Ex otio Negotium :: :: University of Virginia Library

Ye Matrons, Boyes, and Vigins neat,
To you my Page I dedicate,
Thou whom more shameless sports delight,
And naked pleasant wit, invite.
Thy fancy to my foure first books:
This fifth shall sport with Cæsar's looks.
Which great Domitian may be bold,
Before his Goddess to unfold.

Ad Vulcanum. Epig. 7.

As ruines renovate th'Assyrian nests,
When twice five ages the sols bird hath spent:
So Rome her old decrepitness digests,
Dress'd in the visage of her president.
Now (Vulcan,) I beseech forget and spare
Our greife, w'are Mars and Venus progenie:
So thy loose wife shall passe the Lemnian snare,
And in chast love affect thee patiently.

Ad Regulum de fama Poetarum. Epig. 10.

What's this? that fame to living men's denyd.
And Readers their own Lines seldom affect?
(Regulus) these are tricks of envious pride,
The present still for old things to reject.
So most ingrate wee seek old Pompey's shades,
And praise the tottered fane of Catulus.
While Maro liv'd, Ennius whole Rome invades
And Homer's age laughd him rediculous.
Crowned Menander seldom heard a shout,
Corinna her owne Naso knew alone,
O my small books nere hasten to goe out,
If praise come after death I'le not go on.

In Calistratum. Epig. 13.

Calistratus I doe confesse
I have been poor, and am no lesse,
But not obscurely base as yet,
Nor a Knight of the lowest seat.
But through the world I'me freely read,
And as I passe here's he tis said,
What dust and ashes give to some,
My life affords without a Tombe.
But thy house leans on stately props,
Thy chests inclose great silver crops,
Rich Ægypts glebes thy houshold keep,
And Parma sheare thy numerous sheep.
Thus what we are we both may see,
But what I am thou canst not be,

What thou art each plebeian may
With thy estate be any day.

In Gelliam, Epig. 17.

Whiles Gellia cryd up her Fore-fathers House,
And our low Knight-hood valued not a lowse,
While's she denied all under the Broad Key,
A Basket-bearer swept her quite away.

De Crispo, Epig. 33.

Crispus by will no doit of all his pelf
Gave to his wife: whom then? even to himself.

In Caussidicum, Epig. 34.

A Lawyer's said unknown my Book to flout,
But wo be to thee, if I finde thee out.

De Erotio, Epig. 35.

Ye Parents Fronto and Flaccilla here
To you I doe commend my Girle, my Deare,
Least pale Erotion tremble at the shades,
And the fowl Dog of Hell's prodigious heads,
Her age fullfilling just six winters was,
Had she but known so many dayes to pass.
'Mongst you old Patrons may she sport and play,
And with her lisping tongue my name oft say.
May the smooth turf her soft bones hide, and bee
O Earth as light to her as she to thee!

Quod datur non perire, Epig. 43.

A Thief may break thy Chests, and steal thy gold,
A fire consume thy Fathers House of old,
Debtors detain thy use and principal,
Thy sown seed bring thee no increase at all:
A crafty Harlot may thy Steward plunder,
Thy Ships and goods the rageing Seas sinck under:
‘What's on thy friends bestow'd is above fate:
‘Thy gifts thou still shalt have inviolate.

De Thaide & Lecania. Epig. 44.

Thais her teeth are black and nought,
Lecania's white are grown,
But what's the reason; these are bought,
The other wears her own.

De Philone, Epig. 48.

Philo nere sups at home he swears: tis true,
For not invited crib must want his due.

Ad Labienum, Epig. 50.

When (Labiene) by chance I thee did see
Sitting alone, I thought thou hadst bin three.
The number of thy baldnesse me deceivd,
For here and there thy haires I then retreivd,

Which a boy's head will hardly well become,
Upon thy crown lyes a large vacant room,
A floor wherein no hair's observ'd to bee.
Yet this December's error yeilds to thee,
That when the Emp'ror keeps his solemn day,
Thou carry'st three shares of his almes away.
Geryon I suppose was such a one,
But when thou seest Phillippus Porch, begon,
If Hercules shall spy thee th'art undone.

In Posthumum, Epig. 53.

What thou conferr'st on me I do
Remember, and shall think on too.
Why therefore doe I hold my tongue?
Cause (Posthumus) thou nere hast done.
As often as I go to treat
Of these thy gifts to them I meet,
Tis presently replyd, forbear,
He whisperd it into my eare.
Two men some things cannot doe well,
One person may suffice to tell,
And doe this work: if it may please
That I shall speak, then hold thy peace.
For prethee Posthumus believe
Though that thy gifts are great to give,
‘All thanks must perish, and are lost
‘When Authors their own actions boast.

Ad Bassum, Epig. 54.

My Bassus why? why dost thou write
Thyestes Feast? Medea's flight?
What hast to doe with Niobe?
Or Troys remains Andromache?
Deucalion's feat's a theam more fit,
Or Phaethon's to share thy wit.

Ad Lupum, Epig. 57.

Lupus is careful, and of me doth crave
To know what Master for his Son to have?
I give thee warning all Grammarians shun,
And Rhetoricians too: then out upon
Tullie's and Uirgill's barren books and name,
Leave old Tutilius to enjoy his fame.
If he makes verse? expell the Poet streight,
But if he fancy Arts of richer weight,
Let him turn Fidler, or a Minstrel bee,
But if he's dull of ingenuitie?
Make him a noble publique Citty Cryer,
Or famous Architect that works by squire.

Ad Posthumum Epig. 59.

To morrow Posthumus, to morrow still
Thou sayst thou'lt live: but Posthumus when will
That morrow come? how far? where to be found?
Is't in the Parthian, or Armenian ground?

Or can that morrow Priam's age out-boast?
Or Nestor's? tell what will that morrow cost?
Thou'lt live to morrow? this days life's too late,
Hee's wise that liv'd before the present date.

Ad Detractorem, Epig. 91.

Though thou dost bark against me still
With bitter yelpings of ill will,
That fame shall sure thee be denyed
In my books to be notified,
Though tis desired of old by thee
Through the world to be read with mee.
For why should men know thou hast bin?
Obscurely perish in thy fin.
Yet peradventure there may bee
In this great Citty two or three
A dogs skin that would dain to gnaw,
That scab my nails shall never claw.

In Marianum, Epig. 92.

Who is that Crispulus? (my Marian)
That sticks so to thy wife? what is he man?
I know not what that prattles in her eare?
And leans with his right elboe on her chaire?
Through all whose fingers her light ring doe run?
Whose smoother legs no rough haire growes upon?

Reply'st thou not? he's one thou dost confesse
That doth solicite thy wife's businesse.
A sharp observant lad, that wears the Proctor
Lock'd in his looks, more strict than an old Doctor?
How worthy thou deserv'st stage buffets thus?
Or to succeed old blind Panniclus?
Crispulus doe thy wife's work? he does none;
Tis not thy wife's he does, but 'tis thy own.

Ad suos ministros, Epig. 65.

Callistus fill four cups of muscadine,
And in coole snow my boy dissolve the wine.
Let my moyst hair grow rich with perfurme sweats,
And tyre my brows with rose-bud coronets.
The royal tombes commands us live: since they
Teach that the very gods themselves decay.

Id Pontilianum, Epig. 67.

Pontilian nere salutes till after mee:
So his farwel will everlasting bee.

De origine Bacchi, 73.

He that affirmes Jove, Bacchus mother, may
Prove Semele his Father the same way.

Ad Theodorem, Epig. 74.

Why I nere give my books to thee
Desiring, and beseeching mee,
Dost wonder Theodore? the cause is cleare,
That thine to me may not appeare.

De Pompeio, Epig. 75.

Great Pompey's Sons Europe and Asia both
Interr, Lybia himselfe, if any doth?
What wonder through the world to see him slain;
So great a fall one field could not contain.

Ad Quinctum, Epig. 76.

(Quinctus) why Lælia married is to thee?
Tis only once legitimate to bee.

Ad Cinnam, Epig. 77.

Oft drinking poyson prepared Mithridate,
No venom could his brains intoxicate:
So Cinna by bad meales so fixd doth grow,
Hunger cannot prevail to starve him now.

Ad Æmilianum, Epig. 76.

If thou art poor Æmilian?
Thou shalt be ever so.
For no man now their presents can
But on the rich bestow.