LXIX. Noli admirari quare tibi femina nulla [What's Wrong with Rufus]	elegiac couplets
Attack on Rufus

Nōli ādmīrārī quārē tĭbĭ fēmĭnă nūllă, Rūfĕ, vĕlīt tĕnĕrūm sūppŏsŭīssĕ fĕmŭr, nōn si īllām rāraē lăbĕfāctēs mūnĕrĕ vēstīs. aūt pērlūcĭdŭlī dēlĭcĭīs lăpĭdĭs. Laēdīt tē quaēdām mălă fābŭlă, quā tĭbĭ fērtŭr vāllĕ sŭb ālārūm trūx hăbĭtārĕ căpĕr. hūnc mĕtŭūnt ōmnēs; nĕquĕ mīrūm: nām mălă vāldē est bēstĭă, nēc quīcūm bēllă pŭēllă cŭbĕt. Quāre aūt crūdēlēm nāsōrum īntērfĭcĕ pēstĕm, aūt ādmīrārī dēsĭnĕ cūr fŭgĭŭnt. FLV (si + pres subj in both clauses)

5 10

Don't wonder, Rufus, how not one woman wants to place beneath you a tender thigh, not if you would undermine her with a gift of exquisite clothing or the delights of translucent stones. A certain bad rumor is hurting you which says a savage billy goat is said to be living in the valley under your arm. All fear him, and no wonder, for it is a very bad beast, nor would a pretty girl lie with him. Wherefore, either kill the cruel affliction of noses or cease to wonder why they flee.

1	admirari: inf: marvel or wonder at quare: how, wherefore, therefore	femina: -a, -ae: woman nulla: -us, -a, -um: not one, not at all
2	tenerum: tener, -era, -erum: soft, delicate supposuisse: suppono, -ponere, -posui, -positum: put beneath; equivalent of supponere	femur, -inis (n): thigh
3	rarae: -us, -a, -um: exquisite, rare labefactes: -o, -are: make unsteady, undermine; pres subj	munere: -us, -eris (n): gift, facor vestis: -is, -is (f): clothing, drapery, cloth
4	perluciduli: us, -a, -um: transparent, translucent deliciis: -a, -ae: (f): pleasure, pet, delight	lapidis: -is, -idis (m): stone
5	laedit: -o, -ere, laesi, laesum: injure, offend fabula: -a, -ae: gossip, report	fertur: is said
6	valle: -es. -is (f): valley alarum: ala, -ae (f): wing, upper arm	trux, trucis: harsh, fierce, cruel, savage caper, capri (m): billy goat
7	metuunt: metuo, -ere, metui, metetum: fear	omnes (fem)
8	bestia: -a, -ae (f): beast, creature	cubet: -o, -are: lie down, go to bed
9	crudelem: crudelio, -e: savage, cruel nasorum: -us, -i (m): nose	interfice: interficio, -ficere, -feci, fectum: kill pestem: -is, -is (f): plague, affliction
10	fugiant: flee, drive out, expel