Juvenal Satire X

omnibus in terris, quae sunt a Gadibus usque Auroram et Gangen, pauci dinoscere possunt vera bona atque illis multum diversa, remota erroris nebula.

In all the lands, which extend from Cadiz all the way to the Dawn and the Ganges River, few people are able to distinguish true, good things and things quite opposite to them, free from the cloud of error.

quid enim ratione timemus aut cupimus?

For what do we fear or desire with reason?

quid tam dextro pede concipis ut te conatus non paeniteat votique peracti?

What do you undertake so auspiciously that it causes you not to regret the effort nor your prayers once fulfilled?

evertere domos totas optantibus ipsis di faciles.

The obliging gods have overthrown whole households in answer to their owners praying.

nocitura toga, nocitura petuntur militia; torrens dicendi copia multis et sua mortifera est facundia; viribus ille confisus periit admirandisque lacertis.

Things that are going to harm you are pursued in politics and in war; for many people the rushing flood of speech and their own eloquence is fatal; Milo of Croton died, having trusted in his strength and his astonishing muscles.

sed plures nimia congesta pecunia cura strangulat et cuncta exuperans patrimonia census quanto delphinis balaena Britannica maior.

But money accumulated with too much care strangles very many people and wealth exceeding all other inheritances by as much as the British whale is bigger than the dolphins.

temporibus diris igitur iussuque Neronis Longinum et magnos Senecae praedivitis hortos clausit et egregias Lateranorum obsidet aes tota cohors: rarus venit in cenacula miles.

Therefore in dreadful times and by the order of Nero an entire cohort shut down Longinus and the vast gardens of the very rich Seneca and besieged the splendid houses of the Laterani: a soldier rarely comes into a garret.

pauca licet portes argenti vascula puri nocte iter ingressus, gladium contumque timebis et mota ad lunam trepidabis harundinis umbra: cantabit vacuus coram latrone viator.

Even if you’re carrying a few small vessels of unornamented silver, having set out on your journey at night, you will fear the sword and the pike and you will be frightened by the moving shadow of a reed in the moonlight: an empty handed traveller will sing in the face of a robber.

prima fere vota et cunctis notissima templis divitiae, crescant ut opes, ut maxima toto nostra sit arca foro.

Generally the first and most common prayers in all temples are for riches, that wealth may increase, that our money chest may be largest in the whole forum.

sed nulla aconita bibuntur fictilibus; tunc illa time cum pocula sumes gemmata et lato Setinum ardebit in auro.

But no poisons are being drunk from earthernware cups; then fear poisons when you take up jewelled cups and the Setian wine glows in your broad golden cups.

iamne igitur laudas quod de sapientibus alter ridebat, quotiens a limine moverat unum protuleratque pedem, flebat contratius auctor?

Therefore, after all this, do you praise the fact that, of the two wise men, one used to laugh whenever he had lifted and had advanced a single step from his doorway while the opposite authority used to weep?

sed facilis cuivis rigidi censura cachinni: mirandum est unde ille oculis suffecerit umor.

But the censure of a derisive laugh is easy for anyone: what must be marvelled at is from where that liquid for his eyes came from.

perpetuo risu pulmonem agitare solebat Democritus, quamquam non essent urbibus illis praetextae, trabeae, fasces, lectica, tribunal.

He was accustomed to shake his lung with perpetual laughter, Democritus, although in those cities purple-edged togas, purple robes, rods and axes, the litter and the tribunal did not exist.

quid si vidisset praetorem curribus altis extantem et medii sublimem pulvere circi in tunica Iovis et pictae Sarrana ferentem ex umeris aulaea togae magnaeque coronae tantum orem, quanto cervix non sufficit ulla?

What if he had seen the praetor standing out in high chariots both elevated in the dust of the middle of the Circus Maximus in the tunic of Jupiter and wearing from his shoulders the Tyrian hangings of an embroidered toga and so great a circle of a huge crown, that any neck did not suffice?

quippe tenet sudans hanc publicus et, sibi consul ne placeat, curru sevus portatur eodem.

Certainly a sweating public slave holds this and, so that the consul does not flatter himself, he is carried in the same chariot.

da nunc et volucrem, sceptro quae surgit eburno, illinc cornicines, hinc praecedentia longi agminis officia et niveos ad frena Quirites, defossa in loculos quos sportula fecit amicos.

Now imagine the eagle which soars on the praetor’s ivory scepter and the horn players over there, and here the long lines of his procession, leading the way, and the citizens in white togas, marching at his bridle, who he made friends with the handouts hidden in their satchels.

tum quoque materiam risus invenit ad omnes occursus hominum, cuius prudentia monstrat summos posse viros et magna exempla daturos vervecum in patria crassoque sub aere nasci.

Then even in those times Democritus found things to laugh at in every human encounter, whose prudence shows that men of excellence, who are destined to provide great examples, can still be born in thick air, in a land of muttonheads.

ridebat curas nec non et gaudia volgi, interdum et lacrimas, cum Fortunae ipse minaci mandaret laqueum mediumque ostenderet unguem.

He even laughed at the anxieties and indeed the delights of the common people, and sometimes at their tears, while to threatening Fortune, he ordered the noose and showed his middle finger.

ergo supervacua aut si perniciosa petuntur, propter quae fas est genua incerare deorum?

Therefore, if redundant and destructive things are sought for, on account of what things is it right to cover the knees of the gods with wax?

visne salutari sicut Seianus, habere tantumdem atque illi summas donare curules, illum exercitibus praeponere, tutor haberi principis angusta Caprearum in rupe sedentis cum grege Chaldaeo?

Would you like to be greeted as Sejanus, to have his bank balance and to give the seats of highest office to a man, to appoint another to military posts, to be known as the Protector of the emperor, sitting on the narrow rock of Capri with a flock of Chaldeans?

vis certe pila, cohortes, egregios equites et castra domestica; quidni haec cupias?

Certainly you want his weapons, troops, outstanding cavalry, and private camps; why shouldn’t you want these?

et qui nolunt occidere quemquam posse volunt.

And even those who do not wish to kill want to be able to do that.

sed quae praeclara et prospera tanti, ut rebus laetis par sit menura malorum?

But are the famous and prosperous things of such great worth that the measure of their suffering is equal to their good things?

huius qui trahitur praetextam sumere mavis an Fidenarum Gabiorumque esse potestas et de mensura ius dicere, vasa minora frangere pannosus vacuis aedilis Ulubris?

Do you prefer to put on the purple edged toga of this man who is being dragged, or be in power of the Fidenae and Gabii, and to pronounce the law about weights and scales, break small vessels as a ragged aedile officer in deserted Ulubrae?

ergo quid optandum foret ignorasse fateris Seianum; nam qui nimios optabat honores et nimias poscebat opes, numerosa parabat excelsae turris tabulata, unde altior esset casus et impulsae praeceps immane ruinae.

So perhaps you’d admit that Sejanus did not know what ought to be desired; for he who was desiring excessive honours and demanding excessive wealth, he was building many stories of a lofty tower from which the collapse and the immense precipice of the overthrown ruin would be greater.

quid Crassos, quid Pompeios evertit et illum, ad sua qui domitos deduxit flagra Quirities?

What destroyed the Crassi, the Pompeii, and that man Caesar, who led the subdued Romans under his own whip?

summus nempe locus nulla non arte petitus magnaque numinibus vota exaudita malignis.

Simply seeking that place at the top, by every trick, and ambitious prayers granted by malicious gods.

ad generum Cereris sine caede ac vulnere pauci descendunt reges et sicca morte tyranni.

Few kings go down to Ceres’ son in law without murder or a funeral and few dictators with a bloodless death.

eloquium ac famam Demosthenis aut Ciceronis incipit optare et totis quinquatribus optat quisquis adhuc uno parcam colit asse Minervam, quem sequitur custos angustae vernula capsae.

The eloquence and fame of Demosthenis or Cicero: what a boy wishes for and begins to wish for throughout the entire festival of Minerva whoever still worships frugal Minerva with a single coin, that boy who a slave follows, a guard for his small satchel.

eloquio sed uterque perit orator, utrumque largue et exundas leto dedit ingenii fons.

But each orator died by their eloquence, a rich and overflowing fountain of talent led both to death.

ingenio manus est et cervix caesa, nec umquam sanguine causidici maduerunt rostra pusilli.

For Cicero’s talent his hands and neck were cut, never a poor advocate drenched the stage with blood.

‘o fortunatam natam me consule Romam’ - Antoni gladios potuit contemnere si sic omnia dixisset.

“O Rome, lucky to be born with me as a consul” - He could have not feared Antony’s sword if he had spoken of all things like this.

ridenda poemata malo quam te, conspicuae divina Philippica famae, volveris a prima quae proxima.

I rather his ridiculous poems than you, divine Phillipic of striking fame, you who are rolled out second.

saevus et illum exitus eripuit, quem mirabantur Athenae torrentem et pleni moderantem frena theatri.

A harsh death snatched him, whom the Athenians marvelled at, empassioning and restraining the limits of the packed crowd.

dis ille adversis genitus fatoque sinistro quem pater ardentis massae fuligine lippus a carbone et forcipibus gladiosque paranti incude et luteo Volcano ad rhetora misit.

He, born with the gods and unlucky fate against him, whom his father, half blind with soot from the burning ore, sent away from the coal, tongs and anvil for forging swords and grimy Vulcan, to a teacher of rhetoric.

quis enim virtutem amplectitur ipsam, praemia si tollas?

For who would embrace virtue for its own sake, if you remove its rewards?

patriam tamen obruit olim gloria paucorum et laudis titulique cupido haesuri saxis cinerum custodibus, ad quae discutienda ualent sterilis mala robora fici, quandoquidem data sunt ipsis quoque fata sepulcris.

Yet time and time again, the ambition of a few has ruined their nation and their desire for fame and inscription intended to stick to the guarding stones of their ashes, to which the harmful strength of the barren fig tree has the power to shatter since fatal ends are also given to the tombstones themselves.

expende Hannibalem: quot libras in duce summo invenies?

Weigh Hannibal: how many pounds will you find in the greatest leader?

hic est quem non capit Africa Mauro percussa oceano Niloque admota tepenti rursus ad Aethiopum populos aliosque elephantos.

This is the man whom Africa, lashed by the Atlantic Ocean and stretching from the warm Nile southwards to the people of Ethiopia and the different elephants, could not contain.

additur imperiis Hispania, Pyrenaeum transilit.

Spain is added to his empire, he leaps over the Pyrenees.

opposuit natura Alpemque nivemque: diducit scopulos et montem rumpit aceto.

Nature has put in his way both the Alps and their snow: he splits the rocks and breaks the mountains with vinegar.

iam tenet Italiam, tamen ultra pergere tendit.

Now he possesses Italy, however he strives to proceed further.

‘acti’ inquit ‘nihil est, nisi Poeno milite portas frangimus et media vexillum pono Subura.’

“Nothing has been accomplished” he said “unless we break the gates with our Carthaginian soldiers and I place the flag in the middle of the Subura.”

o qualis facies et quali digna tabella, cum Gaetula ducem portaret belua luscum!

O what a face and worthy of what a picture, when the African beast carries the one-eyed leader!

exitus ergo quis est?

Then what was the end?

o gloria!

O glory!

vincitur idem nempe et in exilium praeceps fugit atque ibi magnus mirandusque cliens sedet ad praetoria regis, donec Bithyno libeat vigilare tyranno.

The same man was conquered of course and fled headlong into exile and there, he sits there as a great andn revered client at the palace of the king, until it pleases the Bithynian monarch to wake.

finem animae, quae res humanas miscuit olim, non gladii, non saxa dabunt nec tela, sed ille Cannarum vindex et tanti sanguinis ultor anulus.

No swords, nor rocks, nor weapons gave end to that soul that once stirred up humanity, but that ring, defender of Cannae and the revenger of so much blood.

i, demens, et saevas curre per Alpes ut pueris placeas et declamatio fias.

Go, madman, and run through the savage Alps so that you please boys and become a school exercise.

ille umero, hic lumbis, hic coxa debilis; ambos perdidit ille oculos et luscis invidet; huius pallida labra cibum accipiunt digitis alienis, ipse ad conspectum cenae diducere rictum suetus hiat tantum ceu pullus hirunidinis, ad quem ore volat pleno mater ieiuna.

One man is weak in the shoulder, another in the loins, another in the hip; one man has lost both eyes, and envies the one-eyed; another’s pale lips receive food from others’ fingers, he who is accustomed to open his mouth wide at the sight of his dinner now just gapes like the swallow’s chick, to whom the fasting mother flies with a full mouth.

sed omni membrorum damno maior dementia, quae nec nomina servorum nec vultum agnoscit amici cum quo praeterita cenavit nocte, nec illos quos genuit, quos eduxit.

But worse than any loss of limbs is the dementia that neither recognises the names of slaves nor the face of a friend with whom he dined the past night; not even those whom he begot, whom he brought up.

nam codice saevo heredes vetat esse suos, bona tota feruntur ad Phialen; tantum artificis valet halitus oris, quod steterat multis in carcere fornicis annis.

In his cruel will he forbids his own children from being heirs, and all his possessions are carried to Phiale; such power has the breath of her skilled mouth, because she stood in a brothel’s dungeon for so many years.

ut vigeant sensus animi, ducenda tamen sunt funera natorum, rogus aspiciendus amatae coniugus et fratris plenaeque sororibus urnae.

Although his mental faculties thrive, he still must lead the funerals of his children, gaze on the pyre of his beloved wife and brother, and urns filled with sisters.

haec data poena diu uiuentibus, ut renouata semper clade domus multis in lucttibus inque perpetuo maerore et nigra ueste senescant.

This is the penalty given to those living for a long time, to grow old with the destruction of their household ever renewed, and in much sorrow, and in constant mourning and black clothes.