Social Commentaries

Book I, Epigram 100: Ad Calenum avarum

by Martial c. 40–c. 104

Translated by R. Fletcher (1656) · From Ex Otio Negotium (1656)

Social Commentaries

Thou scarce hadst twenty sesterties in all,
Yet wast so bountifull, and liberall,
So richly neat (Calenus) that all wee
Thy friends did wish thee much more great to be,
Jove heard our prayers, and what we then desired,
And ere seaven months (I think) were full expired
Foure funerals bequeathd thee such a summ:
But, thou as if no Legacies had come,
But rather hadst bin robd, grewst so in care,
So basely hard, that our more sumptuous fare
That in a year thou dost provide one time
Costs thee no more then th' offal of thy coyn:
And we thy seaven old friends are by thee thought
Worth but a lead half pound if to be bought,
What mischief shall we wish that's worthy thee?
Even a thousand times more rich to bee!
If this shall happen which we pray it might,
Wretched Calenus thou wilt starve out-right.

MLA

Martial. “Book I, Epigram 100: Ad Calenum avarum.” Translated by R. Fletcher. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/martial/31/.

Chicago

Martial. “Book I, Epigram 100: Ad Calenum avarum.” Translated by R. Fletcher. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/martial/31/.

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