Such men are, in my opinion, as good as dead. He always used to fill his poems with a generous sprinkling of sunrises and sunsets. You see, nothing was more notorious than Buta's upside-down manner of life. But this life, as I said, was fashionable at one time. Hence he is uncomfortable wherever any of his actions escape notoriety.
Many men eat up their property, and many men keep mistresses.
Papinius belonged to the tribe of those who shun the light. About nine o'clock at night I hear the sound of whips. I ask what is going on, and they tell me that Papinius is going over his accounts. About twelve there is a strenuous shouting. I ask what the matter is, and they say he is exercising his voice.