Pompeiiana+excerpts

A couple of poems by Martial showed up in a 1983 edition of Pompeiiana, with English renderings in doggerel. They are worth looking at.

Nuper erat medicus, nunc est vespillo Diaulus Quod vespillo facit, fecerat et medicus.

The rendering in limerick form: There was a young doctor named Sturgeon Who was struck by a sudden new urgin' "With a scalpel why grovel When I can do with a shovel Much the same as I did as a surgeon?"

Petit Gemellus nuptias Maronillae Et cupit et instat et precatur et donat "Adeone pulchra est?" "Immo, foedius nil est." "Quid ergo in illa petitur et placet?" "Tussit."

As a limerick: Geraldo was courting Miss Treacher, Who was quite a hideous creature. When friends asked him why, He replied with a sigh: "Her coughing's my favorite feature."