Horace -- Translations into English; Latin poetry -- Translations into English
Him whom pernicious lust, whom quick-dispatching dice strips, whom
vanity dresses out and perfumes beyond his abilities, whom insatiable
hunger and thirst after money, Whom a shame and aversion to poverty
possess, his rich friend (though furnished with a half-score more vices)
hates and abhors; or if he does not hate, governs him; and, like a pious
mother, would have him more wise and virtuous than himself; and says
what is nearly true: "My riches (think not to emulate me) admit of
extravagance; your income is but small: a scanty gown becomes a prudent
dependant: cease to vie with me." Whomsoever Eutrapelus had a mind to
punish, he presented with costly garments. For now [said he] happy in
his fine clothes, he will assume new schemes and hopes; he will sleep
till daylight; prefer a harlot to his honest-calling; run into debt; and
at last become a gladiator, or drive a gardener's hack for hire.
Do not you at any time pry into his secrets; and keep close what is
intrusted to you, though put to the torture, by wine or passion. Neither
commend your own inclinations, nor find fault with those of others; nor,
when he is disposed to hunt, do you make verses. For by such means the
amity of the twins Zethus and Amphion, broke off; till the lyre,
disliked by the austere brother, was silent. Amphion is thought to have
given way to his brother's humors; so do you yield to the gentle
dictates of your friend in power: as often as he leads forth his dogs
into the fields and his cattle laden with Aetolian nets, arise and lay
aside the peevishness of your unmannerly muse, that you may sup together
on the delicious fare purchased by your labor; an exercise habitual to
the manly Romans, of service to their fame and life and limbs:
especially when you are in health, and are able either to excel the dog
in swiftness, or the boar in strength. Add [to this], that there is no
one who handles martial weapons more gracefully. You well know, with
what acclamations of the spectators you sustain the combats in the
Campus Marcius: in fine, as yet a boy, you endured a bloody campaign and
the Cantabrian wars, beneath a commander, who is now replacing the
standards [recovered] from the Parthian temples: and, if any thing is
wanting, assigns it to the Roman arms. And that you may not withdraw
yourself, and inexcusably be absent; though you are careful to do
nothing out of measure, and moderation, yet you sometimes amuse yourself
at your country-seat. The [mock] fleet divides the little boats [into
two squadrons]: the Actian sea-fight is represented by boys under your
direction in a hostile form: your brother is the foe, your lake the
Adriatic; till rapid victory crowns the one or the other with her bays.
Your patron, who will perceive that you come into his taste, will
applaud your sports with both his hands.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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