Ep. 2.10.1Hominem tē patientem vel potius dūrum ac paene crūdēlem, quī tam īnsignēs librōs tam diū teneās!What a patient man you are, or rather a hard and almost cruel one, to keep such distinguished books back so long! Ep. 2.10.2Quoūsque et tibi et nōbīs invidēbis, tibi maximā laude, nōbīs voluptāte?How long will you begrudge both yourself and us, yourself the highest praise, us the pleasure? Ep. 2.10.2Sine per ōra hominum ferantur īsdemque quibus lingua Rōmāna spatiīs pervagentur.Let them pass through the mouths of men and travel over the same spaces as the Roman tongue. Ep. 2.10.2Magna et iam longa exspectātiō est, quam frūstrārī adhūc et differre nōn dēbēs.The expectation is great and already long, and you ought not to disappoint and defer it any longer. Ep. 2.10.3Ēnōtuērunt quīdam tuī versūs, et invītō tē claustra sua refrēgērunt.Some of your verses have become known and, against your will, have broken through their bars. Ep. 2.10.3Hōs nisi retrahis in corpus, quandōque ut errōnēs aliquem cuius dīcantur invenient.Unless you call them back into the body of the work, some day, like runaway slaves, they will find someone whose they will be said to be.
Ep. 2.10.4Habē ante oculōs mortālitātem, ā quā asserere tē hōc ūnō monimentō potes;Keep mortality before your eyes, from which you can free yourself by this one monument; Ep. 2.10.4nam cētera fragilia et cadūca nōn minus quam ipsī hominēs occīdunt dēsinuntque.for all else, frail and perishable, falls and comes to an end no less than men themselves. Ep. 2.10.5Dīcēs, ut solēs: "Amīcī meī vīderint."You will say, as you usually do: 'My friends will see to it.' Ep. 2.10.5Optō equidem amīcōs tibi tam fidēlēs tam ērudītōs tam labōriōsōs, ut tantum cūrae intentiōnisque suscipere et possint et velint, sed dispice nē sit parum prōvidum, spērāre ex aliīs quod tibi ipse nōn praestēs.I do indeed wish you friends so faithful, so learned, so hard-working that they would be both able and willing to undertake so much care and attention, but consider whether it is not rather improvident to hope from others what you do not do for yourself. Ep. 2.10.6Et dē ēditiōne quidem interim ut volēs: recitā saltem quō magis libeat ēmittere, utque tandem percipiās gaudium, quod ego ōlim prō tē nōn temerē praesūmō.As for publication, do as you like for the moment: at least give a recitation, so that you may be more inclined to send them out, and so that at last you may feel the joy which I have long and not rashly anticipated on your behalf.
Ep. 2.10.7Imāginor enim quī concursus quae admīrātiō tē, quī clamor quod etiam silentium maneat;For I imagine what throngs, what admiration await you, what applause, and even what silence; Ep. 2.10.7quō ego, cum dīcō vel recitō, nōn minus quam clamōre dēlector, sit modo silentium ācre et intentum, et cupidum ulteriōra audiendī.and silence, when I speak or recite, delights me no less than applause, provided only it is keen and intent and eager to hear what follows. Ep. 2.10.8Hōc frūctū tantō tam parātō dēsine studia tua īnfīnītā istā cūnctātiōne fraudāre;Stop cheating your work of so great a reward, so readily available, by this endless delay of yours; Ep. 2.10.8quae cum modum excēdit, verendum est nē inertiae et dēsidiae vel etiam timiditātis nōmen accipiat.for when it goes beyond measure, there is a danger that it may earn the name of laziness and sloth, or even of timidity. Ep. 2.10.8Valē.Farewell.