The Caprice of Court Morals

Hail, Ennius Hail, Florus Tullius Cornelius Hail, Marcus Heracleus Flavius When did you come back? The day before yesterday, at dawn, exhausted. You, exhausted? You are never in a sweat Don't jeer at me, Florus Tullius Cornelius. I am drudging even now on behalf of my friends Your friends? We did not ask you to drudge But my love thinks of you. You cruel people who sneer at me, see this procession of slaves laden with goods? Others have gone before them with other goods. And it's all to honour you.So this is your work? A banquet? Why? Sh Noble patricians making such a terrible din You sound like the plebeans of this country where we are wearing ourselves out in... Orgies and idleness. Because we do nothing else. Why are we here? To be bored to death. To teach the hired female mourners here how to live. And... to sow Rome in the sacred pelvises of Jewish women. And to enjoy, here as anywhere else, our wealth and power, to which everything is allowed. But for some time a fog has been hanging over the merry Court of Pilate. The most beautiful women look like chaste vestals and their husbands comply with their whims. And that spoils the habitual feasts a great deal... Of course The caprice for that coarse Galilean... But it will soon be over... You are wrong, Ennius. I know that Claudia also is conquered by Him and thus... good morals have strangely installed themselves in her palace. Roman republican austerity seems to be revived there... One reason more why I should help you. A great dinner this evening... and a greater orgy in my house. I was at Cyntium and I found delightful things which these stinkers consider impure: little wild boars removed alive from their mother, which had been killed, and bred for our dinners. And wines... Ah sweet, precious wines and sweet-smelling wines and inebriating wines to excite senses for the final enjoyment. Oh It must be a great feast, to dispel the tedium of our exile and to convince ourselves that we are still virile ... Will there be women as well? Of course... And more beautiful than roses. Of every colour and... taste. I spent a treasure for all the goods, including the women... But I am generous to my friends ... After the banquet, let us have love ... The three men laugh grossly, anticipating the shameful pleasures. But why this exceptional feast? ... I will whisper it to you: I am invited to a wedding... You? Liar I am invited to a wedding. It is a "wedding" every time one relishes the first sip from a sealed amphora. And I am doing that this evening. Two hundred gold pieces I paid for her. Beautiful and pure A bud, a closed bud... Ah And I am her master ... And the girl will know me only... If He heard you...Oh Here He is Who? The Nazarene Who cast a spell on our ladies. He is behind you...