University of Virginia Library

Lib. 4.

De Natali Domitiani Epig. 1.

This is great Cæsar's day, and far above
That wherein Ide produced mighty Jove.
Mayst thou come long! and and Nestor's years fullfill,
And with this, or a better face, shine still.
May he adore his Sea-god in rich gold,
And let his hands great Jove's tree still infold!
May he enjoy the Serpent-ages long,
Such as Terentus consecrates in song!
Tis much we ask, ye Gods, but to us due,
And since tis Cæsar, what is much to you?

Ad Faustinum Epig. 10.

Whiles that thy book is new and rough, and feares
To have its undryed page took by the ears,
Goe boy, present this small gift to my friend,
He that deserves my toys at the first end:
Run, but yet let the sponge accompanie
The book, for it becomes each gift from mee.
Faustinus tis not many blots we say,
Can mend my merry flashes, one blot may.

In Thaidem Epig. 12.

Thais denyes no man: If no shame thence spring?
Yet let this shame thee, to deny no-thing.

De Nuptiis Pudentis & Claudiæ Epig. 13.

Strange, Claudia's married to a friend of mine,
O Hymen be thou ready with thy Pine!
Thus the rare Cinnamons with the Spicknard joyne:
And the Thesean sweets, with massick wine.
Nor bettor doe the Elm and Vine embrace,
Nor the Lote tree affect the fenny place.
Nor yet the Myrtles more
Love and desire the shore.
Let a perpetual peace surround thy bed,
And may their loves with equall fire be fed!
May she so love him old, that to him shee,
Though old indeed, may not seem so to bee.

De Selio Epig. 21.

Selius affirnes there are no gods,
And that the heavens are voyd:
And well he proves what he avers,
Whiles he lives undestroyd.

De Cleopatra Epig. 22.

The virgin danger pass'd, the Bride enraged,
Sweet Cleopatra to be disengaged
And, scarce mine armes dives in the baths most cleare:
But the kind waters soon betrayd her there,
For though thus hid her glories did appeare,
Like to soft Lillies in a christal grave,
Or Roses closed in Gemms no cover have;
With that I div'd, and cropd the strugling kisses,
Ye glittering streames forbad the other blisses.

Ad Fabianum Epig. 24.

Lycoris kills up all his wives apace,
I would he had my wife in the same chace!

Ad Hyppodamum, Epig. 31.

Cause thou desirest to be read and named
So in my books, as by it to be famed,
Let me not live the thing much pleases mee,
And in my lines I would insert thee free,
But that thy name is so averse to all
The Muses, which thy Mother did thee call,
Which nor Melpom'ne, nor Poly'mnia may
Nor sweet Calliope with Phœbus say.
Adopt thee then some grateful name to us,
How wretchedly this sounds? Hyppodamus?

De Ape electro inclusa, Epig. 32.

Shining and yet shut up in th'amber drop,
The Bee as clos'd in its own waxe did lye,
Of all her labours reaping this the crop:
It's credible she fancied thus to dye.

Ad Gallum, Epig. 38.

Galla deny: love's glutted if the joy
At first doe not seem coy:
But Galla yet take care least you deny
Too long, and fancy dy.

Ad Colinum, Epig. 54.

O thou to whom tis free to wear Jov's Tree,
And with his first leaves honoured to bee,
If thou art wise, enjoy thy days repast,
Colinus think the present still the last:
The fatal Sisters grant no wish'd delay
To any, but observe the destin'd day.
Wert thou more rich than Crispus, constanter
Then Thrasea's self, more free than Melior,
Lachesis adds no tow, the spindles be
Unwound, the thred's cut by one of three.

In Gargillianum, Epig. 56.

Cause thou bestow'st vast gifts on aged men,
And widdows struck in years, Gargilian,
Wouldst have me call thee bountiful for this?
Nothing's more base than thou, nought more vile is.
Which mayst thy gifts thine ambuscadoes call,
So the false hooks indulge the fishes fall,
So the sly bayt traps silly beasts and all,
Knowst thou not how to give? how to be free?
I'le teach thee then Gargilian: give to mee.

De vipera electro inclusa, Epig. 59.

Whiles up the Viper climbes the weeping boughs,
The amber drop the strugling beast ore flowes,
Wondring to see himself in rich dew found,
The freezing gemm inclosed him quickly round.
Boast not then Cleopatra of thy Tombe
Since a Snake lyes in a more noble room.

De Curiatio, Epig. 60.

Ardea in the solstice we desire,
And baths the Cleonæan Star doth heat,
Bur Curiatius death condemns their sweat,
Since in those praised streames he did expire,
‘No place excludes the fates: when death shall come,
‘Sardinia is in the midst of Rome.

Ad Quinctum, Epig. 72.

Quinctus requires I should give him my books:
I have them not, at Tryphon's he may speed:
Shall I buy toys (quoth he) with sober looks?
And verse? I'me not so mad: nor I indeed.

In Zoilum invidum, Epig. 77.

I never askd the gods for gold,
Content with mean things, and my own,
Now povety let me be bold
I ask thee pardon to be gone.
But what is the cause of this vote for pelf;
I would see Zoilus hanging of himself.

In Uarum, Epig. 78.

Uarus did lately me to supper call,
The furniture was rich, the Feast but small:
The Table's spread with plate, not meat: they put
Much to accost the eyes, nought for the gut.
We came to feast our bellies, not our eyes:
Pray take away your gold, give us some Pyes.

In Afrum, Epig. 79.

Now that the sixtieth harvest thou hast known,
And that thy face with snow is over-grown
Thou runn'st through all the Citty, every seat,
And bringst thine Ave in a toylsome sweat,
Nor can a man salute a Tribune free,
There's never a Consul can be rid of thee.
To Cæsar's House thou walkst ten times a day,
And talkst of nothing less than Courtiers gay,
(Afer) tis bad in Boyes that go to School,
Nought's more absurd than an old medling fool.

De Bassa, Epig. 88.

Thy Bassa's used to place a childe up by her,
And calls it her delight her pretty pinck:
Yet loves no childe, which thou mayst more admire,
What then's the cause? why, Bassa's wont to stinck.