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My poems are naughty, but my life is pure.

Martial

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
You praise, in three hundred verses, Sabellus, the baths of Ponticus, who gives such excellent dinners. You wish to dine, Sabellus, not to bathe.
MARTIAL

Excellence Praise Verse Yourself
To be able to enjoy one’s past life is to live twice.
MARTIAL

Enjoyment Life Live Past
No hero to me is the man who, by easy shedding of his blood, purchases fame: my hero is he who, without death, can win praise.
MARTIAL

Blood Death Easy Fame Hero Himself Man Purchase
It is not, believe me, the act of a wise man to say, “I will live.” To-morrow’s life is too late; live to-day.
MARTIAL

Believe Day Man Myself Wisdom
Every epigram should resemble a bee; it should have sting, honey, and brevity.
MARTIAL

Honey Similar
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
While an ant was wandering under the shade of the tree of Phaeton, a drop of amber enveloped the tiny insect; thus she, who in life was disregarded, became precious by death.
MARTIAL

Ant Death Life Precious Shade Value
Neither fear your death’s day nor long for it.
MARTIAL

Day Death Fear Yourself
Hidden evils are most dreaded.
MARTIAL

Evil Fear Hide
For life is only life when blessed with health.
MARTIAL

Blessing Health Life
Whoever makes great presents, expects great presents in return.
MARTIAL

Greatness Present Return
The shameless Chloe placed on the tombs of her seven husbands the inscription, “The work of Chloe.” How could she have expressed herself more plainly?
MARTIAL

Expression Inscription Place Shame
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
If fame is to come only after death, I am in no hurry for it.
MARTIAL

Death Fame Hurry Myself
A jar of wine so priceless did not deserve to die. and Never think of leaving perfume or wines to your heir. Administer these youself and let him have the money.
MARTIAL

Deserve Leaving Money Perfume Price Wine Yourself
Why do I not kiss you, Philaenis? you are bald. Why do I not kiss you, Philaenis? you are carrotty. Why do I not kiss you, Philaenis? you are one-eyed. He who kisses you, Philaenis, sins against nature.
MARTIAL

Bald Kiss Myself Nature Sin Yourself
Birds of a feather will flock together.
MARTIAL

Bird Friendship Togetherness
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
Epigrams need no crier, but are content with their own tongue.
MARTIAL

Content Language Need
Your page stands against you and says to you that you are a thief.
MARTIAL

Page Stand Thief Yourself
He who writes distichs, wishes, I suppose, to please by brevity. But, tell me, of what avail is their brevity, when there is a whose book full of them?
MARTIAL

Book Himself Writing
Wine and women bring misery.
MARTIAL

Alcohol Misery Wine
There is no glory in outstripping donkeys.
MARTIAL

Animal Glory
From no place can you exclude the fates.
MARTIAL

Fate Place Yourself
The face that cannot smile is never fair.
MARTIAL

Face Fair Happiness Smile
A good man doubles the length of his existence; to have lived so as to look back with pleasure on our past existence is to live twice.
MARTIAL

Doubt Existence Goodness Live Man

My poems are naughty, but my life is pure.

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My poems are naughty, but my life is pure.

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