EPIST. XV. To VALA. Y my Phyfician's learn'd Advice I fly BY From Baia's Waters, yet with angry Eye While valuable to the State. He was rewarded with a confiderable Sum of Money; he was exempted from all public Taxes; he was made free of Rome; allowed to wear a Gold-ring, and his Statue was placed next to that of Æfculapius. These glorious Diftinctions were not confined to Him alone, but extended to all of the Profeffion, and the Difciples of Hippocrates were then firft allowed the Privileges and Immunities of a Roman Citizen. The cold Bath was now prescribed for all Disorders, but the fame Prescription, which had cured Auguftus, having unhappily killed Marcellus, the Science of Phyfic, and the People, who practifed it, fell into their original Contempt. After this Example, we may believe, that Horace would not be willing to run the fame Hazard, and therefore we may naturally date this Letter in the Beginning of 731, fix or feven Months after the Recovery of Auguftus, which happened in Auguft. SAN. 4. Gelida quum perluor undâ.] This does not fuppofe, that he had already gone into the cold Bath, but that he propofed it, and was yet undetermined between that of Salernum and Velia. Perluor does not mark a paft Action, but the prefent Difpofition, as if he had faid quum in eo fum ut perluar. SAN. 6. Dictaque ceffantem, &c.] This morbus ceffans is caused by a phlegmatic Humour, which obftructing the Nerves, produces a languid Heavinefs, and fometimes deprives the Part affected of all Senfation and Action, as in Palfies and Apoplexies. By fulfura the Poet means the Stoves, where fulfureous Vapours, exhaling from Sulfura contemni, vicus gemit, invidus ægris, Qui caput ac ftomachum fupponere fontibus audent, 15 Præter agendus equus. Quò tendis? Non mihi Cumas 20 Pinguis the Earth, cause a dry Heat, which provokes Sweat. Celfus defcribes the Stoves of Baiæ in fuch a Manner. that the Phyfician is a Commentator on the Poet. Siccus calor eft, ubi à terrâ profufus calidus vapor ædificio includitur, ficut fuper Baias in myrtetis babemus. Elidere fignifies to dissolve, to disperse. SAN. 10. Mutandus locus eft.] We must go no more to Baia, where the Poet had frequently been. Mr. Sanadon blames this Apoftrophe; for although a Rider naturally enough may fometimes talk to his Horse, yet an Author can hardly be fuppofed to fit down to write to him. 12. Lævâ ftomachofus habenâ.] At the Entrance into Campania the Road divides: the right leads to Cuma and Baiæ; the left to "Capua, Salernum, and Velia. The Horfe is going to his ufual Stage at Baiæ, but Horace turns him to the left, to the Lucanian Road. TORR. 13. Sed equis.] This Reading, inftead of equi, is of the best Manufcripts and Editions. 16. Dulcis aquæ.] Our Poet was obliged to drink more Water than Wine for fear of enflaming his Eyes, and he was therefore more While the fick Folks in Clufium's Fountains dare We go no more to Baia; prithee hear But in his Bridle lies an Horfe's Ear. Dear Vala, fay, how temperate, how fevere, Are Velia's Winters, and Salernum's Air :" The Genius of the Folks, the Roads how good: Which eats the better Bread, and when a Flood Of Rain defcends, which quaffs the gather'd Shower, Or do their Fountains purer Water pour ? Their Country-Vintage is not worth my Care, For though at home, whatever Wine, I bear, At Sea-port Towns I fhall expect to find My Wines of generous and of smoother Kind, To drive away my Cares, and to the Soul, Through the full Veins, with golden Hopes to roll; with flowing Language to infpire my Tongue, And make the listening Fair-one think me young. With Hares or Boars which Country's best supplied? Which Seas their better Fifh luxurious hide? more curious about it. The Soil of Campania being full of Sulphur and Bitumen, the Water must neceffarily have had a very bad Tafte. 17. Poffum quodvis perferre.] This conjectural Reading, propofed by Heinfius inftead of quidvis, hath been received by all the late Editors. The Poet fpeaks only of Wine in the preceding, and three following Verfes, and tells us, that in his Sabine Eftate, where the Vines are not of the richeft Kind, he is little curious about his Wines but, when he goes to a Sea-port Town, he shall expect thofe of foreign Growth, fimooth and generous. E Vol. IV. Pinguis ut inde domum poffim Phæaxque reverti ; 25 Scribere te nobis, tibi nos accredere par eft. Scurra vagus, non qui certum præsepe teneret ; Si quid erat nactus prædæ majoris, ubi omne Nimirum hic ego fum: tutus nam parvula laudo, 30 35 40 45 EPIST. 26. Manius, ut rebus.] Our Poet affures us, that he knew how to reconcile himself equally to a frugal, or a fumptuous Table, and to justify his Conduct, with a malignant Spirit of Satire makes ufe of the Example of Mænius, with whofe Character he finishes his Letter. SAN. 36. Ventres lamna candente.] The Greeks and Romans branded the Belly of a gluttonous Slave; the Feet of a Fugitive; the Hands of a Thief, and the Tongue of a Babler. DAC. 37. Corrector Beftius.] Cruquius happily entered into the Spirit of this Paffage, when he understood Beftius as a Person of different Character from that of Mænius. Our Commentators have not only mistaken the Senfe of their Author, but fubftituted Mænius, in direct Contradiction to all the Manufcripts, in the Place of Beftius. Carreter That I may home return in luscious Plight- A vagrant Zany, of no certain Manger, Who knew not, ere he din'd, or Friend or Stranger: The ruin'd Butcher's Gulph, a Storm, a Peft. By Jove I wonder not, that Folks fhould eat, "At one delicious Meal, a whole Estate, "For a fat Thrush is moft delightful Food, "And a Swine's Paunch fuperlatively good." Thus I, when better Entertainments fail, Bravely commend a plain and frugal Meal; On cheaper Suppers fhew myself full wife, But if fome Dainties more luxurious rife"Right fage and happy they alone, whofe Fate "Gives them a fplendid House, and large Eftate." Corrector hath been luckily preferved in a Manufcript extremely ancient, and well agrees with the Character of Cornelius Beftius, whom Perfius mentions as remarkable for a Severity of Manners. 39. Verterat in fumum & cinerem.] A proverbial Expreffion, as if Smoke and Afhes were all the Remains of the large Eftate he had confumed. |