LABIRINTI E CASEMATTE: A Gift from the King

Munera qui tibi dat locupleti, Gaure, senique,
si sapis et sentis, hoc tibi ait “Morere”.

If you were wise as well as rich as sickly,
You’d see that every gift means, “Please die quickly”.

Gauro, chi doni ti dà, a te che sei vecchio e sei ricco,
se un poco ancora intendi, ti viene a dire: “Crepa!”.

Martial, Epigrams, Book 8, XXVII
English translation by James Michie
Italian translation by Giuseppe Lipparini