SUMMARY OF SATIRE II PERSIUS takes advantage of the birthday of his friend and fellow-pupil Plotius Macrinus to discourse on the folly of the prayers usually offered to the Gods (1-7). Men pray openly for worthy objects; they pray secretly for money, for inheritances, for the death of all who stand in their way, besieging Jupiter with petitions at which any ordinary citizen would stand aghast (8-30). Old women offer the most silly prayers on behalf of babes (31-40). One man prays for health and strength, while ruining his constitution by rich living (41-43); another for riches, while wasting his substance in costly sacrifices (44-51). Thirsting ourselves for gold, we believe the gods must love it also: we overlay their images with gold and use gold vessels in their service in place of the delf of Numa (52-60). O fools and grovellers! Why measure the Gods by our own fleshly lusts, and by our own joy in gratifying them? Nay, rather let us approach them with clean hands and a pure heart, and the homeliest offerings will win their favour (61-75). SATVRA II HUNC, Macrine, diem numera meliore lapillo, qui tibi labentis apponit candidus annos. funde merum Genio. non tu prece poscis emaci quae nisi seductis nequeas committere divis. at bona pars procerum tacita libabit 1 acerra; haut cuivis promptum est murmurque humilesque susurroS 1 tollere de templis et aperto vivere voto. "mens bona, fama, fides" haec clare et ut audiat hospes ; 66 o si 5 10 illa sibi introrsum et sub lingua murmurat: or 1 libavit P. 1 Lines 8-11 are a close imitation of Hor. Epp. 1. xvi. 59–62. 2 Apparently a slang expression like "going off the hooks" kicking the bucket." Hercules is the god of windfalls or unexpected gain. SATIRE II 66 a SET the whitest of white stones, Macrinus, to mark this bright day that places the gliding years to your account! Pour out libations to your Genius! You are not the man to utter a huckster's prayer, such as you could only entrust to the gods in privacy. Most of our great men offer their libations from censers that divulge no secrets: it is not every man that is ready to make away with mutterings and whisperings from the temples, and to offer prayers such as all men may hear.1 "A sound mind,” fair name," 66 good credit"-such prayers a man utters aloud, and in a stranger's hearing-the rest he mutters to himself, under his breath: "O if only my uncle would go off! 2 what a fine funeral I would give him!" or "if only favouring Hercules 3 would cause a crock of silver to grate against my harrow!" or "if only I could wipe out that ward of mine who stands next before me in the succession: for indeed he is scrofulous, and full of acrid humours." "There's Nerius (lucky dog!) burying his third wife." Is it that you may put up prayers like these with all due piety that you dip your head every morning twice and three times in the Tiber, washing off in his waters all the pollutions of the night? 5 Perhaps the usurcr mentioned by Horace, Sat. II. iii. 69. Sancte is emphatic. However unholy his prayers, he hopes to keep on the right side of the gods, and so neglects none of the proper religious observances. See Hor. Sat. II. iii. 290-2, and Juv. vi. 523. Heus age, responde (minimum est quod scire laboro): de love quid sentis? estne ut praeponere cures hunc "cuinam?" cuinam? vis Staio? an scilicet haeres ? 20 quis potior iudex puerisve quis aptior orbis? hoc igitur, quo tu Iovis aurem impellere temptas, dic agedum Staio: "pro Iuppiter! o bone," clamet, "Iuppiter!" at sese non clamet Iuppiter ipse? ignovisse putas, quia, cum tonat, ocius ilex sulpure discutitur sacro quam tuque domusque ? 25 an quia non fibris ovium Ergennaque iubente triste iaces lucis evitandumque bidental, idcirco stolidam praebet tibi vellere barbam Iuppiter? aut quidnam est qua tu mercede deorum emeris auriculas? pulmone et lactibus unctis? Ecce avia aut metuens divum matertera cunis exemit puerum, frontemque atque uda labella infami digito et lustralibus ante salivis expiat, urentis oculos inhibere perita ; 30 tunc manibus quatit et spem macram supplice voto 35 1 Staius is taken as a representative of an average respectable citizen. An obviously Etruscan name. Etruria was famous for its soothsayers. Bidental is properly a spot struck by lightning, purified or consecrated by the sacrifice of a bidens (a two-year-old victim), and enclosed with a fence. Such spots were of evil omen. Here the bidental stands for the body of the man killed by lightning. |