Social Commentaries
Book II, Epigram 75 (Ker)
Translated by Walter C. A. Ker (1919–20) · From Epigrams (Loeb, 1919–20)
A lion, wont to stand the blows of its fearless master, and with gentleness to suffer a hand thrust into its mouth, unlearned its peaceful ways; a fierceness suddenly returned greater than he should have shown even on Libyan hills. For two boys of the youthful band that was smoothing with rakes the bloody sand, the savage, ill-starred beast slew with furious fang; the sand of Mars never saw a greater crime. One may cry aloud: "Cruel, perfidious, robber, from our Roman wolf learn to spare boys!"
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Martial. “Book II, Epigram 75 (Ker).” Translated by Walter C. A. Ker. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/martial/523/.
Chicago
Martial. “Book II, Epigram 75 (Ker).” Translated by Walter C. A. Ker. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/martial/523/.
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