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You complain, friend Swift, of the length of my epigrams, but you yourself write nothing. Yours are shorter.

Martial

I have not hated the man, but his faults.
MARTIAL

Hate Man Mistake
I have granted you much that you asked: and yet you never cease to ask of me. He who refuses nothing, Atticilla, will soon have nothing to refuse.
MARTIAL

Gratitude Greedy Myself Refusal
Gifts are like hooks.
MARTIAL

Gift One Liner
A novice always behaves with propriety.
MARTIAL

Beginning Behavior Novice
To be able to enjoy one’s past life is to live twice.
MARTIAL

Enjoyment Life Live Past
Fortune gives many too much, but none enough.
MARTIAL

Enough Fate Fortune
Man loves malice, but not against one-eyed men nor the unfortunate, but against the fortunate and proud.
MARTIAL

Eyes Love Man Proud Unfortunate
Gifts are like fish-hooks; for who is not aware that the greedy char is deceived by the fly which he swallows?
MARTIAL

Aware Fly Gift Himself Swallow
It is not he who forms idols in gold or marble that makes them gods, but he who kneels before them.
MARTIAL

Form God Gold Himself
The swan murmurs sweet strains with a flattering tongue, itself the singer of its own dirge.
MARTIAL

Swan Tongue
See, how the liver is swollen larger than a fat goose! In amazement you will exclaim: Where could this possibly grow?
MARTIAL

Amazing Animal Food Growth Possible Yourself
Some good, some so-so, and lots plain bad: that’s how a book of poems is made, my Friend.
MARTIAL

Book Creation Goodness Literature Myself Poem Writing
The face that cannot smile is never fair.
MARTIAL

Face Fair Happiness Smile
Life is not living, but living in health.
MARTIAL

Health Life Live One Liner
Short is the life of those who possess great accomplishments, and seldom do they reach a good old age. Whatever thou lovest, pray that thou mayest not set too high a value on it.
MARTIAL

Accomplishment High Life Possession Short Value Yourself
If your slave commits a fault, do not smash his teeth with your fists; give him some of the (hard) biscuit which famous Rhodes has sent you.
MARTIAL

Biscuit Commitment Mistake Slave Yourself

You complain, friend Swift, of the length of my epigrams, but you yourself write nothing. Yours are shorter.

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You complain, friend Swift, of the length of my epigrams, but you yourself write nothing. Yours are shorter.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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