Ō dulcī iūcunda virō, iūcunda parentī,
salvē, tēque bonā Iuppiter auctet ope,
iānua, quam Balbō dīcunt servīsse benignē 5
ōlim, cum sēdēs ipse senex tenuit,
quamque ferunt rūrsus gnātō servīsse malignē,
postquam es porrēctō facta marīta sene.
Dīc agedum nōbīs, quārē mūtāta ferāris
in dominum veterem dēseruisse fidem.
‘Nōn (ita Caeciliō placeam, cui trādita nunc sum)
culpa mea est, quamquam dīcitur esse mea, 10
nec peccātum ā mē quisquam pote dīcere quicquam:
vērum est ius populī, iānua rīte facit,
quī quācumque aliquid reperītur nōn bene factum
ad mē omnēs clāmant: iānua, culpa tua est.'
Nōn istuc satis est ūnō tē dīcere verbō. 15
Sed facere ut quīvīs sentiat et videat.
‘Quī possum? nēmō quaerit nec scīre labōrat?'
Nōs volumus: nōbīs dīcere nē dubitā.
‘Prīmum igitur, virgō quod fertur trādita nōbīs,
falsum est. Nōn illam vir prior attigerit, 20
languidior tenerā cui pendēns sīcula bētā.
vocabulary
ō: interjection, expressing grief, pleasure, indignation, or adjuration
iūcundus –a –um: pleasant, delightful
salveō –ēre: greetings! hail!
Iuppiter Iovis m.: Jupiter or Zeus, chief of the Olympian gods; by metonymy, the weather, wind, sky
auctō –āre –āvī –ātum: cause to grow or prosper; bless (w/ abl.)
iānua iānuae f.: door to a house, other building, or heaven
Balbus –ī m.: Roman cognomen
benignē: benevolently, kindly
malignus –a –um: ungenerous, spiteful; grudging, poor, mean, scanty 5
porrigō porrigere porrēxī porrēctum: stretch out
marītus –a –um: husband
agedum: come!
Caecilius –ī m.: Roman nomen gentile
vērum: adversative conj., assenting to what has been said but adding a qualification: but in fact, but, actually
quācumque: wherever
clāmō clāmāre clāmāvī clāmātus: shout, cry out
istic istaec istoc: that which you have, mention, or refer to 15
quīvīs quaevīs quodvīs or (subst.) quidvīs: whoever or whatever you wish; anyone, anything
quod: because, the fact that
attingō attingere attigī attāctus: touch; touch upon (in speaking), mention 20
languidus –a –um: weary, drooping, flaccid
pendeō pendēre pependī: hang; depend, rely
sīcula –ae f.: a small dagger; (metaph.) penis
bēta –ae f.: beet