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Name: Martial Date: c. 40 – 100 CE Region: Bilbilis, Hispania [modern Spain] Citation: Epigrams 1.90.1-6 |
Bassa,
Because I never saw you in any man's arms,
Because I never heard a rumor about you
cheating,
Because no man ever dated you,
Because you were content
You seemed to be an ideal of chastity to me.
But dang it, Bassa, all this time you’ve been
dating them!
Latin Text:
Quod numquam maribus iunctam
te, Bassa, videbam
quodque tibi moechum fabula
nulla dabat,
omne sed officium circa te
semper obibat
turba tui sexus, non adeunte
viro,
esse videbaris, fateor,
Lucretia nobis:
at tu, pro facinus, Bassa,
[incasta] eras!
Martial [Marcus Valerius Martialis; 38 BCE – 102 CE, modern
Spain] Originally from Bilbilis, Hispania, the poet Martial moved to Rome in
the 60s CE to advance his career. His two extant works include de
Spectaculis, a collection of poems written to commemorate the opening of
the Colosseum, and a fifteen volume collection of epigrams. These poems provide
valuable insight into the private lives of Romans from all of the city’s social
classes.
