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Article: THE POET'S LIFE: FROM MARTIAL'S EPIGRAMS.(Brief Article)(Poem)
- Article from:
- Poetry
- Article date:
- April 1, 2001
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2001 Modern Poetry Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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I.II0
"Much too long" you say, Velox, censorious,
Of my epigrams--that's quite uproarious.
You write none. Your brevity is glorious.
Scribere me quereris, Velox, epigrammata longa.
ipse nihil scribis: tu breviora facis?
VI.60
For my small books Rome's gone utterly mad;
I'm quite ubiquitous--call it a fad.
Look, there--see-that fellow, leafing, curious.
First he blushes deeply, then he's furious;
A moment later his eyes glaze over;
He yawns, flips a page, then reels in horror.
This mercurial response I thrill to see;
Why, then my epigrams even please me!
Laudat, amat, cantat nostros mea Roma libellos,
meque ...