Illuc heu miseri traducimur. Arma quidem ultra 160 Litora Juvernæ promovimus et modo captas Orcadas ac minima contentos nocte Britannos: Adspice, quid faciant commercia! venerat obses. 159. See 149. Thus Trimalcio exclaims Heu, heu, nos miseros! quam totus homuncio nil est! sic erimus cuncti, postquam nos auferet Orcus;' Petron. 'Believe, or not; there is our final home!' LU. G. Debemur morti nos, nostraque; Hor. A. P. 63. PR. We are on our road thither.' But R. takes it to mean, To such a pass are we wretches come!' 160. The same as Hibernia Ireland.' LU. Camden thinks the Romans did not conquer that island, M. (cf. Tac. Ag. 24.) but Juvenal may be obliquely ridiculing the boastfulness of his degenerate fellow-countrymen. R. Modo i. e. by Claudius, LU. or by Agricola; Tac. 10. R. 161. The Orkneys.' M. In Britannia dierum spatia ultra nostri orbis mensuram: et nox clara, et extrema parte Britannia brevis, ut finem atque initium lucis exiguo discrimine internoscas; Tac. Ag. 12. PR. Plin. ii. 75. Cæs. B. G. v. 10. R. 162. Understand flagitia et facinora. Thus Seneca says of Alexander; armis vicit, vitiis victus est. LU. 163. Some one here starts an objection. R. 164. Armenian hostages are mentioned, Tac. A. xiii. 9. xv. 1 sqq. LU. When the Roman youths assumed the virile gown, they were said excedere ex ephebis. Ter. And. I. i. 24. 165. Ardens: Virg. E. ii. 1. M. To have yielded his person.' Stat. IV S. vi. 36 sq. R. Caligula may be the wretch designated by the name of Tribune;' Suet. 36. M. cf. xi. 7. R. 166. Cf. 78. GR. Bonum esse cum bonis, haud valde laudabile est; at immensi est præconii, bonum etiam inter malos exstitisse; Greg. Mag. Mor. i. 1. PR. As a hostage' his person should have been sacred. LU. The breach of honour aggravates the crime. M. 167. Rome is the place for forming men.' R. 168. A seducer.' ་ 169. Their national costume and habits will be laid aside.' The Orientals, as well as the Gauls, wore trowsers.' FA. Pers. iii. 53. PR. viii. 234. Prop. IV. x. 43. Suet. Aug. 82. Ov. Tr. V. x. 34. III. x. 19 sq. Avažugloss. (See note on Her. v. 49.) The dagger, or couteau de chasse,' was an appendage to their girdles: a diminutive noun is used, because boys are spoken of. R. 170. Sic by a protracted residence.' BRI. Artaxata, on the Araxes, is the capital of Greater Armenia. (The noun is in the neuter plural.) BRI. Now' Teflis.' PR. ARGUMENT. Umbricius, an eminent soothsayer, (aruspicum in nostro ævo peritissimus ; Plin. who, on the day Galba was murdered, predicted the impending treason; Tac. H. i. 27. Plut.) disgusted at the prevalence of vice and the total disregard of needy and unassuming virtue, is introduced as on the point of quitting Rome, 1-9. The poet accompanies him a short distance out of the town, 10-20. when the honest exile, no longer able to suppress his indignation, stops short, and in a strain of animated invective, acquaints his friend with the cause of his retirement, 21 sqq. This Satire is managed with wonderful ingenuity. The way by which Juvenal conducts Umbricius, 11 sqq. is calculated to raise a thousand tender images in his mind; and, when he stops to look at it for the last time, in a spot endeared by religion, covered with the venerable relics of antiquity, and in itself eminently beautiful, we are led to listen with a melancholy interest to the farewell of the solitary fugitive. The discourse of Umbricius may be resolved under the following heads : Flattery and Vice are the only thriving arts at Rome; 21-57. in these points the Romans are left far in the distance by the foreigners, more especially the Greeks, who resort to the city in such shoals, 58125. Poor clients are not only defrauded of their dues by wealthy competitors, 126-130. but have the mortification of seeing low-born fellows put over their head, 131–136. 153 sqq. and of finding themselves universally slighted, 137–163. Then the expense of living in Rome is enormous, 147 sqq. 164 sqq. 223-225. Besides, you are in constant apprehension of being either buried by some overgrown, top-heavy, building, or burnt in your bed: 190-222. that is, if you can contrive to fall asleep in the midst of such a din and racket, 232-238. Unless you are rich you cannot move about town with any comfort, 239-267. and if you stir out after dark, you are almost sure of a broken head, either from some missile out of a garret-window, 268–277. or from the cudgel of some choice spirit, who has sallied into the streets in quest of an adventure : 278-301. should you try to avoid such a rencounter by striking into the lanes, you run the risk of being robbed and murdered by one of those numerous ruffians, who, for the accommodation of the honest citizens, have been hunted into Rome, and there left to exercise their vocation unshackled, as the blacksmiths cannot keep pace with the demand for irons, 302-314. After alleging these various reasons for leaving town, Umbricius bids an affectionate farewell to his friend, 315–322. G. R. This Satire is imitated by Math. Reignier, Sat. iii. by Nic. Boileau, Sat. i. and vi. by Smollett, Satirical Description of London and Bath in the Expedition of Humphry Clinker; 'R. and by Dr. Johnson, in "London; a Poem." QUAMVIS digressu veteris confusus amici, 3. At least one citizen to the Sibyl,' G. i.e. to Cumæ.' cf. Plaut. Pers. ÏV. iii. 6. R. In this town there was a celebrated temple of the Sibyl, hence called Cumaan. The Sibyls were ten in number; and the name is derived from βουλὴ and Σιὸς i. e. Διὸς, LU. or Σιοῦ for tou. PR. Virg. Æ. vi. 10 sqq. M. 4. It is the grand thoroughfare to Baia, (cf. viii. 160. R.) which was a very fashionable watering place; nullus in orbe sinus Baiis prælucet amænis; Hor. I Ep. i. 83. BRI. Both these towns were pleasantly situated in the Bay of Naples. LU. 5. Prochyta, now Procita,' was a barren rock, about three miles in circumference, off Cape Misenus. Some derive the name from goxúvas, from its having been thrown out of the sea by an earthquake. Plin. H. N. ii. 88. iii. 6. Sil. viii. 542. Virgil calls it alta; E. ix. 715. Statius aspera; II S. ii. 76. LU. PR. R. It is now converted into a pretty, fertile, spot. G. Subura, the etymology, and, consequently, the orthography of this word is uncertain: cf. Varr. L. L. iv. 8. Quint. L. vii. 28. BO, p. 82. It now retains the name of la Suburra.' It was a noisy street, full of shops, and frequented by thieves and prostitutes. x. 156. xi. 51. G 141. Mart. VI. lxvi. 2. VII. xxxi. 12. X. xciv. 5. XII. xviii. 2. Pers. v. 32. LU. PR. M. R. 6. Lonely;' Sil. iii. 429. R. 7. Cf. LI, on Tac. An. xv. 43. HEU, Comm. de Pol. Rom. §. 17. and 45. Sen. Contr. ix. 2. R. præterea domibus flammam domibusque ruinam; Prop. II. xxvii. 9. BRI. 8. It is cruel' to keep persons in constant fear of their lives. GR. Equidem, nos quod Romae sumus, miserrimum esse duco,quod omnibus casibus subitorum periculorum magis objecti sumus, quam si abessemus ; Cic. VI Ep. iv. BRI. 9. There is much malicious humour in this climax fires, falls of houses, and poets reciting their verses in the dog-days!' In the very hottest month, when every one who could, ran away from Rome, those who remained behind were called upon to help make an audience for these incessant spouters. Metastasio's translation of this passage is peculiarly happy, "a tanti rischi Della città trovarsi esposto, e al folle Cicalar de' poeti a' giorni estivi." cf. i. 1 sqq. Pers. i. 17. Hor. I S. ix. A. P. 453 sqq. BRI. PR. G. 10. All his family and furniture are stowed in a single wagon.' PR. This shows the frugal moderation of Umbritius. BRI. Reda is derived from the same Celtic root as our verb RIDE. It was a fourwheeled vehicle. R. 11. He stopped for it.' VS. While he and Juvenal are standing there, the following conversation takes place. M. The ancient triumphal arches' of Romulus, which were built of brick Hic, ubi nocturnæ Numa constituebat amicæ, Nunc sacri fontis nemus et delubra locantur Judæis, quorum cophinus fœnumque supellex, 15 (Omnis enim populo mercedem pendere jussa est Arbor et ejectis mendicat silva Camenis) In vallem Egeriæ descendimus et speluncas Dissimiles veris. Quanto præstantius esset Numen aquæ, viridi si margine clauderet undas originally, afterwards of marble. LU. Or the arches of the aqueduct. T. HK. Capena was the gate opening to the Appian road: VS. now called St Sebastian's Gate." GR. It was 'wet' from the number of springs there (whence it had the name of Fontinalis) FE. and also from the constant dripping of the aqueducts. Capena grandi porta qua pluit gutta; Mart. III. xlvii. 1. LU. X. xxxv. 14. Liv. xxxv. 10. R. It was also called Triumphalis, from the triumphs passing through it. PR. 12. Numa Pompilius, ut populum Romanum sacris obligaret, volebat videri sibi cum dea Egeria congressus esse nocturnos, ejusque monitu accepta diis immortalibus sacra instituere; V. Max. i. 2. Liv. i. 19. 21. PR. Nympha Numa conjux, consiliumque fuit; Ov. F. iii. 262. 276. &c. GR. M. xv. 482 sqq. Dionys. ii. 60 sqq. Plut. Num. R. Made assignations;' vi. 487. Prop. IV. viii. 33. R. 13. Lucus erat, quem medium er opaco specu fons perenni rigabat aqua: quo quia se persæpe Numa sine arbitris velut ad congressum deae inferebat; Camenis eum lucum sacravit, quod earum sibi concilia cum conjuge sua Egeria essent; Liv. i. 21. PR. More than one delubrum were often within the same templum or τέμενος. Locare to let,' conducere to hire or rent;' 31. Such was the avarice of the Romans that they exacted rent from these Jews, though they were so poor, that a basket with a small bundle of hay constituted the whole of their goods and chattels vi. 541. and such their impiety that they did not scruple to let the sacred grove to these persecuted outcasts. LU. PR. R. 14. The heathens confounded the Christians and the Jews.' The latter had been expelled from Rome, recently, by an edict of Domitian, CU. as, formerly, by a decree of Claudius: not long afterwards, however, the city was again full of them. vi. 542 sqq. R. The hay' probably served by way of a pillow to keep their heads from the damp ground. BRI. G. The novos was a basket,' in which the Jews used to carry their provisions, to keep them from pollution. See St Matthew xiv. 20. xvi. 9 sq. St Mark vi. 43. viii. 19 sq. St Luke ix. 17. St John vi. 13. M. When it is said that the disciples of our Lord gathered up twelve baskets full of fragments, it may mean that each apostle filled his own basket. 15. Not a tree but pays its rent:' for the grove was crowded with these poor wretches, who were glad to avail themselves even of this comfortless shelter. M. Suet. Dom. 12. R. The phrase mercedem pendere (whence our word POUND) originated from sums of money being weighed, instead of counted. LU. 17. I and Umbricius.' LU. 'Grottoes, altered till they have lost all resemblance to nature.' LU. 18. Cf. xi. 116 sq. Perhaps we should read praesentius; cf. Virg. E. i. 42. G. i. 10. E. ix. 404. GR. H. R. 19. Our poet here is indebted to Ovid: vallis erat, piceis et acuta densa cupressu; cujus in extremo est a ntrum nemorale recessu, arte laboratum nulla: simulaverat artem ingenio natura suo: nam pumice vivo et levibus tophis nativum duxerat Fons sonat a dextra tenui perunda, margine gramineo incinctus hiatus; Met. iii. arcum. lucidus patulos 20 Herba nec ingenuum violarent marmora tophum ! Hic tunc Umbricius "Quando artibus" inquit "honestis 25 Ire, fatigatas ubi Dædalus exuit alas, Dum nova canities, dum prima et recta senectus, Cedamus patria: vivant Artorius istic 30 Et Catulus: maneant, qui nigrum in candida vertunt, Quís facile est ædem conducere, flumina, portus, 155 sqq. 22. Emolumentum, from e and mola, was properly the profit got by grist.' 23. My fortune is growing less, daily.' PR. Here is an ancient form of heri, PR. 24. Will file down somewhat.' damnosa quid non imminuit dies? Hor. III Od. vi. 45. GR. Strictly speaking, res deteritur and not deterit. R. I and my family propose.' M. 25. [Livy xxviii, 15, 5. ED.] Fatigued with his long flight from Crete.' Virg. Æ. vi. 14 sqq. If Dædalus, who had the choice of all the world before him, fixed upon Cumæ, it must indeed be a lovely spot (since he was both xúgos and tides. cf. Arist. Rh. I. vii. 2.) LU. i. 54. PR. Sil. xii. 89 sqq. R. 26. Before the infirmities of old age grow upon me:' LU. cf. Cic. Sen. 26. 60. PR. donec virenti canities abest morosa; Hor. I Od. ix. 17 sq. R. Philosophers divided man's life thus: from birth to 3 or 4 infantia, 3 or 4 to 10 pueritia, 10 to 18 pubertas, 18 to 25 adolescentia, 25 to 35 or 40 juventus, 35 or 40 to 50 atas virilis, 50 to 65 senectus prima or recta, 65 till death senectus ultima or decrepita. HO. 27. Dum res et ætas et sororum fila trium patiuntur atra; Hor. II Od. iii. 15 sq. The respective offices of the three Destinies is described in the following verse: Clotho colum gestat, Lachesis net, et Atropos occat. The name of Lachesis is derived from λayxávuv. LU. cf. Cat. Ixiv. 312 sqq. Torquere and versare (Tib. II. i. 64.) signify to spin.' R. 28. Senex, gravatus annis, totus in baculum pronus et lassum trahens vestigium; Apul. LU. Compare the riddle of the Sphinx. 29. Cf. ii. 131. Artorius and Cutulus were two knaves who, by disreputable arts, had risen from the dregs of the people to affluence. VS. 30. Qui facere assuerat, patriæ non degener artis, candida de nigris et de candentibus atra; Ov. M. xi. 314 sq. 'White' and black' the ancients often used for 'good' and 'bad:' hic niger est; hunc tu, Romane, caveto; Hor. I S. iv. 85. Pers. v. 108. His præmium nunc est, qui recta prava faciunt; Ter. Phor. V. ii. 6. LU. Pers. ii. 1 sq. Mundana sapientia cor machinationibus tegere, sensum verbis velare, quæ falsa sunt vera ostendere, quæ vera sunt falsa demonstrare; Greg. Mag. Mor. PR. est 31. Who have the means of getting contracts for lucrative public works.' M. These contractors were generally of the Equestrian order. R. The building of a temple; for this is (almost without exception) the signification of aedes in the singular. SV. vno polovlar Her. v. 62. See note on vi. 597. [Livy xxii, 33, 8; xxiii, 48, 10. (DT.) ED.] |