Sulpicius Lupercus Servastus

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 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, andBy 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) External links J. Wright Duff; Arnold M. Duff, Minor Latin Poets, Loeb Classical Library 284 (1934), p. 573 Henry C. Knight, Poems'', Vol. 1 (Boston: Wells and Lilly, 1821), p. 188 Category:Poets from Rome Category:Latin authors