Ausonius, 14.3

de obitu singulorum monosticha.

Iulius interiit Caesar grassante senatu.
addidit Augustum divis matura senectus.
sera senex Capreis exul Nero fata peregit.
expetiit poenas de Caesare Chaerea mollis.
Claudius ambiguo conclusit fata veneno.
matricida Nero proprii vim pertulit ensis.
Galba senex periit saevo prostratus Othone.
mox Otho famosus, clara sed morte potitus.
prodiga succedunt perimendi sceptra Vitelli.
laudatum imperium, mors lenis Vespasiano.
at Titus, orbis amor, rapitur florentibus annis.
sera gravem perimunt, sed iusta piacula fratrem.

Single Lines on the Death of Each Emperor.

Julius Caesar died when the Senate attacked him. A ripe old age added Augustus to the gods. Old Nero [=Tiberius] met his end, all too late, as an exile on Capri. Effeminate Chaerea took its vengeance on Caesar [=Gaius/Caligula]. Claudius ended his life through doubtful poisoning. Nero the matricide submitted to the power of his own sword. Old Galba perished after being overthrown by savage Otho. Notorious Otho soon died, but he had an illustrious death. Next came the wasteful reign of Vitellius, who was destined to be slain. Vespasian’s rule was praised, his death a gentle one. But Titus, the beloved of the world, was snatched away in the prime of his life. Atonement, which came late but justly, destroyed his grievous brother [=Domitian].

Ausonius, Eclogae 26

This is Ausonius’ response to that one-line poem about when to cut your nails, beard and hair.

hoc sic refellendum.

Mercurius furtis probat ungues semper acutos
articulisque aciem non sinit imminui.
barba Iovi, crinis Veneri decor. ergo necesse est,
ut nolint demi, quo sibi uterque placent.
Mavors imberbos et calvos, Luna, adamasti:
non prohibent comi tum caput atque genas.
Sol et Saturnus nil obstant unguibus. ergo
non placitum divis tolle monostichium.

This is the way to refute this.

Mercury approves, for thefts, nails which are always sharp, and does not allow fingers’ keenness to be reduced. The beard is Jupiter’s glory, and hair is Venus’s. So it is inevitable that they do not wish for what they each delight in to be taken away. You, Mars, love the beardless; you, Moon, love the bald – these gods do not forbid head and cheeks to be trimmed. The Sun and Saturn have no objection to nails. Therefore do away with the one-liner which the gods do not approve!

Ausonius, Epigrams 23

An oft-repeated anecdote showing the warlike nature of the Spartans, as well as illustrating their ‘laconic’ manner of speaking.

mater Lacaena clipeo obarmans filium
‘cum hoc,’ inquit, ‘aut in hoc redi.’

As she was arming her son with his shield, the Spartan mother said, ‘Come home either with this or on it.’

Ausonius, Epigrams 99

On Narcissus, who turned into the eponymous flower after falling in love with his own reflection.

furitis, procaces Naides,
amore saevo et irrito:
ephebus iste flos erit.

You’ve been driven mad, wanton water-nymphs, by a love which is savage and vain: that young lad of yours will be a flower.