Translation
From Merlin to the Sober Judge
"There is a river in Phrygia called Gallus,
From which if you drink but a little
it remedies the ills of the body.
If you drink without restraint, it will absorb you
so completely that for as long as you shall live,
you will not wish to drink again.
So too the words of philosophy bring little
touch of calm to life,
but they delight many things
If you drink them in without limit, they will disturb you,"
he said, "they will drive you to ill-health,
or headlong glory.
Since, therefore, to this point, you will have been cautious,
Run not toward so great a harm,
with the ballot-card of judges
It pleased you thus far merely to sample wisdom so great,
to touch such a great thing with the lips,
and to smell it with your nostrils.
On account of this I judge that you live unwell,
since you are hurrying to this place,
whence you shake down pennies from Midas."
Source
Est fluvius in Phrygia dictus Gallus,
De quo si bibas modicum,
Medetur malis corporis.
Si absorpseris insobrie, t'absorbebit
adusque ut agas animum,
non bibiturus iterum
Sic etiam literae sophiae parum tactae
Civilem ad vitam conferunt,
Et condolectant plurimum
Si nimium t'ingurgits, te turbabunt,
Inqu'insaniam t'adigent
Praecipitemve gloriam.
Cum fueris igitur hactenus factus prudens,
Ne tantum damnum incurreres,
Magistrorum suffragio
Tantummodo sophiam placuit pitissare,
Tantum labris attingere,
Et naribus olfacere
Properterea non bene facere te declaro,
Huc dum judex acceleras,
Quo quasses Midae auriculas.
Dissection
- medeor: medĕre, to heal, soothe, be good for
- adusque: wholly
- absorbeo, alt. apsorbeō
- condēlector, present infinitive condēlectārī, perfect: To be delighted with
- ingurgitō, present infinitive ingurgitāre, perfect active: I flood (pour in like a flood); I engulf
- pitissare: to taste, similar to libare
- tantummodo: such a size
- adigō: to drive, urge, bring by force
- praecipitis, praecipite: headforemost, headlong
- hactenus: as far as this, to this place
- damnum, n.: damage, hurt, injury, loss
- suffragio: voting tablet, ballot, vote, voice