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