style="font-size:15px;"> Conveniant oculis quae magis apta suis. Si generosa ancilla tuos aut alma puella Visura est ludos, annue, pande lubens.Dic utinam nunc ipse meus [6](nam diligit istas) In praesens esset conspiciendus herus.
Ignotus notusve mihi de gente togata Sive aget in ludis, pulpita sive colet, Sive in Lycaeo, et nugas evolverit istas, Si quasdam mendas viderit inspiciens,
Da veniam Authori, dices; nam plurima vellet
Expungi, quae jam displicuisse sciat.
Sive Melancholicus quisquam, seu blandus Amator, Aulicus aut Civis, seu bene comptus eques
Huc appellat, age et tuto te crede legenti, Multa istic forsan non male nata leget.
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Quod fugiat, caveat, quodque amplexabitur, ista
Pagina fortassis promere multa potest.
At si quis Medicus coram te sistet, amice
Fac circumspecte, et te sine labe geras:
Inveniet namque ipse meis quoque plurima scriptis, Non leve subsidium quae sibi forsan erunt.
Si quis Causidicus chartas impingat in istas, Nil mihi vobiscum, pessima turba vale;
Sit nisi vir bonus, et juris sine fraude peritus, Tum legat, et forsan doctior inde siet.
Si quis cordatus, facilis, lectorque benignus Huc oculos vertat, quae velit ipse legat; Candidus ignoscet, metuas nil, pande libenter, Offensus mendis non erit ille tuis,
Laudabit nonnulla. Venit si Rhetor ineptus, Limata et tersa, et qui bene cocta petit,
Claude citus librum; nulla hic nisi ferrea verba, Offendent stomachum quae minus apta suum. At si quis non eximius de plebe poeta,
Annue; namque istic plurima ficta leget.
Nos sumus e numero, nullus mihi spirat Apollo, Grandiloquus Vates quilibet esse nequit.
Si Criticus Lector, tumidus Censorque molestus, Zoilus et Momus, si rabiosa cohors:
Ringe, freme, et noli tum pandere, turba malignis
Si occurrat sannis invidiosa suis:
Fac fugias; si nulla tibi sit copia eundi, Contemnes, tacite scommata quaeque feres. Frendeat, allatret, vacuas gannitibus auras Impleat, haud cures; his placuisse nefas. Verum age si forsan divertat purior hospes, Cuique sales, ludi, displiceantque joci, Objiciatque tibi sordes, lascivaque: dices, Lasciva est Domino et Musa jocosa tuo,
Nec lasciva tamen, si pensitet omne; sed esto; Sit lasciva licet pagina, vita proba est.
Barbarus, indoctusque rudis spectator in istam
Si messem intrudat, fuste fugabis eum,
Fungum pelle procul (jubeo) nam quid mihi fungo? Conveniunt stomacho non minus ista suo.
Sed nec pelle tamen; laeto omnes accipe vultu, Quos, quas, vel quales, inde vel unde viros. Gratus erit quicunque venit, gratissimus hospes Quisquis erit, facilis difficilisque mihi.
Nam si culparit, quaedam culpasse juvabit, Culpando faciet me meliora sequi.
Sed si laudarit, neque laudibus efferar ullis, Sit satis hisce malis opposuisse bonum.
Haec sunt quae nostro placuit mandare libello, Et quae dimittens dicere jussit Herus. DEMOCRITUS JUNIOR TO HIS BOOK
PARAPHRASTIC METRICAL TRANSLATION.
Go forth my book into the open day; Happy, if made so by its garish eye.
O'er earth's wide surface take thy vagrant way, To imitate thy master's genius try.
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The Graces three, the Muses nine salute,
Should those who love them try to con thy lore. The country, city seek, grand thrones to boot, With gentle courtesy humbly bow before. Should nobles gallant, soldiers frank and brave Seek thy acquaintance, hail their first advance: From twitch of care thy pleasant vein may save, May laughter cause or wisdom give perchance. Some surly Cato, Senator austere,
Haply may wish to peep into thy book: Seem very nothing--tremble and revere: No forceful eagles, butterflies e'er look.
They love not thee: of them then little seek,
And wish for readers triflers like thyself.
Of ludeful matron watchful catch the beck, Or gorgeous countess full of pride and pelf. They may say pish! and frown, and yet read on: Cry odd, and silly, coarse, and yet amusing. Should dainty damsels seek thy page to con, Spread thy best stores: to them be ne'er refusing: Say, fair one, master loves thee dear as life;
Would he were here to gaze on thy sweet look.
Should known or unknown student, freed from strife
Of logic and the schools, explore my book: Cry mercy critic, and thy book withhold:
Be some few errors pardon'd though observ'd: An humble author to implore makes bold.
Thy kind indulgence, even undeserv'd, Should melancholy wight or pensive lover, Courtier, snug cit, or carpet knight so trim
Our blossoms cull, he'll find himself in clover,
Gain sense from precept, laughter from our whim. Should learned leech with solemn air unfold
Thy leaves, beware, be civil, and be wise: Thy volume many precepts sage may hold,
His well fraught head may find no trifling prize.
Should crafty lawyer trespass on our ground, Caitiffs avaunt! disturbing tribe away!
Unless (white crow) an honest one be found; He'll better, wiser go for what we say.
Should some ripe scholar, gentle and benign, With candour, care, and judgment thee peruse: Thy faults to kind oblivion he'll consign;
Nor to thy merit will his praise refuse.
Thou may'st be searched for polish'd words and verse
By flippant spouter, emptiest of praters:
Tell him to seek them in some mawkish verse: My periods all are rough as nutmeg graters. The doggerel poet, wishing thee to read, Reject not; let him glean thy jests and stories. His brother I, of lowly sembling breed:
Apollo grants to few Parnassian glories. Menac'd by critic with sour furrowed brow, Momus or Troilus or Scotch reviewer: Ruffle your heckle, grin and growl and vow:
Ill-natured foes you thus will find the fewer,
When foul-mouth'd senseless railers cry thee down,
Reply not: fly, and show the rogues thy stern;
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They are not worthy even of a frown:
Good taste or breeding
