Ausonius
fleverunt alii: fletu non motus Achilas, insuper et silicis verbere dissicuit. 5eminus ergo icto rediit lapis ultor ab osse auctorisque sui frontem oculosque petit. sic utinam certos manus impia dirigat ictus, auctorem ut feriant tela retorta suum.
II
XXV.—Commendatio Codicis
Est quod mane legas, est et quod vespere; laetis seria miscuimus, tempore uti placeant. non unus vitae color est nec carminis unus lector; habet tempus pagina quaeque suum; 5hoc mitrata Venus, probat hoc galeata Minerva; Stoicus has partes, has Epicurus amat; salva mihi veterum maneat dum regula morum, plaudat permissis sobria musa iocis.
XXVI.—[De Augusto1]
Phoebe potens numeris, praeses Tritonia bellis, tu quoque ab aerio praepes Victoria lapsu, come serenatum duplici diademate frontem serta ferens, quae dona togae, quae praemia pugnae. 5bellandi fandique potens Augustus honorem bis meret, ut geminet titulos, qui proelia Musis temperat et Geticum moderatur Apolline Martem.
Epigrams on Various Matters
skin. Other men wept: by weeping all unmoved, Achilas even struck and cleft it with a stone. And so the avenging stone, glancing from the skull, flew back and caught the face and eyes of him who threw it. So may an impious hand ever aim its deadly blows, that the weapon may rebound and smite the wielder.
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XXV.—A Recommendation of his Book
Here is what thou mayest read at morn, here also what at eve; I have mingled grave with gay, each to give pleasure at its season. Life wears not one hue, nor has my verse one reader only; each page has its due season; mitred Venus approves this, helmed Minerva that; the Stoic loves this part, Epicurus that. So long as the code of ancient manners remains by me unbroken, let the grave Muse applaud at lawful jests.
XXVI.—On Augustus
Phoebus, thou lord of song and thou, Tritonia, queen of war, thou also, Victory, down-swooping in dizzy flight, deck with a two-fold diadem an unknitted brow2: bring garlands, those which are gifts in peace, those which are prizes in fight. Mighty in war and eloquence, Augustus3 doubly wins renown, so that he claims a two-fold title, since by the Muses’ aid he allays wars and by Apollo’s restrains