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

Martial

In adversity it is easy to despise life; he is truly brave who can endure a wretched life.
MARTIAL

Adversity Brave Himself Life True
You admire, Vacerra, only the poets of old and praise only those who are dead. Pardon me, I beseech you, Vacerra, if I think death too high a price to pay for your praise.
MARTIAL

Admire Death Old Pay Poet Praise Price Thinking Yourself
If I remember right, Aelia, you had four teeth; a cough displaced two, another two more. You can now cough without anxiety all the day long. A third cough can find nothing to do in your mouth.
MARTIAL

Anxiety Mouth Remember Right Yourself
The flaw which is hidden is deemed greater than it is.
MARTIAL

Flaw Greatness Hide
Laugh, if thou art wise.
MARTIAL

Laughter One Liner Wisdom
Epigrams need no crier, but are content with their own tongue.
MARTIAL

Content Language Need
Such are thou and I: but what I am thou canst not be; what thou art any one of the multitude may be.
MARTIAL

Art Myself Yourself
Be satisfied, and pleased with what thou art, Act cheerfully and well thou allotted part; Enjoy the present hour, be thankful for the past, And neither fear, nor wish, the approaches of the last.
MARTIAL

Cheer Enjoyment Fear Past Satisfaction Thankful
My poems are naughty, but my life is pure.
MARTIAL

Life Naughty Poem Purity
I am a shell-fish just come from being saturated with the waters of the Lucrine lake, near Baiae; but now I luxuriously thrust for noble pickle.
MARTIAL

Lake Luxury Myself Water
To have nothing is not poverty.
MARTIAL

One Liner Poverty
No amount of misfortune will satisfy the man who is not satisfied with reading a hundred epigrams.
MARTIAL

Misfortune Reading Satisfaction
Be merry if you are wise.
MARTIAL

One Liner Wisdom
Your seventh wife, Phileros, is now being buried in your field. No man’s field brings him greater profit than yours, Phileros.
MARTIAL

Bury Death Profit Wife Yourself
I seem to you cruel and too much addicted to gluttony, when I beat my cook for sending up a bad dinner. If that appears to you too trifling a cause, say for what cause you would have a cook flogged.
MARTIAL

Addiction Appearance Cruelty Yourself
Rarity gives a charm; so early fruits and winter roses are the most prized; and coyness sets off an extravagant mistress, while the door always open tempts no suitor.
MARTIAL

Charm Prize Rare Suit

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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