AMMIANUS MARCELLINUS, XXVIII. 4. 14. Quidam detestantes ut venena doctrinas, Iuvenalem et Marium Maximum curatiore studio legunt, nulla volumina praeter haec in profundo otio contrectantes, quam ob causam non iudicioli est nostri. RUTILIUS NAMATIANUS, I. 603–604. Huius vulnificis satura ludente Camenis SIDONIUS APOLLINARIS, Carm. IX. 269–273. D. IVNII IVVENALIS SATVRAR V M LIBER PRIMVS SATVRA I Semper ego auditor tantum? numquamne reponam vexatus totiens rauci Theseide Cordi? I. INTRODUCTORY.-This satire forms a sort of preface to Book I. Juvenal tells us why he became a poet, and why he was impelled to write satire. He wrote poetry to be avenged, and the evils of his age were so gross that he could write about nothing else. He realizes the danger to which the writer of personal satire is exposed, and states at the close his method of dealing with perilous subjects. A graphic description of the distribution of the sportula is given in vss. 95-126, and there are many pictures showing the degradation of society about the close of the first century. Some verses of the satire have been imitated by Byron in English Bards and Scotch Reviewers. It could not have been published before A.D. 100 (vs. 49); see Intr. 5. 1-21. Juvenal writes poetry chiefly to get even with the poets to whose verses he has been forced to listen. 1. auditor: at the recitations of poets. For the omission of the verb (ero), see Intr. 49. - num quamne reponam, shall I never pay him back? i.e. by writing something to which he will have to listen; cf. Sen. Ep. 81. 9 non dicimus reposuit beneficium aut solvit: nullum enim nobis placuit, quod aeri alieno convenit, verbum. The custom of reading literary productions to an audience before their publication was introduced at Rome by Asinius Pollio. The design was to encourage writing and improve the works by criticism. That attendance on these recitations had now become an irksome duty, both Juvenal and Martial attest; cf. 3. 9; Mart. III. 44, 45, 50. Pliny (Ep. I. 13) regrets that men come together so reluctantly to listen, but thinks it his duty to attend whenever invited. 2. rauci: on account of the great length of the poem which could not be finished at one reading(hence totiens); cf. Plin. Ep.IV. 27. 1; VIII. 21.4.-Theseide: an epic poem upon Theseus; cf. Aeneis, Achilleis. Cordi : an unknown poet; not the Cordus of Martial (II. 57. 4; V. 23. 8; 26. 1). inpune ergo mihi recitaverit ille togatas, 3. mihi on the quantity of final i, see Intr. 84. - - togatas (fabulas), comedies. In the togatae the scenes and characters were Italian, in the palliatae the scene was laid in some Greek city, generally Athens. 4. diem consumpserit: cf. Mart. X. 70. 10 auditur toto saepe poeta die.. ingens of the length of the poem; cf. Mart. III. 50. 3 affertur protinus ingens liber. 5. Telephus, Orestes: common subjects of tragedy. Telephus, king of Mysia, while attempting to prevent the Greeks from plundering his coast, was wounded by Achilles. He was told by the oracle that the wound could be healed only by the one who had inflicted it, and Achilles was induced to heal it by the rust of his spear; cf. Hor. Epod. 17. 8; A. P. 96. 6. in tergo: usually the writing was on only one side of the papy rus. The other side in old books was sometimes used for scribbling paper; cf. Mart. IV. 86. 11; VIII. 62. Books written on both sides were called opisthographi; Plin. Ep. III. 5. 17. This tragedy is so long that every column is filled, and the margin full to the end of the book (summi libri), the back even is covered, and yet the end of the play has not been reached. - Orestes: for the position, see Intr. 45. 7-14. By frequent attendance on the recitations of poets I have become familiar with the subjects about which they write. I have heard over and over again their descriptions of a storm, of the torments of Hades, of the Argonautic expedition, and of the combat of the Centaurs and Lapithae. 7. lucus Martis: the grove of Mars in Colchis where the golden fleece was guarded by a sleepless dragon; cf. Mart. XII. 53. 5 ut magnus draco quem canunt poetae custodem Scythici fuisse luci. 8. antrum Vulcani: Hiera, the most southern of the Lipari Islands, called Vulcani domus by Vergil (Aen. VIII. 422) and still called Vulcano. IO. Aeacus: one of the three judges of the dead.- alius: Jason; cf. 10. 257 alius cui fas Ithacum lugere natantem. furtivae, stolen; cf. Hor. Ep. I. 13. 14 glomus furtivae lanae. II. Monychus: a centaur; Ov. Met. XII. 499. 12. Frontonis: any wealthy patron of men of letters who furnishes a place where they may recite their productions; cf. 7. |