Social Commentaries
Book VII, Epigram 64 (Ker)
Translated by Walter C. A. Ker (1919–20) · From Epigrams (Loeb, 1919–20)
You, who had been in all the City the most noted barber, and were afterwards by your lady's bounty ° made a knight, took refuge in Sicilian cities and Etna's kingdoms, Cinnamus, avoiding the stern laws of the forum." By what art now will you, a useless creature, support the heavy years? What does that unhappy and exiled leisure do? Rhetorician, grammarian, or schoolmaster you cannot be, nor Cynic, nor yet Stoic, nor can you sell your shouts and applause to Sicilian theatres. What remains is this, Cinnamus, you will be a barber again.
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Martial. “Book VII, Epigram 64 (Ker).” Translated by Walter C. A. Ker. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/martial/952/.
Chicago
Martial. “Book VII, Epigram 64 (Ker).” Translated by Walter C. A. Ker. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/martial/952/.
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