Professors XVIII. — To Marcellus Son of Marcellus, the Grammarian of Narbonne

I WILL not pass you by without a word Marcellus, son of Marcellus. The harshness of your mother drove you from your home and your city, but all-powerful Fortune soon restored all you had lost and added more. For firstly, in Narbo you found the country you had lost; and here Clarentius, a stranger of high birth, was led by your noble nature to give you his daughter to wife. And in due time your classes and lectures, thronged with crowds of boys, brought you the title of grammarian and wealth. But Fortune never favours a career of unvarying success, especially when she finds a man of a crooked nature. Howbeit, 'tis not for me to make heavier your destiny: my task is to recall it. It is enough to say that you lost all at one stroke; yet not your title also, whereof I do not rob you, but give you a place amongst grammarians of very scant deserving.