Martial, : the twelve books of Epigrams,.

MARTIAL'S EPIGRAMS

Go armed, my slave. As comrade for the Cbook
Take this large sponge, a fitting gift to send.
A pen might not avail to mend each joke,
But this can do it at a single stroke.
* XI
TO ANTONIUS SA TURNINUS, A REVOLTING
GOVERN OR
THE name of Saturninus you refused,
And in vain pride Antonius only used,
When 'neath the northern Bear you roused such strife,
As he who warred with his Egyptian wife.
Hadst thou forgotten, wretch, thy namesake's fate
Crushed by God's vengeance in the Actian strait,
Or did Rhine promise what the Nile ne'er gave?
Didst think more might was in the Arctic wave?
Antony beneath our swords his lot did rue;
And he a Caesar was compared to you.
* XII
THE UNIVERSAL PROVIDER
AT night no man do you refuse,
And what is worse, dear Nancy,
There's nothing you refuse to do,
\Whatever be his fancy.
XIII
-AN EP1THALA.4 II UM
PUDENS to-day his Claudia doth claim
In love united,
A blessing, Hymen, on the twofold flame
Thy torch hath lighted.
These are as honey poured in rarest wine;
Could aught be meeter?
Not cinnamon with spikenard could combine
In fragrance sweeter.
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