Epistularum Q. Horatii Flacci
Liber Primus

Epistula XII

This epistle is evidently an answer to one of Iccius, in which he had complained of the position which he held in Sicily as manager of the estates of Marcus Agrippa, and of his fortunes generally. For Iccius' character, cf. Od. I.29, also addressed to him. His service under Aelius Gallus there referred to must have failed of yielding the desired wealth, as in fact we know that the expedition on which he went met with disaster. The two compositions addressed to Iccius give us a hint at the careers open to a young man trying to get on in life at Rome, and the success with which they were pursued.

   XII. Fructibus Agrippae Siculis, quos colligis, Icci,
si recte frueris, non est ut copia maior
ab Iove donari possit tibi. Tolle querellas;
pauper enim non est, cui rerum suppetit usus.
Si ventri bene, si lateri est pedibusque tuis, nil
divitiae poterunt regales addere maius.
Si forte in medio positorum abstemius herbis
vivis et urtica, sic vives protinus, ut te
confestim liquidus Fortunae rivus inauret;
vel quia naturam mutare pecunia nescit,
vel quia cuncta putas una virtute minora.
Miramur, si Democriti pecus edit agellos
cultaque, dum peregre est animus sine corpore velox,
cum tu inter scabiem tantam et contagia lucri
nil parvum sapias et adhuc sublimia cures:
quae mare compescant causae; quid temperet annum;
stellae sponte sua iussaene vagentur et errent;
quid premat obscurum lunae, quid proferat orbem;
quid velit et possit rerum concordia discors;
Empedocles an Stertinium deliret acumen.
Verum seu piscis seu porrum et caepe trucidas,
utere Pompeio Grospho et si quid petet ultro
defer: nil Grosphus nisi verum orabit et aequum.
Vilis amicorum est annona, bonis ubi quid deest.
Ne tamen ignores, quo sit Romana loco res:
Cantaber Agrippae, Claudi virtute Neronis
Armenius cecidit; ius imperiumque Phraates
Caesaris accepit genibus minor; aurea fruges
Italiae pleno defundit Copia cornu.