Social Commentaries
Book IV, Epigram 11 (Ker)
Translated by Walter C. A. Ker (1919–20) · From Epigrams (Loeb, 1919–20)
While, swollen with pride, you rejoiced o'ermuch in an empty name, and were ashamed, wretched man, to be Saturninus, you awoke such impious war under the Northern Bear as he awoke who wore his Pharian consort's arms. Had you so forgotten the doom of this name, which the heavy wrath of Actium's strait o'erwhelmed? Or did Rhine promise you what Nile gave not to him, and should larger rights have been given to Polar seas? Even that famous Antony fell beneath our arms, and he, traitor, compared with you, was a Caesar.
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Martial. “Book IV, Epigram 11 (Ker).” Translated by Walter C. A. Ker. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/martial/643/.
Chicago
Martial. “Book IV, Epigram 11 (Ker).” Translated by Walter C. A. Ker. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/martial/643/.
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