Dil-and-Language : University Press

8 Mart 2017 Çarşamba

"Mea Nec Falernae etc.

Quid mirum Maro quod digne canit “Arma virumque”?

Quid quod putidulum nostra Camoena sonat?

Limosum nobis promus dat callidus haustum,

Virgilio vires uva Falerna dedit.

Carmina vis nostri scribant meliora poetae?

Ingenium iubeas purior haustus alat.

What wonder that Maro sings worthily of “Arms and the man”? What wonder

that our Muse sounds a bit rotten? The cunning steward gives us a

muddy drink; the Falernian grape gave Virgil his power. Do you want our

poets to write better songs? Order a purer draught to nourish their talent.

Title: from Horace, Odes 1.20.10–12 “mea nec Falernae / temperant vites

neque Formiani / pocula colles” (My cups are not mellowed by Falernian

vines or Formian hills). Maecenas is warned that when he visits Horace he

will not be offered any of the high-class vintages that come from the area in

the south of Latium and northern Campania. Johnson’s logic should not be

pressed too hard; for Horace managed to write quite well on his cheap drink.

1. Virgil’s full name was Publius Vergilius Maro."

Dil-and-Language