The Satyricon of Petronius ArbiterPetronius Arbiter
General
The Satyricon of Petronius Arbiter
Petronius Arbiter
Rome -- Fiction; Satire, Latin -- Translations into English
"Tryphœna, you do from the bottom of your heart, as you are in
perfect mind, promise never to complain of any injury you have
receiv'd from Gito; nor mention, upbraid him with, or study to revenge
directly or indirectly any action of his before this day; and to
prevent your forcing him to an unwilling compliance, be it further
agreed, that you never kiss, coll, or bring him to a closer hug,
without the forfeiture of 100 denarii: And for better security, that
you always pay your mony, before you have your ware.
"Item, you Lycas, from the bottom of your heart, as you are in perfect
mind; do promise never to reproach, or insultingly treat Encolpius,
either in words, or gestures: But, on the forfeiture of 200 denarii
for each time you abuse him, behind his back."
Conditions thus agreed on, we laid down our arms: And, least any
grudge might still remain, wipe off the memory of all things past, in
repeated kisses.
All quarrels expir'd in universal shouts, and a sumptuous banquet that
followed, spread equal mirth through the whole company: The vessel
rung with songs, the ensigns of their joy: and the occasion of a
sudden calm, gave other diversions: Here a little artist bob'd for
fish, that rising, seem'd with haste to meet their ruin: There another
draws the unwilling prey, that he had betray'd on the hook, with an
inviting bait: When looking up, we saw sea-birds sitting on the
sail-yard, about which, one skill'd in that art having plac'd
lime-twigs, made 'em his booty. Their downy feathers, the air whirl'd
about: The other, the sea vainly tost too and fro.
Now Lycas began to be friends with me: and Tryphœna, as a mark of
her love, threw the bottom of her wine upon Gito: At what time,
Eumolpus, quite drunk, aim'd at rallery on those that were bald and
branded; till having spent his life-less stock, he return'd to his
verses; and designing an elegy on the loss of hair, thus began.
Nature's chief ornament, the hair is lost,
Those vernal locks, feel winter's blast:
Now the bald temples mown their banish'd shade,
And bristles shine o' the sun-burnt head.
The joys, deceitful nature does first pay
Our age, it snatches first away.
Unhappy mortal, that but now
The lovely grace of hair, did'st know:
Bright as the sun's or Cynthia's beams,
Now worse than brass, and only seems
Like th' mushroom, that in gardens springs.
From sporting girls, you'll frighted run,
And that death will the sooner come:
Know that part of your head is gone.
He wou'd have condemn'd us to hear more, and I believe worse than the
former; if an attendant of Tryphœna, had not disturb'd him: who
taking Gito aside, dress'd him up in her mistresses tower; and to
restore him perfectly to his former figure, drawing false eye-brows
out of her patch-box, placed 'em so exactly, Nature might have
mistaken 'em for her own work.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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