Marcus Valerius Martialis
1st-2nd c. AD (over 1,900 years ago)
Trans. RMBullard
Latin (Silver Age)
Cosconi, qui longa putas epigrammata nostra, utilis unguendis axibus esse potes.
(Cosconus, who thinks my epigrams long-winded, you can be handy in greasing axle-wheels;)
hac tu credideris longum ratione Colosson et puerum Bruti dixeris esse brevem.
(By this same logic, you could believe that the Colossus is tall, and you could say that Brutus' son is short;)
disce quod ignoras:
(Teach something you don't know:)
Marsi doctique Pedonis saepe duplex unum pagina tractat opus.
(The two-sided page of Marsus and wise Pedon often accompanies a single work;)
non sunt longa quibus nihil est quod demere possis, sed tu, Cosconi, disticha longa facis.
(There aren't any long distichs, from which there's nothing you could take anything away, but you, Cosconus, make lengthy two-liners.)
