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

Martial

It is folly to waste labour about trifles.
MARTIAL

Fools Labour Wasted
You importune me, Tucca, to present you with my books. I shall not do so; for you want to sell, not to read, them.
MARTIAL

Book Myself Present Reading Yourself
Life consists not merely in existing, but in enjoying health.
MARTIAL

Enjoyment Existence Health Life
She grieves sincerely who grieves unseen.
MARTIAL

Grief Herself Sincere Unknown
He who prefers to give Linus the half of what he wishes to borrow, rather than to lend him the whole, prefers to lose only the half.
MARTIAL

Borrow Himself Lose Preference
He who weighs his burdens, can bear them.
MARTIAL

Burden Himself Weigh
The African lions rush to attack bulls; they do not attack butterflies.
MARTIAL

Advice Attack Deep Lion Rush
Neither fear your death’s day nor long for it.
MARTIAL

Day Death Fear Yourself
Epigrams need no crier, but are content with their own tongue.
MARTIAL

Content Language Need
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
Red-haired, black-lipped, club-footed, and blink-eyed; if you’re a good man, you’re a wonder!
MARTIAL

Goodness Man Yourself
A vagrant is everywhere at home.
MARTIAL

Home One Liner
Some things are good, some middling, more bad.
MARTIAL

Bad Goodness
There is nothing more contemptible than a bald man who pretends to have hair.
MARTIAL

Hairs Man Myself Pretend
In adversity it is easy to despise life; he is truly brave who can endure a wreched life.
MARTIAL

Adversity Brave Easy Endurance Life True
The bee is enclosed, and shines preserved in amber, so that it seems enshrined in its own nectar.
MARTIAL

Nectar Preserve Shine Shrine

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.

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Popular Authors

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