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| HESTERNO, Licini, die otiosi | 1 | Yesterday, Licinius, we made holiday |
| multum lusimus in meis tabellis, | 2 | and played many a game with my tablets, |
| ut conuenerat esse delicatos: | 3 | as we had agreed to take our pleasure. |
| scribens uersiculos uterque nostrum | 4 | Each of us pleased his fancy in writing verses, |
| ludebat numero modo hoc modo illoc, | 5 | now in one metre, now in another, |
| reddens mutua per iocum atque uinum. | 6 | answering each other, as we laughed and drank our wine. |
| atque illinc abii tuo lepore | 7 | I came away from this so fired |
| incensus, Licini, facetiisque, | 8 | by your wit and fun, Licinius, |
| ut nec me miserum cibus iuuaret | 9 | that food did not ease my pain, |
| nec somnus tegeret quiete ocellos, | 10 | nor sleep spread rest over my eyes, |
| sed toto indomitus furore lecto | 11 | but restless and fevered I tossed about all over my bed, |
| uersarer, cupiens uidere lucem, | 12 | longing to see the dawn, |
| ut tecum loquerer, simulque ut essem. | 13 | that I might talk to you and be with you. |
| at defessa labore membra postquam | 14 | But when my limbs were worn out with fatigue |
| semimortua lectulo iacebant, | 15 | and lay half dead on my couch, |
| hoc, iucunde, tibi poema feci, | 16 | I made this poem for you, my sweet friend, |
| ex quo perspiceres meum dolorem. | 17 | that from it you might learn my suffering. |
| nunc audax caue sis, precesque nostras, | 18 | Now be not too proud, and do not, I pray you, |
| oramus, caue despuas, ocelle, | 19 | apple of my eye, do not reject my prayers, |
| ne poenas Nemesis reposcat a te. | 20 | lest Nemesis demand penalties from you in turn. |
|
est uehemens dea: laedere hanc caueto. |
21 |
She is an imperious goddess–beware of offending her. |