1I happened to be walking along the Sacred Way, as is my habit, musing on some trifle or other, wholly absorbed in it: up runs a man known to me only by name, and seizing my hand: 'How are you, dearest of fellows?' 'Pleasantly, as things are now,' I say, 'and I wish you all you desire.' When he kept following, 'Is there anything you want?' I get in first. 6But he says, 'You must get to know me; 7I'm a man of letters.' At this I say, 'For that I shall value you the more.' Wretchedly trying to get away, I now walk faster, now at times stop and say something or other in my slave boy's ear, while sweat trickled down to the bottom of my ankles.
11'O Bolanus, lucky in your hot temper!' I kept saying silently, while he chattered on about anything at all, praised the streets, the city. 13As I made him no reply, 'You're dying to get away,' he says: 'I've seen it for a long time; 15but you're getting nowhere: I'll stick with you all the way; 16I'll follow you from here to wherever you're heading now.' 'There's no need for you to be dragged about: I want to visit someone you don't know; 18he is ill in bed far across the Tiber, near Caesar's gardens.' 'I've nothing to do and I'm no slouch: I'll follow you all the way.' I let my ears droop, like a sulky donkey when a heavier load has come down on his back.
21He begins: 'If I know myself well, you won't count Viscus or Varius a greater friend than me; 23for who can write more verses than I, or more quickly? 24Who can move his limbs more gracefully? 25And I sing in a way that even Hermogenes might envy.' Here was a chance to break in: 'Have you a mother, relatives, who depend on your well-being?' 'Not a soul. 28I've buried them all.' 'Lucky them. 28Now I am left. 29Finish me off; 29for the sad fate is upon me which an old Sabine woman sang for me as a boy, after shaking her divining urn: "Neither dire poisons nor the enemy's sword shall carry this one off, nor pain in the side nor cough nor slow gout: a chatterbox shall one day consume him: if he is wise, let him avoid talkers, as soon as he comes of age."' 35We had come to Vesta's temple, a quarter of the day already past, and as it happened he was then bound by his bail to appear in court, and if he did not, to lose his case.
38'If you love me,' he says, 'stand by me here a little.' 'May I die if I have the strength to stand or know anything of civil law; 40and I'm hurrying where you know.' 'I'm in two minds what to do,' he says, 'whether to leave you or my case.' 'Me, please.' 'I won't,' says he, and begins to lead the way; 42I, since it is hard to contend with one's conqueror, follow. 43'How do you and Maecenas get on?' he starts again from here. 44'A man of few friends and of very sound judgement.' 'No one has used his luck more cleverly. 45You would have a great helper, one who could play second part, if you were willing to introduce this man here: may I perish if you would not have swept everyone aside.' 'We don't live there on the terms you think; 49there is no house cleaner than this, or more free from such evils; 50it does me no harm, I tell you, that one man is richer or more learned than I; 51each has his own place.' 'You tell a great tale, scarcely credible.' 'And yet so it is.' 'You make me all the keener to be close to him.' 'You have only to wish it: such is your merit, you will take him by storm: and he is a man who can be won, and that is why he makes the first approaches difficult.' 'I shan't fail myself: I'll bribe his slaves with presents; 57if I'm shut out today, I shan't give up; 58I'll look for opportunities, meet him at the crossroads, escort him home.
59Life has given nothing to mortals without great toil.' While he is going on like this, look, Aristius Fuscus comes up, a dear friend of mine, and one who knew the fellow well. 62We stop. 62'Where are you coming from and where are you going?' he asks, and answers in turn. 63I began to pluck at him and to squeeze his quite unresponsive arms with my hand, nodding, rolling my eyes, for him to rescue me. 65The cruel joker laughed and pretended not to understand; 66bile was burning my liver. 67'Surely you said there was something you wanted to talk to me about in private.' 'I remember well, but I'll tell you at a better time; 69today is the thirtieth, a Sabbath: would you want to affront the circumcised Jews?' 'I have no scruple,' I say. 'But I have: I'm a little weaker, one of the many.
72You'll forgive me; 72I'll speak another time.' To think that so black a sun should have risen for me! 73The wretch runs off and leaves me under the knife. 74By chance his opponent meets him and shouts loudly, 'Where are you off to, you scoundrel?' and to me, 'May I call you as witness?' I, for my part, offer my ear. 77He drags him off to court; 77shouting on both sides, people running together from everywhere. 78So Apollo saved me.