Arbor, et ejectis mendicat silva Camenis. Ire fatigatas ubi Daedalus exuit alas, Dum nova canities, dum prima et recta senectus, 16. ejectis mendicat silva Camenis.] The Camenae to whom the wood was dedicated, and who are here said to have been ejected to make way for beggars, were not the Muses, though by the Latin poets the two names are confounded, from Camenae being connected with Carmen in the sense of a prophecy. They were four prophetic divinities peculiar to Italy. Their names were Antevorta, Postvorta, Carmenta, and Aegeria. 17. In vallem Aegeriae] This is supposed to be the valley now called La Caffarella, in which there is a fountain and grotto by some identified with Aegeria's here described. It is one of the sources of the small river Almo, now called Acquataccia, perhaps a corruption of Acqua d'Appia, as the Via Appia crossed it about a mile and a half from the Porta Capena (see Smith's Dict.Geog.Almo). Juvenal speaks of artificial grottos, but does not probably mean more than one. He says it was not like a natural cave, and that the divinity of the stream, or the spring where the divinity was supposed to live, would look much better if the fountain had a grass margin there than with marble spoiling the native stone. There was probably a statue in that grotto representing the god, as there is still in that mentioned above. et speluncas] Servius (on Virgil, Georg. ii. 469, "speluncae vivique lacus") says: "id est bona naturalia, non sicut in urbibus labore quaesita, unde Juvenalis Et speluncas dissimiles veris." 18. Quanto praestantius esset] The MSS. have all praestantius esset,' with the exception of P., which is imperfect, and has praes*ntius.' Grangaeus first, and after him Heinsius, conjectured 'praesentius,' which Heinrich and Jahn have adopted. Virgil has "praesentia numina Fauni" 20 25 4.7 (Georg. i. 10); "nec tam praesentes alibi 20. ingenuum violarent marmora to- in extremo est antrum nemorale recessu, Arte laboratum nulla: simulaverat artem Ingenio Natura suo: nam pumice vivo Etlevibus tophis nativum duxerat arcum." Ingenuum' means 'plain, unsophisticated,’ and violare' to spoil.' 23. here quam fuit,] As to here' the note on Hor. S. ii. 8. 2. ablative and heri' the dative form, see 25. ubi Daedalus exuit alas,] The legend first at Cumae, where he dedicated his of Daedalus flying from Crete and alighting wings to Phoebus, is told by Virgil (Aen. vi. 14, sqq.). 27. Dum superest Lachesi] This is like Horace (C. ii. 3. 15): "Dum res et aetas et sororum Fila trium patiuntur atra." In the Greek conception of the Moîpai, who according to Hesiod were three, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, it was Clotho's business to spin the thread of human life. Lachesis determined the duration and condition Porto meis nullo dextram subeunte bacillo. Cedamus patria: vivant Artorius istic Et Catulus; maneant qui nigrum in candida vertunt, 30 Quis facile est aedem conducere, flumina, portus, not have been anxious to change 'aedem' into 'aedes,' though he had the authority of one MS. of inferior quality. Aedes' in the singular is a sacred building, as in the plural it stands for a private dwelling, as is well known. Juvenal speaks therefore of men contracting for the repair of temples and shrines, as well as for clearing the beds of rivers, cleansing and keeping the sewers, funerals, and for the sale of slaves by the repairing of harbours, and likewise for auction. Public works, which under the republic were looked after by the aediles, tend them during the empire, and the had special officers (curatores) to superinfunctions and dignity of the aediles were much curtailed. Suetonius (Aug. c. 37) administrandae reipublicae caperent nova tells us that Augustus "quo plures partem officia excogitavit: curam operum publicorum, viarum, aquarum, alvei Tiberis." These officers engaged contractors (redemptores) to carry out the necessary works. The clearing of the Tiber was particularly necessary from the quantity of alluvial soil brought down by the stream and the rapidity with which weeds formed in the bed. Gellius (xi. 17) gives part of an old praetor's edict, beginning "QUI FLUMINA RETANDA PUBLICE REDEMTA HABENT," &c., where 'retare' probably signifies to drag (as we say), though Gellius gives a different explanation. The Cloaca Maxima, said to have been large enough for a boat or a waggon of constructed by Tarquinius Priscus, was hay to pass down it. Lipsius infers from a passage of Pliny (H. N. xxxvi. 15) that there were seven principal sewers which emptied themselves into the Cloaca Maxima, and there were drains from all private houses into these, so that the underground works of Rome were on nearly as large a The cost of keeping these drains in repair scale in proportion as those of London. was very large; though the solid construction of the Cloaca Maxima with stone arches, of which remains still exist, left little to be done for that. Livy (xxxix. 44) says that in the year A.U.c. 568 the censors contracted for the cleansing of the sewers and for constructing others where they were wanted; and Dionysius Siccandam eluviem, portandum ad busta cadaver, Et praebere caput domina venale sub hasta. Quondam hi cornicines et municipalis arenae Perpetui comites notaeque per oppida buccae Munera nunc edunt, et verso pollice vulgi Halic. mentions an occasion on which the censors paid a thousand talents to contractors for repairing and cleaning them. (See Lipsius de Mag. Rom. iii. 12.) On occasions when a public funeral (funusindictivum' or 'censorium') was decreed, such as Tacitus often mentions, it was performed through a 'redemptor,' whose duty it would be to provide mourners (men and women), musicians, 'lectica,' and bearers, funeral pile, and every thing connected with the procession, burning, and burial of the body, on such a scale as the senate might determine. (See Lipsius' note on Tac. Ann. iv. 15.) Busta' were places adjoining sepulchres, where the bodies were burnt. A sale by auction on the public account, as of confiscated property, or for recovery of fines, or of the property of a man dying without either will or heirs, or any thing else, was called 'sectio.' It was conducted by a 'praeco' in the presence of a public officer, and a spear was set up on the spot where the auction took place. It may have been called 'domina' in this place because the sale transferred to the purchaser 'dominium,' or ownership in the thing purchased. Ruperti's conjecture of 'dominis' is very bad. (See Dict. Ant. Sectio' and 'Auctio.) The spear is said to have been derived from the practice followed in old times in the selling of prisoners and booty on the field of battle. Praebere' is here 'to put up to auction.' The word 'venalia' belonged especially to slaves. Seneca (De Ira, i. 2) speaks of passion leading, among other mischiefs, to "totarum exitia gentium et principum sub civili hasta venalia capita," their chief men being reduced to slavery and sold. Grangaeus and some others take the meaning to be, he who is ready to put himself up to auction,' which is foreign to the passage. 34. Quondam hi cornicines] These men, who made so much money by public contracts, started, he says, from the lowest beginnings, as trumpeters, who went abont with companies of wrestlers and fighters to the different towns, where their puffed cheeks, he says, were well known. See Hor. Epp. i. 1. 49: "Quis circum pagos et circum compita pugnax," &c., and note. Now they give shows of gladiators them 35 selves, and put men to death to please the people,' who, when a gladiator had his adversary down, gave the signal for his despatch, or to spare him, by turning their thumbs up or down. (See note on Hor. Epp. i. 18. 66: "Fautor utroque tuum laudabit pollice ludum.") The number of victims at these shows was enormous, and they were never more frequent than in the reign of Domitian. The expense lavished on them was likewise beyond belief. Lipsius (de Mag. Rom. ii. 11) quotes from Lactantius (Inst. lib. vi.): "Quid dicendum est de iis qui populari levitate ducti vel magnis urbibus suffecturas opes exhibendis muneribus impendunt? and from Ambrose (Serm. 81): Magistratus in theatris, mimis, et athletis, gladiatoribus, aliisque hujusmodi generibus hominum, totum patrimonium suum largitur et prodigit, ut unius horae favorem vulgi acquirat." Half a century before this was written, Constantine had put down gladiatorial shows, but they seem to have revived. 36. Munera nunc edunt,] Public games were called 'munera' from the shows that in early times were given at funerals. The word contains the same root as uoîpa, and is equivalent to 'justa,' as applied to the rites due to the dead. Some MSS. have 'vulgus,' and others have quem libet,' quum libet,' 'quum jubet.' Jahn has 'vulgus quem jubet,' which is a compound of these readings. P. has 'vulgus qum libet.' The Scholiast appears to have read vulgus quum jubet' [which Ribbeck has]; but his explanation is not worth attending to. In the reading I have adopted 'vulgi' may go with 'quem libet' or 'pollice.' I think it is the former. The 'editor spectaculorum' sat in a conspicuous place within the 'podium,' and it is probable the signal would be taken from him, though he may have followed what appeared to be the general wish of the spectators. He might therefore be said very naturally, by the turning of his thumb, to have put to death whom he pleased of the rabble, that is, the gladiators. An old note given by Valla is to this same effect: "Loco imperatoris occidit gladiatores, cum paulo ante intra gladiatorum fuisset numerum." E Quem libet occidunt populariter: inde reversi Quid Romae faciam? Mentiri nescio; librum 37. inde reversi Conducunt foricas:] They give them shows, and then go back to their trade, which condescends to low gains. They are not above farming the public foricae,' places of convenience in Rome for passengers, which were erected at the public expense and farmed. They were no doubt like the cabinets d'aisance at Paris, where they are private property. 'And what,' says Umbricius, 'is to prevent their having a monopoly of all these things, since they are of the number of those whom Fortune, when in a merry mood, raises from low degree to the highest?' The persons who contracted for these last mentioned places were called 'foricarii.' See Casaubon on Sueton. Vesp. c. 23: "Quod etiam urinae vectigal commentus esset." He quotes Lucretius, iv. 1026, sqq. 42. laudare et poscere;] Poscere' is generally supposed to mean 'to ask for a copy,' as Gifford says. It may be to call for the book, i.e. to ask to hear it. motus Astrorum ignoro;] 'I cannot make gain by astrology, of which I know nothing.' See below, vi. 553, sqq., xiv. 248, and Hor. C. i. 11, Introd. A favourite subject for consulting these fortune-tellers upon was the probable time when a relation would die and leave his money behind, as appears from this place and the above: "neque ulla de re saepius consulebantur astrologi." (Casaubon on Pers. ii. 10.) 44. ranarum viscera] He means the 'rubeta,' from which poison was extracted. (See i. 70, n.) He could not profess to be an haruspex, to ascertain such matters from the entrails of animals. See below, vi. 548, sqq., where it is said the astrologer had more credit than the haruspex. 46. norint] The MSS. read 'norunt.' Several old editions and Heinrich have norint,' which is the better reading. 47. nulli comes exeo,] For this reason I never go abroad in company, I have no companion, because all have some thieving to do, and they look upon me as one maimed, with a hand fit for nothing, a mere lump of dead flesh.' This is the meaning of exstinctae corpus non utile dextrae,' where 'dextrae' is the genitive of quali ty. Comes' means 'comes exterior,' the great man's walking companion (v. 131, n.). 49. nisi conscius] Conscius' is an accomplice, as "miseram se conscia clamet " (Hor. S. i. 2. 130), and “ quo te demisit peccati conscia herilis" (S. ii. 7. 60). The next is a good expressive line, the heart boiling with secrets it is afraid to betray, being a party to the crimes through taking reward to hide them. Martial (vi. 50) says of one Thelesinus, as long as he kept good company he could not buy himself decent clothes, but when he took to that of lewd men he could afford to buy all manner of fine things. Therefore says he: "Vis Accusare potest. Tanti tibi non sit opaci Quae nunc divitibus gens acceptissima nostris fieri dives, Bithynice? conscius esto." The name of Verres has never ceased to be proverbial since the exposure of his crimes by Cicero. See S. ii. 26, and viii. 106. 54. opaci Omnis arena Tagi] Martial expresses both (the shade and the gold) in his Epigram to Licinianus (i. 50. 15): "Aestus serenos aureo franges Tago Obscurus umbris arborum." The Pactolus, Po, Ganges, and Hebrus were all reputed to have gold in their sands. See below, xiv. 299, and Pliny H. N. xxxiii. 4. 56. ponendaque praemia] Rewards you must one day part with, lay down, like deponere. See Forcellini for examples. "Reddenda, ut quae male ante quaesita sunt." (Scholiast.) 58. Quae nunc divitibus gens] He goes on to tell how the town is overrun with Greeks and Eastern strangers, and though he is ashamed to think of it, that shall not make him hold his peace. Properabo fateri' implies that the confession is disgraceful, and that he forces himself to it as a man who makes haste to do a disagreeable duty and get it over. He repeats his complaint about the Greeks in S. xv. 10. 61. quamvis quota portio] He corrects himself and says, and yet how small a portion of our dregs are from Greece ? Quota' with 'pars' (or here portio') generally signifies how small a part,' as Lucretius (vi. 652): "Et quota pars homo sit terrai totius unus.'" (See Forcellini.) Quotus' is the question which is answered by an ordinal numeral, and 'quota pars means properly, in a series of graduated parts what place would the thing occupy? and the implication is that it would come very late in the series. Whath part' (if we had such a word) would express 'quota 55 60 pars,' as 'septima pars,' 'octava,' &c., would be the seventh, eighth, &c., part. (See Key's L. G. § 248, and note.) 62. in Tiberim defluxit Orontes] The Orontes (Nahr-el-Asy), which flows from the south in Coele-Syria to the north, where it enters the sea four miles below the ancient Seleucia, is here put generally for the province of Syria, which was added to the Roman dominions by Cn. Pompeius A.U.C. 689. Its own trade, and that of the East, to which it opened a wider door, brought to Rome that influx of slaves of which Juvenal complains. The Orientals have little or no ear for music; and on lower ground than Umbricius takes, he might have run away from the music of Eastern flageolets, harps, and drums. They were probably such as are still in use all over Asia, and no discord is comparable to that which is there listened to with satisbut two or three holes, and no stops, and faction. The first instrument has usually the last (corresponding to the Indian tomtom) is beaten with no perceptible reference to time. The sort of harp here mentioned which is meant by obliquas.' The girls was called 'sambuca,' and it was triangular, are those who were called 'Ambubaiae.' (See note on Hor. S. ii. 1. 1, "Ambubaiarum collegia.") Dinacium in Plautus (Stich. ii. 3. 356), says Epignomus has him "fidicinas, tibicinas, sambucinas, exireturned from the East, and brought with mia forma." The Circus Maximus had vaults under it, which were occupied by prostitutes. 'Jussas' means that they were hired for the purpose by others, who made gain of their prostitution. Propertius (ii. 23. 21) says: "Et quas Euphrates, et quas mihi misit Orontes Me capiant: nolim furta pudica tori." |