Анекдот на латыни

[klaus]

 Augustus Outmanoeuvered
Solebat descendenti a Palatio Caesari honorificum aliquod
epigramma porrigere Graeculus. id cum frustra saepe
fecisset rursusque eum idem facturum vidisset Augustus,
breve sua manu in charta exaravit Graecum epigramma,
pergenti deinde ad se obviam misit. ille legendo laudare,
mirari tam voce quam vultu; cumque accessisset ad sellam,
demissa in fundam pauperem manu paucos denarios pro-
tulit quae principi daret. adiectus hic sermo: νὴ τὴν σὴν
τύχην/Σεβαστέ· εἰ πλέον εἶχον/πλέον ἐδίδουν. secuto
omnium risu dispensatorem Caesar vocavit et sestertia
centum milia numerare Graeculo iussit.

As he went down from his residence on the Palatine, a seedy-
looking Greek used to offer him a complimentary epigram.
This the man did on many occasions without success, and
Augustus, seeing him about to do it again, wrote a short
epigram in Greek with his own hand and sent it to the fellow
as he drew near. The Greek read it and praised it, expressing
admiration both in words and by his looks. Then, coming up
to the imperial chair, he put his hand in a shabby purse and
drew out a few pence, to give them to the emperor, saying as
he did so: "I swear by thy Good Fortune, Augustus, if I had
more, I should give you more." There was laughter all
around, and Augustus, summoning his steward, ordered him
to pay out a hundred thousand sesterces to the Greek.

[iopq]

I don't get it

[klaus]

Augustus had got sick and tired of this poor Greek, who tried to get paid for his mastery in writing laudatorу epigrams. Therefore, Augustus was going to get rid of him by showing that he himself was also able to compose Greek poetry. The poor Greek poet gave Augustus money, humiliating him by this jesture. Augustus was overcome with remorse and decided to keep his reputation by a generous gift.