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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

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
A cook should double one sense have: for he Should taster for himself and master be.
MARTIAL

Cook Doubt Himself Master Taste
Every epigram should resemble a bee; it should have sting, honey, and brevity.
MARTIAL

Honey Similar
You ask what a nice girl will do? She won’t give an inch, but she won’t say no.
MARTIAL

Herself Woman
A fisherman’s walk: three steps and overboard.
MARTIAL

Man Walk
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
Your page stands against you and says to you that you are a thief.
MARTIAL

Page Stand Thief 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
The flaw which is hidden is deemed greater than it is.
MARTIAL

Flaw Greatness Hide
Birds of a feather will flock together.
MARTIAL

Bird Friendship Togetherness
Man loves malice, but not against one-eyed men nor the unfortunate, but against the fortunate and proud.
MARTIAL

Eyes Love Man Proud Unfortunate
When your crowd of attendants so loudly applaud you, Pomponius, it is not you, but your banquet, that is eloquent.
MARTIAL

Attendant Crowd Elegant Loud Praise Yourself
Why do strong arms fatigue themselves with frivolous dumbbells? To dig a vineyard is worthier exercise for men.
MARTIAL

Arms Exercise Man Strong Worthy
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
I would not miss your face, your neck, your hands, your limbs, your bosom and certain other of your charms. Indeed, not to become boring by naming them all, I could do without you, Chloe, altogether.
MARTIAL

Boredom Face Love Missing Myself Togetherness
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

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.

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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.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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