Et vetus indulget senibus clementia porcis. Nullane de tantis gregibus tibi digna videtur? Tolle tuum, precor, Hannibalem, victumque Syphacem Parce, precor, Paan; et tu, Dea, pone sagittas; 160 165 170 alluding to Agrippa and his sister's performing the sacred rites of sacrificing at Jerusalem without any covering on their feet. This was customary, in some parts of the Jewish ritual, to all the Jews-in imitation of Moses at the bush (see Exod. iii. 5, et seq.)—and is practised, on particular days, in the Jewish synagogues to this very time. JOSEPH. Bel. Jud. lib. ii. says of Berenice-"Queen Bere"nice, that she might pay her vows for the recovery of her health, came to Jerusalem, and, when the victims were slain according to "custom, with her hair shaved, she stood barefooted before the 66 sanctuary." 66 159. Clemency is indulgent to old swine.] The swine in Judæa, says Tacitus, lived to be very old, as, by the law of Moses, they were forbidden to be eaten, and consequently they were not killed for that purpose, 160. Herds.] Numbers of such ladies as I have mentioned, and of which so many are to be found. 161-2. In porticos-dispose, &c.] It was usual for persons of noble families to place images of their ancestors in galleries, or porticos, about their houses-so that the poet means here-let her be of high rank, as well as handsome, decent, &c. 163. Than every Sabine, &c.] The Sabines were a people of Italy, between the Umbrians and the Latins, famous for their gravity, sobriety, and chastity. Of the rape of the Sabine women, see ANT. Univ. Hist. vol. xi. p. 283. This occasioned a war between them and the Romans, which was put an end to by the intervention of the Sabine women, who, having laid aside their ornaments, and put on mourning, one token of which was dishevelling the hair, obtained a truce, after which a peace succeeded, and the Romans and Sabines became one people. Ib. p. 287. 164. A rare bird, &c.] A proverbial expression. See PERS. i. 46, alluding to the phoenix. 166. A Venusian girl.] Some poor plain country wench, from Venusium, in Apulia. Cornelia.] The mother of those two mutinous tribunes, Caius and Tiberius Gracchus, daughter to Scipio Africanus, that And an ancient clemency is indulgent to old swine. Does none from so great herds seem to you worthy? Let her be handsome, decent, rich, fruitful: in porticos Let her dispose her old ancestors, more chaste 160 Than every Sabine, with dishevelled hair, who put an end to the war: (A rare bird in the earth, and very like a black swan)— Who could bear a wife that has all these? I'd rather, 165 Rather have a Venusian (girl) than you, Cornelia, mother Of the Gracchi, if, with great virtues, you bring Great haughtiness, and you number triumphs as part of your dow'ry. Take away, I pray, your Hannibal, and Syphax conquer'd In his camp, and depart with the whole of Carthage. 66 170 'Spare, I pray, O Pæan; and thou, goddess, lay down thine arrows; conquered Hannibal, and Syphax, king of Numidia, whose camp he burned, and subjected Carthage to the power of Rome, to which it first became tributary, and then was destroyed and rased to the ground by Scipio Emilianus. 168. Great haughtiness.] The poet having before satirized the women, as not endowed with virtues sufficient to make a man happy in marriage, here allows that it might be possible for a large assemblage of virtues to meet together; but yet all these might be spoiled and counteracted by the pride which might attend the person possessed of them. 169-70. Your Hannibal-Syphax-Carthage.] See note on 1. 166.-i. e. If, as part of her merit, she is to be for ever boasting of the victories and triumphs of her sons, assuming a very high respect on those accounts, her pride would make her troublesome and intolerable: a poor country girl, who had none of these things to puff her up, would be far more eligible than even Cornelia herself, under such circumstances. In short, Juvenal is not for allowing any such thing as a woman without some bad fault or other. 171. Paan.] Apollo-either from raw, Gr. to strike, because he struck and slew the Python with his arrows-or from α, a physician-medicus. Apollo was the fabled god of physic. Thou goddess. Diana, who slew the seven daughters of Niobe, as Apollo slew the seven sons. Niobe was the wife of Amphion, king of Thebes, by whom she had seven sons, (according to some, fourteen sons,) and seven daughters; of which, together with her high birth, she grew so proud, as to slight the sacrifices which the Theban women offered to Diana, comparing herself with Latona, and, because she had borne more children, even setting herself above her, which the children of Latona, Apollo, and Diana, resenting, he slew the inales, together with the father, and she the fe males; on which Niobe was struck dumb with grief, and is feigned to have been turned into marble. Nil pueri faciunt, ipsam configite matrem ; Plus aloës, quam mellis, habet. Quis deditus autem 175 180 185 190 172. The chidren do nothing, &c.] To provoke thee.-The poet is here shewing, in this allusion to the fable of Niobe and her children, that the pride of woman is such, as not only to harass mankind, but even to be levelled at, and provoke, the gods themselves, so as to bring ruin on whole families. 175. More noble.] On account of her birth, as the daughter of Tantalus, king of Corinth, or, according to seme, of Phrygia, and as wife of Amphion. 176. Than the white sow.] Found by Eneas near Lavinium, which brought thirty pigs at a litter, and which was to be his direction where to build the city of Alba. VIRG. Æn. iii. 390-3. En. viii. 43-8. 177 What gravity.] Gravitas may here signify sedateness, sobriety of behaviour. 178. Impute.] i. e. That she should be always reckoning up her good qualities to you, and setting them to your account, as if you were so much her debtor, on account of her personal accomplishments, that you have no right to find fault with her pride and ill-humour. A metaphorical expression, alluding to the person's imputing, or charging something to the account of another, for which the latter is made his debtor. 180. More of aloes, than of honey.] More bitter than sweet in her temper and behaviour. Given up, &c.] To his wife, so uxorious. 181. As not to abhor, &c.] Though he may be lavish in her praises, in some respects, yet no man can be so blind to her pride and "The children do nothing, pierce the mother herself;" Cries Amphion: but Apollo draws his bow, And took off the head of children, and the parent himself, While Niobe seems to herself more noble than the race of Latona, And more fruitful than the white sow. 175 What gravity-what beauty is of such value, as that she should always herself to you Impute? for of this rare and highest good there is No comfort, as often as, corrupted with a proud mind, She has more of aloes, than of honey. But who is given up 180 To such a degree, as not to abhor her whom he extols With praises, and hate her for seven hours every day? Some things indeed are small; but not to be borne by husbands: In this dialect they fear, in this they pour forth their anger, joy, cares, They prostitute themselves in Greek. Yet you may indulge those things to girls : But do you too, whose eighty-sixth year Beats, speak Greek still? This is not a decent dialect ill temper, as not to have frequent occasion to detest her in the day. 190 many hours 185. From a Tuscan, &c.] The poet here attacks the affectation of the women, and their folly, in speaking Greek instead of their own language. Something like our ladies affectation of introducing French phrases on all occasions. The Greek language was much affected in Rome, especially by the higher ranks of people; and the ladies, however ignorant of their own language, were mighty fond of cultivating Greek, and affected to mix Greek phrases in their con versation. 186. A Sulmonian.] Sulmo, a town of Peligni, in Italy, about ninety miles from Rome-it was the birth-place of Ovid. Athenian.] Cecropis.-Athens was called Cecropia, from Cecrops, who reigned in Attica, and was the first king of Athens. It may be supposed that the poet here means to ridicule some awkward country ladies, who, when they came to Rome, affected to speak Greek with elegance. 188. They fear, &c.] Express their fears, joys, anger, and, in short, all their passions. 190. To girls.] This may be allowable perhaps in giddy girls-in them such affectation may be forgiven. 192. Beats.] Pulsat-knocks at the door, as we say, or beats in the pulse. * In vetulâ quoties lascivum intervenit illud Vox blanda et nequam ? digitos habet.-Ut tamen omnes Quanquam, et Carpophoro) facies tua computat annos. Si tibi legitimis pactam junctamque tabellis Non es amaturus, ducendi nulla videtur Causa; nec est quare cœnam et mustacea perdas, Est animus: submitte caput crevice paratâ Ferre jugum nullam invenies, quæ parcat amanti. 195 200 205 193-4. That wanton Zwn, &c.] This was a wanton expressionmy life! my soul!-which the women affected to express in Greek. See MART. lib. x. epigr. lxviii. 1. 5—8. 194. Just now left, &c.] The poet reproves the old women for ex pressing themselves in public, or in a crowd of company (turbâ), in phrases, which are made use of in the more private and retired scenes of lasciviousness, from which these old women, if judged by their conversation, may be suspected to have newly arrived. 196. It has fingers.] Is as provocative as the touch. 196-7. All desires, &c.] Pennæ-lit. feathers. Metaph.-alluding to birds, such as peacocks, &c. which set up their feathers when pleased, and have a gay appearance; but they presently subside on approach of danger, or of any dislike. Thus, however lascivious words may tend to raise the passions, when uttered by the young and handsome; yet, from such an old hag, they will have a contrary effect-all will subside into calmness. 197. Though you may say, &c.] q. d. However you may excel in softness of pronunciation, when you use such phrases, even Emus and Carpophorus, the two Grecian comedians, whose fame is so great for their soft and tender manner of uttering lascivious speeches on the stage, (see note on sat. iii. 1. 98.) yet fourscore and six stands written on your face, which has at least as many wrinkles as you are years old-a sure antidote. 199. Lawful deeds.] Tabellis legitimis-by such writings and contracts as were by law required-q. d. If, for the above reasons, you are not likely to love any woman you marry-l. 200. 201. Lose.] i. e. Throw away the expense of a marriage-enter tainment. Bride-cakes.] Mustacea-were a sort of cakes made of meal, anise seed, cummin, and other ingredients, moistened with mustum, new wine-whence probably their name; they were of a carminative kind.-They were used at weddings. AINSW. |