Translations - Greek Anthology Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis

Rhyme Scheme: A BBCCBB C C DDEFGGHHIICCCC C C JKLMCCNCOOCCPPQQ C C C LMCCRRHHNNCC C C CSCS C C CC C C TCTC C C CCUUII C C CCVVCC C C WWCCHHBBXXCC C C YYCCCCCC C C CCCC C CCCC C N C CCCCCC Z C MCLC C C OOA2A2CCCCDDPCB2B2 P C CCCC P

XA
-
Woe to the house whose mistress was a slaveB
So say old saws my own in aid I craveB
Woe to the court whose judge once spake for feesC
Though he were readier than IsocratesC
An advocate that pleaded once for pelfB
Scarce on the bench forgets his former selfB
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PalladasC
-
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XIC
-
This Olympicus of oldD
Had Sebastus I am toldD
Quite his share of upper gearE
Nose and chin and eye and earF
All he lost and by his fistG
He became a pugilistG
Loss of members with it drewH
Loss of patrimony tooH
When his birthright he would claimI
Into court his brother cameI
With a portrait saying ThusC
Looked the old OlympicusC
None could any likeness seeC
Disinherited was heC
-
LucillusC
-
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XIC
-
A pig a goat an ox I lostJ
I want them back at any costK
And so retained O woful fateL
Menecles for my advocateM
But tell me will you what have theseC
In common with OthryadesC
The heroes of ThermopylN
Have nought to do with theft from meC
Against Eutychides I bringO
My action for a trivial thingO
Let Xerxes rest a little spaceC
And leave the Spartans in their placeC
For if you don't put all this byP
I'll go into the streets and cryP
The voice of Menecles is bigQ
But what about my stolen pigQ
-
LucillusC
-
This Epigram is probably an imitation of that of Martial on pC
-
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XIC
-
Pluto rejected at his gateL
The soul of Mark the advocateM
No Cerberus my dog quoth heC
Will make you pleasant companyC
But if within you needs must goR
Practise on poet MelitoR
And you shall have if he won't doH
Tityus and Ixion tooH
You'll be to hell the sorest illN
Of all that hell contains untilN
There come to us worse barbarismsC
When Rufus speaks his solecismsC
-
LucillusC
-
-
XIC
-
So soon hath AsiaticusC
The gift of eloquence achievedS
It was in Thebes it happened thusC
The story well may be believedS
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AmmianusC
-
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XIC
-
The statue of an advocate as like as like can beC
And why The statue cannot speak a word no more could heC
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AnonC
-
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XIC
-
Paul dost thou wish to make thy boyT
An advocate like these his bettersC
Then let him not his time employT
To useless ends in learning lettersC
-
AmmianusC
-
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XIC
-
The parties were as deaf as deaf could beC
The judge was far the deafest of the threeC
Said plaintiff Sir I ask for five months' rentU
Defendant Grinding corn all night I spentU
Why quoth the judge dispute Your mother's claimI
Is good and you must both support the dameI
-
NicarchusC
-
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XIC
-
Remember justice and her yoke and knowC
That 'gainst the wicked votes of Guilty goC
Thou trustest in thy cunning speech thy powerV
Of speaking words that vary with the hourV
Hope what thou wilt thy trifling tricks are vainC
Thou canst not make the path of law less plainC
-
AgathiasC
-
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XIC
-
Once to Diodorus came a client in a state of doubtW
And to that most learned counsel thus he set the matter outW
Alpha Beta found a slave girl who had run away from meC
To a slave of his he wed her though she was my propertyC
Well he knew she was my chattel she has had a child or twoH
Now I cannot tell for certain whose the children are can youH
Diodorus thought consulted all authorities on SlaveB
To his client turned his furrowed brows and slowly answer gaveB
'Tis to you or to the other who you say has done you wrongX
That the children of the handmaid rightfully of course belongX
Your best plan will be the matter in the proper court to placeC
So you'll get a good opinion whether you have any caseC
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AgathiasC
-
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PLANC
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Good Hermes only just one cabbage plantY
Stop stop my thieving traveller you can'tY
What grudge me one poor cabbage is it soC
Nay I don't grudge it but the law says noC
The law says Keep your itching palms d'ye seeC
From meddling with another's propertyC
Well this beats anything I ever sawC
Hermes against a thief invokes the lawC
-
PhilippusC
-
-
APPENDIXC
-
Pupils seven of AristidesC
Tell me how are yeC
Four of you are walls beside isC
Nought but benches threeC
-
Another VersionC
-
Seven pupils of the rhetorC
Aristides how are yeC
Seven Hoc et nihil pr terC
Four are walls and benches threeC
-
AnonC
-
-
MARTIALN
-
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In CaiumC
-
Lend me sestertia Caius only twentyC
'Tis no great thing for you who roll in plentyC
He was an old companion and his coffersC
Were full enough to stand such friendly offersC
Go plead in court said he 'tis pleadings pay usC
I want your money not your counsel CaiusC
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Martial iiZ
-
-
In CausidicumC
-
'Tis said that some bold advocateM
Has dared to criticise my poemC
His name I have not learned his fateL
Will be a warning when I know himC
-
Martial vC
-
-
In Postumum CausidicumC
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No claim for trespass do I bringO
Or homicide or poisoningO
I claim that by my neighbour's theftA2
Of she goats three I was bereftA2
The judge of course wants evidenceC
But you go wandering far from thenceC
And with a mighty voice declaimC
Of Mithridates and the shameC
Of Cann and the lies of oldD
That Punic politicians toldD
And why should you pass Sylla byP
The Marii and MuciiC
When Postumus d'ye hope to reachB2
My stolen she goats in your speechB2
-
Martial viP
-
-
In CinnamC
-
Is this advocacy Cinna this a type of lawyers' powersC
This immense oration Cinna some nine words in some ten hoursC
Waterclocks I grant you asked for Cinna yes you called for fourC
There you stopped such wealth of silence Cinna ne'er was seen beforeC
-
Martial viiiP

James Williams



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