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Laugh, if thou art wise.

Martial

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
Work divided is in that manner shortened.
MARTIAL

Division Short Work
He who thinks that the lives of Priam and of Nestor were long is much deceived and mistaken. Life consists not in living, but in enjoying health.
MARTIAL

Enjoyment Health Mistake Thinking
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
To-morrow I will live, the fool does say; To-day itself’s too late, the wise lived yesterday.
MARTIAL

Fools Future Past Wisdom
You puff the poets of other days, The living you deplore. Spare me the accolade: your praise Is not worth dying for.
MARTIAL

Death Live Poet Praise Worth
The swan murmurs sweet strains with a flattering tongue, itself the singer of its own dirge.
MARTIAL

Swan Tongue
Nothing is more ill-timed than an ill-timed laugh.
MARTIAL

Laughter Time
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
Of no day can the retrospect cause pain to a good man.
MARTIAL

Day Goodness Man Pain
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
Gifts are like hooks.
MARTIAL

Gift One Liner
Every bird that upwards swings Bears the Cross upon its wings.
MARTIAL

Animal Bird Wings
Can the fish love the fisherman?
MARTIAL

Deep Love One Liner
The flaw which is hidden is deemed greater than it is.
MARTIAL

Flaw Greatness Hide
There is no glory in outstripping donkeys.
MARTIAL

Animal Glory

Laugh, if thou art wise.

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Laugh, if thou art wise.

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