(Marriage nefand!) who shall Persian augury learn.Needs it a Magus begot of son upon mother who bare him,If that impious faith, Persian religion be fact,So may their issue adore busy gods with recognised versesMelting in altar-flame fatness contained by the caul.
TO GELLIUS.Not for due cause I hoped to find thee (Gellius!) faithfulIn this saddest our love, love that is lost and forlore,Or fro' my wotting thee well or ever believing thee constant,Or that thy mind could reject villany ever so vile,But that because was she to thyself nor mother nor sister,This same damsel whose Love me in its greatness devoured.Yet though I had been joined wi' thee by amplest of usance,Still could I never believe this was sufficient of cause.Thou diddest deem it suffice: so great is thy pleasure in everyCrime wherein may be found somewhat enormous of guilt.
ON LESBIA.Lesbia naggeth at me evermore and ne'er is she silentTouching myself: May I die but that by Lesbia I'm loved.What be the proof? I rail and retort like her and revile herCarefully, yet may I die but that I love her with love.
ON JULIUS CAESAR.Study I not o'ermuch to please thee (Caesar!) and court thee,Nor do I care e'en to know an thou be white or be black.
AGAINST MENTULA (MAMURRA).Mentula wooeth much: much wooeth he, be assurèd.That is, e'en as they say, the Pot gathers leeks for the pot.
ON THE "ZMYRNA" OF THE POET CINNA."Zmyrna" begun erstwhile nine harvests past by my CinnaPublisht appears when now nine of his winters be gone;Thousands fifty of lines meanwhile Hortensius in single"Zmyrna" shall travel afar as the hollow breakers of Satrax,"Zmyrna" by ages grey lastingly shall be perused.But upon Padus' brink shall die Volusius his annalsAnd to the mackerel oft loose-fitting jacket afford.Dear to my heart are aye the lightest works of my comrade,Leave I the mob to enjoy tumidest Antimachus.
TO CALVUS ANENT DEAD QUINTILIA.If to the dumb deaf tomb can aught or grateful or pleasing(Calvus!) ever accrue rising from out of our dule,Wherewith yearning desire renews our loves in the bygone,And for long friendships lost many a tear must be shed;Certès, never so much for doom of premature death-dayMust thy Quintilia mourn as she is joyed by thy love.
ON AEMILIUS THE FOUL.Never (so love me the Gods!) deemed I 'twas preference matterOr Aemilius' mouth choose I to smell or his . . . .Nothing is this more clean, uncleaner nothing that other,Yet I ajudge . . . . cleaner and nicer to be;For while this one lacks teeth, that one has cubit-long tushes,Set in their battered gums favouring a muddy old box,Not to say aught of gape like wide-cleft gap of a she-muleWhenas in summer-heat wont peradventure to stale.Yet has he many a motte and holds himself to be handsome—Why wi' the baker's ass is he not bound to the mill?Him if a damsel kiss we fain must think she be readyWith her fair lips . . . .
TO VICTIUS THE STINKARD.Rightly of thee may be said, an of any, (thou stinkingest Victius!)Whatso wont we to say touching the praters and prigs.Thou wi' that tongue o' thine own, if granted occasion availestBrogues of the cowherds to kiss, also their . . . .Wouldst thou undo us all with a thorough undoing (0 Victius!)Open thy gape :—thereby all shall be wholly undone.
TO JUVENTIUS.E'en as thou played'st, from thee snatched I (0 honied Juventius!)Kisslet of savour so sweet sweetest Ambrosia unknows.