Let the ill-natured interpreter, too, keep himself from meddling with the simple meaning of my jests, and not write my epigrams for me.1 He acted honourably who exercises perverse ingenuity on another man's book: For the free plainness of expression, that is, for the language of epigram, I would apologize, if I were introducing the practice but it is thus that Catullus writes, and Marsus, and Pedo, and Getulicus, and every one whose writings are read through. For me let fame be held in less estimation, and let such talent be the last thing commended in me. I trust that, in these little books of mine, I have observed such self-control, that whoever forms a fair judgment from his own' mind can make no complaint of them, since they indulge their sportive fancies without violating the respect due even to persons of the humblest station a respect which was so far disregarded by the authors of antiquity, that they made free use, not only of real, but of great names.
0 kommentar(er)
