Living
Epigram XXIV. — On the Man who pitilessly tried to break in pieces a human Skull
Translated by Hugh G. Evelyn-White (1919–21) · From Book XIX. — Epigrams of Ausonius on Various Matters
The bare skull of an unburied man lay cast away where three roads met — a bald thing now stripped of skin. Other men wept: by weeping all unmoved, Achilas even struck and cleft it with a stone. And so the avenging stone, glancing from the skull, flew back and caught the face and eyes of him who threw it. So may an impious hand ever aim its deadly blows, that the weapon may rebound and smite the wielder.
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Ausonius, Decimus Magnus. “Epigram XXIV. — On the Man who pitilessly tried to break in pieces a human Skull.” Translated by Hugh G. Evelyn-White. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/ausonius/227/.
Chicago
Ausonius, Decimus Magnus. “Epigram XXIV. — On the Man who pitilessly tried to break in pieces a human Skull.” Translated by Hugh G. Evelyn-White. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/ausonius/227/.
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More by Decimus Magnus Ausonius
- Ephemeris II. — The Interlude
- Professors XXIV. — To Acilius Glabrio the Younger, of Bordeaux, a Grammarian
- Eclogue XXV. — These Verses of Quintus Cicero are intended to show us at what Season each Constellation is shining, a subject which I have also explained in a previous Poem
- Epistle VI. — An Invitation to Paulus
- Epigram XLVIII. — An outlandish Medley to a marble Statue of Liber Pater in my Country House, having the attributes of various gods