April 6th | Fastorum Liber Quartus: Aprilis
H NP LUDI | VIII Eid. | IV.377-386, Ovid encounters an old veteran while watching the games.
Tertia lux (memini) ludis erat, ac mihi quidam
spectanti senior continuusque loco
“haec” ait “illa dies, Libycis qua Caesar in oris
perfida magnanimi contudit arma Iubae. 380
dux mihi Caesar erat, sub quo meruisse tribunus
glorior: officio praefuit ille meo.
hanc ego militia sedem, tu pace parasti,
inter bis quinos usus honore viros.”
plura locuturi subito seducimur imbre: 385
pendula caelestis Libra movebat aquas.
377 It was, I remember, the third day of the games, when a certain elderly man, who sat next to me at the show, observed to me, “This was the famous day when on the Libyan shores Caesar crushed proud Juba’s treacherous host.1 Caesar was my commander; under him I am proud to have served as colonel; at his hands did I receive my commission. This seat I won in war, and thou didst win in peace,2 by reason of thine office in the College of the Ten.” We were about to say more when a sudden shower of rain parted us; the Balance hung in heaven released the heavenly waters.
M, the editor of Ovid Daily, has also written a translation of Liber IV.
Thapsus, 46 B.C.
The Decemviri stlitibus iudicandis had special seats in front.