Quintus Horatius Flaccus, Satirae 1.6.38-44
Horace imagines the criticism directed at a man of low birth who seeks power, then has the man defend himself by pointing to his colleague Novius as an equal, before dismissing the comparison to truly great men like Paulus and Messalla, concluding that at least the noise of ambition holds us in its grip.
Tier 1
Tu, filius Syri aut filius Damae, aut filius Dionysi, tune audes deicere cives de saxo aut tradere cives Cadmo?' 'Sed Novius collega post me sedet in theatro; namque ille est quod pater meus erat.'
'propter hoc videris tibi Paulus et Messalla? Sed, si plaustra (carts) ducenta (200) concurrant tria funera magna, hic Novius sonabit, quod cornua tubasque vincat: saltem (at least) hoc nos tenet.
Tier 2
'Tune, filius Syri aut Damae, aut Dionysi, audes deicere de saxo cives aut tradere (cives) Cadmo?' 'At, Novius collega sedet post me uno gradu; namque ille est quod pater meus erat.'
'hoc videris tibi Paulus et Mesalla? At, si plaustra ducenta concurrant tria funera magna, hic sonabit quod vincat cornua tubasque: saltem hoc tenet nos.'
Tier 3 - Carmen Ipsum
- 'tune, Syri Damae aut Dionysi filius, audes
- deicere de saxo civis aut tradere Cadmo?'
- 'at Novius collega gradu post me sedet uno;
- namque est ille, pater quod erat meus.'
- 'hoc tibi Paulus
- et Messalla videris? at hic, si plostra ducenta
- concurrantque foro tria funera magna, sonabit,
- cornua quod vincatque tubas: saltem tenet hoc nos.'
Written by Robert Amstutz