Ausonio, Par. praef. uers. 15-18 y Marcial VI 28.10

Abstract

In the first section of this paper, the interpretations of Ausonius’ passage by Green (1991) and Lolli (1997) are subjected to criticism; the traditional view on praeter iustum is reinforced, and further linguistic and poetic aspects of this expression are explored. In the second section, it is investigated how alternative approaches to Ausonius’ locus, such as that of Green or Barth’s attempted emendation of iustum > nostrum (1624), are consequential to the comparison of Par. praef. uers. 18 with Martial’s VI 28.10 as printed by all editors ( qui fles talia, nil fleas uiator ); it is then argued that the traditional text and interpretation of Ausonius’ line and a revised text of Martial (either qui fles, talia nil fleas, uiator , as punctuated by Salanitro, or qui fles, tale nihil fleas, uiator , as I have suggested elsewhere) are mutually consistent and provide philological support for each other (§§ 2-3).