Part 6 (2/2)

Then art a lewdling, dicer, greedy-gut! 10 Is't for such like name, sole Emperor thou!

Thou soughtest extreme Occidental Isle?

That this your ---- Mentula Millions and Milliards might at will absorb?

What is't but Liberality misplaced? 15 What trifles wasted he, small heirlooms spent?

First his paternal goods were clean dispersed; Second went Pontus' spoils and for the third,-- Ebro-land,--weets it well gold-rolling Tage.

Fear him the Gallias? Him the Britons' fear? 20 Why cherish this ill-wight? what 'vails he do?

Save fat paternal heritage devour?

Lost ye for such a name, O puissant pair (Father and Son-in-law), our all-in-all?

Who can witness this, who can brook it, save a wh.o.r.e-monger, a guzzler, and a gamester, that Mamurra should possess what long-haired Gaul and remotest Britain erstwhile had. Thou catamite Romulus, this thou'lt see and bear?

Then thou'rt a wh.o.r.e-monger, a guzzler, and a gamester. And shall he now, superb and o'er replete, saunter o'er each one's bed, as though he were a snow-plumed dove or an Adonis? Thou catamite Romulus, this thou'lt see and hear? Then thou'rt a wh.o.r.e-monger, a guzzler, and a gamester. For such a name, O general unique, hast thou been to the furthest island of the west, that this thy futtered-out Mentula should squander hundreds of hundreds?

What is't but ill-placed munificence? What trifles has he squandered, or what petty store washed away? First his patrimony was mangled; secondly the Pontic spoils; then thirdly the Iberian, which the golden Tagus-stream knoweth. Do not the Gauls fear this man, do not the Britons quake? Why dost thou foster this scoundrel? What use is he save to devour well-fattened inheritances? Wast for such a name, O most puissant father-in-law and son-in-law, that ye have spoiled the entire world.

x.x.x.

Alfene inmemor atque unanimis false sodalibus Iam te nil miseret, dure, tui dulcis amiculi?

Iam me prodere, iam non dubitas fallere, perfide?

Nec facta inpia fallac.u.m hominum caelicolis placent:

Quod tu neglegis, ac me miserum deseris in malis. 5 Eheu quid faciant, dic, homines, cuive habeant fidem?

Certe tute iubebas animam tradere, inique, me Inducens in amorem, quasi tuta omnia mi forent.

Idem nunc retrahis te ac tua dicta omnia factaque Ventos inrita ferre ac nebulas aerias sinis. 10

Si tu oblitus es, at di meminerunt, meminit Fides, Quae te ut paeniteat postmodo facti faciet tui.

x.x.x.

TO ALFENUS THE PERJUROR.

Alfenus! short of memory, false to comrades dearest-dear, Now hast no pity (hardened Soul!) for friend and loving fere?

Now to betray me, now to guile thou (traitor!) ne'er dost pause?

Yet impious feats of fraudful men ne'er force the G.o.ds' applause:

When heed'st thou not deserting me (Sad me!) in sorest scathe, 5 Ah say whate'er shall humans do? in whom shall man show faith?

For sure thou bad'st me safely yield my spirit (wretch!) to thee, Lulling my love as though my life were all security.

The same now dost withdraw thyself and every word and deed Thou suffer'st winds and airy clouds to sweep from out thy head. 10

But an forget thou, mindful be the G.o.ds, and Faith in mind Bears thee, and soon shall gar thee rue the deeds by thee design'd.

Alfenus, unmemoried and unfaithful to thy comrades true, is there now no pity in thee, O hard of heart, for thine sweet loving friend? Dost thou betray me now, and scruplest not to play me false now, dishonourable one?

Yet the irreverent deeds of traitorous men please not the dwellers in heaven: this thou takest no heed of, leaving me wretched amongst my ills.

Alas, what may men do, I pray you, in whom put trust? In truth thou didst bid me entrust my soul to thee, sans love returned, lulling me to love, as though all [love-returns] were safely mine. Yet now thou dost withdraw thyself, and all thy purposeless words and deeds thou sufferest to be wafted away into winds and nebulous clouds. If thou hast forgotten, yet the G.o.ds remember, and in time to come will make thee rue thy doing.

x.x.xI.

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