[epic]

METER AND SUBJECT

Res gestae regumque ducumque et tristia bella

Histories of kings and generals, dreadful wars:

quo scribi possent numero, monstravit Homerus.

it was Homer who showed in what metre these could be

[elegy]

narrated.

versibus impariter iuctis querimonia primum, 75

Lines unequally yoked in pairs formed the setting first

post etiam inclusa est voti sententia compos;

for lamentations, then for the expression of a vow

quis tamen exiguos elegos emiserit auctor,

fulfilled; though who first sent these tiny 'elegies' into

grammatici certant et adhuc sub iudice lis est.

the world is a grammarians' quarrel and still sub judice.

[iambos]

Archilochum proprio rabies armavit iambo:

Madness armed Archilochus with its own iambus;

[drama]

hunc socci cepere pedem grandesque coturni 80

that too was the foot that the comic sock and tragic

alternis aptum sermonibus et popularis

buskin held, because it was suitable for dialogue, able to

vincentem strepitus et natum rebus agendis.

subdue the shouts of the mob, and intended by nature

[lyric]

for a life of action.

musa dedit fidibus divos puerosque deorum

To the lyre, the Muse granted the celebration of gods

et pugilem victorem et equum certamine primum

and the children of gods, victorious boxers, winning

et iuvenum curas et libera vina referre. 85

race-horses, young men's love, and generous wine.

descriptas servare vices operumque colores

If I have neither the ability nor the knowledge to keep

cur ego si nequeo ignoroque poeta salutor?

the duly assigned functions and tones of literature,

cur nescire pudens prave quam discere malo?

why am I hailed as a poet? Why do I prefer to be

ignorant than learn, out of sheer false shame?

[tragedy, comedy]

versibus exponi tragicis res comica non volt;

A comic subject will not be set out in tragic verse;

indignatur item privatis ac prope socco 90

tragic verse; likewise, the Banquet of Thyestes disdains

dignis carminibus narrari cena Thyestae.

being told in poetry of the private kind, that borders on

singula quaeque locum teneant sortita decentem.

the comic stage. Everything must keep the appropriate

place to which it was allotted.

interdum tamen et vocem Comoedia tollit,

Nevertheless, comedy does sometimes raise her voice,

iratusque Chremes tumido delitigat ore;

and angry Chremes perorates with swelling eloquence.

et tragicus plerumque dolet sermone pedestri 95

Often too Telephus and Peleus in tragedy lament in

Telephus et Peleus, cum pauper et exsul uterque

prosaic language, when they are both poor exiles

proicit ampullas et sesquipedalia verba,

and throw away their bombast and words half a yard

si curat cor spectantis tetigisse querella.

long, if they are anxious to touch the spectator's heart

with their complaint.

(tr. Winterbottom)