Nec fonte labra prolui caballino
nec in bicipiti somniasse Parnaso
memini, ut repente sic poëta prodirem.
Heliconidasque pallidamque Pirenen
illis remitto quorum imagines ambiunt
hederae sequaces; ipse semipaganus
ad sacra uatum carmen adfero nostrum.
Quis expediuit psittaco suum "chaere"
picamque docuit nostra uerba conari?
magister artis ingenique largitor
uenter, negatas artifex sequi uoces.
Quod si dolosi spes refulserit nummi,
coruos poëtas et poëtridas picas
cantare credas Pegaseium nectar.
Nēc fōntĕ lābră prōlŭī căbāllīnō
nĕc īn bĭcĭpĭtī sōmnĭāssĕ Pārnāsō
mĕmĭni, ūt rĕpēntĕ sīc pŏētă prōdīrēm.
Hĕlĭcōnĭdāsquĕ pāllĭdāmquĕ Pīrēnēn
īllīs rĕmīttō quōrum ĭmāgĭnēs āmbiūnt
hĕdĕraē sĕquācĕs; īpsĕ sēmĭpāgānūs
ād sācră vātūm cārmĕn ādfĕrō nōstrūm.
Quĭs ēxpĕdīvīt psīttăcō sŭūm "chaērĕ"
pĭcāmquĕ dŏcŭīt nōstră vērbă cōnārī?
măgīstĕr ārtĭs īngĕnīquĕ lārgītōr
vēntēr, nĕgātās ārtĭfēx sĕquī vōcēs.
Quōd sī dŏlōsī spēs rĕfūlsĕrīt nūmmī,
cōrvōs pŏētās ēt pŏētrĭdās pīcās
cāntārĕ crēdās Pēgăsēĭūm nēctār.