Epist. 1.16.1Nē percontēris, fundus meus, optime Quīnctī,
arvō pāscat erum an bācīs opulentet olīvae,
pōmīsne an prātīs an amicta vītibus ulmō,
scrībētur tibi fōrma loquāciter et situs agrī.Lest you should ask, excellent Quinctius, whether my farm feeds its master with ploughland or enriches him with the berries of the olive, with apples or meadows or the elm clothed with vines, the shape and situation of the land will be described to you at length. Epist. 1.16.5Continuī montēs, nī dissocientur opācā
valle, sed ut veniēns dextrum latus aspiciat sōl,
laevum discēdēns currū fugiente vapōret.Mountains, unbroken except that they are parted by a shady valley, but such that the sun as it comes looks on its right side, and warms the left as it departs in its fleeing chariot. Epist. 1.16.8Temperiem laudēs, quid sī rubicunda benignī
corna veprēs et prūna ferant?You would praise the mild climate; what if the bushes generously bear red cornels and plums? Epist. 1.16.9Sī quercus et īlex
10multā frūge pecus, multa dominum iuvet umbra?If oak and holm-oak delight the flock with much fruit, the master with much shade?
Epist. 1.16.11Dīcās adductum propius frondēre Tarentum,
fōns etiam rīvō dare nōmen idōneus, ut nec
frīgidior Thrācam nec pūrior ambiat Hebrus,
īnfirmō capitī fluit ūtilis, ūtilis alvō.You would say Tarentum had been brought nearer, green with leaves. There is a spring, too, fit to give its name to a stream, so that not even the Hebrus winding through Thrace is cooler or purer; it flows, helpful for an ailing head, helpful for the stomach. Epist. 1.16.15Hae latebrae dulcēs, etiam, sī crēdis, amoenae,
incolumem tibi mē praestant Septembribus hōrīs.This sweet retreat, and even, if you believe me, lovely, keeps me safe for you in the hours of September. Epist. 1.16.17Tū rēctē vīvis, sī cūrās esse quod audīs,
iactāmus iam prīdem omnis tē Rōma beātum;You live rightly, if you take care to be what you are called. All of us, all Rome, have long been calling you happy; Epist. 1.16.19sed vereor nē cui dē tē plūs quam tibi crēdās,
20nēve putēs alium sapiente bonōque beātum,
neu, sī tē populus sānum rēctēque valentem
dictitet, occultam febrem sub tempus ēdendī
dissimulēs, dōnec manibus tremor incidat ūnctīs.but I fear you may believe another about yourself more than yourself, or think that anyone other than the wise and good man is happy, or that, if the people keep calling you sound and in good health, you may hide a lurking fever near dinner time, until a trembling falls upon your greasy hands.
Epist. 1.16.24Stultōrum incūrāta pudor malus ulcera cēlat.It is the false shame of fools that conceals untreated sores. Epist. 1.16.25Sī quis bella tibi terrā pugnāta marīque
dīcat et hīs verbīs vacuās permulceat aurīs:
"tenē magis salvum populus velit an populum tū,
servet in ambiguō, quī cōnsulit et tibi et urbī,
Iuppiter," Augustī laudēs agnōscere possīs:
30cum pateris sapiēns ēmendātusque vocārī,
respondēsne tuō, dīc sōdēs, nōmine?If someone were to speak of wars fought by you on land and sea and soothe your idle ears with these words: 'May Jupiter, who watches over both you and the city, keep it in doubt whether the people wish you safe more, or you the people,' you could recognise the praises of Augustus: when you allow yourself to be called wise and faultless, do you, tell me please, answer to your own name? Epist. 1.16.31"Nempe
vir bonus et prūdēns dīcī dēlector ego ac tū."'Of course I like to be called a good and prudent man, as you do.' Epist. 1.16.33Quī dedit hoc hodiē, crās, sī volet, auferet, ut sī
dētulerit fascēs indignō, dētrahet īdem.He who gave this today will take it away tomorrow, if he wishes, just as, if he has conferred the fasces on an unworthy man, he will likewise pull them away.
Epist. 1.16.35Pōne, meum est inquit: pōnō trīstisque recēdō.'Put it down, it's mine,' he says: I put it down and withdraw sadly. Epist. 1.16.36Īdem sī clāmet fūrem, neget esse pudīcum,
contendat laqueō collum pressisse paternum,
mordear opprobriīs falsīs mūtemque colōrēs?If the same people shout 'thief', deny that I am chaste, maintain that I have strangled my father with a noose, should I be stung by false reproaches and change colour? Epist. 1.16.39Falsus honor iuvat et mendāx īnfāmia terret
40quem nisi mendōsum et medicandum ?Whom does false honour delight and lying infamy frighten, but the man who is faulty and in need of cure? Epist. 1.16.40Vir bonus est quis?Who is a good man? Epist. 1.16.41"Quī cōnsulta patrum, quī lēgēs iūra que, servat
quō multae magnae que secantur, iūdice lītēs
quō rēs spōnsōre et quō causae."testetenentur'He who keeps the decrees of the Fathers, the laws and rights, by whose judgement many great lawsuits are settled, by whose surety property and by whose testimony cases are held secure.' Epist. 1.16.44Sed videt hunc omnis domus et vīcīnia tōta
45intrōrsum turpem, speciōsum pelle decōrā.But his whole household and all the neighbourhood see him foul within, though handsome in his fine skin.
Epist. 1.16.46Nec fūrtum fēcī nec fūgī, sī mihi dīcat
servus, habēs pretium, lōrīs nōn ūreris, āiō.If a slave says to me, 'I have not stolen nor run away,' I reply, 'You have your reward, you are not burned with lashes.' Epist. 1.16.48Nōn hominem occīdī: nōn pāscēs in cruce corvōs.'I have not killed a man.' 'You will not feed the crows on a cross.' Epist. 1.16.49Sum bonus et frūgī : renuit negitatque Sabellus.'I am good and honest.' The Sabine shakes his head and keeps saying no. Epist. 1.16.50Cautus enim metuit foveam lupus accipiterque
suspectōs laqueōs et opertum mīluus hāmum,
ōdērunt peccāre bonī virtūtis amōre,
tū nihil admittēs in tē formīdine poenae:
sit spēs fallendī, miscēbis sacra profānīs.For the wary wolf fears the pit, the hawk the suspected snares, and the kite-fish the hidden hook. Good men hate to do wrong from love of virtue; you will commit no wrong for fear of punishment: let there be hope of escaping notice, and you will mix sacred with profane. Epist. 1.16.55Nam dē mīlle fabae modiīs cum surripis ūnum,
damnum est, nōn facinus, mihi pactō lēnius istō.For when you steal one out of a thousand bushels of beans, my loss, on those terms, is lighter, but not your crime.
Epist. 1.16.57Vir bonus, omne forum quem spectat et omne tribūnal,
quandōcumque deōs vel porcō vel bove plācat, Iāne pater!The good man, whom the whole forum and every tribunal watches, whenever he propitiates the gods with a pig or an ox, 'Father Janus!' Epist. 1.16.59Clārē, clārē cum dīxit, Apollo!when he has said it clearly, and clearly 'Apollo!', Epist. 1.16.60Labra movet metuēns audīrī: "pulchra Laverna,
dā mihi fallere, dā iūstō sānctōque vidērī,
noctem peccātīs et fraudibus obice nūbem."he moves his lips, afraid of being heard: 'Lovely Laverna, grant me to deceive, grant me to seem just and holy, throw night over my sins and a cloud over my frauds.' Epist. 1.16.63Quī melior servō, quī līberior sit avārus,
in triviīs fīxum cum sē dēmittit ob assem,
65nōn videō;How the miser is better than a slave, how he is freer, when he stoops down at the crossroads for a penny fixed there, I do not see; Epist. 1.16.65nam quī cupiet, metuet quoque;for he who desires will also fear; Epist. 1.16.65porrō,
quī metuēns vīvet, līber mihi nōn erit umquam,
perdidit arma, locum Virtūtis dēseruit, quī
semper in augendā festīnat et obruitur rē.and further, he who lives in fear will never be free in my eyes. He has lost his arms, deserted Virtue's post, who is always hurrying and swamped in increasing his wealth.
Epist. 1.16.69Vēndere cum possīs captīvum, occīdere nōlī;Since you can sell a captive, do not kill him; Epist. 1.16.70serviet ūtiliter;he will serve usefully; Epist. 1.16.70sine pāscat dūrus aretque,
nāviget ac mediīs hiemet mercātor in undīs,
annōnae prōsit, portet frūmenta penusque.let him graze flocks and plough as a hardy labourer, let him sail as a trader and winter amid the waves, help the grain supply, carry corn and provisions. Epist. 1.16.73Vir bonus et sapiēns audēbit dīcere: "Pentheu,
rēctor Thēbārum, quid mē perferre patīque
75indignum cōgēs?"The good and wise man will dare to say: 'Pentheus, ruler of Thebes, what unworthy thing will you force me to bear and suffer?' Epist. 1.16.75Adimam bona.'I shall take away your goods.' Epist. 1.16.75"Nempe pecus, rem,
lectōs, argentum: tollās licet."'You mean my cattle, my property, couches, silver: you may take them.' Epist. 1.16.76"In manicīs et
compedibus saevō tē sub custōde tenēbō."'I shall keep you in handcuffs and fetters under a cruel jailer.' Epist. 1.16.78Ipse deus, simul atque volam, mē solvet.'The god himself, as soon as I wish, will set me free.' Epist. 1.16.78Opīnor,
hoc sentit moriar.I think he means this: 'I shall die.' Epist. 1.16.79Mors ultima līnea rērum est.Death is the final line of things.