Vērum ubi ductōrēs aciē revocāveris ambō,

dēterior quī vīsus, eum, nē prōdigus obsit,

dēde necī; melior vacuā sine rēgnet in aulā.90

Alter erit maculīs aurō squālentibus ārdēns—

nam duo sunt genera: hīc melior, insignis et ōre

et rutilīs clārus squāmīs; ille horridus alter

dēsidiā lātamque trahēns inglōrius alvum.

Ut bīnae rēgum faciēs, ita corpora plēbis:95

namque aliae turpēs horrent, ceu pulvere ab altō

cum venit et siccō terram spuit ōre viātor

āridus; ēlūcent aliae et fulgōre coruscant

ārdentēs aurō et paribus lita corpora guttīs.

Haec potior subolēs, hinc caelī tempore certō100

dulcia mella premēs, nec tantum dulcia quantum

et liquida et dūrum Bacchī domitūra sapōrem.

vērum: but indeed

ductor –ōris m.: leader

ambō ambae ambō: both

dēterior –ius: worse

prōdigus –a –um: wasteful, lavish; superfluous

obsum obesse obfuī: be in the way; hinder, harm

dēdō dēdere dēdidī dēditus: give up, surrender, hand over90

nex necis f.: murder, death

rēgnō rēgnāre rēgnāvī rēgnātus: rule

aula –ae (–āī) f.: court, palace, hall

macula –ae f.: spot

squāleō –ēre –uī: be rough or stiff; be covered with scales (of armor)

ārdēns –entis: burning, glowing

īnsīgnis īnsīgne: distinguished

rutilus –a –um: red-gold

squāma –ae f.: scales of armor

horridus –a –um: rough, bristling, shaggy

dēsidia –ae f.: idleness, laziness

inglōrius –a –um: without glory, inglorious

alvus –ī f.: abdomen

bīnī –ae –a: two, a pair95

namque: for in fact

horreō horrēre horruī: to bristle up, look rough or frightful

ceu: as, just as

pulvis pulveris m.: dust

siccus –a –um: dry

spuō spuere spuī spūtus: spit, spew

viātor –ōris m.: traveller

āridus –a –um: dry, parched

ēlūceō ēlūcēre ēlūxī —: shine out, gleam

fulgor –ōris m. or fulgur –ūris n.: lightning, flash, brightness

coruscō coruscāre coruscāvī coruscātus: flash, glitter

ārdēns –entis: burning, glowing

linō linere lēvī litus: smear, cover

gutta guttae f.: drop

subolēs –is f.: offspring, race100

hinc: from here

mel mellis n.: honey

liquidus –a –um: liquid, clear

Bacchus –ī m.: Bacchus (god)

domō domāre domuī domitus: tame, subdue

sapor –ōris m.: flavor, taste

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