Letter 23

AUSONIUS TO PONTIUS PAULINUS, HIS SON, WHEN THE LATTER HAD SENT HIM A SHORT POEM, IN VERY MANY VERSES, ON THE KINGS, COMPILED FROM TRANQUILLUS [Suetonius] Already Tartesian Calpe [the rock of Calpe, modern Gibraltar] had stowed away the Sun's horses, and Titan, now sluggish, was hissing in the Iberian strait; already the Moon was urging on her oncoming heifers, that she might overcome the darkness with her rays, as though a rival to her brother; already the birds, and the race of men, vulnerable to cares, were soothed by the calm forgetfulness of peaceful sleep; the Ides had passed, and December at its mid-point was hastening to join its last days to the Janus that was coming on [to the month of January]; and the long Night was commanding that the nineteenth day before the Kalends be summoned without delay, to celebrate the festival. You do not know, I think, what I mean to say in so many verses; so help me Heaven, I do not myself understand it well either, yet I have my suspicion. It was now early in the night before the nineteenth day before the Kalends of January, when your letter was delivered to me, a thoroughly literary letter indeed. To it you had appended a poem by far the most delightful, in which you compressed into an epitome the three books that Suetonius wrote on the Kings, and with such elegance that you alone seem to me to have attained what is contrary to the nature of things, that brevity should not be obscure. Among these verses I have gathered out the following: "Europe and Asia, the two greatest limbs of the earth, to which Sallust doubtfully adds Libya, joined to Europe, though it might be called a third part, have been ruled by many whom fame blots out, and whose barbarian names the Roman tongue does not hand down: Illibanus and the Numidian Avelis and the Parthian Vonones, and Caranus, who gave the names to the kings of Pella [the Macedonian royal line, of Alexander's city], and Nechepsos, who taught the magi vain mysteries, and he who reigned without a name, and soon after Sesostris..." How skilfully and neatly, how rhythmically and sweetly, and so in keeping with the nature of the Roman accents, did you pronounce these names, that nevertheless, with their true and original sounds, their proper stresses were not lost! And now what shall I say of your eloquence? I can plainly swear that none of the youth of Rome can be matched to you for poetic fluency; certainly so it seems to me. If I am wrong, I am your father: bear with me, and do not exact a verdict when affection stands in the way. But in fact, while I love you tenderly, I judge sincerely and strictly. Confer upon me, I beg, such a gift often, by which I am both delighted and honored. To your poetic art there has been added a honeyed flattery; for what else do these lines do: "He who gave his name to the Icarian sea by his boldness, and he who sailed out with moderation to the Chalcidian citadels" [an allusion to Icarus, who fell into the sea named after him, and to Daedalus, who flew safely to Cumae, the Chalcidian colony] — what else, I say, but that you should call your own brisk and soaring eagerness rashness, while you call me — both prudent, and the sort a son ought to imitate — endowed with a salutary caution? Whereas the truth is the opposite. For you reach for the heights in such a way that you do not fall; my old age has enough if it can stand its ground. This I have dictated to you briefly and on the spot, on the morning following that evening; for your courier was pressing me, that he might carry back a letter. For if I have leisure, it will be a delightful business to rave on to you more at length, both to draw you out, and to satisfy myself. Farewell.

WHEN THE LATTER HAD SENT HIM A POEM ON THE KINGS, OF CHEAT LENGTH AND BASED ON TRANQUILLUS NOW had Tartesian Calpe hidden the Sun's coursers and Titan, now feeble, plunged hissing 6 'neath the Iberian wave; now was Luna lashing on her advancing heifers to vanquish darkness with her beams as though vying with her brother; now birds and human kind, so vulnerable by care, were wooing peaceful sleep and calm forgetfulness; the Ides were passed, and mid-December was hastening to link his last days with approaching Janus; and long Night was bidding the nineteenth day of the Calends 1 be summoned forthwith to celebrate the feast. You do not know, I expect, what I wish to say in all these verses. So help me Heaven! even I do not clearly understand: yet I have a glimmering. It was early in the night preceding the nineteenth day of the Calends of January2 when your wonderfully lettered letter was delivered me. Together with this you sent an extremely delightful poem wherein you have condensed the three books of Suetonius, which he devotes to the Kings,3 so gracefully that I regard you as having alone achieved what is contrary to the ordinary course of things— conciseness without obscurity. Amongst these verses I have picked out the following:— Europe and Asia, Earth's two greatest members, whereto uncertainly Sallust adds Libya as appanage of Europe, whereas it might be called a third part of the globe, have been ruled by many kings whom Fame blots from her page, and whom their uncouth names perpetuate not in Roman speech —Illibanus, Numidian Avelis, Vonones the Parthian, Caranus who founded the dynasty of Pella,4 and he who taught the wizards unavailing mysteries. Nechepsos, or reigned and left no name, and afterwards Sesostris . . . How skilfully and neatly, how harmoniously and sweetly have you delivered these names, conforming at once to the character of our Roman accent, yet not allowing the true and original sounds to lose their proper stress! And then what shall I say of your gift for expression? I can absolutely take my oath that for fluency in verse none of our Roman youths is your equal: at any rate, that is my opinion. If 1 am wrong, I am your father, bear with me and do not force from me a verdict which my natural feelings reject. Put in fact, while 1 love fondly, I criticise frankly and strictly. Bestow on me, I beg, such favours constantly, thereby both delighting and complimenting me. Your skill in poetry has the additional attraction of delicious flattery. For what else do these lines mean?— He who through rashness gave his name to the Icarian SeaAnd he who, prudent, winged his way to the Chalcidian hold, 1 save that you call your own lively and soaring vigour rashness, but affirm that I, being both wary and one whom a son ought to imitate, am endowed with a wholesome cautiousness?2 But indeed the reverse is true. For you fly high in such wise that you do not fall: my old age is content to stay still. I make this brief pronouncement out of hand on the morning next after the evening mentioned; for your messenger is only waiting long enough to take back a reply. For if I have spare time, it will be a delightful occupation to maunder on at greater length to you, partly to draw you out, and partly to please myself. Farewell.

AUSONIUS PONTIO PAULINO FILIO CUM ILLE MISISSET POEMATIUM VERSIBUS PLURIMIS DE REGIBUS EX TRANQUILLO COLLECTIS Condiderat iam Solis equos Tartesia Calpe stridebatque freto Titan iam segnis Hibero: iam succedentes quatiebat Luna inveneas, vinceret ut tenebras radiis velut aemula fratris; iam volucres hominumque genus superabile curis mulcebant placidi tranquilla oblivia somni; transierant Idus, medius suprema December tempora venturo properabat iungere Iano; et nonas decimas ab se Nox longa Kalendas iugiter acciri celebranda ad festa iubebat. Nescis, puto, quid velim tot versibus dicere, medius fidius neque ego bene intellego: tamen suspieor. iam prima nox erat ante diem nonum decimum kal. Iam, eum redditae sunt mihi litterae tuae oppido quam litteratae. his longe iucundissimum poema subdideras, quod de tribus Suetonii libris, quos ille de regibus dedit, in epitomen coegisti tanta elegantia, solus ut mihi videare adsecutus, quod contra rerum naturam est, brevitas ut obscura non esset, in his versibus ego ista collegi: Europamque Asiamque duo vel maxima terrae membra, quibus Libyam dubie Sallustius addit Europae adiunctam, possit cum tertia dici, regnatas multis, quos fama oblitterat et quos barbara Romanae non tradunt nomina linguae — Illibanum Numidamque Avelim Parthumque Vononem et Cara num, Pellaea dedit qui nomina regum, quique magos docuit mysteria vana Nechepsos et qui regnavit sine nomine moxque Sesostris Haec tu quam perite et concinne, quam modulate et dulciter, ita iuxta naturam Romanorum accentuum enuntiasti, ut tamen veris et primigenis vocibus sua fastigia non perirent, iam quid de eloquentia dicam? liquido adinrare possum nullum tibi ad poeti eam facundiam Romanae iuventutis aequari: certe ita mihi videri, si erro, pater sum, fer me et noli exigere iudicium obstante pietate, verum ego cum pie diligam, sineere et severe iudieo. adfice me, oro, tali munere frequenter, quo et oblector et honoror. accessit tibi ad artem poetieam mellea adulatio, quid enim aliud agunt: Audax Icario qui fecit nomina ponto et qui Chalcidicas moderate enavit ad arces, nisi ut tu vegetam et sublimem alacritatem tuam temeritatem voces, me vero, et consultum et quem filius debeat imitari, salutari prudentia praeditum dicas? quod equidem contra est. nam tu summa sic adpetis, ut non decidas: senectus mea satis habet, si consistat. haec ad te breviter et illico vesperis illius secuto mane dictavi; ita enim tabellarius tuus, ut epistulam referret, instabat, nam si mihi otium fuerit, oblectabile negotium erit ad te prolixius delirare, te ut eliciam, mihi ut satisfaciam. vale.