Martial, : the twelve books of Epigrams,.

MARTIAL'S EPIGRAMS
Many of the two-line pieces in particular reach perfection
within their limited sphere, and defy translation. To
take one simple example, no better and no worse than a
score of similar cases-(Bk. I, xxviii):
hesterno fetere mero qui credit Acerram
fallitur: in lucem semper Acerra bibit.
"If you think it is yesterday's wine smells so strong
On Acerra, you're wrong.
Acerra this morning was still drinking deep,
While you were asleep."
An English translation may give the sense, but owing
to the character of our language it cannot reproduce the
finer points of sound and position of words on which
Martial depends for his effect. In his epigram the vital
points are the position of hesterno and fallitur, and the
sound of the syllable-er-six times repeated in the two
lines; and these must almost inevitably disappear.
Still the joke remains, and although slight, it is a good
one, as chance once proved to me many years ago when
I was a master at a certain public school on the south
coast. I had been spending the night at the club and
was returning home about 3 A.M. one bright summer
morning, when, to my joy, I met my colleague, the
Reverend Mr X., who was in the habit of rising with the
sun to enjoy a walk over the downs. To ask him to take
my form to-morrow and to be assured of his willingness
was the work of a moment, and I went on to sleep the
sleep of the just. About half-past nine, however, my
landlady ushered the school porter into my bedroom" There's no one with your lads, sir, and they're making
a bit of a noise ". Jumping up in haste I ran across and
reproached my friend with his breach of trust. " My
dear boy ", said he, " you asked me to take them tomorrow ". I was forced to apologize, and since then I
have always regarded this epigram with especial respect.
F. A. W.

xiv