Nec fonte labra prolui caballino

nec in bicipiti somniasse Parnaso

memini, ut repente sic poëta prodirem.

Heliconidasque pallidamque Pirenen

5illis remitto quorum imagines ambiunt

hederae sequaces; ipse semipaganus

ad sacra vatum carmen adfero nostrum.

Quis expedivit psittaco suum "chaere"

picamque docuit nostra verba conari?

10magister artis ingenique largitor

venter, negatas artifex sequi voces.

Quod si dolosi spes refulserit nummi,

corvos 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 āmbiūnt5

hĕdĕraē sĕquācĕs; īpsĕ sēmĭpāgānūs

ād sācră vātūm cārmĕn ādfĕrō nōstrūm.

Quĭs ēxpĕdīvīt psīttăcō sŭūm "chaērĕ"

pĭcāmquĕ dŏcŭīt nōstră vērbă cōnārī?

măgīstĕr ārtĭs īngĕnīquĕ lārgītōr10

vēntēr, nĕgātās ārtĭfēx sĕquī vōcēs.

Quōd sī dŏlōsī spēs rĕfūlsĕrīt nūmmī,

cōrvōs pŏētās ēt pŏētrĭdās pīcās

cāntārĕ crēdās Pēgăsēĭūm nēctār.