §9.97tamquam prodiderim quidquid scio.
Hang wreaths on your doors: now you are a father, we have given you what you can oppose to rumor, you have the rights of a parent, thanks to me you are written down as heir, you take every legacy, and also the sweet windfall. Many benefits besides will be added to the windfalls, if I complete the number, if I make it three." "Just is the cause of your grief, Naevolus; but what does he bring against this?" "He ignores me and seeks another two-legged little donkey for himself. 'Remember to conceal these things, committed to you alone, and silently fix my complaints within yourself.' For a deadly thing is an enemy smoothed with pumice; he who just now had entrusted a secret, burns and hates, as if I had betrayed whatever I know.
sumere ferrum, §9.98fuste aperire caput, candelam adponere valvis §9.99non dubitat, nec contemnas aut despicias quod §9.100his opibus numquam cara est annona veneni. §9.101ergo occulta teges ut curia Martis Athenis. ’ §9.102O Corydon, Corydon, secretum divitis ullum
To take up iron, to split open my head with a club, to set a candle to my doors he does not hesitate; nor should you look down on or despise the fact that for these riches the price of poison is never dear. Therefore, you will cover my secrets like the court of Mars in Athens." "O Corydon, Corydon, do you think any secret of a rich man exists?
§9.103esse putas? servi ut taceant, iumenta loquentur §9.104et canis et postes et marmora, claude fenestras,
Even if the slaves keep silent, the beasts of burden will speak, and the dog, and the doorposts, and the marble.
§9.105vela tegant rimas, iunge ostia, tollite lumen, §9.106e medio fac eant omnes, prope nemo recumbat: §9.107quod tamen ad cantum galli facit ille secundi, §9.108proximus ante diem caupo sciet, audiet et quae §9.109finxerunt pariter libarius archimagiri §9.110carptores. quod enim dubitant componere crimen §9.111in dominos, quotiens rumoribus ulciscuntur
Close the windows, let curtains cover the cracks, close the doors, remove the light, make all go out of the way, let no one lie near: yet what he does at the second cockcrow, the nearest innkeeper will know before dawn, and he will hear also what the pastry-cook, the chief cooks, and the carvers have invented together. For what charge do they hesitate to fabricate against their masters, whenever they avenge the strap with rumors?
§9.112baltea? nec derit qui te per compita quaerat §9.113nolentem et miseram vinosus inebriet aurem, §9.114illos ergo roges quidquid paulo ante petebas §9.115a nobis, taceant illi.
Nor will there be lacking someone who seeks you through the crossroads against your will, and being drunk, drenches your wretched ear; you should therefore ask them for whatever you were asking just now of me, that they keep silent.
sed prodere malunt §9.116arcanum, quam subrepti potare Falerni §9.117pro populo faciens quantum Saufeia bibebat, §9.118vivendum recte cum propter plurima tum est his §9.120praecipue causis, ut linguas mancipiorum §9.121contemnas, nam lingua mali pars pessima servi; §9.122deterior tamen hic qui liber non erit illis, §9.123quorum animas et farre suo custodit et aere. §9.124‘Utile consilium modo, sed commune, dedisti, §9.125nunc mihi quid suades post damnum temporis et spes
But they prefer to betray a secret than to drink of stolen Falernian as much as Saufeia used to drink when sacrificing for the people. One must live rightly both for many reasons and especially for these reasons, so that you may despise the tongues of slaves; for the tongue is the worst part of a bad slave; yet worse is he who will not be free from those whose lives he guards with both his grain and his money. "You have just given useful advice, but it is general. Now what do you advise me, after the loss of time and disappointed hopes?
§9.126deceptas? festinat enim decurrere velox §9.127flosculus angustae miseraeque brevissima vitae §9.128portio; dum bibimus, dum serta unguenta puellas §9.129poscimus, obrepit non intellecta senectus. ’ §9.130Ne trepida, numquam pathicus tibi derit amicus §9.131stantibus et salvis his collibus: undique ad illos §9.132convenient et carpentis et navibus omnes §9.133qui digito scalpunt uno caput, altera maior
For the swift little flower of our narrow and wretched life hastens to run its course, a very brief portion; while we drink, while we call for garlands, perfumes, girls, old age creeps on us unperceived." "Do not fear, a pathic friend will never fail you as long as these hills stand and are safe; from all sides to them will come by carriages and by ships all who scratch their head with one finger.
§9.134spes superest; tu tantum erucis inprime dentem. §9.135‘Haec exempla para felicibus, at mea Clotho §9.136et Lachesis gaudent, si pascitur inguine venter, §9.137o parvi nostrique Lares, quos ture minuto §9.138aut farre et tenui soleo exorare corona, §9.139quando ego figam aliquid, quo sit mihi tuta senectus
Another greater hope remains; you only press your tooth into rocket." "Prepare these examples for the fortunate; but my Clotho and Lachesis are glad if my belly is fed by my groin. O my small and humble Lares, whom I am accustomed to entreat with a little incense or spelt and a thin wreath, when shall I secure something by which my old age may be safe from the mat and the staff?
§9.140a tegete et baculo? viginti milia faenus §9.141pigneribus positis, argenti vascula puri, §9.142sed quae Fabricius censor notet, et duo fortes §9.143de grege Moesorum. qui me cervice locata §9.144securum iubeant clamoso insistere circo; §9.145sit mihi praeterea curvus caelator, et alter §9.146qui multas facies pingit cito; sufficiunt haec, §9.147quando ego pauper ero;
Twenty thousand interest, pledges being put down, small vessels of pure silver, but such as Fabricius the censor would brand, and two strong men from the flock of Moesians, who, my neck being placed, may order me to stand secure in the noisy Circus; let there be for me besides a bent engraver, and another who paints many faces quickly; these are enough, since I shall be poor.
votum miserabile, nec spes §9.148his saltem; nam cum pro me Fortuna vocatur, §9.149adfixit ceras illa de nave petitas, §9.150quae Siculos cantus effugit remige surdo. ’
A wretched prayer! and there is no hope even for these things; for when Fortune is called on my behalf, she has fixed the wax fetched from that ship which escaped the Sicilian songs with a deaf oarsman."