Martial's three offensive lessons for writers

A 15th-century manuscript of Martial's Epigrams - Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Plut.35.37

In a ranking of the ancient world's most offensive writers, the Roman epigrammatist Martial (1st century AD) arguably deserves the top position. There are writers who offend general sensibilities, there are writers who offend precise individuals in writ…