Social Commentaries
Book IV, Epigram 71 (Ker)
Translated by Walter C. A. Ker (1919–20) · From Epigrams (Loeb, 1919–20)
I have long been looking all through the city, Safronius Rufus, for a girl who says "No ": no girl says" No." As if it were not right, as if it were disgraceful to say "No," as if it were not allowable, no girl says" No." Is none therefore chaste? A thousand are chaste. What, then, does a chaste girl do? She does not offer, yet she does not say "No."
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Martial. “Book IV, Epigram 71 (Ker).” Translated by Walter C. A. Ker. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/martial/701/.
Chicago
Martial. “Book IV, Epigram 71 (Ker).” Translated by Walter C. A. Ker. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/martial/701/.
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