Epist. 1.20.1Vertumnum Iānumque, līber, spectāre vidēris,
scīlicet ut prōstēs Sōsiōrum pūmice mundus.You seem, my book, to be looking towards Vertumnus and Janus, no doubt so that you may be put on sale, smoothed by the Sosii's pumice. Epist. 1.20.3Ōdistī clāvīs et grāta sigilla pudīcō;You hate the keys and seals dear to the modest; Epist. 1.20.4paucīs ostendī gemis et commūnia laudās,
5nōn ita nūtrītus, fuge quō dēscendere gestīs.you groan at being shown to few and praise public places, though you were not brought up so. Run off where you long to go down. Epist. 1.20.6Nōn erit ēmissō reditus tibi.Once you are let out, there will be no return for you. Epist. 1.20.6"Quid miser ēgī?'What have I done, wretch that I am? Epist. 1.20.7Quid voluī?"What did I want?' Epist. 1.20.7Dīcēs, ubi quis tē laeserit, et scīs
in breve tē cōgī, cum plēnus languet amātor.you will say, when someone hurts you, and you know that you are rolled up tight when your sated lover grows languid. Epist. 1.20.9Quod sī nōn odiō peccantis dēsipit augur,
10cārus eris Rōmae, dōnec tē dēserat aetās;But if the augur is not made foolish by resentment at your offence, you will be dear at Rome until your youth deserts you; Epist. 1.20.11contrectātus ubi manibus sordēscere volgī
coeperis, aut tineās pāscēs taciturnus inertīs
aut fugiēs Uticam aut vinctus mittēris Ilerdam.when, handled by the hands of the crowd, you have begun to grow grubby, either you will silently feed idle moths, or you will run away to Utica, or be sent bound to Ilerda.
Epist. 1.20.14Rīdēbit monitor nōn exaudītus, ut ille
15quī male pārentem in rūpēs prōtrūsit asellum
īrātus: quis enim invītum servāre labōret?Your adviser, unheeded, will laugh, like that man who angrily pushed his disobedient donkey over the cliffs: for who would toil to save someone against his will? Epist. 1.20.17Hoc quoque tē manet, ut puerōs elementa docentem
occupet extrēmīs in vīcīs balba senectūs.This too awaits you, that stammering old age will come upon you teaching boys their letters in the outlying streets. Epist. 1.20.19Cum tibi sōl tepidus plūrīs admōverit aurīs,
20mē lībertīnō nātum patre et in tenuī rē
maiōrēs pinnās nīdō extendisse loquēris,
ut quantum generī dēmās virtūtibus addās;When the mild sun has brought you more listeners, you will tell them that I, born of a freedman father and in slender means, spread wings too big for my nest, so that what you take from my birth you may add to my merits; Epist. 1.20.23mē prīmīs urbis bellī placuisse domīque,
corporis exiguī, praecānum.that I pleased the first men of the city in war and at home; that I was of small stature, prematurely grey.
Epist. 1.20.24Sōlibus aptum,
25īrāscī celerem, tamen ut plācābilis essem.fond of the sun, quick to anger, yet easily appeased. Epist. 1.20.26Forte meum sī quis tē percontābitur aevum,
mē quater ūndēnōs sciat implēvisse Decembrīs,
collēgam Lepidum quō dūxit Lollius annō.If anyone happens to ask you my age, let him know that I completed four times eleven Decembers in the year when Lollius took Lepidus as his colleague.