Sulpicius Lupercus Servastus

Latin poet

Sulpicius Lupercus Servastus (or Servasius; fl. c. 4th century AD or later) was a Latin poet. Two poems are extant; an elegy, De Cupiditate ('On Avarice'), in forty-two lines, and a sapphic ode, De Vetustate ('The Work of Time'), in twelve lines.

Quotes

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  • Omne quod Natura parens creavit,
    quamlibet firmum videas, labascit:
    tempore ac longo fragile et caducum
      solvitur usu.
    • Each thing our parent Nature hath created,
      How firm soever, Time will see it waste, and
      By a long usage, feeble grown and fragile,
        Fall into ruin.
    • De Vetustate, 1–4 (Tr. Henry C. Knight)
  • Heu misera in nimios hominum petulantia census!
    • Alas for the wretched craving after excessive incomes!
    • De Cupiditate, 1 (Tr. Duff & Duff)
  • Heu mala paupertas numquam locupletis avari!
      dum struere immodice quod tenet optat, eget.
    • Alas for the baleful poverty of the miser who is never rich! His desire for a limitless heap of what he holds makes him a beggar.
    • De Cupiditate, 13–14 (Tr. Duff & Duff)
  • Romani sermonis egent, ridendaque verba
      frangit ad horrificos turbida lingua sonos.
    • They are beggared of Latin style, and their confused jargon minces ridiculous words to an accompaniment of shocking sounds.
    • De Cupiditate, 29–30 (Tr. Duff & Duff)
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