have since written upon Persius, that he has here introduced some verses of the Emperor's. But if the author of the life of Persius say truly, that Cornutus altered one of the verses of his pupil, ne hoc Nero in se dictum arbitraretur; can it be imagined, that he would have suffered the tyrant's vanity to have been affronted by this public ridicule, by this unconcealed mockery of his talents as a poet? The cautious preceptor would hardly have failed to have repressed the vivacity of his pupil in this instance, as well as in the other. Let us rather believe then, that the poet's allusions to Nero were not quite so plain, as has been imagined; unless we should be inclined to consider the fragment ascribed to Probus as a forgery. Ver. 104. summa delumbe saliva Hoc natat in labris: et in udo est Manas et Attin. This passage is not without difficulty. The word delumbe is here used substantively, and signifies feebleness or debility. Casaubon, in explaining the words, et in udo est Manas et Attin, says, et coria et multa alia aquæ immersa et modefacta robur suum ac rovov priorem amittunt: fiuntque languida et mollia. Ex eo dixit poeta in udo esse pro vypov vas molle, femineum atque enervatum neque ullo partum labore. This explanation does not appear to me quite satisfactory. When a foolish, or hasty thing was uttered, it was said, in ore nasci non in pectore. See Aulus Gellius, L. 1. c. 15. and Quintilian has the expression verba in labris nascentia. But these foolish productions, of which Persius here speaks, might be said, not only in ore nasci, sed etiam summa saliva natare. They were written not only without reflection, and composed without judgment; but they were to the last degree superficial and trifling. The passage may then be paraphrased as follows: Hæc fierent si quid in Romanis pristini roboris maneret? Vere ha ineptia aniles nascuntur in ore non in pectore, natantque summa saliva, ut super undas feruntur folia stramena, et alia leviora. Nunc nihil modestè est, nihil studiosè, nihil compositè dictum; et (si isto modo intelligere sensum Persii forsan placeat lectori) Nero hanc corruptionem nomine ejus, exemploque firmat. Ver. 107. mordaci radere vero. Cicero has mordax homo; and Quintilian uses an expression similar to our author's. The Italian translator of Persius has copied this passage closely, if not elegantly. Ma che ti cal con verità mordace Andar radendo delicate orecchie. Ver. 109. Litera. sonat hic de nare canina Hic id est, in liminibus Neronis et procerum, sonaré litera dicitur, cum irritatus aliquis minas funditat: proprie in canibus herrientibus locum habet: non incommode hæc verba possent tribui : cum autem hic fuerit, in tuis verbis mi monitor: sensus erit, intelligo quid velis; periculum enim præsens denuntias, si propositio permansero : priorem interpretationem jure aliquis præferat. Casaubon. Ver. 113. Pinge duos angues. Veteres Gentiles serpentes appinxere ad conciliandum loco sacro reverentiam, quos mysta suos interpretabantur, quemadmodum Christiani crucem appingunt. Laurentius de variis Sacris Gentilium. Ver. 115 et genuinum fregit in illis. Casaubon says, in illis, by enallage for in vobis. I see no difficulty in understanding the passage, as it stands. Ver. 133. Si Cynico barbam, &c. This line puts me in mind of a remark of Helvetius, which in the course of their experience probably most men of letters, who mix in the world, will find true. "Le Philosophe qui vivra avec des petits maîtres sera le ridicule et l'imbecille de leur societé. Il s'y verra joué par le plus mauvais bouffon, dont les plus fades quolibets passeront pour d'excellents môts; car le succés des plaisanteries depend moins de la finesse d'esprit de leur auteur, que de son attention à ne ridiculiser que idées desagréables à sa societé. Il en des plaisanteries I les comme des ouvrages de parti-elles sont toujours admirées de la cabale. Ver. 134. His mane edictum, &c. Edictum stands here for edictum ludorum-a kind of playbill, which was written by the magistrate, who presided at the public shows. This sense of the word edictum has escaped Casaubon; nor is it noticed by R. Stephanus. But it seems to have the authority of Seneca in the following passage. Nemo qui parturienti filiæ obstetricem accersit, edictum et ludorum ordinem perlegit. Nero frequently presided at the games, when the Romans were accustomed to see him seated and arrayed εν τη Βασελειω ἔδρα. In tunica Jovis, et pictæ Sarrana ferentem Concerning the latter part of this verse the reader will see that I agree with Casaubon; and that from his opinion I was induced to give the turn I have done to my version. Callirhoeo voce hic (nomen id scorti quondam celeberrimi) universa voluptuariorum studia atque occupatione ovvedox exws intelliguntur. Those, who shall read this note of Casaubon's, will judge from this example, if a literal translation of Persius would be in'telligible to an English reader. SATIRE II. Ver. 1. Hunc Macrine, &c. This Macrinus was not Minutius Macrinus Brixianus, mentioned by Pliny, but Plotius Macrinus, a learned man, and, as it appears, the friend of Persius. Ver. 2. Qui tibi labentes, &c. It was a fashion (probably not very general) among the Romans, to cast every day into an urn stones of various colours, as the person performing this ceremony was fortunate or unfortunate: when the day was lucky, and fortune was propitious, the stone was white. This custom appears to have been derived from the Thracians. Vana mortalitas, et ad circumscribendum se ipsam, ingeniosa, computat more Thraciæ gentis; quæ calculos colore distinctos pro experimento cujusque diei in urnam condit, ac supremo die separatos dinumerat, atque ita de quoque pronuntiat. Plin. L. vii. c. 40. Ver. 3. Funde merum Genio. Genio est Deus cujus in tutela, ut quisque natus est, vivit. Censorinus de Die Natali, c. 3. The Polytheist ranked among the number of his gods the Genius whom he supposed to have presided at his |