Selected Epigrams

by Martial

  87. Kay (53) calls the address of the opening poem of book 11 to Parthenius “a political act, a sign of his allegiance to the new regime.” This view is endorsed by Henriksén 15. Parthenius makes his final appearance in book 12 (12.11), which was published in 101, four years after the death of its subject, but it is suggested by Nauta (438n195) that 12.11 may have been inserted into book 12 by someone other than Martial.

  88. It seems logical to add 10.72 to this list, even though Shackleton Bailey in his Loeb edition prefers to attribute this to Trajan, presumably because the emperor, who is never named directly by Martial, is described as imperator, which suggests a man with a military background, which Nerva was not. Epigrams 11.5 and 12.11.6 are addressed to Caesar and dux (“leader”), respectively, and should also be attributed to Nerva.

  89. It is perhaps significant that in book 10 there is no epigram addressed to Nerva.

  90. For the date of Martial’s return, see Howell, “Martial’s Return” 173; Watson and Watson 3. Henderson (83n5) suggests 100.

  91. Martial otherwise reserves the term for the city of Rome; see 1.3.3; 9.64.4. In 12.21 Martial pays Marcella the ultimate compliment by telling her that she is able to take the place of Rome.

  92. The relationship started in an unknown year in the reign of Domitian, for in 8.45 Martial refers to the fact that Terentius Priscus had been restored to him from Sicily. For the possibility that other Prisci in Martial’s epigrams are referring to Terentius Priscus, see the various responses of Howell, “Martial’s Return” 174–76; Nauta 69.

  93. See Sullivan, Martial 55.

  94. I have kept the numbering of Shackleton Bailey’s Loeb edition; in older editions and academic discussions the epigram is numbered as 10.19.

  95. The association of Cato and the theater goes back to an incident where Cato felt the urge to leave the theater during the Floralia when the mime actresses did their traditional striptease.

  96. In reality Pliny was not as serious as Martial makes him out to be. In one of his letters he refers to light verse that he writes in his free time (Pliny the Younger, Letters 4.14). Elsewhere he reveals that his inspiration for writing these came from none other than Cicero, who engaged in the same pursuit (Letters 7.4).

  97. The translation is that of Betty Radice in the Loeb edition of Pliny’s Letters. Scholars on Martial have been overwhelmingly positive in their assessment of Pliny’s letter. Garthwaite (“Patronage” 163) calls Pliny a professed admirer of Martial’s epigrams. Scholars on Pliny respond somewhat differently. Marchesi (65) calls Pliny’s assessment of Martial’s work “(deceptively) condescending.”

  98. The quote comes from Santoro L’Hoir 157, who must also be credited with the idea to draw up a comparison between Pliny and Cicero.

  Commentaries on Individual Books of Epigrams

  Sorted by book number

  Coleman, Kathleen M., ed. M. Valerii Martialis Liber Spectaculorum. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006.

  Citroni, Mario, ed. M. Valerii Martialis Epigrammaton liber I. Florence: La nuova Italia, 1975.

  Howell, Peter, ed. A Commentary on Book One of the Epigrams of Martial. London: Athlone, 1980.

  Williams, Craig A., ed. Martial: Epigrams Book Two. New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.

  Fusi, Alessandro, ed. M. Valerii Martialis: Epigrammaton liber tertius. Hildesheim: Olms, 2006.

  Moreno Soldevila, Rosario, ed. Martial, Book IV: A Commentary. Boston: Brill, 2006.

  Howell, Peter, ed. Martial: Epigrams V. Warminster, UK: Aris & Phillips, 1995.

  Canobbio, Alberto, ed. M. Valerii Martialis: Epigrammaton liber quintus. Naples: Loffredo, 2011.

  Grewing, Farouk, ed. Martial, Buch VI: Ein Kommentar. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1997.

  Galán Vioque, Guillermo. Martial, Book VII: A Commentary. Translated by J. J. Zoltowski. Boston: Brill, 2002.

  Schöffel, Christian, ed. Martial, Buch 8: Einleitung, Text, Übersetzung, Kommentar. Stuttgart: F. Steiner, 2002.

  Henriksén, Christer, ed. A Commentary on Martial, Epigrams Book 9. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012.

  Damschen, Gregor, and Andreas Heil, eds. Marcus Valerius Martialis, Epigrammaton liber decimus: Das zehnte Epigrammbuch. Frankfurt: Lang, 2004.

  Kay, N. M., ed. Martial, Book XI: A Commentary. London: Duckworth, 1985.

  Leary, T. J., ed. Martial, Book XIII: The Xenia. London: Duckworth, 2001.

  _______, ed. Martial, Book XIV: The Apophoreta. London: Duckworth, 1996.

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  Ascher, L. “Was Martial Really Unmarried?” Classical World 70 (1977): 441–44.

  Barnes, T. D. “The Horoscope of L. Licinius Sura.” Phoenix 30 (1976): 76–79.

  Bell, Albert A., Jr. “Martial’s Daughter?” Classical World 78 (1984): 21–24.

  Bowersock, G. W. Augustus and the Greek World. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1965.

  Bridge, R. T., and E. D. C. Lake, eds. Select Epigrams of Martial. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1906.

  Buchheit, V. “Martials Beitrag zum Geburtstag Lucans als Zyklus.” Philologus 105 (1961): 90–96.

  _______. “Statius’ Geburtstagsgedicht zu Ehren Lucans.” Hermes 88 (1960): 231–49.

  Buttrey, Theodore V. “Domitian, the Rhinoceros, and the Date of Martial’s Liber de spectaculis.” Journal of Roman Studies 97 (2007): 101–12.

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  Kleijwegt, Marc. “A Question of Patronage: Seneca and Martial.” Acta Classica 42 (1999): 105–20.

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  Selected Epigrams

  Book One

  1.1

  Here is the one you read and ask for:

  Martial, known the world around

  for witty books of epigrams,

  whom you, devoted reader, crowned

  with fame—while he has life and breath—

  such as few poets get in death.

  1.9

  You want to be handsome, Cotta, and yet great—

  but handsome men are always second-rate.

  1.10

  Gemellus wants to marry Maronilla.

  He burns, implores, brings gifts, won’t be put off.

  Is she so pretty? No, there’s none more homely.

  What makes her so appealing then? Her cough.

  1.13

  When faithful Arria gave her spouse the sword

  she’d drawn from her own flesh, she said, “Believe me,

  Paetus, the wound I made gives me no pain;

  it’s that which you will give yourself that grieves me.”

  1.16

  You’ll read some good things here, some fair, more worse.

  There’s no way else to make a book of verse.

  1.17

  Titus would have me practice law.

  He says, “The field is splendid.”

  A field is splendid, Titus, if

  a farmer keeps it tended.

  1.19

  Aelia, I recall you had four teeth.

  One cough knocked two out; one, the other two.

  Now you can safely cough the whole day long.

  A third cough can do nothing more to you.

  1.20

  What folly is this? In front of crowds of guests,

  you gobble every mushroom on the plate.

  What curse, Caecilianus, suits such greed?

  May you eat mushrooms such as Claudius ate.

  1.23

  You ask to dinner none but those you’ve bathed with.

  The baths yield all your guests. I used to brood,

  Cotta, about why I was not invited.

  I know now: you disliked me in the nude.

  1.24

  You see that shag-haired fellow, Decianus,

  who frightens even you with his grim brow,

  who talks of heroes—Curii, Camilli?

  Don’t trust his looks. He played the bride just now.

  1.27

  Last night, Procillus, after I had drunk

  four pints or so, I asked if yo
u would dine

  with me today. At once, you thought the matter

  was settled, based on statements blurred by wine—

  a risky precedent. Good memory

  is odious in one who drinks with me.

  1.28

  Whoever thinks Acerra stinks of last night’s wine

  is wrong. He drinks till light begins to shine.

  1.29

  Rumor reports that you recite my books

  in public, Fidentinus, as your own.

  Call them mine, and I’ll send you them for nothing.

  Buy me out if you want them yours alone.

  1.30

  Diaulus was a surgeon; he’s an undertaker now—

  starting to practice medicine the best way he knows how.

  1.32

  Sabidius, I don’t like you. Why? No clue.

  I just don’t like you. That will have to do.

  1.33

  Gellia doesn’t weep for her dead father

  when she’s alone, but tears pour on command

  if someone comes. Who courts praise isn’t mourning—

  he truly grieves who grieves with none at hand.

  1.34

  You always sin with doors flung wide, unguarded;

  your intrigues, Lesbia, are unconcealed.

  A watcher thrills you much more than a lover;

  you take no joy in joys that aren’t revealed.

  Yet whores drive watchers off with bolts and curtains;

  few chinks expose Summemmian brothel rooms.

  Learn modesty from Chione or Ias;