Letter 24

Ausonius to Paulinus, greetings. To Paulinus, Ausonius. The meter has so advised it, that you should come first and that your name should go before my own — though indeed you are also the earlier in the roll of the fasti [the official register of consuls and magistrates], and at Rome your curule chair of ivory [the seat of high magistrates] went before mine, and the poetic palm that has long flourished in your hand is adorned with the ribbon of victory, which my palm lacks. In one thing only do we surpass you — in the honor of advanced old age. And what of it? The crow is not on that account ranked before the swan; nor, because the bird of the Ganges lives a thousand years, does it outdo your hundred eyes, O kingly peacock. We yield in genius by as much as we go before you in years; my homespun Camena [the Italian Muse of song] rises in deference to your Muse. Live, fare well, and join together as many New Years to come as your father or mine joined together in their day.

TO Paulinus, Ausonius. Metre so bids, placing you before me and setting your name in front of mine. And yet before mine comes your name in our annals, and at Rome your curule chair of ivory has precedence of mine, and in poetry your palm is long since decked with ribbons1 which my palm lacks. 'Tis in the glory of prolonged old age alone I have the advantage—what matters that? The crow is not therein above the swan, nor, because he lives a thousand years, does the bird of Ganges 2 surpass the kingly peacock with his hundred eyes. I am beneath you in genius as far as I am above you in age; my homely Muse rises in deference to yours. Live, keep well, and in the time to come link New Year to New Year as oft as did your father or mine.

AUSONIUS PAULINO sal. PL. D. PAULINO Ausonius, metrum sic suasit, ut esses tu prior et nomen praegrederere meum, quamquam et fastorum titulo prior et tua Romae praecessit nostrum sella curulis ebur, et, quae iamdudum tibi palma poetica pollet, lemnisco ornata est, quo mea palma caret, longaevae tantum superamus honore senectae. quid refert? cornix non ideo ante evenum; nec quia mille annos vivit Gangeticus ales, vincit centum oculos, regie pavo, tuos. ccdimus ingenio, quantum praccedimus aevo; adsurgit Musae nostra Camena tuae. Vive, vale et totidem venturos consere ianos, quot tuus aut noster conseruere patres.