M. VALERIUS MARTIALIS was born at Bilbilis in Spain, and came to Rome in the time of Nero, 66 A.D. He resided at Rome for thirtyfive years, and enjoyed during most of the time not only royal favor, but popular applause. At the expiration of this period he returned to Spain, where he died about 103 A.D. The only works of Martial now extant are the Epigrammata, a collection of about fifteen hundred short poems arranged in fourteen books. Martial was a keen observer and a brilliant scholar, but possessed many faults which the present generation find it hard to excuse. He was a base flatterer, a fawning courtier, and a most indecent writer. He reflects the degradation of the times as one who lived in harmony with them, and who preferred rather to excuse their many vices than raise his voice and hand in effecting their suppression. Joy. Gaudia non remanent, sed fugitiva volant. "Joys abide not, but are ever on the wing."— Epigram. I, 16. Life. The Future. The Present. Non est, crede mihi, sapientis dicere, vivam. Sera nimis vita est crastina, vive hodie. "Believe me, it is not the part of a wise man to say, I shall live. Life is too late to-morrow; live to-day.” — Id. Classification of the Race. Sunt bona, sunt quaedam mediocria, sunt plura mala. "Some are good, some are middling, more are bad.” — Ep. I, 17. Death. Thought for the Future. Ipse jubet mortis te meminisse deus. "God himself bids thee remember death.” — Ep. II, 59. Life. Resolution. Opportunities. Eja age, rumpe moras; quo te sperabimus usque? "Come, cease delay: how long shall you tarry? While you hesitate what to be, you are losing your opportunities for being anything.” — Ep. II, 64. 66 Concealment. Evil. Quod tegitur, majus creditur esse malum. What lies concealed is thought to be a greater evil than it really is.” — Ep. III, 42. Rarity. Rara juvant: primis sic major gratia pomis. Rarity has charms; thus early fruits are most esteemed."— Ep. IV. 29. Man. Hard to Please. Ego esse miserum credo, cui placet nemo. "I believe that man is wretched whom none can please."— Ep. V, 28. Benevolence. Riches. Extra fortunam est, quicquid donatur amicis : 'Whatever is given to our friends has passed beyond the reach of fortune. The riches which you have given away are the only ones which you really possess." - Ep. V, 42. Books. Genius. Victurus Genium debet habere liber. "A book which is destined to live must embody genius."- Ep. VI, Life. Happiness. Non est vivere, sed valere, vita. "Life consists not in living, but in the enjoyment of happiness." Ep. VI, 73. Opportunity. Accipe quam primum; brevis est occasio lucri. "Seize it quickly; the opportunity for gain is short." — Ep. VIII, 9. Idols. Worship. Qui fingit sacros auro vel marmore vultus, "It is not he who fashions sacred images in gold and marble that creates them deities, but he who offers supplication before them.”— Ep. VIII, 24. Marriage. Love. Nubere vis Prisco: non miror, Paula, sapisti. Ducere te non vult Priscus; et ille sapit. "You wish to marry Priscus : Paula, I do not wonder at it; you are wise. Priscus does not wish to wed thee; he also is wise.” — Ep. IX, 6. Writings. Monuments. Fame. At chartis nec furta nocent, et saecula prosunt; "As for writings, thieves cannot destroy them, and they improve with age; they are the only monuments that are proof against death."- Ep. X, 2. Life. Success. Retrospection. Ampliat aetatis spatium sibi vir bonus: hoc est "A good man lengthens his span of life; to look back on a life well spent is twice to live.” — Ep. X, 23. Courage. Adversity. Rebus in angustis facile est contemnere vitam; “In adversity it is easy to despise life; the brave man is he who can endure a life of wretchedness."- Ep. XI, 56. Fortune. Plenty. Fortuna multis dat nimis, satis nulli. “Fortune gives too much to many, enough to none.” — Ep. XII, 10. Responsibility. Qui sua metitur pondera, ferre potest. He who weighs his responsibilities can bear them.” — Ep. XII, 99. TACITUS. BORN ABOUT 59 A.D. — DIED ABOUT 120 A.D. C. CORNELIUS TACITUS was a distinguished orator, historian, and scholar who held several civil offices at Rome, practiced successfully as an advocate, and became an intimate friend of the younger Pliny. Aside from these few facts but little is known concerning his early life. His extant works are as follows: Vita Agricolae, a biography of his father-in-law, much admired on account of its noble sentiment and artistic merit; Historiae, only four and one-half books of which are now extant, covering the years 69 and 70; Annales, extending from the death of Augustus to the death of Nero, only parts of which are extant; De Moribus et Populis Germaniae, an historical essay concerning the Germans, not always trustworthy as to facts; Dialogus de Oratoribus, a discussion concerning the decline of Roman eloquence, the authenticity of which is generally accepted, though sometimes called in question. Tacitus was held in high esteem as an author, both in his own age and in the century succeeding. His writings are distinguished for conciseness, power of expression, and elevation of moral tone. The Emperor Tacitus in the third century claimed relationship to him, and ordered ten copies of his works to be deposited each year in the public libraries, and caused a monument to be erected to his memory. Honor to the Departed. Si quis piorum manibus locus; si, ut sapientibus placet, non cum corpore exstinguuntur magnae animae: placide quiescas, nosque, domum tuam, ab infirmo desiderio et muliebribus lamentis ad contemplationem virtutum tuarum voces, quas neque lugeri neque plangi fas est: admiratione te potius, et immortalibus laudibus, et, si natura suppeditet, aemulatu decoremus. Is verus honos, ea conjunctissimi cujusque pietas. "If there is a place in another world for the spirits of the blessed; if, as the wise believe, these wondrous souls are not extinguished with the body, may you rest in sweet composure, and summon us and all your family from fond regret and unavailing grief to the contemplation of your virtues, which it is not proper either to lament or mourn: let us rather hold thee in loving memory, embalm thee with immortal praises and, if nature will permit us, emulate thy virtues. That is the highest honor and respect which one's admiring friends can show." Agricola, 46. Nam in ingenio, sicut in agro, quanquam alia diu serantur atque elaborentur, gratiora tamen, quae sua sponte nascuntur. "For in the mind, as in a garden, although extraneous seeds may long be nursed and tended, yet those which spring from native soil excel in grace.” — De Orator. C. 6. Eloquence. Magna eloquentia, sicut flamma, materia alitur, et motibus excitatur et urendo clarescit. "True eloquence, like a flame, requires material for support; it is aroused by excitement, and brightens as it burns." - De Orator. C. 36. |