Marcus Valerius Martial

Report says that you, Fidentinus, recite my compositions in
public as if they were your own. If you allow read more

Report says that you, Fidentinus, recite my compositions in
public as if they were your own. If you allow them to be called
mine, I will send you my verses gratis; if you wish them to be
called yours, pray buy them, that they may be mine no longer.

You were constantly, Matho, a guest at my villa at Tivoli. Now
you buy it--I have deceived you; I read more

You were constantly, Matho, a guest at my villa at Tivoli. Now
you buy it--I have deceived you; I have merely sold you what was
already your own.

My suit has nothing to do with the assault, or battery, or
poisoning, but is about three goats, which, read more

My suit has nothing to do with the assault, or battery, or
poisoning, but is about three goats, which, I complain, have been
stolen by my neighbor. This the judge desires to have proved to
him; but you, with swelling words and extravagant gestures,
dilate on the Battle of Cannae, the Mithridatic war, and the
perjuries of the insensate Carthaginians, the Syllae, the Marii,
and the Mucii. It is time, Postumus, to say something about my
three goats.

The book which you are reading aloud is mine, Fidentinus; but,
while you read it so badly, it begins read more

The book which you are reading aloud is mine, Fidentinus; but,
while you read it so badly, it begins to be yours.

Where McGregor sits, there is the head of the table.

Where McGregor sits, there is the head of the table.