Tunc erit, et facient optata tonitrua cœnas Quando propinat 120 125 Here some understand truffles, others mushrooms; which last, rainy and thundering springs produce in abundance, and therefore were desired. But the same weather may also have the same effect on truffles, which are a sort of subterraneous mushroom, and so on all fungous excrescences of the earth. PLIN. xix. 117-18. Make suppers greater.]. By a plentiful addition of truffles. " 118. Alledius.] Some famous glutton.-Rome was supplied with great quantities of corn from Libya, a part of Africa, which borders upon Ægypt; "and, it should seem," (says Mr. Brown,) "with mushrooms too." See DRYDEN'S Juv. note on this place. However, from the circumstance of their being brought from Libya to Rome, I should apprehend that species of under-ground edible "mushrooms" (as Bradley calls truffles) to be meant here, which grow best in dry chapped grounds, and will bear to be carried a great way, and to be kept a considerable time without being spoiled.— This is not the case with that species of tuber which is called boletus, or mushroom; they remain good but a little while, either grow. ing or gathered. Hence, upon the whole, and from the circumstance of the word raduntur, 1. 116, which may imply the scraping, or shaving off, the outward thick bark, or rind, which is peculiar to truffles, these are most probably meant in this passage. See CHAMBERS. Truffle.. 119. Unyoke your oxen.] Disjunge-lit. disjoin them. q. d. Plough and sow no more, that there may be the more land for truffles to grow. A fine speech for an epicure. 120. The carver.] Structor signifies a purveyor of victuals, a caterer; also a server, who setteth the meat upon the table-also a carver of meat—this last seems to be meant here, and he is supposed to do it with some antic gestures, something like capering or dancing, 121 Flourishing.] Chironomon-ontis from que, manus, and voos, lex) signifies one that sheweth nimble motions with his hands-hence chironomia, a kind of gesture with the hands, either in dancing, or in carving meat. AINSW. Chironomonta is from the acc, sing. (Gr. It be spring, and wished-for thunders make suppers Greater:- "Have thy corn to thyself," says Alledius, "O Libya, unyoke your oxen, while you will send truffles." Mean while the carver, lest any indignation be wanting, You will behold dancing, and flourishing with a nimble 120 Master; nor indeed is it a matter of the least concern, With what gesture hares, and with what a hen should be cut, You will be dragged by the foot, as the stricken Cacus by Her cules, And put out of doors, if you ever attempt To mutter, as if you had three names.— -When does Virro Lips? which of you is rash enough, who so 125 χειρονομωντα) of the participle of the verb χειρονομέω-manus certa lege motito-concinnos gestus edo-gesticulor. q. d. That nothing may be wanting to mortify and vex you, you not only see all these fine things brought to table, but you will be a spectator of the festivity, art, and nimbleness, with which the carver does his office, till he has exhibited all that he has learned of his master in the art of carving. See the next note, ad fin. Dictata-See AINSW. 123. Nor indeed is it a matter, &c.] It is now by no means reckoned an indifferent matter, or of small concern, in what manner, or with what gesture, a hare or a fowl is cut up; this, as well as gluttony itself, is become a science. This was so much the case, that we find people taking great pains to learn it under a master. See sat. xi. 1. 136-41. 126-7. If you ever attempt to mutter.] Hiscere-so much as to open your mouth, as it were, to speak upon the occasion, as betraying any dislike. 127. Three names.] i. e. As if you were a man of quality. The great men at Rome were distinguished by the prænomen, nomen, and cognomen, as Gaius Cornelius Scipio-Caius Marcus Coriolanus, and the like. If you were to take upon you, like a nobleman, to complain or find fault with all this, you would be dragged with your heels foremost, and turned out of doors, as the robber Cacus was by Hercules. See VIRG. En. viii. 219-65. 127-8. When does Virro drink to you.] The poet, having particularized instances of contempt, which were put upon the poorer guests, such as having bad meat and drink set before them, &c. here mentions the neglectful treatment which they meet with. your q. d. Does Virro ever drink health" -or "does he ever take "the cup out of your hand in order to pledge you, after it has once touched your lips ?"-By this we may observe, that drinking to one another is very ancient. 129. Is rash enough, &c.] After all the pains which you take to Perditus, ut dicat regi, bibe? Plurima sunt quæ Sed tua nunc Micale pariat licet, et pueros tres Afferri, minimasque nuces, assemque rogatum, 130 135 140 be invited to great tables, is there one of you who dares venture to open his mouth to the great man, so much as to say-“ drink”—as you had some familiarity with him? As we should say—“ put "the bottle about." if 130. The great man.] Regi-see before, I. 14. 132. Four hundred sestertia.] A knight's estate. See sat. i. I. 106, and note. 133. Better than the fates.] i. e. Better and kinder than the fates have been to you, in making you so poor. Poor mortal.] Homuncio means a poor sorry fellow-such was Trebius in his present state. 134. From nothing, &c.] The poet here satirizes the venality and profligate meanness of such people as Virro, whose insolence and contempt towards their poor clients, he has given us so many striking examples of. Here he shews the change of conduct towards them, which would be created immediately, if one of them should happen to become rich. 135 Give to Trebius, &c.] Then, says he, if you were invited to sup with Virro, nothing would-be thought too good-you would be offered every choicest dainty upon the table, and the servants would be ordered to set it before you. 136. Of those dainties.] Ilia-lit. signifies entrails, or bowelsof which some very choice and dainty dishes were made; as of the goose's liver, and the like-see I. 114. He would in the most kind manner call you brother, and invite you to taste of the most delicate dainties. Oriches! &c.] A natural exclamation on the occasion, by which he gives Trebius to understand, that all this attention was not paid to him on his own account, but solely on that of his money. See sat. i. 1. 112, 3. 137. Ye are brethren.] Ye, O ye four hundred sestertia, are the friends and brethren of Virro, to whom he pays his court. When he called Trebius brother, (l. 135.) he really meant you, : Desperate, as to say to the great man-drink? Many things there are, Which men in a torn coat dare not say. .130 If to you four hundred (sestertia) any god, or one like the gods, some "Of those dainties ?"-O riches! he gives this honour to youYe are brethren. But if a lord, and sovereign of a lord You would become, in your hall no little Æneas must play, nor a daughter sweeter than he. A barren wife makes a pleasant and dear friend. But tho your Micale should bring forth, and should pour 135 140 Three boys together into the bosom of their father, he, in the prat tling Nest will rejoice; he'll command a green stomacher To be brought, and small nuts, and the asked-for penny, 137. And sovereign of a lord, &c.] If you would be in a situation, not only of domineering over poor clients, but even over the lords of those clients-you must be childless, you must have neither son nor daughter to inherit your estate. 138. In your hall, &c.] See Dido's words to Æneas. VIRG. En. iv. 1. 328, 9. Si quis mihi parvulus aulâ Luserit Eneas. Which Juvenal applies on this occasion very humourously. 140. A barren wife, &c.] While a wife remains without childbearing, so that there is no ostensible heir to the estate, the husband will not want for people who will pay their court to him, and profess themselves his friends, in hopes of ingratiating themselves, so far as to be made his heirs. 141. But tho' your Micale.] The name of Trebius's wife. q. d. But suppose it to happen otherwise, and your wife should not only have children, but bring you three at a birth--still as you are rich, they'll pay their court to you, by fondling your little ones. He, Virro himself, (ipse,) will pretend to rejoice in your young family-nido-a metaphorical expression, taken from a brood of young birds in a nest. 143. A green stomacher.] Viridem thoraca-lit. breastplate.What this was, cannot easily be determined, but it was, doubtless, some ornament which children were pleased with. 144. Small nuts.] Nuces-lit, signifies nuts: but here it denotes little balls of ivory, and round pebbles, which were the usual playthings of children; and which to ingratiate themselves with the parents, such mercenary persons as had a design upon their fortunes used to make presents of. See HoR. lib. ii. sat. iii. 1. 171, 2. FRANCIS' note; and PERS, sat. 1. 1. 10. Ad mensam quoties parasitus venerit infans. Tu scabie frueris mali, quod in aggere rodit 144. The asked-for penny.] The As was about three farthings of our money. We are to suppose the little ones, children-like, to ask Virro for a small piece of money to buy fruit, cakes, &c. which he immediately gives them. 145. As often as, &c.] Virro not only goes to see the children, but invites them to his table, where they never come but they wheedle and coax him, in order to get what they want of him. Hence the poet says-Parasitus infans. 146. Doubtful funguses.] There are several species of the mushroom-kind, some of which are poisonous, and it is sometimes difficult to distinguish them, therefore the eater cannot be certain that he is safe-hence Juvenal says, ancipites fungi. It is to be observed, that the poet, after his digression on the mean venality of such people as Virro, (who would pay their court to those whom they now use with the utmost contempt, if by any accident they became rich,) now returns to his main subject, which was to particularize those instances of ill treatment which the dependents on great men experienced at their tables, in order to dissuade Trebius from his present servile pursuits. 147. A mushroom.] Boletus signifies a mushroom of the wholesome and best sort. But such as, &c.] They were not only of the best sort, but the best of that sort; such as regaled the emperor Claudius, before the fatal catastrophe after mentioned. 148. That of his wife.] Agrippina, the mother of Nero, and sister to Caligula, the wife of Claudius, who succeeded Caligula in the empire, destroyed her husband, by mixing poison in a mushroom which she gave him to eat. 149. The rest of the Virros.] i. e. The rest of the great men at his table, who, like Virro, were very rich, and of course much respected by him. 150. Apples.] Poma is a general name for fruits of all kinds which grow on trees, as apples, pears, cherries, &c. and signifies, here, some of the most delicious fruits imaginable-which poor Trebius was to be regaled with nothing but the smell of at Virro's table. 151. Phaacians.] A people of the island of Corfu, or Corcyra, |