Sunday, March 06, 2016
Dominus Temporis Ipse Mei
De Bono Vitae Humilioris (Anthologia Latina 433 Riese = 431 Shackleton Bailey), tr. John Dunlop, Selections from the Latin Anthology. Translated into English Verse (Edinburgh: Thomas Clark, 1838), p. 161:
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Small are my treasures, my domain is small;Thanks to Clive Bloomfield for pointing out an error in my quotation of the Latin, which I've corrected.
But quietude makes that blameless little, great:
My tranquil mind no tremors agitate—
Heedless if men my days should slothful call.
Go! Seek the camp—ascend some curule throne—
All the vain joys that sway the bosom taste!
Mean though I am, by no distinctions graced,
Still, (while I live,) I call the hours mine own.
Est mihi rus parvum, fenus sine crimine parvum,
sed facit haec nobis utraque magna quies.
pacem animus nulla trepidus formidine servat
nec timet ignavae crimina desidiae.
castra alios operosa vocent sellaeque curules 5
et quicquid vana gaudia mente movet.
pars ego sim plebis, nullo conspectus honore,
dum vivam, dominus temporis ipse mei.
