Today, whilst on my return journey back to Naples, I seemed to have caught a fever in a town near Megara. Later in the day, I will be crossing to Italy by ship. I am currently suffering from stomach pains, a sore throat, and an awful headache. Occasionally, I will undergo a violent coughing attack which tends to result in the spitting of blood. I honestly feel terrible, and am dreading the voyage back to Italy. And although I have never really been in good health these past years of my life, I am accustomed to believing that aegrescit medendo. Because of this belief, I refuse to see a doctor about my ailments, and therefore leave my life in the hands of the gods.
Oh Virgil! I know I musn't dwell on the possibility of your death. This could my last farewell to you. I hope Pluto may see you as one of the most devoted men, as I have seen in you. At last you lived your life to the fullest. Even if you might be physically away, you will always remain for centuries and centuries in our thoughts. Farewell my friend, farewell!
ReplyDeleteLiukkonen Petri. “Horace,” Books and Writers, http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/horatius.htm, 18 May 2011.
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Liukkonen Petri. “Virgil/Vergil,” Books and Writers, http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/virgil.htm, 18 May 2011.
Sweet, sweet Quintus. Please, as you said, do not dwell on the possibilty of my death. There is not a thing in the world that you nor myself can do to change the corse of events which the gods have already set for me. However, in the event that I my time comes before I compleate my latest poem, please do not publish the unfinished writings. I would perfer to have a flawless epic poem rather than a half-finished pile of my mindless scribbles. I ask you to burn any writings that may be umcompleated at the time of my death. Think of this request as not an order, but rather as an earnest plea from a dear friend of yours. Many thanks friend. If all goes well, I will be back in Italy in a matter of days.
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