Horace Satires 1:3 Lines 48-62

Question 1

parcius hic vivit: frugi dicatur; ineptus
et iactantior hic paulo est: concinnus amicis
postulat ut videatur; at est truculentior atque
plus aequo liber: simplex fortisque habeatur;
caldior est: acris inter numeretur. opinor,
haec res et iungit iunctos et servat amicos.

Answer 1

Is tactless and is a bit too boastful: he demands that he should seem [50]
Sociable to his friends. But he is more fierce
And free-speaking than is reasonable; let him be considered as “frank” and “brave”.
He’s too hotheaded: let him be counted among the “eager”. [As] I consider
This [attitude] both unites friends, and keeps them united.

Question 2

at nos virtutes ipsas invertimus atque
sincerum cupimus vas incrustare. probus quis
nobiscum vivit, multum demissus homo: illi
tardo cognomen, pingui damus. hic fugit omnis
insidias nullique malo latus obdit apertum,
cum genus hoc inter vitae versemur, ubi acris
invidia atque vigent ubi crimina: pro bene sano
ac non incauto fictum astutumque vocamus.

Answer 2

But we overturn virtues themselves and desire [55]
To stain a clean jar: some decent man
Who lives with us, a very humble [soul]: to him
We give as a nickname “slow”, “thick”. This [man] flees all
Traps, and never puts his side in the way of evil
Though he is situated in the midst of the sort of life where keen envy [60]
And accusations flourish: instead of [calling him] “well sound”
And “not incautious”, we call him “false” and “sly”.