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Friday, March 11, 2011

Martial, Epigram 10.68

Epigrammaton Martialis X.68

by Rob Bullard on Sunday, September 9, 2007 at 6:51pm
Marcus Valerius Martialis
1st-2nd c. AD (over 1,900 years ago)
Trans. RMBullard
Latin (Silver Age)

Cum tibi non Ephesos nec sit Rhodos aut Mitylene, sed domus in vico, Laelia, Patricio, deque coloratis numquam lita mater Etruscis, durus Aricina de regione pater ;
(Although you have no home in Ephesus or Rhodes or Mitylene, but one on Patrician Street, Laelia, your moody mother never sprung from painted Tuscany, or your stern father from the Aricinian region;)

κυριε μου, μελι μου, ψυχη μου congeris usque, pro pudor! Hersiliae civis et Egeriae.
(You should have gather these words together: “My master, my darling, my soul”, for shame! A citizen of Hersilia and Egeria;)

lectulus has voces, nec lectulus audiat omnis, sed quem lascivo stravit amica viro.
(A little marriage bed might not hear these words, or any marriage bed: only one that a girlfriend has prepared for her lustful hubby;)

scire cupis quo casta modo matrona loqauris?
(Do you want to know how you, a chaste matron, should speak?)

numquid, quae crisat, blandior esse potest?
(Can she not be able to be more charming, the girl who is subtle?)

tu licet ediscas totam referasque Corinthon, non tamen omnino, Laelia, Lais eris.
(You can teach the whole language and bring back Corinth, but still, Laelia, you never be a Lais in any respect.)