Yet when he had enter'd the city fortified by brickmakers, He was content with a Sarcophagus. DEATH ONLY DISCOVERS HOW LITTLE THE SMALL BODIES OF MEN ARE. It is believed, that, formerly, Athos was sailed thro', and whatever lying Greece Adventures in history; the solid sea strowed with 175 Those very ships, and put under wheels: we believe deep Rivers to have failed, and their waters drunk up when the Mede But what did that barbarian return, Salamis being left, Who was wont to rage with whips, against the north-west and 180 East wind, (which never suffered this in the Æolian prison,) Who bound Ennosigaus himself with fetters? That indeed was rather mild, that not worthy a mark also 177. The Mede.] The Medes and Persians composed the army of Xerxes. 178. Sostratus.] A Greek poet, who wrote the Persian expedition into Greece. Wet wings.] The fancy of a poet may be compared to wings, for it is by this he takes his flight into the regions of invention.The fancy of Sostratus is here supposed to have been moistened with wine; in short, that no man who was not drunk, which is signified by madidus, could ever have committed such improbabilities to writing. 179. What, &c.] What manner of man-qualis-how wretched, how forlorn, how changed from what he was! Comp. 1. 185. That barbarian.] Xerxes. See sat. vi. 1. 157, note. Salamis being left.] When he left and fled from Salamis, an island and city in the Egean sea, near which Themistocles, the Athe nian general, overcame him in a sea-fight, and forced him to fly. 180. Rage with whips, &c.] When he found the sea raging, and, being raised by those winds, to have destroyed his bridge, he was mad enough to order the Hellespont to be scourged with three hun-. dred lashes. I don't read any where, but in this passage of Juvenal, of his whipping the winds. 181. Never suffered, &c.] The poet here alludes to Æn. i. 1. 56 --67. where Eolus is represented as holding the winds in prison, and giving them liberty to come forth as he pleased. 182. Who bound Ennosigaus, &c.] Xerxes was mad enough also to cast iron fetters into the sea, as if to bind Neptune in chains; who was called Ennosigeus, the earth shaker, from the notion that he presided over the waters of the sea, which made their way into the earth, and caused earthquakes.--From Gr. Evo, concussio, and ya, terra. See GELLIUS. See the Orphic hymn, quoted in PARKH. Heb. Lex. under 7, No. 1. 183. Rather mild, &c.] The poet ironically says, "that, to be < sure, all this was very gentle in Xerxes, and that he did not carry "the matter farther, must be considered as very gracious in a man Credidit: huic quisquam vellet servire deorum. Da spatium vitæ, multos da, Jupiter, annos : Sed quam continuis et quantis longa senectus Plena malis! deformem, et tetrum ante omnia vultum, 185 190 195 "who might have thought proper to have marked him as his slave." Stigma signifies a brand or mark set on the forehead of fugitive slaves, to which, no doubt, this passage alludes. 184. Any of the gods.] As well as Neptune, would, doubtless, without murmuring, have served so mild and gracious a prince! Still speaking ironically, in derision of the pride and folly of Xerxes. 185. What manner, &c.] After all this extravagance of pride.See note on 1. 179. One vessel.] Navis signifies any vessel of the sea or river. The vessel in which Xerxes made his escape, after his defeat near Salamis, was a poor fishing-boat. 186. Bloody waves.] Made so by the slaughter of such numbers of the Persian army. Slow prow, &c.] The sea was so crowded with the floating carcases of the slain, that the boat could hardly make its way. 187. Glory, &c.] This haughty prince, who had collected so vast a force together, in order to carry on the war with the Athenians, begun by his father Darius, and invading Greece with seven hundred thousand men of his own kingdoms, three hundred thousand auxiliaries, and with twelve thousand ships, after beating Leonidas and taking Sparta, is defeated by Themistocles, his army cut to pieces, his fleet destroyed, and himself forced to escape in a wretched fishing-boat. All this might well be called the just demand of vengeance against his pride, and mad thirst after glory. 188. Give, &c.] The poet now satirizes the folly of wishing for long life he supposes one praying for it. 189. Upright countenance, &c.] i. e. Looking up to heavenpale, with fear of death, or lest the petition should be refused. But, perhaps, recto vultu may here be a phrase to express one in youth and health; and the following pallidus may denote a state of old age and sickness-comp. 1. 191, He thought him.-Any of the gods would be willing to serve him. But what manner of man returned he? Truly with one vessel in the Bloody waves, and, with slow prow, thro' thick carcases. - 185 190 This with upright countenance, and this, pale, alone you wish.- And pendent cheeks, and such wrinkles, As, where Tabraca extends its shady forests, A mother-ape scratches in her old cheek. The differences of youths are very many, one is handsomer than "Both sick and healthful, old and young, conspire 192. Itself. Its former self. DRYDEN. 195 Unsightly hide.] Here is a distinction between cutis and pellis, the former signifying the skin of a man, the other the hide of a beast; to the last of which, by an apt catachresis, the poet compares the coarse and rugged appearance of an old man's skin. 193. Pendent cheeks.] It is observable, that, in old persons, the cheeks not only in that part of them which is immediately below the eyes, hang in purses downwards, but also in that part which, in youth, forms the roundness, and contributes so much to the beauty and comeliness of the face, hang downwards in a relaxed and pendent state. 194. Tabrāca, &c.] Now called Tunis, on the Mediterranean, near which was a wood, wherein was a vast quantity of apes. 195. Her old cheek.] Bucca properly signifies the cheek, or that part of it which swells out on blowing; but here it seems (by synec.) to denote the whole face, every part of which, in the animal he speaks of, especially when old, is in a wrinkled state. Dryden has well preserved the humour of this simile: Such wrinkles as a skilful hand would draw, 196. The differences, &c.] The poet is here to be understood as observing, that, however, in the days of youth, one is distinguishable from another by different beauties of countenance, and strength of body, old age renders all distinctions void; and, in short, one old man is too like another to admit of them, both with respect to countenance and bodily strength. 199. Smooth head.] Bald with the loss of hair. 200 Frangendus misero gingivâ panis inermi': Non eadem vini atque cibi, torpente palato, 205 Nunc damnum alterius: nam quæ cantante voluptas, 210 Sit licet eximius, citharœdo, sivi Seleuco, Morborum omne genus, quorum si nomina quæras, 215 220 199. Infancy, &c.] A running and drivelling nose, like a young child. 200. Unarm'd gum.] Having lost all his teeth, he has nothing left but his bare gums, to mumble his food withal. 202. The flatterer Cossus.] Captator signifies one who endeavoureth to get or procure any thing, particularly he who flattereth a man to be his heir. (See sat. v. 1. 98, note.) This mean occupation was frequent in Rome, and this Cossus seems to have been famous for it; yet age,. like what the poet has been describing, is sufficient, says he, even todisgust Cossus himself, so as to keep him away from paying his old court. 203. The palate, &c.] Every thing now grows insipid; all difference of meats and drinks is lost. See this symptom of age mentioned by Barzillai, 2 Sam. xix. 35. 210. Another part.] The hearing. 211. A harper.] Citharœdus denotes that species of musician, who sung and played the harp at the same time. Seleucus.] A noted musician, who, according to the fashion of those times, wore a rich embroidered garment when he sang upon the stage. This is meant in the next line, by aurata lacerna, as not only the case of Seleucus, but of others. Of this incapacity for relishing music, Barzillai also speaks, 2 Sam. xix. 35. 214. The cornets.] Cornicen (from cornu, an horn, and cano, to sing) signifies a blower on the horn, or cornet, the sound of which was probably very loud and harsh, as was that of the trum Bread is to be broken by the wretch with an unarm'd gum : Tho' every means be used to restore them. 200 205 210 Has this important state any thing to hope for? word of. Beside, the very little blood, now in his cold body, Is only warm from fever: there leap around, form'd into a troop, 215 220 pets. If he be so deaf that he cannot hear these, he can't expect to hear the singers, and the softer instruments. 215. Bawling, &c.] His boy must bawl as loud as he can into his ear, when he would tell him who called to visit him, or to let him know what o'clock it was. They had not watches and clocks as we have, but sun-dials and hour-glasses, which a boy was to watch, and acquaint the master how the time went. Horas quinque puer nondum tibi nuntiat, et tu Jam conviva mihi, Cæciliane, venis. MART. lib. viii. ep. 67. 218. Warm from fever.] The blood is so cold, and circulates so slowly, that nothing can warm or quicken it, but that hectic, feverish habit, which frequently is an attendant on the decays of old age. Gelidus tardante senecta EN. v. 1. 395, 6. Leap around, &c.] Surround him on all sides, ready to rush upon him, like wild beasts leaping on their prey. Form'd into a troop.] A whole troop of diseases, in array against him. Agmine facto. See VIRG. Æn. i. 86. from whence our poet borrows this expression. See sat. iii. 162, and note. 220. Hippia] Sce sat. vi. 82.- —a woman famous for her debaycheries. 221. Themison.] A physician much commended by Pliny and VOL. II. |