XXVIIII.

TO CÆSAR OF MAMURRA, CALLED MENTULA.

Who e'er could witness this (who could endure Except the lewdling, dicer, greedy-gut) That should Mamurra get what hairy Gaul And all that farthest Britons held whilòme? (Thou bardache Romulus!) this wilt see and bear? 5 Then art a lewdling, dicer, greedy-gut! 5b He now superb with pride superfluous Shall go perambulate the bedrooms all Like white-robed dovelet or Adonis-love. Romulus thou bardache! this wilt see and bear? 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 whore-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 whore-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 whore-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.