Letter 16

Ausonius to Theon Ausonius sends greeting to Theon, who is dear to me, setting out in verses what I wish and what I lament. Three times now Luna has renewed her cloven-footed heifers [the moon's crescent horns; i.e. three new moons have passed], since you, sweet friend, have shunned my house. Ninety days without you, my dearest one, I have dragged out; add the summer days to that, and for me it is nearly double. Would you have me say that nine times ten, or ten times nine days have gone by? A fourth part of the year has slipped away. Sixty hours, and two thousand and a hundred more, I have spent without you, without whom even a single hour weighs heavy. The reckoning of the laws orders the accused, counted up, to traverse twice nine hundred thousand paces over so many days [a reference to the legal allowance of mileage and days granted to a defendant summoned to court]. By now I could have gone on foot to Rome and returned again on foot, in the time since a few miles have kept you apart from me. Is a thatched dwelling at Dumnitonus worth so much to a poet? My villa at Pauliacos would not be worth so much to me. Or is it because, by a bond fixed and recorded in writing, a sum is owed to me, that you stay away, so that I may not demand it back? Those twice seven gleaming Philippi, royal coin [gold staters bearing the name of Philip of Macedon], I would rather lose -- and they would not be worth so much, Theon -- than that you, who are entwined deep within the marrow of my being, should be absent from me over so long a stretch of time. So either now write back about the aforesaid Darics [Persian gold coins; here, the debt] and buy yourself off, that your idleness may be free to linger, or I will give just as many more myself, provided only I may look upon the face of so dear a man -- and you may stay poor all the while. Hasten here, swift by boat, and spread the bellying canvas of your sail: the breeze of the Medullian south wind [from the Medoc, region of Theon] will carry you, laid out beneath an awning and reclining on a couch, so that the burden of so great a body is not jostled. A single tide will bear you from the shore of Dumnitonus to the harbor of Condate, if only you make haste; and in turn, whenever your breezes for the sail die away, bid the oar-footed craft go straight onward. You will find ready at hand a four-wheeled wagon harnessed with mules: soon you will reach the villa of Lucani- -acus [his estate at Lucaniacus, the name comically split across the verse]. From the divided name you will learn to compose a verse: thus you will be an imitator of the poet Lucilius [Gaius Lucilius, early Roman satirist, known for splitting words across lines].

I, AUSONIUS, send greeting to my dear Theon, here setting out in verse my wishes and complaints. Thrice hath Luna renewed her cloven-footed heifers,1 since thou, sweet friend, dost avoid my house. Ninety days without thee have I dragged out, my dearest comrade; add further, summer days: this makes them nearly twice as long for me. Wouldst have me say that nine times ten days or ten times nine are gone? A fourth part of the year is passed away. Sixty hours and two thousand and a hundred beside without thee have I spent—without whom even an hour hangs heavy. Miles twice nine hundred the laws' appointment bids men accused traverse to full reckoning in so many days.2 By this time could I have gone afoot to Rome, and afoot returned, since the time when a few miles have parted thee from me. Has a thatched cot at Dumnitonus such charms for a bard? My villa Pauliacos 3 would not weigh so with me. Or because by bond drawn up hard and fast money is owed to me, dost thou keep from me lest I claim it back? Those twice seven gleaming Philippes d' or of royal mintage,4 Theon, I had rather lose—they would not be worth so much—than that thou, who art so closely twined about my heart, shouldst desert me over this long stretch of time. So either send back now forthwith the aforesaid louis and buy back thy freedom slothfully to linger, or 1 will freely give as many more besides, provided I behold the face of one so dear, however poor he be.5 Haste hither, sped by boat, and spread the bellying canvas of thy sail: the breath of the south wind from Médoc will waft thee reclining beneath an awning and stretched upon a couch, that the bulk of so great a body be not shaken. One tide will bear thee from the shore of Dumnitonus right to the harbour of Condate,1 if only thou makest good haste, and in place of sail, whene'er thy favouring breezes die away, biddest the bark speed straight on propelled with oars. Thou shalt find ready a four-wheeled car with team of mules: soon wilt thou gain the Lucani- villa -acus. 2 . Thou shalt learn to make verse with such split nouns: thus shalt thou be a copier of the bard Lucilius.

AUSONIUS THEONI AUSONIUS salve caro mihi dico Theoni, versibus expediens, quod volo quodve queror. Tertia fissipedes renovavit Luna iuvencas, ut fugitas nostram, dulcis amice, domum, nonaginta dies sine te, carissime, traxi; huc adde aestivos: hoc mihi paene duplum est. vis novies denos dicam deciesque novenos isse dies? anni portio quarta abiit, sexaginta horas super et duo milia centum te sine consumpsi, quo sine et hora gravis. milia bis nongenta iubet demensio legum adnumerata reos per tot obire dies. iam potui Romam pedes ire pedesque reverti, ex quo te dirimunt milia pauca mihi. scirpea Dumnitoni tanti est habitatio vati? Pauliacos tanti non mihi villa foret, an quia per tabulam dicto pangente notatam debita summa mihi est, ne repetamus, abes? bis septem rutilos regale nomisma Philippos, nec tanti fuerint, perdere malo, Theon, implicitum quam te nostris interne medullis defore tam longi temporis in spatio, ergo aut praedictos iam nunc rescribe Darios et redime, ut mora sit libera desidiae, aut alios a me totidem dabo, dum modo cari conspicer ora viri. pauperis usque licet. Puppe citus propera sinuosaque lintea veli pande: Medullini te feret aura 1 noti expositum subter paradas lectoque iacentem, corporis ut tanti non moveatur onus. unus Dumnitoni te litore perferet aestus Condatem ad portum, si modo deproperes inque vicem veli, quotiens tua flamina cessant, remipedem iubeas protinus ire ratem, invenies praesto subiuncta petorrita mulis: villa Lucani- mox potieris -aco. rescisso disces conponere nomine versum: Lucili vatis sic imitator eris.