Martial's Epigrams Book TwoThis edition provides an English translation of and detailed commentary on the second book of epigrams published by the Latin poet Marcus Valerius Martialis. The past ten years have seen a resurgence of interest in Martial's writings. But contemporary readers are in particular need of assistance when approaching these epigrams, and until now there has been no modern commentary dedicated to Book II. This new commentary carefully illuminates the allusions to people, places, things, and cultural practices of late first-century Rome that pervade Martial's poetry. It analyzes the epigrammatist's poems as literary creations, treating such topics as the structure of the individual poems and of the book as a whole, and the influence of earlier texts on Martial's language and themes. |
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Common terms and phrases
addressee adjective allusions Barie and Schindler Book Caecilianus Catull Catullus cena Ceronetti choliambics cites Citroni Collesso commentary contrast Cosconius Decianus depilation described dinner Domitian elegiac elegiac couplets emendation emperor Epist ergo example fellatio final couplet final line Friedlaender Galla Greek haec Hyllus invective Izaac joke Latin Laurens literally Marquardt 1886 Mart Martial Martial's epigrams mentula meter metonymy metrical mihi monodistich nihil Norcio noun Obermayer 1998 obscenity OLD s.v. opening Ovid periphrasis Petr Philaenis phrase Plin poem poet poet's poetry Postumus practice present epigram Priap quae quam question quid Quintilian quod reader refers rhetorical rogo Roman Saepta satiric Scandola Selius sense sentence sesterces Sexte Sextus sexual Shackleton Bailey Siedschlag 1977 slave boy Structure Subura suggests sunt technique Themes thermae tibi tion toga tone verb verse vocative Watson and Watson word Zoilus
Popular passages
Page 49 - Si qua videbuntur chartis tibi, lector, in istis sive obscura nimis sive Latina parum, non meus est error : nocuit librarius illis dum properat versus adnumerare tibi. quod si non illum sed me peccasse putabis, 5 tune ego te credam cordis habere nihil.
Page 269 - Atriaque immodicis artat imaginibus. Me focus et nigros non indignantia fumos Tecta iuvant et fons vivus et herba rudis. Sit mihi verna satur, sit non doctissima coniunx, Sit nox cum somno, sit sine lite dies.
Page 44 - Bellus es arte lyrae, bellus es arte pilae. Nil bene cum facias, facias tamen omnia belle, Vis dicam quid sis ? magnus es ardalio.
Page 33 - O quam blandus es, Ammiane, matri! quam blanda est tibi mater, Ammiane! fratrem te vocat et soror vocatur. cur vos nomina nequiora tangunt? quare non iuvat hoc quod estis esse? lusum creditis hoc iocumque? non est: matrem, quae cupit esse se sororem, nee matrem iuvat esse nee sororem.
Page 7 - Bald ist das Epigramm ein Pfeil, Trifft mit der Spitze; Ist bald ein Schwert, Trifft mit der Schärfe. Ist manchmal auch — die Griechen liebten's so — Ein klein Gemäld ! ein Strahl gesandt, Zum Brennen nicht, nur zum Erleuchten.
Page 266 - QUOD nimio gaudes noctem producere vino, ignosco : vitium, Gaure, Catonis habes. carmina quod scribis Musis et Apolline nullo, laudari debes : hoc Ciceronis habes.
Page 216 - UNUS de toto peccaverat orbe comarum anulus, incerta non bene fixus acu. hoc facinus Lalage speculo, quo viderat, ulta est, et cecidit saevis icta Plecusa comis. desine iam, Lalage, tristes ornare capillos, 5 tangat et insanum nulla puella caput.
Page 63 - ESSE quid hoc dicam quod olent tua basia murram quodque tibi est numquam non alienus odor ? hoc mihi suspectum est, quod oles bene, Postume, semper : Postume, non bene olet qui bene semper olet.
Page 269 - Quintiliane, vagae moderator summe iuventae, gloria Romanae, Quintiliane, togae, vivere quod propero pauper nec inutilis annis, da veniam: properat vivere nemo satis. Differat hoc patrios optat qui vincere census 5 atriaque inmodicis artat imaginibus.
Page 17 - Deciane, verum dicis. Quid si scias cum qua et quam longa epistola negotium fueris habiturus ? Itaque quod exigis fiat. Debebunt tibi si qui in hunc librum inciderint, quod ad primam paginam non lassi pervenient.