61.
Cantoribus alte canentibus
To the singers singing on high
Qui philomelinis depromitis organa fibris,
Intima vox cordis modulis bene concinat oris.
You who produce nightingale (sounds) from the organ of your voice,
May the most profound voice of your mouth sing well harmoniously with a measure of your heart.
62.
Insimulat vicem carminibus non reddentem
He blames in verse one not responding in turn
Diptycha tot misi, quot flumina sunt paradisi,
Fonte sed ex vestro nec mihi stilla fluit.
I have sent you as many couplets as there are rivers of paradise,
But not a drop flows from your spring to me.
Nunc igitur scriptis totidem nisi scripta remittis,
Implebit vacuam penna retunsa tegam.
Now therefore if you do not send back the same number of writings,
My dull pen will fill its empty case.
63.
De quibusdam antidotis
On some antidotes
Mors aloen aequat, copulat sapor unus utramque.
Death is just like aloe, one flavor unites each of them.
His quoque tu parilem pigra sortiris acrorem:
Serapion1 cunctis fatear praestare venenis.
You unwilling also share these of equal bitterness,
May I confess that Serapion is better than all these herbs.
64.
Quod qui sumit munus, debet vicem reddere
He who receives a gift, must give one back in return
Alterutrum caros componit munus amicos,
Si gerulus referat, si dator accipiat.
A gift brings together both dear friends,
If the one who receives gives back, if the giver receives.
65.
Quod vermis eris et a verme voraberis
And you will be a worm and by a worm you will be devoured
Eius, homo, quod eris, datus es, ut et ore voreris.
Cur, cinis et vermis, tumida cervice superbis?
O man, you have given yourself to that mouth by which you will be devoured.
Why, ash and worm, does your neck swell up with pride?
66.
Quibus benedictio de coclearibus mittitur
To those to whom a blessing is sent from a spoon
Dent alii fulvum trutina librante metallum.
Sed mundus vivit, quia ligno vita pependit:
Sic modicum magno, lignum pretiosus auro.
Let others give the yellow metal by balancing scales.
But the world lives, because life hung on the cross:
Thus a little is great, wood is more precious than gold.
67.
Pontificali dexterae coclearia mittuntur
Spoons are sent by the bishop to the fortunate
Magna, perexiguum, manus aurea, suscipe lignum.
Nolo datum trutines sed dantis viscera libres.
Audeo, quod parti non est, praesumere toti.
Carmina quot scripsi, totidem tibi ligna polivi;
Chartula venalis, donantur cetera gratis.
Take up the cross you great men, you little men, you men who have much gold,
I do not want the gift of scales, but the free hearts of giving.
I dare to consume that which is not a part but all.
All the many poems I wrote are as the number of times I adorned the cross;
The paper is sold, however, the rest are given free.
68.
Amicum terret
He terrifies a friend
Quot digitis scribo, totidem tibi carmina mitto.
Aspera vox: «Ite»; nimium iucunda: «Venite».
Congregat haec agnos, vox altera dissipat haedos.
Perpensae voces poterunt componere mores.
Si regni requiem cupimus, metuamus et ignem.
I send to you as many poems as the number of fingers with which I write them.
A rough voice says “Go”; a most pleasant voice says: “Come”.
The one brings together the lambs, the other voice disperses the young goats.
The (carefully) weighing our voices will compose (our) habits.
If we desire the rest of the kingdom, let us fear the fire (of hell).
69.
Ad inimicum
To him who is hostile
Inter bella silent leges, in pace loquuntur.
Tempus adest belli, venient sua tempora legi.
Sic lis obtineat, ne pax post bellica perdat.
Ne vincare foro, qui temptas vincere campo.
In wars laws are silent, in peace they speak.
Time is now present with war, the laws will come with their times.
In this way the dispute holds fast, peace is not destroyed after wars.
You who tries to conquer in the field, may you not be conquered in the forum.
70.
Discretio inter levem et gravem
On the difference between the light (not serious) and the heavy (serious)
Horrens praecipitem, noli te ferre limacem;
Cum gravitate levis, sic levitate gravis.
Sic gravis incessus nec iam quasi compende nexus.
Nil vitio vitium cedere proficuum.
Bristling at the cliff, do not bear the mud;
When light things are treated seriously, serious things are treated lightly.
So the heavy going is not as if being tied in a knot.
Nothing of sin proceeds to profit by sin.
1 There are many Christian Serapions. I suspect he is referring to one of these three:
Serapion of Antioch (191 – 211). Patriarch of Antioch whose work is frequently quoted by Eusebius.
Serapion of Thmuis (Egypt, b. 300). A monk, abbot, and bishop notable for his stance against Arianism.
Serapion the Sindonite (d. 356). An Egyptian monk known for severe asceticism.
