swild figtree? innata est rupto iecore exierit caprificus? En pallor seniumque! O mores! usque adeone scire tuum nihil est, nisi te scire hoc sciat alter?' At pulchrum est digito monstrari et dicier hic est! ten' cirratorum centum dictata fuisse pro nihilo pendas ? Ecce inter pocula quaerunt Romulidae saturi, quid dia poemata narrent. hic aliquis, cui circa umeros hyacinthia laena est, make no sense. 'Quo tibi, Tilli, Sumere depositum clavum fierique tribuno?' Hor. 1 S. 6. 24. 25. iecore seems to mean little more than the breast (like 'fibra,' v. 47; 5. 29). In 5. 129 it probably denotes the liver as the seat of passion, as in Hor. Od. 13. 4. caprificus. Ad quae Discutienda valent sterilis mala robora fici' Juv. 10. 145. The harshness of the expression is probably Persius' own, not an attempt to ridicule the style he condemns. 26. pallor, of study, v. 124; 3. 85; 5. 62. senium. Hor. 1 Ep. 18. 47 'inhumanae senium depone Camenae.' Whether it refers here to actual old age or to moroseness may be doubted. Comp. note on v. 9. The latter is Horace's sense. Here is the true student character for you!' [Jahn (1868) gives' En pallor seniumque' to the friend.] O mores! Cicero's famous exclamation (Cat. I. 1. 2; Verr. 4. 25. 56). usque adeone. Usque adeone mori miserum est?' Virg. Aen. 12. 644. Usque adeo nihil est' Juv. 3. 84. 27. The Schol. quotes from Lucilius, Ut me scire volo dicimus mihi conscius sum, Ne damnum faciam. Scire hoc se nescit, nisi alios id scire scierit;' corrupt words, which have been differently emended; see Jahn, p. 254. ["Moechum scire volo." "Dicemus, consciu' sum mi at Ne damnum faciam, scire hoc sibi nesciat is me"' L. Müller, Lucilius, p. 141.] Suet. Ner. 20 says that Nero was fond of using a Greek 25 30 proverb (Τῆς λανθανούσης μουσικῆς οὐδεὶς λόγος Gell. 13. 30. 3), occultae musicae nullum esse respectum,' as a reason for exhibiting his musical talents in public. [Δεῖ δὲ πᾶν οὕτω βλέπειν καὶ πράσσειν, ὥστε ..... τὸ ἐκ τῆς περὶ ἑκάστων ἐπιστήμης αὐθαδὲς σώζεσθαι λάνθανον, οὐχὶ κρυπτόμενον Μ. Aurelius 10. 9.] 28-43. F. But the reputation! You may be "canonized as a classic" by the aristocracy.' P. To be sure: they talk poetry after dinner; an exquisite gets up and drawls out a poem: the illustrious audience applauds, and there is posthumous fame for you.' F. Snarl as you will, there is something in writing a poem that the world will not let die.' 28. Quod monstror digito praetereuntium' Hor. 4 Od. 3. 22. Ѕо бактиλοδεικτεῖν. dicier an archaism, like fallier' 3.50. hic est refers to the story of Demosthenes' elation at hearing a poor woman say Οὗτος ἐκεῖνος. Juv. 1. 161 imitates Persius. 29. Hor. I Ep. 20. 17 gives the contemptuous side of the picture, Hoc quoque te manet ut pueros elementa docentem Occupet extremis in vicis balba senectus.' (Comp. Juv. 7. 226.) Persius takes not only higher schools but higher lessons, dictata being passages from the poets read out by the master (for want of books) and repeated by the boys. 'Sic iterat voces, et verba cadentia tollit, Ut puerum saevo credas dictata magistro Reddere' Hor. 1 Ep. 18. 12. In 1 S. 10. 74, Horace asks 'An tua demens Vilibus in ludis dictari the wild fig-tree which has once struck its root into the breast break through and come out? P. 'So much for pale looks and austerity! Alas for our national character! Is this knowing of yours so utterly of no account, unless some one else know that you are knowing?' F. But it is a fine thing for men to point one out and say, 'There he goes!' Do you mean to say that you don't care to become the dictation-lesson of one hundred curly-headed urchins? 'Listen. The sons of Rome are sitting after a full meal and enquiring in their cups, What news from the divine world of poesy? Hereupon a personage with a hyacinth-coloured mantle. over his shoulders brings out some mawkish trash or other with a snuffle and a lisp, something about Phyllises or Hypsipyles, carmina malis?' as if such popularity were an actual evil, and proved that the poet had not sought to please the few. Statius thinks differently, saying triumphantly of his Thebaid (Theb. 12. 815) Itala iam studio discit memoratque iuventus.' 29. cirratorum apparently denotes no more than 'puerorum.' Jahn cites Mart. 9. 30. 7 Matutini cirrata caterva magistri,' and mentions that in the representation of a school at Pompeii the boys wear their hair long. But the descriptive epithet naturally points to boys of the better classes. 30. Ecce introduces a narrative in the heroic style. inter pocula. 'Inter vina' 3. 100, inter scyphos' Cic. Fam. 7. 22, 'media inter pocula' Juv. 8. 217; in poculis is used similarly Cic. Sen. 14: 'during drinking,' over the wine,' rather than in the intervals of drinking.' Persius probably mistakes Hor. 2 S. 2. 4 Discite, non inter lances mensasque nitentes,' as the thing satirized is the wretched dilettante conception of literature as an accompaniment to a diningtable; and so in the next line, 'saturi is strongly contrasted with Horace's 'impransi disquirite.' rest of the commentators and the Schol. 'Hic 32. hic, 'hereupon,' 'extremely sel- 33. rancidulum. Rancide ficta verba' Gell. 18. 11. 2, like 'putidus,' 'mawkish.' The diminution, of course, heightens the contempt. 6 balba de nare, lisping and snuffling. The former at least implies an affectation of tenderness. Cum balba feris annoso verba palato' Hor. 2 S. 3. 274, which Persius had in view, as appears from v. 35. "ballus. "Lisping? 34. Phyllidas, plural indicative of contempt. Χρυσηΐδων μείλιγμα τῶν ὑπ ̓ 'INí Aesch. Ag. 1439. Sentimental subjects from mythology, such as those celebrated by Ovid in his Heroides. vatum et plorabile si quid. Casaubon and Jahn compare Claud. Eutrop. 1. 261 verbisque sonat plorabile quiddam Ultra nequitiam fractis.' These accusatives are constructed with 'locutus,' not with 'eliquat.' 'filtus' eliquat ac tenero subplantat verba palato. adsensere viri: nunc non cinis ille poetae felix? non levior cippus nunc inprimit ossa?pillas" laudant convivae: nunc non e manibus illis, nunc non e tumulo fortunataque favilla nascentur violae?' Rides, ait, et nimis uncis. naribus indulges. an erit qui velle recuset os populi meruisse et cedro digna locutus linquere nec scombros metuentia carmina nec tus? Quisquis es, o, modo quem ex adverso dicere feci, non ego cum scribo, si forte quid aptius exit, quando haec rara avis est, si quid tamen aptius exit, 36. Atsensere (duo fortasse verba). nunc nunc. poeta. 35. eliquat, strains' or 'filters.' A natural extension of the metaphori which calls a voice 'liquid.' Comp. 'colluerit v. 18. Heinr. and Jahn compare Apul. Flor. p. 351 Elm. Canticum videtur ore tereti semihiantibus in conatu labellis eliquare.' subplantat. A word from wrestling or running, translated from Greek πоOKEλís, as would seem from Non. 36. 4 Subplantare dictum est pedem supponere: Lucilius, subplantare aiunt Graeci,' so that Persius must have had Lucilius in his view. 'Trips up his words,' i. e. minces them. Comp. Horace, referred to on v. 33. 36. adsensere viri is in the heroic strain, like Juvenal, consedere duces 7. 115. Jahn compares Virg. Aen. 2. 130 'adsensere omnes Ov. M. 9. 259; 14. 592 'adsensere dei.' For the effect of praise after death on the bones of the deceased, comp. Virg. E. 10. 33 'O mihi tum quam molliter ossa quiescant, Vestra meos olim si fistula dicat amores!' (quoted also by Casaubon.) 6 37. cippus, a pillar.' Hor. I S. 8. 12. The formula S. T. T. L. ('sit tibi terra levis') was frequently engraved on the pillar. 38. convivae, as in Hor. I S. 10. 80, 35 40 45 1 Ep. 13. 15; Juv. 7. 74; 9. 10, most of which Jahn compares; the inferior guests distinguished from 'viri,' the great men who sit with the giver of the feast. We must suppose a large entertainment, at which there is a recitation, not of the patron's verses, but of those of some deceased poet whom he admires. 'Laudant' may be meant to be stronger than 'adsensere,' as the humbler sort would be less measured in their approbation. manibus. Jahn compares Prop. 3. 4. 31 Deinde ubi suppositus cinerem me fecerit ardor, Accipiat manes parvula testa meos,' and the use of ' ' cineribus in inscriptions as synonymous with 'Dis manibus.' So also Virg. Aen. 4. 34 'Id cinerem aut manes credis curare sepultos ?' = 39. fortunata favilla felix cinis.' This line is omitted by one MS. and Servius, who quotes the passage on Virg. Aen. 3. 63; but the repetition is rather forcible than otherwise. 40. König refers to a Greek inscription [fragm. adesp. 705, in Jacobs' Anthologia Graeca] ἄλλ ̓ ἴα καὶ σάμψυχα καὶ ὑδατίνη νάρκισσος, Οὐείβιε, καὶ περὶ σοῦ πάντα YévoιTo póda. The friend interrupts, telling Persius that this is mere buffoonery, which leaves the reason of the case untouched. or any of the many heroines over whom poets have snivelled, filtering out his tones, and tripping up the words against the roof of his delicate mouth. The heroes have expressed approval-now is not the poet happy in his grave? Now does not the stone press on his bones more lightly? The humbler guests follow with their applause-now will not a crop of violets spring up from those remains of his—from the sod of his tomb, and from the ashes so highly blest?' F. Ah, you are laughing (says he) and letting your nostrils curl more than they should. Will you ever find a bard who will disown the wish to earn a place in the mouths of men, to deliver utterances worthy of cedar oil, and leave behind him poems which need not fear the contact of mackerel or spices? P. 'Whoever you are, my imaginary opponent, I am not the man if in writing I chance to hatch anything good-for that is a phoenix indeed—but if I do hatch anything good, I am not the man to 41. velle recuset. Recusem minui senio' 6. 15. Jahn. Will you find any man to disclaim the desire of deservedly becoming a household word?' 6 42. In ore esse or 'in ora venire,' 'abire,' etc. was a phrase: comp. ' volito vivus per ora virum' Enn. ap. Cic. Tusc. 1. 15. 34, imitated by Virg. G. 3. 9. Romana brevi venturus in ora' Hor. I E. 3. 9. For the use of the perf. inf. Jahn comp. vv. 91, 132; 2. 66; 4. 7, 17; 5. 33; 6. 3, 17, 77. cedro, cedar oil.' 'Linenda cedro' Hor. A. P. 332. Persius probably imitated Virg. Aen. 6. 662 Phoebo digna locuti.' 43. scombros, mackerel,' is an image borrowed from Catull. 95. 7 'Volusi annales Paduam morientur ad ipsam, Et laxas scombris saepe dabunt tunicas,' as 'tus' is from Hor. 2 Ep. 1. 269 'Deferar in vicum vendentem tus et odores Et piper et quicquid chartis amicitur ineptis.' C I 44-62. Persius. 'I quite admit the value of honest praise well deserved. should not be human if I did not feel it; but I protest against measuring excellence by this fashionable standard of yoursa standard which accommodates itself to trash like Labeo's and all the mawkish stuff which great folks write when they ought to be digesting their dinners. The praise given in your circles is not disinterested it is simply payment for patronage received. You are not blessed with the eyes of Janus-so you will need pains to discriminate between what is said to your face and what is said behind your back.' 44. Persius is disputing not with any definite antagonist, but with the spirit of the age, as Passow and Jahn remark. modo, just now,' referring especially to v. 40, and generally to the whole preceding part. 45. exit probably has a double reference -to a vessel turned out by the potter, as Hor. A. P. 22urceus exit,' and to a bird hatched from an egg, Plin. 10. 16. 18 'exit de ovo a cauda,' as 'rara avis' seems to show. 46. quando used as since' only in poetry and post-Aug. prose. Freund. [But Madvig on Cic. Fin. 5. 8. 21., 23. 67 allows it in Cicero.] rara avis seemingly a proverbial expression, imitated by Juv. 6. 165. Jerome adv. Jovin. t. 1. 4. 2, p. 190 Ben. 米 laudari metuam, neque enim mihi cornea fibra est; euge tuum et belle. nam belle hoc excute totum: et 'verum' inquis 'amo: verum mihi dicite de me.' o Iane, a tergo quem hulla ciconia pinsit, Stork has packed at" 57. propenso. (Jahn). 47. cornea is applied by Pliny (31. 9. 45) as an epithet to the bodies of fishermen; but this metaphorical use of the word appears to be Persius' own. Heinr. and Jahn refer to Sidon. Apoll. Epp. 4. 1; 8. 11. The Stoics, as Casaubon shows, did not altogether exclude fame from consideration, but regarded it as one of the ἀδιάφορα which were προηγμένα: they however differed among themselves as to whether it was desirable for its own sake or for any advantage which it might bring, Chrysippus taking the latter view. extremumque, 'the fibra, 5. 29. 48. finem standard and limit.' Jahn comp. Cic. Fin. 2. 2. 5 Nam hunc ipsum sive finem, sive extremum, sive ultimum definiebas id esse quo omnia, quae recte fierent, referrentur.' recusare, with an object-clause not common. Maxime vero quaestum esse inmani vitae pretio recusabant ' Plin. 29. 1. 8. 49. euge tuum et belle. Like 'suum xaîpe' Prol. 8. Hor. A. P. 428, a passage which Persius had in view, makes the derisor' exclaim 'Pulchre, bene, recte.' excute, 5. 22 Excutienda damus praecordia.' Met. from shaking out the folds of a robe. Excutedum pallium' Plaut. Aul. 4. 4. 19. [Nemo nostrum quid veri esset excussit' Sen. Ep. 110. 5.] 6 50 55 a Waddler 50. What rubbish does it not contain ?' What is there not room for in it?' 'Atti Labeonis,' v. 4 note. 51. veratrum was the Latin name for hellebore. Nobis veratrum est acre venenum' Lucr. 4. 640. Hellebore was taken, according to Pliny (25. 5. 21), not only to cure madness, but to clear the heads of students. Thus it will satirize the artificial helps used for study, as well as the madness which requires deep and intoxicating draughts of hellebore to cure it. elegidia, a contemptuous diminutive. Exiguos elegos' Hor. A. P. 77. Comp. Juv. I. 4. crudi. Crudi tumidique lavemur ' Hor. 1 Ep. 6. 61. 52. Jahn comp. Hor. 2 Ep. 1. 109 'pueri patresque severi Fronde comas vincti cenant et carmina dictant.' 53. For writing in a recumbent posture, comp. Prop. 4. 6. 14 Scriniaque ad lecti clausa iacere pedes.' Augustus retired after supper to his 'lecticula lucubratoria' Suet. Aug. 78. The rich man in Juvenal (3. 241) reads or writes in his litter. citreis. Citron wood, used for couches here, as for tables Cic. Verr. 4. 37. ponere. 3. III positum est algente catino Durum holus,' 6. 23 'rhombos libertis ponere lautus.' Imitated from Hor. A. P. 422unctum recte qui ponere |