Why are you laughing? Just change the name, and the story could be told of you.
[Quid rides? Mutato nomine de te / fabula narratur.]
¶ Saturæ [Satires], I.i.69-70
Sometimes "... fabula de te narratur."
Alternate translations:
"Do you but change the name / Of you is saide the same."
"Change but the name, of you the tale is told."
"Change only the name and this story is also about you."
"Change but the name, and the tale is told of you."
"What are you laughing at? Just change the name and the joke's on you."
"You laugh? Well, just change the name and you'll find that this story, / as a matter of fact, means YOU." (tr. S.P. Bovie (2002))
Comments (3)
I have found elsewhere, instead of "fabula de te narratur", the phrase "de te fabula narratur".
Posted by marcelo papini | January 8, 2009 7:03 PM
Huh. Well, looking up "mutato nomine horace" in Google, your version seems to be what's out there. I'll change it. Thanks!
Posted by *** Dave | January 8, 2009 8:48 PM
Actually, now that I look at it, I find both arrangements. Odd. I'll note one as an alternate.
Posted by *** Dave | January 8, 2009 8:56 PM