Marcus Valerius Martialis, Epigrammata 1.41

Martial deflates the self-styled wit Caecilius by comparing him to a catalog of low urban types, concluding that thinking oneself funny is no substitute for an actual sense of humor.

 

Tier 1

Caecili, tu putas te esse urbanum: non es, crede mihi. Quid tu es ergo?

Vir qui habitat in loco, tu es similis Transtiberino ambulatori qui permutat (exchanges) pallentia sulphurata (matches) fractis vitreis (glass),

Tu es similis viro qui vendit humidum cicer hominibus qui nihil agunt, tu es similis viro qui est custos et dominus viperarum, tu es similis viro qui est servus vilis virorum qui pisces in sale vendit,

Tu es similis rauco coco qui portat tomacla (sausages) tepidis popinis (food shop), tu es similis pessimo poetae urbici, aut improbo magistro de Gadibus, aut tu es similis dicaci ori antiqui cinaedi.

Ergo iam desine videri tibi, quod videris tibi soli, Caecili, tu qui posses vincere Gabbam et Tettium Caballum ipsum iocosis tuis.

Non omnes habent nasum: qui ludit stulte non est Tettius ille, sed asinus.

Written by Robert Amstutz

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