M. VALERI MARTIAL IS

DE SPECTACULIS LIBERTHE EPIGRAMS OF MARTIAL

ON THE SPECTACLES

IBARBARA P .. yramldum sileat .

Assyrms1 iactet n B mlracula Memphisnee Triviae tempi ec abylona labor' '

. . 0 moUes I d 'dlssunuIet Delon . au entur lones Icormbus 'aere nee vacuo pend . ara frequens'

I. entia M I 'audibus inmod' . auso ea. lClSCares .omms Caesareo eedit I b In astra ferant

1 a or Am hi .unum pro cunctis f p ltheatro'

ama loquetur opus. '

I

5

LET not barbaric Memphis tell of the wonder of herPyramids, nor Assyrian toil vaunt its Babylon; let notthe soft lonians be extolled for Trivia's fanej! let thealtar wrought of many horns" keep hid its Delos; letnot Carians exalt to the skies with boundless praise theMausoleums poised on empty air. AU labour yields toCaesar's Amphitheatre: one work in place of all shallFame rehearse.

IIHIC ubi sidereus pro ius .. e~ crescunt media p vldet astra COlossusInVIdiosa feri rad] b pegmata celsa viara ant t· < ,

unaque iam t t a ria regishi 0 a stabat .

lC~b! conspicui venera ,~n urbe domus.engltur moles, stagna ~lS ~phithcatri

eroms erant. 5: Assyrius Alciatus 'Iones Scali ' ass.duus T._______ ger, honores T

1 The Temple Of~;:---~1 Constructed by ~an~ at Ephesus -

his sister Diana. po 10 of the ho;ns of the beasts slain by2 .

II

HERE where, rayed with stars, the Colossus- viewsheaven anear, and in the middle way tall scaffolds!rise, hatefully gleamed the palace of a savage king, andbut a single house now stood in all the City. Here,where the far-seen Amphitheatre lifts its mass august,was Nero's mere. Here, where we admire the warm-

• The tom b of Maueolus, king of Carie, constructed by hiswife Artemisia.

• A statue of Nero, afterwards turned by Vespasian into astatue of the Sun with rays surrounding the head: cf· I, lxx. 7.

• Either the scaffolding of the new works, or movable cranes(pegmata) which could lengthen or contract, open or shut, andwere used at shows as part of the appointments.

3

THE EPIGRAMS OF MARTIAL

hie ubi miramur, velocia munera, thermas,abstulerat miseris tecta superbus ager.

Claudia diffusas ubi porticus explicat umbras,ultima pars aulae deficientis erato 10

reddita Roma sibi est et sunt te praeside, Caesar,deliciae populi, quae fuerant domini.

III

QUAEtam seposita est, quae gens tam barbara, Caesar.ex qua spectator non sit in urbe tua?

venit ab Orpheo cultor Rhodopeius Haemo,venit et epoto Sarmata pastus equo,

et qui prima bibit deprensi flumina Nili, ;j

et quem supremae Tethyos unda ferit;festinavit Arabs, festinavere Sabaei,

et Cilices nimbis hic maduere suis.crinibus in nodum tortis venere Sugambri,

atque aliter tortis crinibus Aethiopes. 10vox diversa sonat populorum, tum tamen una est,

cum verus patriae diceris esse pater.

IVTURBA gravis paci placidaeque inimica quieti,

quae semper miseras sollicitabat opes,traducta est, ingens- nee cepit harena nocentis:

et delator habet quod dabat exilium.

I ingen s Housman, ge/uli .. T.

1 The Baths of Titus. 2 Nero's Golden House.

4

ON THE SPECTACLES, II-IV

baths,l a gift swiftly wrought, a proud domain" hadrobbed their dwellings from the poor. Where theClaudian Colonnade extends its outspread shade thePalace ended in its farthest part. Rome has beenrestoredto herself, and under thy governance, Caesar,that is now the delight of a people which was once amaster's.

IIIWHAT race is set so far, what race so barbarous,

Caesar, wherefrom a spectator is not in thy city?There has come the fanner of Rhodope from OrphicHaemus, there has come too the Sannatian fed ondraughts of horses' blood and he who quaffs at itsspring the stream of first:found Nile, and he" whoseshore the wave of farthest Tethys beats; the Arabhassped, Sabaeans have sped, and Cilicians have he~ebeen drenched in their own saffron dew." With hairt . . hWInedin a knot have come Sygambrians, and, WItlockstWined elsewise, Aethiopians. Diverse sounds thespeechof the peoples yet then is it one when thou artac I . ,

c aImed thy country's Father true.

IVA CROWDdangerous to peace and a foe to tranquil

rest,that ever vexed unhappy riches, has been parad~d,nor could the huge Arena hold the guilty; and the m-formerhas the exile he once bestowed. 5

: Pr?bably the Briton.1.1. ~Ith which the stage was sprinkled: ct. V. xxv. 7; VIII.

1.111.4.

• This epigram is sometimes joined to the following.

5

THE EPIGRAMS OF MARTIALON THE SPECTACLES, IVB-VII

IVBEXULATAusonia profugus delator ab urbe:

haec Iicet inpensis principis adnumeres.[5]

IVBTHE informer is an outcast and an exile from the

Ausonian City: this may you reckon to our Prince'scost. 1

v VTHAT Pasiphae was mated to the Dictaean bull,

believe: we have seen it, the old-time myth has won itswarrant. And let not age-long eld, Caesar, marvel atitself: whatever Fame sings of, that the Arena makesreal for thee.

IUN(''TAMPasiphacn Dictaeo credite tauro:vidimus, aceepit fabula prisca fidem.

nec se miretur, Caesar, longaeva vetustas:quidquid fama canit, praestat harena tibi,

VI VITHATwarring Mars served thee in arms unconquered

suffices not, Caesar; Venus herself too serves. BBELLIGER invictis quod Mars tibi servit in armis,non satis est, Caesar; servit et ipsa Venus.

VIB VbOJ<' the lion laid low in Nemea's vasty vale, a deed

renowned and worthy of Hercules, Fame used to sing.Dumb be ancient witness I for after thy shows, 0Caesar, we declare that such things are wrought bywoman's prowess now.

PBOSTRATUM:vasta Nemees in valle leonemnobile et Herculeum fama canebat opus.

prisca fides taceat: nam post tua munera, Caesar,hoc iam femineo 1

VII VIIAs, fettered on a Scythian crag, Prometheus fed the

untiring fowl with his too prolific hea~, s? Laureolus,"hanging on no unreal cross, gave up his VItals defence-less to a Caledonian bear. His mangled limbs lived,

• A condemned criminal representing in the AmphitheatreLaureolus, a robber who had been crucified and torn to pi~cesby wild beasts. and whose death had been repreBented 10 aMime (fab'Ula, I. 12) under Caligula (Juv. 8, 187; Suet. ,Gal. 57),but in this case was enacted realistically in the AmphItheatre .

7

QUALJTERin Scythica religatus rupe Prometheusadsiduam nimio pectore pavit avem,

nuda Caledonio sic viscera praebuit ursonon falsa pendens in cruce Laureolus.

• Mof'U I~m",. ogi suppl. Buecheler.

• BecaUII8, by Buppressing the informel'll, he IOBtthe confis.

cated estates.• Women sometimes fought in the Amphitheatl'll: Juv. i, 22.

6

. THE EPIGRAMS OF MARTIAL

V1vebant laceri memb' ,inque omni nu rIS stIllantibus artus

d ' squam coemque supplicium1 rpore corpus eratovel dom] , , '"mi lUgulum fo ....

templa vel arcano d derat ense nocens. subdiderat saevas e:~n~ ~poliaverat aur~

V1~eratantiquae scele:at~bI, ~o~a, faces. 'm quo, quae fuerat f b slcnmma famac,

a u a, poena fuit.

O~ THE SPECTACLES, VII-X

5 though the parts dripped gore, and in all his body wasnowhere a body's shape. A punishment deserved atlength he won-he in his guilt had with his swordpierced his parent's or his master's throat, or in hismadness robbed a temple of its close-hidden gold, orhad laid by stealth his savage torch to thee, 0 Rome.Accursed, he had outdone the crimes told of by ancientlore; in him that which had been a show before waspunishment.

10

D VIIIAEDALE, Lucano cum .quam CUperes' SIClacerens ab u

pmnas nunc h b . rso,a UISsetuas!

VIII

DAEDALUS, now thou art being so mangled by aLueanian boar, how wouldst thou wish thou hadstnow thy wings!

p IXRAESTITITexh ibiquae non I ~t~s tota tibi, Cae

o quam te p~~mIsIt proelia rh' sar, harenarnbIhs exarsit mOceros.

quantus erat ta ~ronus in iras'urus, CUI ita .P taurus eratt

IX

SUOWN along thy Arena's floor, 0 Caesar, a rhino-ceros afforded thee an unpromised fray. Oh, into whatdreadful rage fired he with lowered head! How greatwas the bull! to which a bull was as a dummy!

L XAESERAT ingrato Iausus tam eo perfidus ore .

sed dignas t notas contemerare magIstrum,. anto persol' . manus;

et qUI non t I VIt cnminequos decet eS::herat.verbera, tela t~l'tnas,

quO, omlllum tar I .I lUbet ingenium mit' I sub principe m

lUSesse fens' ores, 5'dO 'tynum tUlit 0 ill

8 • e parentis suPpl 1':1o chneidewin,

X

A TREACHEROUS lion had with ungrateful fangwounded his master, daring to violate hands sofamiliar; but a penalty fitted to a crime so great hepaid; and he that would not brook stripes brookedthe steel. What manners befit men under such aPrince who bids the nature of wild beasts to grow more

mild!I Probably the rhinoceros was known es bos Aethiopius: cj,

XIV. Iiii, As to the dummy (pila), c], II. xliii. 6: x. lxxxvi. 4.

9

THE EPIGRAMS OF MARTIALON THE SPECTACLES, XI-XIII

XI .XI

WHILE on the bloody sand a bear whirled withlowered head, he lost the escape that bird-lime clogged.Let now the burnished hunting spears, their steelhidden, lie at rest, nor the lance fly hurled from pro-jected arm; let the hunter take his prey in the emptyair, if by the fowler's art one may catch beasts."

PRAECEPS sanguinea dum se rotat ursus harenainplicitam visco perdidit ilIe fugam. '

splendida iam tecto cessent venabula ferronee volet excussa lancea torta manu' '

deprendat vacuo venator in aere praed~msi captare feras aucupis arte placet. '

5

XIIXII

WHEN, amid the cruel hazards of Caesar's hunt, alight spear had pierced a pregnant sow, there sprangforth one of her offspring from the wound of its un-happy dam. 0 fell Lucina, was this a birth? Yet wouldshe, wounded by more darts than one, have welcomeddeath, that a sad path should open for all her brood.Who gainsays the birth of Bacchus from his mother'sdeath? I Believe ye, thus sprang a deity: thus was borna beast.

INTER Caesareae discrimina saeva Dianaefixisset gravidam cum levis hasta suem,

exiluit partus miserae de vulnere matris.o Lucina ferox, hoc peperisse fuit?

pluribus illa mori voluisset saueia telis,omnibus ut natis triste pateret iter.

quis negat esse satum materno funere Bacehum?sic genitum numen eredite: nata fera est.

5

XIIIXIII

SMIT by a fatal spear, and pierced by the wound, themother sow at once lost life and gave it. Oh, how surewas the hand with its poised steel! this, I ween, wasLucina's hand. Dying, the beast proved the deity ofeither Dian--of her that delivered the dam, and of herthat slew the brute. a

ICTA gravi telo eonfossaque vulnere matersus pariter vitam perdidit atque dedit.

o quam certa fuit librato dextera ferro!hane ego Lucinae credo fuisse manum.

experta est numen moriens utriusque Dianae, 5quaque soluta parens quaque perempta fera est.

• cf. v. lxxii .• Diana. the huntress goddess. was a1ao Lucina, who 88lIi.ted

at child.birth.1 i.e. What now remains but that beasts should fly if theycan be caught like birds! II

10

THE EPIGRAMS OF MARTIAL ON THE SPECTACLES, XIV-XVIB

XIV XIVA WILD SOW, now full-heavy with the pledge of her

quick womb, gave forth her brood, made by her wounda mother; nor lay her offspring stillborn, but, as itsmother fell, it ran. Sudden chances that fall,l howingenious are they!

XVTHATwhich was the highest glory of thy renown,

Meleager, how small a part is it of Carpophorus'·fame, a stricken boar! He plunged his hunter's spearalso in a headlong-rushing bear, the king of beastsbeneath the cope of Arctic skies; and he laid Iowa lion,magnificent, of bulk unknown before, one worthy ofHercules' might; and with a far-dealt wound stretchedin death a rushing pard. He won the prize of honour;yet unbroken still was his strength.·

Sus fera iam gravior maturi pignore ventrisemisit fetum, vulnere facta parens;

nec iacuit partus, sed matre cadente cucurrit.o quantum est subitis casibus ingenium!

XV

SUMMAtuae, Meleagre, fuit quae gloria famae,quantast Carpophori portio, fusus aper!

ille et praecipiti venabula condidit urso,primus in Arctoi qui fuit arce poli,

stravit et ignota spectandum mole leonem,Herculeas potuit qui decuisse manus,

et volucrem longo porrexit vulnere pardum.praemia cum laudum ferret, adhuc poterat.

5

XVI

RAPTUSabit media quod ad aethera taurus harena,non fuit hoc artis sed pietatis opus.

XVIA BULLborne aloft from the Arena'8 midst mounts

, f' Ito the skies; this was no work of art, but one 0 piety.

XVIB XVIBA BULLcarried Europa along fraternal seas;' but

now a bull has borne Alcides to the stars. I Comparenow Fame the steers of Caesar and of Jove: let theburden be the same, yet Caesar's bore his more high.Jerri duo flOtertJftL t ~itJ cum laudem (or cur lcMu.Um.t)

Jerreo odAuc flOtM'a'· .'• A fragment. but sometimes combined WIth the 8Ueeeedtn~.• Jupiter. in the guise of a bull. carried oft Europa over hIS

brother Neptune's Be88.• A bulitJriua representing Hereulea. or a figure of Hercules •

was toseed by a bull.

VEXERATEuropen fraterna per aequora taurus:at nunc Alciden taurus in astra tulit,

Caesaris atque Iovis confer nunc, fama, iuvencos:par onus ut tulerint, altius iste tulit.

1 There is a play here on the two meanings of "fall." to descendor to happen. .

• A celebrated beetiariu», or hunter of wild beasts. ill theAmphitheatre: ct. xxiii. and xxvii. of this Book.

• A passage hopelessly corrupt. MSS. read PraemitJ cumiaudcmJcrrc adhuc poteram. Buecheler suggested Pro cui laudem

12~.\1

I

15

THE EPIGRAMS OF MARTIAL ON THE SPECTACLES, XVII-XX

XVII XVIIIN that, loyal and suppliant, the elephant adores

thee which here but now was so fearful a foe to a bull,this it does unbidden, at the teaching of no master;believe me, it too feels the presence of our God!

QUOD pius et supplex elephas te, Caesar, adorathic modo qui tauro tam metuendus erat,

non facit hoc iussus, nulloque docente magistro;crede mihi, nostrum sentit et ille deum.

LAMBEREsecuri dextram consueta magistritigris, ab Hyrcano gloria rara iugo,

saeva ferum rabido laceravit dente leonem:res nova, non ullis cognita temporibus.

ausa est tale nihil, silvis dum vixit in altis:postquam inter nos est, plus feritatis habet.

5

XVIIIWONT to lick the hand of its fearless master, a

tigress, sprung, their unmatched glory, from Hyrcanianhills, savagely tore a fierce lion with maddened fang:strange was the thing, unknown in any age! Sheventured no such deed what time she dwelt in herdeep woods: she is in our midst, and shows morefiercenessnow.

XVIII

XIXXIX

A BULL that but now, goaded by fire through theArena's length, had seized and flung the dummies 1

skyward, fell at length, countered by a fiery tusk, I

whilehe deemed that with like ease an elephant mightbe tossed.

QUI modo per totam flammis stimulatus harenamsustulerat raptas taurus in astra pilas,

occubuit tandem comuto ardore petitus,dum facHemtolli sic elephanta putat.

xxCUMpeteret pars haec Myrinum, pars iDaTriumphum,

promisit pariter Caesar utraque manu.non potuit melius litem finire iocosam.

o dulce invicti principis ingenium!

xxWHEN this faction called for Myrinus, that faction

for Triumphus.e Caesar with either hand upliftedpromised both. In no wise better could he end thefriendly debate. 0 pleasant device of an unconqueredPrince!

1c/. n. xliii. 6.

1Buecheler explains flammiB de cornibu8; Friedlander readsCOf'nuto ut ab ore.

a Probably names of popular fighters against beasts.

THE EPIGRAMS OF MARTIAL ON THE SPECTACLES, XXI-XXIII

XXIQUID QUID in Orpheo Rhodope spectasse theatro

dicitur, exhibuit, Caesar, harena tibi.repserunt scopuli mirandaque silva cucurrit,

quale fuisse nemus creditur Hesperidum.adfuit inmixtum pecori genus omne ferarum,

et supra vatem multa pependit avis,ipse sed ingrato iacuit laceratus ab urso.

haec tantum res est facta Trap' tCJToplav.1

XXIWHATE'ERRhodope saw, 'tis said, on the Orphic

stage, that the Arena, Caesar, has shown1 to thee.Cliffs crept, and a marvellous wood sped swiftly on,one such as was in belief of men the grove of theHesperides. Every kind of wild beast was there mingledwith the flock, and above the minstrel hovered many abird, but he fell, mangled by an ungrateful- bear. Thisthing alone was done untold by history.

5

XXIBORPHEAquod subito tellus emisit hiatu

ursam invasuram, venit ab Eurydice."

XXIBWHEREASthe earth yawned suddenly and sent forth

a she-bear to attack Orpheus, the bear came fromEurydice. 3

XXIISOLLICITANTpavidi dum rhinocerota magistri

seque diu magnae colligit ira ferae,desperabantur promissi proelia Martis;

sed tandem rediit cognitus ante furor.namque gravem cornu gemino sic extulit ursum, 5

iactat ut inpositas taurus in astra pilas:3Norica tam certo venabula derigit ictu [XXIII

fortis adhuc teneri dextera Carpophori.ille tulit geminos facili cervice iuvencos,

illi cessit atrox bubalus atque vison: 10hunc leo cum fugeret, praeceps in tela cucurrit.

i nunc et lentas corripe, turba, moras.J The MSS. read haec tamen ,.611 6BIfacia ita plcloria. The text

is as amended by Housman.• So Postgate. The MSS. text versom is am .. r Vim" is unin-

telligible. Ursam mersuram Housman.• From this point some editors begin a separate epigram

on the prowess of Carpophorus.

XXIIWHILEin fear the trainers were goading a rhinoceros,

and long was the great beast's wrath gatheringstrength, all despaired of the conflict of the promisedwar; yet at length the fury, known erewhile, returned.For a heavy bear he tossed with his double horn, evenas a bull hurls dummies heavenward, and with assure an aim as that wherewith the stout right hand ofCarpophorus, as yet young, levels the Noric hunting-spear. That beast, agile with pliant neck, stood upagainst (?) a pair of steers, to him yielded the fiercebuffalo and bison; a lion in flight from him ran head-long upon the spears. Go now, ye rabble, and gird atslowdelays!

: A.r~presentation of Orpheus' magic power and death •GIVIngill return for the sweetness of O.'s song.

E • The epigram seems to be connected with XXI, andurydice sends the bear because she wants Orpheus back.

16 17

THE EPIGRAMS OF MARTIAL ON THE SPECTACLES, XXIV-XXVI

XXIV XXIV

SI quis ades longis serus spectator ab oris,cui lux prima sacri muneris ista fuit,

ne te decipiat ratibus navalis Enyoet par unda fretis, hic modo terra fuit.

non credis? specta, dum lassant aequora Martem: 5parva mora est, dices "Hic modo pontus erat."

WHOEVERyou are who come from distant shores,a late spectator, for whom this day of the sacred!show is your first, that this naval battle with its ships,and the waters that represent seas, may not mislead,I tell you "here but now was land." Believe you not?Look on while the seas weary the God of war.1 Waitone moment-you will say "Here but now was sea."

XXV XXV

THATthe nightly wave spared thee, Leander, ceaseto wonder: it was Caesar's wave.s

QUODnoctuma tibi, Leandre, pepercerit undadesine mirari: Caesaris unda fuit.

XXVB

CUMpeteret dulces audax Leandros amoreset fessus tumidis iam premeretur aquis,

sic miser instantes adfatus dicitur undas:"Parcite dum propero, mergite cum redeo."

x'XVB

WHILEbold Leander was swimming to his sweetlove, and his weary head was now being engulfedby the swelling waters, thus in misery ('tis said) hespake to the on-surging waves: "Spare me while Ihasten, o'erwhelm me when I return."

XXVIXXVI

A TRAINEDbevy of Nereids played along the sea,and with their varied marshalling prankt the yieldingwaters.5 Threatful with straight tooth, was a trident,with curved tooth an anchor: we deemed an oar, andwe deemed a bark was there, and that the Laconians'

LUSITNereidum docilis chorus aequore toto,et vario faciles ordine pinxit aquas.

fuscina dente minax recto fuit, anoora curvo:credidimus remum credidilDusque ratem,

f•This epigram seems out of place, and. like XIV. clxxxi., to

re er to a statue.• In a water spectacle, possibly by artificial light, in which

groups of Nereids presented somehow the picture of a boat androwers.

1 Either as sacred to Neptune. or as having been given bythe Emperor .

• While the sea-fight lasts.• Artificially admitted into the Arena.

18 19

THE EPIGRAMS OF MARTIAL

et gratum nautis sidus fulgere Laconum,lataque perspicuo vela tumere sinu,

quis tantas liquidis artes invenit in undis?aut docuit lusus hos Thetis aut didicit.

5

XXVIISAECULA Carpophorum, Caesar, si prisea tulissent,

non Parthaoniam barbara terra feram,non Marathon taurum, Nemec frondosa leonem,

Areas Maenalium non timuisset aprum.hoc armante manus hydrae mors una fuisset, 5

huic percussa foret tota Chimaera semel.igniferos possit sine Colchide iungere tauros,

possit utramque feram vincere Pasiphaes.si sit, ut aequorei revocetur fabula monstri,

Hesionem solvet solus et Andromedan. 10Herculeae laudis numeretur gloria: plus est

bis denas pariter perdomuisse feras.

XXVIIIAUGUSTIlabor hic fuerat committere classes

et freta navali sollicitare tuba.Caesaris haec nostri pars est quota? vidit in undis

et Thetis ignotas et Galatea feras;vidit in aequoreo ferventes pulvere eurrus

et domini Triton isse putavit equos:dumque parat saevis ratibus fera proelia Nereus,

horruit in liquidis ire pedestris aquis,

IS

1 Castor and Pollux. the Constellation of Gemini.• i:e, of the Emperor.• cr. Lib. Specli. xv. 2.• For every head of the hydra that was cnt off two fresh ones

grew.

20

ON THE SPECTACLES, XXVI-XXVIII

star! glittered in welcome to the seamen, and sailsbellied broad for all to see. Who imagined arts sowondrous in liquid waves? These pastimes eitherThetis taught or herself she learned. 2

XXVII

IF the ages of old, Caesar, had begotten Carpo-phorus," a barbarous land had not dreaded Parthaon'swild-boar, nor Marathon the bull, leafy Nemea thelion, Arcadia the Maenalian boar. When he armed hishand the hydra had died a single death," all the shapesof Chimaera5 had been stricken by him once. The fire-breathing bulls he might have yoked without theColchian's aid," he might have vanquished eithermonster of Pasiphae. Were the story of the sea monsterrenewed,he alone would looseHesioneand Andromeda.Let the glories of Hercules' honour be summed: 'tismore to have quelled twice ten beasts at one time.

XXVIII

ITwas Augustus' work here? to embattle fleets, andto wake the seas with the trump of naval war. Howsmall a part of our Caesar's task! Thetis and Galateaboth saw on the wave beasts unknown; Triton saw onthat seafloors chariots in hot rivalry, and deemed hisl\laster's. steeds had sped; and Nereus, what time heset abroach fiercebattle for the hostile ships, shuddered

• A fabulous monster, part lion, part goat, and part dragon.• Of Medea., In the gardens of Caesar beyond the Tiber.: S:>mecommentators translate pulvis as "spray."

Neptune's.21

THE EPIGRAMS OF MARTIAL ON THE SPECTACLES, XXVIII-XXX

quidquid et in Circo specta~ur edtAmt.b~hitheatro,id dives, Caesar, praestitit un a 1 I.. 10

Fucinus et diri taceantur stagna Nero~lls:hanc norint unam saecula naumachiam.

to tread a-foot amid the liquid waters.! Whatever isviewed in Circus and in Amphitheatre, that haveCaesar's waters, rich in sights, made sure to thee. Letnot the Fucine lake' and the mere of dreadful Neroabe told of: of this sea-fight alone let the ages knowl

XXIX XXIXCUMtraheret Priscus, trahe~et certa~a Verus,

esset et aequalis Mars utnusque dIU,missio saepe viris magno clamore petita est;

sed Caesar legi paruit ipse suae:lex erat, ad digitum posita concurrere p~hna;l

quod licuit, lances dona~ue. s~l?e dedl~:inventus tamen est finis dlSCnmIDISaequn

pugnavere pares, succubuere pares. . .misit utrique rudes et pahnas Cae~r utnque.

hoc pretium virtus ingeniosa ~ul~t. .contigit hoc nullo nisi te sub pnDClpe, ~sar.

cum duo pugnarent, victor uterque fuit,

5

WHILE Priscus drew out, and Verus drew out thecontest, and the prowess of both stood long inbalance,oft was discharge for the men claimed with mightyshouts; but Caesar himself obeyed his own law: thatlaw was, when the prize was set up, to fight until thefingerwas raised; what was lawful he did, oft givingdishesand gifts therein. Yet was an end found of thatbalanced strife: they fought well matched, matchedwell they together yielded. To each Caesar sent theWoodensword,' and rewards to each: this prize dex-terous valour won. Under no prince but thee, Caesar,has this chanced: while two fought, each was victor.

10

:xxx XXX

WHILE a roused hind was flying from the swift~olossian hounds, and tangled the drawn-out chase by~Ivers wiles, before Caesar's feet, suppliant and asm prayer, she stayed, and the hounds touched not

CONClTAveloces fugeret cum damma Molossoset varia Ientas necteret arte moras, .

Caesaris ante pedes supplex similisque rogantIconstitit, et praedam non tetigere canes.

1 palma H, parma \Vagner. '1' • Where the Emperor Claudius had exhibited a sea-fight:~. Ann. XII. Ivi.-Ivii .• :ho. had also represented a sea-fight: Suet. Nero xii,

ud18, symbolic of discharge from service.1He found the water sinking, and he was treading on land.

22 23

THE EPIGRAMS OF MARTIAL

..haec intellecto principe dona tulit.

numen habet Caesar: sacra est haec, sacra potestas;credite: mentiri non didicere ferae.

XXXI (XXXII)

DA veniam subitis: non displicuisse meretur,festinat, Caesar, qui placuisse tibi.

XXXII (XXXI)

CEDEREmaiori virtutis fama secunda est.illa gravis palma est, quam minor hostis habet.

XXXIII

Hoc epigramma post librum XIV intlenies.

ON THE SPECTACLES, xxx-xxxm

5 their prey .... This boon she won for that she avowedher Prince IPower divine hath Caesar: sacred, sacredis this puissance. Believe it ye: beasts have not learnedto lie.

XXXI

PARDONmy hurried offering. He deserves not todisplease you, Caesar, who hastes to please you.

XXXII

To yield to the stronger is valour's second prize.Heavyl is the palm the weaker foeman wins.

XXXIII

This epigram is to be found after book XIV.1 i.e. painful to the stronger, though defeated. roan.