Martial: The Epigrams, Book V (Latin, Paperback)

The Roman poet Martial concentrated on the genre of epigram, which he brought to such perfection that he provided the model for subsequent epigrammatists. He is best known for his pungently witty poems, which gave the word epigram its modern definition, but his range is much wider than his: he has an ascute perception of human nature, and gives an insight into Rome of the late first century AD. His fifth book, which contains 84 poems, is dedicated to the emperor Domitian, and for that reason it avoids the obscenity of the other books. Nevertheless it includes a variety of subject matter and treatment.