Social Commentaries

Book V, Epigram 38 (Ker)

by Martial c. 40–c. 104

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

Social Commentaries

Calliodorus has — who does not know it? — a knight's estate, Sextus, but Calliodorus also has a brother. You, who say "Divide four hundred," go, halve a fig: on one horse do you think that two can sit? What have you to do with your brother, what with troublesome Pollux? If you had had no Pollux, you would have been Castor. Although you two are one, will you, Calliodorus, sit as two? Get up! You are guilty of a solecism, Calliodorus. Or else copy the sons of Leda — you can't sit with your brother — sit alternately, Calliodorus.

This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.

MLA

Martial. “Book V, Epigram 38 (Ker).” Translated by Walter C. A. Ker. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/martial/757/.

Chicago

Martial. “Book V, Epigram 38 (Ker).” Translated by Walter C. A. Ker. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/martial/757/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Martial