Social Commentaries

Book IX, Epigram 8 (Ker)

by Martial c. 40–c. 104

Translated by Walter C. A. Ker (1919–20) · From Epigrams (Loeb, 1919–20)

Social Commentaries

As if it v/ere small injury to our sex to prostitute our males to pollution by the people, the cradle was but now so the pander's own that a boy snatched from his mother's breast begged with infant wail for sordid coin; bodies immature suffered unutterable outrage. The Father of Italy could not endure such enormities, even he who of late succoured tender youths, that cruel lust might not make barren men. Boys loved thee before, and young men, and aged sires; but now infants, too, love thee, Caesar.

This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.

MLA

Martial. “Book IX, Epigram 8 (Ker).” Translated by Walter C. A. Ker. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/martial/1075/.

Chicago

Martial. “Book IX, Epigram 8 (Ker).” Translated by Walter C. A. Ker. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/martial/1075/.

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