Ausonius With an English Translation - Forgotten Books

T

H E L OEB C L A S S ICA L L IBRARY

EDITED BYsPPs , P11 11 ,

LL . D : T. E . PAGE , Lm. D . W. H ID . HOUSE,Lm.D .

AUSON1US

AU SON IU S! W o r k u

W ITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY

UG H G . EVE LYN W H ITE , M .A.

SOMETIME SCHOLAR OF W ADHAM COLLEGE , OXFORD

IN TW O VOLUMES

Lsm‘i9 5 . Q. Q I.

LONDON W I LL IAM H E I N EMANNNEW YORK G. P . PUTNAM ’

S SONSMCMXIX

CONTENTS

A CARGO OF W INE ON TH E MOSELLE

INTRODUCTIONBOOK I .

-PREFATORY P IECESBOOK IL—TH E DA ILY ROUND OR TH E DO ING S OF A

W HOLE DAY

BOOK III.— PERSONAL POEMS

BOOK IV .—PARENTAL IA

BOOK V .—POEMS COMMEMORAT ING TH E PROFESSORS OF

BORDEAUXBOOK VL—EP ITAPHS ON TH E HEROES W H O TOOK PART

IN TH E TROJAN W AR

BOOK VII .-TH E ECLOGUES

BOOK VI I I .—CUP ID CRUCIF IEDBOOK IX .

—BISSULA

BOOK X .

—TH E MOSELLEBOOK XL—TH E ORDER OF FAMOUS CIT IESBOOK XII .

—TH E TECH NOPAEGNION

BOOK XML—TH E MASQUE OF TH E SEVEN SAG ES

BOOK XIV.-AUSON IUS ON TH E TW ELVE CAESARS W HOSE

L IVES W ERE \VRITTEN BY SUETON IUS TRANQUILLUS

BOOK XV .—CONCLUS ION OF TH E BOOK OF ANNALS

BOOK XV I . -A B ID DLB OF TH E NUMBER THREEBOOK xvn .

—A

‘

NUPT IAL CENTOAPPEND IX 395

INTROD UCT ION

TH E works o f Ausonius were he ld in high esteemby the poet’ s contemporaries : Symmachus proteststhat he classes the Mos ella as equal with the poemsof Virgil , and Paulinus o f Nola has grave doubts asto whether Tully and Maro could have borne one

yoke with his old master. Extravagant as such j udgmentsmay be, 1 they have their value as indicatingwhere in (fromthe modern point o f View) the importance of Ausonius really l ies . As poetry, in any highor imaginative sense of the word

,the great mass of

his verse is negligible ; but the fact that in the laterfourth centurymen o f letters and of a ffairs though totherwise

,e stablishe s it as an example and crite rion

of the l iterary culture of that age . The poems ofAusonius are in fact a serie s of documents fromwhichwe may gather in what poetry was then assumed toconsist

,what we re the conditions which determined

its character,and the model s which influenced it .

In a definite sense,therefore , the chief value of

the works of Ausonius is historical ; but not for thehistory o f intel lectual culture alone . The poet doe snot, indeed, throw light on the economic fabric of

.

1cp . Gibbon’s epigram “ The poetical fame of Ausonius

condemns the taste of his age (D ecline and Fall, ed .

Bury , I I I . p. 1 34 note

v ii

INTRODUCTION

soc iety and conditions o f life in his day but he re

veals to us certain sides of social life which are atleast curious—as in the picture which he draws o f thetypical agent who “managed the e states o f the

Roman landowne r o f his day (Epis t. or whenhe shows whatmanner of folk were the middle—classAf e

'

ople , offic ials, doctors, professors and thei r womankind, amongst whomso large a part of his life wasspent.Both these aspects of Ausonius ’ work, the l iterary

and the social,are explained by the facts of his l ife .

LI FE OF AUSONIUS

Decimus Magnus Ausonius was born about 3 10 A.D .

H is father,Julius Ausonius

,a native of Bazas and

the scion apparently of a race o f yeomen (D o

mes tica i . 2, G rat. Act. is introduced to us as aphysician O f remarkable skill and discreet characterwho had settled at Bordeaux, where he practised andwhere his son was born . Aemil ia Aeonia

,the mothe r

o f'

the future consul , was o f mixed Aeduan andAquitanian descent

,the daughter of one Caecilius

Argicius Arborius,who had fled to Dax in the an

archic days o f Victorinus and the Tetrici and hadmarried a native o f that place . Whatever the reason,her son speaks of her in the coolest andmost unimpassioned terms as if posse ssing no other virtue s thanconjugal fidel ity and industry in wool-working (Parent.

Though she seems to have l ived until about

viii

INTRODUCTION

353 A.D .,the upbringing o f her s on devolved upon

various female connections of the family, notably uponAemilia Corinthia Maura, of whose strict discipl inethe poet seems to have retained painful recollections

(Parent. V. 7

The boy’ s education was begun at Bordeaux ; and

amongst his early instructors in grammar (Greekand Latin language and literature) he mentionsMacrinus , Sucuro , and Concordius , who taught himLatin (P 1 of . x . and Romulus and Co rinthius Whowere hard put to it to overcome his dislike for Greek

(Profil viii . 10 HI) . About 320 A.D . he was transferredto the care of his maternal uncle, Aemilius MagnusArborius

,then professor at Toulouse , where the lad

resided until h is relative was summoned (c. 328 A. D .)to Constantinople

,to become tutor to one o f the sons

o f Constantine . Ausonius then returned to Bordeauxand continued his studi es In rhetoric unde r Minervins Alcimus and perhaps D elphidius , the ill-starredson o f the ex-priest of Bellenus and a descendant o fthe old Druids (ProfitAusonius started on his own professional career

about 334 A.D . as grammaticus at the University o f

Bordeaux (Praegf . i . and about the same timewedded Attus ia Lucana Sabina

,daughter of a leading

c itizen . By this marriage he had three children,

Ausonius who died in infancy , Hesperius,and a

daughter whose name is notmentioned . In due timehe was promoted to a profe ssorship in rhetoric

,and

though he practised for a while in the courts,his real

ix

INTRODUCTION

bent was towards teaching (Praef . i . One eventonly, so far as we know ,

disturbed the monotonousbut not wholly re stful (op. Epis t. xxii . 77 ff . ) course ofhis professional life— the death (0 . 343 A. D . ) o f hiswife , who had inspired the best of his shorter poems(Epigram H ow sorely he felt this loss is shownby the real though somewhat egotistical feeling withwhich he wrote o f her more than thirty years later(Parent. and his words gain weight from the

fact that he nevermarried again .

It was in 364 A.D . , or thereabouts, after thirty yearso f class teaching, that Ausonius was summoned to

the golden palace to become tutor to the youthfulGratian (Praef . i . 24 HI) ; and the next ten yearswere spent in guiding the prince through the orthodox courses of grammar ” and rhetoric . On one

occasion at least the monotony o f such a life wasrel ieved for both tutor and pupil by a change tomorestirring scene s . For Ausonius and Gratian both ac

companied Valentinian I . on the expedition o f 368-9

A. D . against the Germans , when the former was commissioned to celebrate the more spectacularresults ofthe campaign (Ep igr. xxviii . , The preface tothe Gripbus gives us a glimpse o f the profe ssor onactive service , and the Bis sula adds a singular detailto the same epis od

In 370 A.D . the title o f comes was conferred upon him,

and five years later he took the first step in his officialcareer, becoming quaes tor s acri palatli. When at theend of A.D . his pupil Gratian ascended the throne ,

X

INTRODUCTION

his advancement became rapid and his influence verymarked . H is hand , for instance , has been traced inthe legislation o f this period (s ee Cod . Theod . xiii . 3 .

l l,xv . l . 1 9 and op. Seeck, Symmac/ms , p . lxxix. )

In his rise the soaring profe ssor drew a train of relative s afte r him. H is father

,then nearly 90 years o f

age , was granted the honorary rank o f prefect ofl llyricumin 375 A.D . (D om. iv . his son Hesperiuswas proconsul o f Africa in 37 6 A. D . and praef ectus

praetorio o f Italy, l llyricumand Africa in 377—380'

his s on-in-law,Thalas s ius , succeeded He sperius in the

proconsulship of Africa ; while a nephew,Aemilius

Magnus Arborius,was appointed comes rerumprivat

arumin 379 A.D . and promoted praejéclus urbi in the

year following . Ausonius himse lf was raised to thesplendid post of praefectus Galliur umin 378, the officebe ing united by special arrangement with the prefecture Of He spe rius to enable fathe r and s on to sharebetween them the toils and rewards of both posts .

But the crowning honour was re served for 379 A. O .

,

when the ex-profe ssor attained the consulship— an

absorbing theme discussed fromall its bearings in theGratiarumActio . At the close o f 379 A. O . Ausoniusretired to Bordeaux (D omes tica i . title ), no doubt tot ake posse ssion o f the ancestral e state which hadcome to himon the death of his fathe r in 378 A . D .

But in 383 the mainspring of the family fortune swas rude ly broken . The army in Britain revoltedwith Maximus at its head : Treve s was occupied

,

Gratian slain at Lyons , Valentinian I I . driven out o f

xi

INTRODUCTION

Italy , and the usurper was master o f the WesternEmpire . The prospects o f the favourite s o f the o ld

regime were definitely at an end . What Ausoniusdid during the domination of Maximus is unknown .

Fromthe explanatory note prefixed to Epis t. xx . we

learn that when the storm burst he was at Treve s(he had no doubt re turned to the court the re) and itis possible that his continued stay in the c ity was infact a detention at the order o f Maximus . But if thisis s o , it is like ly that he was soon permitted to returnto his native Bordeaux .

When at length Theodosius overthrew Maximus

(388 A. D .) Ausonius may indeed have visited the court(cp. Praef . but was too O ld for public l ife .

Henceforth his days we re spent in his native proVince

,where he lived chie fly on his own e state s,

paying occasional visits, which he disliked o r affectedto disl ike, to Bordeaux (D omes t. i . 29 ff

,Epis t. v i .

1 7 ff .) Here he passed his time in enj oyment of thesights and sounds o f the country (Epis t. xxvn. 90 ff ),in dallying with literary pursuits , and in the companyo f friends similarly dispo sed .

The date o f his death is not definitely known, butmay be pre sumed to have occurred at the c lose o f 393

or in 394, since nothing fromhis hand can be assigned to a later year . H e was then ove r e igh tyyears o f age .

In connection,howeve r

,with his l ife something

must be said on his attitude towards Christianity .

INTRODUCTION

When and how he adopted the new rel igion there isnothing to show ; but certain of his poems make itclear that he profe s sed and called himse lf a Christian,

and such poems as the Oratio (Eplzemerz'

s iii . ) andD omes tica ii .

,which show a fairly extensive know

ledge of the Scripture s,sometime s mislead the

unwary to assume that Ausonius was a devout andpious sou ] . But in the se poems he is del iberate ly airing his Christianity : he has

,so to speak

,

dressed himse lf for church . H is everyday attitudewas clearly very different . When Paulinus beganto conformhis l ife to what he be l ieved to be the

demands of Christianity, Ausonius is totally unableto understand his friend ’s attitude and can onlybel ieve that he i s crazed . A devout and piou sChristian might have combated the course chosenby Paulinus, but he would certainly have sym

pathis ed with the principle which dictated it . Nordoes Christianity ente r directly or

'

indirectly into thegeneral body of his l iterary work (as distinguishedfrom the f ew “

s et pieces In the Parentalia therei s no trace of Christian sentiment—and this though heis writing o f his nearest and dearest : the rite which

gives a title to the book is pagan , the dead “ rej oiceto .hear the ir names pronounced (Parent. Pref.they are in E lysium(id. i ii . 23) or in Erebus (id. xxvii .4) or amongst the Manes (id. xviii . 1 2) according topagan orthodoxy ; but in his own mind Ausoniuscertainly regards a future existence as problematical(Parent . xxii . 1 5 and especially Profit i . 39 ff .)

xiii

INTRODUCTION

Further,the conception of the De ity h e ld by

lAus onius was distinctly pecul iar— as his le ss guardedreference s show . In the Eas ter Vers es (D omes t. ii . 24 ff . )

the Trinity is a power transcending but not unlikethe three Empe rors ; and in the Gripims (l . 88) the“ tris deus unus is advanced to enforce the maximter bibe in exactly the same tone as that in which

the children O f Rhea,or the three Gorgons are

c ited : for our author the Christian De ity was note ssentially di fferent fromthe old pagan gods .There is a marked contrast

,therefore

,betwe en

Ausonius ’ formal prof e ssions and his actual bel ie f s .

This is not to accuse himof hypocrisy . Conventionalby nature , he accepted Christianity as the e stablishedrel igion

,becoming a half-bel iever in his casual

creed : it is not in the least l ike ly that he eve r s et

himse lf to realize e ithe r Chris tianitv or Paganism.

Tm; L ITERARY W ORK OF Aus oNIUs

The adul t life of Ausonius may be divided intoth re e period s : the first

,extending fromc . 334 to 364

A. O .

,cove rs the thirty years of profe ssorial work at

Bordeaux ; the second (0 . 364—383 ) includes the

years spent first as G rat ian’

s tutor and then as hisminister ; while the last ten years of his life con

s t itute the third . H is c ircumstances during each o f

the se pe riods necessarily affected his l ite rary work,which may therefore be corre spondingly divided .

T/zc Flm/ P ’riocl. —The first period in the career

x iv

INTRODUCTION

O f Ausonius is a long one, ye t the output, so far as

it can be identified , is smal l in the extreme ; andsince Ausonius was by nomeans the man to suppre ssanything which he had once written, we may bel ievethat his professional duties left him l ittle or nole isure for writing . Some of his extant work, however

,can be identified as be longing to this period .

Possibly his earlie st work (since he seems to havemarried 0 . 334 A. D . ) i s the lette r written to his fatherOn the Acknowledgment of his Son (Epis t. xix . )copy O f forty e legiac s

,ve ry correct but very obvious

and conventional in sentiment . To the first e igh t

years of this period we must also assign the epigramsre lating to his wife (Epigr . xxxix .

,xl .

,l iii —lv and

those on certain “ las civae nomina famae (Ejngr.

xxxviii . and which seemto have caused Sabinasome misgiving . It i s also probable that a conside rable numbe r o f the remaining epigrams—e spec iallythose dealing with academic persons or topic s (e.g .

Epigr . vi . —xiii . , lx .

,lx i . ) —we re composed during this

period ; and it is at leas t a possible conj ecture thatsome O f the mnemonic verse s on the RomanCalendar, the Gre ek Game s , etc . (Eel. ix . werewritten by Ausonius when grammaticus to assist hispupils at Bordeaux

,

1 though worked up for fo rmalpublication at a much later date .

The Second Period—The years spent at the imperial court were more prolific . The Eas ter Vers es , an

1 Compare the mnemonic-s of some modern Latin Grammars .

XV

INTRODUCTION

imperial commission, were written in or afte r 368 A. D .

(D omes tica ii . and were followed by three ofAusonius ’ most characteristic works, the Grip/ms , theCento Nuptialis , and the Bis s ata .

The first of these , composed in 368 A .D .

1 while thepoet was with the expedition against the Alamanni ,celebrates the universality of the mystic numberThree . Though so trivial a theme i s no subje ctfor poetry at all, it must be admitted that Ausoniushere shows at his best as an ingenious vers ifier

partly by the immense range and skilful se lectionof his examples

,partly by variety of rhythm,

andpartly by j udic ious us e o f assonance

, the authorsucceeds in evading monotony—and this thoughninety hexameters are devoted to so unpromising atopic .

The Cento Nuptialis was l ikewise compiled whenAusonius was on active service ; 2 but ne ither that“military licence of which he speaks elsewhere aspermissible at such a period, nor the plea that hewrot e at the direction O f the Empe ror

,can excuse

the' publication of this work at a much later date .

As its title implies,it is a description o f a wedding

festival made up of tags, whose length is dete rminedby icertain fixed rule s

,fromthe works of Virgil . In

the nature of the case,the result is shambling and

1 It was dedicated to Symmachus and published someyears later, but before 383 A. D .

2 If the words sub imperatore meo tummerui at theclose of the preface are to be taken—as no doubt they are

in their strict military sense .

xvi

INTRODUCTION

it a favourite haunt of superhuman and human be ingsalike . The aquatic sports and pastimes to be seenupon the river having been described

,the poet dilate s

upon the s tately mansions which stud the banks andce lebrates the numerous tributarie s which swell itswaters . After a promise to devote his future le isureto praise of the country through which the river flows,Ausonius commits the Mosel le to. the Rhine, closinghis poemwith an exaltation of the forme r above thes treams of Gaul such as the Loire , the Aisne , and

the Marne .

The years following 375 A. D . must have involvedAusonius in much public busine ss , and this doubtlessaccounts for an interval of comparative barrenness .Except Epis t. xiii . , written in 377 when Ausoniuswas quaestor, and the Epicedz

'

on 1(D omes t. iv. ) of 378 ,

nothing noteworthy seems to have been producedduring the busiest period of his o fficial life . But theconsulship of 379 A. O . brought le isure and revived theinspiration of the poet

,who celebrate s the beginning

of his termof o ffice with a prayer in trochaic septenariai i s and another in hexameters (D omes t. v .

,v i. )

both these are wholly pagan in sentiment ; but thee lect were doubtless propitiated by a third and portentous prayer in rhopalic hexameters, written (itseems) during the consulship itse lf, which is pure lyChristian in tone . At the close of his year of officeAusonius rendered thanks to the Emperor in anelaborate oration, the G ratiarumActio . This, the only

1 A second and enlarged ed itionwas prepared later.

xviii

INTRODUCTION

extant spec imen of Ausonius ’ oratory, is of the classwhich must be read to be apprec iated .

The Tnird Period—After the consulship,Ausonius

found himse l f free from the tie s of public dutie s,

and was able to devote himself wholly to his l ite rarypursuits . In 3 79 or 380 he retired to Aquitaine totake possession of the estate left himby his father.The occasion is celebrated in a short poem On his

Patrimony (B owes t. At the close of 379 A. D . he

published the first edition of his Fas ti,dedicated to

his son He spe rius . Originally the main part of thiswork was a l ist of the kings and consul s o f Romefromthe foundation of the c ity down to the author

’sown consulate . The list however

,is not extant

,

1 andall that remains of this production are the shortaddre sse s in verse which accompanied it . A secondedition brought up to date (and probably corrected)was issued in 383 A.D . with a new dedication toGregorius .Kinship of subj ect makes it probable that the

Cnes ares was written at about the same time asthe Fa s'li. In its first edition this book comprisedonly the Monosticha i .—iv . and the Te tras ticha on theEmperors from Nerva to Commodus ; the secondedition was enlarged by (a) a serie s of Te tras t ichaon the twe lve Caesars , and (6) new Tetras ticha

bringing the l ist down to the times of He l iogabalus .

Anothe r work of about the same date i s the

1 It was apparently never included in the Opu s eula .

x ix

INTRODUCTION

Protrepticus (Epis t. an exhortation addre ssed tothe poet’ s grandson and namesake .

W e have seen that Ausonius returned fromAquitaine to Treve s somewhere between 380 and383 A.D . It was perhaps during these years that hewrote the Cupid Crucified, the subject of which wassuggested by a wall-painting at Treve s .In 383 A .D . Maximus se ized the Empire Of the

We st,and Ausonius ’ pupil , Gratian, was done to

death . The poet, as we have seen, was possiblydetained for a while at Treve s ; and the re volutionseems to have profoundly affected him. A fragment(Epis t. xx . ) written at this period clearly shows thegloom and foreboding which had settled upon hisspirits

,and possibly checked for a time the flow of

his poetic ve in . Neverthe le ss, in or afte r 385 A.D . anoteworthy group of works was completed andpublished . The first of these

,indeed, the Parentalia,

was written at inte rvals (e.g. iv . 3 1 c . 379, andxxiv . 5

,1 6 in 382 A.D . ) and may have been

actually finished in 382 ; but the preface to the

Profes s ores indicates that the two works were issuedtogether . 1 The Parentalia i s a collection o f thirtypoems, mostly in e legiacs

,celebrating the memory

o f the author ’ s deceased re lative s . Whether supers tition o r mere love o f verse-making be the cause

,

even remote connections whomthe poet had hardlyor never met are duly commemorated (Parent. xxi .

1 Unless this preface belongs to the Collected Editionalone .

XX

INTRODUCTION

1—2) the semi-historical interest of the se poems hasalready been alluded to (pp . v ii . The Prof es s oresi s a similar collection o f memorial verse s

,though

distinguished by greate r metrical variety, andcommemorates the publ ic teachers o f the Universityof Bordeaux . A reference to the execution o f

Euchrotia with the Priscillianist martyrs (v . 37)shows that the work was not finished earl ier than385 A.D . He re again

,if we except the verses on

Nepot ianus (Prof . Ausonius ’ verse i s moreintere sting as a document for soc ial history thanas poetry . The Epitaplz s , a serie s of epigrams on thechief heroes of the Trojan War, was finished after theProf es s ores and appended to it, as the author himse lfstate s, owing to the similarity o f the two works intone . The pre sence o f the mi sce l laneous epitaphswhich follow will be explained be low (p .

The Genet/zliacos (Epis t. a letter o f con

gratulation to his grandson Ausonius on the occasionO f his fifteenth birthday, may be dated 0 . 387 A . O .

At this point mention must be made o f the

Ephemeris , the date o f which is by no means clear,though it has been variously fixed at c . 368 and0 . 379—380 . It is not easy to decide whether thepoet was writing in the city (i.e. at Treves) or in the

country (Aquitaine) : the forme r is sugge sted by

iv . 4 ff .,v . 3

,the latter by viii . 42 f. Consequently

the period to which the composition is to be

assigned is doubt ful : probably , however, it was latefor the Oratio which forms part o f it is but a revised

xxi

INTRODUCTION

and expanded edition of an earl ier and independentpoem. The Ephemeris , when complete

,described

the daily routine of the poet’ s l ife . H e wakes and

calls his servant (unsucce ssfully) in sapphics , onlyrousing the laggard by the substitution of iambics ihe demands his clothe s and water for washing andgive s orders for the chapel to be Opened . Afterrec iting the prayer already mentioned, which in itsre v ised formruns to eighty-five hexameters , Ausoniusde cides that he has “ prayed enough (s atis prccum.

datumdeo) and prepares to go out, but somehowfailing to do so

,first dispatches a servant to remind

certain friends that they are invited to lunch , andthen visits his kitchen to animate the cook .

Here unfortunately a considerable portion of the

text has been lost, and only 1 the concluding poem

(imperfect) which deals with troublesome dreams isnow extant .

The usurpe r Maximus was overthrown by Theodo s ius in 388 A. D . ,

and the e xultation with whichAusonius hails the event in the Order of FamousCities (ix . 1 , 5 ff . ) suggests that this book wasfinished in 388 or 389 . But fromthe opening wordof the poem O II Aquile ia, non erat i ste locus ” itmay be inferred that most of the series was writtenbefore the end ofMaximus and that the alteration was

1 Peiper inserts in the lacuna an address to a secretary(Ephem. vii . ) th is is at best purely conjectural , and the pieceseems rather to have been intended to stand at the head of acollection of poems .xxii

INTRODUCTION

made in orde r to admi t a reference to the avengingof Gratian . As the title partly indicate s, Ausoniushere ce lebrates the twenty most remarkable c itie s ofthe Empire in a se rie s of de scriptive notice s , thelonge st and warmest of which is naturally thatdeal ing wi th Bordeaux .

A very characteristic but by no means attractivework is the Teclmopaegnion, a c lassified l ist of

(probably) all the monosyllabic nouns in the Latinlanguage so contrived as to form the last syllable s of1 64 hexameters . This

,l ike the Fas li, the Caes ares ,

the Oratio , the Epicedion and certain of the Epitap/i s ,i s extant in two editions . The former of these ,dedicated to Paulinus, must have been issued before389

,when the e strangement between Ausonius and

his former pupil began the second was addre ssed toPacatus in 390

,and contains a new dedication

,one

entirely new section , xiii . (On Ill anosyllabic Letters ),beside s a conside rable number of alterations in the

original matte r. 1Far more attractive than the dreary work just

named is the lll as que of tbe Seven Sages , againdedicated to Pacatas in 390 A.D . The famous Sevenare here forced to appear upon the stage in turn tode l iver each his wise precept and to expound its

1 M iss Byrne (Prolegomena , p . 60 ) considers that the firstedition contained only the dedication to Paulinus and the

init ial section (Techn. ii . and but surely the frequentalterations evidenced by the Vand Z groups of MSS. , aboveall the variants Pauline and Pacate in x iii . 2 1 , show thatthe two editions were nearly co-extensive .

xxiii

INTRODUCTION

practical application . Action O f any sort the re isnone (for the characters appear singly), and the

dramatic formi s therefore a mere screen to allowAusonius to turn the wisdomof the Sages into verse .

But the artificiality is agreeably rel ieved by touche sof parody (as in 11. 1 3 1 or of humour (11. 20 1 ,2 1 3

,

Only the more sal ient landmarks in the l iteraryhistory o f Ausonius are here noticed , and this imperfect ske tch must close with some reference tothe noteworthy correspondence between the poe tand his former pupil Paulinus . Pontius Meropius

Paulinus, born in 357 A .D . ,belonged to a noble and

distinguished family in Aquitaine . H e was educatedat Bordeaux under Ausonius, by whose in fluence hewas subsequently e lected cons ul s ufi

’

ectus in 378 .

In the following year he married Theras ia (theTanaquil of Epis t. xxviii . 3 1 , xxxi . At firstthere is no trace of a shadow upon the friendshipbetween Paulinus and his o ld tutor (s ee Epis t. xxiii .xxvi . ) but in 389 Paul inus retired to Barce lonawhere he began to strip himse lf o f his wealth and tolead a l ife o f ascetic ism. Ausoniu s tried to combatthi s strange madne ss on the part of his friend

,which

he compare s with Be lle rophon ’s aberration he

deplore s the growing e strangement o f his friend,

and rashly but not obscure ly blame s the influence o f

Tanaquil (Theras ia) . These appeal s were conveyedin four letters , one o f which never reached Paulinusthe remaining three reached their destination to

xxiv

INTRODUCTION

depicts are inde ed excel lent soc ial units,example s

of dome stic and c ivic virtue,but no le ss surelv

conventional and unimaginative . With such s ur

roundings,it may be said

,Ausonius was not more

heavily handicapped than Shakespeare probably was ;

but the age of Ausonius was emphatically not El izabethan

,and in himself he was far from being a

prodigy : he could no t but conform to the mouldof his early c ircumstances .The conventional type which he inherited and

which his upbringing re impre s s ed, was stamped yetdeeper by the educational system of his day . Inthis the masterpieces of ancient literature were madesubordinate to the demands of rhetoric and studiednot s o much for the sake of the thoughts or ideaswhich they embodied as o f the mode of expressionwhile rhetoric itself froma vehicle for the statementof facts had degenerated into amere display of verbaldexterity.

The e ffec t of the se two influences, his generalsurroundings and his education , on the work ofAusonius is clear . From first to last his ve rse isbarren of ideas : not a gleam of insight or of broadhuman sympathy, no passion , no revolt : his attitudetowards life i s a mechanical and complacent acceptance of things as they are . To apprec iate this it isonly necessary to read Ausonius

’

L amentf or his Father

(Epicedion), beginning with a mechanical catalogueo f everyday virtues and leading up to a glorificationo f the writer ’ s own success— and then to turn to

INTRODUC TION

Rugby Chapel. The same de f e cts,narrowne ss in o ut

look and egoism,make sterile even those poems which

commemorate keene r sorrows than a man of seventymight be expected to fee l at the death of his fatherat the ripe age of ninety : a favourite grandson isaccidentally killed , and the cry is not O the pity ofit

,but “

.Alas,all my hope s are upset (Parent. xi .

This is common,ve ry common

,human nature

,

but it is not great poetry . And again , grief for theloss of his wife (Parent. deeply fe lt as it was andmuch as its expression may command our pity, i s toose l f-centred to engage entire respect . It is in the

ve rse s To his W if e (Epigr . x l . ) alone that an ent irelv

natural and unive rsal expre ssion of human fee ling i sto be found ; and even here the pedant must needsdrag in the s tiff lay

—figure s of Nestor with his “ triplespan and Deiphobe o f Cumae to chill the atmosphereo f brave Optimi smand tenderne ss .Insensible

,broadly speaking, to sentiment and

unappreciative of the human sympathy which shouldpervade true poetry, Ausonius regarded the art (inpractice at any rate ) as the rhetorical treatment ofany subj ect in verse—with the inev itable rider thatthe harder the subj ect, the bette r the poetry . H isMuse , therefore , was not of Helicon but essentiallyof the schools

,and fromthe schools he derived both

his subj ects and his mode of treatment . The name sof the days of the week, the Roman calendar, tabloidhistories of the Roman Emperors

,a catalogue o fmono

syllable s in Latin, or o f the Trojan War heroes— such

x xvii

INTRO DUCTION

were the theme s in which Ausonius de lighted : the

Parentalia and the ill os ella, indeed , are notableexceptions ; but even in thes e themania for vers ifiedlists manifests-itself, here in a complete catalogue o f

the poet ’ s re lative s , there in an exact enumeration o f

the fishes to be found in the stream.

But if we could admit for a moment that the se andsimilar matters were legitimate obj ects for poetictreatment

,we should also have to admit that Ausonius

was a maste r o f his craft . The skill displayed inworking out the unpromising theme of the Griphushas already been noticed, and it is exerted to the fullin the impossible task of making palatable the

Tec/mopaegnion. Ausonius,indeed

,brought to his

task many qual ities and accomplishments which abrighter geniusmight have envied his acquaintancewith the letter, if not with the spirit, of classic authorswas intimate ; his memory was clearly of unusualstrength

,as the quotations or reminiscences occurring

on almost every page will show and his rhetorical skil lstands himin good stead in his more ambitious works,theWIos elle and Cupid Cruel/f ed. The peroration o f theformer (11. 438—468) may indeed be singled out as areally impressive example Of this art . To the se he

adds the hal f-poetical,half-rhetorical gift for epigram

as when he write s of Tiberius (Caes ares , Tetr . i ii .

quae prodit vitiis credit operta locis,

or of Otho (id. viii .

ho e solumfec it nobile quod pernt ;x xviii

INTRODUCTION

and the more dubious turn for various forms o f as s onance such as igno s cenda . cogno s cenda,

” legendategenda (Ludus i . l , 3

“ faciendo patiendo (Caes ares , Tetr . v . 4) o r in Leonine ve rses

(often emphasising an antithe sis) as

fleta prius lacrimis nunc memorabo modis(Parent. Pre f .

or again (id. 7

quae Numa cognatis s ollemnia dedicat umbrisut gradus aut mortis postulat aut generis .

Sometime s this degenerate s into actual punning, as inCaes ares

,Tetr . iv . 4

, qui superavit avum (unle ss thisis accidental), or non e s t quod mireris e s t quodmis ereris (Techn.

Education and long scholastic experience in

fluenced Ausonius in ye t other directions .As grammaticus he was famil iar with ancient authors ,

and,bound as he was by convention

,to these he

turned for mode ls . Catullus and Horace are hismasters in lyr ic , Plautus and Terence in the pseudodramatic Ludus

,Virgil and Horace again in hexa

meter verse,and Martial and the Greek Anthology

in epigram. In shorter passage s and phraseology hisdebt to the se and to others of hi s predecessors isimmense . Unhappily this dependence is not con

fined to matters o f technique or form. The literarybent o f Ausonius was

,in one o f its aspects, towards

1 In this preface the assonance is frequently used and itsS ignificance is clearly funereal .

INTRODUCTION

the epigram; and he consc ientiously imitates the

masters o f this formo f composition in that obscenityof subj ect and grossness o f expression which , as the

younger Pliny (Epis t. Iv . xiv . 4 ff .,v . iii . I f . ) informs

us,was regarded as e ssential even by the greatest

and most staid worthies .Rhetoric had a profound e ffect upon the literary

work o f Ausonius . For hima simple statement wasan opportunity (for verbal display) missed ; and nofeature is s o characteristic of his poems as duplications like

s et neque tu vidno longumcruciata sub aevo

protinus optato fine secuta virum.

(Parent. xxx . 9 f. )More than this

,for a necessary word or two Ausonius

loves to substitute an elaborate tour de f brce . Thusin Epis t. xv i. 3—1 4 the simple complaint “ you havenot visited me for threemonths is expanded into sixelegiac couplets in Epis t. xv. 5—35 the word thirtyi s transmuted into as many l ine s o f mixed verse ; inEpis t. xiii 7—24 it needs e ighteen verses adequatelyto s ay six . In another place Ausonius complacentlyadmits this tendency, and instead O f telling his bo okthat it is destined for Probus

,observes (Epis t. xii . 7 ff . )

po s s emabsolute dice res ed dulcins circumloquardiuque fando perfruar,

—and devotes the next twenty-four lines to a definition o f Probus through his attributes .XXX

INTRODUCTION

H itherto we have been dealing with the effect Ofhis age and training upon Ausonius the third factor

,

if no t s o potent, is far more interesting. Ausoniuswas o f Celtic blood ; and, extravagantly as Ce lticclaims are often overrated , it is possible that ane lement in his work, which is not due to his classicalculture

,should be ascribed to the genius of his race .

This is a distinct apprec iation for the beautie s o f

Nature without reference to the comfort and grat ification which they may afford to mankind . In the

nature o f the case such an e lement rare ly finds itsway through the crust which unimaginative surroundings and a thoroughly artific ial education and careerhad imposed upon the nature o f Ausonius ; but thesubject o f the Mos ella afforded it some outlet . The

locus clas s icus is,o f course

,Mos ella 63 ff .

,where the

po et describes the dark weeds rooted in the rippledsands o f the river bed, how they bend and sway in theunder-current of the waters, revealing and again con

cealing the bright pebble s which lie amid them.

Elsewhere , in a passage less distinctive, perhaps , butof a richer tone (11. 1 92 ff ), he dwe lls upon the

beauty o f the Moselle at evening when “ Hesperusdrives on the lingering shadows and the steep sideso f the valley are mirrored in the still waters , whenthe boat gliding with the stream seems to be movingover the vines which c lothe the hills . In the

remainder o f his work Ausonius by his choice o f

subjects,forbade himse lf the us e o f this his most

genuine poetic quality yet here and there , like the

xxxi

INTRODUCTION

pebble s in the Mose l le , it gleams out for a momentand is hidden again, as in Ephem. iii . 38 f.

puri qua lactea cael isemita vento sae superat vaga nubila lunae ,

o r in the passage rapidly sketching his rural life nearBordeaux (Epis t. xxvii . where “ nemus umbrismobilibus betrays a touch o f the same spirit .Perhaps this naturalistic gift accounts for the vivid

ness with which some of the personages sketched byAusonius stand out . The pictures of his grandfathe r,the shy astrologer, of his grandmother, who wouldstand no nonsense , and of his aunt Cataphronia, theneedy but generous old maid (Parent iv.

,v .

,xxvi . )

are excellent examples but perhaps the best, becausethe most varied

,are to be found amongst the Pro

f es s ores . There we have the brilliant but restle s sD elphidius , ruined by his own ambitions (Prqfi:Phoebicius (id. x . offspring of Druids

,who

,

finding the service o f the god Be lenus unremunerative , became a professor ; Citarius , grammarianand poet, who was equal with Aristarchus andZenodotus on the one hand and with Simonide s o fCeos on the other (id. Victorius (id. the

zealous student o f antiquities, who died, unhappily,before he had worked his way down to such modernauthors as Cicero and Virgi l and Dynamius , who leftBordeaux under a cloud but fel l on his feet in Spain

(id. Unhappily Ausonius has not conde scendedto depict the peasantry (coloni) of his day ; but in

XXX I I

INTRODUCTION

to purchase grain to re l ieve the famine threateningthe poet ’ s household, he comes out strong as a newcorn-dealer

,traverses the whole countryside buying

up corn and attending all the markets . So adroitlydoes he manage this congenial bus ine s s a ‘

complainsAusonius

,that “ he enriches himse lf and beggars

me .

The place to be assigned to Ausonius as a poet is nota high one . H e lacked the one e ssential

,the power

of penetrating below the surface o f human nature ;indeed his verse deals rather with the products ofman than with mankind itself. H is best qualityappreciation for natural and scenic beauty—i s rarelyindulged and this

,after all

,is an accessory, not an

essential, of poetry. In his studies of persons (suchas the Parentalia and Prof es s ores ) he gives us cleverand sometimes strik ing sketches, but never por traitswhich present the inner as wel l as the outerman.

TEXTUAL H ISTORY

Ausonius did not necessarily publish a poemimmediately after composition . Though it is evident thatthe first edition o f the Fas timust have been formal lyissued as soon as completed in 3 79, the prefatoryletters introducing the Cento and the G riphus showthat each o f the se works was held back for some timebefore its definitive publication . At the same timethe second of these documents speaks o f the Griphusas secre ta quidem s ed vulgi lectione laceratus ,

xxxiv

INTRODUCTION

i.e. as be ing surreptitiously c irculated ; and fromthe lette r o f Symmachus appended to the lVIos ella

it appears that the poet sometimes sent copies o f

his most recent work to friends before he made itpublic property . These “ advance copie s werei ssued in confidence , as the words o f Symmachus,libell i tui (me) arguis proditorem (Epis t. imply,and were not published in the full sense o f the term .

It was only after he had revised a poem to hissatisfaction that Ausonius published it. This wasusually done by sending it to a friend with an epistleprefixed

,in which the author went through the

polite farce 1 o f inviting the recipient to correct itsfaults and so let it live , or to suppre ss it altogether

(Ludus i . 1-4, 1 3Ausonius sometimes revised, supplemented, and

re issued poems already published, usually (but notalways) adding a new dedication . Thus the Techno

paegnion, originally dedicated to Paulinus , underwentsome alterations and additions before being re

published with its new dedication to Pacatus ; butin the second edition o f the Fas ti the prefatorypoem,

originally addressed to Hesperius, was mere lyadapted by slight verbal alterations to suit Gregorius .In the prefatory note to his second edition o f the

Epicedion (D omes t. iv . ) Ausonius writes“ imagini

ips ius (so. patris) hi versus s ubs cripti sunt neque

1 Aus onius , of course , would have been surpris ed and

annoyed had auv of his correspondents taken himat MS

word .

XXXV

INTRODUCTION

minus in opus culo rummeorum seriem re lati . Al iaomnia mea displicent mihi hoc relegis s e amoclearly showing that he kept by hima collection ofall his published or finished work . The fruits thusgarnered were re issued in thre e collected editions .

The first of the se,prefaced by a dedication to Gratian

(Epigr. appeared in or just before 383 A.D . ;

the second was drawn up 0 . 390 A. D . at the reque stof the Emperor Theodosius (Praefal. i ii . , andfinally a collection, including second editions o f Oldpoems and works hitherto unpublished or which hadappeared only in separate form,

was issued afterAusonius ’ death by his son Hesperius or someintimate friend

,probably in This conclusion

may be drawn fromthe lemma o f Epis t. xx . which isin the third person (contrary to Ausonius

’ practice)and

,aftermentioning the c ircumstance s in which the

lette r was written,states that it is unfinished and

copied as it stands from the rough draft similarlythe lemma to the de H erediolo (D omes t. i .) is in thethird person . In both case s it is c lear that Ausonius isnot the writer

,but someone (such as He sperius) very

intimate ly acquainted with the details Of his life . Tothis editor the intrusion o f themiscel laneous epitaphs

(Epitaphs xxvn.-xxxv . ) at the end of the serie s on the

Trojan War heroe s may be due though it is possiblethat they were placed there by the author himse lfwho intended to expand theminto a distinct workstanding next to the original series .

1 According to Seeck .

xxxvi

INTRODUCTION

In the fourth century, therefore, there were current

(a) early or“ advance ”

copie s o f individual works,

(6) formally publ ished copies of the same, possiblycontaining smal l improvements, (0 ) three collectededitions of the works . What is the relation betweenthe se possible sources and the extant MSS .

? W e

may s ay at once that the re is no means of determining whether our MSS . are to any extent dependentupon e ither the “ advance copie s or the publishededitions of single works ; and it is tolerably certainthat the collected edition prepared for Theodosius isno longe r ex tant and probably was never availableto the public . It is apparently from the collectededitions of 383 and 393 A. D . that the . survivingMSS . are derived . These MSS . are classified in four

grOUps : ( l ) The Z or Tilianus group,represented

by the Codex Tilianus (Le idens is Vos s ianus lat .Q . The numerous MSS . of this class all pre sentthe same works in the same order and contain no poemas signable to a date -later than 383 A. D . (2) The Vgroup

,a single MS . o f the ninth century (Le idens is

Vo s s ianus lat . 1 1 1 ) containing for the most part thepoet ’ s late r works and “ remains togethe r withsecond editions of some earlier poems , and somematerial (e.g. the G riphus and the Versus Pas chales ) inthe same shape which it wears in the Z group . (3)The P group, repre sented by Paris inus 8500, containing selections . (4) The Excerpts (so called from the

title o f the a further serie s of extracts .The exact history o f the third and fourth groups

xxxvii

INTRODUCTION

cannot be traced ; but since they contain nothing incommon they are probably to be regarded ascomplementary to one another . Further

,most o f

the ir contents are common to V,but include nothing

peculiar to the Z group as contrasted with V. Con

sequently it is probable that P and E900 . are relatedto V and the pre sence in themo f some ma tter notto be found in V, e.g. the letter of Theodosius (Praef .iii . ) and the

'

lll os elle, suggests that they were derivedfroma more complete representative o f this colleetion than the extant Leyden MS .

If th is is so,the groups may be reduced to two— on

the one side the Z MSS .

,and on the other V and the

se lections . Of these twomain groups, Z, which Openswith a dedication to Gratian and contains nothinglate r than 383 A.D .

,repre sents the first collected

edition,and V

,with re lated MSS .

,reproduce s the

“ posthumous ” edition of 393 A.D .

Such in its broad outlines appears to be the historyof the text . Pe iper

,however

,has put forward a very

di ff erent theory . All the MSS . were derived (heholds) froma single copy o f the final collected edition,and this archetype was spl it into two parts, the formerbe ing the ancestor of the Z group

,the latter o f V,

which was supplemented by the remains o f anothercopy (perhaps the ancestor of Z) in a very decayedcondition . As for P and Era

,they are to be traced

to a defective MS . akin to,but earl ier than the

ancestor o f V,since it contained the lll os ella and other

matte r not pre served in that MS .

xxxviii

INTRODUCTION

This theory cannot be upheld . The poems commonto Z and V frequently differ s o mark edly that . the

variants cannot possibly be attributed to the fortuneso f the MSS . The Epicedion may be cited first inillustration . Here Z omits the lemma, 11. 1 3—1 6 ,

1 9—26 (all found in V), and in l . 38 reads“ guatos

tris numero genui (for gnato s quattuor edidimuso f V), Omitting further 11. 39—40 .

In the Epitaphia the same phenomena occur : inxxxi . 1 Z reads “

et Odoro perlue nardo for the

bene olent is et unguine nardi of V and in l . 6 Zhas fe lix s eu memini sive nihil memini as againstthe “

s enmeminis s e pute s omnia, sive nihil o f V.

And in xxxii . I Z give s “ Lucius : una quidemgeminis s ed dis s ita punctis for V’

s“ una quidem

,

geminis fulget s et dis s ita punct is . In xxxv . 5

we find Quis mortemaccus et ? Complev it muniavitae (Z) and Qui s mortem accus et ? Quis nonaccus et in i sta ” (V) .

An example o f another kind is afforded by the .

Oratio (Ephemeris In Z this is an independentpoem

,in V it is embodied as an episode in the

D aily Round ; and further the text shows more thanacc identa l changes . In 1. 1 Z has “ OmnipOtens ,quemmente colo

,pate r unice rerum V

,Omnipo

tens,solo mentis mihi cognite onltu

”

; 11. 8—1 6are found in V but not in Z ; and in l . 84 Z readsCons ona quemcelebrat modulato carmine plebes

but V,C. q . celebrant modulati carmina David .

So,too

,in the Fas li. The initial poemi s addressed

xxx ix

INTRODUCTION

to Gregorius in Z and begins 1. 9 exemplo confidemeo ”

; whereas in V it is addressed to Hesperiusand substitute s exemplumiampatris habe s . And

of the remaining three pieces 1 1 . is found in V only,iii . and iv . in Z only .

The Technopaegnion affords yet more striking instances o f variation between Z and V. The originaldedication to Paulinus (Techn. ii . ) is found in Zalone

,the later dedication to Pacatus (Techn. i . ) in

V only of the sections in this work that on M ono

syllabic Letters (Techn. xiii . ) occurs in V,but not in Z

while the texts o f the two groups show wel l-markeddifference s . Thus in x . 26 Z has “ nota et parvorumcunis which is changed in V into nota Caledoniisnuribus

”

; for xiv . 3 (according to V) Z reads“et quod nonnunquam praesumit laetificum gau

,

”

plac ing this after x iv . 1 9 ; and for xiv . 5 f . (of V) Zhas the single l ine “ scire vel im Catalepta legensquid s ignificet tau . Lastly and most significantly(if we remember the alternative preface s) V has“ indulge Pacate bonus ” in xiv . 2 1 in place of the“ indulge Pauline bonus o f Z . These variants canonly be due to del iberate revision on the part o f

the author ; in other words the matter common toZ and V follows one edition in the forme r group

,

and another in the latter . Peiper’

s theory of a singlearchetype consequently collapses .It has been necessary to dwel l on this matter at

some length fo r the fol lowing reason . Owingprimarily to an error of j udgment on the part o f thex1

INTRODUCTION

SELECT B I BLIOG RAPHY

Early Printed Editions .

Bartholomaeus Girardinus,Venice , 1 472 (editio

princeps ).Julius Aemilius Ferrarius

,Milan 1490 (reprinted

at Venice 1 494 and re issued by Avantiusa t Venice in

Thaddaeus Ugo letus , Parma, 1 499 Venice,

1 501 .

H ieronymus Avant ius , Venice, 1507 .

Iodocus As cens ius , Paris, 151 1 , 1 51 3 , 1 51 7 .

Richard Croke, Le ipzig, 1515.

R ichard Croke,Florence , 1 51 7 (Juntine Edition) .

H . Avantius , Venice , 1 51 7 (Aldine Edition) .Nicolaus Bo rbonius , Lyons , 1 549 .

Stephanus Gharpinu Lyons, 1 558 .

R . Cons tantmusJoseph Scalige r, Lyons, 1 574—5.

E . Vinetus , Bordeaux , 1580 .

(2) Later Editions .

xlii

J . Toll,Amsterdam,

1 669 .

Fleury Paris,1 730 .

Karl Sebenk l, Be rlin, 1 883 (Eldon G erm.

Auctores Antiquis s imi, V.

Rudolf Pe iper, Le ipzig, 1 886 (Teubner Serie s) .

INTRODUCTION

(3) Trans lations .

There appears to be no English translation o f

Ausonius . A French version is byEtienne Francois Corpet , Paris , 1 842 , and 1 887 .

General.

F . Marx,s .v . Ausonius in Pauly-W is s owa, Real

Encyclopa'

die, ii . cols . 2562—2580 .

Teuff el and Schwabe , H is t. of Rom. Lit. (trans .Warr) ii . 42 1 .

Samue l D ill,Roman Society in the Las t Century of

the W es tern Empire, ch . v . and pas s im.

T . R . Glove r,Life and Letters in the Fourth

Ce ntury ,pp . 1 02 ff .

J . E . Sandys , H is t. of Clas s . Schohz rship, i . 22 1 ff .Marie Jos é Byrne , Prolegomena to an Edition

of the W orks q us onius,New York, 1 9 1 6 .

For further information on the conside rablel iterature relating to Ausonius

,s ee the very ful l

Bibliography given by the last-named writer (op. cit.

pp . 9 1

} ( l iii

D . MAGNI AUSONII

OPUSCULA

L IBER l

[PRAEFATIUNCULAE]1

I.

—AUSONIUS LECTORI SALUTEM

AUSONIUS genitor nobis, ego nomine e odem

qui s im,qua secta, stirpe, lare et patria

,

ads crips i, ut nos s e s , bone vir, quicumque fuisses,et notummemorime colere s animo.

Vasate s patria es t patri,gens H aeduamatri

de patre, Tarbellis s et genetrix ab Aquis ,ipse ego Burdigalae genitus divisa per urbes

quattuor antiquas stirpis origo meae .

bifi e late fusa es t cognatio nomina mul tisex nostra, ut placitum, ducta domo veniant

derivata aliis,nobis ab stemmate primo

et non cognati, s ed genet iva, placent.

s et redeo ad seriem. genitor s tuduit medicinae,

dis ciplinarumquae dedit una deum.

1 Omitted in the MSS .

AUSONIUS

BOOK 1

PREFATORY P IECES

I.—AUSONIUS TO H IS READER

,GREETING

MY father was Ausonius,and I bear the same

name . W ho I am, and wha t is my rank, my family,my home , and my native land , I have written here ,that you might know me , good Sir, whoever youmay have been, and when you know me , mighthonour me with a place in your memory . Bazas 1was my father

’ s native place ; my mother was o f

Aeduan 2 race on her father’ s side , though her

mother came fromAquae Tarbellae ; 3 while I myself was born at Bordeaux : four anc ient c itie s con

tribute to the origin of my family . Thus myconnexions are wide ly spread : many, if s o theyplease , may adopt name s which are derived frommyhouse . Others like names brought in from out

side ; I like such as are taken from the main lineand are no t names o f connexions, but proper to

the family . But I return to my main theme . Myfather practised medicine—the only one o f all the

arts which produced a god ; 4 I gave”myse lf up

1 InAquitania .

2 The capital of the Aedui was atAutun.

3 Dax,in the D ép. des Landes . 4

s e . Aesculapius .3

AUSONIUS

nos ad grammaticen studiumconvertimus et moxrhetorices etiam

,quod satis, attigimus .

nec fora non celebratamihi, s et cura docendicultior, et nomen grammatic i merui

non tamgrande quidem, quo gloria nostra s ubiretAemiliumaut ScaurumBerytiumve Probum,

s ed quo nos trates , Aquitanica nomina, multosconlatus

,s et non subditus , adspicerem.

Exact is que dehinc per trina decennia fas tisdes erui doctormunicipalemOperam,

aurea et Augusti palatia ius sus adireAugus tamsubolemgrammaticus docui,mox etiamrhetor. nec enimfiducia nobisvana aut non solidi gloria iudicu .

cedo tamemfuerint fama potiore magis tri,dumnulli fuerit disc ipulus me lior.

Alcide s Atlantis et Aeac ides Chironis,

paene Iove iste satus, filius ille Iovis,Thes saliamThebasque suos habuere penatesat meus hic toto regnat in orbe suo.

cuius ego come s et quaestor et,culmen honorum

,

praefectus Gallis et Libyae et Lat io

I Probably Aemilius Asper , commentator on Terence and

Virgil : op . Epis t. xiii. 27 .

2 Q . Ter. Scaurus flourished under H adrian,and wrote an

Ar s Grammatica and-commentaries on Virgil , Plautus , andothers .

3 M . Valerius Probus,of Beyrut , failing to W in promotion,

l eft the army and became a grammarian. Jerome dates his

4

AUSONIUS

e t , prior indeptus fasces Latiamque curulem,

consul,collega posteriore, fui .

H ic ergo Ausonius s ed tu ne temne,quod ultro

patronumno s tris te paro carminibus .

I I . —AUSONIUS SYAGRIO

PECTOR IS ut nostri sedemcolis,alme Syagri,

communemque habitas alter ego Aus oniumsic etiamnostro prae fatus habebere libro,differat ut nihilo, sit tuus anne meus .

I I-I.—EPISTULA TH EODOSI AUGUST I

[Theodosius Augustus Ausonio parenti s alutem. ]1

! AMOR meus qui in te es t et admiratio ingenuatque eruditionis tuae, quae multo maxima sunt,fec it, parens iucundis s ime , ut morem principibus

aliis s o litum seque strarem familiaremque s ermonemautographum ad te transmitterem, po s tulans pro

iure non equidem regio,s ed illius privatae inter

no s caritatis , ne fraudari me s criptorum tuorumlectione patiaris . quae olimmihi cognita et iam

per tempus oblita rursum de sidero, non solum ut,

quae sunt nota,recolantur

,s ed etiam ut ea

,quae

fama ce lebri adiecta memorantur,accipiam. quae

1 Suppl . Avantius .

PREFATORY PIECES

too , and was given the precedence on as suming theinsignia and the curule chair

,s o that my col league ’ s

name stood after mine .

39 Such,then, is Ausonius : and you, on your part,

do not despise me because I ask your favour forthese songs o f mine , without your seeking.

I I .—AUSON1US TO SYAG RIUS

GENTLE Syagrius , l even as you have a home withinmy heart and , l ike another se lf, inhabit the Ausoniuswe both share , so also shall your name stand on the

front page o f my book, that there may be no diffe rence whether it be mine or yours .

I I I . —A LETTER or THE EMPEROR THEODOSIUS

TH E Emperor Theodosius to his father Ausonius,

greeting.

My affection for you, and my admiration for yourability and learning, which could not possibly be

higher, have caused me , my deare st father, to adoptasmy own a customfollowed by other princes andto send you under my own hand a friendly wordasking you—not in right o f my kingship, but o f our

mutual aff ection for each other— not to let me becheated o f a perusal of your works . Once I knewthemwel l, but with time they have been forgottenand now I long for them again

,not only to refre sh

mymemory as to those which are commonly known,but also to rece ive those which general report declares that you have added to the former. As you

1 Apanius Syagrius was praeto rian praefect in 380 and 382 ,consul in 382 . H e was a clos e friend of Symmachus .

7

AUSONIUS

tu dc promptuario s criniorum tuorum, qui me amas ,

libens impert ies , s ecutus exempla auctorum optimorum

,quibus par e sse meruis t i : qui Octaviano

Augusto rerumpotient i certatim opera sua tradebant

,nullo fine in e ius honoremmulta condente s .

qui illo s haut sciam an aequaliter atque ego te

admiratus sit, certe non amplius diligebat . valeparens.

IV.—D om1No MEo ET OMN IUM TH EODOSIO AUGUSTO

AUSON I US TUUs

AG RICOLAM si flava Ceres dare semina terrae,

G radivus iubeat si capere arma ducem,

solvere de portu clas s emNeptunus inermemfidere tamfas es t, quamdubitare nefas .

insanumquamvis hiemet mare crudaque te lluss eminibus , bello nec satis apta manus,

nil dubites auctore bono . mortalia quaeruntconsilium. certus iussa capesse dei .

s cribere me Augustus iubet et mea carmina pos cit

paene rogans : blando Vis l atet imperio .

non habeo ingenium, Caesar s ed ius s it habebo .

curme posse negem,posse quod ille putat ?

invalidas vires ipse excitat et iuvat idem,

q ui inhet obsequiumsufficit e sse meum.

8

PREFATORY PIECES

love me, then, consent to favour me with thosetreasures stored away in your de sk, and so followthe example o f the choicest writers, with whomyou

have earned an equal place . For when the EmperorO ctavianus was reigning, they vied with one anotherin presenting himwith the ir works, and s et no limitto the number Of the poems which they composed tohis praise . You may be sure that though he mayperhaps have admired the se authors as much as I doyou, he certainly did not have a greater personalaffection for them. Farewell

,my fathe r.

IV.

—TO MY LORD AND THE LORD OF ALL,THEODOSIUS

THE EMPEROR,FROM AUSONIUS

,YOUR SERVANT

IF yellow Cere s should bid the husbandman commitseed to the ground , or Mars order some general totake up arms, or Neptune command a fleet to putout to s ea unrigged, then to obey confidently is asmuch a duty as to hesitate i s the reverse . H OW

ever much the wintry s ea may rage with storms, orthe land be yet unready for the seed, or the host stilluntrained for war, do not hesitate with such goodcouncillors . Behests Of mortal s call for de libe ration what a god commands performwithout wavering . The Emperor bids me write , and asks for myverse—nay, almost begs for it ; power is maskedunder a courteous command . I have no skil l towrite

,but Caesar has bidden me ; well, I will have

it. W hy should I deny that I can do what hethinks that I can do ? H e by his own influencestirs upmy feeble power, and he who bids me aidsme as we ll ; it is enough for me to Obey . It is not

9

AUSONIUS

non tatumrenuis s e deo . laudata pudo ris

s aepe mora e s t , quotiens contra paremdubites .

Quin etiamnon iussa parant erumpere dudumcarmina . quis no lit Caesaris e sse liber,

ne ferat indignumva‘

temcentumque lituras ,mutandas semper deteriore nota ?

tu modo te ius s is s e, pater Romane, mementoinquemeis culpis da tibi tu veniam.

IO

PREFATORY PIECES

safe to disoblige a god ; though de lay due to

modesty Often deserve s praise , when we hold backdespite the entreatie s o f our peers .

1 7 Nay more , the se songs O f mine have long beenready to break out unbidden : and what book wouldnot be Caesar ’ s own in the hope to e scape therebythe countless erasure s o f a wretched bard

,always

emending and emending for the worse ? Remember only, father Of the Romans, that you gave methe command, and where I fail you must bestowforgivene ss on yourself.

l l

L IBER Il

EPHEMER ISID EST

TOTIUS D IE I NEGOTIUM

MANE iamclarumres erat fenestrasiamstrepit nidis vigilaxhirundotu velut primammediamque noctem,

Parmeno,dormis .

dormiunt glires hiememperennem,

s ed cibo parcunt : tibi causa somni,multa quod potas nimiaque tendis 1

mole s aginam.

inde nec flexas s onus intrat aureset locummentis sopor altus urgetnec corus cantis oculo s laces sunt

fulgura lucis .

annuamquondamiuveni quietem,

noctis et lucis vicibus manentem,

fabulae fingunt , cui Luna somnoscontinuarit .

1 V: caedis , P eiper .

AUSONIUS

surge,nugator

,lacerande v irgis

surge, ne longus tibi somnus, undenon time s

,detur : rape membramolli ,Parmeno

,lecto .

fors et haec s omnumtibi cantilenaSapphico s uadet modulata versu ?Lesbiae depelle modumquiet is ,

acer iambe .

I I .-PARECBASIS

POER, e ia, surge et calceos

et linteamda s indonein.

da, quidquid es t , amictuiquod iamparasti

,ut prodeam.

da rore fontano abluammanus et o s et lumina .

pateatque, fac, sacrariumnul lo paratu extrins ecus

pia verba, vota innoxia,rei divinae copia es t .

nec tus cremandumpostulonec l iba crus timel le i

,

foculumque vivi caespitisvanis relinquo altaribus .

Deus precandus e s t mihiac filius s ummi D ei,

maies tas unius modi,s ociata sacro spiritu .

et ecce iamvota ordioret cogitat io lnuminispraes entiamsentit pavens .pavetne quidquamspes, fides P 1

1 Added in margin of Vby the first hand . Some editorsreject the verse as an interpolator’s correction.

I4

THE DAILY ROUND

1 7 Up with you, you waster ! What a thrashing

you deserve ! “Up, or a long,long s leep will come

on you fromwhere you dread it least.” 1 Out with

you, Parmeno , fromyour downy bed1 1 Perchance this ditty, tuned to the Sapphicmode , encourages your s leep ? Come you then,brisk Iambus, and banish hence the restful Lesbianstrain .

I I . TH E INTERLUDE

H 1, boy G et up ! Bringme my s lippers and my

tunic o f lawn : bring all the clothes that you haveready now formy going out . Fetch me spring waterto wash my hands and mouth and eye s . G etme thechapel opened, but with no outward display : holywords and guiltless prayers are furniture enough fo rworship . I do not call for incense to be burnt norfor any sl ice Of honey-cake : hearths o f green turfI leave fo r the altars of vain gods . I must prayto G od and to the Son of God most high

,that

co-equal 2 Maje sty united in one fe llowship with theHoly Spirit. And 10

,now I begin my prayers : my

heart fee ls H eaven is near and trembles . Have faithand hope

,then

,anything to fear ?

1 Quoted fromH orace, Odes , III . xi . 38 .

2 lit. Of one extent .”

1 5

AUSONIUS

I I I . —ORAT IO

OMNIPOTENS, solomentismihi cognite cnltu,

ignorate malis et nulll ignote pior_umprinc ipio extremoque carens, antiquior aevo,quod fuit aut veniet : cuius formamque modumquenec mens conplecti po terit nec lingua profaricernere quemsolus coramque audi re iubentemfas habet et patriampropter considere dextramipse Opifex rerum

,rebus causa ipse creandis ,

ipse dei verbum,verbumdeus, antic ipator

mundi,quemfacturus erat : generatus in illo

tempore, quo tempus nondumfuit : editus ante

quamiubar et rutilus caeluminlus traret Bous

quo sine nil actnm, per quemfacta omnia : 1 cuiusin caelo solium

,cui subdita terra sedenti

et mare et Obs curae chaos insuperabile noctisinrequies , cuneta ipse movens, vegetator inertumnon genito genitore deus

, qui fraude superbiO ffensus populi gentes in regna vocavit ,stirpis adopt ivae meliore propage colendus

cernere quemlicuit proavis, quo numine visoet patremvidis s e datum 2 contagia nostraqui tulit 3 et diri passus ludibria letiesse iter aeternae docuit remeabile vitaenec solamremeare animam,

s ed corpore totocaeles tes intrare plagas et inane s epulcri

arcanumvacuis adopertumlinquere terris .1op . John i . 3 .

2op . John xiv. 9 .

3cp . 1 Cor . xv . 3 .

I 6

C'

THE DAILY ROUND

I I I . —TH E PRAYER

ALMIG HTY One , whom through the worship Of myheart alone I know,

to the wicked unknown, yet

known to every devout soul , thou art without beginning and without end

,more ancient than time

past and time to come : thy fashion and extent nomind can ever grasp

,nor tongue express . H e on]

may behold thee and, face to face,hear thy bidding

and sit at thy fatherly right-hand who is himself theMake r Of all things

,himself the Cause o f all created

things,himse lf the Word o f God

, the Word whichis G od, who was before the world which he was tomake

,begotten at that time when Time was not yet ,

who came into be ing before the Sun ’ s beams and thebright Morning-Star enlightened the s k y . Withouthimwas nothing made, and through him were allthings made his throne is in Heaven ; and beneathhis seat lie Earth and the Sea and the invinc ibleChaos o f darkling Night : unre sting

,he is the very

mover o f all things, the quickener o f the l ife le ss .H e is G od, the begotten Of the unbegotten, whobeing provoked by the guile Of his scornful people ,called the nations into his kingdom—the worthieroffshoots o f an ingrafted stock to worship him. To

our forefathers it was granted to behold him ; andwhoso discerned his Godhead , to himit was given tohave seen the Father also . H e bare our sinful stainsand suffered a death with mockery, thus teaching us that there is a road to lead back to eternallife

,and that the soul returns not alone , but with

the body complete enters the realms o f Heavenand leaves the secret chamber Of the grave empty,covered with earth which cannot hold it .

VO L. I.

AUSONIUS

Nate patris summi nos troque salutif er aevo,

v irtute s patrias genitor cui tradidit omnes,

nil ex invidia retinens plenus que datorum,

pande viamprecibus patrias que haec perfer ad

aures .Da

,pater

,invic

'

tamcontra omnia criminamentemvipereumque nefas nocituri averte veneni .

sit satis,antiquamserpens quod prodidit Aevvam

deceptumque adiunxit Adam: nos sera nepotumsemina

,veridicis Olimpraedicta prophetis ,

vitemus laqueos , quos letifer inplicat anguis .Pande viam,

quae me post vincula corporis aegriin sublime ferat

,puri qua lactea cae li

s emitalvento sae superat vaga nubila lunae ,qua proceres abiere pii quaque integer Olimraptus quadriiugo penetrat super aera curraEl ias et solido cumcorpore praevius Enoch .

Da, pater, aeterni speratamluminis auram,

s_i lapides non iuro deos lunumque verendi

suspiciens altare s acrijlibamina vitaeintemerata fero si te dominique deiqueunigenae cogno s co patremmixtumque duobus ,qui super aequoreas volitabat spiritus undas . 1

Da,genitor

,veniamcruciataque pectora purga

si te non pecudumfibris,non sanguine fuso

1 Genes is i . 2 .

I 8

THE DAILY ROUND

27 Son of the all-highest Father,Bringer o f salva

tion to our race , thou unto whom thy Bege tter hascommitted all the powers Of his Fatherhood, keeping none back in envy but giving freely, open away for the se my prayers and safely waft them to

thy Fathe r’ s ears .

3 1 Grantme a heart, 0 Father, to hold out againstall deeds o f wrong

,and deliverme f romthe Serpent ’ s

deadly venom,sin . Let it suffice that the Serpent

did beguile our old mothe r Eve and involved Adamalso in his dece it 1 : let us, their late-born progenyonce foretold by sooth-speaking Prophets, escape thesnare s which the death-dealing Serpent weave s .

37 Prepare a road that I,be ing freed from the

fetters of this frail body, may be led up on high,

where in the clear heaven the M ilky W ay stretche sabove the wande ring clouds o f the wind-vexed moon—that road by which the holy men o f old departedfrom the earth ; by which Elias, 2 caugh t up in the

chariot, once made his way alive above our lowe rair ; and Enoch, 3 too

,who went before his end

without change o f body.

43 Grantme,O Father

,the e ffluence o f everlasting

light for which I yearn, if I swear not by gods o f

stone , and, looking up to one altar of awful sacrificealone , bring there the Offering o f a stainless life ; ifThee I recognize as Father of the Only-Begotten,our Lord and G od

,and

,j oined with both

,the . Spirit

who brooded over the waters ’ face .

49 Grant me thy pardon , Father, and relieve myanguished breast

,if I seek thee not with the bodies

Of slain beasts nor with blood poured forth , nor

1 1 Tim. ii . 14 .

2 2 K ings ii . 1 1 .

3cp . H ebr ews x i . 5.

1 9

AUSONIUS

quaero nec arcanis numen coniecto sub ext is

si s celere abs tineo ferrori Obnoxius le t sioptomagis

,quamfido

,bonus purus que probari.

confessamdignare animam,si membra caduca

execror et tacitumsi paenitet altaque sensusformido excruciat tormentaque sera gehennaeanticipat pat iturque suos mens s aucia manes . 1

Da,pater, haec nostro fieri rata vota precatu .

nil me tuamcupiamque nihil : 2 satis hoc rear esse ,quod satis e s t ; nil turpe ve l imne c causa pudoris 60

s immihi non faciamcuiquam,quae tempore eodem

nolimfacta mihi . 3 nec vero crimine laedarnec maculer dubio : paulumdistare videtursuspectus vereque reus . male posse facultasnulla sit et bene posse adsit tranquilla pote stas . 65

s imtenui v ictu atque habitu,s imcarus amici s

et semper genitor sine vulnere nominis huius .

non animo doleam,non corpore cuneta s uetis

funganturmembra o fficiis : nec saucius ullispartibus amis sumq uidquamdes ideret usus .pace f ruar

, s ecurus agam,miracula terrae

nulla putem. suprema d1 1 cumvenerit hora,

nec timeat mortembene consc ia vita nec Optet .

purus ab occultis cumte indulgente v idebor,

omnia de spiciam,fuerit cumsola voluptas

iudiciumsperare tuum; quod dums ua di ffert1op. Virgil , Aen. vi . 743.

2op . H orace , Ep . i . 16 , 35.

3op . M a tth. vii . 12 .

2 0

AUSONIUS

tempora cunctaturque die s , procul e x ige s aevumins idiatoremblandis erroribus anguem.

Haec pia,s edmae s to trepidant ia vota reatu,

nate,aput aeternumplacabilis ads ere patrem,

salvator,deus ac dominus, mens, gloria, verbum,

filius,Tex vero verus, de lumine lumen,

aeterno cumpatre manens , in saecula regnans,consona quemcelebrantmodulati carmina Davidet responsuris f erit aera vocibus amen .

IV.—EGRESSIO

SAT ls'

precumdatumdeo ,quamvis satis numquamre i sfiat precatu nfiminis .

habitumforens emda,puer.

dicendumamic is es t havevaleque , quod fitmutuum.

quod cumper horas quattuor[cursumcitatis sol equis] 2 swim w ku

inclinet admeridiem,

monendus e s t iamSosias .

V.—Locus INVITATIONIs

TEMPUS vocandis namque amici s adpetit ;ne no s vel illis demoremur prandium,

propere per aedes curre vicinas,pue r.

scis ipse,qui sint : iamque dumloquor, redi .

quinque advocavi ; s ex enimconv iviumcumrege ius tum si super

,conviciumes t .

abiit ; re l icti nos sumus cumSosia .

1 VP 2: C has also the variant line consona quemcele

bratmodu lato carmine plebes .”2 Suppl . Trans lator .

THE DAILY ROUND

tarrie s and the day de lays, keep far fromme that fiercetempter, the Serpent, with his false allurements .

79 These prayers of a soul devout, albe it tremblingwith dark sense of guilt, claim for thine own beforethe eternal Fathe r, thou Son o f G od who mayest beentreated, Saviour, God and Lord

,Mind

,Glory,

Word and Son,Very God o f Very God , Light o f

Light,who remainest with the eternal Father

,re ign

ing throughout all age s, whose praise the harmonioussongs o f tuneful David echo forth

,until respondent

voices rend the air with Amen .

”

IV— GO ING OUT

Now I have prayed enough to G od, albe it we sinfulmen can never entreat Heaven enough . Boy 3 Bringme my morning coat . I must exchange my Hail ”

and “ Farewe ll with my friends . But since the

sun for four full hours has urged on his steeds andnow ve rge s towards noon, I needs must speak aw ord with Sosias. 1

V.

—TH E TIME FOR G IVING INV ITAT IONS

AND now the time for inviting my friends drawson. So

,that no fault Of mine maymake them late

for lunch , hurry at your be st pace , boy, to the ne ighbours ’ house s— you know without my te lling whothey are—and back with you before these words aredone . I have invited five to lunch ; for six persons,counting the host

,make the right numbe r for a

meal : if there be more,it is no meal but a mé’lé e.

Ah,he i s O ff And I amleft to deal with Sosias .

1 It being now ten O’clock and two hours to lunch-time ,

Ausonius remembers that he must give directions (whichfollow in vi . ) to his cook Sosias .

2 3

AUSONIUS

VI.-LOCUS ORD INAND I COQUI .

SOSIA, prandendume s t . quartamiamtotus in horam

s ol calet : ad quintamflect itur umbra notam.

an v‘

eg’

eto madeant condita opsonia gus tu(fallere namque solent), experiundo proba.

concute fervente s palmis volvent ibus ollas,

tingue celer digito s iure calente taos,vibranti lambat quos umida l ingua recursu 1

x as

VII.

— [IN NOTARIUM IN SCRIBENDO VELOCISSIMUM]PUER

,notarumpraepetum

sollers minister,advola.

bipatens pugillar expedi,

cui multa fandi 0 0 pia,punctis peracta s ingulis ,ut una vox abs olvitur.

ego volvo l ibros uberesins tarque densae grandinis

torrente l ingua pers trepotibi nec aures ambigunt,nec occupatur paginae t mota parce dexteravolat per aequor cereum.

cummaxime nunc pro loquorcircumloquentis ambitu

,

tu sensa nostri pectorisv ix dicta iamce ris tene s .sentire tamvelox mihivellemdedis s et mens mea

,

1 The remainder o f this poemtogether with muchbeen los t.2 4

THE DA ILY ROUND

VI.

— TH E T IME FOR DIRECT ING THE COOK

So s IAs , I must have lunch . The warm sun isalready passed we ll on into his fourth hour, and on

the dial the shadow is moving on towards the fifthstroke . Taste and make sure— for they often playyou false—that the seasoned dishe s are well sousedand taste appetisingly . Turn your bubbling pots in

your hands and shake them up : quick,dip your

fingers in the hot gravy and let your moist tonguelick them as it darts in and out

VII.-To H IS STENOG RAPHER

,A READY WR ITER

HI, boy ! My secretary, skilled in dashing short

hand , make haste and come ! Open your foldingtablets wherein a world of words is compassed in af ew signs and finished o ff as it were a S ingle phrase .

I ponder works o f generous scope ; and thick andfast like hail the words tumble O ff my tongue . And

yet your ears are not at fault nor your page crowded,

and your right hand, moving easily, speeds over thewaxen surface Of your tablet . When I declaim

,as

now,at greate st speed, talking in c ircles round my

theme , you have the thoughts Of my heart alreadys et fast in wax almost before they are uttered . Iwould my mind had given me power to think as

2 5

AUSONIUS

quampraepetis dextrae fugatume loquentempraevenis .

Quis, quaes o , quis me prodidit ?

quis ista iamdixit tibi,

quae cogitabamdicere ?quae furta corde in intimoexercet ale s dextera ?quis ordo rerumtamnovus,veniat in aures ut tuas,quod lingua nondumabs olverit

doctrina non hoc praes t ititnec ulla tamvelox manusceleripedis compendiinaturamunus hoc tibideus que donumtradidit ,quae loquerer, ut s cire s priusidemque ve lles , quod volo .

[D ISCUTIUNT nobis plac idos portenta s opo res ,qualiamiramur, cums aepius aethere in altoconc iliant varias coetu vaga nubila formas] 1

quadrupedumet volucrum,vel cumterrenamarinis

monstra admis centur ; donec pdifllatae liquidumtenuentur innunc fora

,nunc l ite s

,lati modo pompa theatri

vi s itur : et turmas equitumcaedes que latronum 5

perpetior lacerat no s tro s fera belua vultusaut in sanguinea gladio gras s amur harena.

1 Schenk l Observes that a leaf containing the end of theEphemeris and the beginning O f this poemhas fallen out Of

the archetype . The Translator’s supplement (in brackets) isintended to suggest the general sense immediately preceding.

2 6

THE DAILY ROUND

swiftly as you outstrip me when I speak, and as yourdashing hand leave s my words behind .

22 W ho, prithee, who is he who has betrayed me ?

W ho has already told you what I was but now thinking to say What thefts are the se that your speedinghand perpetrates in the rece sse s o f mymind ? H ow

come things in so strange an order that what mytongue has not yet vented comes to your ears ? NO

teaching ever gave you this gift , nor was eve r any

band s o quick at swift stenography : Nature endowed

you s o , and G od gave you this gift to know beforehand what 1 would speak

,and to intend the same

that I intend .

[STRANG E monsters disturb our calmslumbers, l ikethose we marvel at when, sometimes, in the highupper air the wandering clouds unite and blend together the various shapes] Of four-footed beasts andwinged creatures ; when monstrous shape s o f earthand s ea are mingled in one , until the cleansingeastern winds blow the clouds to shreds and thinthem out into the clear air . Now the courts passbeforemy eyes with suits at law,

and now the spacioustheatre with its shows . Here I endure the sight O ftroops o f cavalry cutting down brigands : or in the

bloody arena some wild beast tears my face, or I ambutchered with the sword . I go afoot across the

2 7

AUSONIUS

permare navifragumgradior pede s et freta cursutrans ilio et s ubit is volito super aera pinnis .

infandas etiamveneres inces taque noctisdedecora et tragico s patimur per s omnia coetus .

perfugiumtamen e s t,quotiens portenta s opo rum

s olvit rupta pudore quie s et imagine foedal iberamens vigilat : totumbene conscia lectum

pertractat securamanus probro s a recedit

culpa tori et pro fugimanas cunt crimina somni .cerno triumphantes interme plaudere rursuminter captivo s trahor exarmatus Alanos .templa deums anctas que fores palatiaque aureaspecto et Sarrano videor dis cumbere in ostroet mox fumos is conviva adcumbo popinis .

D ivinumperhibent vatemsub frondibus ulmivana ignavorumsimulacra locasse s oporumet geminas numero portas quae fornice eburnosemper fallaces glomerat super aera formasaltera

,quae veros emittit cornea visus .

quod si de dubiis conceditur Optio nobis,desse fidemlaet is me lius quamvana t imeri.ecce ego iammalimfalli nam

,dummodo semper

tristia vanes cant, potius carnisse fruendis

,

quamtrepidaremalis . satis e s t bene , simetus absit .sunt et qui fletus et gaudia controversumconiectent varq ue trabant eventa relatu.

2 8

AUSONIUS

Ite per Oblico s cae li, mala s omnia, mundos,inrequieta vagi qua difflant nubila nimbi ;lunare s habitate polos quid nostra subitislimina et angusti tenebrosa cubilia tecti ?me sinite ignavas placidumtraducere noctes ,

dumredeat roseo mihi Lucifer aureus ortu .

quod Sime mullis vexatumnocte figurismollis tranquillo permuls erit aere somn

’

us,

hunc lucum,nostro viridis qui frondet in agro

ulmeus , excubiis habitandumdedico ves tris

THE DAILY ROUND

34 Away, you evil dreams, through the l pingfirmaments Of heaven, where wandering stormsscatter the still-vexed clouds ; dwe ll in the moon-l itskies. W hy steal you in atmy doors and haunt thedarkl ing couch in my confined dwelling ? Leaveme to pass night unexcited in calm repose till goldenLuc ife r comes back for me in the rosy east . But ifsoft sleep shall soothe me with his gentle breath ,nor any shapes trouble my re st by night, this grove—the elm which spreads its green leaves on mye state—I dedicate fo r you to dwel l in on your nightwatche s .

3 1

L IBER III

[DOMESTICA]

I.—D E H ERED IOLO

CUM cle palat io post multo s anno s honoratis s imus ,quippe iam consul

,redis s et ad patriam,

villulam,

quampater reliquerat , introgres sus his vers ibus lus itLuc iliano stilo

Salve,herediolum

,maiorumregnameorum

,

quod proavus , quod avus, quod pater excoluitquod mihi iamsenior properata morte reliquit

eheu no lueramtamc ito posse frui !ius ta quidemseries patri succedere , ve rum

esse Simul dominos grat ior ordo pIIS .

nunc labor et curac mea sunt ; sola ante voluptaspartibus in no s tris

,cetera patris erant .

parvumherediolum,fateor, s et nulla fuit res

parva umquamaequanimis , adde etiamunanimis .

ex animo remstare aequumputo, non animumex re .

cuncta cupit Croesus, D iogene s nihilum

1 Of Cyrene , a disciple of Socrates . For the anecdote hererelated cp . H orace , Sa t. I I . iii. 1 00 .

32

BOOK 111

PERSONAL POEMS

I.-ON H IS LITTLE PATR IMONY

WHEN the author had left the '

court after manyyears

’

enjoyment o f the highest distinctions,having

even become consul , he returned to his native placeand settled down in the l ittle property which hisfather had left him. Thereupon he wrote the followingplayful verses in the manner Of Luc ilius

Hail,l ittle patrimony, the realmo f my forebears,

which my great-grandfather, which my grandfather,which my father tended s o carefully, which the lastnamed left to me when he died all too soon , albe itin a ripe Old age . Ah me ! I had not wished to beable to possess you so early .

’Tis indeed the naturalorder when the son succeeds the father ; but wherethere i s affection

,it is a more pleasing course for

both to reign together . Now all the toil and troublefalls onme : o f Old the pleasure only was my share ,the rest was all my father

’s . It is a tiny patrimony, I allow ; but neve r yet did property seemsmall to those whose souls are balanced, naymore ,whose souls are one . Upon the soul—it is mybalanced judgment— wealth depends, and not aman ’ s soul upon his wealth . A Croesus desires everything

,a Diogenes, nothing ; an Aristippus 1 strews

3 3VOL . I .

AUSONIUS

spargit Aristippus medus in Syrtibus aurum,

aurea non satis es t Lydia tota Midae .

cui nullus finis cupiendi, es t nullus habendiille Opibus modus es t, quemstatuas animo .

Verum ager istemeus quantas sit,nos ce, etiamutme

noveris et noris te quoque , si potis es .

quamquam difficile es t s e nos cere ; W adi O'eav

‘rdv

quampropere legimus , tamc ito neclegimus .

agri bis centumcOlo iugera, vinea centumiugeribus colitur prataque dimidio ,

Silva supra duplum,quamprata et vinea et arvum

cultor agri nobis nec superes t nec abes t .

fons propter puteus que brevis, tumpurus et amnis 25

naviger hic refiuus me vehit ac revehit .

conduntur fructus geminummihi semper in annum.

cui non longa penus,huic quoque prompta fame s .

Haec mihi nec procul urbe sita e s t,nec prorsas ad

urbem,

ne patiar turbas utque bonis potiar.

et quotiens mutare locumfastidia cogunt,

transco et alternis rure vel urbe f ruor.

I I . —VERSUS PASCH ALES PRO AUGUSTO B ICT I

SANCTA salutiferi redeunt s o llemnia Christiet devota pii cel ebrant ieiunia mys tae .

at nos aeternumcohibente s pectore cultumintemeratorumvimcontinuamus honorum.

annua cura sacris , ingis reverent ia nobis .

34

PERSONAL POEMS

his gold abroad in the midst of the Syrtes, all Lydiaturned to gold cannot content a Midas . The manwho sets no bounds to his greed, sets none to hispossessions : that is the l imit to wealth, which youdecree in your own soul .

1 7 But now youmust know of what size is thisestate ofmine, that youmay also knowme and knowyourself too , if you are capable . And yet how difficultthis is,

'

to know onese lf ! KNOW THYSELF : as hastilyas we read that motto

, s o quickly we forget it. Ikeep in tillage two hundred acre s : a hundred moreare grown with Vine s, and half as much is pas ture .

My woodland is more than twice as much as mypasture , vineyard and tilth together : o f husbandmenI have ne ither too many nor too f ew. A spring isnearmy house and a small we ll , beside s the unsulliedriver, which on its tides bears me by boat fromhomeand back again . I have always fruits in store to lastme two whole years : who has short victual by him,

he too has famine at hand .

1

29 This my e state l ies not far from the town,nor

yet hard by the town , to rid me o f its crowds whilereaping its advantage s . And so, wheneve r satietymoves me to change my seat, I pass from one to

the other, and enj oy country and town by turns .

I I .

—EASTER VERSEs COMPOSED FOR THE EMPERORNow return the holy rites o f Christ, who brought

us our salvation,and godly zealots keep the ir solemn

fasts . But we,guarding within our hearts an unend

ing worship,maintain without a break the strength

Of an inviolate homage : rites are Observed once ayear ; but our devotion is continual .

1cp . H esiod , W . and D . 31 ; 363 .

35

AUSONIUS

Magne pater rerum,cui terra et pontus et aer

Tartaraque et pict i servit plaga lactea cael i,noxia quems celerumplebis tremit almaque russumconcelebrat votis animarumturba piarumtu brevis hunc aevi cursumceleremque caducae

finemanimae donas aeternae munere vitae .

1

tu mite s legummonitus sacros que prophetashumano impertis generi s ervas que nepote s,deceptummis eratus Adam,

quem capta venenisimplicuit s ociumblandis erroribus Aevva .

2

tu verbum, pater alme , tuum,natumque deumque,

concedis terris totums imilemque paremque ,ex vero verumvivaque ab origine vivum.

il le tuis doctus monitis hoc addidit unum,

ut,super aequoreas nabat qui Spiritus undas, 3

pigra inmortali vegetaret membra lavacro .

trina fide s auctore uno,spes certa s alut is

[da veniamet praes ta speratae munera vitae 4]hunc numeramiunctis virtut ibus amplectenti .Tale et terrenis specimen spectatur in oris

Augustus genitor, geminumsator Augus torum,

qui f ratremnatumque pio conplexus utrumqunumine partitur regnumneque dividit unum,

Omnia solus habens atque omnia dilargitus .

hos igitur nobis trina pietate Vigentes,

1cp . Romans viii . 18 .

2cp . 1 Timothy ii . 14.

3cp . Genes is i . 2 .

4 A line such as is here supplied appears to have droppedout Of the text.

36

AUSONIUS

rectores terrae plac idos caelique ministros,Christe

,aput aeternumplacabilis ads ere patrem.

I I I .— ORATIO CONSULIS AUSONIIVERSIBUS RH OPALICIS 1

SPEs , DEUS, AETERNAE STATIONIS CONCILIATORsi cas tis precibus veniales invigilamus ,his

,pater,

’

Orat is placabilis ads tipulare .

Da,Christe

,specimen cognos cier inreprehensum,

rex bone,cultorumfamulantumvivificator. 5

cumpatre maie s tas altissima, non generato .

2

Da trinumcolumen paracl ito consociante,ut longumcelebris devot io cont inuetur :

ad temet properant Vigilatumconvenienter.

Nox lucemrevehet funalibus antef erendam,

nox lumen pariens credent ibus indubitatum,

nox flammis Operummeditatrix s idereorum.

Tumensis dirimi s ieiunia relligio sa,

tu bona promittens s urgentia concelebraris

da, rector, modico s e ffarier omnipotentem.

Fons taus emundat recreatu ius t ificato s ,dans mentemoblitampo s itorumflagitiorum,

dans agnos niveo s splende s cere purificatos .

Lux verb’

o inducta,

3peccantibus auxiliatrix

,

ut nova Iordanis ablutio, sanct ificavit,

1 Scaliger andmos t edd . reject this as a work of Aus onius .

2 H eins ius,Schenkl : ingenerato, V, P eiper .

3 St. John i . 4

38

PERSONAL POEMS

tie s,these mild rulers Of the earth and instruments

o f Heaven,claimthemfor thine own in presence Of

thine eternal Father,O Christmostmerc iful .

I I I .—A PRAYER OF AUSONw s THE CONSULIN RH OPALIc 1 VERSE

O GOD,our hope , who dost provide for us an‘end

less home ; if we by holy prayer and Vigil win thypardon, then, Father, in thy mercy grant us our

petitions . Grant us,O Christ

,to know thy faultle ss

pattern,O gracious King

,thou quickener Of thy

servants who adore thee—thou, who with the Fathe r,the Unbegotten, art one Majesty most high . Grantthrough the fellowship o f the Comforter a triplestay to aid us, that throngs Of worshippers mayceaselessly prolong thy praise : to thee it is theyhaste fit ly to keep vigil . Night shal l bring backa light far beyond any taper

’ s ray ; night whichsends forth a beam in which bel ievers put the irtru st ; night which broods o

’

er the tasks of the fierystars . Thou at thy table ende st our solemn fasts ;thou

,who dost promise stil l increasing blessings, art

praised by all with one accord : O thou , our Ruler,give us poor worthle ss mortals power to express thegreatne ss o f the Almighty.

1 6 Thy fount cleanseth the sinner made j ustifiedby new creation : it bringeth the heart forgetfulness Of sins now laid aside : it causeth thy cleansedlambs to sh ine white as the snow . The light,brought in by the Word, the sinner

’ s stay, even as anew washing clean in Jordan

,hath sanctified them,

1 Rhopalic clublik e verse is that in which the firs tword is a monosyllable , the second a disyllable , the third atrisyllable, and so on.

39

AUSONIUS

cumsua dignati tinguentia promeruerunt .

Et Christus regimen element is inrequietisfert undammedici baptismatis intemerati,ut noxamauferret mortalibus extenuatam.

Crux poenae extremumproperata inmaculato ,ut Vitamamis samrenovaret mortificatus ,tot rerumt itulis Obnoxius immodicarum.

Quis digne domino praeconia continuabit ?

an terra humano locuple tat commemoratu,quemvocumresonant modulatus angelicarum?Dans aulamStephano pret ios amdilapidato,

dans claves superas cathedrali incohatori,quin Pauluminfes tumcopulasti adglomeratu .

Fit doctor popul i lapidantumcons timulator,ut latro confessor paradisumparticipavit ,sic

,credo, adnectens diris s ima clarificandis .

Nos seros famulos adcres cere perpetieris

sub tali edocto s antistite relligionis

da sensumsol ida s tabilitumcredulitate .

Fac iungar nume ro redivivo glorificatus ,ad caeluminvitans consortia terrigenarum,

SPES, DEUS, AETERNAE STATIONIS CONCILIATOR !

IV.

—EPICEDION IN PATREM

POST deum semper patremcolu i s ecundamque re

verentiamgenitori meo debui. sequitur ergo hancsummi dei venerationemepicedion patrismei . titulus

4 0

PERSONAL POEMS

when by their merits they are grown worthy o f itsblessed unction . And Christ, who ruled the restle sse lements, bringeth the heal ing waters of stainle ssbaptism to minish and take away the guilt o f men.

The Sinless One was hurried to the cross o f direstpenalty, that by his death he might renew the lifewe forfe ited, himself the theme o f praise for al lhis matchle ss deeds . W ho can worthily express thepraises O f the Lord ? Can earth with its humantongues enrich his renown which tuneful choirs o f

angels echo forth above ? Thou didst Open thy’

Splendid palace for Stephen stoned, thou didst givethe keys o f heaven to that first founder of the Apostoli c Throne : much more , thou didst add Paul thepersecutor to thy flock . H e who urged on the menwho stoned Stephen

,became a teacher Of the people ,

’

as the thief who confessed thee rece ived a placein Paradise

,so

,methinks

,following up his he inous

deeds with acts worthy o f renown . Thou wiltsuffer us thy servants o f the se latter days to growin grace

,led by the teaching o f that great pre late

o f our creed : give us an heart e stablished withfirm faith . Grant that I

,be ing glorified, may j oin

the company Of them that l ive again , when thoushalt call the fellowship Of earth-born men to

Heaven, O God, our hope, who dost provide for usan endless home !

IV.—AN ELEG Y UPON H IS FATHER

I ALWAYS revered my father next to God, and feltthat I owed my parent the second place after H imin my veneration . And so this hymn Of worship toGod most high is followed by an epicedion upon my

4 1

AUSONIUS

a G raecis auctoribus de functorum honori dicatus ,non ambitio sus

,s ed religio sus : quem commendo lec

tori meo, sive i s filius e s t s eu pater sive utrumque .

neque,ut laudet , exigo ; s et, ut amet, postulo . ne

que vero nunc patremmeum laudo, quod il le non

eget et ego functumOblectatione v iventium onerarenon debeo . neque dico nisi quod agno s cunt , quiparti aetat is e ius interfuerunt . falsumme autemmorte [e ius] Obita dicere et verum tacere eiusdem

piaculi existimo . imagini ips ius hi versus s ubs cript isunt neque minus in opus culorummeorum seriemre lati . alia omniamea displicent mihi ; hoc relegis s e

amo .

Nomen ego Ausonius,non ultimus arte medendiet

,mea si mosses tempora, primus e ram.

~

v icinas urbes colui patriaque domoque ,Vasate s patria

,s ed lare Burdigalam.

curiame duplex et uterque senatus habebatmuneris exs ortem, nomine participem.

non Opulens nec egens, parcus sine s ordibus egi

v ictum,habitum

,mores semper eademhabui.

sermone inpromptus Latio , verumAttica linguasuffccit culti vocibus eloquii .

optuli Opemcunct is pos centibus artis inemptaeo fficiumque meumcumpietate fuit .

4 2

PERSONAL POEMS

father. It i s a title consecrated by Greek writers tothe honour Of the departed

,and is expre ssive not Of

vanity but o f devotion . And this poemI commendto my reade r, be he son, o r f ather, or both . I do notdemand that he should praise it, but I do ask himtolove it . And indeed I do not here sing the praiseso f my father ; for he needs no praise , and I have no

right to burden the dead with the entertainment o f

the l iving. Furthermore,I s ay nothing more Of

him than what those who were to some degree hiscontemporarie s recognize as fact. For me to saywhat is untrue about himbecause he is dead , andto disguise what is true

,I consider to be equally

he inous . These verses were written under his portrait

,and likewise entered in the collection Of my

works . I amdissatisfied with all el se Of mine ; butthis poemI love to read over and over again .

My name was Ausonius, o f no mean repute inthe art o f healing ; nay, if you but knew my age ,I was the foremost . I was born and had mydwell ing in two neighbouring towns ; Bazas was mybirthplace , but Bordeaux was my home . I was asenator in the council 1 o f both towns

,although I

fi lled no Office and my rank was honorary . No t

wealthy nor yet needy, I lived thriftily ye t notmeanly : as to my table , dre ss, and habits, I havealways followed the same way. For Latin I neverhad a ready tongue ; but the speech Of Athenssupplied my need with words of choice e loquence .

To all who ‘ask ed I brought the aid Of my art with

out f ee , and pity bare a large Share in my work .

1 Everymunicipiumhad a senate of one hundred members(decuriones ) whomet in a council-chamber called curi a .

AUSONIUS

indiciumde me s tudui praes tare bonorumipse mihi numquam,

iud ice me, placui .

Oflicia in multos diverso debita cultu

pers onis , meritis , tempore distribui .litibus abs tinui non auxi, nonminu i rem;indice me nullus, s et neque teste , perit .

invidi numquam; cupere atque ambire refugi ;iurare aut falsumdicere par habui .

factio me sibi non, non coniuratio iunxit

sincero colui foedere amicitias .

f elicemSCIVl non qui, quod vellet, haberet,s et qui per fatumnon data non cuperet .

non occursator, non garrulus, obvia cernens ,valvis et velo condita non adii .

famam,quae posset Vitamlacerare bonorum

,

non finxi et, veramsi s cierim,taeui .

ira procul, spes vana procul, procul anxia curainque bonis hominumgaudia falsa procul .

vitati coetus eiurat ique tumultuset semper fictae principumamicit iae .

deliquis s e nihil numquamlaudemesse putaviatque bonosmore s legibus antetuli.

iras ci promptus properav i condere motumatque mihi poenas pro levitate dedi .

coniugiumper lustra novemSine crimine concors

unumhabui : gnatos quattuor edidimus .

prima obiit lactans ; at qui fuit ultimus aevi,pubertate rudi non rudis interiit .

44

AUSONIUS

maximus ad summumcolumen pervenit honorum,

praefectus Gallis et Libyae et Latio ,

tranquillus , clemens, oculis , voce , ore s erenus ,

in genitore suomente animoque puer .huius ego et natumet generumpro consule vidi ;

consul ut ipse foret, Spe smih i certa fuit .matronale decus po s s edit filia, cuius

egregia et nuptae laus erat et v iduae ,quae nati generique et progeneri S imul omniummultipl ic i inlus tres vidit honore domos .

ipse nec adfectans nec detrectator honorumpraefectus magni nuncupor Illyrici.

haec me fortunae larga indulgentia suas it

numine adorato vitae Obitumpetere,ne fortunatae spatiuminviolabile vitaefatali morsu s tringeret ulla dies .

opt inui auditaeque prece s : spem,vota

, t imorems opitus plac ido fine relinquo alIIs .

intermaerentes,s ed non ego maes tus , amico s

dispo s it is iacui funeris arbitriis .

nonaginta anno s baculo Sine , corpore totoe xegi, cunctis integer O fficns .

haec quicumque lege s, non aspernabere faritalis vita tibi

,qualia vota mihi .

1 Ausonius h imself was properly prefect of the Gauls (inbut his prefecture was combined with that held by

H esperius (of Italy , l llyricum,and Africa).

46

PERSONAL POEMS

son rose to the highest pinnacle o f dignity, as prefecto f all Gaul, Libya, and Latium,

1 calm and kindly,gentle o f glance and speech and mien , in bearingtowards his father he was stil l a boy in mind andheart. I l ived to s ee his son and son-in-law pro

consuls,

2 and my hope was always sure that he

himself would be consul . My daughter enj oyedthe pride Of the wedded state , and won the highe stpraise both as wife and widow . She l ived to s ee

her son , her son-in-law, and her granddaughte r’ shusband all bring glory to the ir house in titlesmanifold . And 1

,although I ne ither angled for

distinctions nor affected to disdain them,bore the

title o f prefect Of the great l llyr icum. Such lavishkindness on fortune ’ s part moved me to praise myG od

,and pray that my life might end before any

day with fel l tooth should fret the unmarred span of

so fortunate a life . My prayers were heard and myreque st was granted : now I am fallen asleep aftera peaceful end, and leave to others hopes

,and

pray ers , and fears . And so,aft e r the allowance s 3

formy funeral had been allotted, I lay amid grievingfriends, myself not grieving . Ninety years I lived,without a staff, my body whole and unfailing in al lits functions . W hoe

’

er you are who shall read theselines

, you will not scorn to say“Your life was such

as I praymine may be .

”

2s o. H esperius and Thalas s ius , proconsuls Of Africa .

3 Arbitria (cp . Cic . deD omo sua , 37) were so called becausetheir amount was adjudged (arbitrabantur ) in accordancewith the means and rank of the deceased : s ee Justinian,

D ig. XI . vii . 1 2 , 5, 6 .

AUSONIUS

V.—PRECATIO CONSULIS DESIGNAT I PRID IE KALENDAS

IANUARIAS FASCIBUS SUMPTIS

IANE,VENI : NOVUS ANNE, VENI : RENOVATE VEN I, SOL .

consulis Aus onu LatiamVisure curulem.

ecquid ab Augusta nunc maiestate secundumquodmireris , habes ? Roma illa domusque Quiriniet toga purpure i rutilans praetexta senatihoc apice aeternis s ignat sua tempora fas tis .

[IANE, VENI NOVUS ANNE,VENI RENOVATE VENI

,SOL . ]

1

Anne,bonis coepte auspiciis , da vere salubri 1 0

apricas ventorumanimas, da roscida Cancrosolstitia et gelidumBoreamSeptembribus horis .mordeat autumnis f rigus subtile pruiniset tenuatamoris cessetmediocribus aes tas .

sementemNotus umificet , sit bruma nivalis,dumpate r antiqui renovatur Martius anni .

[IANE, VENI : NOVUS ANN E, VENI : RENOVATE VENI, SOL . ]Spiret Odorato florumnova gratia Maio ,Iulius et s egete s coquat et mare temperet Euris ,Sirius ardentemnon augeat igne Leonem,

discolor arboreo s variet Pomona s apore s ,

1 Suppl . P eiper .

1 See Pliny , N .H . xv. 3 , 4 . In the earlies t times , theRoman year began in March , and there were only ten

months (December being the last) : the addition Of two new

48

PERSONAL POEMS

V.

—A SOLEMN PRAYER OF AUSONIUS As CONSUL-DESIONATE

,WHEN HE A SSUMED THE INSIGNIA OF OFFICE

ON THE EVE OF THE KALENDS OF JANUARY

Come, Janus ; come

,New Year ; come

,Sun

,with

s trength renewed

>l< >l< >I< >I<

>I< >I< >l< ~4< >I< >I<

soon to behold Ausonius enthroned in state,consul

o f Rome . What hast thou now beneath the Imperialdignity itself tomarve l at ? That famous Rome, thatdwell ing o f Quirinus, and that Senate whose borderedrobes glow with rich purple

,from this point date

their seasons in the ir deathless records .Come

, Janus ; come,New Year ; come

,Sun

,with

s trength renewed1 0 Year

,that beginnest with good augury, give us

in healthful Spring winds o f sunny breath ; when theCrab shows at the solstice

,give us dews

,and allay the

hours Of September with a cool north wind . Let

shrewdly-biting frosts lead in Autumn and let Summer wane and yie ld her place by slow degree s . Let

the south winds moisten the seed corn,and Winte r

re ign with all her snows until March,father Of the

Old-style year, 1 come back anew .

Come, Janus come

,New Year ; come

,Sun

,with

s trength renewed1 8 Let May come back with new grace and fragrant

breath o f flowers, let July ripen crops and give the

s ea re spite from eastern winds,let Sirius ’ flame s

not swel l the heat o f Leo ’ s rage,let party-hued

Pomona bring on array o f luscious fruits,let Autumn

months (January and February ) was traditionally ascribed toNuma .

4 9VOL. I .

AUSONIUS

mitiget autumnus , quod maturaverit ae s tas ,et genialis hiems parta sibi dote fruatur.

pacemmundus agat nec turbida sidera regnent .

[IANE, VEN I : NOVUS ANNE, VEN I : RENOVATE VENI , SO INulla tuos , G radive

,O ff endat stella penates

,2 6

quae non acqua tibi ; non Cynthia, non ce ler Arcasfinitimus terris non tu, Saturne , supremoultime circuitu pro cul a Pyroente remo tustranquillumproperabis iter . vos comminus ite , 30

stella salutigeri Iovis et Cythereie Vespernon umquamho spitibus facilis Cyllenius absit .IANE

, vENI : NOVUS ANNE, VENI RENOVATE VENI, SOL .

H os t ibus edomitis,qua Franc ia mixta Suebis

certat ad obsequium,Latiis ut militet armis,

qua vaga Sauromates sibi iunxerat agmina Chuni,quaque G etes sociis H is trumadsultabat Alanis

(hoc mihi praepetibus Victoria nuntiat alis)iam venit Augustus

,no s tro s ut comat honores,

o fficio exornans , quos participare cupis s et . 40‘IANE

,VENI NOVUS ANNE

,VENI : RENOVATE VENI, SOL.

Aurea venturo,Sol, porrige gaudia Iano

fas cibus Aus onii succedet Caesar in annum,

1 Of the stars mentioned in ll . 26-32 Cynthia is the Moon,

Arcas or Arctophy lax (s on of Jove and Callisto ) is the BearW arden, the

“ Fiery Planet is Mars , and CythereanVesper

” is Venus as the Evening Star. The Cyllenian isMercury , reputed to take on the influence of whatever starhappens to be in his house .

2 Ausonius is the only authority for Gratian’

s exploits in378 after the defeat of the Alemanni at Argentaria (Colmar

50

PERSONAL POEMS

mellow what Summe r has matured, and let j ollyWinter enjoy his portion due . Let the world l iveat peace

,and no stars O f trouble hold sway .

Come, Janus ; come,New Year ; come, Sun, with

s trength renewed2“G radivus , let no star but such as favours thee

invade thy house—not Cynthia, nor swift Arcasne are st to the earth

,nor thou

, 0 Saturn , movingremote in thy distant orbit : far from the FieryPlanet thou shalt move on thy peaceful course . Ye

in conjunction move , star o f health-bringing Joveand Cythere an Vesper, nor ever let the Cyllenian,s o complaisant to his guests, tarry far Off .

Come, Janus ; come

,Ne w Year ; come, Sun, with

s trength renewed34 All foes now vanquished 2 (where the mixed

Frankish and Swabian horde s v ie in submission,seeking to serve in our Roman armie s ; and wherethe wandering bands o f Huns had made al liancewith the Sarmatian ; and where the Getae with the irAlan friends used to attack the Danube—for Victoryborne on swift wings give s me the news Of this), 10now the Emperor comes to grace my dignity, andwith his favour crowns the distinction which he

would fain have Shared .

Come, Janus ; come, Ne w Year come

,Sun

,with

s trength renewed42 O ffer thy golden joys, 0 Sun

, to Janus, soonto come . A year, and Caesar shall succeed to the

insignia o f Ausonius,and wear for the fifth time the

in Alsace ). In the G ratiar umActio (ch. ii . ) Gratian iscredited with having restored peace along the frontiers ofthe Rh ine and the Danube in a Single year . The referenceto a message here suppos ed to be brought

_by Victory is

probably anticipatory .

51

AUSONIUS

quintamRomulei praetextamhabiturus honoris .ecce ubi s e cumulatmea purpura (mitibus audi 45

auribus hoc, Nemesis) post me dignatur oririAugustus consul . plus quamconferre videturme sibi

, qui ius s it no s tro s praecedere fasces .I ANE

,VENI : NOVUS ANNE

,VENI : RENOVATE VENI, SOL

Tu tropicumSoli da 1 cedere,rursus et illum

terga dare,ut duplex tropico varietur ab astro

et quater a ternis properet mutatio s ignis .

aes tivos inpelle dies brumamque morantemnoctibus adceleret promis sus Caesaris annus .illumego si cernam,

tumterque quaterque beatus, 55tunc ero bis consul

,tunc tangamvertice caelum.

VI .— ITEM PRECATIO KAL. IANUARIIS

ANNE,bonis coepte auspic i i s , fel icia cerni s

consulis Aus onu primordia : prome corus cum,

Sol aeterne , caput s olitoque inlus trior almolumine purpureumiubar exere lucis eoae .

anne,pater rerum

,quas Ianimense bifront is

Volvis in hibernumglaciali fine D ecembrem,

alme,veni et fe s tumveteri novus adice Ianum.

coge s ecuturos bis sena per ostiamenses 2

1 Scaliger : s olido da, V, P eiper .

2 Transferred to th is place b Peiperverse follows 1. 49 in the prece ing poem.

52

in the MS. (V) this

AUSONIUS

s ollemnes pervade vias bis s enaque mundocurricula aequatis varians per tempora Signis

praecipitemaeterna perfer vertigine curs um,

sic prono raptate polo, contraria Phoebusut momenta ferat servata parte dierumet novus hibemo reparet sua lumina puls u.

menstrua ter decies redeunt dumcornua lunae ,exortus obitusque manu volvente rotabis ,

legitimum Phoebi cohibens per signameatum.

PERSONAL POEMS

that are to follow . Move on along the accustomedways, and as thou change st season by season the

courses o f the twelve even-moving Signs in heaven ,bear themalong in headlong career with unceasingrevolutions, thyself s o carried onwards by the steepsloping heaven

,that Phoebus may begin to reverse

his motions ere all your days are spent, 1 and throughwinter ’ s impulse may restore his fire s anew . Whilethrice ten time s the horned moon returns new born,thy hand shall bring round in succession dawn andeve, still keeping Phoebus to his ordained courseamid the signs o f heaven .

1 i . e. the days wh ich intervene between the winter sols tice(when the Sun begins to “ reverse h is motions ”) and the

actual end Of the year.

55

L IBER IV

PARENTALIA

PRAEFATIO IN PROSA

SCIO vers iculis me i s evenire , ut fastidiose leganturquippe Sic meritum es t eorum. s ed quosdam soletcommendare materia et aliquo tiens fortas s e lectoremsolum lemma s ollicitat tituli, ut f e s tiv itate persuasuset ineptiamferre contentus sit . hoc opusculumnec

materia amoenum es t nec appellatione iucundum.

habet maes tam religionem, qua carorummeorumObitus tristi adfectione commemoro . titulus l ibell ies t Parentalia . antiquae appellationis hic dies et

iam inde ab Numa cognatorum inferIIs ins titutus

nec uidquams anct ius habet reverentia supers titum,

quamut amissos venerabiliter recordetur .

ITEM PRAEFATIO VERSIBUS ADNOTATA

NOMINA carorumiamcondita funere ius tO ,fleta prius lacrimis , nunc memorabo modis,

56

AUSONIUS

nuda,sine o rnatu fandique carentia cultu

suflicit inferiis exequialis hono s .

nenia,funereis satis oflicio sa querellis ,

annua ne tacitis munera praetereas ,quae Numa cognat is s ollemnia dedicat umbris,

ut gradus autmortis postulat aut generis .hoc satis e s t tumulis , satis e s t telluris egenisvoce eiere animas funeris instar habet .

gaudent conpos iti cineres sua nomina dic ifrontibus hoc s criptis et monumenta iubent .

ille etiam,maes ti cui defuit urna s epulcri,

nomine ter dicto paene Sepultus erit .

at tu, quicumque es , lector, qui fatameorumdignaris maes tis conmemorare elegis ,

inconcussa tuae percurras tempora vitaeet praeter ius tumfunera nulla fleas .

I.— IULIUs AUSONIUS PATER

PR IMUS in his pater Ausonius,quemponere primum

,

e tsi cunctetur filius , ordo inhe t.cura dei, placidae functus quod honore s enectae

undecie s binas vixi t O lympiadas .

omnia,quae voluit , qui prospera vidit : e idem,

optav it quidquid, cont igit , ut voluit .

non quia fatorumnimia indulgentia, s ed quodtammoderata ill i vota fuere viro .

1 t. e. the tribute paid by calling upon the name Of thedead cp. Vergil , Aen. iii. 68 , vi . 507

58

AUSONIUS

quemsua contendit septems apientibus aetas,quorumdoctrinammoribus excoluit,

viveret ut potins quamdiceret, arte s ophorum,

quamquame t facundo non rudis ingenio .

praeditus et vitas hominumratione medendiporrigere et fati s amplificare moras .

inde et perfunctae manet haec reverent ia vitae,

aetas nostra il li quod dedit hunc t itulumut nullumAusonius

,quems ectaretur, habebat ,

s ic nullum,qui s e nunc imitetur

,habet.

I I .

— AEMILIA AEONIA MATER

PROX IMA tu, genetrix Aeonia,sanguine mixto

Tarbellae matris patris et H aeduici .

morigerae uxoris Virtus cui contigit omnis ,fama pudicitiae lanificaeque manus

coniuguque fides et natos cura regendiet gravitas comis laetaque s erietas .

aeternumplacidos mane s conplexamariti,viva torumquondam

,functa fove tumulum.

I I I .—AEMILIUS MAGNUS ARBORIUS AVUNCULUS

CULTA mihi e s t pietas patre primumetmatre vocatis ,dici s et re fugit tertius Arborius ,

quem primummemorare nefas mihi patre secundo,

rursumnon primumponere paene nefas .temperies adhibenda, [et proximus il le vocandus 1 ]ante alios

,quamquampatre secundus crit .

1 Suppl. Trans lator .

6 0

PARENTALIA

himwith the Seven Sages, W hose teaching he s o

close ly practised in his l ife as to l ive by the rule o f

wisdom rather than profess it, albe it he was no tunskilled nor lacking in the gift o f eloquence . To

himwas given the power to prolong men ’ s lives bymeans o f medicine

,and make the Fates wait the ir

full time . Where fore , though his life’ s task is ended,

so great a reverence for himlingers yet that our own

age has given himthis epitaph Even as Ausoniushad none for himto follow

,SO he has none who now

canmatch his Skill .

I I .—AEMIL IA AEONIA, MY MOTHER

NEXT will I sing of you,Aeonia

,who gaveme birth

,

in whomwas mingled the blood Of a mother fromTarbellae and Of an Aeduan father . In you was foundevery virtue of a duteous wife , chastity renowned ,hands busy spinning wool , truth to your bridal vows ,pains to bring up your children : sedate were you yetfriendly, sober yet bright . Now that for ever youembrace your husband

’ s peaceful shade,still cheer in

death his tomb, as once in life you cheered his bed .

I I I . -AEM ILIUS MAGNUS ARBORIUS,MY MOTHER ’

SBROTHER

NATURAL aflection bade me utter first my father’ s

and mymother’ s names

,and yet Arborius refuse s to

take third place . Though it were an outrage to

mention himfirst and my father afte r him, yet againit is scarcely less to deny himthe first place . SO letus compromise ; let himbe named next, before allothers , although he will be second to my father .

6 1

AUSONIUS

tu f rater genetricis et unanimis genitori,et mihi qui fueris , quod pater et genetrix,

quime lactantem, puerumiuvenemque virumqueartibus ornasti

,quas didicis s e iuvat

te sibi Palladiae antetulit toga docta Tolos ae,

te Narbonensis Gallia praepo suit,ornasti cuius Latio sermone tribunal

e t fora H iberorumquaeque Novempopulis .

hinc tenus EurOpamfama crescente petitoConstantinopolis rhetore te viguit .

tu permille modos, permille oracula fandidoctus

,facundus

,tu celer

,atque memor .

tu, po s tquamprimis placui tibi traditus annis,dixis ti nato me satis e sse tibi .me tibi

,me patribus clarumdecus esse profes s us

dictas ti fatis verba notandame is .Ergo vale Elys iams ortitus , avuncule, sedemhaec tibi de Mus is carmina libo tuis .

IV.—CAECILIUS ARG IC IUS ARBORIUS AVUS

OFFICIOSA piumne des ere, pagina, munusmaternumpost ho s commemoremus avum

Arborium,H aeduico ductumde stemmate nomen,

conplexummultas nobilitate domus,qua Lugdunens is provincia queque potente sH aedue s

,Alpino queque Vienna ingo .

AUSONIUS

invida s et nimiumgenerique Opibus que superbis

aerumna incubuit ; namque avus et genitorpro s cript i, regnumcumVictorinus haberetductor et in Tetrico s recidit imperium.

tum pro fugumin terris, per quas erumpit AturrusTarbellique furor pers trepit oceani,

gras santis dudumfortunae tela paventempauperi s Aemiliae condicio inplicuit .

mox tenuismulto quae sita pecunia nisus olamen fesso

,non et Opes tribuit .

tu cae l i numeros et conscia sidera faticallebas studiumdis s imulanter agens .

non ignota tibi nos trae quoque formula vitae,s ignat is quamtu condideras tabulis,

prodita non umquam s edmatris cura retexit ,sedula quamtimidi cura tegebat avi .

tu novies denos Vitamcumduxeris anno s ,

expertus Fortis tela cavenda deae,amis sumfles ti per trina decennia natum

s aucius : hoc leto lumine cas sus eras .dicebas s ed te s olacia longa fovere ,quod mea praecipuus fata maneret bonos .

et modo conciliis animarummixte priorumfata tui ce rte nota nepotis habes .

sentis,quod quae stor

,quod te praefectus et idem

consul honorifico munere conmemoro .

1 One of the “ Thirty Tyrants ” who bore rule in G aulduring the davs Of Gallienus . H is “ reign” lasted from267-268 A . D .

6 4

PARENTALIA

Alpine he ights . But trouble, all too j ealous of lineageand proud wealth, we ighed heavy upon him; for mygrandfather and his father were proscribed whenVictorinus 1 was holding sway as prince , and whenthe supreme power passed into the hands o f the twoTetrici. 2 Then, while in exile in the lands throughwhich the Adour breaks forth to the s ea

,and where

wild Ocean rage s on the shore o f Tarbellae (Dax),though still he feared the arrows o f Fortune who s o

long had sought his life,he was united in marriage

with penniless Aemil ia . In time a scanty sumgathe redwith great pains furnished his wearied age with somerel ief, though not with wealth . You—though youcloaked your pursuits—had Skill in the measure s o fthe heavens and in the stars which keep the secreto f man ’ s destiny. Not unknown to you was the out

line Of my l ife, which you had hidden in a sealedtablet

,and never betrayed ; but mymother

’ s forwardcare revealed that which the care o f my shy grandfather sought to conceal . When you had lived a lifeo f ninety years, you found how to be dreaded are

the arrows Of the goddess Chance , and wounded byher shaft, mourned for a son, lost in his thirtiethyear—a death which blotted the light out Of yourlife . Yet you would say that some consolation

,

though far remote, cheered you, because high distinction awaited my destiny . And now that you j oinin the assemblies o f souls that are gone before,surely you have knowledge Of your grandson

’ s fo rtunes : you fee l that a quaestor, that a prefect, andl ikewise a consul am I who now commemorate youwith a tribute in your honour .

2 The Tetrici (father and s on) succeeded Victorinus .

65VOL . I .

AUSONIUS

V.—AEMILIA CORINTHIA MAURA AVIA

AEM ILIAM nunc fare aviam,pia cura nepot is ,

coniunx praedicto quae fuit Arborio .

nomen huic ioculare datum,cute fusca quod Olim

aequale s inter Maura vocata fuit .s ed non atra animo

, qui clarior esset oloreet non calcata qui nive candidior.

et non deliciis igno s cere prompta pudendisad perpendiculumseque suo s que habuit .

haec me praereptumcunis et ab uberematrisblanda sub aus teris inbuit inperiis .

tranquil los aviae cineres praes tate , quietiaeternummanes , si pia verba loquor.

V I . -AEMILIA H ILAR IA MATERTERA VIRG ODEVOTA

TUQUE gradu generismatertera, s ed vice matrisadfectu nati commemoranda pio,

Aemil ia,in cunis H ilari cognomen adepta,

quod laeta et pueri comis ad effigiem,

reddebas verumnon dis s imulanter ephebum,

>l<

more Virummedicis artibus experiens .

f eminei sexus odiumtibi semper et indecrevit devotae Virginitat is amor.

quae tibi s epteno s novies es t culta per anno s

quique aevi finis , ipse pudicitiae .

1 Perpendiculum is a mason’s o r carpenter’s plumb-line .

The same phrase is used figuratively of severe morality inAmmianus Marcellinus

,XXIX . ii . 1 6 .

6 6

AUSONIUS

haec, quia uti matermonitis et amore fovebas ,supremis reddo filius exequiis .

VII.

-CL . CONTEMTUS ET IULIUS CALLIPPIO

FATHU I

ET patruo s , elegea, meos reminiscere cantu,Contemtum

,tellus quemRutupina tegit

magna cui et variac quaesita pecunia sortisheredis nullo nomine tuta perit

raptus enim lactis et adhuc florentibus annistransmare et ignaris f ratribus Oppetiit .

Iulius in longamproduxit fata s enectam,

adfectus damnis innumerabilibus .

qui comi s blandusque et mensa commodus unctaheredes sol

_

o nomine no s habuit .Ambo pii

,vultu Similes

,ioca seria mixti,

aevi fortunamnon habuere parem.

discreti quamquamtumulis et honore iacetIscommune hoc vobis munus habete , “ vale .

VI I I . -ATTUSIUS LUCANUS TALISIUS SOCER

QUI proceres veteremque volet ce lebrare s enatumclaraque ab exortu stemmata Burdigalae ,

teque tuumque genusmemoret, Lucane Talisi,moribus ornas ti qui veteres proavo s .

pulcher honore oris, tranquillo pectore comis,facundo quamvis maior ab ingenio

6 8

PARENTALIA

me with your precepts and your love as might amother ; and therefore as a s on I make you thisreturn at your last rites .

VIL— CLEMENS CONTEMTUS AND JULIUS CALLIPPIO ,MY UNCLES

AND now,my lay, call back in song the memory

o f my uncles, o f Contemtus who lies buried in thesoil o f Rutupiae 1 ; whose great wealth, gained throughvarious hazards

,perished unguarded by the name o f

any he ir ; for dying untimely, when he was still inthe prime and vigour o f his years, he me t his end

beyond the s ea and without his brothers ’ knowledge .

7 Julius lived on into extreme Old age, o’

erwhelmedwith losses beyond reckoning . Cheerful, courteous ,an agreeable host at his well-appointed board , he leftme his he ir, though only in name .

1 1 Both loving,both alike in countenance , both

mingling grave and gay, they were ill-matched inthe ir allotted spans Of life . Though ye lie far apartand lack the privilege o f a common tomb

, yet takethis single Offering to you both , my fare thee well

VI I I . —ATTUSIUS LUCANU S TALISIUS, MYFATHER-IN-LAW

WHOSO would praise the nobles, the ancientSenate, and the houses of Bordeaux, illustrious fromtheir first arising

,let him tell o f you and Of your

race, Lucanus Talis iuS—O f you, whose life has addedlustre to your anc ient line . Handsome and noble infeatures, gentle and kindly in heart, your gift o f

e loquence made you yet greater still . You spent all1 Richborough , in K ent, an important British ort and a

fortres s on the Saxon Shore ,” here equivalent to ritain.

69

AUSONIUS

venatu ct ruris cultu victus que nitoreomne aevumperagens , publica despiciensmosc i inter primos cupiens , prior e sse recusans ,

ipse tuo v ivens s egregus arbitrio .

optabas tu me generumflorente inventaoptare hoc tantum,

non et habere datum.

vota probant superi meritisque faventia sanctisinplent fata, viri quod voluere boni .

et nunc perpetui sentis sub honore s epulcri,

quamreverens natae quamque tui mancam.

caelebs namque gener haec nunc piamunera solvonamct caelebs numquamde s inamet e sse gener .

IX .— ATTUSIA LUCANA SABINA UXOR

H ACTENUS ut caros, ita ius tO funere fleto sfuncta piis cecinit nenia nostramodis .

nunc dolor atque cruce s nec contrectabile vulnus,coniugis ereptae morsmemorandamihi .

nobili s a proavis et origine c lara senatus,

moribus atque bonis clara Sabinamagis .te iuvenis primis luxi deceptus in annisperque novemcaelebs te fleo Olympiadas .

nec licet obductumsenio sopire dolorem;semper crudes cit nammihi paene recens .

admittunt alii s olacia temporis aegri

haec graviora facit vulnera longa die s .

70

AUSONIUS

torqueo deceptos ego vita caelibe canos,quoque magis solus, hoc mage maes tus ago .

vulnus alit,quod muta domus silet et torus alget , 15

quodmala non cuiquam,non bona partic ipo .

maereo , si coniunx alii bona ; maereo contra,Simala : ad exemplumtu mihi semper ades .

tumihi crux ab utraque venis sive es t mala, quod tudissimil is fueris ; s eu bona

,quod simil is .

non ego Opes cassas et inania gaudia plango ,s ed iuvenis iuveni quod mih i rapta viro .

laeta, pudica, gravis, genus inclita et inclita forma,et dolor atque decus coniugis Aus oni i.

quaemodo s epteno s quater inpletura D ecembres 25

liquis ti natos, pignera nostra, duos .illa favore dei, s icut tua vota fuerunt ,florent, Optatis adcumulata bonis .

et precor, ut vigeant tandemque superstite utroquenuntiet hoc cineri nostra favilla tuo .

X.—AUSONIUS PARVULUS FILIUS

NON ego te infletummemori fraudabo querella,primus

,nate , meo nomine dicte puer

murmura quemprimismeditantemabs olvere verbisindolis et plenae, planximus exequns .

1

tu gremio in proavi funus commune locatus ,invidiamtumuli ne paterere tui .

1 V: obs equns , Peiper .

7 2

PARENTALIA

days . I tearmy grey hairsmocked bymy widowedlife

,and the more I live in lone l iness, the more

I l ive in heaviness . That my house is still andsilent

,and that my bed is cold , that I share not

my ills with any, my good with any—these things

feed my wound . I grieve , if one man has a worthywife ; and yet again I grieve if anothe r has a bad :

for pattern, you are ever present with me . Howe ’

erit be , you come to torture me : if one be bad, because you were not like her ; or if one be good

,

because you were like her. I mourn not for us e

less wealth Or unsubstantial j oys, but because inyour youth you were torn fromme , your youthfullord . Cheerful , modest, staid , famed for high birthas famed for beauty, you were the grief and gloryof Ausonius your spouse . For ere you could completeyour e ight and twentieth December, you desertedour two children, the pledges o f our love . They byGod ’ smercy, and as you ever prayed, flourish amidan abundance o f such goods as you de sired for them.

And still I pray that theymay prosper, and that atlastmy dustmay bring the news to your ashes thatthey are l iving yet .

X.—AUSONIUs , MY SON, A LITTLE CH ILD

I WILL not leave you unwept, my s on, nor rob youo f the complaint due to your memory— you, myfirs t-born child

,and called by my name . Just as

you were practising to transformyour babbling intothe first words o f childhood and were o f ripe naturalgifts we had to mourn for your decease . You on

your great-grandfather’ s bosom lie Sharing one com

mon grave , lest you Should suff er the reproach o f

your one lone tomb .

73

AUSONIUS

XL—PASTOR NEPO s Ex FILIO

TU quoque maturos,puer inmature , dolores

interrupis t i luctus acerbus avi,

Pastor care nepos,spes -cuius certa fuisse s, 1

Hesperi i patris tertia progenie s .nomen

,quod casus dederat (quia fistula primum

pastorale me los concinuit genito),sero intellectumVitae brevis argumentumspiritus adflat is quod fugit e calamis .

occidi s emis sae percus sus pondere testae ,abiecit tecto quammanus art ificis .

non fuit art ificis manus haec manus illa cruenticerta fuit fati suppo s itura reum.

heu, quae votamihi, quae rumpis gaudia, Pastor !illameumpetiit tegulamissa caput.

dignior O, no s trae gemeres qui fata s enectaeet quererere meas maes tus ad exequias !

XII . —IULIA D RYAD IA SOROR

S I qua fuit Virtus, cuperet quamfemina prudensesse suam,

soror hac D ryadia haud caruit .

quin etiammultas habuit, quas sexus haberefortior optaret nobilitasque virum.

docta satis v itamque cOlu famamque tueri ,docta bonos mores ipsa suo s que docens .

et verumvita cui carius unaque curanosse deumet fratremdiligere ante alios .

1 Trans la tor : fuit res , V (and Peiper ).

74

AUSONIUS

coniuge adhuc iuvenis caruit,s ed seria v itans

moribus austeras aequiperavit anusproduxitque hilaremper sena decennia Vitam,

inque domo ac tecto, quo pater, Oppetiit .

XII I .—AVITIANUS FRATER

AVITIANUM,Musa, germanummeum

dona querella funebri .minor iste natu me , s ed ingenio priorartes paternas inhibit.

ve rumiuventae flore laeto perfruiaevique supra puberis

exire metas vetuit infesta Atropos .heu quem doloremsoc iis !

heu quanta vitae decora, quemcultumspei,1

germane, pubes des eris ,germane carnis lege et ortu sanguinis,amore paene filius

X1V.—VAL . LATINUS EUROMIUS GENER

O G ENER IS clari decus, O mihi funus acerbum,

Euromi, e iuvenumleete cohorte gener,occidis in primae raptus mihi flore iuventae ,lactant is nati vix bene note pater.

tu procerumde stirpe satus, praegres s us et ipsos, 5

unde genus clarae nobilitat is e rat,ore decens , bonus ingenio, facundus et omnidexteritate vigens praecipuus que fide .

1 Gr onovins : H eu quanta Vitae decora quem cultumspei

quemdoloremsoens , V.

76

PARENTALIA

above all besides . Albe it she lost her husband whilestill young, She was a match for any dame in the

strictness o f life , though shunning sourness, andl ived out six decades Of cheerful l ife

,dying. in

the same home and under the same roof as didher father.

XII I . —AVITIANUS, MY BROTHER

MUSE,do thou enrich Avitianus

,my brother, with

a mournful lay . In years be low me , but in gif tsOf mind above , he learned our father ’s art . But

Atropos,his foe

,forbade him ful ly to enjoy the

gladsome bloom o f youth or to pass beyond the

bounds which mark the end o f boyhood . Ah,

what grief for his playmate s ! Ah, fromhow gloriousa l ife

,and what rich hope s you turned away while

yet a lad, my brother—my brother by the law o f

flesh and parentage Of blood,in love almost my

s on

XIV .—VALER IUS LAT INUS EUROMIUS

,MY SON-IN-LAW

O G LORY of an illustrious race, 0 untimely deathto me

,Euromius

,my son-in-law chosen from the

company o f youths, you perished snatched fromme in the very bloom o f early youth, a fatherScarce fully recognized by your s on at his mothe r’ sbreast . You

, the sc ion o f noble ancestors , sur

passed even them from whom you traced yourglorious descent

,in features comely, gifted in mind ,

e loquent, active in all vigorous pursuits, and eminent

7 7

AUSONIUS

hoc prae fecturae sedes, hoc l llyris ora

praes ide te experta es t, fis cus et ipse cliens .

nil aevi brevitate tamen tibi laudis ademptumindole maturus

,funere acerbus ObiS .

XV.—POMPONIUS MAX IMUS ADFINIS

ET te germanumnon sanguine, s ed Vice f ratris ,Maxime, defunctumnenia nostra canet .

coniunx namque mcae tu consociate sororiaevi fruge tui destitu is v iduam.

non domus hoc tantums ens it tua : s ens it acerbumsaucia

, pro , casumcuria Burdigalae ,te primore vigens, te deficiente relabens

inque Valentinumte mo riente eadens .heu quare nato

, qui fruge et flore nepotum,

ereptus nobis, Maxime, non f rueris ?s et frueris

, divina habitat Si portio manes

quaeque futura olimgaudia, nosse detur.lOiIgior hic etiam laetorumfructus habeturantic ipasse diu , quae modo participas .

XVI .

—VER IA L ICERIA UXOR ARBORII

SORORIS F ILI I

TU quoque sive nurus mihi nomine,vel Vice natae ,

Veria,supremi carmen honoris habe .

78

AUSONIUS

cuius Si probitas, Si forma et fama fides quemorigerae uxoris lanificaeque manus

nunc laudanda forent, procul et de manibus imisaccers enda foret vox 1 proavi Eus ebii.

qui quoniamfuncto iampridemconditus aevo

trans crips it partes in mea verba suas,accipe funereas , neptis defleta, querellas,

coniunx Arborii commemorandamei,cui parva i‘ngent is luctus s olacia linquendestituis natos, quo magis excrucias .

at tibi dilecti ne des it curamariti,iuncta colis thalamo nuncmonumenta tuo .

hic,ubi primus hymen, sedes ibimae sta s epulcri

nuptamagis dic i quamtumulata po tes .

XVI I .—POMPONIUS MAX IMUS H ERCULANUs SORORIS

FILIUS

NEC germana genitumte

modulamine nenia tristitacitumsine honore relinquat ,super indole cuius adultimagnae bona copia laudis .

Verum memorare magIs quamfunctumlaudare decebit .

decus hoc matrisque meumquein tempore puberis aevi

v is perculit invida fati .eheu quem,

Maxime, fructum,

fecunde et mus ice et acer,mentembonus, ingenio ingens ,volucer pede , corpore pulcher,l ingua catus

,o re canorus .

1 M omms en : uxor es t , V, Peiper .

PARENTALIA

tribute o f my ve rse . If your uprightne ss,beauty,

faithfulness as a duteous wife, and Skill in spinningwool were to be praised here , then should we haveto summon from far back and from the inmostplace o f souls

,the voice Of Eusebius your great

grandfather . But since he i s dead and buriedlong ago , and has bequeathed to me the task o f

speaking in his stead,rece ive these sad com

plaints,lamented daughte r

,whom

,as the wife o f

my Arborius,I must no t leave unsung . To him

you leave behind your children, small comforts toassuage O

’

ermas tering grief, and thereby increasehis pain the more . But that the tender thoughtsof your loved husband may not fail you,

the

tomb, now your abode, is built hard by your bridalchamber. And where the glad marriage-song firstwas raised

,there stands your mournful sepulchre .

So may we say that you are wedded rather thanburied here .

XVI I .—POMPONIUS MAX IMUS H ERCULANUS,

MY S ISTER ’

S SON

NOR may my dirge leave you unhonoured andunsung in strains of sorrow

, son o f my own sister,upon whose already ripened powers a full measureo f high praise was lavished . Yet wil l it be fitterhere to commemorate rather than to praise the dead .

H imwho was both his mother ’ s pride and mineFate ’ s envious power laid low in the season Ofhis youth . Alas

,for thy fruit, my Maximus, so

e loquent, so skilled in arts, so quick, s o kind inheart, s o gifted inmind , so fleet of foot, s o graceful,clever o f tongue as tuneful Of voice ! Take as the

8 1

VOL . I .

AUSONIUS

cape munera tristia patrum,

lacrimabilis orsa querellae ,quae funereomodulatutibi mae s tus avunculus Offert .

XVI I I .—FL. SANCTUS MARITUS PUDENTILLAE QUAESOROR SABINAE MEAE

QUI ioca laetitiamque colis,qui tristia damnas

nec metuis quemquamnec metuendus agis,qui nullumins idiis captas nec lite laces s is ,

s ed ius tamet clemens Vitamagis et s apiens,tranquillos manes supremaque mitia Sancti

o re pio et verbis advenerare bonis .militiamnullo qui turbine s eduluS egit ,

praes ide laetatus quo Rutupinus ager,octoginta anuos cuius tranquilla Senectusnullo mutavit deteriore die .

ergo precare favens,ut qualia tempora Vitae,

talia et ad manes otia Sanctus agat .

XIX .—NAMIA PUDENTILLA ADFINIS

TUQUE Pudentillamverbis adfare s upremis ,quae famae curam

,quae probitatis habe s .

nobilis haec,f rugi, proba, lacta, pudica, decora,

coniugiumSancti iugiter haec habuit.inviolata tuens cas tae praeconia vitae

rexit Ope s proprias otia agente Vironon ideo exprobrans aut fronte obducta marito

,

quod gereret totem femina sola domum.

1 M ilitia here, as not uncommonly , indicates civil and notmilitary s ervice the s till-surviv ing Roman fortress at Rich8 2

AUSONIUS

heu nimiumiuvenis , s ed laeta superstite natoatque viro

,patiens fata suprema Obiit

unanimis no s trae et quondam germana Sabinaeet mihi ino ffens o nomine dicta soror.

nunc etiammanes plac idos pia cura re tractatatque Pudent illamfantis honore colit .

XX .— LUCANUS TALISIUS EORUM F ILIUS

NEC iamtu,matris spes unica, ephebe Talisi,

consobrine meus, inmemoratus eris,ereptus primis aevi florentis in annis ,iamtamen et coniunx, iamproperate pater .

f e s tinas s e pute s fatum ,ne funus acerbum

diceret hoc genitor tamc ito factus avus .

Xx l .—ATTUSIA LUCANA TALISIA ET M INUCIUS

REG ULUS ADFINEs

NOT ITIA exilis nobis, Attus ia, tecum,

cumque tuo plane coniuge nulla fuit .verum tu nos trae soror es germana Sabinae

,

adfinis quoque tu, Regule, nomen habes .s ortito s igitur tamcara vocabula nobis

s tringamus mae s ti carminis obsequio.

quamvis Santonica procul in tellure iacentes

perveni t ad manes exequialis honor.

PARENTALIA

whole house alone . Alas ! TOO young, yet happythat her husband and her s on—still lived

,she met

her final doom and died . She was o f one heartand one in blood with my Sabina, and by me wasshe called siste r unreproved . Now also my lovingthoughts busy themse lves with her peaceful Shade ,and voice the se words Of tribute tomy Pudentilla .

XX .

—LUCANUS TALISIUS,THE IR SON

YOU, too , in turn shall not pass unregarded, youngTalis ius , my nephew and your mother

’ s only hope .

Though you were snatched fromus in the first yearsOf your prime , yet you were already wed

,already

early made a father : and we may think Fatehastened that event

,that be ing s o quickly made a

grandfather, your own sire might not declare yourdeath to be untimely.

XXL—ATTUSIA LUCANA TALISIA AND MINUCIUS

REG ULUS,MY S ISTER AND BROTHER-IN-LAW

THOUG H slight was my acquaintance with you,At

tusia,and though I had none at al l with himwho

was your husband, yet you are own sister Of my wifeSabina

,and you also, Regulus, rank as my brother-in

law . Wherefore,since ye have names which are s o

dear to me , let me touch you with the homage Ofmy sorrowing verse . For although ye be buried farfrom here in the s oil Of Sainte s

, yet the last homagecan find its way to the soul s Of the departed .

85

AUSONIUS

XXII . -SEVERUS CENSOR IULIANUS CONSOCER

D ESINITE, O veteres , Calpumia nomina, Frugiut propriumhoc ve s trae gentis habere decus .

nec solus semper censor Cato nec sibi solusius tus Aristides his placeant t itulis .

namsapiens quicumque fuit verumque fidemquequi coluit , comitems e tibi

,Censor

,agat .

tu gravis et comis cumius titiaque remis sus ,aus teris doctus iungere temperiem.

tu non ads cito tibi me nec sanguine iunctooptasti nostras consociare domos .

nempe aliqua in nobis morumsimulacra tuorume ffigies nostri praebuit ingenii

aut iamFortunae s ic s e vertigo rotabat,

ut pondus fatis tambona vota darent .Si quid aput manes sentis, fovet hoc tibi mentemquod fieri Optaras, id voluis s e deum.

XXII I .—PAULINUS ET D RYADIA F ILI I PAULIN I ETM EGENTIRAE SORORIS FILIAE .

QUI nomen vultumque patris, Pauline , gerebas ,amissi specimen qui genitoris eras

propter quemluctus mis erae decedere matriscoeperat , Offerret cumtua forma patrem,

1 Father Of Thalas s ius , whomarried a daughter of Ausonius(Aus onia the widow Of Euromius .

86

AUSONIUS

redderet et mores et moribus adderet illud,Paulinus caruit quo pater, eloquium

eriperis laet is et pube s centibus anniscrudaque adhuc matris pectora sollic itas .

flemus enimet raptamthalami de sede s ororem,

heu non maturo funere,D ryadiam.

flemus,ego in primis, qui matris avunculus , ac vo s

natorumtamquamdiligo progeniem.

illamanus inter genetricis et oscula patrisoccidit , H ispana tu regione procul .

quamtener et primo nove flos decerperis aevo ,nondumpurpureas cinctus ephebe genas !

quattuor ediderat nunc functa puerpera partus,funera s et tumulis iamgeminata dedit.

Sit satis ho c Pauline pater ; divisio facta es t 1

debeturmatri cetera progenie s .

XXIV.—PAULINUS SORORIS GENER

QUI laetum ingenium,mores qui diligit aequo s

quique fidemsancta cumpietate colit ,

Paulinimane s mecumveneratus amicisinroret lacrimis annua liba f erens .

aequaevus , Pauline , mihi natamque SO l‘OI

’

l S

indeptus thalamo : s ic mih i paene gener .stirpis Aquitanaemater tibi namgenitoriCossio Vasatum

,munic ipale genus .

1cp . Corpus Ins or . Gr aec. Pars xxxiv . NO . 6791 (found

Bordeaux )Aefilzava o xiAAns Ozauya

'rcixov évfldfiemir e (s ic),5s y ey e

'

pw'ra t (s ic) Bpe

'qm, ! whiz warpl, Od'repov a i’rrfr’L

88

PARENTALIA

too,hl S character

,adding to character that gift

which your father Paulinus lacked , the gift o f elo

quence ; you—you are hurried hence in the bright

years Of early youth and grieve your mother’ s still

bleeding heart. For w e mourn also your SisterD ryadia, torn from he r bridal bed— alas l— by anuntime ly death . W e mourn f or you, and I not

least ; for I amyour mother’ s uncle

,and love you

as the offspring o f my own children . Your sisterdied amid hermother ’ s and her father’ s kisse s, you,far O ff in the land o f Spain . O fre sh and tenderflower

,s o early plucked while yet your Spring was

young, a lad whose rosy cheeks were yet unfringedwith down ! Four children had your mother bornein travail

,but Of these she has surrendered two

already to the grave .

1 9 Paulinus,be content with these ; 1 for theymake

up your fair share as father, and your remaining o ff

Spring are the irmother ’ s due .

XXIV.—PAUL INUS, MY S ISTER

’

S SON-IN-LAW

WHOSO loves a cheerful soul and an unruflled

temper, or who reverences good faith linked withpure affection, let himnow j oin with me in honouring Paulinus ’ shade , bringing the yearly Offering dueand friendship ’ s rain o f tears . You were o f one . age

with me,Paulinus

,and had won my sister

’ s daughterfor your bride, thus becoming almost my s on-in-lawYourmother’ s people were of Aquitaine, while yourfather was o f Cossio Vas atum(Baz as) , sprung o f its

1 Paulinus , the father , was already dead : s ee ll . 1—6 .

89

AUSONIUS

scrinia praefectimeritus , rationibus indepraepositus Libycis praemia opima capis .

namcorrecturae tibi Tarraco H ibera tribunalpraebuit , adfectans esse clienta tibi .

tu socrumpro matre colens adfinis haberinon poteras , nati cumfruerere loco .

inte r concorde s v ixis t i fidus amicos ,duodeviginti functus Olympiadas .

XXV .

— AEM ILIA D RYAD IA MATERTERA

TE quoque D ryadiammaterteramflebilibus modulis

germana genitus , prope filius ,ore pio veneror .

quamthalamo taedis que iugalibusinvidamors rapuit ;mutavitque torumferetri vice

exequialis honor .dis cebas in me , materteramater ut i fieres

unde modo hoc maes tumtibi deferofilius oflicium.

XXV I .

— IUL IA CATAPH RONIA AMITA

QUIN et funereis amitaminpertire querellis ,Musa

,Cataphroniam.

innuba devotae quae Virginitat is amoremparcaque anus co luit

1 i . e. Paulinus was magis ter s cr iniorum. For the threes crinia (departments for receiving petitions , etc . ) Of the

W es tern Empire s ee the Notitia D ignita tum, Occidens , xvii .(Seeck , pp. 1 6 1 f .

2 i .e. as rationatis or procurator .

9 0

AUSONIUS

et mihi, quod potuit, quamv is de paupere summa, 5

mater uti, adtribuit .

e rgo commemorata have maes tumque vocatapro genetrice vale .

XXVI I .

—IUL IA VENERIA AMITA

ET amita Veneria properiter Obiitcui breviame lea modifica recino

c inis ut plac idulus ab opere Vigeat ,celeripes adeat loca tacita Erebi .

XXVI I I .— IUL IA ‘I DALIA CONSOBR INA

PARVA etiamfuit Idalia,nomine praedita quae Paphiaeet speciemmeruit Veneris ;quae genita e s t mihi paeme soror .filia namfu it haec amitae

,

quamcelebrat s ub honore pionenia carmine funereo .

XXIX .

—AEMILIA MELAN IA SOROR

AEMILIA et , vix nota mihi soror, accipe q ue s tus ,debent quos c inerimaesta elegea tuo .

coniunxit nostras aequaeva infant ia cunas,uno quamv is tu consule maior eras .

invida s et nimiumLache sis properata peregittempora et admane s funera acerba dedit .

praemis sa ergo vale manes que verere parentum,

quimaiore aevo quique minore venit .

9 2

PARENTALIA

she bes towed on me all that she could -out o f her

Slender funds .7 Therefore I now call you to remembrance as amother and utter the sad cry,

“ Hail and farewell .”

XXVI I .— JUL IA VENER IA,MY PATERNAL AUNT

MY aunt Veneria also died an early death , and toher I now chant the se short

,measured lines . May

her poor ashes res t in peace and repose from toil,and swift be her passage to the silent realms OfErebus .

XXVI I I .— JUL IA IDAL IA,MY COUSIN

L ITTLE Idalia, too , i s gone , who rece ived the title

o f the Paphian queen,and herse lf won Venus ’

beauty ; who by birth was well-nigh my sister.For this was the child o f my aunt, whommy dirgenow honours with the loving homage o f a mournfulstrain .

XXIX .-AEMILIA MELANIA

,MY S ISTER

THOUG H I scarce knew you, Aemilia, my sister, receive this lament which my sad strains owe to yourashes . When we were infants almost o f one age we

shared one cradle, though you were the e lder by one

year . But Lachesis,too jealous

,hurried on your

final hour and sent you to the Shade s— an untimelydeath . Since , therefore , you are gone before me,take my farewe ll and do honour -to our parents ’

shades— his who in riper, and hers who in earlieryears is come to rej oin you.

9 3

AUSONIUS

XXX .—POMPON IA URBICA CONSOCRUS UXOR IUL IANI

CENSORIS

UT generis c lari, veterumsic feminamorum,

Urbica,Cens oris nobilitata toro ;

ingeni t is pollens v irtutibus auctaque et illis,quas docuit coniunx

,quas pater et genetrix

quas habuit Tanaquil,quas Pythagorea Theano

quaeque Sine e xemplo in nece functa viri .et tibi Si fatums ic permutare dedis s et ,

v iveret hoc nostro tempore Censor adhuc .

s et neque tu viduo longumcruciata sub aevo

protinus optato fine secuta virum.

annua nunc maes tis ferimus tibi ius ta q uerelliscumgenero et natis cons ocer Ausonius .

1 W ife of the elder Tarquin,remarkable for her high

spirit and for skill in augury .

L IBER V

COMMEMORATIO PROFESSORUM

BURD IGALENSIUM

PRAEFATIO

Vo s etiam,quos nullamihi cognat io iunxit ,

s et fama et carae relligio patriae ,et studiumin libris et sedula cura docendi,

commemorabo Viros morte Obita celebres .fors erit , ut no s tro s manes s ic ads erat Olim,

exemplo cupiet qui pius esse meo .

I.-T IBERIUS VICTOR MINERVIUS ORATOR

PR IMUS Burdigalae columen dicere , Minervialter rhetoricae Quintiliane togae .

inlus tres quondamquo praeceptore fueruntConstantinopolis

,Roma

,dehinc patria

,

non equidemcertans cummaiestate duarum,

solo s et potior nomine , quod patriaads erat usque l icet FabiumCalagurris alumnum,

non sit Burdigalae dumcathedra inferior.mille foro dedit hic iuvenes , bis mille senatus

adiecit numero purpure isque togis

1 According t o Jerome (Chron. , Olymp. M inerviusflourished at Rome in 358 A .D .

96

BOOK V

POEMS COMMEMORATINGTHE PROFESSORS OF BORDEAUX

PREFACE

YOUR memories,too

,I will recall as famous men

now dead,whom no kinship linked with me , but

renown,and the love o f our dear country, and zeal

o f learning,and the industrious toil Of teaching.

Perchance one day another in the same way maymake my shade his theme , and aft e r my examplewill seek to do a pious deed .

I.

—TIBER IUS VICTOR M INERVIUS,

‘THE ORATOR

YOU shall be named first,Minervius

,chief orna

ment Of Bordeaux,a second Quintilian to adorn the

rhetorician ’s gown . Your teaching in its day madeglorious Constantinople , Rome , 1 and lastly our nativetown ; which, though it cannot vie with that pairin dignity, yet for its name alone i s more acceptable ,because it is our native place : let Calagurris

2 makeevery claimto Fabius as her son, if the chair of Bordeaux rece ive no less degree . A thousand pupils hasMinervius given to the courts

,and twice a thousand

to the Senate ’s ranks and to the purple robes . I , too,2 Calahorra , in Spain, the birthplace Of M . Fabius Quin

t ilianv s .

9 7VOL . I .

AUSONIUS

me quoque s et quoniammulta e s t praetexta, s ileboteque canamde te, non ab honore meo .

sive panegyricis placcat contendere l ibris,in Panathenaicis tu numerandus eris

s eu libeat fictas ludorumevolvere l ites ,ancipitempalmamQuint ilianus habet .

dicendi torrens tibi copia, quae tamen aurum,

non etiamluteamvolveret inluviem.

et D emo s thenicum, quod ter primumille vocavit ,

in te sic v iguit, cedat ut ipse tibi .anne et divini bona naturalia doni

adiciam, memori quamfueris animo,audita ut vel lecta semel ceu fixa teneres ,

auribus et libris e sset ut una fides ?Vidimus et quondamtabulae certamine longoomnes, qui fuerant , te numerasse bolos ,

alternis v icibus quot praecipitante ro tatu

fundunt excis i per cava buxa gradusnarrantemfido per singula puncta recurs u,quae data, per longas quae revocata

,moras .

nullo fel le tibi mens livida, tumsale multolingua dicax blandis et sine lite iocis .

mensa nitens, quamnon censoria regula culpetnec nolit Frugi Piso vocare suam

nonnumquampollens natalibus et dape festa ,non tamen angus tas ut tenuaret Opes .

1 i . e. w ith Isocrates as author of the two great orationsP anegyr icns and P ana thena icns .

2 This was action : cp . Cic . de Orat. iii . 56 ; Quintilian.

x i. 3 .

8

AUSONIUS

quamquamheredis egens,bis s ex quinquennia func tus ,

fletus es a nobis ut pater et iuvenis .

Et nunc , sive aliquid post fata extrema s uperfit ,vivis adhuc aevi, quod periit , meminens

sive nihil s uperes t nec habent longa otia sensus,tu tibi vixis t i nos tua fama iuvat .

I I . —LAT INUS ALC IMUS ALETH IUS RHETOR

NEC me nepotes impn Silent ii

reumciebunt,Alcime

,

minus que dignum,non et oblitumf erent

tuae minis trummemoriae,

opponit unumquemviris prioribusaetas recent is temporis .

palmae forenSis et camenarumdecus,exemplar unumin litteris

,

quas aut Athenis docta coluit G raecia,

aut Roma per Latiumcolit .

moresne fabOr et tenoremregulaead usque vitae terminum?

quod laude clarus,quod Operatus litteris

omnemre fugis ti ambitum?

t e nemo gravior vel fuit comis magisaut liberalis indigis ,

danda salute , Si forumres pos ceret ;studio docendi, s i Scholam.

vivent per omnempo s terorummemoriam,

quos tu saerae famae dabaset Iulianumtumagis famae dabisquams ceptra, quae tenuit brevi .

1 i . e. as for one very dear (pa ter ) and also as one who hasdied untimely (iuvenis ).I O O

THE PROFESSORS OF BORDEAUX

diminish your slende r means . And when you diedafter six decade s, although you left no heir, youwere mourned byme as a father and a youth .

1

39 And now,if anything survive s after Fate has

struck her final blow, you are living yet and not

unmindful o f your days gone by ; or,if nothing at

all remains, and death’ s long repose knows no feel

ing, you have l ived your own l ife we take pleasure

in your fame .

I I . —LATINUS ALCIMUS ALETH IUS,THE RH ETORIr IAN

NOR shall Posterity arraign me on the charge o f

unduteous silence touching you, Alcimus , and s ay Iwas too unworthy and unheedful to be entrustedwith the memory o f one whomour late r age matche salone with the men Of Olden time . In legal elo

quence you were supreme, you were the Muses ’

pride , and our one mode l in those letters whichlearned Greece fostered at Athens

,or which Rome

fosters throughout the Latin world . Shall I Speako f your character and Of the rule Of life maintained to your l ife

’ s end ? Or o f the brilliance o f

your renown, and the devotion to learning whichmade you wholly shun ambition ? NO man was moredignified than you, yet none was more agreeableor more generous to the needy in unde rtakingthe defence if legal aid was needed, or i n zealouslyteaching some pupil in the school s . Those uponwhom you bestowed glorious renown will l ive in thememory o f all succeeding ages , and your works willbestow upon Julian 2 greater renown than will thesceptre which he he ld so short a time . Your

A

e

pparently Alcimus had written a history or panegyric

OII2

th mperor Julian : it is not extant .

I O I

AUSONIUS

Sallustio plus conferent libri tui,

quamconsulatus addidit .

morumtuorum,decoris et facundiae

formamdedis t i filiis .

Igno s ce nostri lae sus obsequio stiliamoris hoc crimen tui e s t,

quod digna nequiens promere O fficiuminiurio s e s edulus .

quiesce placidus et caduci corporisdamnumrepende gloria.

I I I —LUCIOLUS RHETOR

RH ETORA Luciolum,condis cipulumatque magis trum

collegamque dehinc , nenia maesta refe r,facundumdoctumque virum,

s eu lege metrorumcondita s eu pro s is s olveret orsa modis .

eripuit patri Lachesis quemfunere acerbolinquentemnatos s exu in utroque duos

nequaquammeritis cuius responderit here sObs curus

, quamvis nunc tua fama iuvet .

Mitis amice, bonus frater, fidis s ime coniunx,

nate pius,genitor : paenitet , ut fueris .

comis convivis , numquaminclamare cl ientes,

ad famulo s numquamtristia verba loqui.ut placidos mores

,tranquillos s ic cole manes

et cape ab Ausonio munus,amice

,vale .

IV.-ATTIUS PATERA [PATER] RHETOR

AETATE quamquamv iceris dicto s prius ,Patera, fandi nobilis

1 0 2

AUSONIUS

tamen,quod aevo floruis ti proximo

iuvenisque te vidi s enem,

honore mae s tae non carebis neniae,

doctor potentumrhetorum.

tu Baiocas s i stirpe D ruidarumsatus,

Si fama non fall it fidem,

Beleni sacratumduc is e templo genus,

e t inde vobis nominatibi Paterae : s ic ministros nuncupantApo llinare s mys t ici.

f ratri patrique nomen a Phoebo datumnatoque de Delphis tuo .

doctrina nulli tanta in illo temporecurs us que tot fandi et rotae

memor,dis ertus , lucida facundia,

canore,cultu praeditus ,

s alibus mode stus fel le nullo perlitis ,vini cibique abs temius

,

laetus , pudicus , pulcher, in senio quoqueaquilae ut s enectus aut equi .

V.

—ATT IUS T IRO D ELPH ID IUS RHETOR

FACUNDE, docte , lingua et ingenio celer,iocis amoene

,D elphidi,

subtextus e sto flebil i threno patris ,laudi ut subibas aemulus .

tu paene ab ips is o rs us incunabulisdei poeta nobil is ,

sertumcoronae praeferens Olympiae,puer celebrasti Io vem

1 A Celtic god identified with Apollo . Tertullian (Apol .24 ) regards himas specially connected with Nor icum: in

s criptions relating to this god are found mostly in the region1 0 4

TH E PROFESSORS OF BORDEAUX

your prime was in the age next before my own, andthat in my youth I saw you in your Old age , youshall not lack the tribute o f my sad dirge , teacherof mighty rhetoricians . If report doe s not lie ,

you were sprung from the stock Of the Druids o f

Bayeux , and traced your hallowed line'

from the

temple Of Belenus 1 and hence the names borne byyour family : you are called Patera ; s o the mysticvotarie s cal l the servants Of Apollo . Your fathe rand your brother were named afte r Phoebus, 2 andyour own son after Delphi . 3 In that age there wasnone who had such knowledge as you, such swiftand roll ing e loquence . Sound in memory as inlearning, you had the gift o f clear expre ssion castin sonorous and wel l-chosen phrase ; your wit waschastened and without a Spice o f bitterne ss : sparingo f food and wine

,cheerful

,modest

,come ly in per

son, even in age you were as an eagle o r a steed

grown Old .

V.-ATT IUS T IRO D ELPH ID IUS

,A RHETOR IC IAN

ELOQUENT, learned , quick in word and wit, genialin humour

,D elphidius , even as you rose to rival

your father in renown, s o must your praises followhard upon the tearful lament that I have madefo r him. Almost in the cradle itse lf

, you beganto be the poet Of a famous god ; a boy, wearingon your brow the garland o f the Olympian crown ,

you sang Jove ’ s praise s : next, pre ssing onward

of Aquileia . See Ihm, a v . Belenus , in Pauly-W is s owa , RealEncyclopd

’

die, iii . cols . 199 ff .2s o. Phoebicius : s ee Prof . x .

2s o. Delphidius s ee the following poe Ir . Jerome (Chron )

dates his prime at 358 .

AUSONIUS

mox inde curs immore torrentis fretiepos ligas ti metricum,

ut nullus aequa lege l iber carminumo rationemtexeret .

celebrata varie cuius eloquentia'domi f oris que claruit

s eu tu cohortis praes ulempraetoriaeprovinciarumaut iudices

coleres , tuendis additus client ibus

famae et salut is s auciis .

fe lix, quietis si maneres litterisOpus Camenarumcolens

nec odiamagnis conc itata lit ibusarmaret ultor impetus

nec inquieto temporis tyrannicipalat io te adtolleres .

dumspemremotamsemper arces s is tibi,

25

fas tidios us Obviae ,tuumque mavis e sse quamfati bonum,

desiderasti plurima,vagus per omnes dignitatumformulasmeritus que plura quamgerens .

unde ins ecuto criminummotu gravidonatus aerumnis patris,mox inde rhetor, nec do cendi pertinax ,

curamfe fellis t i patrum,

minusmalorummunere expertus de i,medio quod aevi raptus e s ,

errore quod non deviant is filiaepoenaque laesus coniugis .

1 In 358 D elphidius conducted the impeachment of Numerian, governor of Gallia Narbonnens is , before Julian. The

scene between Julian and Delphidius is related by AmmianusMarcellinus , xviii . 1 .

1 0 6

AUSONIUS

VI .—ALETH IO M zNERVIO F ILIO RH ETORI

O FLOS iuvenumspes laeta patrisnec certa tuaedata res patriae,rhetor Alethitu primaevisdoctor in annistempore , quo tedis cere adultumnon turpe foret,praetextate ,iamgenitoriconlatus eraspo s tque Pateraeet praeceptor.

ille superbae

moenia Romaefama et meritiSinclitus auxit :

maior utroquetu Burdigalaelaet us patriaeClara cohortis

vexilla regens,cuneta habuis ticommoda fati

,

non Sine mors u

1 Themilitary terms are metaphorical cohors (cp. Pa rent.

XIV . 2 ) is the band Of youths who were pupils and under theleadership of M inervius .

1 0 8

gravis invidiaeomnia praecoxfortuna tibidedit et rapuit

e t rhetoricamfloris adultifruge carentem,

et conubiumnobile s oceris

sine pace patris,

et div it ias

utriusque sineherede domus .solstitialisvelut herba soleto s tentatus

raptus que Simul,pubere in aevo

de s eruis ti

vota tuorum,

nonmansurisornate bonis .quamfatiloquodicte pro fatuversus HoratiNil e s t ab omniparte beatum.

THE PROFESSORS OF BORDEAUX

VI .—ALETH IUS MINERVIUS, SON OF TH E ABOVE

,

A RHETOR ICIAN

O FLOWER of our youths and your father’ s fair

hope,though not your country

’ s abiding posse ssion,

Alethius the Rhetorician ! .In earliest years youwere a teacher : at an age when it would have beenno disgrace for you, a stripl ing, to have been learning still

,ere you were come to manhood ’ s e state ,

you were already held even a master equal to yourfather, and, afterwards, to Patera. H e

,with the

brilliance Of his renown and gifts, enriched the wallsO f haughty Rome : yo u, greater than either, werecontent to lead on the bright banners of a company

1

in your native town, Bordeaux . You had everyblessing Fate can give

,but withal felt the tooth o f

her crue l j ealousy . For Fortune , too early ripe ,gave you every gift and then snatched them awayyour rhetoric, denied the fruit Of mature age ; yourbrill iant marriage marred by your father

’ s restle ssness ; the wealth of your line and your wife

’ s leftwithout he ir. Even as the grass of midsummer,you were but displayed 2 and snatched away atonce

,frustrating your friends

’ hopes , and were en

riched with goods that would not endure . Withwhat prOphetic utterance is that verse of Horace 3

fraught“ Nothing there is that is wholly blessed .

2cp . Virgil

, Aen. V I . 869 (of Marcellus ) .3 Odes , I I . xvi. 27 f .

1 0 9

AUSONIUS

VI I . —LEONTIUS G RAMMATICUS COGNOMENTOLASCIVUS 1

QUI colis laetos hilaro sque mores,qui die s fes tos , ioca, vota , ludum,

annuumfunctimemora Leontinomine threnum.

i ste , Las civus patiens vocari ,nomen indignumprobitate vitaeabnuit numquam,

quia gratumad aurese sset amicas .

litteris tantumtitulumads ecutus ,

quantus exili satis es t cathedrae,posset ins ertus numero ut Videri

grammaticorum.

Tu meae semper socius iuventae ,pluribus quamvis cumulatus annis,nunc quoque in nos tris recalesmedullis ,

blande Leonti !

et iuvat tristi celebrare curaflebilemcantummemo ris querellaemunus ingratumtibi debitumque

carmine nostro .

VII I .—G RAMMATICIS G RAECIS BURD IGALENSIBUSROMULUM post ho s prius an Corinthi

,

anne Sperchei pariterque natiAtticas musasmemoremMenes thei

grammaticorum1 A fragmentary inscription found in the ruins Of a Roman

villa at Lupiac (thought to be the f undus a aniacus ofAusonius ) Shows the remains Of verses to this same LeontiusI I O

AUSONIUS

s edulumcunct is studium docendi,fructus exilis tenuis que sermo °

s et,quia nostro docuere in aevo

,

commemorandi.

tertius horummihi non magister,ceteri primis docuere in annis,ne foremvocumrudis aut loquendi

s ic 1 sine cultu

obs t it it no s trae quia,credo

,mentis

tardior sensus neque dis ciplinisadpulit G raecis puerilis aev i

noxius error .

Vo s levis caespes t egat et s epulcri

tecta defendant cinere s operto s

ac mcae vocis titulus supremumreddat honorem.

IX .

—IUCUND O GRAMMAT ICO BURD IG ALENSI FRATRILEONT I

ET te,quemcathedramtemere usurpasse locuntur

nomen grammatic i nec meruis s e putant ,voce ciebo tamen

,simplex

,bone

,amice

,s odalis

,

Iucunde , hoc ipso care magis studioquod

, quamvis impar, nomen tamnobile amasti,e s merito s inter commemorande Vi ros .

1 Peiper : s et , V.

1 1 2

THE PROFESSORS OF BORDEAUX

these were patient, earne st teachers, although smallthei r profit and scant the ir praise ; yet, Since theywere teachers in my time , I owe a tribute to the irmemory. The third o f the se was not my tutor ;the others taught me in my earl iest years not to beunpolished in my speech and quite without refine

ment in my tongue . For a dul lness Of my brain,as I suppose

,hindered my progress, and some mis

chievous perversity of boyhood e stranged me fromlearning Greek .

1 7 May the turf lie light upon you, may the roofO f the tomb that holds you keep your ashes safe ,and may the epitaph I now pronounce pay you the

las t tribute .

IX.-To JUCUNDUs , THE GRAMMAR IAN OF BORDEAUX ,

THE BROTHER OF LEONTIUS

A LTHOUG H men say you had rashly assumed yourchair

,and think you did not deserve to be called a

grammarian, yet my voice Shall hail you, Jucundus ,

so simple and s o kind, my friend and my companion,whom I love the bette r for this aimo f yours : since

you loved so honourable a title , although unequal toit,I must commemorate you here among men Of

worth .

1 1 3VOL. I.

AUSONIUS

X.-G RAMMATICIS LAT IN IS BURDIGALENSIBUS PH ILOLOG I

[MACRINO SUCURONI CONCORD IO PH OEBICIO 1

AMMON IO ANASTASIO GRAMMATICO PICTAVIORUM

NUNC ut quemque mih iflebilis O fficn

relligio sus honorsuggeret , expediam,

qui, quamvis humili 5

stirpe,loco ac merito

,

ingenus hominumBurdigalae rudibus

introtulere tamengrammat ices studium. IO

Sit MACRINUS in hishuicmea principiocredita puerit ieset l ibertinaSUCURO progenie

,1 5

s obrius et puerorumutilis ingeniis .

et tu CONCORD I,

qui pro fugus patriamutasti sterilem 20

urbe alia cathedram.

nec reticebo s enemnomine PH OEBICIUM ,

qui Beleni aedituusnil Opis inde tulit ;s et tamen, ut placitum,

stirpe satus D ruidumgentis Aremoricae,Burdigalae cathedramnati opera obtinui t

permaneat serie s .

AMMON IUM [et recinam2relligiosumetenimcommemorare meaegrammaticumpatriaequi rudibus puerisprima elementa dabat

,

doctrina exiguus ,moribus inplacidispro inde, ut e rat meritum,

famamhabuit tenuem.

1 Omitted in V : restored (but in a different order) byScaliger , and (in the above order ) by Schenk l . Peiper omitsall but the name of Anastasius fromthe title .

2 In Vthe name Of Ammonius is omitted fromthe textIt was replaced as the first half of 1. 35 by Schenk l andPeiper. The result is no t good and a full s top is here s ub

stituted at the end Of l . 3 1 for Peiper’s semicolon, and l . 35I I 4

AUSONIUS

Pange et ANASTASIOflebile , Musa, me lume t memora tenuemnenia, grammaticum. 45

Burdigalae hunc genitumt rans tulit ambitioPictonicaeque dedit .pauper ibi et tenuem

XL—H ERCULAN O SORORIS FIL IO GRAMMATICOBURDIG ALENSI

H ERCULANE , qui, pro fectus gremio de nostro et schola,spemmagis, quam remf ruendampraebuis ti avuncul o ,particeps Scholae et cathedrae paene sucessormeaelubricae nisi te iuventae praecipitemflexus daret,Pythagore i non tenentemtramit is reetamviame sto placidus et quietis manibus sedemfove,iammihi cognata duduminter memoratus nomina .

XI I .—THALASSO GRAMMAT ICO LATINO BURD IGALENSI

OFFICIUM nomenque tuum, primaeve Thalas se ,parvulus audivi

,vix etiammemini .

qua forma autmerito fueris , qua stirpe parentum,

aetas nil de te posterior celebrat .

1 Pythagoras symbolised man’s choice in life by the letter

Y (cp . Technopaegn. XI I I . the two arms representing the1 1 6

Victumhabitumque colens,

gloriolamexilem 5

et patriae et cathedrae

perdidit in senio .

s et tamen hunc nostercommemoravit hono s ,me pariter tumulusnomen et ossa tegat .

THE PROFESSORS OF BORDEAUX

42 For Anastasius also shape a mournful lay, mvMuse ; and you,

my dirge , recal l that poor grammarian . H e was born at Bordeaux , but ambitiontransferred himto Po ictiers . There he lived a poorman

,stinted alike in food and dre ss, and in his Old

age lost the faint glimme r of renown which his countryand his chair had shed on him. Howbe it

,I have

here paid a tribute to his name , that the tomb Shouldno t swallow up his name with his bone s .

XI .—TO H ERCULANUS,MY NEPHEW

,GRAMMAR IAN

OF BORDEAUXH ERCULANUS

,though you came frommy bosomand

my class, you have repaid your uncle with promiserather than with fruit . You Shared in the work o f

my class,and might have succeeded to my chair

,had

not the swerving steps Of Sl ippery youth caused youto fall headlong , through no t keeping to the rightpath traced out by Pythagoras . 1 May you have rest,and may your Spirit dwe l l in peace in its last homeyou whose name I recalled a while ago amongst myrelative s . 2

XII .—TO TH ALASSUS

,LAT IN GRAMMAR IAN OF

BORDEAUXOF your rank and name

,Thalas sus

, youthfulteacher, I heard as a little boy, scarce even do Irecall them. Of your person or attainments

,o f the

family whence you were Sprung, a later age pro

claims nought concerning you. Only report used

paths O f Vice and Virtue . It is in youth that amanmustmake his choice between these two d ivergent ways .

2 See P arent . XVI I .I I 7

AUSONIUS

grammaticumiuvenemtantumte fama ferebat, 5

turn quoque tamtenuis, quammodo nullamanet .s et quicumque tamem, nostro quia doctor in aevo

v ixis ti, hoc nostrum munus habeto , vale .

X1 I I .— CITARIO S ICULO SYRACUSANO GRAMMATICOBURD IGALENSI G RAECO

ET,Citari dilecte, mih imemorabere , dignus

grammat icos inter qui celebrere bonos .e sset Aris tarchi tibi gloria ZenodotiqueG raiorum

,ant iquus Si s equeretur hono s .

carminibus , quae prima tuis sunt condita in annis, 5

concedit Ceimusa Simonidei .urbe satus Sicula no s tramperegrinus adisti,

excultams tudiis quampropere edideras .

coniugiumnanctus cito nobilis et locupletis ,invidia fati non genitormoreris .

at nos defunctummemori celebramus honorefovimus ut Vivummunere amicit iae .

XIV.—CENSOR IO ATT ICO AGRICIO RH ETORI

ELOQUIImerito/

primis aequande , fuis ti,Agrici, po s itus posteriore loco

aevo qui quoniamgenitus functusque recenti,dilatus nobis, non et omissus eras .

quocumque in numero, tristimemorabere threnounus honos tumuli, serus et ante datus .

AUSONIUS

tamgeneris tibi celsus apex , quamgloria fandi ,gloria Athenaei cognita sede loci

Nazario et c laro quondamde lata Paterae

egregie multos excoluit iuvenes .

coniuge nunc nat is que supers t it ibus generoque

maiorummanes et monumenta fove s .

XV .—NEPOTIANO GRAMMAT ICO EIDEM RH ETORI

FACETE,comis

,animo iuvenali senex ,

cui fe lle nullo, melle multo mens madensaevumper omne nil amarummis cuit ,medella nostri, Nepotiane , pectoris,tams eriorumquamioco rumparticepstaciturne , Amyclas qui SilendO v iceris

te fabulantemnon Ulixe s linqueret ,liquit canentes quimelodas v irgines

probe et pudice , parce , frugi, abs temie ,facunde

,nulli rhetorumcedens stilo

et disputator ad Cleanthen Sto icumScaurumProbumque corde cal lens intimoet Epirote Cincamemormagiss odalis et convictor, ho spe s iugiter

'

1 An orator and rhetorician who delivered -a panegyric(which is s till extant ) in praise Of Constantine I . in 32 1 A .D .

2 This‘

Amyclae lay between Cajeta and Terracina , i’nLatium. I t was forbidden for any citizen to announce theapproach of an enemy . cp. Virgil , Aen. x . 564.

1 2 0

THE PROFESSORS OF BORDEAUX

is all one . The nobil ity Of your birth was notle ss lofty than the renown o f your eloquence—re

nown,no strange r to your chair here in this second

Athens : bestowed on Nazarius 1 and famous Paterain forme r days , it trained to highe st perfectionmany a youth . Now you have left a wife , children ,and a s on-in-law here on this earth and cheer theshades o f your ancestors in the ir tombs .

XV.—To NEPOTIANUS

,GRAMMAR IAN AND RHETOR IC IAN

VVITTY and cheerful, an Old man with a heart Ofyouth, whose soul , steeped in honey with no dropof gall

,never throughout al l your l ife instilled

aught o f bitterne ss,balm o f my heart, Nepot ianus ,

taking your Share in grave and gay alike : yourlips once c losed

, you could surpass Amyclae 2 insilence ; when once you began to discourse

,even

Ulysses could not leave you—he who left the tuneful Sirens at the ir song . Honourable and pure ,sparing

,f rugal

,temperate , e loquent

, you weresecond to no orator in style , while in argumentyou were the equal o f Cleanthes the Stoic .

3

Scaurus and Probus 4 you knew o ff by heart, andin memory were a match f or Cineas Of Epirus s”You were my comrade

,companion

,and my guest

continually : and not my guest alone , but the

3c. 300-220 B.C . , successor to Zeno as head Of the Stoic

school . H is H ymn to Z eus quoted by St . Paul ) is extant .

‘1 See Praef . I . notes 5 and 6 .

5 Friend and agent Of Pyrrhus . W hen on an embas sy inRome after the battle Of H eraclea (280 he was able toaddress any of the senators or equites by name after beingonce introduced . See Pliny , N .H . Vii . 24 .

1 2 1

AUSONIUS

parumquod hospes , mentis agitatormcae .

consilia nullus mente tampura deditvel altiore conditu texit data .

honore gesti praes idatus inclitus ,decies novenas functus annorumVices,duos relinquens l iberos morte Oppetis ,

dolore multo tamtuo rumquammeo .

XV I .—AEMILIUS MAGNUS ARBORIUS RHETORTOL

'

OSAE

INTER cognatos iamfletus , avuncule , manesinter rhetoricos nuncmemorandus eris .

illud Opus pietas, is tud reverenda virorumnomina pro l patriae relligione habeant .

bis meritumduplici celebremus honore parentem 5

Arborium,Arborio patre et avo Argicio .

Stemma tibi patris H aeduici,Tarbellica Maurae

matris origo fuit ambo genus procerum.

nobilis et dotata uxor, domus et schola, cultaeprincipumamicitiae cont igerunt iuveni,

dIimConstantini fratres opulenta Tolosaexilii spec ie s epo s ito s cohibet .

Byz anti inde arcemThres s aeque Propontidis urbemCons tant inOpo limfama tui pepulit .

illic dives opumdoctoque ibi Cae sare honoruso ccumbis patribus , Magne, supers t itibus .

1cp XXIV . 9 f. H e gave the best advice and

,like a

lawyer or doctor , treated the matter as confidential .2cp . Parent. I I I . 1—2 , 8 .

2 There is no other reference to th is fact.1 2 2

AUSONIUS

in patriams ed te sedemac monumenta tuorum

principis Augusti res t ituit pietas .hinc renovat causamlacrimis et flebilemunusannuus ingrata relligione dies .

XVI I .—EXUPERIUS RHETOR TO LO SAE

EXUPERI,memorande mihi

,facunde Sine arte

,

inces su gravis et verbis ingentibus , orepulcher et ad summammotuque habituque venustoCopia cui fandi longe pulcherrima

,quamSi

auditu tenus accipere s , deflata placeret,dis cus samseires solidi nihil ede re sensus .Palladiae primumtoga te venerata Tolo saemox pepulit levitate pari . Narbo inde recepit .

illic D almatio genitos , fatalia regumnomina

, tumpuero s , grandi mercede do cendiformasti rhetor metamprope puberis aevi .

Caesareumquimox indept i nomen honorem

prae s idis H ispanumque tibi t ribuere tribunal .decedens placidos mores tranquillaque v itaetempora praedives finis t i sede Cadurca .

s ed patriae te iura vocant e t origo parentum.

Burdigalae ut rursumnomen de rhetore reddas .

i . e. his eloquence was full of sound and fury ,signif ying

nothing ” ; or like that of the Professor Of Rhetoric in L eBourgeois Gentilhomme.

1 2 4

THE PROFESSORS OF BORDEAUX

alive . Howbe it, with loving care our prince Augustusrestored your body to your native place and to the

tomb o f your family . So year by year this daybrings round a cause for tears and this mournfultask o f j oyle ss devotion .

XVI I . —EXUPERIUS OF TOULOUSE, THE RHETOR IC IAN

Now must I renew your memory, Exuperius , anorator without help o f rules, solemn o f gait

,majestic

in speech,handsome in feature s and, in a word ,

admirable in gesture and deportment. Your elo

quence was matchless in its fluency, and if judgedonly by the ear, would please through mere force o f

sound,but if close ly examined would be found to

contain no solid thought . 1 At first the councillorsof Toulouse, that home o f Pallas

,rece ived you with

adoration,but soon drove you as lightly away . Then

Narbo harboured y ou : there , taking a high fee foryour teaching, you trained in rhetoric the sons o f

Dalmatius 2 -royal but tragic names—fromboyhoodup to the beginning o f manhood . When in due timethey assumed the title o f Caesar

,they bestowed

upon you the dignity of a governorship and a tribunal in Spain . Passing away, exceeding rich

, you

brought your unruffied nature and your peacefulyears to a close in your abode at Cadurca (Cahors).But your country

’ s claims and the birthplace o f

your family summon you to bequeath your titleo f rhetorician to Bordeaux .

2s o. Dalmatius and Anaballianus , who were both k illed

in a military -revolt after the death Of Constantine,in

337 ‘A. D .

1 2 5

AUSONIUS

XVI I I .

—M ARCELLO MARCELL I FILIO GRAMMATICONARBONENSI

NEC te Marcello genitum,Marcelle, s ilebo ,

aspera quem genetrix urbe , domo pepulits ed fortuna potens c ito reddidit omnia et auxit

amis samprimumNarbo dedi t patriam.

nobil is hic ho spes Clarentius indole motusegregia natam coniugio adtribuit .

mox schola et auditormultus praetextaque pube sgrammatic i nomen divitias que dedit .

s ed numquamiugemcursumfortuna s ecundat,

praesertimpravi nancta virumingenu .

verumonerandamihi non sunt,memoranda recepifata ; sat es t dictumcuneta perisse Simul

non tamen et nomen, quo te non fraudo, receptuminter grammaticos praetenuis meriti .

XIX .—SEDATUS RHETOR TOLOSANUS

RELLIG IO es t, tacitumSi te

,Sedate , relinquam,

quamvis docendi munus indepte es foris.communi s patria es t tecum mihi sorte potentisfati Tolo samnanctus e s sedem scholae .

illic coniugiumnatique opulensque s enectus

et fama, magno qualis e s t par rhetori.

quamv is externa tamen a regione reducit

te patria et civemmorte Obita repet it,

I 2 6

AUSONIUS

cumq ue vagantemOperamdivisae impenderis urbi,arbitrium de te sumit origo suum .

e t tua nunc suboles morems ectata parentisNarbonemac Romamnobilitat s tudiis ;

s ed [quid conquerimur ? Longumpost tempus etillo s 1 ]

fama,velit nolit, Burdigalamre feret .

XX .—STAPHYLIUS RHETOR CIVIs AUSCIUS

H ACTENUS obs ervata mihi lex commemorandicives, sive domi s eu docuere foris .

externums ed fas coniungere c iv ibus unumte, Staphyli, genitumstirpe Novempopulis .

tumihi,quod genitor

,quod avunculus , unus

utrumque,alter ut Ausonius, alter ut Arborius .

grammatice ad Scaurumatque Probum, promptis s imerhetor,

historiamcallens LiVII et Herodoti.

omni s doctrinae ratio tibi cognita, quantamcondit s es centis Varro voluminibus .

aureamens,vox suada tibi

, tumsermo quietusnec cunctator erat

,nec properator erat.

pulchra s enecta,nitens habitus, procul ira dolorque

et placidae vi tae congrua meta fuit .1 Suppl . Translator.

1 2 8

THE PROFESSORS OF BORDEAUX

as its citizen . You may have strayed away andspent your pains on a distant city, but the countryo f your birth re sumes its right to you . And now

your sons are following the ir father ’ s example,and

adding to the renown of Narbo and o f Rome withthe ir learning. But why do w e complain ? Afterlong years, wil l they or nill they, Fame will bringthem also back to Bordeaux .

XX .— STAPHYLIUS, THE RHETOR IC IAN , A NATIVE

OF AUSCI 1

SO far I have kept to the rule Of commemoratingmy fe l low-countrymen, whether they taught in our

city or abroad . Yet it is no sin to couple with mycountrymen a single stranger such as you, Staphylius ,a s on o f NovemPopuli . You were to me a fatherand an uncle

,bo th in one , like a second Ausonius,

l ike a second Arborius . As a grammarian you

rivalled Scaurus and Probus ; as a rhetoric ian, mostready ; in history you knew all Livy and Herodotus .You knew every branch Of learning and all the lorewhich Varro stored in his innumerable tomes . Yourheart was golden, your tongue persuasive and yourspeech unflurried ; no hesitating was there and yetno hurrying. In Old age you were comely and dist inguished in appearance ; anger and grief werestrangers to you, and your peaceful l ife had a befitting close .

1 NOW Auch .

1 2 9

VOL . I .

AUSONIUS

XXI . -CRISPUS ET URBICUS GRAMMATI CI LATIN I ETG RAECI

TU quoque in aevum,Crispe

,futurum

mae s ti venies commemoratusmunere threni .

qui primaevo s fandique rudeselementorumprima docebas

signa novorumcreditus olimfervere mero,ut Vergilii Flaccique locis 1

aemula ferres .Et tibi Latiis pos thabite ors is ,

Urbice , Grais celebris , carmenSic e

’

AeheiG w.

namtu Crispo coniuncte tuoprosa s olebas et versa loqui

impete eodem,pris cos ut [mox] heroas olimcarmine H omeri commemorato s

fando ref erres :dulcemin paucis ut Plis theniden,et torrent is ceu Dulichii

ninguida dicta,et mellitae nectare voeisdulcia fatu verba canentem

Nes tora regem.

Ambo loqui faciles, ambo omnia carmina docti, 25callentes mython plasmata et historiam,

l iberti ambo genus, s ed quos meruis s e deceretnancis ci

,ut cluerent patribus ingenuis .

1 SO V: iocis , P eiper (after H eins ius ) but what are Ver

gilii iocaI 30

AUSONIUS

XXII .—VI CTOR IO SUBDOCTORI SIVE PROSCH OLO

VICTORI studiose , memor, ce ler, ignoratisads idue in l ibris nec nisi operta legens,

exe sas t ineis opicas que evolvere chartasmaior quampromptis cura tibi in s tudns .

quod ius 1 pontificum,quae foedera, stemma quod olim

ante Numamfuerit s acrifici Curibus :quid Castor cunct is de regibus ambiguis , quid

coniugis e l ibris ediderit RhOdOpe :quod ius pont ificum, veterumquae scita Quiritumquae consulta patrum

,quid Draco quidve Solon 1 0

s anxerit et Locris dederit quae iura Zaleucus ,sub Iove quae Minos, quae Themis ante Iovem,

nota tibi po tius , quamTullius et Maro nostriet quidquid Latia conditur historia .

fors is tos e tiamtibi lectio longa dedis s et ,supremumLachesis ni celeras s et iter .

exili no s trae f ucatus honore cathedrae,

l ibato tenuis nomine grammaticilonginquis pos thac Cumae defunctus in oris,ad quas de Siculo l itore trans ieras .

s ed modo nobiliummemoratus in agmine gaude ,pervenit ad manes Si pia cura tuo s .

1 V: Peiper alters to quidvis , pontificumetc. ; but the

reading is supported by Quinti lian, viii . 2 :“at Oh

Scuritas fit etiamverbis ab us u remotis ut Si commentario sius ) quis pontificum, et v etus tis s ima foedera, et exoleto s

s crutatus auctores id ipsumps tat

1 The chief town of the Sabines in early days and the

birthplace Of Numa, who was credited with seven books onpriestly lore (L ivy x1. Quintilian (cp . note on text ,1. 5) cites such hieratic works (commentarii) , early treaties ,and obsolete authors as examples Of Obscurity and Objects Ofpedantic s tudy .

1 3 2

THE PROFESSORS OF BORDEAUX

XXI I .—TO VIC’

I‘ORIUS

,ASSISTANT-TEACHER OR USHER

SCHOLARLY Victorius , gifted with memory and aquick brain

,how patiently you used to pore over

books which no one read,and study only abstruse

lore ! You liked better to unroll worm-eaten andoutlandish scrol ls than to give yoursel f to morefamiliar pursuits . What was the code o f the pontifice s , what the treatie s, what the pedigree Of thesacrificial priest at Cure s 1 long before Numa’ s days ,what Castor 2 had to s ay on all the Shadowy kings ,what Rhodope published out o f her husband ’ s books

,

what the code of the priests, what the re solutionsOf the Old Quirite s , what the decrees of the Senate ,what measure s Draco or what Solon passed

,and what

laws Zaleucus 3 gave theiLocrians

,what Minos under

the reign o f Jove, what Themis even before Jove ’ stime— all these were better known to you thanour Tully or Maro, and all the store s Of Romanh istory . Maybe continued reading would havebrought themalso within your k en, had not Lachesishurried on the date o f your last j ourney . Yourpost here in our city had brought you only a fainttincture o f renown, and given you but a slight foretaste o f the title Of grammarian, when you died on

the coast Of far-Off Cumae whither you had crossedover from Sicily . But now that I have numberedyou in a company of famousmen, rej oice—if th ismypious tribute reaches your shade .

2 According to Suidas , Cas tor was either a Rhodian, aGalatian, or a Massilian. It was probably in h is Xpomm‘z

that he dealt with the early Roman kings . Sincehe is quot ed by Apollodorus , his date is not later thanc. 1 50 Of Rhodope (his wife ?) nothing is known.

2c. 660 H is code was regarded by the Greeks as the

earlies t written code which they posses sed .

33

AUSONIUS

XXII I .—D YNAM IO BURD IGALENSI QUI IN H ISPANIAD OCUIT ET O B I IT

SET neque te mae sta, Dynami, f raudabo quere lla,municipempatriae caus idicumque mcae,

crimine adulterii quems aucia fama f ugavit,parvula quemlatebris fovit H ilerda suis,

quemlo cupletavit coniunx H ispana latentemnamque ibi mutato nomine rhetor e ras,

rhetor Flavini cognomine dis s imulatus ,ne posset profugumprodere culpa suum.

reddiderat quamvis patriae te sera voluntas,mox residemrursumtraxit H ilerda domus?

Qualis cumque tuae fuerit fuga famaque vitae,iungeris antiqua tu mihi amicitia,

o fficiumque meum,sensus Simanibus nllus ,

accipe iamserummorte Obita, Dynami .divers is quamv is iaceas defunctus in oris

commemorat mae s tis te pia cura elegis .

XXIV.—ACILIO G LABRIONI GRAMMAT ICO IUN .

BURD IGALENSI

D OCTRINAE vitaeque pari brevitate caducum,

Glabrio,te maes tis commemo rabo elegis ,

stemmate nobiliumdeductumnomen avorum,

Glabrio Acilini,

1 Dardana progenies .tu quondampuero conparmihi, discipulusmox,meque dehinc facto rhetore grammaticus ,

1 H eins ins , P eiper : Aq uilinus , V.

AUSONIUS

inque foro tute la reIs et cultor in agris,

digne, diu partis qu i fruerere boniscommode

,laete, benigne , abs temie, tambone dandis

semper cons iliis , quamtaciturne datis,tamdecus omne tuis quammox dolor

,Omnia acerbo

funere praereptus , Glabrio, destituisuxore et natis, genitore et matre relictis ,

eheu quammultis perdite nominibusflete diu nobis, numquamsatis, accipe acerbum

,I5

Glabrio,in aeternum commemorate, vale .

XXV—CORONIS

QUOS legis a prima deducto s menide l ibri,

doctores patriae s cito fui sse mcae,

grammatic i in studio vel rhetoris'

aut in utroque,quosmemorasse mihi morte Obita satis es t .

v iventuminlecebra es t laudatio : nomina tantumvoce e iere suis su fficiet tumulis .

ergo,qui no s trae legis otia tristia chartae

,

eloquiumne tu quaere , s et O fficium,

quo claris doct is que viris pia cura parentat ,dumdecora egregiae commeminit patriae .

1 The gramma ticus taught Greek and Latin mainly fromthe linguistic side (grammar , syntax , metre , antiquities ).The rhetor gave more advanced instruction,

but was chieflyconcerned with training in declamation and all subjectssubsidiary to it.

2 i . e. as husband,father

,and s on.

1 36

THE PROFESSORS OF BORDEAUX

rhetoric ian, you became grammarian .

1 In the courtsyou were the bulwark O f the accused ; in the countryyou farmed your estate, and deserved long to enj oythe fruits you earned . Obliging

,cheerful, kindly

temperate , you were always as ready to give adviceas Silent when you had given it. At once all thepride o f your kin as pre sently the ir sorrow, you leavall desolate

,my Glabrio, reft fromus by untimely

death : wife, children, father, mother, left— alas,under howmany name s were you lost to them! 2 Longmourned byme , though never mourned enough

, yourname is here recorded for all time ; and SO, friendGlabrio

,receive my sorrowful farewel l

XXV.

—CONCLUSION

KNOW that these men,Of whomyou read in order

after the exordium3 Of my book, were once teachersin my native place , some o f grammar, some o f rhe

toric,and some o f both . They are dead, and it is

enough that I have recalled their memories . Forthe l iving praise i s a lure : to but cry the ir names

‘1

wil l satisfy those within the tomb . W herefore , doyou, who in my pages read these mournful trifle s ,not look for pomp o f words but for the aff ectionwherewith my reverent caremake s offering to famousand learned men, while it recalls the glorie s o f mysplendid native land .

2 Fromn'r’

wt s ( wrath —the first word in the Iliad and

the title Of the first Book .

4cp . P arent , Preface in Vers e , 10 f . , Ep itaph xiii . 3—4 .

TO call aloud upon the dead was a recognised funerary rites ee Virgil , Aen. Vi . 507 magna Manes ter voce vocavi id .

iii . 67 magna supremumvoce ciemus .

7

AUSONIUS

XXV I .—POETA

VALETE,manes inclitorumrhetorum

valete, doctore s probi,historia Si quos vel poeticus stilusforumve fecit nobiles,medicae vel artis dogma vel Platonicumdedit perenni gloriae

et Si qua functis cura viventumplacetiuvatque honor supers titum

accipite maes tumcarminis cultumme itextumquerel la flebili .

sedems epulcri servet immotus c inis,

memoria Vivat nominum,

dumremeat illud, iudicis dono de icommune cunct is saeculum .

L IBER VI

EPITAPH IA H EROUM QUI BELLO TROICO

INTERFUERUNT

Ausonius Lectori Sno Salutem.

AD rem pertinere exis timavi,ut vel vanum opu

s culummateriae congruentis absolverem et l ibello,qui commemorationem habet eorum

,qui Vel pere

grini [Burdigalae vel 1 ] Burdigalens es peregre docuerunt

,Epitaphia subnecterem [scil icet t itulo s s epul

crale s 2] heroum,qui bello Tro ico interfuerunt . quae

antiqua cumaput philologumquendamrepperis s em,

Latino sermone converti,non ut ins ervirem ordinis

pers equendi [studio s et ut coherceremlibere necaberrarem .

I.—AGAMEMNONI

REX regumAtrides,fraternae coniugis ultor,

oppet ii manibus coniugis ipse meae .

quid prodes t Helenes raptumpunisse dolentem,

Vindicemadultern cumClytemes tra necet ?1 Suppl . Vinetas .

2 A gloss . 2 Suggested by P eiper .

1 The P eplos of“ Aristotle (a collection of sixty-seven

couplets commemorating Greek and Troj an heroes) containsthe originals of many , but by no means all , Of these pieces .Nos . xxvii.—xxxv. have no connection with the Trojan1 40

BOOK VI

EPITAPHS ON THE HEROES WHO TOOKPART IN THE TROJAN W AR 1

PREFACEAus onius to the Reader, greeting.

I have thought it to the purpose to finish O ff th isl ittle work and to append it—for however trifling itmay be, it is kindred in substance— to my l ittle bookcommemorating the Profe ssors of Bordeaux

,whether

they were strangers teaching at Bordeaux or fellowcountrymen teaching abroad . It is the Epitaphs [thatis to s ay, funerary inscriptions] on the H eroes who

took part in the Trojan W ar. It consists , indeed, Ofancient poems which I found in the possession o f

some scholar and turned into Latin, on such terms asnot to follow the strict letter of the original slavishly,but to paraphrase it freely, though without missingthe point .

I.— FOR AG AMEMNON .

2

1,TH E son of Atreus, the king of kings, the avenger

of my brother’s wife , met my end at my own wife ’ s

hands . What,then, avail s it that in my grief I

punished Helen ’s ravisher,since Clytemnaes tra slays

the chastiser of adultery ?

W ar , and were probably thrust into their present place byan editor who , after the death of Ausonius , introduced hisunpublished work into the published collection wherever itseemed to fit inmore or less appropriately . See Introduction.

2cp . P epl. l .

1 4 1

AUSONIUS

Il . -M ENELAO

FELIX O Menelae , deumcui debita sede sdecretumque piis manibus Elysium,

Tyndareo dilecte gene r, dilecte Tonanti ,coniugii vindex, ultor adulterii,

aeterno pollens aevo aeternaque inventa,nec leti passus tempora nec senii .

I I I .

— AIACI

AIACIs tumulo pariter tegor Obruta Virtus ,inlacrimans bustis funeris ipsamei,

incomptas lacerata comas, quod pravus Atride scedere me ins tructis compulit ins idiis .

iamdabo purpureumclaro de sanguine floremtes tantemgemitu crimina iudic ii.

IV.—ACH ILLI

NON una Aeaciden te l lus habet : ossa tegunturl itore Sigeo , crinemLarisa cremav it .

pars tumulis [secreta iacet , pars] classe [re lata e s torbe s et in toto [redivivumo s tendet Homerus

V.

— ULIx1

COND ITUR hoc tumulo Laerta natus Ulixe sperlege Odyssean omnia nosse Volens.

1 Suppl . Trans la tor .

2 Suppl . H eins ius .

1cp. Pep l. 3 .

2cp . H esiod

, W . and D . 1 69 .

2 Tyndareus was the reputed and Zeus (Juppiter)actual father of H elen : cp. Ep igr . lxvi . 4 .

‘Fept. 7 z Anth. P a l . vii . 1 45.

1 4 2

AUSONIUS

VI —D IOMEDI

COND ITUR hic genitore bono mel ior D iomedes,crimen ob uxoris pulsus dotalibus Argis,Argyripamclaros que viris qui condidit Arpo s ,clarior urbe nova patriae quamsede vetusta .

VIL—ANTILOCH O

CONSILIIS belloque bonus , quae copula rara e s t ,carus et Atridis , carus et Aeacidis

praemia virtutis Simul et pietat is adeptus ,servato Antilochus Ne store patre obii.

non hic ordo fuit : s e t ius tius ille supers tes ,

Troia capi sine quo perfida non poterat .

VI I I .— NESTOR 1

HOC tegor in tumulo quarti iamprodigus aeviNe stor

,consilio clarus et eloquio .

Obiecit se se cuius promorte peremptusfilius et nati vulnere Vivo pater.

eheu cur fatis disponere sic placet aevum,

tamlongumut nobis, tambreve ut Antilocho ?

1 Fept. 14 .

2 Aegiale , daughter Of Adrastus . She was incited byAphrodite to unfaithfulness .

1 44

EPITAPHS

VI.—FOR DIOMEDES 1

H ERE lies buried Diomedes, nobler 50 11 Of a noblefather

,banished through his wife ’ s Sin 2 fromArgos

,

the city Of her dowry, who founded Argyripa andArpi

,

3 famed for heroes, and gained greater famefrom his new c ity than from the anc ient seatwhence he was sprung .

VII.— FOR ANT ILOCHUS 4

GOOD both in council and in field—rare is theunion—and dear to the sons of Atreus and o f Aeacusal ike

,I am that Antilochus who died to gain the

double meed Of valour and Of piety in saving myfather

,Ne stor . Such was not Nature ’ s order ; yet

it was fitter that he survived without whom falseTroy could not be taken .

VI I I .—FOR NESTOR 5

HERE in this tomb I lie , my fourth lifetime whollyspent at last

,Nestor , famed for wisdomand for elo

quence . To save me fromdeath , my son exposedhimself and died ; and it was bymy son

’ s wounds Il ived . Alas

,why was it Fate

’ s pleasure so to orderour l ives, giving me so long, giving Antilochus SOshort a span ?

3cp. Virgil , Aen. xi . 246 , 250 : Arpi was the later name

for Argyripa in Apulia .

1 Fept. 1 1 .

5cp. Anth. P al . V II . 144 .

1 45VOL. I.

AUSONIUS

IX .—PYRRHO

ORBE tegor medio, maior virtute paterna,quod puer et regis Pyrrhus Opima tuli .

Impius ante aras quemfraude peremit Oreste s,quid mirum,

cae sa iamgenetrice furens .

X.

—EURYAI.O

NECme non dignumtitulo Pleuronia credit,quae 1 communis erat cumD iomede domus,

Euryalo et Sthenelo : namtertius hoc ego regnumpossedi, de quo nunc satis e s t tumulus .

XL—G UNEO

G UNEA pontus habet, tumulus Sine corpore nomen .

fama homines inter, caelumanimus repetit .

cuneta clementa duc i tanto commune s epulcrum.

quae ? caelumet tel lus et mare e t ora virum.

XII .—PROTESILAO

FATALE ads criptumnomen mih i Protes ilao ;namprimus Danaumbe llo Obii Phrygio ,

audac i ingre s sus Sigeia litora saltu ,captus pellacis Lart iadae ins idiis .

1 Trans la tor cui, P eiper and M S .

1 Pyrrhus was slain by Orestes at Delphi , W here the sup

po sed centre Of the earth wasmarked by a conical stone , theOmphalos : cp . Paus . X . xvi . 3 .

1 46

AUSONIUS

qui,ne Troianae premeret pede litora terrae ,ipse super propriumdes iluit clipeum.

quid quero r ? hoc letumiamtummea fata canebant,tale mihi nomen cumpater imposuit .

XIII.—D EIPH OBO

PRODITUS ad poenam s celeratae fraude Lacaenaeet deformato corpore Deiphobus

'

non habeo tumulum,nisi quemmihi voce vocantis

et pius Aeneas et Maro conpo suit .

XIV.—H ECTORI

H ECTORIS hic tumulus, cumquo sua Troia sepulta e s tconduntur pariter, qui periere Simul .

XV—ASTYANACTI

FLOS As iae tantaque unus de gente supers tes ,parvulus

,Argivis s et iam de patre timendus ,

hic iaceo Astyanax, Scaeis deiectus ab altis .pro dolor ! I liaci NeptuniamoeniamuriViderunt aliquid crudelius H ectore tracto .

XVI .—SARPEDONI

SARPEDON Lycius , genitus Iove, numine patrissperabamcaelum, s et tegor hoc o tumulo

s anguineis fletus lacrimis pro ferrea fata,

et patitur luctum, qui prohibere potest.

1s o. Virgil (s ee Aen. vi. 505

2cp . Anth. P al. vii . 1 39 .

3 See II 459 .

1 48

EPITAPH S

leaped down upon his Shie ld lest his should be the

first foot to touch Trojan soil . Yet why do I complain ? My Fates sang of this doom even at thetime when my father laid upon me such a name .

XI I I .—FOR DE IPHOBUSBETRAYED to vengeance by the accursed Spartan

woman ’ s treachery I , Deiphobus , mangled in body,have no other tomb but that which pious Aeneas andMaro 1 have made forme by calling onmy name

XIV.—FOR H ECTOR 2

TH IS i s the grave Of Hector,and with himIs buried

the Troy he loved : along with him are laid thosewho perished together w ith him.

XV.—FOR ASTYANAX

TH E flower Of Asia and the one poor little hope Ofso great a line , but already dreaded by the Argive sfor my father

’ s sake , I , Astyanax, lie here , hurleddown from the high Scaean gate . Alack ! Now

have the wall s Of l lium,which Neptune built, seen a

deed more cruel than the haling o f Hector ’ s corpse .

XVI.—FOR SARPEDON

I AM Lyc ian Sarpedon, the seed o f Jove : in virtueof my father

’ s godhead I hoped for heaven ; yet Iamburied in this tomb though bewailed with tearsOf blood .

3 Ah,iron-hearted Fates ! H e

4 also su ffe rsgrief who can prevent it .

4s c. Jove, who could have saved Sarpedon and so have

escaped fromsorrow himself.49

AUSONIUS

XVI I . —NASTI ET AMPH IMACH O

NASTES Amphimachus que, Nomionis incl ita proles,ductores quondam,

pulvis et umbra sumus .

XVI I I .—TRO ILO

H ECTORE prostrato nec dis nec v iribus aequiscongres sus s aevo Troilus Aeacidae

,

raptatus bigis fratris coniungor honori,cuius Ob exemplumnecmihi poena gravis .

XIX .-POLYDORO

CEDE proculmyrtumque istamfuge , ne s cius ho spe stelorumsoge s es t sanguine adultameo .

confixus iaculis et ab ipsa caede s epultus

condor in hoc tumulo bis Polydorus ego .

scit pius Aeneas et tu , rex impie, quod meThracia poena premit, Troia cura tegit

XX .-EUPH EMO

EUPH EMUM CiconumductoremTroia telluscondidit hastati Martis ad e ffigiem.

nec satis es t t itulumsaxo inc idisse s epulcri ;

insuper et frontemmole onerant s tatuae .

ocius ista ruunt, quae Sic cumulata locanturmaior ubi e s t cultus, magna ruina sube s t.

1cp . B 87 1 .

2cp. Virgil , Aen. v. 809 , i . 474—5.

1 50

AUSONIUS

XXI . -H IPPOTH OO ET PYLEO IN HORTOSEPULTIS

H IPPOTH OUM Pyleumque tenet gremio infima telluscaulibus et malvis terga superna Virent.

nec vexat cineres horti cultura quietos,dumparcente manu mol le holus excolitur.

XXI'I .—ENNOMO ET CH ROMIO

ENNOMUS hic Chromius que iacent : quis Mysia regnum,

quis pater Alcinous O ceanusque atavus .nobilitas quid tanta iuvat ? quo clarius is t is

es t genus, hoc mortis condicio gravior .

XXII I — PR IAMO

HIC Priami non e s t tumulus nec condor in istasede caput Danai deripuere meum.

ast ego cumlacerumsine nomine funus haberem,

confugi ad cinere s H ectoreos genitor .illic et natos Tro iamque As iamque sepultaminveni et nostrumquidquid ubique iacet .

XXIV.— ITEM PR IAMO

QUI tumulumPriami quaerit , legat Hectoris ante .

ille meus, nato quem prius ipse dedi .

XXIVA.—[H ECTORI]

H ECTORIS et patriae Simul es t commune s epulcrum,

amborumquoniamiuncta ruina fuit.

1 52

EPITAPHS

XXL—FOR HIPPOTHOUS AND PYLEUS BUR IEDIN A GARDEN

H IPPOTHOUS and Pyleus 1 lie buried in this ignoblesoil

,and over their bodies mallows and cabbage s

grow green . And yet the tilling o f the gardentrouble s not the ir peaceful ashes , if these soft herbsare tilled by no rude hands .

XXII . -FOR ENNOMUS AND CH ROMIUS

ENNOMUS and Chromius 2 lie here : Mysia was the irkingdom

,Alcino iis the ir father, Ocean the ir ancestor .

What profits them s o il lustrious a descent ? The

brighter the ir ancestry, the heavier their lot whendead .

XXII I .—FOR PR IAMH ERE is not Priam’ s tomb

,nor am I buried in this

place : the Danaans de spoiled me of my head . A

mangled , nameless end was mine, and s o 1,his Sire ,

fled for shelter to H ector’ s ashes . There I foundmysons, and Troy and Asia buried together, and whatsoever o f mine lies scattered everywhere .

XXIV.-FOR PR IAM AG A I N

H E who seeks Priam’ s tomb must find Hector’ sfirst . That tomb is mine which I first gavemy s on.

XXIVA.— FOR HECTOR

H ERE in one common grave lie Hecto r and hiscountry, for in their fall both were united .

1cp . B 842 .

2cp. B 858 .

1 53

AUSONIUS

XXV .—H ECUBAE

QUAE regina fui, quae claro nata Dymante,quae Priami coniunx, H ectora quae genui,

hic Hecuba iniectis perii superobruta saxis,s et rabie l inguae me tamen ulta prius .

fidite ne regnis et prole et stirpe parentum,

quicumque hoc nostrum o ijna xvi/Os legitis .

XXVI—POLYXENAE

TROAS Achilleo coniuncta Polyxena bustomalueramnullo caespite functa tegi .

non bene discordes tumulos mis cetis , Achivihoc Violare magis, quams epelire fuit .

XXVI I . -D E N IOBE IN SIPYLO MONTE IUXTA

FONTEM SEPULTA

TH EBARUM regina fui, Sipyleia caute s

quae modo sum : laes i numina Letoidum.

bis septemnatis genetrix laete atque superba,tot duxi mater funera

,quot genui .

nec satis hoc divis duro circumdata saxoamisi humani corporis e ffigiem

s et dolor Obs tructis quamquamvitalib‘

us haeret

perpetuas que rigat fonte pio lacrimas .

pro facinus ! tantacu c animis caele s tibus irae ?durat adhuc luctus , matris imago perit .

1 54

AUSONIUS

XXVI I I . IN D IOG ENIS CYNICI SEPULCRO IN QUOPRO T ITULO CANIS S IGNUM EST

D IC, canis, hic cuius tumulus -Canis . —At canisqu is

D iogenes .—Obiit —Non obIIt,s et abit .

D iogenes,cui pera penus, cui dolia sedes,

ad manes abiit -Cerberus inde vetat .

Et quonam —Clari flagrat qua stella Leonis,additus es t ius tae nunc canis Erigonae .

XXIX .—ITEM D IOG ENIS

PERA,polenta, tribou ,

baculus,scyphus, arta supellex

ista fuit Cynici s et putat hanc nimiam.

namque cavis manibus cernens potare bubulcumcur

,s cyphe , te, dixit, gesto supervacuum.

XXX .—ITEM

EFFIG IEM,rex Croese , tuam, ditis s ime regum,

vidi t aput manes D iogenes Cynicus .

nil,inquit , tibi, Croese, tuum; superant mihi cuneta .

nudus eram: s ic sum. nil habui : hoc habeo .

rex ait Haud egui,cumtu

,mendice , carebas

omnibus ; et careo, Simodo n'

On egeo ?

1 This epitaph is a close imitation of Anth. Pal. VI I . 64 .

2 Properly a sto re-jar (Of earthenware ) Gk . m’

eo s .

1 56

EPITAPH S

XXVI I I .—ON THE TOMB OF D IOG ENEs THE CYNIc ,UPON W H ICH THERE W AS A F IGURE OF A D OG

INSTEAD OF EP ITAPH“ TELLme , dog , whose tomb is this ? 1 “ It i s a

dog’s . “ But what dog was that ? D iogenes .And is he passed away ? Not passed away, butgone away .

” What,has that D iogenes gone to the

shades , whose wealth was his wallet and whose housea cask ? 2 Cerberus will not let himin .

” Wherei s he gone, then ? Where the bright star o f Leo

burns he has been installed now as watch-dog forrighteous Erigone .

3

XXIX .—ANOTHER EP ITAPH ON D IOGENES 4

A HAVERSACK,some barley-meal, a cloak

,a stick

,a

cup—these were the Cynic

’ s scanty furniture ; butnow he thinks this over much . For

,seeing a

bumpkin drink fromhis hollowed hands, quoth heW hy do I carry you about, you use less cup ?

XXX .—ANOTHER EP ITAPH 5

K ING Croesus, wealthie st o f kings,D iogenes the

Cynic saw your formamongst the shades . Said heNow you have nothing, Croesus, that was yours ;while I stil l have all that I had . Bare was I : s o

am I now. I had nothing : and that I stil l have .

”

The king replied I wanted for nothing when you,you beggar, lacked everything ; and do I lack if Ineed nothing now ?

3 Daughter of Icarius , who hanged hers elf through grieffor her father’s death .

4 Auth. Pal. xvi . 333 .

5 Anth. Pal . ix. 145.

1 57

AUSONIUS

XXXI .—IN TUMULO H omINIs FELICIS

SPAHOEmero cineres bene o lentis et unguine

ho spes , et adde rosis balsama puniceis .

perpetuummih i ver agit inlacrimabilis urnaet commutavi saecula, non Obii.

nulla mih i veteris perierunt gaudia vitae ,s eumeminis s e pute s omnia, sive nihil .

XXXI I . —DE NOMINE CUIUSOAM LUCII SCULPTO

IN MARMORE

UNA quidem,geminis fulget s et di s s ita punctis

l ittera, praenomen s ic [L z] nota sola facit .post .M . inci sume s t : puto s ic [ 1 h] : non tota

videturdis s iluit saxi fragmine laesus apex .

nec qui s quam,MAR IUS s eu MARCIUS anne METELLUS

hic iaceat , certis noverit indiciis .

truncatis convulsa iacent elementa figuris ,omnia confus is interiere notis .miremur periis s e homines ? monumenta fat is cuntmors etiamsaxis nominibus que venit .

XXXII I .—Ius s u AUGUST I EQUO ADMIRABILI

PHOSPHORE,clamo s i spatio sa per aequora circi

s eptenas sol itus victor obire vias,inproperanter agens primos a carce re cursus

,

fortis praegre s s is ut potereris equis,promptumet veloces erat anticipare quadrigas

v icto res etiamvincere laus potior.

1 58

AUSONIUS

hunc titulumvani s o lacia sume s epulcri

et gradere Elys io s praepes ad alipedes .

Pegasus hinc dexter currat tibi,laevus Arion

funis eat, quartum det tibi Castor equum.

XXXIV.—D E SEPULCRO [CAR I] VACUO

ME sibi et uxori et natis commune s epulcrumcons tituit seras Carus ad exequias .

iamque diu monumenta vacant s itque ista quere llalongior et veniat ordine quisque suo

,

nas cendi qui lege datus, placidumque per aevum

condatur,natu qui prior

,ille prior .

XXXV.—IN TUMULUM SEDECENNIS MATRONAE

OMN IA quae longo vitae cupiuntur in aevo ,

ante quater plenumcons umps it Anicia lustrum.

infans lactavit , pubes et Virgo adolevit .

nups it, concepit, peperit , iammater obivit .

quismortemaccus et ? quis non accus et in ista ?

aetatis meritis anus es t, aetate puella .

1 6 0

EPITAPH S

winners is higher praise . Take,then

,this epitaph

poor consolation —for your tomb , and gallop nimblehoofed to join the W 1n0

‘hoofed steeds of Elysium.

Hereaf ter let Pegasus run on your right and Arionbe your le i t wheeler ; and let Cas toI find you the

fourth horse !

XXXIV.— ON THE EMPTY TOMB [OE CARDS]

CARUS has built me as one sepulchre for himse lf,his wife

,and children

,when at length they die .

Long now the ir re sting-place s have lain empty, andmay that complaint grow yet older : let each comein the orde r fixed by the law Of birth , and throughpeaceful years let himwho is the earlier born be laidto re st the earl ier .

XXXV.-FOR THE TOM B OF A MARR I ED LADY

OF S IXTEEN

ANICIA has spent all those treasures which are the

hope of a long life before her second decade reachedits full . While a mere baby she gave suck ; whileye t a girl she was mature ; She married, she con

ceived,she bare her child

,and now has died a

matron . W ho can blame death And yet who cannot blame himin this case ? In age ’ s gains s he i s acrone ; in age itsel f, a girl .

I 6 IVOL . I .

LIBER VII

[ECLOGARUM LIBER]

I.—AUSON IUS D REPANIO FILIO

CUI dono lepidumnovumlibellum 1

Veronens is ait poeta quondaminventoque dedit statimNepoti.at nos inlepidum,

rudemlibellum,

burras, quis quilias inept ias que,

credemus gremio cui fovendum?inveni

,trepidae s ilete nugae,

nec doctumminus et magis benignum,

quamquemGallia praebuit Catullo .

hoc nullus mih i carior meorum,

quempluris faciunt novems orores,

quamcuncto s alios MarOIIe dempto .

Pacatumhaut dubie , poeta, dicis ?ipse e s t . intrepide volate, versus,et nidumin gremio fovete tuto .

hic vo s diligere , hic volet tueri ;igno s cenda teget, probata tradetpost hunc iudiciumt imete nullum. vale .

I I . Ex G RAECO PYTHAG ORICUM DE AMBIGUITATEELIG ENDAE V ITAE

QUOD vitae s ectabor iter, Si plena tuInultusunt fora

,Si curis domus anxia

,si peregrinos

1 Catullus i. l .1 6 2

AUSONIUS

cura domus sequitur, mercantemsi nova semperdamnamanent, cessare vetat Si turpis egestasSi vexat labor agricolam,

mare naufragus horror 5

infamat, poenaeque graves in caelibe v ita

e t gra vior cautis custodia vanamarit is ;sanguineumSi Martis opus, Si turpia lucrafaenoris et velox inopes usura trucidat ?omne aevumcurae

,cunctis sua displicet aetas .

sensus abe s t parvis lactant ibus , et puerorumdura rud

‘

imenta,et iuvenumtemeraria pubes.

adfiictat fortuna viros per bel la, per aequor,iras que ins idias que catenato s que labore s 1

mutando s semper gravioribus . ipsa s enectusexpectata diu vot is que OptatamalignisObicit innumeris corpus lacerabile morbis .

spernimus in commune omne s praesentia quo sdamconstat nolle deos fieri. Iuturna reclamat :“ quo V itamdedit aeternam? curmortis adempta es t 20condicio ? Sic Caucas ea sub rupe Prometheust es tatur Saturnigenamnec nomine ces sat

incus are Iovem,data Sit quod vita perennis .

respice et ad cultus animi. Sic nempe pudicumperdidit H ippolytumnon fe l ix cura pudoris .

e contra inlecebris maculosamdegere Vitamquemiuvat , adspiciat poemas et crimina regum,

Tereos incesti velmollis Sardanapalli.perfidiamv itare monent tria Punica bel la ;s et prohibet servare fidemdeleta Sagunto s .

1cp . Martial , Ep igr . I . xv. 7 .

64

THE ECLOGUES

troubles follow us abroad ; the merchant always hasfre sh losses to expect, and the dread o f base povertyforbids his rest ; the husbandman is worn out withtoil ; frightful shipwreck lends the s ea a grimnamethe unwedded life has its sore troubles, but sore r isthe futile watch and ward which jealous husbandskeep ; to serve Mars is a bloody trade ; the tarnishedgains o f intere st and swift-mounting usury slaughterthe needy . Every stage of life has its troubles , andnoman is content with his own age the infant at thebreast lacks understanding ; boys have hard lessonsto afilict them,

and youths the rash folly o f the irkind . Hazards stil l plague the full-grown man, ofwar or s ea, or anger, or deceit, or the long chain o f

toil s to be exchanged for ever heavier . O ld age it

self,long looked-for and desired with mean-hearted

prayers , exposes the poor body to be torn by disease sbeyond number . With one accord we all scorn our

pre sent lot : some (’ tis

’

we ll known) care not to

become as gods . Juturna cries out in prote st 1Wherefore did Jove give me eternal life ? W hyhas the lot o f death been taken fromme ? Likewise Prometheus, beneath the Caucasian crags, callsupon Saturn ’s son and ceases not to chide Jove byname, because an endless life was given him. Consider, too, the affections of the mind . Thus

,mark

you, chaste H ippolytus was de stroyed by disastrouscare for his own chastity . And on the other hand

,

he who de lights to spend a life stained with loosepleasures, should conside r how sinful kings are

punished, as incestuous Tereus or efieminate Sardanapalus . Faithles snes s the three Punic Wars warnus to avoid, yet the de struction of Saguntumforbids

1 Aen. xii. 879.

1 65

AUSONIUS

vive e t amicitias semper cole .—Crimen ob is tud

Pythagoreorumperiit schola docta s ophorum.

hoc me tuens igitur nullas cole .

-Crimen ob is tudTimon Palladiis ol imlapidatus Athenis .

dis s idet ambiguis sempermens obvia vot is ,

nec voluis s e homini satis e s t : Optata recus at .

esse in honore placet, mox paenitet : et dominariut po s s int , servire volunt . idemauctus honoreinvidiae Obicitur. pernox es t cura dis ertis ;s et rudis ornatu vitae caret . e sto patronus ,et defende reos : s et gratia rara clientis .

esto cliens gravis imperiis persona patroni .exercent hunc vota patrum mox aspera curissollicitado subit. contemnitur orba s enectus

et captatoris praeda es t heredis egenus .

Vitamparcus agas avidi lacerabere fama,e t largitoremgravins censura notabit .

cuncta tibi adve rs is contraria cas ibus . ergooptima G raiorumsententia : quippe bomini aiuntnon nasc i esse bonumaut natumc itomorte potiri . 50

[Haec 1 quidem Pythagorica e s t apophasis s ecundumtale quod s ubiectumes t distichon

r pGIr OV“EV pi) (bib/a t e’

V a’

wfipo’mow w dpLO TOV,

Oeur epov 57 7 1 TciXIO'Ta miha c;

’

A[3ao

1 All that follows 1. 50 is found only in P 1and its depen

dent MSS.

2cp . Theognis , 425, 427

A

wdvrwu p?) (pupa : e’mxflovioxa'w Zipur

'rov

rpm/ 7 a 6’ 57rws é'mw'f a

“mi /Mrs’

Af6ao wepfia'a t .

1s o. the brotherhood bound together by vows founded by

Pythagoras at Croton. The populace became suspicious ofthis society andmassacred themembers .

1 6 6

AUSONIUS

Contra s ed alterius sectator dogmatis i staquid doceat reprobans , s ubdita dis ce legens

Ergo nihil quoniamv ita e s t quod amemus in ista,

nec tamen incas sumfas e s t nos credere natos,

auctoremvitae Si ius tumcredimus esse,

vita alia es t nobis illi vivendo paranda,

cumquo post istampo s s imus vivere Vitam.

il l i equidems tygias properent des cendere ad umbras,Pythagoreorums tolidumqui dogma s ecut i

non nasc i se se quamnatos vivere malint .

I I I .— D E VIRO BONO H Y®APOPIKH AIIO <I>A2 12

VIR bonus et sapiens, qualemv ix repperit unum

milibus e cunctis hominumconsultus Apollo,

iudex ipse sui totums e eXplorat ad unguem.

quid proceres vanique levis quid opinio volgi>k >1<

s ecurus,mundi instar habens, tere s atque rotundus, 5

exte rnae me quid labis per levia sidat .

1

ille,dies quamlongus erit s ub Sidere Cancri

quantaque nox tropico s e porrigit in Capricorno,cogitat e t insto trutinae s e examine pendit,me quid hiet, ne quid protuberet , angulus aequis 10

partibus ut coeat , nil ut deliret amus s is ,

1cp . H or. Sa t. 11 . vii . 86 .

THE ECLOGUES

55 But on the other hand, read what follows now ,

and learn what a follower Of another systemteache sto refute this .

57 Therefore,since we have nothing in this

l ife to love , and yet it is wrong for us to bel ievethat we were born in vain, if we believe the GiverOf our l ife is true

,

’tis for anothe r l ife we must prepare by living for H im,

that after this life we maybe able to l ive with H im. Let those , indeed, makehaste to go down to the Stygian shade s, who , following the foolish doctrine O f the Pythagoreans,would rather no t be born than, when once born,to live .

I I I .—ON THE GOOD MAN : A PYTHAGOREAN SENTENCE

TH E upright man and wise—Apollo, when in

vok ed,

1could scarce find one such amongst all the

thousands of mankind—Sits in judgment on himselfand searche s out his whole self to a hair ’s bread th .

What the great think , or what the fickle.Opinion o f

the empty-headed mob, he care s not,but

,after

the fashion o f the globe, keeps himself rounded andcompact

,too smooth for any blemish fromwithout

to settle upon him. However long the daymay bewhen the Crab is in the ascendant, however longthe night under the tropic Of Capricorn

,he reflects

and we ighs himself by the te st o f a just balancethere must be no hollows

,no projections ; the angle

must be formed of equal lines, and the rule not

1 Chaerephon consulted the Delphic Oracle as to who wasthe wisest ofmen. The Pythia replied

dI/Opc'

év éwdurwv Ewicpoi'r

‘ns Uo¢c67 a7 0 5 3

See D iog. Laert . I I . v. 1 8 .

1 69

AUSONIUS

Sit sol idum, quodcumque subes t , nec inania subter

indicet admotus digitis pellentibus ictus,non prius in dulcemdeclinans lumina s omnum,

Omnia quamlongi reputaverit acta die iquae praetergres sus , quid ges tumin tempore, quid

non ?cur isti facto decus afuit aut ratio ill i ?quid mihi praeteritum? cur haec sententia sedit

,

quamme lius mutare fuit ? mis eratus egentemcur aliquemfracta pers ens i mente dolorem?quid volui

,quod nolle bonumforet ? utile honesto

curmalus antetuli ? numdicto aut denique voltu

pers trictus quis quam? curme natura magis quamdisc ipl ina trahit ? sic dicta et facta per omniaingrediens ortoque a vespere cuneta revolvensOffensus pravis dat palmamet praemia rectis .

IV.—NAI KAI or H Y®APOPIKON

EST et Non cunct imonosyllaba nota frequentant .his demptis nil es t , hominumquod sermo vo lutet .

omnia in his et ab his sunt omnia, sive negotisive oti quidquames t , s eu turbida sive quieta.

alterutro pariter nonnumquam,s aepe s eo rs is

obs is tunt s tudiis , ut mores ingeniumqueut facile s vel diflicile s content io nancta e s t .

Si cons ent itur, mora nulla intervenit Est Est,

sin controversum,dis s ens io subiciet N0 11 .

hinc fora dis sultant clamoribus , hinc furiosiI 70

AUSONIUS

iurgia sunt c irci, cuneati hinc lata theatris editio, et tales agitat quoque curia l ites .coniugia et nati cumpatribus ista quiet isverba s erunt s tudiis salva pietate loquentes .

hinc etiamplacidis schola consona dis ciplinisdogmaticas agitat plac ido certamine l ites ,hinc omnis certat dialectica turba SOphorum.

e s tne die s ? es t ergo dies ! non convenit is tuc

namfacibus multis aut fulgeribus quotiens luxe s t nocturna homini

,non es t lux ista die i .

e s t et Non igitur, quotiens lucemesse fatendume s t,

s et non esse diem. mille hinc certamina surgunt,

hinc rauco, multi quoque tal ia commeditantesmurmure concluso rabiosa s ilentia rodunt .

Qualis vita hominum, duo quam monosyllabaversant !

V.—D E AETATIBUS ANIMANTIUM . H ESIOD ION

TER binos deCIesque novemsuper exit in anno s

Ius ta s enes centumquos implet vita virorum.

hos novies superat vivendo garrula cornixet quater egreditur cornicis saecula cervus .alipedemcervumter vincit corvus et illummultiplicat movie s Phoenix, reparabilis ales .

1 A sample of theword-splitting practised in the rhetoricalschools . In 1. 1 8 there is a play on the two meanings of dies

,

light (daylight ) and day . cp . Quintilian v . viii. 7 : d ies es t,

nox non e s t .

1 7 2

THE ECLOGUES

courts,from these the feuds of the maddened Circus

and the wide-spread partizanship which fi ll s the tie rso f the theatre , fromthese the debate s which occupythe Senate . Wives, children, fathers, handy the setwo words in peaceful debate without unnaturalquarrelling. They are the instruments with whichthe schools fit for peaceful learning wage the ir harmless war o f philosophic strife . On themthe wholethrong Of rhetoricians depends in its wordy contestsYou grant that it is light ? 1 Yes ? Then it is day !No

,the point is not granted ; for whenever many

torches or lightning-flashe s gi ve us light by night,yes , it is light ; but that Is not the l ight of day . It I Sa case o f yes

’ ’ and “no then ; for we are bound to

say :“Yes , it is light, and “NO, it is not day.

There you have the source Of countless squabblesthat is why some— nay, manyf—pondering on suchthings

,smother their grufl

'

protests and bite the irl ips in raging silence .

25 What a thing is the l ife Ofman which twomonosyl lables toss about !

V.-ON THE AGES OF LIVING TH ING s : A FRAGMENT

FROM HESIOD 2

THREE times two and nine time s ten complete thetale of years whereto the life o f men who live tofulness o f old age attains . Nine times the chatteringcrow passes this limit in her Span of life , whil e the stagpasses through four times the l ifetime o f the crow .

Thrice the raven outstrips the swi ft-footed stag inlength Of years ; while that bird which renews its life,the Phoenix, multipl ies ninefold the raven ’ s y ears .

2 Fromthe P recepts of Chiron,f r. 3 (Loeb ed . ) Rz ach

fr . 17 1 , quoted by Plutarch , Af ar . p. 415 c .

1 73

AUSONIUS

quemnos perpetuo decies praevertimus aevo ,Nymphae Hamadryades, quarumlongissima vita es t .

Haec cohibet finis vivacia fata animantum.

cetera secreti novit deus arbiter aev i, 1

tempora quae Stilbon volvat,quae saecula Phaenon

,

quos Pyrois habeat, quos Iuppiter igne benignocircuitus

,qual i properet Venus alma recursu,

qui Phoeben, quanti maneant Titana labores,donec consumpto , magnus qui dicitur, anno,rursus in anticumveniant vaga sidera cursum,

qualia dispos iti s teterunt ab origine mundi .

VI.—D E RAT IONE L IBRAE

MIRARIS quicumque manere ingentiamundicorpora

,sublimi cael i circumdata gyro,

et tantae nullammoli intercedere labem,

accipe , quodmirere magis . teIIuiSSima tantisprincipia et no s tro s non admittent ia visus

parvarumserie constant conexa atomorum;Set sol idumin parvis nullique s ecabile s egmen.

unde vigor v ires que manent aeternaque rerummobilitas nulloque umquamsuperabil is aevo .

divinis humana licet componere . sic es t

1 The following seven lines are found only in V. Thoughdetached by Peiper fromthe preced ing verses , and numberedby himas a separate fragment, it is possible that the con

nection is genuine : such a passage would have formed acharacteristic transition fromthe P recep ts of Chiron to theAs tronomy in the H esiod ic corpus .I 74

AUSONIUS

as Sol idus, quoniambis s ex de partibus aequisconstat et inminimis paribus tamen unamanet vi s .

namsi quid numero minuatur, summa vacillatconvulsaeque ruunt labe facto corpore parte s .ut, mediumSi quis vellat de fornice saxum,

incumbunt cui cuneta, Simul devexa s equentur

cetera communemque trahent a vertice lapsumnon aliter l ibra es t . Si defuit uncia, totusnon erit as nomenque deunx iamcas sus habebit .

nec dextans retinet nomen sextante remoto,et dodrans quadrante satus auctore carebit

divulsus que triens prohibet persistere bessem.

iamquincunx tibi nullus erit,Si gramma 1 revellas .

et semis cui semis erit pereunt ibus assispartibus ? et cuius librae pars septima s eptunx ? 25

libra igitur,totumsi nulla in parte vacillet .

ponderis e t numerimorumque operumque et aquaruml ibra nec e s tmodulu s

,quemnon hoc nomine signes .

telluris,medio quae pendet in aere , libra es t 2

et solis lunaeque vias sua libra cohercet .

1 P eiper (apparatus) prama , V,P eiper (text) .

3cp . Ovid , M et. i . 12 : nec circumfus o pendebat in aere

tellus Ponderibus librata suis .

The wedge-like stones Of wh ich an arch Is constructed .

2 A gramma has the weight of two obols (one-third of adrachm) .

3 Ausonius here passes from the as or libra (the evenbalanced pound ) to libra in the s ense O f balance .

” Thusthe earth is balanced (cp . note on text , 1. 29 ) in mid-air ,while sun and moon, day and night balance each other . The

reference to the Caledonian tide is to be understood in the

1 76

THE ECLOGUES

In the same way the pound is a solid whole , for itconsists Of twe lve equal parts, and in the se equalparts

,small though they are , one vir tue always

abides . For if aught is subtracted from the ir s um,

the total is impaired, the parts are thrown out o f

place and fall because the frame is ruined . As,if we

were to wrench out froman arch the keystone uponwhich all the voussoirs 1 bear , the rest will followsuit and come to the ground

,the ir gene ral downfall

caused by the topmost stone even s o is it with thepound . If one ounce i s wanting

,it will no longer

be a pound, but being short in weight will be calleddeunx (eleven-twe lfths) . The dextans (five-Sixths) , too ,does not retain that name if a s extans (one-Sixth) betaken from it

,and the dodrans (three-quarters) will

be left without the author o f its be ing if we subtractthe quadrans (one-fourth) . So

,too

, the bes s z’

s (twothirds) cannot endure once the triens (one-third) istorn fromit . Take away one scruple, 2 and you willhave no quincunx (five—twe lfths) left you . And howcan the s emis (one-half) be a half if the fractions o fthe pound thus waste away ? And of what poundwill the s eptum (seven-twelfths) stand for sevenparts ? That is a pound

,then

,which is impaired

in no single part . We ight and number,character

,

tasks,and waters— all have a libra 3 there is no form

o f regulation which you may not mark with thisname . There is a libra. o f the earth , which hangs inmid-air, and a libra of the ir own controls the paths

light of Pliny ,who (N . E . ii . 27 ) quotes Pytheas of Mar

seilles as stating that in Britain the tide ris es 80 cubitsabove the level of the land . This phenomenon,

to o , is to beexplained on the theory of a natural poise or balance . The

libr a (l. 33 ) of the poet's character is doubtless the good

influence o f his friend which keeps him upright .”

7VOL . I.

AUSONIUS

Libra dii s omnique pares determinat hora’s,1

l ibra Caledonios sine l itore continet aestustu quoque certa mane morum mihi librameorum.

VII.—D E RATIONE PUERPERII MATUR I

OMN IA, quae vario rerummetimur in actu,as trorumdominatus agit ; terrenaque tantummembra bomini e superis fortuna e t spiritus auriss epteno moderanda choro s et praes idet olliss ortitus regimen nit idae Sol aureus aethrae .

nec sola in nobis moderatur tempora vitae,

dumbreve s olliciti spatiumproducimus aev i

creditur occultos que satus et tempora vitaematerno ducenda utero formare videndo

et nondumexortae leges conponere vitae .

namque ubi conceptus genital i ins ederit arvo,haut dubiumSolemcuicumque insiste re signo .

qui cumvicini s tationemceperit astri,contiguos nullumtrans fundit lumen in ortuS .

ast ubi convers is postmenstrua tempora habenis 15

s candit purpureo iamtertia sidera curru,Obl iqua exilem demitt it l inea lucem,

adspirans tenues per inertia ponderamotus .quarta in sede viget primi indulgentia Solis,

1cp . Virgil , Georg. i . 208 : Libra die s omnique pares ubi

f ecerit horas . (The reference is to the constellation, “the

1 78

AUSONIUS

suadet et infusus teneros coale s cere fetus .fulgore et trigono aspectus

1 vitale coruscat ,

clarumet lene micans , quinti qui cardine s igni

incutit attonitamvegetato infante parentem.

r1amsexto vis nulla loco, quia nulla tuendiaequati

‘lateris signatur regula Phoebo .

2

ast ubi s igniferae media in regione cohortis

septimus accepit l imes rut ilantia flammisrecto castra Situ turgent is foedera partusiamplena sub luce videt, nec fulgura parc iluminis intendens toto fovet igne coronae .

hino illud, quod legitimos Luc ina labore spraevenit et gravido s sentit subrepere nixusante expectatumfe stina puerpera votumquod nisi

,s epteno cumlumina fudit ab astro,

impulerit tardi claustra Obluctant ia partus,posterior nequeat, po s s it prior : an quia sextoaemulus octavi conspectus inutilis astrimescit conpariles laterumformare figuras ?s et nono incumbens Signo cunctantiamatrumvota levat

,trigono vires s ociante s equenti .

at si diflicilis rursumtrahit I lithyia,tetragono abs olvet dubiarumvincla morarum.

1 Trans lator : fulgor tetrigono aspectus , V: fulgor tetragono , P eiper (after Vineta s ) but the sun’s aspect is triangularwhen in the fifth Sign. For the quantity of the reading inthe text , cp . l . 40 trigono.

2cp . Censorinus viii . 10 : ceteruma loco sexto conspectus

omnI caret eflici ent 1a ; eIus enim linea ( z : regula) nulliuspo lygoni eflicit latus .

1 80

D IAGRAM To ILLUSTRATE TH E VARIOUS ASPECTS OF TH E SUN

IN ITS PASSAGE THROUGH TH E S IGNS OF TH E ZOD IAC.

(Af ter the editions of Toll and Souchay . )

1 represents the S ign In which the Sun stands at themoment Of conception. Starting fromhere

, the Sun’s pass

age through 1, 3 , 5, 7 , 9 , 1 1 forms an equal-sided hexagon

through 1 , 4 , 7 , 10 , a square through 1, 5, 9 , an equilateral

triangle . 1—4 and 1-10 therefore are lines of quadrilateralaspect 1-5 and 1—9 , of triangular aspect . The diameter Ofthe zodiacal circle , 1-7 , is the line of direct aspect . 1—6 and

1-8 cannot formthe sides of any equilateral figure within thecircle while 1—2 and 1-12 barely constitute aspects .

[To f ace p. 1 80 .

AUSONIUS

VI I I .—D E NOM INIBUS SEPTEM D IERUM

NOM INA,quae septemvertentibus apta diebus

annus habet, totidemerrante s f ecere planetae,quos indefessa volvens vertigine munduss ignorumObliqua iubet in s tat ione vagari .primumsupremumque diemradiatus habet Sol .proxima fraternae s uccedit Luna coronae .

tertius ads equitur Titania lumina Mavors .

Me rcurius quarti sibi vindicat astra die i .illustrant quintamIovis aurea sidera z onam.

sexta salutigerumsequitur Venus alma parentem.

cuncta supergrediens Saturni septima lux es t .

octavumins taurat revolubilis orbita Solem.

IX.—MONOST ICH A DE MENSIBUS

PR IMUS Romanas ordiris , Iane , k alendas .

Februa vic inomense Numa ins tituit .

Martius antiqui primordia protulit anni .fetiferumAprilemv indicat alma Venus .maiorumdictus patrumde nomine Maius .Iunius aetatis proximus e s t titulo .

nomine Caes areo Quint ilemIulius auget .Augustus nomen Caes areumsequitur .

autumnum,Pomona

,tuumSeptember Opimat .

triticeo October faenore ditat agros .sidera praecipitas pelago, intempe s te November.tu genialemhiemem,

feste December, agis .

1 A feast Of purification held on February 15th : s ee Ovid ,Fa s ti , ii . 19 .

3 The months of January and February were institutedby Numa .

3cp . Suet. Julius , 76 .

1 8 2

THE ECLOGUES

VI I I .—ON THE NAMES OF THE SEVEN DAYS

TH E names borne by the seven days recurringthroughout the year, are given by as many planets,which the firmament rolls along in unwearied revolutions

,bidding themroamamid the stars which stand

athwart them. The first day and the last the raycrowned Sun holds for his own. The Moon nextsucceeds to her brother ’ s crown . Mars

,following

these Titan lights, is counted third . Mercury claimsfor his own the stars o f the fourth day. The goldenstar of Jupiter illumines the fifth zone ; and in the

sixth place kindly Venus follows the health-bringingfather of the gods . The seventh day is Saturn

’s,and

comes last o f all for on the e ighth the c ircling orbitrestores the Sun once more .

IX.— S INGLE LINES ON EACH MONTH

THOU, Janus , beginnest the first calends o f the

Roman year. Numa established the Februa 1 in thenext month . The month of Mars brought in the

opening o f the old-style year. 2 KindlyVenus claimsApril

,month o f fertil ity. May was SO called to ce le

brate our ancestors (maiores ) . June i s the title o f

the next period in the year. Julius enriched Quintilis with a Caesar’ s name .

3 August follows Caesar ’ sname .

‘ September brings Autumn, thy season, 0Pomona, with wealth o f fruits . October enrichesthe fields with usury Of grain . Thou hurles t the

stars headlong into the s ea, unwholesome November .Thou spendest cheerful winter, fe stal December.

4 First so called inB .C. 8 in honour of Augustus (Octavian).It was previously known as Sextilis , the s ixth month Of the

(Old-style) year.1 83

AUSONIUS

X.—ITEM D ISTICHA

IANE nove, primo qui das tua nominamensi,Iane bifrons, spectas tempora bina Simul .

post superumcultus vicino Februamensedat Numa cognat is manibus inferias .

Martius et generis Romani praesul et anni ,prima dabas Lat iis tempora consulibus .

Aeneadumgenetrix vicino nomen Aprilidas Venus : es t Marti namque Aphrodita comes .

Maia dea,an maior Maiumte f ecerit aetas

,

ambigo s edmensi es t auctor uterque bonus . 1 0

Iunius hunc sequitur duplici celebrandus honore,

s eu nomen Iuno s ive Iuventa dedit.inde D ionaeo praefulgens Iulius astroaestatismediae tempora certa tenet .

Augustus sequitur cognatuma Caesare nomen, 1 5

ordine s ic anni proximus , ut generis .nectuntur post hos numerumque ex ordine S ignantSeptember, Bacchimunere praela rigans ,

et qui s ementis per tempora faenore laetusOctober cupidi spemfovet agricolae ,quique salo mergens s ollemnia signa Novemberpraecipitat, caelo mox reditura suo .

concludens numerumgenialia festa Decemberfinit

,ut a bruma mox novus annus eat .

1 i . e. the comet which appeared during Caesar’s funerarygames (s ee Suet . Julius , it was s o called fromD ione ,

1 84

AUSONIUS

XI.—DE TR IBUS MENSTRUIS MENSUUM

B IS senas anno reparat Lucina k alendaset totidemmedias dat currere Iuppiter idusnonarumque diemfaciunt infra octo s ecundi.

haec sunt Romano tantumtria nominamensi ;cetera per numeros sunt cognomenta dierum.

XII .—QUOTENI D IES S INT MENSUUM SING ULORUM

INPLENT tricenas per singulamenstrua lucesIunius Aprilis que et cumSeptembre November .unumter denis cumulatius adde diebusper septemmenses, Iani Martis que k alendis

et quas Maius agit, quas Iulius Augus tus queet quas October pos itus que in fine December.unus erit tantumduodetriginta dierum,

quemNuma praepo s ito voluit succedere Iano.

s ic ter centenis decie s accedere senos

quadrantemque et quinque dies sibi conputat annus . IO

XI I I . —QUO MENSE QUOTAE NONAE VELIDUS SINT

AT nonasmodo quarta aperit , modo sexta re ferts exta refert Mai Octobris Mart isque recursu

et qui s ols titio sua tempora Iulius infert .

cetera pars mensumquartis es t praedita nonis ;omnes vero idus octava luce recurrunt .

1 In March , May , July and October the Ides were on the

15th , in othermonths on the 1 3th, s o thatNones , being eight1 86

THE ECLOGUES

XL—ON THE THREE SACR IF IC IAL DAYS OF THEMONTH

TW ELVE times a year Lucina renews the Calends,and as often do the Ides recur by Jove

’ s gift at themid-month, while eight successive days before 1 produce the Nones . The Roman month has these threenames alone all other days are known by numerals .

XII.

— H ow MANY DAYS THERE ARE IN EACH MONTH

JUNE, April , and November, with September, eachmonth of these has thirty days. For each o f sevenmonths add one besides to thrice ten days, one to

the Calends of Janus and o’

f Mars,and one to those

which May, July, and August bring, and one toOctober and December, the last month of all . A

single month remains with but eight and twentydays, thatmonth which Numa caused to follow nextto Janus, the leade r o f the year. Thus the yearreckons its days to be three hundred and sixty-five,with one quarter day.

XII I . —ON W HAT DATES THE NONES AND IDESFALL IN VAR IOUS MONTHS

SOMET IMES the fourth dawn after the Calendsopens the Nones, sometime s the sixth brings themback . The S ixth brings themback as May, October,March come round

,and July, who intrudes his

season on the solstice . The remainingmonths havethe ir Nones on the fourth day ; while the Ide salways come round on the e ighth day after Nones .

days earlier , fell on the 7th in the fourmonths named , andon the 5th in othermonths .

1 87

AUSONIUS

XIV.-QUOTAE KALENDAE SINT MENSUUM

S ING ULORUM

POST idus,quas quisque suas habet ordine mensis

,

divers ae numero redeunt variante kalendae,dum[vertente anno

1] rursumque iterumque vocantur,

ut tandemOptati procedant temporis ortu .

ter senis unoque die genialia fe sta

porrigit , ut Ianumarce s s at nova bruma morantem.

hoc numero mens is que Numae redit autumniqueprinc ipiumreferens Bacchi September alumnus .Iulius et Maius po s itusque in fine DecemberOctoberque die revocatur tardius uno .

inde die redeunt minus uno quattuor ultra,quos numero adiciam Sextilis

,Iunius atque

Aprilis,post quos paenultima meta November .

ter quinis unoque die , Iunonie Mavors,

ut redeas re ferasque exordia prima,cieris . 1 5

H oc numero ad plenum vertens reparabitur annus .

XV.—RATIO B IERUM ANNI VERTENTIS

NONAG INTA dies et quattuor ac mediumSolconficit

,a tropico in tropicumdumpermeat as trum,

octipedemin CancrumPhrixeo ab Ariete pergens .

hoc spatio ae s tivi pulsus que et meta die i .1 Suppl . M omms en.

1cp . Eclogue ix . 3 .

1 88

AUSONIUS

s emidiemque duo sque dies decies que novenosa Cancro in Chelas aequatae tempora noctisatque dii cursu peragit Sol aureus altero,autumni aes tatis que Simul confiniamis cens .

unde autumnales trans currens ordine mensesad tropicumpergit signumge l idi Capricorni,octo dies decies octonis insuper addens

quadrantemque dii, quinto qui prot inus annomense Numae extremo nomen capit embolimaei.inde ad Agenorei fe s tinans cornua Tauri,s candit Lanigeri tropicumSol aureus as trum,

nonaginta dies decreto fine cohercens .

hic tibi c ircus erit semper vertentibus annister centumac senis decies et quinque diebus .

XVI.-IN QUO MENSE QUOD S IGNUM SIT AD

GURSUM SOL IS

PR INC IPIUM Iani sancit tropicus Capricornus .mense Numae in medio solidi stat Sidus Aquari.procedunt duplices in Martia tempora Pisces .re

‘

spicis Apriles, Aries Phryxee, k alendas .

Maius Agenoreimiratur cornua Tauri .Innins aequato s caelo videt ire Laconas .s ols titio ardentis Cancri fert Iulius as trum.

Augus tummens emLeo fervidus igne perurit .

sidere,Virgo

,tuo BacchumSeptember Opimat ,

aequat et October s ementis tempore Libram.

Scorpios hibernus praeceps iubet ire Novembrem.

terminat Arquitenens medio sua signa D ecembri .

1 90

THE ECLOGUES

finish o f the summer days . Ten times nine daysand two and half a day, when hours o f light andnight are even, the golden Sun passe s through inhis second race from the Crab to the claws o f the

Scorpion,mingl ing the bounds of autumn and o f s um

mer. Then,traversing the autumn months in turn

,

he passes 0 11 to the tropic 1 star O f chill Capricorn,

adding further to his tale eight '

days and ten timeseight with a fourth part o f the day, which in eachfourth year stands at the close o f Numa ’s month andtake s the name of intercalary. Then

,hastening

toward the horns Of Agenor ’s Bull , the golden Suncl imbs up to the tropic star o f the fleecy Ram, con

fining ninety days within ordained bounds . Here ,then

, you have the full round of the ever-c ircl ingyears three hundred and three score days and five .

XVI.

—WH ICH CONSTELLATION THE SUN PASSESTHROUGH IN EACH MONTH

TH E tropic star o f Capricorn prescribes the opening of Janus ’ s reign . In the midst o f Numa ’ smonth stands the Sign Of stout Aquarius . The

Fishe s twain come forth in days of March . Thou,

Ram o f Phrixus,lookest back on April ’ s calends .

May marvel s at the horns o f Agenor’s Bul l . June

see s the Spartan twins march in the heavens . Julybrings the star o f the Crab which blazes at the s ol

stice . The raging lion scorche s themonth Of Augustwith his fires . Beneath thy star, O Virgin, Septemberloads the v ines . October’ s seed-time balances theScales . The wintry Scorpion bids November go headlong . The Archer ends his sh ining inmid-December.

1 Tropic Stars are those which give their names to the twoTropics , i . e. Capricornus and Cancer.

I 9 I

AUSONIUS

XVI I .—A SOLISTITIO IN AEQUINOCTIUM

RAT IO

SOL pro fectus a teporo veris aequinoctiopost s emidiempo s tque totos nonaginta et quattuor

f ervidis flagrans habenis pulsumae stivumconficit .

inde autumnus noctis horas librans aequo lumineocto et octoginta goeris et super trihorio

>1< >1< >1<

inde floridumreflexis ver revisit oreiSadditis ad hos priores goero s geminis orbibus .

XVI I I . —D E MENSIBUS ET QUATTUOR ANNITEMPOR IBUS

AETERNOSmenses et tempora quattuor anniquattuor ista tibi subiectamonosticha dicent .

Martius,Aprilis

,Maius sunt tempora veris .

Iulius,Augustus nec non et Iunius aes tas .

Septembri, Octobri autumnat totoque Novembri.brumale s Ianus, Februarius atque December .

XIX .—D E LUSTRALIBUS AGONIBUS

QUATTUOR antiquos celebravit Achaia ludos .caelicolumduo sunt et duo fe sta hominum.

sacra Iovis Phoebique, Palaemonis Archemorique,serta quibus pinus, malus, Oliva, apium.

1 Some lines finishingwith autumn and dealingwith winteraremissing.

1 9 2

AUSONIUS

XX .—DE LOCIS AG ONUM

PR IMA Iovi magno celebrantur Olympia Pisae .

Parnasus Clario s acravit Pythia Phoebo .

Isthmia Fortuno bimari dicat alta Corintho s .

Archemori Nemeaea colunt funebria Thebae .

XXI.

—D E AUCTORIBUS AG ONUM

PR IMUS Olympiacae s acravit festa coronaeIuppiter Argivi stadia ad longissima circ i .

proximus Alcides Nemeumsacravit honorem.

haec quoque temporibus quinquennia sacra notandisI sthmia Neptuno data sunt et Pythia Phoeboancipiti cultu divorumhominumque s epultis .

1

XXII .—QUOD I DEM QUI SACR I AGONES SUNT ETFUNEBRES LUD I H ABEANTUR

TANTALIDAE Pe lopi mae s tumdicat Elis honorem.

Archemori Nemeaea colunt quinquennia Thebae .

I sthmia de functo celebrata Palaemone notum.

Pythia placando Delphi s tatuere draconi.

1 Schenk l conjectures that 11. 4 and 6 should be placed atthe beginning o f xxii .

1 Opheltes , s on of Lycurgus , king of Nemea. H e was

k illed by a snake during the march of the Seven againstThebes .

I 94

THE ECLOG UES

XX .—ON THE PLACES W HERE THE GAMES ARE H ELD

F IRST in honour O f great Jove the OlympianGames are held at Pisa . Parnassus consecrated thePythia to Phoebus , lord of Claros . To Portumnus,god O f twin seas

,lofty Corinth dedicate s the Isthmia.

Thebe s ce lebrate s the Nemea in memory o f the

death O f Archemorus . 1

XXL—ON THE FOUNDERS OF THE GAMES

JUPITER first hallowed the festival o f the O lympianGame s at the long race-course of the Grecian stadium.

Next did the son O f Alcaeus found the solemnNemean rite . These fe stivals also are he ld at appo inted seasons OrIce in four years— the Isthmia,e stablished by Neptune , and the Pythia by Phoebus ,in honour of the dead worshipped both as humanand divine .

2

XXI I .— To SHOW THAT THE SACRED CONTESTSARE ALSO HELD As FUNERARY GAMES

To Pe lops,son of Tantalus

,El is dedicates its

tribute of woe . Thebes holds the Nemea each fiveyears in honour of Archemorus .

’Tis known thatthe I sthmia commemorate Palaemon ’ s end. The

Delphians instituted the ir Pythian festival to appeasethe dragon slain by Phoebus . 3

2 The reference is to Melicertes , s on O f Athamas and Ino,

with W homhis mother leaped into the s ea. H e was transformed into a s ea-god and known thenceforward as Palaemon(the Roman Portumnus : cp . xx . H e had therefore beenboth god andman.

3cp. Ovid , M etam. i . 446 f.

1 95

AUSONIUS

XX I I I .—DE PERIIS ROMAN IS

NUNC et Apo llineo s Tiberina per ostia ludoset Megales iacae matris Operta loquar

Vulcanique die s, autumni exordia primi,Quinquatrus que deae Pallados expediam

et medias idus Mai Augus tique recursu,

quas sibi Mercurius quas que D iana dicat ;matronae quae sacra colant pro laude virorum,

Mavortis primi cumrediere dies .festa Caprotinis memorabo celebria nonis,

cumstolamatronis dempta teget famulas .

quattuor illa etiamdis cretis partibus annisolstitia et luces nocte dieque pares .

nec Regifugiumpuls is ex urbe tyrannislaetumRomanis fas reticere diem.

visne Opis ante sacrum vel Saturnalia dicamf e s taque s ervorum, cumfamulantur eri ?

et numquamcertis redeunt ia fe sta diebus ,compita per Vicos cums ua quisque colit ?

1 Established in 2 12 B . C.

2s o. Cybele . H er worship was introduced fromPes s inus

in Phrygia in 202 B . C .

3 It was held on March 1 9th , jive days after the Ides , inhonour of M inerva and Mars . It was celebrated especiallyby all whose employmentwas under the patronage of M inerva—e. g. the learned , schoolboys , and artiz ans .

4 The feast of Merchants , whose patronM ercury was , heldon May 15th .

5 On August 13th womenwhose prayers had been answeredmade a torchlight procession to the grove Of D iana at Aricia .

6 The Matronalia (March 1 s t ), when prayers were off eredto Juno Lucina for a fruitful wedlock .

1 96

AUSONIUS

aut duplicemcultum,quemNeptunalia dicunt ,

et quemde Conso cons iliis que vocant ?

fe sta haec navigiis , aut quae celebrata quadrigisiungunt Romanos finit imos que duce s ?

adiciamcultus peregrinaque sacra deorum,

natalemH erculeumvel ratis Is iacae,

nec non lasc ivi Floralia laeta theatri,

quae Spectare volunt, qui voluis s e negant?

nunc etiamveteres celebrantur Equirria ludiprima haec Romanus nomina c ircus habet .

et D ionys iaco s Latio cognomine ludosRoma colit

,Liber quae sibi vota dicat .

Aediles etiamplebi aediles que curulessacra Sigillorumnomine dicta colunt .

et gladiatore s funebria proelia notumdecertas s e foro : nunc sibi harena suos

v indicat extremo qui iamsub fine D ecembrisfalcigerumplacant sanguine Caeligenam.

1 The Neptunalia were held on July 23rd , the Consualia

on August 2 1 s t . It was at the first celebration of the latterthat the Sabine women were carried off

,an event followed

by the union of the Sabines and Romans . Consus was ident ified with Neptune the H orseman. Thus the two feastsbeing in honour of one god constituted a double ac t ofworship (duplicemcultum).

2 March 5th . Isis was worshipped as patroness of navigat ion and the inventor of sails .

3 The Floralia,first ins tituted in 238 B . C . , lasted from

April 28th to May 3rd .

1 98

THE ECLOGUES

Or o f those twin celebrations— that which theycall Neptunalia, 1 and that which is named afterConsus and good counsel Of this fe stival which isce lebrated with naval battles, or that with chariotrace s

,which unite the Romans and the ir ne igh

hour-chiefs ? Shall I tel l al so o f the festivals andrites of strange gods introduced into Rome

,o f the

birthday o f Hercule s or the day2o f the Bark o f

Isis,and also the merry rites of Flora 3 held in the

l icentious theatre— rite s which they long to s ee whodeclare they never longed to s ee them? Now alsothe anc ient games called Equiria 4 are held

’tis thechief name known to the Roman c ircus . The

Dionysiac Games Rome also keeps under a Latinname

,the same which Liber claims as consecrate to

himself.5 The aedile s also o f the lebs and curuleaedile s observe the feast called igillaria .

“ And

that gladiators once fought out fune rary battles inthe forum is well known 7 ; now the arena claimsas its own proper prey those who towards the end

of December appease with their blood the sicklebearing Son o f Heaven .

8

H eld three times a year, on February 27th , March 14th,

October 15th . It took its name fromthe horse-races instituted by Romulus , which were held in the Campus Martius.

5 The Liberalia , held on March 1 7th , when cakes (liba ) ofmeal , honey , and O il were sold and burnt .

6 The last days of the Saturnalia , when people gave littleimages (s igillar ia ) to one another .

7 Gladiatorial shows,first exhibited in 264 B. C . at the

funerary ceremonies O f M . Junius Brutus , were at first confined to s uch occas ions . Under Domitian these contestsoccupied ten da s in December .

3 Saturn or G’

rono s . For the origin Of the s ickle s ee

H esiod , Theog. 1 73 ff . There seems to be no other referenceto gladiatorialc ombats at the Saturnalia.

I 99

AUSONIUS

XXIV.—MONOSTICHA DE AERUMNIS H ERCULIS

PR IMA Cleonaei to le rata aerumna leonis .proxima Lernaeamferro et face contudit hydram.

mox Erymantheumv is tertia perculit aprum.

aeripedis quarto tulit aurea cornua cervi .Stymphalidas pepulit voluere s discrimine quinto .

Thraeiciamsexto spoliavit Amazona balteo .

septima in Ange i s tabulis inpensa laboris .

octava expulso numeratur adoria tauro .

in D iomedeis Victoria nona q uadrigis .

G'eryone ext incto decimamdat H iberia palmam.

undecimomala H esperidumde s tricta triumpho .

Cerberus extremi s uprema es t meta laboris .

XXV.—QUINTI CICERONIS H I VERSUS EO PERTINENTUT QUOD S IGNUM QUO TEMPORE INLUSTRE SIT

NOVERIMUS . QUOD SUPER I US QUOQUE NOSTRIS

VERSIBUS EXPED ITUR

FL AM INA 1 verna cient obscuro lumine Piscescurriculumque Aries aequat noctis que diique ,cornua quemcondunt florumpraenuntia Tauri,aridaque aestatis Gemini primordia pandunt ,longaque iammunit praeclarus lumina Cancer,

1 Wakefield : flumina, V, P eiper .

1 Auth. Planud . xvi . 92 .

2s e. the Nemean lion Cleonae in Argolis is near Nemea .

2 0 0

AUSONIUS

languifico sque Leo pro flat ferus o re calores .post modiumquatiens Virgo fugat orta vaporemautumni res erat portas aequatque diurnatempora nocturnis dispenso S idere Libra .

ecf eto s 1 ramos denudat flamma Nepai,

pigra Sagittipotens iaculatur frigora terris,bruma gelu glacians iubar ex spirat Capricorni,quamsequitur nebulas rorans liquor altus Aquari .tanta supra circaque viget vis flammea 2 mundi .at dextra laevaque ciet rota fulgida Solismobile curriculumet Lunae simulacra f eruntur.

>1< ~4<

squama s ub aeterno conspectu torta Draconiseminet . hunc infra fulgentes Arcera septemmagna quatit ste llas : quams ervans se rus in altaconditur oceani ripa cumluce Boote s . 3

XXVI .

-HIC VERSUS S INE AUCTORE EST .

QUO D IE QU ID DEM I DE CORPORE O PORTEAT

UNG UES Mercurio, barbamIove, Cypride crines .

HOC SIC REPELLEND UM

M ERCUR IUS furt is probat ungues semper acuto sarticulis que aciemnon Sinit imminui .1 Ries e : et fetos , V.

Trans la tor : v igent umi flamina, V : v igent v i flamina ,

P eiper (after Ries e) . 3cp . e 275.

1 i . e. of grain and fruits : Virgo is sometimes identifiedwith Demeter.2 0 2

THE ECLOGUES

the fierce Lion breathe s from his mouth en feeblingheat . Then the Virgin, brandishing her measure 1

rises and drives moisture away . The constellationOf the Scale s, equally poised, Opens the gate s ofAutumn and make s even the hours of night andday. Nepa ’ s 2 fire s strip the o

’

ert eemed 3 branche sof the ir leaves, the Archer rains shafts of numbingcold upon the earth

,Winter

,free zing with he r f rosty

breath , sends forth Capricornus’

ray, and after hercome s Aquarius

,whose pitcher fromon high bedews

the clouds . So great the fiery forces of the universewhich strongly mo

’ve above it and about . But on

the right hand and the le ft the eve r-moving chariotOf the Sun speeds on with burning wheel s, and the

pale image of the Moon move s on its coursethe Dragon’ s scaly coils ever keep in Sight . Belowhimtwinkles the great Wain with its seven gleamingstars

,while keeping watch over it, BOOteS i s slow to

hide his light be low Ocean ’ s brink .

YXVI.-TH IS LINE

,W H ICH IS ANONYMOUS

,SHOW S

W HAT SHOULD BE R EMOVED FROM THE BODY ONCERTA IN DAYS

CLIP nails on Tuesdav, beards on Wedne sday, hairon Friday .

4

TH E ABOVE LINE MAY BE CONFUTED IN THEFOLLOW ING W AY

M ERCURY like s a thief’s nails ever-sharpened,and

sufl’

ers not the fingers to lose the ir points . H is0

s e. the Scorpion. According to Festus , the name isAfrican.

3cp. H amlet

,1 1 . ii . 23 1 .

1 Mediaeval calendars usually add a note to each monthon t

f

hes e and Similar matters . See also H esiod, W . and D .

724

2 0 3

AUSONIUS

barba Iovi,crine s Veneri decor : ergo nece sse

ut nolint demi,quo sibi uterque placent .

Mavors imberbos et calvos,Luna

,adamas ti

non prohibent comi tumcaput atque genas.Sol et Saturnus nil obstant unguibus : ergonon placitumdivis tolle monos t ichium.

LIBER VI I I

[CUPIDO CRUCIATUR]

AUSONIUS GREGOR IO F ILIO SAL.

EN umquam v idis ti tabulam1pictam in pariete ?

v idis ti utique e t meminis t i. Treveris quippe in triclinio Zo ili fucata e s t pictura haec : Cupidinemcruc iadfigunt mulieres amatrice s , non is tae de nostro saeeulo, quae Sponte peccant, s ed illae hero icae, quaesibi igno s cunt et plectunt deum. quarumparteminlugentibus campis Maro noster enumerat . hanc ego

imaginemspec ie et argumentomiratus sum. deinde

mirandi s tuporem trans tuli ad ineptiam poetandi . .

mihi praete r lemma nihil placet ; s ed commendo tibierroremmeum: naevos no s tros et cicatrices amamu s ,hec sol i nostro Vitio peccasse contenti, adf ectamus utamentur. verum quid ego huic eclogae studiose

patrocinor? certus s um

, quodcumque meum s cieris ,

amabis ; quod magis spero, quamut laudes . vale et

dilige parentem.

1 Vinetas (cp . Plaut. M en. 143 dic mi,

enunquain tu

v idis t i tabulampictamin pariete The MSS . have nebulamwhich is senseless here , and is no t supported by the supposedparallel in Ep is t. ii. (aerius bra lteae lucus aut picta nebula) .

2 0 6

BOOK VI I I

CUP ID CRUCIFIED

AUSON IUS TO H I S SON GREGOR I US, 1 GREET ING

PRAY have you ever seen a picture painted ona wall ? To be sure you have , and remember it .

Well, at Treve s, in the dining—room of Zoi lus,this

picture i s painted : Cupid is being nailed to the

cross by certain love-lorn women—not those loverso f our own day, who fal l into sin of the ir own freewill

, but those heroic lovers who excuse themselve sand blame the gods . Some o f the se our own Virgil 2recounts in his de scription o f the Fie lds of Mourning. I was greatly struck by the art and the subject of this picture . Subsequently I translated myamazed admiration into insipid vers ification. Nothingin it satisfie s me except the title ; neverthe less Icommit my failure to your care : we l ove our ownwarts and scars

,and

,not satisfied with e rring by

ourselves through our folly, seek to make otherslove them also . But why am I at such pains toplead the cause o f this e clogue ? I know we llthat you will welcome whatever you know tobe mine ; and it is for this I hope , more than fo ryour praise . Farewell , and think kindly o f vourfather.

1 This person is unknown. The title “s on is one of

endearment onl y , just as Theodosius (P raef . iii . ) address esAu s onius as “ father .

” 2 Aen. v i . 440 ff .

2 0 7

AUSONIUS

CUPI DO CRUCIATUR

AERIS in campis,memo rat quos musa Maronis

,

1

myr teus amente s ubi lucus Opacat amante s, 2orgia ducebant heroide s et sua quaeque ,ut quondamo cciderant

,leti argumenta gerebant ,

errante s S ilva in magna e t sub Iuce maligna 3inter harundineas que comas gravidumque papae h tacito s Sine labe lacus

,Sine murmure rivos :

quorumper ripas nebuloso lumine marcentfleti, olimregumet puerorumnomina, flores 4mirator Narcissus e t Oebalide s Hyacinthuset Crocus auricomans et murice pictus Adonise t tragico scriptus gemitu Salaminius Aeas ;omnia quae lacrimis et amoribus anxia mae s tisexe rcent memores Obita iammorte dolore srursus in amis sumrevocant hero idas aevum.

fulmineo s Semele decepta puerpera partusdeflet et ambus tas lacerans per inania cunasventilat ignavumsimulati fulguris ignem.

i rrita dona querens, s exu gavisa Virili,maeret in antiquamCaenis revocata figuram.

.

vulnera s iccat adhuc Procris Cephalique cruentamdiligit et percus s a manum. fe rt fumida testaelumina Ses t iaca praeceps de turre puella .

et de nimboso saltumLeucate minatur1 Virgil

,Aen. Vi. 887 .

2ep . id . vi . 440 ff .

3 id . vi . 270 .

4cp. Virgil , Eel . iii . 106 f . : ins cripti nomina regumNas

cuntur flores .

1cp . Epitaph. iii . 5-6 and note . The phrase might also

be rendered the theme of woeful tragedy.

”

2 0 8

AUSONIUS

[mascula Le sbiacis Sappho peritura s agittis .

1]

H armoniae cultus Eriphyle maesta recus at ,inf elix nato nee fortunata marito .

tota quoque aeriae M ino ia fabula Cretae

picturaruminstar tenui sub imagine vibrat

Pasiphae nIve I sequitur ve stigia tauri,l ic ia fert glomerata manu deserta Ariadne

,

respicit abiectas desperans Phaedra tabellas .

haec laqueumgerit, haec vanae simulacra coronaeDaedaliae pudet hanc latebraS subiis s e iuvencae .

praereptas queritur per inani a gaudia noctesLaudamia duas

,vivi functique mariti .

parte truces alia s trictis mucronibus omneset Thisbe et Canace et Sidonis horret El issaconiugis haec, haec patris e t haec gerit ho spit is ens em.

errat et ipsa, Olimqualis per Latmia saxa 40

Endymioneos solita adfectare s opores ,

cumface et as trigero diademate Luna bicornis .centumaliac veterumrecolentes vulnera amorumdulcibus et maes t is refovent tormenta querellis .

Quas intermedias furvae caliginis umbramdispulit incons ultus Amor s trident ibus alis .agnovere omnes puerummemorique recurs u

communems ens ere reum,quamquam umida c ircum

nubila et aura tis fulgent ia c ingula bull is

1 Suppl . Ugoletus : cp . H orace,Ep . 1 . xix . 28.

1 Bribed by Polynices with the necklace of H armonia , s hesent her husband to h is death 0 11 the expedition of the Sevenagainst Thebes . Amphiaraus , aware of this , charged his s onAlcmaeon to avenge him.

2 The le tter add ressed to her stepson H ippolytus .2 1 0

CUPID CRUCIFIED

o f love for Lesbian Phaon, threatens to leap fromeloud~wrapped Leucas . Sad Eriphyle 1 refuse s thenecklace o f Harmonia, unhappy in her SO11 andluckless in her husband . Here also the whole s toryo f Minos and aery Crete glimmers like some faintlimned pictured scene . Pasiphae follows the footsteps o f her snow-white bull , forlorn Ariadne carrie sa ball of twine in her hand, hopeless Phaedra looksback at the tablets 2 She has cas t away . This wearsa halter

,this the empty semblance of a crown

,while

this hesitates in shame to enter her hiding-placein the he ifer wrought by Daedalus . Laodamia 3crie s out on those two nights passed all too soon inunreal j oys, one w ith her living lord

,one with her

dead . Elsewhere,fierce with drawn swords all

,

stand Thisbe and Canace and Sidonian El issa : thiscarrie s her husband ’ s blade

,that her father ’ s

,and

the third her guest ’ s . She also wanders here,even

as of old o’

er Latmus ’ rocks when She was wont toW OO the slumbering Endymion ,— twy

-horned Lunawith her torch and starry diadem. A hundredmore beside s, renewing the wounds of the ir oldpassions

,revive the ir pangs with plaints both sweet

and sad .

45 Into the midst of the se Love rashly brokescattering the darkness of that murky gloomw itl“

rustling wings . All recognized the boy, and as the irthoughts leapt back, they knew him for the one

transgressor against them all,though the damp

clouds obscured the sheen O f his golden-studded3 Daughter of Acastus and wife O f Protesilaus . She oh

tained fromthe gods the favour that Prote silaus , to whomshe had 3

oeen wedded only one day before he s et forth to fallat Troy , Should be permitted to return for a few hours tothe ea rth s ee W ordsworth ’s Laodamia .

2 1 1

AUSONIUS

et pharetramet rutilae fus carent lampados ignem. 50

agno s cunt tamemet vanumVibrare Vigoremoecipiunt hos temque unumloca non sua nanctum,

cumpigro s ageret densa sub nocte volatus ,

facta nube premunt trepidantemet cassa parantemsuffugia in coetummediae traxere catervae . 55

eligiturmae s to myrtus notissima lueo,invidiosa deumpoenis . cruciaverat illic

spreta OlimmemoremVeneris Proserpina Adonin .

huins in excelso suspensumstipite Amoremdevinctumpost terga manus subs trictaque plantis 60vincula maerentemnullo moderamine poenaeadfieiunt . reus es t Sine crimine

,iudice nullo

accus atur Amor . s e quisque abs olvere ge s t it,

trans fe rat ut proprias al iena in crimina culpas .eunctae exprobrante s tolerat i insignia letiexpediunt haec arma putant , haec ultio duleis ,ut , quo quaeque perit, s tudeat punire dolorem.

haec laqueumtenet, haec speciemmucronis inanemingerit , il la cavos amnes rupemque frago samins anique metumpelagi et sine fluctibus aequor. 70

nonnullae flammas quat iunt trepidaeque minanturstridente s nullo igne faces . res cindit adultumMyrrha uterumlacrimis lueent ibus inque paventemgemmea fletiferi iaculatur sucina trunci .quaedamigno s centumspec ie ludibria tantumsola volunt, stilus ut tenuis sub aeumine punet ieliciat tenerum,

de quo rosa nata, cruoremaut pubi admo veant petulantia lumina lychni .

2 1 2

AUSONIUS

ipsa etiamS imil i genetrix obnoxia culpaealma Venus tantos penetrat se cura tumultus .

nec circumvento properans su ffragia natoterroremingeminat s timulis que aecendit amarisancipites furias nat ique in crimina confert

dedecus ipsa suum,quod vincula caecamariti

deprens o Mavorte tulit, quod pube pudendaHellespont iaci ridetur forma Priapi,quod crudelis Eryx , quod s emivir Hermaphroditus .

nec satis in verbis : roseo Venus aurea sertomaerentempuls at puerumet graviora paventem.

olli purpureummulcato corpore ro remsutilis expres s it crebro rosa verbere

,quae iam

t incta prius traxit rut ilummagis ignea fucum.

inde truces cecidere minae v indictaque maiorcrimine visa s uo , Veneremfactura nocentem.

ipsae intercedunt he roide s et sua quaeque

funera crude li malunt ads cribere fato .

tumgrate s piamater agit ce s s is s e dolenteset condonatas puero dimittere culpas .Talia nocturnis olimsimulacra figuris

e xe rcent trepidamcasso terrore quietem.

quae pos tquammulta perpe s sus nocte Cupidoe ffugit , pulsa tandemcaligine somnievolat ad s upero s po rtaque evadit eburna .

1 See Odys sey .

2 Son O f Venus and Mercury (or Bacchus ). H e was bornat Lampsacus (hence called H ellespontine ), and was the godof gardens , the terror of birds and thieves .

I4

CUPID CRUCIFIED

wantonly upon his tender frame . H is very mothertoo, the lady Venus, as guilty o f l ike shame

,passes

fearlessly through this frenzied throng. And hastening not to plead for her son entrapped

,she redoubles

his fear, and kindles the ir slackening rage with newbitterness . She lays to her son

’ s charge her own disgrace because she endured the hidden bonds s et byher husband, l when taken in the act with Mars

,be

cause Helle spontine Priapus 2 is laughed to scorn forhis deformity, because Eryx 3 i s crue l, and becauseHermaphroditus 4 is of ne ither s ex . But wordswere not enough :

,with her rosy wreath golden

Venus scourged the boy who wept and feared yetharsher punishment. From his torn body the eu

twined roses drew forth a ruddy dew with many astroke and , though already dyed before, took on ahue moI e fiery r .ed Thereat the fierce threats diedaway, and the punishment seemed too gIeat for theofl

'

enee,as like to leave the guilt on Venus ’ side .

The heroines themse lves intervene, each one pre

ferring to blame Fate ’ s cruelty fo r her death . Thenthe fond mother thanked them for laying by the irgriefs to forgive the boy and to pardon his offence s .

99 Such visions with the ir night-born shape s sometimes disturb his rest, disquieting it with idle fears .When these he has endured through a great parto f the night, Cupid flee s forth , banishing sleep

’ sgloom at last

,fl it s forth to the gods above , and

passes forth by the gate o f ivory.

3

3 Son Of Venus and Butes . H e us ed to challenge hisguests to box with him, and so s lew them. H e was at lastslain by H ercules .

4 See Epigr . cii. , ciii. 5cp . Virgil, Aen. v i. 895 f.

2 1 5

LIBER 1X

DE BISSULA

AUSONIUS PAULO SUO S . D .

PERVINCIS tandem1et operta musarummearum,

quae initiorum ve labat obs curitas,quamquam non

pro fanus , irrumpis , Paule carissime . quamv is enimte non eius .

vulgi exis timem, quod Horatius 2 arcet

ingres su, tamen sua cuique sacra, neque idemCereri,quod Libero

,etiamsub isdemcultoribus . poematia,

quae in alumnammeamlus eramrudia et incohata addome s t icae s olacium cantilenae, cum Sine metu

Llaterent3] et arcana s ecuritate f ruerentur, proferre

ad lucem caligantia coegis ti. verecundiae meaesc il icet spoliumconcupisti

,aut

,quantum tibi in me

iuris e sset,ab invito indicari . ne tu Alexandri Mace

donis perv icaciam s upergres sus , qui, fatalis ingi lora

1 MS. used by Aceurs ius : tamen, Peiper .

2 Odes , 1 1 1 . i . l . Odi pro fanumvulgus et arceo .

3 Suppl . P eiper (in apparatus) .

1 It was fated that whosoever could untie the knot fastening the yoke to the chariot of Gordius , king of Gordiumin2 1 6

AUSONIUS

cum solvere non posset, abs cidit et Pythiae specum,

quo die fas non e rat patere, penetrav it .

Utere igitur ut tuis, pari iure, s ed fiducia dispariquippe tua pos sunt populumnon timere ; me is etiamintra me erubes co . vale .

I.—PRAEFATIO

UT voluis ti, Paule , cuncto s Bis sulae ve rs us habe s,lus imus quos in Suebae gratiamv irgunculae ,otiummagis fovente s

,quams tudentes gloriae .

tumoles tus flagitato r lege molesta carmina .

tibi,quod intristi

,exedendume s t 1 Sic vetus verbum

iubet , 5

compedes , quas ipse fec it, ips us ut ge s tet faber .

I I . -AD LECTOREM H UIUS LI BELL I

CARMINIS incompti tenuemlecture libellum,

pone supercilium.

seria contractis expende poemata rugisnos Thymelen s equimur.

Bis sula in hoc s eedio cantabitur, haut Eras inusadmoneo

,ante bibas .

ie iunis nil s cribo ; meumpost pocula Si quislegerit , hie sapiet .

s edmagis hie sapiet, si dormiet et putet istas omniamissa sibi .1ep . Terence , Phorm. 3 18 : tute hoe intristi : tibi omnes t

exedendum.

1 Alexander , before setting out on h is conquest of Persia ,went to consult the Oracle at Delphi. As he arrived on a

2 1 8

BISSULA

and made his way into the cave of the Pythia 1 ona day when it was not permitted to be opened .

Make us e of the se ve rse s, then, as freely, butnot as confidently, as though they were your own

°

for your writings can face the public,mine make

me blush even in private . Farewell .

l .

—THE PREFACE

As you desired, Paulus, you have all the verse s O fmy Bis sula— playful verse s which I have written inhonour o f a slip of a Swabian girl

,rather amusing

my idlene ss than aiming at renown . Tire some youhave been , so read these tiresome poems which youdemanded : you must eat up all the mess you havecompounded ; or, as the o ld saw bids

Let the smith who made themwearThe Shackle s which he did prepare .

I I .-To THE READER OF TH IS LITTLE BOOK

YOU who propose to read this booklet of un

polished ve rse , smooth out your frown . We igh sobe rpoems with a knitted brow : I follow Thymele .

2

Bis sula shall be sung in this rough sketch,not

Eras inus .

3 I warn you fairly : drink before you read .

This is no reading for a fasting saint ; whoso Shallread this book afte r a cup or two, he will be wise .

But he will be wise r stil l to sleep and think this is adreamsent to him.

day when no response could be given,he dragged the Pythia

into the temple whereupon she exclaimed You are irres is tible, my s on.

2 A famous dancer andmime,of ten mentioned by Martial

and Juvenal. 3 Unknown.

2 1 9

AUSONIUS

Il l .

—UBI N ATA SIT BISSULA ET QUOMODO IN MANU SDOMIN I VENERIT

BISSULA, trans gelidumstirpe et lare prosata Rhenum,

conscia nas centis Bis s ula Danuv ii,

captamanu, s ed mi ssa manu dominatur in e ius

deliciis , cuius bell ica praeda fuit .matre carens

,nutricis egens, [quae] nes cit berai 5

imperium, [domini quae regit ipsa domum, ]1

fortunae ac patriae quae nulla Obprobria s ens it,

ill ico inexperto libera servitio,Sic Latiis mutata bonis

,Germanamaneret

ut fac ies , oculo s caerula, flava comas .ambiguammodo lingua facit,modo forma puellamhaec Rheno genitampraedicat, haec Lat io .

IV.-D E EADEM BISSULA

D ELICIUM, blanditiae, ludus, amor, voluptas,barbara

,s ed quae Latias vincis alumna pupas

,

Bis sula,nomen tenerae rus t iculumpuellae ,

ho rridulumnon s olitis , s ed domino venustum.

V.—AD PICTOREM DE BISSULAE IMAG INE

BISSULA nee ceris nee fuco imitabilis ul lonaturale decus fictae non commodat arti .sandyx et eerusa

,alias simulate puellas

temperiemhane vultus ne s citmanus . e rgo age , pictorpuniceas confunde rosas et l ilia misce

,

quique erit ex ill is color aeris,ipse sit oris .

1 Trans la tor (herai, Ugoletus ) : (egens ) nes citere imperium,

T : nes c1 t ere imperium, .M nes civit herae Imperium,

IIcs eIVIt ere I imperiumI, Peiper ed . pr incep s .

2 2 0

AUSONIUS

VI.

—AD PICTOREM DE BISSULA PING ENDA

P INGERE Si mostram,pictor, meditaris alumnam,

aemula Cecropias imitetur apes .

O NFLUENTES(Co b lent z )

PRO V ! N G IA

G ERM A N !

ERNAE

)3 EC U

ncas te l

0 6 10 4 0 SOKILM CTRES

or I,35 0 . 00 0 or about I

"

to Z9m/les

MAP TO ILLUSTRATE TH E M OSE L L E OF AUSONIUS .

(Af ter H . de la Ville de M irmont. )2 2 2

BISSULA

VI.—To A PA INTER : ON PA INT ING BISSULA’

S PORTRA IT

PA INTER,if you intend to paint my darling

’ s face,

let your art imi tate the Attic 1 bees .

1Se . the famous bees of H ymettus . Doubtless the painter

was directed to ransack all the flowers for suitable colours .

NOW L—Ancient names are Shown in block characters,the

modern equivalents (in brackets) in ordinary type . The

route followed by Ausonius is shown thusStarting E . of the Nahe at Bingen,

the poet travelled via

D umnis s us and Bernca s tel to Neumagen, and then s outhwestwards to Treves .The M os elle seems to have beenwritten in 370—l A . D . , and

the j ourney described was probably taken in connect ionwiththe expedition against the Alamanni of 368-9 .

[See p. 224.

2 2 3

LIBER X

MOSELLA

TIIANSIERAM celeremnebuloso flumine Navam,

addita miratus veteri novamoenia Vinco,

aequavit Latias ubi quondamGallia Cannasinfletaeque iacent inope s super arva catervae .

unde iter ingrediens nemorosa per avia solume t nulla humani spectans ve stigia cultuspraetereo arentemSit ientibus undique terrisD umnis sumriguas que perenni fonte Tabernasarvaque Sauromatumnuper metata coloniset tandemprimis Belgarumconspicor orisNo iomagum,

divi castra incl ita Constantini .purio r hie campis aer Phoebus que s erenolumine purpureumres erat iamsudus O lyInpum.

nec iam, cons ertis permutua vincula ramis,

quaeritur exclusumviridi caligine caelum

1 For the date and Occasion of this poem,s ee Introduction.

2 Vincum, or Bingium(Bingen), lies at the confluence ofthe Nava (Nahe ) and the Rhine . Ammianus records itsfortification by Julian in 359 A. D . (XV I I I . ii .

3 In the revolt of Civilis , the Treveri under Julius Tutorwere crushed at Bingen by Sextilius Felix in 7 1 A . D . (Tac .

H is t. iv .

1 Probably Densen,near K irchberg .

5 Berncas tel .6 It was the customin the later Empire to settle conquered

barbarians in waste Roman territory : the Panegyric 0 11

2 2 4

AUSONIUS

s ed liquidumiubar et rutilamvis entibus aethraml ibera perspicui non invidet aura die i .in speciemquinme patriae cultumque nitentisBurdigalae blando pepulerunt omnia Vi su,culmina Villarumpendentibus edita ripiset Viride s Raccho colle s et amoena fluentasubter labentis tacito rumore Mos ellae .

Salve, amnis laudate agris, laudate colonisdignata imperio debent cui moenia Belgaeamnis Odorifero inga vitea cons ite Baccho ,

cons ite gramineas , ammis viridis s ime , ripasnav iger, ut pelagus , devexas pronus in undas

,

ut fluvius , v itreoque lacus imitate profundoet rivos trepido potis aequiperare meatu,et liquido gelido s fontes praecellere potuomnia solus habes, quae f onS, quae rivus et amniset laeus et bivio refluus manamine pontus .tu placidis praelapsus aquis nec murmura ventiulla

,nee occulti pateris luctamina sax1

non spirante 1 vado rapido s properare 2 meatuscogeris , extantes medio non aequore terrasinterceptus habes, insti ne demet honoremnominis

,exclus umSi div idat insula flumen .

tu duplices sortite vias, et cumamne secundodefluis , ut celeres feriant vada concita remi,et cumper ripas nus quamce ssante remulco

1 G : Speranti , Va t. : sperante , BEL : superante, H ummelberg (which is perhaps preferable ).2 G : preparare, V : reparare, RB .

2 2 6

THE MOSELLE

o f transparent day withholds not Sight of the sun’ s

pure rays and Of the aether, dazzl ing to the eyes .Nay more, the whole gracious prospect made mebehold a picture o f my own native land, the

smiling and well-tended country of Bordeaux— the

roof s of country-houses , perched high upon the overnanging river-banks, the hill-sides green with vines ,and the pleasant stream o f Mosel le gliding belowwith subdued murmuring.

23 Hail,river, blessed by the fie lds, blessed by the

husbandmen, to whomthe Belgae owe the imperialhonour which graces the ir c ity :

1 river, whose hillsare o

’

ergrownwith Bacchus’ fragrant Vines, o

’

ergrown,rivermost verdant, thy banks with turf : ship-bearingas the s ea, with sloping waters gliding as a river,and with thy crystal depths the peer o f lakes, brooksthou canst match for hurrying flow

,cool springs

surpass for limpid draughts ; one, thou hast all thatbelongs to springs, brooks, rivers, lakes, and tidalOcean with his ebb and flow . Thou

,with calm

waters onward gliding, f eel’

s t not any murmurs o f

the W ind nor check from hidden rocks ; nor byfoaming shallows art thou forced to hurry on inswirling rapids

,no eyots hast thou jutting in mid

streamto thwart thy course— lest the glory o f thydue title be impaired, if any isle sunder and stemthy flow . For thee two modes o f voyaging are

appointed : this, when boats move down thy streamwith current favouring and the ir oars thrash the

churned waters at full Speed } that, when along thebanks

,with tow-rope never slackening, the boatmen

1 s e. Augusta Treverorum(Treves , Trier) , the capital ofBelgica Prime. and an imperial residence fromthe days ofCons tantine to those of Gratian.

2 2 7

AUSONIUS

intendunt collo malorumvincula nauts e .

ipse tuo s quotiensmiraris in amne recursus,

legitimo s que putas prope s egnius ire meatus ?tu neque limigenis ripampraetexeris ulvis ,nee piger inmundo perfundis litora caeno

sicca in primores pergunt vestigia lymphas .

I nunc,et Phrygiis sola levia cons ere crus t is

tendens marmoreumlaqueata per atria campum.

ast ego despectis , quae census opesque dederunt ,naturae mirahor opus, non dira nepotumlaetaque iacturis ubi luxuriatur egestas .hie s olidae s ternunt umentia litora harenae ,nee retinent memores ve stigia pressa figuras .

Spectaris vitreo per levia terga profundo,secreti nihil ammis habens : utque almus apertopanditur intuitu 1 liquidis obtut ibus aer

nec placidi prohibent oculos per inania venti,Sic demersa proenl durante per intima visucer nimus , arcanique patet penetrale profundi ,cumvada lenemeant q uidarumet lapsus aquarum

prodit caerulea dispersas Iuce figurasquod sulcata levi crispatur harenameatu,

inclinata tremunt viridi quod gramina fundousque sub ingenuis agitatae fontibus berbeevibrantes patiuntur aquas lucetque latetquecalculus e t v iridemdis tinguit glarea museum .

tota Caledoniis tal is patet ora Britannis ,cumVirides algas et riIbra corallia nudat

aestus et albentes eoncharumgermina bacas,delicias hominum,

locupletibus atque sub undis1 MSS . : introitu, Peiper .

2 2 8

AUSONIUS

ads imulant nos tro s imitata monilia cultushaud al iter placidae subter vada laeta Mos ellae

detegit admixto s non concolor herba lapillOS .

Intentos tamen usque oculos errore fatigant 75

interludentes , examina lubrica, pisces .s ed neque tot species Obliquatosque natatus

quaeque per adve rsumsuccedunt agmina flumen,nominaque et cunctos numerosae stirpis alumnosedere fas aut ille Sinit, cui cura s ecundaesortis et aequorei ces s it tutela tridentis .

tumihi flumine is habitatrix Nais in oriss quamigeri gregis ede choros liquidoque sub alveodis s ere caeruleo fluitantes amne catervas .

Squameus herbosas capito inter lucet harenas , 85

viscere praetenero fart imcongestus aristisnee duraturus post bina trihoriamensis

,

purpureisque salar stellatus tergora guttiset nullo spinae no citurus aeumine rhedo

e ffugiensque o culos ce leri levis umbra natatu.

tuque per Obliqui fauces vexate Saravi,qua bis terna f remunt SCOpulOSis ostia pil is,cumdefluxis t i famae maioris in amnem

,

liberior laxos exerces, barbe, nata tustumel ior peiore aevo, tibi contigit omnispirantumex numero non inlaudata s enectus .

1s e. Neptune (Poseidon) , who received the W aters as his

share in the universe (cp . H om. H ymn to D emeter,

asZeus received the upper air and Aidoneus the lower world.

2 30

THE MOSELLE

wave smimic necklace s counte rfe it our fashions ; evens o beneath the glad waters o f still Mosel le weeds o fdiff erent hue reveal the pebble s scatte red amidstthem.

75 Howbeit, though fixed upon the depths, the

eye s grow weary with straying after fishes who inslippery Shoals sport midway between . But the irmany kinds, the ir slanting course in swimming

,

and those companies which ascend up against thestream,

the ir names, and all the ofl'

spring Of the ircountless tribe , it is not lawful forme to declare , nordoes he permit to whompassed the charge o f the

second e lement 1 and the safe-keeping o f the waterytrident . Do thou forme , O Nymph , dweller in theriver’ s realm,

declare the hosts o f the scaly herd ,and fromthe depths o f thy watery bed discourse Ofthose throngs which glide in the azure stream.

2

35 The scaly Chub gleams amid the weeds thatdeck the sands, O f flesh most tender, full of close-s etbones, and destined to keep fit for the table buttwice three hours ; the Trout, too , whose back isstarred with purple spots, the Roach without pointedbones to domischie f , and the swift Grayling dartingout of sight with his swift stroke . And thou

,who

after bu ff eting amid the gorges o f crooked Saravus(the Sarre , or Saar) where its mouth frets at twicethree craggy piers, 3 when thou hast been carrieddown into a streamof greater note, 0 Barbe] , dostmore free ly ply an easy stroke : improving withdeclining life , to thee alone Of the whole numbe r o fliving things belongs an Old age not unpraised .

2 The list which follows is imitated , but at far less length ,by Pope , W indsor Fores t, 1 32 ff .

3s e. of the Roman bridge Consarbruck , near the confluence

of the Saar and the Mosel le.

2 3 1

AUSONIUS

Ncc te puniceo rutilantemviscere,salmo

,

trans ierim,latae cuius vaga verbera caudae

gurgite de medio summas re feruntur in undas,

occultus placido cumproditur aequore pulsus . 1 00

tu loricato s quamosus pectore, frontemlubrica s et dubiae facturus f ercula cenae,tempora longarumfers incorrupte morarum,

prae s ignis maculis capitis , cui prodiga nutatalvus Opimatoque fluens abdomine venter .

quaeque per l llyricum, per stagna binominis H is trispumarumindicns caperis , mustela, natantum,

in nostrumsubvecta fretum,ne laeta Mo s ellae

flumina tamcelebri de frudarentur alumno .

quis te naturae pinxit color ! atra supernepuncta notant tergum,

qua lutea c ircuit iris ;lubrica caeruleus perducit tergora fucus ;corporis admediumfart impingues eis , at illincusque sub extremams qualet cutis arida caudamNec te, del ic ias mensarum, perca, s ilebo ,

amnigeno s inter pisces dignande marinis,s olus puniceis facilis contendere mullisnamneque gustus iners s olidoque in corpore partess egmentis coeunt

,s ed dis s ociantur aristis .

hic etiamLatio risus praenomine, cultors tagnorum, querulis vis infes tis s ima ranis,luc ius

,Obscuras ulva caenoque lacunas

Obs idet . hic nullos mens arumlectus ad ususfervet fumos is olido nidore popinis .

1s o. a dinner at which the guest does not know which

dis h to prefer above another. See Ter . Phormio , ii. 2 .

2 3 2

AUSONIUS

Quis non et Virides , vulgi s olacia, tineasnorit et alburno s , praedampuerilibus hamis,s tridentes que focis, obs onia plebis , alausas ?teque inter species geminas neutrumque et utrumque,qui nec dumsalmo

,nee iamsalar ambiguus que

amborummedio,sario

,intercepte sub aevo ?

tu quoque flumineas intermemorande cohorte s,gobio

,non geminismaior Sine poll ice palmis ,

praepinguis , teres, ovipara conge s t ior alvopropexique iubas imitatus , gobio, barbi .Nunc, peens aequoreum, celebrabere,magne Silure

quemvelut Actaeo perductumtergora olivo 1 36

amnicolamdelphina reor s ic per fretamagnumlaberis et longi vix corporis agmina s olvis

aut brevibus deprensa vadis aut fluminis ulvis .

at cumtranquillos moliris in amne meatus,

te Viride s ripae , te caerula turba natantum,

te liquidae mirantur aquae diffunditur alveoaestus et extremi procurrunt margine fluctus .

tali s Atlantiaco quondamballena profundo,cumventomotuve s uo telluris ad w as 1 45

pellitur : exclusumexundatmaremagnaque surgunt

aequora vicinique timent decrescere montes .

hie tamen, hic no s trae mitis ballena Mo s ellae

exitio procul es t magnoque honor additus amni .Iaml iquidas Spectas s e vias et lubrica pisces 150

agminamultiplices que satis numerasse catervas .

inducant aliamSpectacula vitea pompams ollicitentque vagos Baccheia munera visus,

1 Becaus e the olive-tree was believed to have been createdby Athena in Attica.

2 34

THE MOSELLE

1 25 Who shall not k now of the green Tench also,the comfort o f the commons, o f Bleak

,a pre for

boyish hooks, of Shad, hissing on the hearth, foodfor the vu lgar

,and o f thee , something between two

species, who art neither and ye t both, not yet

salmon,no longer trout, and undefined betwixt these

twain,art caught midway in thy l i fe ? Thou al so

must be mentioned amid the battalions o f the stream,

Gudgeon, no longer than the width Of two palmswithout the thumbs

,full-fat, rounded, and yet more

bulky when thy be l ly teems with spawn—Gudgeon,who art bearded like the tufted barbel .

1 35 Now,creature o f the surf ace

,Shall thy praise

be sung, O mighty Sheat-fish, whom,with back

glistening as though with olive-oil o f Attica, 1 I lookon as a dolphin of the river—s omightily thou glides tthrough the waters and canst scarce extend thytrailing body to its full length, hampered by shallowso r by river-weeds . But when thou urges t thy peaceful course in the stream

,at thee the green banks

marve l,at thee the azure throng o f the finny tribe ,

at thee the l impid wate rs : in the channe l a tide isrolled abroad on e ither hand, and the ends o f the

waves drive onward at the marge . SO,when at

times on the Atlantic deep a whale by wind or hisown motion is driven to the verge o f land

, the s ea

displaced o’

erflow s,great waters rise, and neigh

bouring mountains fear to lose the ir he ight . Yet

this— this gentle whale of our Moselle is far fromhayoc and brings glory to the mighty stream.

1 50 Now’ tis enough to have Viewed the watery

paths and to have told o’

er the fishes in t he ir glistcuing hosts and legionsmanifold . Let Show o f vineslead on another pageant, and let Bacchus

’ gifts attract

2 35

AUSONIUS

qua sublimis apex longo super ardua tractuet rupes et aprica ingi flexusque Sinus que

vitibus adsurgunt naturalique theatro .

Gauranumsic alma iugumVindemia ves tit

et Rhodopen proprioque nitent Pangaea Lyaeo ;s ic viret Ismarius super aequora Thracia collis ;s ic mea flaventempingunt vineta G arumnam.

summis quippe ingis tendent is in ultima cl ivicons eritur viridi fluvialis margo Lyaeo .

laeta Operumplebes f e s t inantesque colonivertice nunc summo properant , nunc deiuge dorso,certantes s tolidis clamo ribus . inde viatorriparumsubiecta terens, hinc navita labens,probra canunt seris cultoribus : ads trepit olli set rupes et Silva tremens et concavus amnis .

Nee solos homines delectat scaena locorumhic ego et agreste s Satyro s et glauca tuentesNaidas extremis credamconcurrere ripis ,

capripedes agitat cumlaeta protervia Panasinsultantque vadis trepidas que sub amne s orores

terrent, indocil i puls antes verbere fluctum:saepe etiammediis furata e co llibus uvasinter Oreiadas Panope fluvialis amicasfugit lascivos paganica numina Faunos .dicitur et

,medio cumsol s tetit igneus orbe,

ad commune fretumSatyro s vitreas que s orores

1 Now Monte Barbaro , in Campania.1 In Thrace : now Despoto Dagh .

2 36

AUSONIUS

consortes celebrare choros,cumpraebuit horas 1 80

secretas hominumcoetu flagrantior aestus .tune insultantes sua per freta lndere Nymphaset Satyro s mers are vadis rudibus que natandi

permedias exire manus , dumlubrica falsimembra petunt liquido s que fovent pro corpore fluctus .s ed non haec spectata ulli nec cognita Visu 186

fasmih i Sit pro parte loqui secreta tegature t commissa suis lateat reverentia rivis .I lla fruenda palamspecies, cumglaucus opaco

respondet colli fluvius , f rondere v identur

fluminei latices et palmite cons itus amnis .

quis color ille vadis,seras cumpropulit umbras

Hespe rus et viridi perfundit monte Mos ellam!tota natant crIspIs Iugamotibus et tremit abs ens

pampinus et vitreis Vindemia turget in undis .adnumerat Viride s derisus navita Vites ,mavita caudiceo fluitans super aequora le .nbo

permedium, qua sese amni confundit imagocollis et umbrarumconfinia conscrit amnis .

Haec quoque quamdulces celebrant spectaculapompas

,

remipedes medio certant cumflumine lembi

1 This passage is imitated by Pope in his description ofthe Loddon

Of t in her glass themusing shepherd SpiesThe headlongmountains and the downward skies,

2 38

THE MOSELLE

depths meet here beside the stream and ply the

dance in partnership, what time the fiercer heataffords themhours s et free frommortal company.

Then, wantonly frolicking amid their native waters,the Nymphs duck the Satyrs in the waves, and Slipaway right through the hands o f those unskilfulswimmers , as, baflIed, they seek to grasp their Slipperylimbs and

,instead of bodie s, embrace yie lding wave s .

But of these things which no man has looked uponand no eye beheld, be it no sin for me to Speakin part : let things secret be kept hid, and let

Reverence dwel l unspied upon, in the safe-keepingo f her native streams .

1 39 Yon is a sight that may be freely enjoyedwhen the azure river mirrors the shady hill, 1 thewaters of the stream seem to bear leaves and the

flood to be all o ’

ergrown with shoots of vine s . Whata hue is on the waters when He sperus has drivenforward the lagging shadows and o

’

erspreads Mosellewith the green o f the reflected height Whole hillsfloat on the shivering ripple s here quivers the far-O fftendril o f the vine , here in the glassy flood swellsthe full c luster . The de luded boatman te lls o ’

er the

green Vines—the boatman whose skiff o f bark floatson the watery floor out in mid-stream

,where the

pictured hill blends with the river and where the

rive r j oins with the edges o f the shadows .200 And when oared Skiff s j oin in mimic battle inmid-stream,

how pleasing is the pageant which this

The wat’ry landscape of the pendent woods ,And absent trees tha t tremble in thefl ood sIn the clear, azure gleamthe flocks are seen,

And floating forests paint the waves with green.

W indsor Fores t, 2 1 1 If .

AUSONIUS

et varios ineunt flexus v iride sque per orass tringunt at tons is pubentia germina pratis !puppibus et proris alacres gestire magis tro simpubemquemanumsuper amnica tergavagantem205dumSpectat [viridis qua surgit ripa colonus,non sentit 1 ] transire diem,

sua seria ludopos thabet

2; excludit vetere s nova gratia curas .

quales Cumano despectat in aequore ludosLiber

,sulphurei cumper iuga cons ita Gauri

perque vaporiferi graditur vineta Ve s ev i,cumVenus Act iacis Augusti laeta triumphislndere lasc ivos fera proelia ius s it Amore s,qualia Niliacae classes Lat iaeque triremess ubter Apollineae ges s erunt Leucados arces ;aut Pompe iani Mylas ena pericula bel liEuboicae re ferunt per Averna s onant ia cumbe einnocuo s ratiumpulsus pugnasque io cantesnaumachiae Siculo quales spectante Pe lorocaeruleus viridi reparat s ub imagine pontusnon aliamspeciempetulantibus addit ephebis 220

pubertas que amnis et picti rostra phas eli.hos H yperionio cumsol perfuderit aes tu,reddit nautales vitreo sub gurgite formas'

et redigit pandas inversi corporis umbras .utque agiles motus dextra laevaque frequentant 225

1 Suppl . Backing.

2ep . Virgil , Eel. Vii . 1 7 po s thabuI mea seria ludo .

1 i . e. the Temple Of Apollo at ActiuIn,where the Egyptian

fleet of Antony and Cleopatra was defeated by Augustus(B . C.

2 i .e. Cumaean Cumae being a colony of Euboea .

3 M ylas ena per icula should strictly mean a battle O ff

Mylasa (on the coast of Caria) but there is no doubt thatthe reference is to the action O ff Mylae, where Agrippa2 40

AUSONIUS

et commutatis alternant pondera remis,

unda re fert alios simulacra umentia nautas .ipsa s uo gaudet s imulamine nautica pubes,fallace s fluvio mirata redire figuras .

s ic, ubi compos ito s o s tentatura capillos(candentemlate specul i explo rantis honoremcumprimumcarac nutrix admo vit alumnae)laeta ignorato fruitur v irguncula ludo

germanaeque putat formamSpectare puellae

oscula fulgenti dat non referendametalloaut fixas praetemptat acus aut frontis ad oramvibratos captat digitis extendere crinestal is ad umbrarumludibria nautica pubesambiguis fruitur veri fals ique figuris .

Iamvero acce s sus facile s qua ripaminis trat ,s crutatur toto populatrix turba profundoheumale de fense s penetrali flumine pisces .hie medio proenl amne trabens umentia linanodo s is decepta plagis examina verrit ;as t hie, tranquillo qua labitur agmine flumen,

ducit corticeis fluitantia retia Signis ;ille autems copulis de iectas pronus in undasinclinat lentae convexa cacumina virgae ,inducto s e s cis iaciens letalibus hamos .quos ignara doli po s tquamvaga turba natantumrictibus invas it patulaeque per intima faucessera occultati s ens erunt vulnera ferri,dumtrepidant, subit indic iumcrispoque tremoriv ibrant is saetae nutans consentit harundo,neemora et excus samstridenti verbere praedamdexter in Obl iquumraptat puer ; excipit ictum

THE MOSELLE

and throwing the ir weight in turn now upon this oar,

now upon that,the wave reflects a watery semblance

O f sailors to match them. The boys themse lve sdel ight in the ir OW II counterfe its, wondering at theillusive forms which the river gives back . Thus

,

when hoping soon to display her braided tresse s (’tis

when the nurse has first placed near her dear chargethe wide-gleaming glory of the searching mirror),delighted, the l ittlemaid enjoys the uncomprehendedgame

,deeming she gazes on the shape of a real girl

She showers 0 11 the Shining metal kisses not to bereturned, or essays those firm-fixed hairpins

,or puts

her fingers to that brow, try ing to draw out thosecurled locks even s o , at S ight o f the reflections whichmock them, the lads afloat amuse themselves withShapes which waver between false and true .

240 Now,where the bank suppl ies easy approaches,

a devastating throng ransacks all the depths for fishill-Sheltered— alack by the river ’ s sanctuary .

This man far out in mid-streamtrail s dripping netsand sweeps up Shoals of fish , snared in the knottyfolds ; but this, where the river glides with peace fulflood

,draws his se ins

,buoyed Up w ith floats of cork

while yonder on the rocks one leans over the waterswhich flow beneath

,and lets droop the curved tip o f

his pliant rod,casting hooks baited with deadly food .

All unsuspecting, the wandering finny tribe rushupon them agape ; and when too late —the iropened gullets feel the concealed barbs pierce deepwithin

,they struggle , and the ir struggles are betrayed

above,when the wand bends in response to the

tremulous Vibrations O f the quivering line . Straightway the boy skilfully W hisks his prey fromthe water

,

swinging it Sidelong with a whistling stroke a hissing

2 4s

AUSONIUS

Spiritus, ut raptis quondamper inane flagellis

aura crepat motoque ads ibilat aere ventus .

exultant udae super arida saxa rapinaeluciferique pavent letalia tela die i.cuique sub amne suo mans it vigor, aere nostrosegnis anhc latis vitamconsumit in auris .iampiger invalido vibratur corpore plausus ,torpida supremos patitur iamcauda tremoresnec coeunt rictus

,haus tas s ed hiatibus auras

reddit mort iferos expirans branchia flatus .

s ic,ubi fabriles exercet Spiritus ignes,

accipit alterno cohibetque foramine ventoslanca fagineis adludens parma cavernis .

vidi egomet quosdamleti sub fine trementescollegis s e animas, mox in subl ime citatos

cernua subiectumpraeceps dare corpora in amnem,

desperatarumpotiente s rursus aquarum.

quos impo s damni puer inconsultus ab altoimpet it et stolido captat prensare natatu.

s ic Anthedonius Boeotia per freta Glaucus,gramina gus tatu po s tquamexitialia Circesexpertus carptas moribundis pis cibus herbassumps it, Carpathiumsubiit novus accola pontumille hamis et rete potens , scrutator opertiNereos

,aequoreamsolitus converrere Tethyn

inter captivas fluitavit praedo catervas .

Tal ia despectant longo per caerula tractu

pendentes saxis instanti culmine villae, l

2 44

AUSONIUS

quas medius dirimit s inuo s is flexibus errans

ammis, et alternas comunt praetoria ripas .

Quismodo Ses t iacumpelago s, Nepheleidos H e l le saequor, Abydeni freta quis miretur ephebi P

quis Chalcedonio cons tratumab litore pontum,

regis opusmagni,mediis euripus ubi undis

Europaeque As iaeque vetat concurrere terras ?

non h ic dira f ret i rabies,non s aeva furentum

proelia caurorum licet hic commercia linguaeiungere et alterno s ermonemtexer

blanda s alutiferaset voces et paene manus res onant ia utrimqueverba re fertmediis concurrens fluctibus echo .,

Qu'

i s'

potis iii-numeros cultus que habitus que re\ te

pandere tectonicas per singula praedia formas ?non hoc spermat opus G ortynius aliger, aedis

conditor Euboicae , casus quemfingere in auroconantemIcario s patrii pepulere doloresnon Philo Cecropius , non qui laudatus ab hosteclara Syraco s ii traxit certamina belli .forsan et insignes hominumque operumque labores 305

1 s o. Xerxes : s ee H erodotus vii. 33 ff2 Euripus , primarily the name of the narrow channel be

tween Euboea and Bo oot ia , came to be used as a commonnoun denoting any narrow water channel . According toCicero (ale L eg. I I . i . 2 ) aqueducts were so called and Ausonius so uses the word in 0 rdo NobiliumUrbz

'

um,xx. 2 1 .

3 The re ference is to Daedalus : cp . Virgil, Aen. vi. 12—33,a passa ge closely imitated here.

2 46

perched on ts o f the tacks,are

parted by t g on midways withwinding curves, while lordly halls grace e ither bank .

287 Who now can marvel at the waters on whichSestos looks down - that s ea named a fter He lle ,daughter of Nephela who at the waves

,once bridged

across fromthe Chalcedonian shore—a labour o f theGreat King 1 -where the Channe l 2 with interveningwaves forbids the lands o f Europe and of Asia toclash together ? Here is not the dread fury o f thatstrait

,not the wild turmoil of its north-western gale s

here two may l ink interchanging speech, and weavediscourse with alternating waves o f sound . The

kindly shore s intermingle cries o f greeting— cries andalmost the grip o f hands words which resound frome ither side Echo returns , speeding with them o

’

e r

the intervening waves .298 Who has the skil l to unfold the countless

embel l ishments and forms,and to display the

architectural beautie s of each demesne ? Such workthe flyingman o f G ortyn would not scorn— he whobuil t that temple at Euboean Cumae and, e ssaying toreproduce in gold the fate of Icarus, was thwarted bya father’ s grief ; 3 nor Philo of Athens 4 nor yet hewho won admiration fromhis f oe by the devices withwhich he prolonged the famed struggle s of besiegedSyracus e

fi Perchance , too, even that company o f

Seven Architects, whose praise is told in Marcus’

4 Philo (c. 300 B . C . ) designed the great arsenal at Athensand the portico of the temple at Eleusis .

5s o. Archimedes , who by his mechanical devices enabled

Syracuse to hold out against its Roman besiegers . Marcellus ,the Roman general , was so struck by his genius that hegave orders that Archimedes should be spared ,

when the city!was stormed in 212 B.C . op. Pliny, N .H vii. 37.

2 4 7

AUSONIUS

hic habuit decimo celebrata vo lumine Marceihebdomas , hic clari Viguere Menecrat is artesatque Ephe s i spectata manus vel in arce M inervaeIctinus

,magico cui noctua pe rlita fuco

adlicit omne genus volueres perimitque tuendo . 3 1 0

conditor hic forsan fuerit Pto lomaidos aulaeD inochare s , quadrata M cono

surgi a suas consumit pyramis umbras,ius su sti qui quondamfoedus amoris

rii suspendit in aere templi . A}

3 15

5553 enimtecti testudine virus achates a

adflatamque trahit ferrato crine puellam.

H o s e 1 go aut horumsimiles es t credere dignum

Belgarumln terris s caehas poSufS’

sé domo1 um,

molito s eel/sas fluvii d

/ecoramina vi as

haec e s t naturasublimis in aggere saxi,1 Marcus Terentius Varro produced between c. 60—40 B.C .

a work in fifteen volumes (one introductory), known asImagine: or H ebdomades . It contained portraits and briefnotices of nearly seven hundred famous personages, Romansand foreigners . The title H ebdomades was due to the planof t he actual work which consisted of fourteen volumes (ortwo hebdomades ), and each volume of seven groups of sevenpersonages each . Apparently one such group was devotedto the seven greatest architects .

2 No famous architect of this name is known. It i s probable that Ausonius has unconsciously or deliberately s ubstituted this name f or themetrically impossible Metagenes ,who with his father Chers iphron, or Ctesiphon, built thefourth century temple of Artemis at Ephesus .

3s o. Chers iphron (or Ctesiphon) s ee preceding note .

Ictinus was the architect of the Parthenon. Nothingfurthe1 is known of the remarkable owl , wh ich seems to havebeen furnished with eyes s o lifelike as to fascinate the birds .2 48

AUSONIUS

haec pro currentis fundata crepidine ripac,haec re fugit captumque sinu sibi v indicat amnem.

ollem, qui plurimus imminet amni,e s per culta, per aspera visus

tit/ que suis fruitur dives speculat io terris .quin etiamriguis humili pede condita pratiscompensat cels i bona natural iamontissublimique minans irrumpit in aethera tecto

,

os tentans altam, Pharos ut Memphitica, turrim. 330

huic propriumclaus o s consaepto gurgite pisce sapricas scopuloruminter captare novales .haec summis innixa ingis labent ia s ubter

flumina despectu iamcaligante tuetur.

atria quid memoremviridantibus ads ita pratis ? 335

innumerisquid quae flbalnea, fervvolvit anhelatas tectoria per cava flammas ,inclus umglomerans aes tu spirante vaporem?vidi ego

\

de fes s o s multo sudore lavacrifastidisse lacus et f rigora pis cinarum,

ut vivis f ruerentur aquis , mex amne refotos

plaudenti gelidumflumen pepulis s e natatu.

1 i e. a weir is formed by blocking the spaces between therocks , into which fish are swept by the stream.

The villa standing high up on the ridge which boundsthe valley looks down (desperta i upon the r iver, but at sucha d istance that the view is sl ightly obscured (iamcaligante)with the haze natural to a river-valley .

Ausonius here refers to the systemof hypocausts , withconnected flue-tiles let into the thickne ss of the walls, bywhich Roman houses and baths were heated .

2 50

THE MOSELLE

verge o f the bank, this stands back and claimsthe river for making it prisoner in an enfoldingbay . Yon occupies a hill whose bulk looms highabove the stream,

claiming free prospect o’

er tilth,

o’

er waste , and the rich outlook enj oys the landsabout as though its own . Nay, and another, thoughit rests its foot low down in the well-wateredmeadows makes up the natural advantage o f amountain 5 height rearing its threatening steep untilthe soaring roof breaks in upon the aether, displaying like Memphian Pharos, its lofty tower. Thishas for its own the catching o f fish imprisoned inthe fenced flood between the sunny, grass-grownrocks ; 1 this, perched upon the ridge ’ s topmostcre st, looks down with prospect just bedimmed inhaze 2 upon the streamwhich sl ides below . Whatneed to make mention o f the ir courts s et be sideverdant meadows , of the ir trim roofs resting uponcountless pillars ? What o f the ir baths

,contrived

low down on the verge of the bank, which smokewhen Vulcan, drawn by the glowing flue, pantsforth his flames and whirls them up through the

channelled walls, 3 rolling in masses the imprisonedsmoke before the scorching blast ! I myself haveseen some , exhausted by the intense heat of the baths,scorn the pools and cold plunge-baths

,

4 pre ferring toenjoy running water, and, straightway refreshed bythe river, buffet the cool stream, threshing it with

The reference in 11. 341—2 is to the three main d ivisionsin a Roman bathing establ ishment . The first (tepidam

’

um)was a roomwarmed by hot air to induce perspiration : in

the second (caldar ium) , a hot bath was taken. The swimmershere mentioned refused the usual plunge into the basin ofcold water in the th ird division (f rigidar ium), preferringrunning water.

2 51

AUSONIUS

quod si Cumanis huc adforet hospes ab oris,crederet Eubo icas simulacra exilia Baiashis donasse locis : tantus cultus que nitorqueadlicit et nullumparit oblectat ioSedmihi qui tandemfinis tua glauca fluenta

dicere dignandumque mari memorare Mo s ellam,350

innumeri quod te diversa per ostia lateincurrunt amnes ? quamquamdifl

'

erre meatus

po s s ent , s ed celerant in te consumere nomen .

namque et Promeae Nemes aeque adiuta meatuSura tuas properat non degener ire sub undas, 355

Sura intercept is tibi gratificata fluent is ,nobilius permixta tuo s ub nomine, quamsiignoranda patri confunderet ostia Ponto.

te rapidus Celbis , te marmore clarus Erubrisfe stinant famulis quamprimumadlambere lymphisnobilibus Celbis celebratus pis cibus , ille 36 1

praecipiti torquens cerealia saxa ro tatus tridente s que trahens per leviamarmora serrasaudit perpetuos ripa ex utraque tumultus .

praetereo exilemLesuramtenuemque D rahonnm365

nee fas tidito s Salmonae usurpo fluoresnaviger undis ona dudumme mole Saravustota veste vocat, longumqui dis tulit amuem,

fessa s ub Augustis ut ve lveret os tiamuris .

1cp . Statius , S ilv . 1 . iii. 73 : vitrea s que natamP laudit

aquas .

2cp . Statius , Silv. I . v . 60 .

3 The Sauer , into which fall the Pr iim(Promea) and theNims (Nemes a) .

4 The Kyll and the Ruwar.

2 52

AUSONIUS

necminor hoc, tacitumqui per sola pinguia labens 370s tringit frugiferas fel ix Alis ont ia ripas .mille alii, prou t quemque suusmagis impetus urget,e sse tui cupiunt : tantus properantibus undisambitus aut mores . quod si tibi

,dia Mos ella

,

Smyrna suumvatemvel Mantua clara dedis s et , 375

cederet Iliacis Simoismemoratus in orisnec praeferre suos aude ret Thybris honores .da veniam

,da

,Roma potens ! pulsa, oro, faces sat

invidia et Latiae Nemesis non cognita linguae[contigit haec mel ior, Thybris , tibi gloria, quod

tu 1 ] 379A

imperii sedemRomaeque tuere penates . 2 380

Salve,magne parens f rugumque v irumque, Mosella !te clari proceres, te bello exercita pubes,aemula te Latiae decorat facundia linguae .

quin etiammores et laetumfronte serenaingeniumnatura tuis concessit alumnis .

nee sola an tique s o s tentat Roma Catones,

aut unus tantuminsti spectator et aequipollet Aristides veteresque inlus trat Athenas .Verumego quid laxis nimiumspatiatus habenis

victus amore tui praeconia detero ? conde, 390

Musa,chelyn, puls is extremo carmine netis .

tempus erit, cumme s tudiis ignobilis ot i

mulcentemcuras s eniique aprica foventemmateriae commendet bonos ; cumfacta v iritim

1 Suppl . Trans la tor .

2 Trans lator Remas que tuere parentes , P 3 Romae tenuereparentes , Peiper (with other

1 The reference cannot be to Treves , which lies some sixmiles fromthe mouth of the Saar : probably an imperialresidence situated at Saarbr iick en is indicated .

2 54

THE MOSELLE

outfall beneath imperial walls . 1 No whit beneathhimis blest Alis ontia 2 who laps fruit-laden banks ashe glides silently through rich corn-lands . A

thousand others,according to the vehemence o f each

which drives himon,long to become thine : such is

the ambition o f these hurrying streams o r such the ircharacter . But if to thee, O divine Moselle, Smyrnaor famed Mantua had given its own poet

,

3 then wouldSim0 1 s

,renowned on I lium’ s coasts

, yield place, andTiber would not dare to s et his glorie s above thine .

Pardon,O pardon me , mighty Rome ! Rebufl

’

ed- I

pray— let Envy withdraw, and Nemesis who knowsno Latin name To thee

, O Tiber,be longs this

higher praise , that thou dost guard the seat of empireand the homes o f Rome .

381 Hail,mighty mother both o f fruits and men '

Thy illustrious nobles , thy youth trained to war, thyeloquence which v ies with the tongues of Romethe se are thy glories, O Mose lle And withal

,Nature

has be stowed upo n thy sons virtue and a blithe spiritwith unclouded brows . Not Rome alone vaunts herold-time Catos, nor does Aristides stand alone as theone only critic o f Justice and o f 11 19 t

389 But why, coursing along too freely with loosere in

,do I o

’

ercome with love,wear out thy praise s ? 4

Put by the lyre , my Muse , striking the last chordswhich end thy song ! The time shall come when,as I soothe my sorrows and cherish age that lovessunny nooks with the pursuits of inglorious ease

,

5

the glory o f my theme shall commend me, when totheir glory and renown I shall sing the achievements

1 The Elz .

3s c. either H omer or Virgil .

1cp . H or . Ca rm. I . vi . 12 : laudes cgregii Caes aris ct tua s

C’ulpa dctcrere ingeni.

i .a. with non-epic poetry cp. Virgil , Georg. iv . 564.

2 55

AUSONIUS

Belgarumpatrios que canamdecora inclitamore s : 395mollia subtili nebunt mihi carmina filoPierides tenuique aptas subtemine te laspercurrent : dabitur nos tris quoque purpura fus is .

quismihi tumnon dictus crit ? memorabo quietosagricolas legumque catos fandique potentes,praesidiumsublime re is quos curia s ummo smunicipumvidit proceres propriumque s enatum,

quos praetextat i celebris facundia ludicontulit ad veteris praeconia Quint iliani,quique suas rexere urbes purumque tribunalsanguine et innocuas inlus travere secures ;aut Italumpopulos aquilonigenas que Britannosprae fecturarumtitulo tenuere secundo ;quique caput rerumRomam, populumque patres que ,tantumnon primo rexit sub nomine

, quamvis 4 10

par fuerit primis f es tinet solvere tandemerroremFortuna suumlibataque s upplens

praemia iamveri fastigia reddat honorisnobilibus repetenda nepo tibus . atmodo coeptumdetexatur opus, dilata et laude virorum 4 15

dicamus laeto per rura v irentia tractuf elicemfluviumRhenique sacremus in undas .Caeruleo s nunc, Rhene, sinus hyaloque v irentem

pande peplumspatiumque novi metare fluent i

1 The reference is no t (as sometimes stated ) to the P ro

fes sores and P arentalia , since these deal with people ofAquitaine . No doubt Ausonius planned but did not execute asimilar series commemorating the great and learned of Treves.1 i . a. the vicarii of I taly and Britain who , as deputies of

the praetorian prefects of Gaul and Italy , were prefects o fthe second class .

2 56

AUSONIUS

fraternis cumulandus aquis . nec praemia in undissola

,s ed augus tae veniens quodmoenibus urbis

spectavit iunctos nat ique patris que triumphe s,hos tibus exactis Nicrumsuper et Lupodunume t fontemLatns ignotumannalibus H is tri.

haec profligati venit modo laurea bellihinc alias aliasque feret. vo s pergite iunct i

et mare purpureumgemino propellite tractu .

neu vereare minor, pulcherrime Rhene , Videriinvidiae nihil ho spes habet. potiere perenninomine tu fratremfamae s ecurus adopta .

dives aquis , dive s Nymphis , largitor utriquealveus extendet geminis divort ia ripis

communesque vias diversa per ostia pandet .

accedent vires, quas Franc ia quasque Chamave sG ermanlque tremant tunc ve rus habebere limes .accedet tanto geminumtibi nomen ab amni ,cumque unus de fonte fluas

,dicere bicornis .

Haec ego , Vivis ca ducens ab origine gentem,

Belgarumhospitns non per nova foedera notus,Ausonius

,nomen Latium

, patriaque domoque

1s e. Treves (Augus ta Treverorum) .

2 Nicer is the Ns ekar , Lupodunumprobably Ladenburg .

Ammianus speaks of the victory of Valentinian and Gratian(the

“ father and s on of 1. 422 ) in 368 as near So licinum,

but does no t mention L . Probably the two references are

to the same victory .

3 The W aal which diverges from the left bank of theRhine at Panaerden in H olland

, and the Yssel which flows2 58

THE MOSELLE

stream a brother’ s waters come to swe ll thee . Nor

is his treasure waters alone, but also that, comingfrom the walls o f the imperial c ity, 1 he has behe ldthe united triumphs o f father and son over foe svanquished beyond Nicer and Lupodunumand Is ter

’

s

source,

2unknown to Latin chronicles . This laureate

dispatch which te lls o f their o’

erwhelming arms isbut now come to thee : hereafter others and yetothers shall he bring. Press on united both

,and

with twin streams drive back the deep-blue s ea .

Nor do thou fear to lose e steem,most beauteous

Rhine : a host has naught of j ealousy . Thou shaltenj oy endless fame : do thou , assured of renown , taketo thyse lf a brother . R ich in waters , rich in Nymphs,thy channel

,bounteous to both , shall stretch forth

two branching streams 3 frome ither bank and openways for you both through various outfalls . So shaltthou gain strength to make Franks and Chamave sand Germans quake : then shalt thou be he ld the irboundary indeed . So shalt thou gain a name bespeaking double origin , and though from thy sourcethou dost flow a single stream

,then shall be called

twy-horned .

4

Such is the theme I compass—I, who amsprungof Vivis can 5 stock

, ye t by old ties of guestship nostranger to the Belgae I

,Ausonius

,Roman in name

yet born and bred betwixt the frontiers o f Gaul andfromthe left bank of the (Old) Rhine further down and fallsinto the Zuider Z ee .

4 Ausonius suggests that the horns with which personifiedrivers are endowed were suggested by the confluence of twoforking streams to formthe headwaters of the river proper .

The Rhine , he finds , lacks this characteristic , but the defecti s remedied lower down by the junction of the Moselle .

5 i . e. a native of Bordeaux,the capital of the Bituriges

Vivis ci : cp. Strabo , p. 190 .

AUSONIUS

G allorumextremos inter cels amque Pyrenen,

temperat ingenuos qua laeta Aquitanicamores,audax exigua fide concino . fasmih i sacrumpers t rinxis s e amnemtenui libamine Musac .

nec laudemadfecto,veniampeto . sunt tibimulti, 445

lme amnis,sacros qui s ollicitare fluore s

gonidumtotamque solent haurire Aganippen.

ast ego , quanta mei dederit s e vena liquoris ,Burdigalamcumme in patriamnidumque s enectae

Augustus,pater et nati

,meamaxima cura, 450

fas cibus Aus oniis decoratumet honore curul imittent emeritae post munera dis ciplinae ,latins Arcto i praeconia pers equar amnis .

addamurbes,tacito quas subterlaberis alveo

,

moeniaque ant iquis te pro spectantiamuris ;addamprae s idiis dubiarumcondita rerum,

s edmodo s ecuris non castra,s ed horrea Belgis ;

addamfelices ripa ex utraque colonosteque intermedios hominumque boumque laboresstringentemripas et pinguia culta s ecantem. 460

non tibi s e Liger ante feret, non Axona praeceps ,Matrona non

,Gallis Belgis que inters ita finis ,

Santonico refluus non ipse Carantonus ae s tu.

concedes gelido,Durani

,de monte vo lutus

ammis,et auriferumpo s tpone t Gallia Tarnen

1 i . e. between the G aronne and the Pyrenees : cp . Caesar,cleBell. Ga ll. i . l . Pyrene is a poetical name f o r the Pyreneescp . H erodotus ii . 33 .

s e. Valentinian I . and his sons Grat ian and Valentinian II .

(the latter born 37 12 60

AUSONIUS

ins anumque ruens per saxa rotantia lateinmare purpureum,

dominae tamen ante Mos ellae

numine adorato,Tarbellicus ibit Aturrus .

Corniger externas celebrande Mos ella per orasnec solis celebrande locis, ubi fonte supremoexeris auratumtaurinae frontis honorem,

quave trahis placidos sinuosa per arva meatus,vel qua G ermanis sub portibus ostia s olvissi quis bonos tenui volet adspirare camenae ,perdere si quis in his dignabitur otiamus is ,ibis in ora hominumlaetoque fovebere cantu.

te fontes v iv ique laons , te caerula nos cent

flumina,te vetere s pagorumgloria luc i ;

te Druna, te spars is incerta D ruentia ripis

Alp1n1que colent fluvii duplicemque per urbem 480

quimeat et Dextrae Rhodanus dat nomina ripacte s tagnis ego caeruleis magnumque s onoris

amnibus,aequoreae te commendabo G arumnae .

1 This verse is partly imitated by Pope , W indsor Fores t,330 332

Old Father Thames advanced his rev ’rend head

H is shining’

horns diff used a golden gleam.

2 6 2

THE MOSELLE

gold-bearing Tarne s in lower place ; and, though herushes madly

’mid wide-rolling rocks, yet shall

Tarbellic Aturrus only pass into the dark s ea whenhe has first done homage to the de ity o f sovere ignMose lle .

469 Horned Moselle,worthy to be renowned

throughout fore ign lands, and not to be renowned inthose parts alone where at thy farthest source thoudost reveal the gilded glory of a bul l-l ike brow 1 orwhere amid embaying fie lds thou dost wind thypeaceful course ; o r where below German harboursthou dost clear thy outfall —if any praise shall chooseto breathe upon this feeble strain, if anyone shallde ign to waste his le isure on my verse , thou shaltpass upon the lips of men

,and be cherished with

j oyful song . Of thee springs and living lakes shalllearn

,o f thee azure rivers, o f thee anc ient groves,

the g lory o f our village s ; to thee Druna, to theeD ruent ia

,

2 wandering uncertainly between her shifting banks, shal l do reverence with al l the Alpinestreams, and Rhodanus who, flowing through that twofold c ity, gives a name to the R ight Bank 3 thee wil lI praise to the darkmeres and deep-voiced tributarie s,thee will I praise to s ea-l ike Garonne .

2 The D r6me and the Durance .

3 The city is Arles , which was intersected by the Rhodanus(Rhone) : op . 0rdo UrbiumNobilium

,x . 1 . An inscription

fromNarbonne x ii . 4398 ) shows that Ripa D extrawas a recognised place-name .

AUSONIUS

EPISTULA SYMMACH I AD AUSONIUM

SYMMACHUS AUSON IO

PETI S a me litteras longiores : es t hoc in nos veri

amoris indicium. s ed ego , qui s impaupertini ingeniimei cons cius , Laconicae malo s tudere brevitati, quammultuugis paginis infant iae mcae maciem publicare .

necmirum,si eloquii nostri vena tenuata es t

,quam

dudumneque ullius poematis tui neque pedes trium

voluminum lectione iuvis ti. unde igitur s ermonismei largampo s cis usuram,

qui nihil litterati faenoris

credidis ti ? volitat tuns Mo s ella permanus Sinus quemultorumdivinis a te vers ibus cons ecratus s ed tan

tum nostra ora praelabitur. cur me is tius l ibell i,

quaes o , exortemesse voluis ti ? aut dpovo d‘repo s‘ tibi

v idebar, qui iudicare non po s s em,aut certe malignas,

qui laudare nes cirem. itaque vel ingenio meo plurimumvel moribus derogasti . et tamen contra inter

dictum tuum v ix ad illius Operis arcana perveni .

vel imtacere , quid sentiam ve liminsto de te silentio

v indicari ; s ed admiratio s criptorum sensum frangit

iniuriae .

Novi ego is tum fluvium, cum aeternorum principum iam pridem signa comitarer, paremmultis,

2 64

AUSONIUS

imparemmaximis . hunc tu mihi inprovis o clarorumversuum dignitate Aegyptio Nilo maiorem,

frigidioremScythico Tanai clarioremque hoc nostro populari Tiberi reddidis ti . nequaquam tibi crederemde

Mos ellae ortu ac meatu magna narranti,ui s cirem,

quod nec in poemate mentiaris . unde illa amnicorumpis cium examina repperis t i quam nominibusvaria

, tam coloribus , ut magnitudine distanti, s ic

sapore , quae tu pigment is is tius carminis supra naturae dona fucas ti ? atquin in tuis mensis s aepe ver

satus cumpleraque alia, quae tune in protio erant ,

esui obiecta mirarer, numquam hoc genus pis ciumdeprehendi. quando tibi hi pisces in libro nati sunt

,

qui in ferculis non fuerunt ? iocari me putas atqueagere nugas ? ita deus me probabilempraes tet , ut

ego hoc tuum carmen libris Maronis adiungo .

Sed iam de s inammei oblitus doloris inhaererelaudibus tuis

,ne hoc quoque ad gloriamtuamtrabas,

quod te miramur o fl’

ens i. spargas licet volumina tuae t me semper excipias : f ruemur tamen tuo opere ,s ed aliorumbenignitate . vale .

2 6 6

THE MOSELLE

yet your noble and stately verse has upset my preconceptions and made this stream for me greaterthan the Nile of Egypt, cooler than the D on o f

Scythia, and more famous than this Tiber we al lknow so wel l . I should certainly not be l ieve all thegreat things you s ay of the source of the Moselle andits flow, did I not know that you never te ll a lieeven in poetry . How did you discover all thoseshoals of river-fish

,whose name s are no less varied

than the ir hue s, whose size difl’

ers as widely as the irflaveur qualitie s which are painted in your poemincolours more glowing than any Nature gave ? And

yet , though I have often found myse lf at your tableand there have marvelled at most other articlesof food which at the time were highly e steemed , Ihave never found there fish such as you de scribe .

Te ll me : when were the se fish spawned whichappear in your book, but did not upon your board ?You think I am j e sting and mere ly trifling ? Somay Heaven make me honest, as 1 rank your poemwith the works o f Virgil !But it is time I ceased to dwe l l upon your praises,

forgettingmy own vexation otherwise youmay wre stthe fact that I admire your work de spite my annoyance into an additional tribute . You may spreadabroad copies of your poems and always leave meout ; but I will enjoy your work all the same, thoughit be through the kindness o f others . Farewe ll .

2 6 7

L IBER XI

oaoo URBIUM NOBILIUM

I.—R0 MA

PR IMA urbes inter, divumdomus aurea ROMA.

I I . , I I I . —CONSTANTINOPOLIS ET CARTHAGO

CONSTANT INOPOL I adsurgit CARTHAGO priori,non toto ces sura gradu, quia tertia dic ifas t idit , non ausa locumsperare secundum,

qui fuit ambarum. vetus hanc opulentia praefe rt,

hanc fortuna recens fuit haec,subit ista novis que 5

excellens merit is veterempraes tringit honoremet Constantino concedere cogit Elis sam.

accus at Carthago deos iamplena pudoris ,nunc quoque si cedat , Remamvix passa priorem.

Conponat ves tro s fortuna antiqua tumore s .ite pares, tandemmemore s, quod numine divumangus tas mutas tis opes e t nomina : tu cumByzantina Lygos , tu Punica Byrs a fuis ti.

1 The original name of Byzantium(s ee Pliny , N .H . Iv .

xi .2 68

AUSONIUS

IV.,V.—ANT IOCH IA ET ALEXANDR IA

TERT IA Phoebeae lauri domus ANTIOCH IA,ve llet ALEXANDR I si quarta colonia poniambarumlocus unus . et

’

has furor ambitionisin certamen agit vitiorum turbida vulgoutraque et amentis populi male sana tumultu.

haec Nilomunita quod es t penitus que repos tis

insinuata locis,fecunda et tuta superbit ,

illa,quod infidis opponitur aemula Persis .

Et vo s ite pares Macetumque adtollite nomen .

magnus Alexander te condidit ; illa Seleucumnuncupat, ingenuumcuius fuit ancora signum,

qualis inus ta solet, generis nota certa ; per omnemnam subolis seriemnativa cucurrit imago .

VI.—Tas vs al s

ARMIPOTENS dudumcelebrari Gallia ges titTREVERICAEque urbis solium,

quae proxima Rhenopacis ut in mediae gremio secura quie s cit,imperii vires quod alit, quod ves tit et armat .

lata per extentumprocurrunt moenia collemlargus tranquillo praelabitur amne Mo s ella

,

longinqua omnigenae vectans commercia terrae .

1 Daphne , near Antioch , was famed for its laurel grove , inwhich was a temple of Apollo .

1’ Before the birth of Seleucus Nicator—afterwards founderof Antioch—his mother Laodice dreamed that s he had begotten a child of Apollo , who also gave her a ring with an

2 7 0

THE ORDER OF FAMOUS CITIES

IV. ,V.—ANTIOCH AND ALEXANDR IA

TH IRD would be Antioch, the home o f Phoebus ’

laurel, 1 if Alexander’ s settlement were willing to be

placed fourth both hold the same rank . These alsodoth frenzied ambition drive into rivalry o f viceseach is disordered with her mob, and half-crazedwith the riots of her frantic populace . This

,fertile

and secure,vaunts herself because she has the Nile

for bulwark and is deep-embayed in her she lteredsite ; that, because her rival power confronts the

fa ithless Persians .9 Ye

,too

,go forward equal and uphold the Mace

donian name . Great Alexander founded thee ; whileshe claims that Seleucus whose birthmark was ananchor, 2 whereof the branded likene ss is wont to bethe sure token of his race ; for through his wholesucceeding line this natal sign has run .

VI.-Tahvs s

LONG has Gaul, mighty in arms, yearned to be

praised, and that royal 3 c ity of the Tre veri, which,though full near the Rhine

,reposes unalarmed as if

in the bosom o f deep profound peace, because she

feeds, because she clothe s and arms the force s o f theEmpire . Widely her walls stretch forward over aspreading hill be side her bounteous Moselle glidespast w ith peaceful stream

,carrying the far-brought

merchandise o f all race s o f the earth .

anchor engraved on the bezel . W hen born, her s on wasfound to have a birth-mark ,

shaped like an anchor , upon his

thigh . The same sign reappeared in h is descendants , and

marked their legitimacy : cp . Just-in,xv . iv . 8 .

3 See note on M os ella ,1 . 24.

2 7 1

AUSONIUS

VII.—MED IOLANUM

ET MED IO LANImira omnia,copia rerum,

innumerae cultaeque domus , facunda v irorumingenia e t more s laeti ; tumduplice muroamplificata loc i species pepulique voluptasc ircus et inclusimole s cuneata theatri ;templa Palat inaeque arces opulensque monetaet regio H erculei celebris sub honore lavacri ;cunctaque marmo reis ornata peris tyla Signis

moeniaque in vall i formamcircumdata l imboomnia quae magnis operumvelut aemula formisexcellunt : nec inmota premit vic inia Romae .

VI I I .—CAPUA

NEC CAPUAM pol agri 1 cultuque penuque potentem,

deliciis , Opibus famaque priore s ilebo ,

fortuna variante vices, quae freta s ecundisnes civ it servare modum. nunc subdita Romaes emula, nunc fide imemor ; ante infida, s enatumsperneret, an coleret dubitans , sperare curulesCampanis ausa auspiciis unoque s uorumconsule, ut imperiumdivisi adto lleret orbis .

1 P eiper : pelago , MSS .

1 The ramparts of the city are noticed below (1. H opfens ack conjectures that this double wall enclosed an annexeto the city in wh ich lay the “

enclosed Theatre . But

inclusummay possibly mean that the Theatre was roofed-in,

like the Odeumof H erodes Atticus at Athens .

2 7 2

AUSONIUS

quin etiamrerumdominamLatnque parentemadpetiit bel lo, ducibus non freta togatis .

H annibalis iurata armis deceptaque in hostisservitiumdemens specie trans ivit erili.

mox— ut in occas umvit iis com’

munibus acticonruerunt Poeni luxu, Campania fasto,(heu numquamstabilemsortita superbia sedemilla potens Opibusque valens, Roma altera quondam,

comere quae paribus potuit fastigia conis,o ctavumreiecta locumv ix paene tuetur .

IX .—AQUILE IA

NON erat iste locus : merito tamen aucta recenti,nona inter claras AQUILE IA cieberis urbes,Itala ad Illyricos obiecta coloniamontes

,

moenibus et portu ce leberrima . s edmagis illudeminet

,extremo quod te sub tempore legit,

s olveret exacto cui sera piacula lustroMaximus

,armigeri quondams ub nomine l ixa .

fe lix, quae tanti spectatrix lacta triumphipunisti Ausonio RutupinumMarte latronem.

1 See Livy , XXI I I . vi . 6 . After the battle of Cannae , Capuaagreed to aid Rome against H annibal

,on cond ition that one

of the consuls (curules ) should be a.

Capuan.

2 Magnus Maximus , a Spaniard , i s said by Pacatus (Paneg .

in Theod . 3 1 ) to have been a menial and hanger on (negle2 74

THE ORDER OF FAMOUS CITIES

over half the globe .

1 Nay, and she attacked the

mistress o f the world, the mother o f Latium,trus tm

ing not in leaders who wore the toga . Sworn toHannibal ’ s allegiance, she, the beguiled, the seeming mistress, passed in her folly into slavery to afoe . Thereafter— when they were driven to the irfall by the failings o f themboth

,and came to ruin,

the Carthaginians through luxury, the Campaniansthrough pride (ah , never does arrogance find a firmfixed throne —that c ity with her power and mightof wealth , a second Rome once , who could rear hercrest as high, is thrust backwards and scarce can

manage to keep the e ighth place .

IX .—AQUILE IA

TH IS was not thy place ; yet, raised by late deserts ,thou shalt be named ninth among famous c itie s, OAquile ia

,colony o f Italy, fac ing toward the moun

tains of Illyria and highly famed for walls andharbour . But here in is greater praise , that in theselast days Maximus, 2 the whilom sutler posing as acaptain

,chose thee to rece ive his late expiation afte r

five full years were spent . Happy thou who, as theglad witness o f so great a triumph, didst punish withwe stern arms the brigand of Rutupiae .

3

genti ss imus vernala s ta tuar ius lixa cp. l . 7) in the household o f Theodosius . W hen the legions stationed in Britainrevolted ,

he was put at their head , crossed into Gaul , and ,

after routing the forces of Gratian near Paris, put Gratian todeath at Lyons (383 For five years (cp . l . 6 ) he wasmaster of Britain, Gaul and Spain,

but was crushed by Theodos ius in 388 , andmet his end at Aquileia.

3 Equivalent to British ” (as in P arent. v ii. 2 , xviii.2 75

AUSONIUS

X.—ARELAS

PANDE,duplex ARELATE, tuo s blanda hospita portus,

G allula Roma Are las,quamNarbo Mart ins et quam

accolit Alpinis opulenta Vienna colonis,praecipitis Rhodani s ic interc isa fluentis ,ut mediamfacias navali ponte plateam,

per quemRomani commercia sus cipis orbisnec cohibe s , populo s que alios et moenia ditas,Gall ia quis f ruitur gremioque Aquitania lato .

XI . -HISPALIS . XII .—CORDUBA. XI I I . —TARRACO .

XIV.— BRACARA

CARA mihi post has memorabere , nomen H iberum,

H ISPALIs,

1aequoreus quampraeterlabitur amnis

,

submittit cui tota suos H ispania fasces .CORDUBA non

,non arce potens tibi TARRACO certat

quaeque sinu pelagi iactat s e BRACARA dives .

XV.

— ATHENAE

NUNC et terrigenis patribus memoremus ATHENAS,Pallados et Cons i quondamcertaminis arcem

,

1 V: Emerita, P 1.

1 Ancient Arelate lay partly on the east bank of theRhone , partly on an island in the stream.

1 The epithet is either commemorative of Q . Martius Rex ,

who with M . Porcius Cato was consul when Narbo wasfounded (B . C. or of the military origin of the colony .

3 Vienne was the chief city of the Alpine Allobroges .Or, possibly , thou makest him (Rhone) thy central

2 76

AUSONIUS

paciferae primumcui cont igit arbor olivae,Attica facundae cuius mera gloria linguae

,

unde per Ioniae populos et nomen Achaeumversa Graia manus centums e efl

’

udit in urbes .

XVI.-CATINA. XVI I . —SYRACUSAE

QUIs CATINAM s ileat ? quis quadruplice s SYRACUSAS ?hanc ambus torumfratrumpietate celebrem

,

illamconplexammiracula fontis et ammis,quamaris Ionii subter vada salsameantescons ociant dulce s placita sibi sede liquores

,

incorruptarummis centes oscula aquarum.

XVI I I . —TOLOSA

NON umquamaltricemnostri reticebo TOLO SAM,

coctilibus muris quamc ircuit ambitus ingensperque latus pulchro praelabitur amne Garumna,innumeris cultampopulis , confinia propterninguida Pyrenes e t pinea Cebennarum,

inter Aquitanas gentes et nomen H iberum.

quae modo quadruplice s ex s e cume ffuderit urbe s,

non ulla exhaus tae sentit dispendia plebis ,quos genuit cuncto s gremio conplexa colono s .

l

1 M SS . : colono , P eiper .

1 t e. those who with Ne leus and Androclus , the sons ofCodrus , took part in the great Ionianmigration.

2 Syracuse comprised four quarters—Ortygia ,Achradina ,

Tyche, and Neapolis : s ee Cic . in Verr . Act . 1 1 . iv . 52 f .3 Amphinomus and Anapias , who carried their parents

out of the burning town when Etna was in eruption : s ee

S trabo , p. 269 ; Aetna,11. 624 ff .

2 78

THE ORDER OF FAMOUS CITIES

once contended— o f her to whomthe peace-bearingolive tree first be longed

,whose is the unmixed glory

of the fluent Attic tongue , fromwhomwent abroad aGrecian band and throughout the peoples of Ioniaand the Achaean race poured into a hundred c itie s . 1

XVI.—CATANA. XVI I .— SYRACUSE

WHO would not te ll of Catana ? W ho not,of four

fold 2 Syracuse —the one renowned for the devotiono f the fire-scathed brethren

,

3 the other enfolding themarvellous fount and river

,

‘1 where , flowing beneaththe salt waves of the Ionian Sea

,they j oin in fe l low

ship the ir sweet wate rs in the abode which pleasesthem— exchanging there the kisses of the ir wate rsuntainted by the brine .

XVI II.—TOULOUSE

NEVER will I leave unmentioned Toulouse,my

nursing-mother,who is girt about with a vast c ircuit

ofbrick-built walls , along whose side the love ly streamo f the Garonne glide s past, home of uncounted people ,lying hard by the barriers of the snowy Pyrenees andthe pine-clad Cevennes between the tribe s o f Aqui~taine and the Iberian folk . Though late ly she haspoured forth fromher womb four several c itie s

,she

feel s no loss of her drained populace , enfolding inher bosomall whom she has brought forth

,though

emigrants . 54 Arethusa and Alpheus , believed to emerge , w ith their

streams still fresh , on the island of Ortygia in Syracuse s ee

Strabo , p. 2 70 , and cp. Virgil , Eel . x . 4 .

5 i . e. Toulouse had thrown out four new suburbs , and thus ,while founding new “

cities,

” did not lose her emigrants . ”In Epis t. xxx . 83 Ausonius speaks of Toulouse as quinqueplicemin allusion to the same extension.

2 79

AUSONIUS

X1X .—NARBO

NEC tu , Martie NARBO, s ilebere, nomine cuiusfusa per inmensumquondamProvincia regnumoptinuitmulto s dominandi iure colonos .insinuant qua s e Grais Al lobroges orisexcluduntque Italos Alpina cacumina fines,qua Pyrenaicis nivibus dirimuntur H iberi,qua rapitur praeceps Rhodanus genitore Lemannointeriusque premunt Aquitanica rura Cebennae ,usque in Teutosagos paganaque nomina Belcas ,totum Narbo fuit tu Gallia prima togatinominis adtollis Latio proconsule fasces .Quid memoremportusque tuo s montes que la

cus que

quid populos vario discrimine vestis et oris ?quodque tibi Pario quondamdemarmore templumtantae moli s erat, quantamnon sperneret olimTarquinius Catulus que iterum, po s tremus et ille,aurea qui s tatuit Capitoli culmina

,Caesar ?

te maris Eoimerces et H ibe rica ditantaequora, to classe s Libyci Siculique profundi,et quidquid vario per

’

flumina, per freta cursu

advehitur : toto tibi nav igat orbe cataplus .

1 See note 0 11 x . 2 .

2 The Belcae (Volcae) were subdivided into the VolcaeArecomii and the Volcae Teuto s agi (in Caesar , B . 0 . vi . 20 ,Ptol. I I . x . 8 called Tectosages ) the latter lived in the westof Gallia Narbonnens is

,with Toulouse as their chief town.

3 In 1 2 1 B . C . , after the defeat of the Allobroges and Arverniby On. D omitius and Q. Fabius M aximus .

2 8 0

AUSONIUS

XX .—BURD IGALA

IMPIA iamdudumcondemno s ilent ia,quod te ,

o patria,ins ignemBaccho fluviis que virisque,

moribus ingeniisque hominumprocerumque s enatu,non inter primas memorem,

quasi cons cius urbisexiguae inmeritas dubitemcont ingere laudes .non pudor hinc nobis nec enimmih i barbara Rhenio ra nec arctoo domus es t glacial is in H aemoBURD IGALA es t natale solum; clementia caelimitis ubi e t riguae larga indulgentia terrae,ver longumbrumaeque novo cumsole tepentes 1 0

aes tifluique amnes, quorumiuga vitea subter

fervent aequoreo s imitata fluentameatus .

quadruamurorumspecie s, s ic turribus altisardua, ut aerias intrent fastigia nubes .dis tinc tas interne vias mirere , domorumdispo s itumet latas nomen servare plateas

,

tumrespondentes directa in compita portas ;pe

’

rmediumque urbis fontani fl uminis alveum,

quempater Oceanus refluo cumimpleverit aes tu,adlabi totumspectabis clas s ibus aequor. 20

QuidmemoremPario contectummarmore fontemEuripi fervere freto ? quanta unda profundiquantas in amne tumor ! quanto ruit agmine praeceps

1contingere (like our contact in certain s enses) carries

an implication of defilement or degradat ion.

2 8 2

THE ORDER OF FAMOUS CITIES

XX.—BoRDEAux

LONG have I censured my unduteous silence inthat o f thee , my country famed for thy wine, thyrivers, thy famous men, the virtue and the wit o f

thy inhabitants and for the Senate o f thy nobles , Idid not te l l among the foremost ; as though , wellknowing thee a little town, I shrank fromtouching 1praises undeserved . For this no shame i s mine ;for mine is ne ither a barbarous land upon the

banks o f Rhine, nor icy home on frozen Haemus .Bordeaux is my native soil, where are skie s temperate and mild

,and wel l-watered land generously

lavish ; where is long spring, and winters growingwarmwith the new-born sun,

and tidal rivers whoseflood foams beneath vine-clad hills, mimicking the

sea ’ s ebb and flow . H er goodly walls four-squareraise lofty towers so high that the ir tops pierce thesoaring c louds . Within her

,thou maye st marve l at

streets clearly laid out, at houses regularly plottedout

,at spac ious boulevards which uphold the i r

name,

2 as also gates fac ing in direct line the crossways opposite ; and, where the channe l of thyspring-fed stream divides the town

,soon as old

Ocean has filled it with his flowing tide,thou shalt

behold “ a whole s ea gliding onward with itsfleets . ” 3

21 What shall I s ay o f that fountain , o’

erlaid withParian marble

,which foams in the strait o f its

Euripus ? 4 How deep the water ! How swellingthe stream! How great the volume as it plunge s

3 P la tea,the Greek wAa'rei’a (6863 ) broad

,is themodern

French place.

3 Virgil, Aen. x . 269 .

‘1 See note onM os ella,l . 290 .

2 83

AUSONIUS

marginis extenti bis sena per ostia cursu ,innumeros populi non umquamexhaus tus ad usus 25

hunc cuperes , rex Mede,tuis contingere cas tris

,

flumina consumpto cumde fecere meatu,

huins fontis aquas peregrinas ferre per urbes,unumper cunctas sol itus potare Choaspen.

Salve,fons ignote ortu, sace r, alme , perennis, 30

vitree,glauce

,profunde

,sonore ,

inlimis,opace .

salve,urbis genius , medico potabilis haus tu,

D ivona Celtarumlingua, fons addite divis .non Aponus potu, vitrea non luce Nemaus us

purior, acquoreo non plenior amne Timavus .

H ic labor extremus ce lebres co llegerit urbes .utque caput numeri ROMA inclita, s ic capite istoBURD IGALA ancipiti confirmet vertice sedem.

haec patria es t patrias s ed Roma s upervenit omnes .diligo Burdigalam, Romamcolo ; c ivis in hac sum

,40

consul in ambabus cunae hie, ibi sel la curulis .

1 See H erodotus,vii. 108 : cp. Juv . 456: 1 76 , Credimus altos

D ef ecis s e amnes ep otaqnefl umina M edo P randente.

2 See H erodotus , i . 1 88 .

6 According to Vine tus,this implies that the streamwas

conducted into the city by a subterranean piping , remains ofwhich he himsel f saw and describes but this is hardly sup

ported by the description in 11. 20 E. which shows that thewater was visible .

4 D iv ona was also the name of Cahors on the Lo t . Ihm

2 84

L IBER X11

TECHNOPAEGNION

I —PRAEFATIO

AUSONIUS PACATO PROCONSULI

SCIO mihi aput alios pro laboris modulo laudemnon posse procedere . quam tamemsi tu induls eris

,

ut ait Afranius in Thaide

Maioremlaudemquamlaboreminvenero .

1

quae lecturns es monosyllabe sunt, quasi quaedampuncta s ermonum: in quibus nul lus facundiae locuse s t, sensuum

’

nulla conceptio , propositio, reddit io,

conclusio aliaque SOphis tica, quae in uno versa essenonpos sunt : s et cohaerent ita, ut circul i catenarumseparati . et Simul ludicrumopusculumtexui

,ordiri

maius cula solitus : s et “ in tenui labor, at non tenuisgloria

,

” 2 si probantur. tu facies,ut sint aliquid .

namsine te mono syllaba crunt vel si quid minus . in

1 frag. 2 (ed. Ribbeck ) . 2 Virgil,Georg. iv . 6 .

1 From7 6 0 7) and waf'yvz ov, a game o f skill .

2 86

BOOK XII

THE TECH NOPAEGNION 1

I.—TH E PREFACE

AUSONIUS TO PACATUs THE PROCONSUL

I KNOW that fromothers I cannot win approval commensurate withmymodicumof pains . But if you willgenerously grant it, as Afranius 2 says in his Tha isThen shall I find the praise outwe ighs the pains .

The se verses you are about to read deal with monosyllables which serve , if I may put it in that way, asso many ful l-stops . Consequently there is no opportunity for e laborate expression

,no handling o f ideas

through concepts , premisses, apodose s, and conclusions

,or other scholastic tricks which cannot find

room in single l ines . They mere ly hold togetherlike the individual l inks in a chain . And at thesame time this is a trifl ing little work that I havewoven

,though used to Spin something a little greater ;

but though slight the task,not slight the praise

-if my verse wins credit . You will endow themwith a certain value . For without you they will bej ust monosyllables or, if possible, something still

Lucius Afranius lived in the earlier part of the firstcentury B. C . H is comediae toga tae were highly esteemed ,despite their immorality. Only fragments are now extant .

2 87

AUSONIUS

quibus ego , quod ad usumpertinet , lusi, quod admole s t iam

,laborav i . l ibel lo Technopaegnii nomen

dedi, ne aut ludum laboranti, aut artem crederes

defuis s e lndenti .

I I . —AUSONIUS PAULINO SUO 1

M IS I ad te Technopaegnion, inertis ot ii mei inutileopusculum. versiculi sunt mono syllabis coept i et

monosyllabis terminati . nec hic modo s tetit s crupeadiflicultas , s ed accessit ad mis eriam conectendi, ut

idemmono syllabon,quod e sset finis extremi versus

,

princ ipiumfieret ins equentis . dic ergo : o mora,o

poena ! rem vanam quippe curavi : exigua es t,et

fas tiditur : inconexa e s t e t implicatur : cum sit aliquid

,v el nihili deprehenditur. laboravi tamen, ut

haberet aut his toricon quippiam,aut dialecticon.

nampoeticam vel s ophis ticam levitatem necessitasobs ervat ionis exclus it . ad s ummam, non e s t quodmireris : s ed paucis litteris addit is , e s t cuius miserearis neque aemulari vel is . et si huc quoque de

s cenderis,maiorem moles t iam capias ingenii et

facundiae detrimento,quam oblectationem imita

t ionis affectu .

1 This heading, which is omitted by the Z group o f MSS. ,

depends on the authority of the Lyons editors .

2 88

AUSONIUS

[ IL—VERSUS MONOSYLLABIS ET COEPTI ET FIN ITIITA UT A F INE VERSUS AD PR INCIPIUM RECURRANT

RES hominumfragiles alit et regit et perimit FORsFORS dubia aeternumque labans : quamblandafovet

SPESSPES nullo finita aevo : cui terminus es t MORSMORS avida

,Infernamergit caligine quamNox

Nox obitura vicem,remeaverit aurea cumLUX

LUX dono concessa deum, cui praevius e s t SO I.SOL, cui nec furto in Veneris latet armipotens MARSMARS nullo de patre satus, quemThraes sa colit GENSG ENS infrena virum,

quibus in s celus omne ruit FASFAS hominemmactare sacris ferus iste loci MOS 10

MOS ferus audacis popul i, quemnulla tenet LExLEx natural i quamcondidit imperio I USIUS genitumpie tate hominum,

ius certa dei MENSMENS

,quae caeles ti sensu rigat emeritumCOR

COR vegetummundi instar habens, animae vigor et V IS’

v 1 s tamen hic nulla e s t : tantum es t iocus et ni

hil i RES. 1 6

IV.

—PRAEFATI’O MONOSYLLABARUM TANTUM IN F INEPOSITARUM

UT in vetere proverbio es t sequitur vara vibiam,

s imiliumnugarum subtexo nequitiam. et hi versi1 The monosyllables in this and the following pieces are

distinguished by italics .2 9 0

THE TECHNOPAEGNION

I I I .— VERSES BEG INN ING AND END ING W ITH MONOSYLLABLES so CONTR IVED THAT THE WORD WH ICHENDS ONE VERSE MAKES THE BEG INNING OF THENEXT 1

Things that concern men are frail, prospered,guided, and destroyed byChance— Chance the unstable ,ever-changing godde ss

,who is flattered by fond H ope

—H ope, who knows no bounds o f time ; whose onlyend is D eath— Death the insatiate , who i s steeped ininfernal gloomby Night—Night, who must yie ld placeon the return o f golden Light—Light bestowed byHeaven ’s gift , whose harbinger is the Sun— the Sun,who even in the ir stolen loves beholds Venus andwarrior Mars—Mars unbegotten o f a father, who isworshipped by the Thracian race— a race o f uncurbedfolk, with whom every crime is right

—Right bidsthemoffermen in sacrifice such is their savage wont—wont o f a savage and a daring folk, all unre strainedby Law—Law,

which was founded by the naturalsway of Right—Right which is sprung fromman

’ snatural aff ection , Right which is God

’ s unerring mind-mind which bedews with heavenly influence the

deserving heart—the heart,alive

,formed like the

globe,the l ife ’ s power and its s trength z

— s trength,however, there is none in this :

’tis but a j est and aworthless thing.

IV.— PREFACE To VERSES WITH MONOSYLLABLES

ONLY AT THE ENDTH E old saw runs : “Misfortunes never come

singly ;” 2 and s o I append to the foregoing some

perverse trifles o f the same sort . In this case ,2 Literally “

the trestle follows the plank , i . e. one evil isfollowed by another tomatch .

2 9 1

AUSONIUS

culi monosyllabis terminantur, exordio tamen l ibero,quamquamfine legitimo . s et laboravi, ut quantume ius po s s ent aput aure s indulgentis s imas , absurdaconcinerent , insulsa re s iperent , hinlca congruerent ;

denique haberent et amara dulcedinem et ineptavenerem et aspera lenitatem. quae quidemomnia,quoniaminsuavis materia devenus tat, lectio benignaconciliet . tu quoque mihi tua crede s ecurior

, quippemel iora, ut, quod per adagionemcoepimus , proverbiofiniamus et mutuummuli scalpant .”

AEMULA dis, naturae imitatrix, omniparens ars,Pacato ut s tudeat ludusmeus, esto operi dux .

arta,inamoena l icet nec congrua carminibus lex

,

iudice s ub tanto fandi tamen accipiet ius .

quippe et ridiculis data gloria,mi prohibet fors .

VI.—DE MEMBR IS

IND ICAT in pueris septennia prima novus dens,pubentes anuos robus t ior anticipat vox .

invicta et ventis e t s olibus es t hominumfrons .ecdurumne rvi cumviscere cons ociant os .

palpitat inrequie s , vegetum,teres, acre, calens co r, 5

1 Or H arsh , unlovely ,and with verse ill-agreeing though

be the law, yet with so great a judge , my work to pleadShall W in the right.

”

2 9 2

AUSONIUS

unde vigent sensus, dominatrix quos vegetat mens,atque in verba refert modulata lege loquax o s .

quam validum e s t , hominis quota portio, caeruleumfel

quamtenue et molemquantamfert corporeamcrus !pondere sub quanto nostrummoderatur iter pes 1 0

VII.—D E INCONEXIS

SAEPE in coniugiis fit noxia, Si nimia es t,dos . 1

sexus uterque potens , s et praevalet inperio mas .

qui recte faciet, non qui dominatur, erit 2 rex .

vexat amicitias et foedera dis s ociat lis .incipe , quidquid agas : pro toto es t prima operis pars .3 5ins inuat caclo disque inscrit emerito s laus .et dis ciplinis conferta es t et vitus urbs .urbibus in tut is munitior urbibus e s t arx .

auromagnus honos,auri pretiumtamen es t aes .

longa dies operosa viro, s ed temperies nox, 1 0

qua caret Aethiopumplaga, pervigil, inrequies gens,semper ubi ae terna vertigine Claramanet lux .

VI I I .— D E D IS

SUNT et caelicolummonosyllaba. prima deumFas,quae Themis es t Grais ; post hanc Rea, quae Latiis Ops

1cp . Juv enal , v i . 460 .

2cp . H orace, Epis t. I . i . 59 : Rex eris , aiunt ,

“ Si rectefacies .

3cp . id. 1 . ii. 40 f . : D imidium facti qui coepit habet

sapere aude Incipe

2 94

THE TECHNOPAEGNION

they are enlivened by the irmi stre ss, M ind, and translated into words by law articulate through the chattering mouth. How potent, yet how small a part o fman is the dark bile ! H ow great a mass o f bodyrests on that Slender prop, the leg ! Beneath howgreat a load moves that which control s our way, thef oot !

VII.

—ON TH INGS WH ICH HAVE NO CONNEX ION

IN wedlock mischief often follows if too great isthe wife ’ s dot. Each s ex has its powers, but in au

thority paramount is the male. H e who acts rightly,not he who holds sway, will be a hing. Friendshipsare troubled , treaties dissolved by s trif e. Whateveryou are about, begin it : good as the whole i s a task

’ sfirst half .

1 The ir way to Heaven and the ir placeamong the gods the worthy win through prais e.

Crowded with virtues and with vices is the town. Inguarded cities yet more strongly guarded is thekeep. Gold is in high e steem; and yet gold has itsprice in bronz e. Long day is ful l of toil for men ;but re lief comes with the night, which never fallson the realm of the Ethiopians—a sleepless

,rest

less tribe ; for there, moving in unbroken c irclethrough the s ky, shines ever the bright light.

VI II—ON THE GODS

THE inhabitants of Heaven also have the ir monosyllables . First o f the gods is Right, who is Themisto the Greeks ; next Rhea, whomthe Romans know

1 A saying apxh 6é 7 0 1 nati/Tris is attributed to H es iodby Lucian, H ermot. 3 : s ee Rz ach , H es . f ragm. f als . 5.

This is probably due to confusion with H es iod , W . and D .

40 : 30 a: wAéov 57mmW at/ 7 63 .

2 95

AUSONIUS

tumIovis et Cousi germanus , Tartareus Di s,et soror et coniunx fratris , regina deum,

1 Vis,

et qui quadriiugo curru pater invehitur Sol,quique truces bel li motus ciet armipotens Mars ,quemnumquampietas, numquambona s ollicitat Pax .

nec cultor nemorumreticebere, Maenalide Pan,

nec genius domuum, Larunda progenitus Lar,fluminibus que Ital is praepollens , sulphureus Nar,2 1 0quaeque pias divumperiuria, nocticolor Styx,velivo lique maris cons trator, leuconoto s Libs,et numquamin dubiis hominembona des tituens Spes .

IX .—DE C IBIS

NEC no s tros reticebo cibo s , quos prisons habetmos ,inritamentumquibus additur aequoreumsal .communis pecorique olimcibus atque bomini glans

,

ante equidemcampis quamspicea suppeteret frux.

mox ador atque adoris de polline. pult ificumfar, 5

ins truxit mensas quo quondamRomulidumplebs .Hinc cibus , hine potus, cumdilueretur aqua puls .e s t inter fruges morsu piper aequiperans git,et Pelus iaco de semine plana, teres lens,et duplici defensa putamine quinquegenus nux, 1 0

1cp . Virgil , Aen. i . 46 f . : As t ego , quae divumincedo

re

gina Iov is que Et s oror et coniunxcp . id . Vii. 517 .

1 Larunda or Lara was the daughter o f the river-god Almo.

H er tongue was cut out by Jupiter for betraying h is amour2 96

AUSONIUS

quodque cibo et potu placitum,labor acer apum,

melnaturae l iquor iste novae

,cui summa natat faex .

X.—D E H ISTORIIS

SOLAMEN tibi, Phoebe, novum dedit Oebalius flos .flore alio reus es t Narcissi morte sacer fons .caedis Adoneae mala gloria fulmineus sus .periurumLapithamIunonia ludificat nubsludit et Aeaciden Parnasia D elphicolae sors .Thrae iciumLibycumfreta Cimmeriumque sceat bos .non Sine H amadryadis fato cadit arborea trabs .

quo generata Venus, Saturnia des ecuit falx .

sicca inter rupes Scythicas s tetit alitibus crux,

unde Prometheo de corpore sanguineus ro sadspargit cantes et dira aconita creat co s .

Ibycus ut periit , index fuit altivolans grus .Aeacidae ad tumulummactata e s t Andromachae glos .carcere in Argivo PhilOpoemena lenta adiit mors .tertia opima dedit spoliatus Aremoricus Lars . 1

1ep . Virgil , Aen. vi . 859 .

1 i . s . bivalved shells like those of the walnut .2 H oney was the chief ingred ient ofmulsnm(mead ) .3 H oney being an extremely dens e liquid , all foreignmatter

floats on its surface : cp . Macrobius , Sat. vii . 8 .

4 The hyacinth , named after Hyacinthus , s on of Oebalus .5 Ixion.

6 Pyrrhus , inquiring of the oracle whether he wouldconquer the Romans , received the ambiguous reply , Aio te ,Aeacida, Romanos vincere poss e ” (I s ay that you the Romanscan defeat ). 7

s e. Io .

2 98

THE TECHNOPAEGNION

shells,

1of nuts . Besides, what is agreeable for food

and drink,2 the bees ’ industrious toil, honey Of the

comb : that fluid has strange properties ; for on itssurface float the dregs .

3

X.—ON PO INTS OF LEARNING

PHOEBUS, to thee new consolation came through

the Oebalian bloom.

4 Another bloomsprang throughthe fault of that which is accursed for Narcissus ’

death— a f onnt. For slain Adonis ill-renowned is thebright-tusked boar . The forsworn Lapith 5 i s beguiledby Juno

’ s shape—a cloud, and she who dwe ll s atParnassian Delphi beguile s the son o f Aeacus withher voice.

6 Across Thracian,Libyan , and Cimmerian

waves cleaves her way the com7 Except the Hamadryad perishes ne

’

er falls the tree ’ s trunk .

8 Thatfromwhich Venus was begotten Saturn cut o ff withhis hook .

9 Amid Scythian crags,a mark for birds

,

stood that parched cros s,whence from Prometheus ’

body dripped a bloody dew,be sprinkling the rocks

,

till deadly aconite sprang from the fl int. WhenIbycus was Slain, the tale was told by the high-flyingcrane .

1 0 At the tomb of the s on o f Aeacus was sacrificed Andromache ’

s In Grecian prison Philopoemen met a lingering death 1 2 The third spolia

6 See the H omeric H ymn to Aphrodite, 272 .

9 See H esiod , Theogony , 1 73 ff.1 ° Ibycus of Rhegium(fl or . c. 560 the lyric poet , wasmurdered by robbers the cranes , who witnessed the crime ,caused the murderers to betray themselves in the theatre atCorinth .

1 1 Properly sister-in-law.

1 2 Philopoemen, leader Of the AchaeanLeague , was capturedby the Mess enians and forced to drink poison wh ile in prisonat Messene.

99

AUSONIUS

sera venenato potu abs tulit H annibalemnex .

res As iae quantas leto dedit inmeritas fraus ! 1

ultrix flagravit de rupibus Euboicis fax .

stat Iovis ad cyathum, generat quemDardanius Tros .

praepet ibus pennis super aera vectus 2 homo Cre s . 20

intulit incestamtibi vim,Philomela, ferus Thrax .

barbarus es t Lydus , pellax Geta, femineus Phryx, 3

fallaces Ligures,nullo situs in pretio Car.

vellera depectit nemoralia ves t ifluus Ser.

4

nota in portentis Thebana tricorporibus Sphinx . 25

nota Caledoniis nuribus 5muliebre secus Strix

XI .—D E VERE PR IMO

ANNUS ab exortu cumfloriparumres erat ver,

cuncta Vigent : nemus omne viret, nitet auricomumrus

et fusura umbras radicitus exigitur stirps .

cp . Virgil , Aen. iii . 1 f . 2cp . Catullus , Attis , 1 .

cp . Plautus , Bacchides , 12 1 Terence,Phormio

, 672Virgil

, Aen. xii . 99 .

4cp . Virgil , Georg. ii . 12 1 .

5 V: nota et parvorumcunis , OZ .

1 Lars was an Etruscan title (as in Lars Porsena). The

reference is to Viridomarus , king of the Ins ubres , slain byM . Claudius Marcellus , the Roman consul , in 222 B . C.

2 In 1 83 B . C .

3 i . e. the beacon lit by Nauplius , father of Palamedes (whowas s toned to death by the Greeks before Troy ), on the promontory of Caphareus . This caused the wreck of the homeward-bound fleet of the Greeks .

30 0

AUSONIUS

non denso ad terramlapsu glomerata fluit nix .

florumspirat odor, Libani ceumontis honor tus . 5

[iampelago volitat mercator ve s tifluus Ser 1 ]

XI I . —PER INTERROGATIONEM ET RESPONSIONEM

QuIs subit in poenamcapital i iudicio ? v

’

as .

quid si lis fuerit nummaria, qui s dabitur ? praes .quis mirmilloni contenditur ? aequimanus Thraex .

inter v irtutes quod nomen Mercurio ? fur.

turibula et paterae , quae tertia vasa deum? lanx . 5

c imeta mari quaenamtellus creat H ippocratem? Co .

grex magis an regnumM ino ida s ollicitat ? grex .

quid praeter unhemPhaeacibus inpos itum? mons .2

dic cessante cibo somno quis opimior e s t ? glis .3

tergora dic clipeis accommoda quae faciat ? glus . l Osponte ablativi casus quis rectus erit ? spons .

quadrupe s o s cinibus quis iungitur auspiciis? mus .

4

quid fluitat pelago, quod non natat in fluvio ? pix .

5

bis s enas parte s quis continet aequipares ? as .te rtia defuerit si portio, quid reliquum? bes .

XII I . -D E LITTERIs MONOSYLLABIS G RAECIS AC

LAT INIS

Dux elementorums tudiis v iget in Latus Aet suprema notis ads cribitur Argo licis .Q .

1 OZ omitted by’

V. The line seems to be compoundedof elements taken fromx . 24 and x ii. 13 .

2cp . H omer, v 1 77 .

3cp . Ephemeris , i . 5 f .

4cp. Pliny ,

N .H . v iii . 22 1 .

5 id . ii. 103.

30 2

THE TECH NOPAEGNION

in thick showe r streams to earth the billowing s now.

The smel l o f flowers fill s the air like that pride o f

Mount Libanus,the spice (incense) . Now o

’

er the

s ea fl it s the loose-robed merchant Chin/c.

XI I .— BY QUEST ION AND ANSWER

ON whom does the penalty devolve in a capitalcharge ? On himwho gives bail. But if the case beone of money, what assurance will be given ? A

bond. W ho is matched with the mirmillo P The

ambidextrous gladiator o f Thrace. Amongst good folkwhat is Mercury called ? A thief : Besides the censerand the bowl , what third vesse l is the gods

’

? The

dish. What island girdled by the s ea produced H ippocrates ? Cos . D id Minos ’ wife care more for herdsor realms ? For herds . What be sides a cloud washung over the Phaeacians ? A hill. 1 Say, what growsmore fat on sleep though it ceases to eat ? The shrew.

Tel l me,what makes hides fit for shields ? G lue.

Sponte is ablative ; what will be its nominative ?Spons . What four-footed thing shares with birdsin the auspices ? 2 The mous e. What floats on the

s ea which sinks in a river ? Pitch. What containstwice six equal parts ? The (Roman) pound. If fourounces are subtracted

,what is left ? Two-thirds .

XII I . —ON MONOSYLLAB IC LETTERS GREEK AND

LAT IN

LEAD ER o f letters in the Roman alphabet proudstands A, and last in the list o f Argive characters i s

1 See H omer, u 1 77 .

2 See Pliny , N .H , viii , 57 .

30 3

AUSONIUS

Hm quod Aeolidum,quodque e

l valet, hoc Latiare E .

praesto quod E Latiumsemper breve Dorica vox E.

hoc tereti argutoque sono megat Attica gens O. 5

Q quod, et O ,Graecumconpensat Romula vox O .

l ittera sum,Iotae similis vox plena, iubens I .

Cecropiis ignota notis, ferale sonans V.

Pythagorae bivium,ramis pateo ambiguis Y.

2

vocibus in Grais numquamultima conspicior M. 10

Zeta iacens , si surgat , erit nota, quae legitur N,

Maeandrumflexus que vagos imitata vagor Z .

dividuumBetae monosyllabon Ital icumB .

non formam,at vocemD eltae gero RomuleumD .

ho s t ilis quae forma iugi es t , hanc efli ciet TI,

Aus oniumsi Pe s cribas,ero CecropiumP

,

e t Rho quod G raeco,mutabitur in LatiumP .

malus ut antemnamfert vertice, s ic ego sumT .

spiritus hic,flatu tenuis s ima vivificans

, H,

haec tribus in Lat io tantumaddita nominibus,K 20

praevaluit post quam,G ammae vice functa prius, C,

1 Turnebus : V omits : P eiper ins erts a .

6)

cp . Persius, iii . 56 f . : et tibi quae Samio s diduxit litteraramos Sdrgentemdextromons trav it limite callem.

1 i. e. in the word ou. From this line and from Ep is t.

xxix. 36—7 it appears that Ausonius regarded ou as a distinctletter rather than as a diphthong .

2s e. as the imperative of

3 V(res embling W msound ) sounded ill omened (cp . Pliny ,30 4

AUSONIUS

atque aliumpro s e t itulumreplicata dedit G .

ansis cincta duabus erit cumIota, leges m.

‘

in Latio numerus denarius,ArgolicumX.

haec gruis efligies Palamedica porrigitur (bCoppa fui quondamBoeotia, nunc LatiumQ .

furca tricornigera specie paene ultima sum‘l’

XIV—G RAMMATICOMASTIX

ET logodaedalia ? stride modo, qui nimiumtrux

frivola condemnas : nequam quoque cum pret io

mers !Ennius ut memorat, repleat te laetificumgau .

l ivida mens hominumconcretumfel le coquat pus .

dic,quid s ignificent Catalepta Maronis ? in his al

Celtarumposuit sequitur non lucidius tau 3

e s tne peregrini vox nominis an Latii sil ?et quod germano mixtummale letiferummin ?

1 P eiper : Vhas 6 ,which is not amonosyllable .

2 V: et quod nonnumquampraesumit laetificumgau, CZ

(placing this after 1.3 V: s cire velimCatalepta (Catalecta , C) legens quid s ig

nificet tau, CZ (omitting l.

1 To be understood in a double sense : the letter C ,in

becoming G ,reverted to its early value as the equivalent of

gamma , and its new formis d ifferentiated in writing by atwist .” For the relation between 7 , C and G , s ee Lindsay ,

H is t. Lat. Grammar , ch , i . 5.

2 San (or s anpi), an Obsolete letter used only as a numeralsign 900 .

3 According to Pliny , Palamedes invented the letters 0,3 0 6

THE TECH NOPAEGNION

for Gamma,C,and with a twist back l gave a new

name for itse lf, G . When Iota is flanked by a pairo f handles , you will read m.

2 In La tin for the

number ten stands Argolic X. This is the pictureof Palamede s ’ long-necked crane

,

3 Cb. Once I wasBoeotian Coppa

,now I am Latin Q. Shaped like a

three-pronged fork , I amlast letter but one, ‘l’ .

XIV.-A SCOURGE FOR GRAMMAR IANS

AND what results from prec iosity ? Now raise ahowl thou who

,too s our

,condemnest trifling : there

i s a price even for shoddy wares ! As Ennius says ,“may you be fi lled with joy-causing pleas . Let

men ’ s envious hearts distil gall-curdled pus . Praywhat does Virgil ’ s “ Catalepta mean ? There he

has put in Celtic al,and follows it up with a word

no whit more clear,tau.

5 Does this sound like afore ign or a Latin word—s il 5 Or that which is sodeadly when confused with its next cousin —min ? 7

5, and x : Philo s tratus credits himwith v, p and x, v re

pres entin the formation adopted by a number of cranes inflight , an gt a single crane as leep with its head under itswing , and standing on one leg.

4 Annalee,frag . lii. (ed . Muller) : gau gaud ium.

5 Catalep ton, ii . 4 f . : Scaliger conjectures that al , tau,and

min were abbreviations Of a llium, taurus , minium,current in

the Latin spoken in Celtic regions . Al, however, is notfound in the Ca talepton.

6 S it (s ee Pliny , N .H . xxxiii . 12) was a pigment found ingold and silvermines .7 Red-lead , also called cinnabaris : it was therefore some

times confused with the drug cinnabar in pres criptionswith unhappy results : s ee Pliny , N .H . xxxiii . 7 .

30 7

AUSONIUS

imperium,litem,

veneremcur una notat res ? 7

lintribus in geminis cons tratus ponto sit an pons ? 1 0Bucolico s aepes dixit Maro, cur Cicero s aeps ?

vox sol ita et cunctis notissima, si memores, laccur condemnatur

,ratiomagis ut faciat lact

an,L ibyae ferale malum,

sit Romula vox seps ?

si bonus es t ins ons contrarius et reus, e s t sons 1 5

dives opumcur nomen habet Iove de s tygio dis ?unde Rudinus ait divumdomus altis onumcael ” ?1

et cuius de more, quod addidit, endo suamdo ” ? 2

aut,de fronde loquens , cur dicit populea fros ? 3

Sed quo progredior ? quae finis , quis modus etcalx

indulge,Pacate bonus

,doctus

,facilis vir ;

totum Opus hoc sparsum,crinis velut Ant iphilae pax .

4

1 Ennius , Annales (ed . Muller) , frag. li.2 id . frag. 1. 3 id . frag . xxxiv .

4 Terence , H eaut. 289 f . : capillus passus prolixe et circumc aput Reiectus neclegenter ; pax .

1 The French afl aire seems nearly parallel : f or res = imperium, litem,

Venerem, cp . (I) x . 1 7 (above) (2 ) H or . Sa t.

1 . ix . 41 (3 ) Terence , Eun. 1 19 .

2 Properly a pontoon-bridge .

3 Eel . i . 54 .

4 Martianus Capella , iii . 307 : quidam cum lac dicunt ,adiiciunt t, propterea quod facit lactis .

30 8

L IBER XI I I

LUDUS SEPTEM SAPIENTUM

I.—AUSONIUS CONSUL D REPANIO PROCONSULI SAL.

IGNOSCENDA is taec an cogno s cenda rearis,

adtento , D repani, perlege iudicio .

aequanimus fiamte iudice,sive legenda,

sive tegenda putes carmina, quae dedimus .namprimume s t meruis s e tuum,

Pacate, favoremproxima de fens i cura pudoris erit .

possumego censuramlectoris ferre severiet possummodica laude placere mih i :

novit equus plaus ae s onitumcervic is amare ,novit et intrepidus verbera lenta pati .

Maeonio qualemcultumquae s ivit Homerocensor Aristarchus normaque Zenodoti !

pone Obelo s igitur primorumstigmata vatumpalmas, non culpas esse putabo meas ;

et correctamagis quamcondemnata vocabo,adponet doct i quae mihi lima viri .

interea arbitrii subiturus pondera tantioptabo, ut placeam; s i minus, ut lateam.

1 Aristarchus of Samothrace , a disciple of Aristophanes O fByzantiumat Alexandria , flourished B C . 1 56 . H e is speciallyfamous for his recension O f the H omeric Poems , inwhich heused various critical signs , such as the Obelos tomark spurious verses .

3 1 0

BOOK XIII

TH E MASQUE OF TH E SEVEN SAGES

I.—AUSON IUS THE CONSUI. TO D REPANIUS THE

PROCONSUL SENDS GREETING

READ through these l ines, D repanius , heedfullyj udging whether you think they should be pardonedor perused . With you as j udge I shall be content,whether you think the verse I send worth conningor concealing . For my first aim

,Pacatus

,is to earn

your countenance : to defend my modesty shall bemy second thought. 1 can bear a stern reader ’ scriticism

,and I can satisfy myself with a mode st

meed of praise : a horse learns to love the sound o f

a patted neck , learns also to endure the pliant lashunterr ified . What finish did critic Aristarchus 1 andZenodotus 2 with his rules demand in MaeonianHomer ! Set down your brackets, 3 then—brandswhich distinguish the chiefest bards : I wil l considerthemmarks o f fame

,not blame ; and will call those

passage s corrected rather than condemned which thepolish Of a scholar ’ s taste shall mark against me .

Meanwhile , ere I face a verdict o f such we ight, I’

ll

hope to impress you o r e lse myself suppress .2 Zenodotus of Ephesus (flor . c. 208 B .C . ) was the first head

Of the Alexandrian Library . H is recension of the H omericPoems was based largely on his study of their language.

3 See note 1 (above ).

AUSONIUS

I I .— PROLOGUS

SEPTEM sapientes, nomen quibus is tud deditsuperior aetas nec secuta sus tulit,hodie in orches trampalliati prodeunt .

quid erubes cis tu, togate Romule,s caenamquod intro ibunt tamclari viri ?nobis pudendumhoc, non et Atticis quoquequibus theatrumcuriae praebet vicem.

no s tris negotis sua loca sortito data :campus comitiis , ut cons criptis curia

,

forumatque rostra separat ius 1 civium.

una es t Athenis atque in omni G raecia

ad consulendumpublici sedes loc i,quamin urbe nostra sero luxus condidit .

aedilis olims caenamtabulatamdabatsubito excitatamnullamole saxea .

Murena s ic et G allius : nota eloquar.

po s tquampotentes nec verente s sumptuumnomen perenne crediderunt, Si semelcons tructa moles s axeo fundaminein omne tempus conderet lndis locum

1 Scaliger : s eparatis , VP .

-1 Ausonius has in mind a passage fromCornelius Nepos(P raef . magnis in laudibus tota f eref uit Graecia (cp. l . 29 )v ictoremOlympiae citari, in s caenamuero prodire ac populoe sse spectaculo nemini in eisdemgentibus f uit turpitudini .

2 i . e. for diff erent us es , the forumfor legal business , therostra for public speaking .

3 The statement is loose , since Athens (for example) hadits BovAevr fiptov. But Ausonius is thinking Of the us e towhich the theatre was put in an emergency ,

as in 338 B . C . ,

when, in the alarmwhich followed the capture of Elatea byPhilip, the Athenian people a vve

’

bpaueu eis Tb Ge'a'rpov (D iod .

Sic . XV I . lxxxiv . The Roman envoys to Tarentumwerebrought into the Theatre (in theatrumat es t consuetudo

3 1 2

AUSONIUS

cuneata crevit haec theatri inmanitasPompeius hanc et Balbus et Caesar deditOctavianus concertantes sumptibus .

s ed quid ego is taec ? non hac de causa huc prodii,ut expedirem,

quis theatra,quis forum

,

quis condidis s et privas partesmoeniums et ut verendos disque laudato s virospraegrederer aperiremque, quid vellent sibi.Pronunt iare suas solent sententias,

quas quisque iamprudentiumanteverterit .

s citis pro fectO, quae sint ; s et s imemoriarebus vetus tis claudit

,veniet lndius

edis s ertator harum,quas teneo minus .

I I I . —LUDIUS

DELPH IS Solonems crips e famaes t Atticumyuc

’

bflt o eavrév, quod Latinume s t : mosce te .

multi hoc Laconis e sse Chilonis putant .

Spartane Chilon, sit tuumnecne, ambigunt,quod iuxta f e l‘tur, dpo. r ého s pia /(poi) filov,finemintueri longae vitae qui iubes .

multi hoc Solonemdixe Croe s o exis timant .

et Pittacumdixis s e fama e s t Lesbiumyiv O

'Ke Ka tpdv z tempus ut noris, inhet.

s et Ka tpbg i s te tempes t ivumtempus e s t .

Bias Frieneus dixit o i nAe’

i o r oc k a k oi,quod es t Latinum, plures hominumsunt mali ;s et inperito s s cito

,quos dixit malos.

1 Literally “ divided into wedges -i . e. the wedge-Shapedsegments into which the auditorium was d ivided by the

radiating gangways . 0

2 See note 4 , p. 3 13 Ausonius loosely represents the threeas having all worked to produce a single theatre.

3 1 4

TH E MASQUE OF TH E SEVEN SAGES

theatre with its radiating gangways 1 came intobe ing : this theatre Pompey and Balbus and Octav ianus Caesar 2 gave us

,vying with each other in

the ir outlay. But what have I to do with all this ?I amnot come forward on this stage to explain whobuilt theatres, or forums, or separate bits of our

walls,but to prepare the way for men worthy Of

reverence and approved by the gods, and to revealwhat the ir purpose is .

47 The ir usage is to de l ive r the ir own sayings,each that which he in his wisdom first hit upon .

You know, o f course , what these are but if Memorylimps among ancient matters, Chorus 3 will comefully to explain these sayings on which I have too

sl ight a grip .

I I I . —CHORUS’

Ti s said that Attic Solon wrote at Delphi I‘m’bflto eavr év, which in our tongue i s “ Know thyself.

”

Many think this to be by Chilon the Laconian .

Spartan Chilon,

’tis disputed whethe r the saw whichcomes next is yours or no, dpa Te

'ho s pa xpoi} Blou

where in you bid us mark the ending of a long life .

Many consider that Solon said this to Croesus . And’tis reported that Lesbian Pittacus ‘1 said I

‘t'

v o xe

Ka tpév z he bids you know the time . But this Ka tpé s

means the timely time . Bias o f Priene said o i wk e’

io-rocxaxoi, which is translated “most men are bad ”

but

know that they are uncultured whomhe called “ bad .

”

3 ao. in the Elizabethan sense . In H enry V. , for example ,Chorus serves the same purpose as Ludius here.

‘1 The dictator Of M itylene , who supported the commonsagainst the aristocratic party to which Alcaeus belongedhe died 569 B .C.

3 1 5

AUSONIUS

nehém7 0 way, Periandri id es t Corinthii,meditationemposse totumqui putat .dptO

’

TOV pe’

rpov esse dic it LindiusCleobulus hoc e s t

,Optimus cunctis modus .

Thales Set e’

yy iia , ndpd 3’

d'ra protulit ,spondere qui nos, noxa quia prae s e s t , vetat .

hoc nos monere faeneratis non placet .D ixi : recedam. legifer venit Solon .

IV.

—SOLON

D Emore G raeco prodeo in s caenamSolon,

septemsapientumfama cui palmamdedit .s et famae 1 non es t iudicii s everitas ;neque enimesse primumme , verumunumexistimo

,

aequalitas quod ordinemnes cit pati .recte OlimineptumD elphicus suas it deusquaerentem, quisnamprimus s apientumforet,u t in orbe tereti nominumsertuminderet

,

ne primus e sset,ne vel imus quispiam.

corume medio prodeo gyro Solon,ut , quod dixis s e Croes o regi exis timor,id omnis hominumsecta sibi dictumputet .G raece coactume s t Spa

“re

/

ho s uaxpoi) Blov,quod longius fit, Si Latine dixeris :spectare vitae iubeo cuncto s terminum.

proinde mis ero s aut beatos dicereevita

,quod sunt semper ancipiti in statu.

id adeO Sic es t . Si queam,paucis loquar .

1 fama,M SS . (and P eiper ) .

1 Son Of Cypselus and tyrant of Corinth , 625—585 B . C.

2 Flourished 580 B . C . H e and his daughter Cleobulinawere als o famous '

for their riddles .

AUSONIUS

Rex an tyrannus Lydiae, Croesus, fuithis in beatis

,dives ins anumin modum,

lateribus aureis templa qui divis dabat .i s me evocav it . venio dicto Oboediens ,meliore ut uti rege po s s int Lydii .rogat, beatumprodam,

Si quemnoverim.

Tellena dico civemnon ignobilempro patria pugnans iste vitamObiecerat .

despexit , aliumquaerit . inveni Aglaumfine s age ll i proprii is numquamexce s s erat .

at ille ridens Quo de inme ponis loco,beatus orbe toto qui solus vocor ?Spectandum dico “ terminumvitae prius

tumiudicandum,Simanet fe l ic itas .

dictummoleste Croesus accepit : egorel inquo regem. be llumille in Pe rsas parat .pro fectus , victus, v inctus , regi deditus .

stat ille,captans funeris iaminstar sui

,

qua flamma totums e per ambitumdabatvolvens in altumfumidos aes tu globos .ac paene s erO Croesus ingenti sono,O vere vates,

”inquit , O Solon

,Solon

c lamore magno ter Solonemnuncupat .

qua voce Cyrus motus, extingui iubetgyrumper omnemet destrui ardentempyramet commodumprofusas imber nubibusrepres s it ignem. Croe sus ad regemillicopermilitaremducitur lectammanuminterrogatur, quemSolonemdiceretet quamc iendi causamhaberet nominis ?seriemper omnemcuncta regi edis s erit .

mis eratur il le Vimque fortunae Videns

laudat Solonem: Croesuminde in amicis habet

3 1 8

THE MASQUE OF TH E SEVEN SAGES

9 1 The king or despot o f Lydia, Croesus, was oneo f these “ happy men, extravagantly rich , one whoused to give the gods temple s built Of golden bricks . 1H e summoned me abroad . I come , obeying his command that so the Lydians may be able to enjoy abetter king . H e asks : let me name a happyman,if I know one . I speak o f Te lle s, 2 no mean citizenhe had Offered up his life fighting for his country.

H e scorned this man—asks for another. I found one ,Aglaus : 3 he had never gone outside the bounds Ofhis little farm. But he asks, laughing In whatplace , then, do you put me who alone am calledhappy by the whole world ? “ W e must behold

,

I answer, “ the end Of life first : then we can judge—if prosperity abides . Croesus took the sayingbadly : I leave the king . H e plans war against thePersians . H e marched, was beaten, bound , handedover to the ir king. H e stands, trying to imagine hisown end, while fire was Spreading all round aboutand rolling alof t on its blast clouds Of smoke .

Almost too late , Croesus with a deep cry says :“ O

true seer O Solon,Solon ! ” With a great clamour he

calls on Solon thrice . Moved by this utterance Cyrusbids the enc ircling fire be put out and the blazingpyre pulled down ; and happily a shower, pouredfrom the clouds

,quenched the flames . Croesus is

straightway led to the king by a picked band Ofsoldiers he is asked whomhe meant by Solon, andwhat reason he had for calling his name aloud ?Fromfirst to last he relate s all to the king. Cyrusfeels pity, and see ing Fortune

’ s power, praise s Solon1 See H erodotus

,i . 50 . Croesus sent 1 70 bricks of gold

to Delphi .2 ln H erodotus , i . 30, he is called Tellos .3 See Valerius Maximus

,V I I . i . 2 .

3 1 9

AUSONI US

Vinctumque pedicis aureis secuminhet,reliquumquod e sset vitae, totumdegere .

ego duorumregumtestimoniolaudatus et probatus ambobus fui.quodque uni dictumes t , quisque sibi dictumEgo iamperegi, qua de causa huc prodii.

venit ecce Chilon. VOS valete et plaudite .

V.—CH II.ON

LUMB I sedendo, ocul i spectando dolent,manendo Solonem,

quoad ad s e s e recipiat .

1

hui,quampauca

,di

,locuntur Attic i I

unamtrecent is vers ibus s ententiamtandemperegit meque respectans abit .

Spartanus ego s umChilon, qui nunc prodeo .

brevitate nota, qua Lacones ut imur,commendo nostrumyvc

'bflt o-eavr o

’

v, no s ce te,

quod in columna iamtenetur D elphica .

labor mole s tus iste f ructi es t optimi,quid fe rre pOSSiS, quidve non, dino s cere ;noctu diuque , quae geras, quae ges s eris ,ad usque punct i tenuis instar quaerere .

2

O fficia cuncta,pudor

,honor

,constantia

in hoc, et ulla spreta nobis gloria .

D ixi valete memores . plausumnon moror .1 A parody Of Plautus , M en. 882 : lumbi s edendo , oculi

spoetando dolent Manendo modicum dum s e ex opere re

cipiat : cp . also Terence,P horm. 462 : ibO ad portumquoad

s e recipiat .

2cp . Ect. iii . 3, 7—8 , 15—16 .

1 Probably an ironical allus ion to l . 87.

2 Literally “ to be take himself back to h imself ”; i . e. toremember what he is about and to retire .

3 2 0

AUSONIUS

VI— CLEOBULUS

CLEOBULUS ego s um,parvae c ivis insulae

,

magnae s ed auctor,qua cluo

,sententiae

c’

ipic-r ov ne

'rpov quemdixis s e exis t imant .

interpretare tu , qui orche s trae proximusgradibus propinquis in quatuordecimsede sa'pto r ov ue

’

rpov an sit optimusmodus,dic ! adnuis ti ? gratiamhabeo . pers equar

per ordinem. iamdixit ex isto locoAfer poeta vester ut ne quid nimis

,1

et noster quidamunSév a’

yav.

2 huc pertinetuterque sensus, Italus s eu D orIus .

fandi, tacendi, somni, Vigilii ismodus,beneficiorum

, gratiarum,iniuriae

,

s tudii,laborum: V ita in omni quidquid e s t

is tumrequirit Optimae pausae modum.

D ixi : recedam. Sit modus . venit Thales .

VII.—TH ALES

M ILESIUS sumThales,aquamqui principem

rebus creandis 3 dixi, ut vates Pindarus,‘1

[cuique olimiussa Apollinis tripodemaureum5]

dedere pis catores extractummari ;namque hi iubente Deliome legerant,quod ille munus hoc sapientimis erat .

1 Terence, Andria 6 1 .

2 Eur. H ippol. 264 f.3cp . Diog. Laert . I . i . 6 apxhu ae r é

’

w mix/r awfnreowfiaa'ro .

4 Olymp . i . 1 .

5 Suppl . Scaliger .

1 Literally “the fourteen seats i . e. the first fourteen

rows Of seats in the theatre behind those reserved formagis

3 2 2

TH E i‘MASQUE OF THE SEVEN SAGES

VI—CI.EO BULUS

I AM Cleobulus, native Of a small island , but authorOf a great saying which makes me famous- he whomthey believe to have said dpto r ov ue

’

rpov . Translateplease

, you who Sit next the orche stra in the

stalls c lose by :1 is not dpur rov us

’

rpov“modera

tion is best Come,te ll me ! You nodded ? Thank

you. I wil l go on to the next point . Your Africanpoet 2 has already said fromthis stage “ do nothingovermuch, and one o f my own countrymen 3 saysunbév ayay . Both maxims

,Latin and Greek, bear on

our purpose .

’Tis moderation in speech, in silence ,in Slumber

,in watching

,in benefits, in gratitude, in

wrongs,in study, in toil . Whatever our whole life

can Show demands this moderation,which is timely

cessation .

1 62 I have said my s ay : I will go Ofl’

. Let us bemoderate ! Thales is coming .

VII.—THAI.ES

M ILESIAN Thales I,who declared that water was

the prime e lement in nature, as did the poet Pindar,and to whom at Apollo ’ s command fishermen oncegave the golden tripod dredged up fromthe s ea ;

4

for they had chosen me at the behe st of the Del iangod, because he had sent this gift to the Wise One .

trates , which in B. C. 67 were appropriated to the equites .

See Suet . Julius , xxxix .

2 Terence , who was said to have been born at Carthage .

3 Euripides . (See note on Text . )4 For this anecdote s ee Valerius Maximus , iv . 1 , ext . 7

D iog. Laert . (I . i. 7 ) makes Solon dedicate the tripod toApollo .

3 2 3

AUSONIUS

ego recus ans non recepi et reddidiferendumad alios, quos priores crederem.

de in per omne s septemsapiente s Virosmis sumac remis sumrursus ad me de ferunt .

ego receptumcons ecravi Apollini ;namSi s apientemdeligi Phoebus iubet ,non hominemquemquam, s et deumcredi decet .

I s igitur ego sum. causa s et in s caenamfuitmihi prodeundi, quae duobus ante me,ads ertor ut sententiae fieremmcae .

ea displicebit , non tameh prudentibus ,quos docuit usus et peritos reddidit .

en ewsa , ndpd 8’

am, graece dicimusLatinumes t , sponde , noxa s et praesto tibi .per mille po s s emcurrere exempla, ut probempraedes vadesque paenitudinis reos .s ed nOlO quemquamnominatimdice resibi quisque ve strumdicat et secumputet,Spondere quantis damno fuerit et malo .

gratumhoc O fficiummaneat ambobus tamem.

Pars plaudite ergo, pars Off ensi explodite .

VI I I . —B IASB IAS Prieneus [quod 1 ] dixi o i nAeiO'TOL KaKOL,

Latine dictums uSpicor : plures mali .dixisse mollem ; veritas Odiumparit .

2

malos s ed imperitos dixi et barbaros,

qui ius et aequumet sacros mores neglegunt .

nampopulus iste, quo theatrumc ingitur,totus bonorume s t . hos t iumte llus habet

,

1 Suppl . P eiper .

2

0

Terence , Andr . 68 : obsequiumamicos,veritas Odium

pari t .

3 2 4

AUSONIUS

dixis s e quos me creditis , plure s malos .s ed nemo quisquamtammalus iudex fuat ,quin iambonorumpartibus s e copulet ,sive il le vere bonus e s t , s eu dici s tudet .

iamfugit illud nomen invisummali .Abeo . valete et plaudite, plures boni . 1

IX .—PITTACUS

MYTILENA ego ortus Pittacus s umLesbius ,yt

’

vwo-Ke Ka ipiwqui docui s ententiam.

s et iste xa tpég, tempus ut noris, monetet e sse Ka tpOV, tempe s tivumquod vocant .

Romana Sic et es t vox : veni in tempore .

2

vester quoque iste comicus Terentiusrerumomniumesse primumtempus autumat ,ad Antiphilamquomvenerat servus Dromo 3nul lo inpeditam, temporis s ervans vicem.

reputate cuncti,quotiens O ffensamincidat

,

spectata cui non fuerit opportunitas .

Tempus monet, ne Simmoles tus . plaudite .

X.

—PER IANDER

EPH YRA creatus huc Periander prodeo,

ueAe’m7 6 way qui dixi et dictumiamprobo,

meditat ionis esse , quod recte geras .i s quippe solus re i gerendas es t eflicax ,meditatur omne qui prius negotium.

1Op . Plautus

, Capt. Prologue , 67 : abeo. valete , indicesius tis s imi .

2 Terence,Andr. 758 .

3 2 6

TH E MASQUE OF TH E SEVEN SAGES

country that contains those Of whom you think ISpoke

,

“ the many bad .

”But no one would be s o

bad a j udge as not to attach himself to the Side Ofthe good , whether he is really good or anxious to bes o called . SO now that hated epithet “ the bad ”

takes fl ight .201 I must move Off . Farewel l and applaud

, you

who “most are good .

lX.—P ITTACUS

BORN at Mitylene, I am Le sbian Pittacus whotaught the saying y t

'

v O'Ke Ka tpOV. But this Ka tpo s

advises you to know the time , and that xa tpog iswhat IS called the timely time . Your own word toohas the same sense, as “ I amcome in time .

” Yourcomic poet al so, Terence , speaks Of time as the mostimportant o f all things

,when the Slave Dromo was

come to Antiphila choosing the right time, when she

was disengaged . Reflect, all o f you, how Often aman gets into trouble who has not watched for theright opportunity.

21 3 Time warns me not to be wearisome . Give meyour applause .

X.—PER IANDER

A SON of Ephyra, I come forward on this stage,

Periander, who said ueAe’m7 6 may , and now I make

good my saying that to do aught rightly needs carefulthought . For he alone succeeds in any business whofirst ponders the whole matter . Whether things go

3 See Terence , H eaut. 364 : in tempore ad eumveni , quodrerumomnlums t primum.

32 7

AUSONIUS

adversa rerumvel secunda praedicatmeditanda cunct is comicus Terent ius .

1

locare sedes,bellumgerere aut ponere

,

magnas modicas que re s,etiamparvas quoque

agere volentemsempermeditari decet .

nams egnio re s omnes in coept is novis,meditatio si re i gerendae de fuit .

nil e s t,quod amplioremcurampos tulet ,

quamcogitare,quid gerendumSit . dehinc

incogitante s fors , non consil iumregit .

Sed ego me ad partes iamrec ipio . plaudite,

meditando et ve s tramremcuret is publicam.

1 P hormio,24 1 f . : quomsecundas res sunt maxume , tum

maxume Meditar secumoportet quo pacto advors amaerumnamforant .

3 2 8

L IBER XIV

AUSONII DE XII CAESARIBUS

PERSUETONIUM TRANQUILLUM SCRIPTIS

[MONOSTICHA]

I.—AUSONIUS H ESPER IO F IL IO S . D .

CAESAREO S procere s, in quorumregna s ecundisconsulibus dudumRomana potentia ces s itaccipe bis senos . sua quemque monosticha signant,quorumper plenamseriemSuetonius Olimnomina, res gestas vitamque Obitumque peregit . 5

I I . —MONOSTICHA DE ORD INE IMPERATORUM

PR I MUS regalempatefecit Iulius aulamCaes ar et Augus to nomen trans crips it et arcem.

privignus post hunc regnat Nero Claudius,a quo

Caes ar, cognomen caligae cui castra dederunt.Claudius hinc pot itur regno . post quemNero saevus , 5

ultimus Aeneadum. post hunc tres,nec tribus annis

1 i . e. Gaius Caesar , nicknamed Caligula s ee Suet . Cal. ixTac . Ann. I . xli . 69 .

33°