Martial, : the twelve books of Epigrams,.

MARTIAL'S EPIGRAMS

XXI
TO POSTUMUS
SOME you embrace. Some by the hand you shake;
Which would I choose? Your hand, for mercy's sake.
XXII
ON THE SA.1ME
OH, Phoebus and ye sisters nine,
Why plague your bard? What sin is mine?
What have I done amiss
That Postumus, who distantly
Has heretofore saluted me,
Now greets me with a kiss?
XXIII
ON THE SAME
I WILL not give his name, although you press me,
Let ' Postumus ' suffice you in my verse.
He's well avenged when e'er he doth caress me;
Dare I provoke and make his vengeance worse?
XXIV
4 DIALOGUE
Candidus: If law your innocence abuse,
I'll don the gown defendants use,
And paler far my cheek shall be
Than though the danger threatened me;
If driven from our Motherland
With you I'll seek an alien strand,
For shoals and rocks are naught to dare
With you an exile's lot to share.
Martial: Well, fate has granted wealth to you.
Candidus: 'Twas meant for one and not for two.
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