Epigram V. — To a Man with a discordant Voice

Whelps' barking, horses' neighing thou dost copy, and imitate the bleating of herds of goats and woolly flocks, and a man would say asses were braying, when thou, Marcus, wouldst mimic the Arcadian herd. The cock's crow, the raven's throaty caw and whatever cry is uttered by beast or bird — though these thou canst imitate so naturally that no one believes them feigned, thou canst not command the sound of the human voice.