| MARRVCINE Asini, manu
sinistra |
1 |
Asinius Marrucinus, you
do not make a pretty use |
| non belle uteris: in ioco
atque uino |
2 |
of your left hand when
we are laughing and drinking: |
| tollis lintea neglegentiorum. |
3 |
you take away the napkins
of people who are off their guard. |
| hoc salsum esse putas?
fugit te, inepte: |
4 |
Do you think this a good
joke? You are mistaken, you silly fellow; |
| quamuis sordida res et
inuenusta est. |
5 |
it is ever so ill-bred,
and in the worst taste. |
| non credis mihi? crede
Pollioni |
6 |
You don't believe me?
Believe your brother Pollio, |
| fratri, qui tua furta
uel talento |
7 |
who would be glad to have
your thefts redeemed |
| mutari uelit: est enim
leporum |
8 |
at the cost of a whole
talent; for he is a boy |
| differtus puer ac facetiarum. |
9 |
who is a master of all
that is witty and amusing. |
| quare aut hendecasyllabos
trecentos |
10 |
So now either look out
for three hundred hendecasyllables, |
| exspecta, aut mihi linteum
remitte, |
11 |
or send me back my napkin, |
| quod me non mouet aestimatione, |
12 |
which does not concern
me for what it is worth, |
| uerum est mnemosynum mei
sodalis. |
13 |
but because it is a keepsake
from my old friend; |
| nam sudaria Saetaba ex
Hiberis |
14 |
for Fabullus and Veranius
sent me some Saetaban napkins |
| miserunt mihi muneri Fabullus |
15 |
as a present from Hiberia. |
| et Veranius: haec amem
necesse est |
16 |
How I help being fond
of these, |
| ut Veraniolum meum et
Fabullum. |
17 |
as I am of my dear Veranius
and Fabullus ? |