Quid mihi Livor edax, ignavos obicis annos,
ingeniique vocas carmen inertis opus;
non me more patrum, dum strenua sustinet aetas,
praemia militiae pulverulenta sequi,
nec me verbosas leges ediscere nec me
ingrato vocem prostituisse foro?
Why, devouring Envy, do you throw my idle years in my face, and call my poetry the work of a lazy mind? [Why reproach] that I do not, in the manner of our fathers, while vigorous youth sustains me, pursue the dusty rewards of military service, nor learn verbose laws by heart, nor prostitute my voice in the thankless forum?
This passage reflects the tension in Roman society between traditional career paths and the pursuit of poetry. The speaker defends himself against Livor (Envy personified), who criticizes his choice to write poetry rather than follow conventional Roman masculine careers. The three traditional paths to dignity for a Roman nobleman were military service (militia), law (leges), and public speaking in the forum (forum).
The phrase “more patrum” (in the manner of our fathers) reveals the strong Roman emphasis on ancestral custom and tradition. The “dusty rewards” (praemia pulverulenta) of military service refers both literally to the dusty conditions of military campaigns and metaphorically to the glory gained through warfare. The forum is described as “ingratus” (thankless), showing the speaker’s disdain for the political machinations and public speaking required of Roman advocates. The use of “prostituisse vocem” (to prostitute one’s voice) is particularly biting, suggesting that public speaking for hire is a form of degradation.
The passage engages with a common theme in Roman poetry: the defense of a life devoted to the arts against traditional Roman values that emphasized public service and military glory.
Mortale est, quod quaeris, opus. mihi fama perennis
quaeritur, in toto semper ut orbe canar.
vivet Maeonides, Tenedos dum stabit et Ide,
dum rapidas Simois in mare volvet aquas;
vivet et Ascraeus, dum mustis uva tumebit,
dum cadet incurva falce resecta Ceres.
What you seek is mortal work. I seek eternal fame, so that I may be sung throughout the whole world forever. The Maeonian will live as long as Tenedos and Ida shall stand, as long as Simois shall roll its swift waters to the sea; and the Ascraean too will live as long as grapes shall swell with new wine, as long as Ceres cut by the curved sickle shall fall.
The speaker contrasts everyday pursuits with poetic immortality through a series of sophisticated literary and geographical references. Maeonides refers to Homer, called “Maeonian” because he was thought to be from Maeonia (Lydia). The geographical markers Tenedos (an island), Ide (Mount Ida), and Simois (a river) are all locations from the Trojan War narrative, forming a poetic way of saying “forever” by linking Homer’s fame to enduring natural landmarks.
The Ascraean is Hesiod, named for his hometown of Ascra in Boeotia. The references to grapes swelling with must and Ceres (the goddess of grain) being cut down allude to Hesiod’s famous work “Works and Days,” which dealt with agricultural themes. Ceres here is a metonym for grain itself, a common poetic device. The curved sickle (incurva falx) was the traditional tool for harvesting grain, creating a vivid image of cyclical agricultural activity that will continue as long as civilization exists.
The tone is confident, even boastful, typical of Roman poets’ claims to eternal fame through their art. The contrast between “mortale opus” (mortal work) and “fama perennis” (eternal fame) creates a pointed commentary on the relative value of different human pursuits.
Battiades semper toto cantabitur orbe;
quamvis ingenio non valet, arte valet.
nulla Sophocleo veniet iactura cothurno;
cum sole et luna semper Aratus erit;
dum fallax servus, durus pater, inproba lena
vivent et meretrix blanda, Menandros erit;
The Battiad will always be sung throughout the whole world; though he may not be strong in natural talent, he is strong in skill. No harm will come to Sophocles’ tragic buskin; Aratus will exist as long as the sun and moon; as long as the deceitful slave, the harsh father, the wicked procuress, and the charming courtesan live on, Menander will exist.
This passage catalogs several Greek literary figures and their lasting influence. The Battiad refers to Callimachus, the Alexandrian poet known for his polished, erudite style. The contrast between ingenium (natural talent) and ars (learned skill) reflects a major debate in ancient literary criticism about the relative importance of natural ability versus technical mastery.
Sophocles is represented by his “cothurnus” - the elevated boot worn by tragic actors, which became a symbol for the tragic genre itself. Aratus, author of astronomical poetry, is linked to his subject matter (the sun and moon), while Menander, the great writer of New Comedy, is connected to his stock characters. These character types - the tricky slave, stern father, manipulative procuress, and seductive courtesan - became standard figures not only in Roman comedy but throughout Western theatrical tradition. The linking of each author to distinctive elements of their work creates a sophisticated series of metonyms, where a single characteristic represents the whole of their artistic achievement.
The passage suggests that great literature achieves immortality by capturing permanent aspects of either the natural world (Aratus) or human nature (Menander’s character types).
Ennius arte carens animosique Accius oris
casurum nullo tempore nomen habent.
Varronem primamque ratem quae nesciet aetas,
aureaque Aesonio terga petita duci?
carmina sublimis tunc sunt peritura Lucreti,
exitio terras cum dabit una dies;
Ennius, though lacking in polish, and Accius of the spirited voice have names that will fall at no time. What age will be ignorant of Varro and the first ship, and the golden fleece sought by the Aesonian leader? The poems of sublime Lucretius will perish only then, when a single day will bring destruction to the earth.
The poet lists several major figures of Roman literature, each characterized by their distinctive qualities. Ennius (239-169 BCE) was Rome’s first great epic poet, known for his rough but powerful style - hence “lacking in polish.” Accius (170-86 BCE) was a tragic playwright noted for his forceful dramatic language.
Varro here refers to P. Terentius Varro Atacinus, who wrote an epic about Jason and the Argonauts (the “first ship” and “golden fleece”). The “Aesonian leader” is Jason, son of Aeson, who led the Argonauts in their quest for the golden fleece. This reference to Greek mythology demonstrates how Roman poets incorporated Greek cultural material into their works.
Lucretius (99-55 BCE) wrote “De Rerum Natura,” a philosophical poem explaining Epicurean physics. The reference to his work lasting until the destruction of the earth is particularly apt, since his poem deals with the nature of the cosmos and its eventual dissolution. The adjective “sublimis” refers both to his elevated poetic style and the lofty philosophical concepts he tackled.
The passage reflects the Roman practice of creating literary canons and the belief that great poetry confers immortality on its creators. The progression from early, unpolished Ennius to the philosophical sophistication of Lucretius also suggests a narrative of Roman literary development.
Tityrus et segetes Aeneiaque arma legentur,
Roma triumphati dum caput orbis erit;
donec erunt ignes arcusque Cupidinis arma,
discentur numeri, culte Tibulle, tui;
Gallus et Hesperiis et Gallus notus Eois,
et sua cum Gallo nota Lycoris erit.
Tityrus and the crops, and the arms of Aeneas will be read, as long as Rome remains the capital of the conquered world; as long as fires and bows remain Cupid’s weapons, your verses, refined Tibullus, will be studied; and Gallus will be known both to Western and Eastern peoples, and his Lycoris will be famous along with Gallus.
This passage celebrates three pillars of Roman poetry: Virgil, Tibullus, and Gallus, each represented by their distinctive works and themes. Tityrus refers to Virgil’s Eclogues (through its first character), “crops” to his Georgics (about farming), and “arms of Aeneas” to his epic Aeneid. The reference encompasses Virgil’s complete poetic career through its three major works.
Tibullus is praised for his elegant love poetry, appropriately linked to Cupid’s traditional weapons. The mention of “fires” (ignes) refers to the metaphorical flames of love, a common motif in Roman love poetry. The epithet “cultus” (refined) was particularly appropriate for Tibullus, who was known for his polished, sophisticated style.
Cornelius Gallus, the first Roman love elegist, is remembered with his beloved Lycoris (pseudonym for the actress Cytheris). The reference to both Western (Hesperius) and Eastern (Eous) peoples suggests universal fame. Gallus’ works are almost entirely lost today, making this testimony to his anticipated eternal fame particularly poignant.
The linking of each poet’s fame to enduring conditions - Rome’s dominion, love’s persistence, and geographical constants - creates a sense of literary immortality. The passage demonstrates how Roman poets saw their work as transcending temporal and geographical boundaries.
Ergo, cum silices, cum dens patientis aratri
depereant aevo, carmina morte carent.
cedant carminibus reges regumque triumphi,
cedat et auriferi ripa benigna Tagi!
vilia miretur vulgus; mihi flavus Apollo
pocula Castalia plena ministret aqua,
Therefore, while rocks, while the tooth of the patient plow perish with time, poems are free from death. Let kings and triumphs of kings yield to poems, and let the generous bank of gold-bearing Tagus yield! Let the common crowd marvel at worthless things; may golden Apollo serve me cups filled with Castalian water,
The passage presents the classic poetic theme of art’s immortality through a series of powerful contrasts. The endurance of poetry is set against both natural erosion (rocks) and human artifacts (the plow), symbols of permanence and civilization respectively. The Tagus River in Spain was famous in antiquity for its gold-bearing sands, representing material wealth that the poet rejects in favor of artistic inspiration.
Apollo, the god of poetry, appears in his traditional epithet “flavus” (golden-haired). The Castalian spring, sacred to Apollo and the Muses, was located at Delphi; drinking from it was metaphorically associated with poetic inspiration. The contrast between the “vulgus” (common crowd) and the poet’s elevated aspirations reflects a common elitist stance in Roman poetry, where the poet claims a special relationship with the divine through his art.
The triumphs mentioned were elaborate victory parades through Rome, the highest honor a Roman general could receive. Their mention alongside kings creates an image of worldly power that the poet claims poetry surpasses in lasting significance.
sustineamque coma metuentem frigora myrtum,
atque a sollicito multus amante legar!
pascitur in vivis Livor; post fata quiescit,
cum suus ex merito quemque tuetur honos.
ergo etiam cum me supremus adederit ignis,
vivam, parsque mei multa superstes erit.
And may I support with foliage the myrtle that fears the cold, and may I be read often by the anxious lover! Envy feeds on the living; after death it rests, when due honor protects each according to merit. Therefore even when the final fire shall have consumed me, I shall live, and much of me will survive.
The myrtle was sacred to Venus and symbolized love poetry in Roman literature. The image of protecting it from cold suggests the poet’s role in preserving tender emotions through art. The anxious lover (sollicitus amans) represents the ideal reader of love poetry, someone who can relate to the emotional experiences described.
Livor (Envy) appears as a personified force that torments the living but ceases after death, a common consolation in Roman literature. The reference to the “final fire” (supremus ignis) alludes to the Roman practice of cremation, but here it’s metaphorical - even when the poet’s physical body is burned, his works will survive.
The concept of posthumous honor (honos) was extremely important in Roman culture, where one’s reputation after death was considered the true measure of worth. The survival of “much of me” (pars mei multa) refers to the poet’s works but also suggests the Roman belief that artistic creation was a form of immortality.