Grande ebur, et magno sublimis pardus hiatu, 125 130 135 123. Ivory sustains, &c.] Unless their tables, which were of a round form (orbes) were set on huge pedestals of ivory. The circumference meant by orbes, is here put for the tables themselves. Synec. A lofty leopard, &c.] The figure of a great leopard carved in ivory, put by way of pedestal to support the table. A great gape.] His jaws represented as stretched wide open. 124. Those teeth.] Elephants' teeth. The gate of Syene.] Porta is here put, as denoting Syene to be the door, or gate, as it were, through which, from the island, the passage lay into Egypt, and thence to Rome. Syene was the metropolis of an island of that name; and this island was called Insula Elephantina, from the number of its elephants. It belonged to Egypt, and bordered on Ethiopia. He uses the word porta here, as Horace uses janua, when speaking of the city of Cume, as to be passed in the way to Baix. Sat. ii. 4. Janua Baiarum est. 125. Swift Moors.] The poet is describing the places from whence the elephants came. Many came from Mauritania, the inhabitants whereof were called Mauri, who were remarkable for their swiftness and activity. The Indian.] The largest elephants came from India. Darker, &c.] Of a blacker colour or complexion. 126. A beast has deposited, &c.] Bellua signifies any great beast -here, an elephant. These animals shed their teeth, which are often found. Nabathaan forest.] Some forest of Arabia, which was called Nabathæa, from 2-Nebith, the first-born of Ismael, the supposed father of the Arabs. 127. Too much and too heavy, c.] The teeth of elephants grow to an enormous size and weight, so as to be burthensome to the animal when grown old, till they drop out through age. Hence arises appetite, &c.] Orexis, from Gr. ogeyw, appeto, Ivory sustains, and a lofty leopard, with a great gape, Out of those teeth, which the gate of Syene sends, And the swift Moors, and the Indian darker than the Moors, 125 And which a beast has deposited in a Nabathæan forest, Now too much and too heavy for his head: hence arises appetite, Hence strength to the stomach: for a silver foot to them, Is what an iron ring would be upon the finger. Therefore the proud Guest I am aware of, who compares me to himself, and despises 130 Material: nay the very handles of my knives Are of bone yet by these no victuals ever become 135 Nor shall there be a carver, to whom every school ought cupio. The sight of this fine ivory is a sort of whet to their appetite (comp. 1. 121, 2.)-gives vigour to the stomach. 128. A silver foot, &c.] A table set upon a foot made of silver they would scorn, as much as to wear a ring made of iron, instead of gold, upon their finger. The Romans were very anxious to appear with fine rings, and were so luxurious as to have different sorts for summer and winter. See sat. i. 28, 29. sat. vii. 140, 1. 129-30. Proud guest, &c.] Who can't sit down to a plain meal upon a plain table, but expects dainties set upon ivory. 130. Who compares, &c.] Who measures my fortune and expenses by his own, and expects me to entertain him as he entertains others. 131. Little affairs.] My plain and frugal manner of living, according to the smallness of my fortune. Insomuch that, &c.] I am so much (adeo), so totally without a single ounce of ivory, that even the squares of my chess-board are without it, nor is one of the chess-men made of it. Tessella is a small square stone, or piece of wood, with which they make chequer-work in tables, or boards. Here, probably, tessellæ means the chequers of a chess-board. Calculus signifies a little pebble, or gravel stone, with which they marked--hence calculi, chess-men, table-r e-men. AINSW. The game of chess is much more ancient than the days of Juvenal; it is a common opinion that it was invented by Palamede, at the siege of Troy. See CHAMBERS, art. Chess. 134. Yet by these, &c.] Though the handles of my knives are made of bone, yet my victuals suffer no damage, but taste as well, and are carved as well, as if my knife-handles were made of ivory. 136. A carver] It was, among other instances of luxury, a fashion to have an artist, who had been taught to carve dexterously, at their entertainments; he, as well as the sever who set on the dishes, was called structor, from struo, to prepare, or make ready. School.] Pergula here signifies a place where the professors of any art, or science, taught their scholars publicly. I know Pergula, discipulus Trypheri.doctoris, apud quem Non Phryx, aut Lycius, non a mangone petitus Quisquam erit, et magno cum poscis, posce Latine. Idem habitus cunctis, tonsi, rectique capilli, Atque hodie tantum propter convivia pexi. 140 145 150 : not that we have an English word which exactly expresses it in this sense of it-school, or academy, may come the nearest. 137. Doctor Trypherus.] He was eminent for his skill in carving, which he taught in a public school; hence Juvenal ludicrously calls him doctor. 138. A large sumen.] The udder of a sow, with the paps and part of the belly, cut from her the day after she has farrowed. See 1. 81, note. Pygarg.] A sort of deer; perhaps a roe-buck. 139. Scythian birds.] It is thought that pheasants are meant here; but the description is too vague, to be certain what birds are precisely meant. Phanicopter.] So called from Gr. Dovizios, crimson, and regov, a wing--a bird, having its wings of a crimson colour. The tongue of this bird was a great dainty among the Romans. Phoeni copterus. Dat mihi penna rubens nomen: sed lingua gulosis MART. epigr. lxxi. lib. xiii. 140. Gatulian goat.] Orix, a sort of wild goat, from Gætulia, a country of Africa. Blunt iron. Some large knife, or some chopping instrument of iron, worn blunt with constant use. 141. Made of elm, &c.] Trypherus had all kind of provision for a feast made in wood, as the best material for the conveniency of teaching; the hacking and hewing of which, among the scholars, must have made no small noise. Thro' all the Suburra.] A very public street in Rome, often mentioned before. The idea of carving being erected into a science, and taught by a public professor, but exercising his pupils on wooden subjects, is truly ludicrous. See sat. v. 121, note. 142. To take off, &c.] To carve according to art. 142--3. The side of an African bird] The wing of a turkey. This bird came from Numidia, a country of Africa--hence called gallus Numidicus.--To take off the wing (as we call the pinion, To yield, a disciple of doctor Trypherus, at whose house And a Gætulian goat, most delicious things, with a blunt iron And accustomed to the broken pieces of a little steak. 140 145 The homely boy, and safe from cold, shall reach forth. 150 and part of the breast) of a roasted bird, without leaving some part behind, is reckoned to require some skill in carving. 143. My little novice.] Tyrunculus (dim. from tyro) signifies a young soldier, scholar, or a young beginner, in any science. Here it describes Juvenal's boy, as lately come out of the country, and beginning to learn his business. Always rude.] Untaught from his cradle to this hour. 144. Accustomed.] Used only perhaps to cut a piece off a collop, or steak, of some plain meat. 145. Plebeian cups.] Such as the common people use. 146. Homely boy, &c.] Incultus here, perhaps, rather means meanly dressed, not trimmed up, not spruce; and yet so clad as to keep him warm, to secure him from the cold-A frigore tutus. may Reach forth.] Porriget here describes the act of the servant, when he brings what is called for, and reaches or holds it forth to the guest, that he take it. See sat. i. 1. 70; and sat. v. 1. 67. 147. Phrygian-Lycian, &c.] The nobility of Rome purchased elegant and handsome slaves, which were brought from Phrygia and Lycia, countries of Asia, by merchants who made it their business to traffic in slaves, and who, by using all arts to set them off to the best advantage, sold them at an extravagant price. These dealers were called mangones, because they painted the slaves, to make them look the better and sell the dearer; from Gr. peayyavov, a deceit by some contrivance, such as witchcraft. See AINSW. Or disguising a thing to make it look better than it is. 148. Ask in Latin.] For my poor boy understands no other language; therefore, when you ask, or call, for what you want, do it in Latin, or he won't understand you. 149. The same habit, &c.] All my servants are dressed and appear alike. Cropp'd and straight.] Not long and curled, like the fashion able waiters at table. 150. Comb'd only, &c.] On this occasion, indeed, their hair is Pastoris duri est hic filius, ille bubulci; 155 A quibus ipse venit, quorum sub vertice lusit: 160 Namque una atque eadem est vini patría, atque ministri. Incipiat prurire choro, plausuque probatæ Ad terram tremulo descendant clune puellæ. 165 170 combed out, with a little more care than usual, that they may appear neat and decent. So HoR. sat. viii. lib. ii. 1. 69, 70. -Ut omnes Præcincti recte pueri, comptique ministrent. 153. Little cottage.] Where he was born and brought up. Comp. sat. ix. 1. 60, 1. Known kids.] Which he used to tend and play with. 154. Ingenuous countenance, &c.] An honest countenance, and a genuine unaffected modesty. 155. Such as it becomes, &c.] q. d. It would be well if the same could be said of our young nobility. Glowing purple.] Alluding to the white robe, faced and trimmed with purple, which was worn by the young nobility till seventeen years of age. This was called prætexta, and those who wore it prætextati. It was worn also by magistrates, and other noble persons, as a mark or badge of honour. See sat. i. l. 78, note; and sat. ii. 1. 170, note; and sat. x. 99. 156. Nor, hoarse.] Alluding to the change of the voice in boys at the age of puberty. 157. In the baths.] Where youths exposed their naked persons, for purposes too horrid to explain. 159. Give you wine.] This modest boy of mine shall wait upon you at supper, and serve you. With wine from his own country brought; and made He and his wanton kids have often play'd. } CONGREVE 162. A Gaditanian.] A spanish girl from Gades, now Cadiz. See sat. x. 1. 1, note. |