Oberlin Classics

[1] Ut...docui: “As I have instructed you.” ut and the perfect form imply that Horace has given Vinnius these instructions several times.
proficiscentem: masculine singular accusative present participle of proficiscor, modifying te. Vinnius seems to have set out previously, but Horace is sending this as a reminder, which shows his anxiety about sending his poems to Augustus (and his worry that this messenger may not have understood previous directions).
saepe diuque: “Often and for long.” Idiomatic pairing (Thesaurus Linguae Latinae v 1.1558.54-55)

[2] Augusto: Caesar Augustus (reign 27 BCE-14 CE). Augustus was evidently an admirer of Horace’s work, as he later commissioned his Carmen Saeculare in 17 BCE for the Secular Games held that year. Dative of indirect object with accusative volumina as direct object (see A&G 362). Horace will write a letter to Augustus (Epistles 2.1), which has a lot to say about literature and his own position in Roman society. See Spencer 2003 and Freudenberg 2014.
reddes: “Deliver” or “hand over.” Future indicative verb, though taken here as an imperative. The apodosis of a Future More Vivid conditional (see A&G 516) with the protases in line 3.
signata: “having been marked/sealed.” Mayer notes manuscripts were often marked and sealed by the original owner to assure they were not tampered with (ad loc.). Neuter accusative plural perfect passive participle of signo, modifying volumina.
Vinni: Vinnius, addressee of the letter. It will come out that his father had the cognomen Asinia (“Donkey”), leading to some of the humor of the poem. In the poem, he functions as Horace’s messenger, tasked to deliver a collection of the author’s work to Augustus. He is not referenced elsewhere in Horace’s work and may be fictional. Nisbet 1959 argued that he was Vinnius Valens, a centurion in the praetorian guard who was notable for his strength. If so, there is additional humor with these light books of poems potentially causing him such trouble. The Suetonius Life of Horace also mentions a messenger Horace used named Onysius, which is similar to the Greek word for donkey.

[3] si...si...si: Tricolon crescens construction; three successive protases for a Future More Vivid conditional (indicated by future indicatives erit and poscet, see A&G 516), each one syllable longer than the previous while maintaining the parallel structure of si + modifier of new subject “Augustus.”
validus: In his Lives of the Twelve Caesars, Suetonius claims that Augustus was known to have regular health problems, particularly around his birthday (Augustus, 81). He had suffered from a major stomach ailment in 23 BCE (Augustus, 59).
poscet: There is some humor in the final verb. Don’t give it to him if he doesn’t ask for it!

[4] ne...pecces: ne and the present subjunctive verb establish a negative purpose clause (see A&G 531). The second person pecces establishes Vinnius as the subject.
nostri: objective genitive modifying studio, “eagerness towards us” (see A&G 348).
odium: the direct object of inportes in the next line.
libellis: probably the three books of Odes published in 23 BCE.

[5] sedulus...minister: Nominative nouns both referring to Vinnius. Horace fears that his overzealous attendant will make a fool of himself, losing Horace’s favor with Augustus.
opera vehemente: ablative of means (see A&G 408).
inportes: the subjunctive verb furthers the purpose clause established in vv 4; ne is carried over. This same verbal root will reappear in line 13. This messenger should make sure that he does not “impart” displeasure to the books.

[6] forte: “perchance.” Ablative feminine singular form of fors, taken here adverbially (see Lewis and Short, Fors, II), A&G 214.
meae...chartae: Possessive genitive modifying sarcina (see A&G 343). Chartae is “paper,” here referring to papyrus scrolls. Originally cultivated in the Nile Delta, papyrus was the most common form of parchment used by the Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. Here is a papyrus scroll from First Century CE.
gravis: “heavy” or “burdensome.” Probably ironic as Horace’s most recent work would be a manageable three scrolls (cf. the use of libellis in vv. 4, “little books”).
uret: Literally “will burn,” taken here to mean “annoy” or “burden.” Establishes protasis of Future More Vivid conditional (see A&G 516).

[7] abicito potius quam: “[it is] better [that] you throw down than...” Supply sarcina as object. The apodosis of the condition.
quo perferre iuberis: “where you are ordered to carry [them].” Take ibi as the antecedent of quo, referring here to Augustus’ palace or camp.

[8] clitellas: literally “pack-saddle,” or “sumpter saddle.” Object of impingas. Horace jokes that Vinnius, carrying more weight than he could bear, would resemble a lowly pack animal stumbling into Augustus’ presence. Again, Horace shows concern with the way Vinnius may represent him.
ferus: nominative adjective, here taken adverbially; modifies impingas. Such "beastly" behavior helps to lead to the pun on his father's cognomen.
impingas: After a comparative with quam, one can find a result clause with the subjunctive (see A&G 571a). Vinnius would clutch them too “fiercely” if they were too great a load.
asinaeque: Horace furthers the image of Vinnius as a pack animal by referencing his father’s cognomen. Asina is strikingly similar to the Latin word for donkey, asinus.

[9] cognomen: “surname” or “epithet” in Roman naming customs. Would have been given to Vinnius' father as a nickname (and didn't necessarily pass down to the son).
vertas: Another subjunctive in a result clause without ut (A&G 571a).
risum: the “joke” here, as explained above, is the pairing of Vinnius’ physical similarity to a donkey with his father's cognomen and its closeness to asinus.
fabula fias: Horace wrote in Epode 11.8 that he was in urbem...fabula “the talk of the town” because of his love affairs. While Horace hopes Vinnius will not become a fabula, the poem is effectively a fabula, describing Vinnius in the exact manner that Horace warns of. The irony is especially noteworthy due to the poem being the only extant reference to a Vinnius Asina. He survives exclusively as the asinine addressee of Horace’s Epistula.

[10] viribus: Object of uteris, which takes the ablative (see A&G 410). Horace makes this journey seem that much more epic with the need of such viribus!
clivos...lamas: We are of two minds with this passage. Vinnius is likely traveling from Horace’s Sabine villa to the House of Augustus on the Palatine in Rome. Though the two estates are nearly 40 km apart, the Via Tiburtina would have provided smooth passage into Rome. In this reading, Horace appears to elaborate on the hyperbolic difficulty of Vinnius’ journey. However, others have posited that Augustus may be abroad and there would be a significant travel component (after all, Horace is writing Vinnius after he has left). We know Augustus was touring the East from 22 - 19 BCE according to Dio (54.10).

[11] victor propositi: Literally “victor of that which is assigned,” referring hypothetically to Vinnius once he has completed his task. Horace equates this into an epic task with Vinnius the victor.
simul ac: “as soon as,” common phrasing.
perveneris: future perfect form of pervenio.
illuc: refers here to the place where Augustus is residing.

[12] ne: instead of ut non in this result clause (springing from sic). As Greenough explains, “Probably the construction is to be explained as a paratactic description of the sic given in the form of a command” (ad loc.).
sub ala: Literally “under the armpit,” where the fasciculum may be easily crushed or otherwise damaged.

[13] portes: present subjunctive form of porto. With ne from vv. 12, as a result clause note A&G 537.2a.
librorum: Genitive of Material, modifying fasciculum (see A&G 344).
ut: Taken here, as in vv. 14-15, to indicate a comparison: “like a rural farmer [carries] a sheep.”
rusticus agnum: As with the next two comparisons, supply portat. Horace develops the rustic imagery, now comparing Vinnius to one carrying a farm animal. One thinks immediately of the Moscophoros of Athens.

[14] vinosa: “drunk on wine.” Nominative adjective describing the nominative Pirria. Subject of implied verb portat. The second comparison dissuades Vinnius from acting in a manner that would both damage the scrolls and bring him shame. There may be further punning with Vinnius and vinosus.
furtivae glomus... lanae: glomus is a rare word meaning “ball” with the genitive.
Pirria: Supposed name of the vinosa figure who has stolen yarn. Mayer states that, due to an impossible form, the word must be corrupted (ad loc.). One wonders if she would have been a figure from Roman comedy or mime.

[15] pilleolo: Literally “little felt hat.” Would be worn by a rustic or freedman. Ablative of Accompaniment, denoted by cum (see A&G 413).
soleas: “Slippers” or “sandals,” accusative object of implied verb porto. The third comparison returns to the pastoral imagery of the first, depicting a lowly figure who, lacking a slave, must carry his own soleas to the house of his dinner host.
conviva: Literally “table companion.” Nominative noun modified by tribulis. The “fellow tribesman” is arriving at the home of a dinner host, just as Vinnius is arriving at Augustus’ home to deliver the poems.

[16] ne...narres: Negative Hortatory Subjunctive (see A&G 439).
volgo: “The masses,” e.g. those who Vinnius meets along the way or at the destination. Dative of indirect object (see A&G 361), indirect object of narres.
sudavisse: “[you] have sweated,” perfect infinitive describing past time in indirect discourse (see A&G 384.a), set up by narres.
ferendo: “Carrying,” ablative gerund (A&G 501) form of fero. Ablative of cause (see A&G 404); “you have sweated due to carrying the poems.”

[17] carmina: Horace’s poems. The same package as volumina (vv. 2), sarcina (vv. 6), and fasciculum (vv. 13), though this is the first time Horace specifically refers to it as poetry. Accusative object of ferendo.
quae: Antecedent is carmina, as word order suggests. Introduces a relative clause of characteristic with the subjunctive possint (A&G 534).
oculos aurisque: Accusative objects of morari. Meter and melody, that which is pleasing to the ear, were of great importance to the classical poets. It is fitting that this line features an especially satisfying construction of alternating dactyls and spondees.
morari: Deponent verb, taken here as “to hold” or “fix.”

[18] Caesaris: Caesar Augustus (see vv. 2n). Possessive Genitive (see A&G 343), modifying oculos aurisque. The enjambment puts further emphasis on the name Caesaris. This may be the sort of poetic feature that would please the eyes of Augustus.
oratus: Perfect passive participle of orare. The participle describes a completed action–the numerous requests made by Horace. The action is completed in the most concrete sense, as these requests are contained in the preceding lines.
multa prece: Ablative of means (A&G 409); “having been entreated with many a request.”
nitere: “Strive” or “press on.” Imperative form of deponent nitor. Now that Vinnius has been properly briefed, Horace encourages him to continue his journey.
porro: “Onward.” Adverb modifying nitere.

[19] vade, vale: imperative forms of vado and valeo, respectively; Horace’s final words of encouragement. After such a humorous focus on his strength and ability to carry these packages, the traditional vale may have the feeling of "stay strong" more than simply "fare well".
cave ne titubes: “beware that you do not stumble.” For cave ne introducing a prohibition, see A&G 450.
mandataque: “That which you have been entrusted with,” e.g. the bundle of poems. Neuter plural perfect passive participle of mando to be taken substantively, the package [of poems] with which he has been entrusted. Object of frangas.
frangas: Second prohibition springing from cave ne. Horace closes the poem with a final warning, although even if Vinnius stumbles and falls, it is hard to believe he would “break” the scrolls.

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