Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Alpha Beta

Quod alpha dixi, Corde, paenulatorum
te nuper, aliqua cum iocarer in charta,
si forte bilem mouit hic tibi uersus,
dicas licebit beta me togatorum.

I called you lately, Cordus,
When I was cracking a joke in some page of mine,
“A1 in cloaks”.
If — as may be — this verse has stirred your bile,
You may call me B2 in togas.

Martial, Epigrams, Book 5, XXVI
English translation by Walter C. A. Ker

Artwork by Banksy

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