Consilium dedimus Syllæ, privatus ut altùm II. Cur tamen hoc libeat potiùs decurrere campo, 20 25 de iis qui scholæ valedixerunt, et ludimagistri potestate exemti sunt. Ruperti.) Juvenal asks, "Have I, then, past through all the discipline of education for nothing? Have not I as good a right to turn author, as these ignorant scribblers?" 16. Consilium dedimus Sylla] It was the custom for the Roman schoolboys to make declamations on historical or political subjects; such as an address to Sylla, dissuading him from his schemes of ambition, and pointing out the blessings of tranquillity and retirement. See also Sat. vii. 161–164. and x. 167. 20. Aurunca alumnus] Lucilius, the first Roman Satirist, born at Aurunca. 23. Nudâ mammá] In imitation of an Amazon. Under the name of Mævia, the poet probably means to reprove all the ladies at Rome who exposed themselves in the pursuit of masculine exercises. M. 1 24. Unus] One Cinnamus, who, from a barber's shop, had risen to the rank of knight, and a prodigious fortune. 25. Sonabat gravis] Graviter; argutum edens stridorem. R. 26. Canopi] Canopus was a city on the coast of Egypt, twelve miles from Alexandria. 27. Crispinus] An Egyptian slave, who rose to great riches nd honours. He was high in favour with Domitian; shared his Counsels, ministered to his amusements, and was the ready instrument of his cruelties. Hence, Juvenal regarded him with perfect detestation. G.-Humero revocante lacernas] Delapsas iterum colligens. R.-He describes the shoulder as recalling, or endeavouring to replace the cloak, which, being left unfastened for coolness, was often slipping off. M. 28. Estivum aurum] The gold ring was the badge of knight Difficile est Satiram non scribere. Nam quis iniquæ 30 Quod superest: quem Massa timet; quem munere palpat 36 Cùm populum gregibus comitum premit hîc spoliator 40 hood. To have a lighter ring for summer, marks the affected delicacy of Crispinus. 32. Mathonis] A lawyer, who, failing in his own profession, (see Sat. vii. 129.) afterwards turned informer; and amassed, by this new trade, an immense fortune. 33. Magni delator amici] The name of this other informer is not known. 34. Nobilitate comesá] The nobility of Rome were devoured, as it were, by these informers, who, when the property of the accused was confiscated, came in for a share of the spoil. 35. Massa-Carus] These were two noted informers, mentioned by Tacitus, (Agric. 45.) but even these stood in awe of the superior villain before alluded to. 36. Thymele] The wife of Latinus, who was obliged to give her up to the informer, as the price of his own safety.. 39. Damnatus inani Judicio] Marius Priscus, Proconsul of Africa, was prosecuted by the province for extortion and cruelty, and convicted on the clearest evidence. His punishment, however, was wholly inadequate to his crime, and unsatisfactory to the prosecutors. He was condemned merely to pay a fine into the Roman treasury, and to be banished from Italy; carrying with him the bulk of his ill-gotten wealth (salvis nummis), on which he was able still to live in luxury and extravagance; while the poor province, although it gained its cause (victrix), obtained no restitution or actual redress; and being obliged, moreover, to pay the costs of the suit, had to mourn over its dear-bought victory. 41. Ab octavá] sc. hora. The Romans began to reckon the hours of the day from six o'clock in the morning. The eighth hour, therefore, was two in the afternoon. As the ancient and modern manners differ in this particular, it will be necessary to mention, Hæc ego non credam Venusinâ digna lucernâ? 45 50 that the ancient votaries of pleasure vied with one another in the earliness of their revels. Hence Partem solido demere de die, Hor. Carm. i. 1. 20. Tempestiva convivia, Cic. pro Arch. The ninth was the earliest hour used by the temperate: Imperat exstructos frangere nona toros, Mart. iv. 8. 0. 43. Venusiná digna lucerná] Worthy of the pen of Horace himself, who was born at Venusium in Apulia, now Venosa in the Neapolitan territory. The Romans studied much by lamp-light; both at night, and before day-light in the morning. 44. Agitem] Persequar, pertractem. Sed quid (cur) magis agitem Heracleas aut Diomedeas fabulas? Nonne multo utilius est, satiras scribere, quam hæc trita et fabulosa repetere? R. 45. Mugitum] The bellowing of the Minotaur, (a monster halfman and half-bull,) who was confined in the Cretan labyrinth, and slain by Theseus. 46. Mare percussum puero, fabrumque volantem] Dædalus and his son Icarus are said to have escaped from imprisonment in Crete, by means of wings, artificially contrived by the father, and fastened together with wax. Icarus, flying too near the sun, had his wings dissolved, and fell into the sea. 47. Leno] Some infamous husband, who had become pander to his wife's disgrace, and connived at the advances of the adulterer, in hope of a good legacy. The same depravity is stigmatized by Horace, Od. iii. 6. Sed jussa coram non sine conscio 48. Jus nullum uxori] Adulterous wives were incapable, by the Roman law, of receiving legacies from their gallants; but this law was evaded, by the bequest being made to their husbands. 49. Vigilanti stertere naso] Pretending to be fast asleep. 51. Qui bona donavit præsepibus] Some youth of quality, who (like his imitators in the present day) had squandered his pro Majorum censu, dum pervolat axe citato Nonne libet medio ceras implere capaces 55 60 perty on horses, and the height of whose ambition was-to be a coachman ! 53. Flaminiam] The Flaminian road (made by Caius Flaminius, the consul, from Rome to Ariminum) appears to have been the fashionable drive. Puer Automedon] As skilful as Automedon, the charioteer of Achilles. Owen. 54. Ipse lacernate, &c.] This passage, variously explained by the commentators, may, perhaps, simply mean, that the fashionable charioteer had his mistress beside him, in a cloak; to whom he showed himself off, (ipse se jactaret,) by exhibiting his skill in driving. 55. Ceras] Sometimes called cerata tabella; thin pieces of wood, covered over with wax, on which the ancients wrote with the point of a sharp instrument called stylus: it had a blunt end to rub out with. M. 56. Quadrivio] A place where four ways meet; here used for a street, as trivium.-Sexta cervice] On the shoulders of six slaves. A litter of this kind was called Hexaphorus. 58. Multùm referens de] Greatly resembling or imitating (literally, reminding us much of) Mæcenas, who was proverbially indolent and effeminate. 59. Signator falso] Testamento, understood." The forger." 60. Exiguis tabulis] When the property is all left to one person, the will is short. Thus, Sat. xii. 123. omnia soli-Forsan Pacuvio BREVITER dabit.—Gemmá udá] Moistened, before applied to the wax. 61. Calenum] Wine from Cales in Campania. 62. Rubetam] Modern naturalists question the poisonous qualities of the toad. 63. Locusta] A vile woman, skilful in preparing poisons. She helped Nero to poison Britannicus, the son of Claudius and Messalina; and Agrippina to dispatch Claudius. The woman alluded Per famam et populum nigros efferre maritos. 65 70 to by Juvenal, is here styled melior Locusta, a better Locusta, i. e. more skilled in poisoning than even Locusta herself.-Rudes] Unskilled before in this diabolical art. M. 64. Per famam et populum] i. e. Setting all reputation and public report at defiance; not caring what people should say.-Nigros] Their corpses turned putrid and black, with the effects of the poison. M. 65. Gyaris] Gyarus, or Gyara, was one of the Cyclades, small islands in the Ægean sea, to which criminals were usually hanished; often alluded to in this author. Sat. x. 170. xiii. 246. O. 66. Si vis esse aliquis] Aliquis is like Tis in Greek, a person of consequence." So Persius: Sese aliquem credens. Sat. i. 129. O. -Probitas laudatur, et alget] This is prettily noticed by Massinger: in this partial avaricious age, What price bears honour? virtue?-long ago, 68. Stantem extra pocula caprum] The figure of a Goat embossed on the cup, and standing out in relievo;-perhaps the representation of a sacrifice to Bacchus; in which this animal was always the victim. 69. Avura] Tempted to dishonour by money. 70. Pratextatus] Boyish; still wearing the pratexta, the dress of the Roman youth till the age of seventeen; when it was exchanged for the toga virilis. 72. Cluvienus] Some bad poet of the day; thus obliquely satirized. 73. Ex quo] Tempore, understood.-Deucalion] The Noah of the Greek mythology, who, with his wife Pyrrha, is said to have been wafted by the waters of the Deluge to the top of Parnassus; where they were directed by the oracle, to repeople the world by throwing stones behind them. Those thrown by Deucalion produced men; those by Pyrrha, women. |