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SATIRE XI.

ARGUMENT.

He opposes the temperance and frugality of the greatest men in former ages, to the riot and intemperance of the present. He concludes with repeating his invitation to his friend, advising him to a neglect of all care and disquiet for the present, and a moderate use of pleasures for the future.

IF Atticus sups sumptuously, he is accounted splendid :

If Rutilus, mad: for what is received with a greater
Laugh of the vulgar, than poor Apicius? every
Company, the baths, the stations, every theatre, [talk]
Of Rutilus. For while his strong and youthful limbs
Suffice for a helmet, and while ardent in blood, he is reported
(The tribune not compelling indeed, but neither prohibiting)
To be about to write the laws, and princely words of a fencer.
Moreover, you see many, whom the often-eluded creditor is wont

used to meet and talk together, perhaps about the market-place, or forum; as in our towns, where there are commonly a number of idle people standing and talking together, in and near the marketplace. See AINSW. Statio, No. 6.

5. Of Rutilus.] De-about or concerning Rutilus.-q. d. He is the common subject of conversation at all these places.

Youthful limbs, &c.] While in the prime of life, and fit to bear arms in the laudable service of his country, he is so reduced to poverty, by his luxury and extravagance, as to apply himself to the wretched trade of a fencer, or prize-fighter, for bread.

6. He is reported.] Or fertur may mean he is carried, by the necessity of his circumstances, to copy out the laws, rules, words of command (regia verba) and other matters of knowledge, necessary to make him a fencer, that he may be thoroughly qualified for the

art.

7. The tribune not compelling, &c.] Hinting, that, though he was not compelled to such a practice of fencing, by the magistracy, as many had been by Nero for his inhuman diversion, yet it was a shame that he was suffered to undertake it, and not advised, or com manded, by the magistracy, to the contrary. See sat, viii, 193, 9. You see many, &c.] Such fellows as Rutilus,

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Creditor introitum solet expectare macelli,
Et quibus in solo vivendi causa palato est.
Egregius cœnat, meliusque miserrimus horum.
Et cito casurus jam perlucente ruinâ.

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Interea gustus elementa per omnia quærunt,

Nunquam animo pretiis obstantibus: interius si

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Attendas, MAGIS ILLA JUVANT, QUÆ PLURIS EMUNTUR.

Ergo haud difficile est perituram arcessere summam

Lancibus oppositis, vel matris imagine fractâ ;

Et quadringentis nummis condire gulosum

Fictile sic veniunt ad miscellanea ludî.

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Refert ergo quis hæc eadem paret: in Rutilo nam
Luxuria est; in Ventidio laudabile nomen

Sumit, et a censu famam trahit. Illum ego jure

9. Often-cluded creditor.] Who had been often promised payment, but deceived over and over again; and who in vain had pur sued them to come at his money.

10. Wait for, &c.] Knowing no place so likely to find them at, as in their way to market for provisions, at the entrance to which he places himself, in hopes to catch them, before they had spent the little remains of his money that he had lent them.

11. The purpose, &c.] Who have no other design, or end of living, but eating and drinking.

12. The most wretched, &c.] When they are visibly falling into ruin, even the most wretched of them will live more expensively than ever, thinking, perhaps, to put a good face on the matter, the better to conceal their situation, and thus to maintain their credit some little time longer: or, perhaps, from mere desperation, seeing it is too late to retrieve their affairs, and they can be but ruined.-This is no uncommon thing in our day.

14. Meantime.] While they have any thing left.

They seek, &c.] They ransack, as it were, earth, air, and water, for flesh of beasts, fowl, and fish, for dainties to please their

taste.

15. The prices, &c.] They never consider or scruple the price which they are to pay these do not stand in their way.

16. More intimately, &c.] More closely to the dispositions of such. Please more, &c.] The dish pleases best that is dearest bought; therefore, i. e. to gratify their gluttony

17. It is not difficult.] They make no sort of difficulty of procuring money, by pawning what they have.

Be wasted, &c.] Which will soon be gone, squandered away presently.

18. Dishes being pawned.] Lanx signifies, literally, a great broad plate, a deep dish, or platter, to serve meat up in. Here, by lanci bus, perhaps, is to be understood his plate in general, his familyplate, per synec. This he sends to the pawnbrokers to raise money upon for the present supply of his extravagance.

To wait for at the very entrance of the shambles,

And to whom the purpose of living is in the palate alone.
The most wretched of these, and now soon to fall, (his

Ruin already being clear,) sups the more elegantly, and the better.
Meantime, they seek a relish thro' all the elements,

The prices never opposing their inclination : if you attend

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More intimately, THOSE THINGS PLEASE MORE, WHICH ARE.

BOUGHT FOR MORE.

Therefore it is not difficult to procure a sum that will be wasted,
Dishes being pawned, or a broken image of their mother,
And, for four hundred sesterces, to season a relishing

Earthen dish: thus they come to the diet of a prize-fighter.

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It importeth, therefore, who may prepare these same things-for, in Rutilus,

It is luxury in Ventidius a laudable name

It takes, and derives its fame from his income. I should, by right,

18. Broken image, &c.] A family bust, or statue, broken to pieces that it may not be known, and pawned for the value of the gold or silver only.

19. Four hundred sesterces, &c.] When so many nummi are mentioned, sesterces (sestercii) are usually understood; the sestertius is often called absolutely nummùs, because it was in most fre quent use. Also, sestertius nummus, about 1d. of our money. See KENNET, book V. part ii. p. 13. Four hundred of these (about 21. 10s.) were laid out in seasoning a single dish.

20. Earthen dish.] Having pawned their plate, they are reduced to earthen ware. The dish is put here, by meton. for its con

tents.

--To the diet, &c.] Miscellanea a mixture of things without any order, a gallimawfry, an hotchpotch, such as the sword-players. and prize-fighters used to eat.-From their dainties they are at last reduced to the coarse diet, as well as to the mean occupation, of a common prize fighter. See 1. 5, and note 2.

Ludî, for ludii, the gen. of ludius-a stage-player, dancer, swordplayer, and the like, who play on a stage.

21. It importeth therefore.] q. d. Therefore, that we may judge aright, and not indiscriminately, it importeth us to consider, who gives the entertainment, what are his circumstances-for that may be praise-worthy in those who can afford it, which is highly vicious, and blameable, in those who cannot.

In Rutilus.] Above mentioned. See note on 1. 2.-To live splendidly, would, in such a one as Rutilus, deserve the name of extravagance and luxury, because he is poor, and can't afford it. 22. Ventidius.] A noble Roman, who lived hospitably.

A laudable name.] The entertainments given by such a one are deservedly styled generous and magnificent.

23. Derives its fame.] The commendation which is justly bestowed upon it-its praise.

Despiciam, qui scit quanto sublimior Atlas
Omnibus in Libyâ sit montibus, hic tamen idem
Ignoret, quantum ferratâ distet ab arcâ
Sacculus: e cœlo descendit, yvâdi cedutov,
Figendum, et memori tractandum pectore, sive
Conjugium quæras, vel sacri in parte senatuis
Esse velis. Nec enim loricam poscit Achillis
Thersites, in quâ se traducebat Ulysses
Ancipitem. Seu tu magno discrimine causam
Protegere affectas; te consule, dic tibi quis sis;
Orator vehemens, an Curtius, an Matho. Bucca
Noscenda est mensura tuæ, spectandaque rebus

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23. From his income.] From the great estate of the giver, who only lives in a magnificence suitable to his income.

23-4. By right, despise, &c.] Or justly, for he deserves it. 24. Atlas.] See sat. viii. 1. 32, note.

26. A little bag.] Sacculus a little bag, pouch, or purse, in which money is put.

27. Iron chest.] The rich used to keep their money in large chests armed with iron, to prevent their being broken open and robbed.

The poet means, that if a man has sense enough to distinguish the size of Atlas from that of other mountains which are inferior in size, and, at the same time, is foolish enough not to see the difference between his own narrow circumstances, and the fortunes of the rich, so as to regulate his manner of living accordingly, he is very deserving of the utmost contempt.

This apo

Know thyself. v. ceautor. This was a saying of Chilon the Lacedemonian, and a very important one; for on self-knowledge depends all other that can contribute to the right management and direction of human life: for no man, endowed with this, would plunge himself into difficulties, by undertaking what is beyond the reach of his abilities, either of mind, body, or estate. thegm of Chilo's was, with others, written up in golden letters at the temple of Apollo, at Delphos, and was therefore believed to come from heaven. Not but it is very sound theology, to say, that, to have the veil of pride and self-love taken away, so that we know ourselves aright, is the gift of God, and the foundation of all true and saving knowledge. See Jer. xvii. 9, 10.

28. Fixed, and revolved, &c.] As a constant maxim, and principle of action, and, as such, we should ever be mindful of it. Tracto lit. signifies to handle, which, in a mental sense, by analogy, may signify to revolve in the mind.

29. Wedlock.] This instance of private and domestic concern may stand also for all others of the like kind, in which self-knowledge is highly profitable to direct aright.

30. Senate.] If you wish to be a senator, you ought to know yourself, that you may be able to judge whether you are fit for such

Despise him, who knows how much higher Atlas is
Than all the mountains in Libya, yet this same person
Be ignorant, how much a little bag differs from an
Iron chest: KNOW THYSELF-descended from heaven,
To be fixed, and revolved in the mindful breast, whether
You may seek wedlock, or would be in a part of
The sacred senate. For Thersites does not demand the
Breast-plate of Achilles, in which Ulysses exposed himself
Doubtful. Or whether you may affect to defend a cause in great
Difficulty; consult thyself, tell thyself who thou art,

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A vehement orator, or Curtius, or Matho. The measure of
Your abilities is to be known, and regarded in the greatest,

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an office; for nothing can be more pernicious to the state than unable statesmen, as well as disgraceful to those who are so.

30. Thersites.] See sat. viii. 1. 269, note. Such a fellow as this could never think of contending for the armour of Achilles, or of making a third with Ulysses and Ajax in the dispute about it: he knew himself too well.

31. Exposed himself.] To ridicule-as the daw in the fable exposed itself to the derision of the other birds, when it had dressed itself in the borrowed plumes of the peacock. See AINSW. Traduco, No. 5.

32. Doubtful.] As to his appearance, when he had the armour of Achilles on, no longer bearing his own semblance. Others give this passage another turn, and make it express the modesty of Ulysses, who shewed himself doubtful whether he should demand the armour or not, looking upon himself as unworthy to wear it. So FARNAB.

32-3. Great difficulty.] Where the controversy is very hazardous and difficult, and the cause requires an able advocate to defend it. 33. Consult thyself.] Before you undertake, consult well your abilities for it.

Tell thyself, &c.] After much self-examination, let your own conscience answer, and tell you what manner of man you are. 34. A vehement orator.] Eloquent and powerful.

Or Curtius.] Montanus, a man of very middling abilities.

Or Matho.] See sat. i. 1. 32, and note; vii. 129.-a fellow of no abilities, who, not succeeding at the bar, turned spy and informer.

35. Your abilities, &c.] Bucca-lit. cheek, here (by synec.) put for the whole mouth, through which we speak; and this, for speaking itself, by metonym. The poet means, that the extent of a man's capacity should be considered, if he intends to plead at the bar; he should know his own powers of eloquence, and act accordingly.

Regarded.] This attention to the fitness of a man for what he undertakes should be regarded in all concerns whatsoever, from the highest to the lowest.

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