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The toils of Hercules, and his cruel labours, better

Than the lasciviousness, and luxury, and plumes of Sardanapalus, I shew what yourself may give to yourself: SURELY THE

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PATH TO A QUIET LIFE LIES OPEN THROUGH VIRTUE.

You have no deity, O Fortune, if there be prudence; but 365 Thee we make a goddess, and place in heaven.

once comprehend all its meanings: it includes the will, pleasure, and determination or decree of a deity; power, authority; a divine impulse; divine protection and favour; influence; also a deity, a god; all this the heathen attributed to their goddess FORTUNE.

366. Thee we make a goddess, &c.] The ancient Greeks and Romans made a goddess of Fortune, which is, in reality, nothing more than a sudden and unexpected event of things, from FORS, luck, chance, hazard. These the heathen, who knew not God, deified in the imaginary being FORTUNE, which they substituted in the place of that wise, though mysterious, government of the world, and all things in it, by HIM "whose 'judgments are unsearchable, and whose

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ways are past finding out!" He has "given to man that wisdom which is "profitable to direct" (Eccl. x. 10.) in the affairs and concerns of common life; the due and proper exercise of which is the duty of man towards himself. This neglected, leaves him without excuse, whatever evil may happen: yet, under the strictest exercise of human wisdom and prudence, let us remember, that disappointment may defeat the ends proposed; this ought to awaken our confidence in the SUPREME DISPOSER OF ALL EVENTS, who knows what is best for us:

"And that should teach us "There's a divinity that shapes our ends, 66 Rough-hew them how we will."

HAMLET, act v. sc. ii. The Greeks had many temples dedicated to Fortune, under the name of TTXH. Pindar makes her one of the destinies, the daughter of Jupiter. Ancus Martius, king of the Romans, first built a temple at Rome to this deity. Servius Tullus also built one at the capitol. Afterwards the Romans consecrated temples to her under various ti

tles, as Fortuna libera, redux, publica, equestris, &c. See BROUGHTON, Bibl. Hist. Sacr. tit. FORTUNE.

Horace's description of this goddess, and her great power, forms one of the most beautiful of his odes. See lib. i. ode xxxv.

O Diva gratum quæ regis Antium,
Præsens, &c. &c.

366. Place in heaven.] Give her a place among the gods.-q. d. As things are, men are foolish enough to erect temples to Fortune, make her a goddess, worship her as such, and attribute all their miscarriages and troubles, not to their own neglect, folly, and mismanagement, but to the power and influence of this imaginary deity.

For the ideas which the Romans entertained about the goddess Fortune, see sat. iii. 1. 39, 40. Sat. vi. 1. 604 -8.

I should observe, that some copies read, 1. 365,

Nullum numen abest, &c.

No deity is absent, &c. As if it were said, that if there be pru. dence, that is, if a man acts wisely and prudently, all the gods are present with him, 'not one absents himself from him; or, prudence is all-sufficient, and no other deity can be wanting. But the sense first above given, on the reading nullum numen habes, appears to be most consonant to the intention of the two lines taken together.

I know not how to end my observations on the Tenth Satire of Juvenal, without calling it the finest piece, in point of composition, matter, and sentiment, which we have derived from heathen antiquity. I should call it inimi. tably fine, had not the late Dr. SAMUEL JOHNSON's poem, on "THE VANITY OF HUMAN WISHES," appeared; such a copy, of such an original, is rarely to be met with.

SATIRA XI.

ARGUMENT.

The poet takes occasion, from an invitation which he gives to his friend Persicus to dine with him, to commend frugality, and to expose and reprehend all manner of intemperance and debauchery; but more particularly the luxury used by the Romans in their feasting. He instances some lewd practices at their feasts, and reproves the nobility for making lewdness and

ATTICUS eximie si cœnat, lautus habetur :
Si Rutilus, demens; quid enim majore cachinno
Excipitur vulgi, quam pauper Apicius? omnis
Convictus, therma, stationes, omne theatrum
De Rutilo. Nam dum valida ac juvenilia membra
Sufficiunt galeæ, dumque ardens sanguine, fertur
(Non cogente quidem, sed nec prohibente Tribuno)
Scripturus leges, et regia verba lanistæ.
Multos porro vides, quos sæpe elusus ad ipsum
Creditor introitum solet expectare macelli,

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3. Apicius.] A noted epicure in the time of Nero; he spent an immense estate in eating and drinking: growing poor and despised, he hanged himself. See sat. iv. l. 23.

4. Company. Convictus signifies a living together in one house, or at one table, and, perhaps, what we call clubs, or ordinaries.

-Baths.] Thermæ, hot baths. These were much resorted to, and were places of great gossipping and tattling. See sat. vii. 1. 233, and note.

-The stations.] Particular places in the city, where idle people used to meet and talk together, perhaps about the market-place, or forum ; as in our towns, where there are commonly a number of

SATIRE XI.

ARGUMENT.

debauchery the chiefest of their pleasures. He opposes the temperance and frugality of the greatest men in former ages, to the riot and intemperance of the present. He concludes with repeating his invitation to his friend, advising him to a neglect of all care and disquiet for the present, and a moderate use of pleasures for the future.

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IF Atticus sups sumptuously, he is accounted splendid;
If Rutilus, mad: for what is received with a greater
Laugh of the vulgar, than poor Apicius? every
Company, the baths, the stations, every theatre, [talk]
Of Rutilus. For while his strong and youthful limbs
Suffice for a helmet, and while ardent in blood, he is reported
(The tribune not compelling indeed, but neither prohibiting)
To be about to write the laws, and princely words of a fencer.
Moreover, you see many, whom the often-eluded creditor is wont
To wait for at the very entrance of the shambles,

idle people standing and talking together, in and near the market-place. See AINSW. Statio, No. 6.

5. Of Rutilus.] De--about or concerning Rutilus. q. d. He is the common subject of conversation at all these places.

-Youthful limbs, &c.] While in the prime of life, and fit to bear arms in the laudable service of his country, he is so reduced to poverty, by his luxury and extravagance, as to apply himself to the wretched trade of a fencer, or prizefighter, for bread.

6. He is reported.] Or fertur may mean he is carried, by the necessity of his circumstances, to copy out the laws, rules, words of command (regia verba), and other matters of knowledge, neces

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sary to make him a fencer, that he may be thoroughly qualified for the art.

7. The tribune not compelling, &c.] Hinting, that, though he was not compelled to such a practice of fencing, by the magistracy, as many had been by Nero for his inhuman diversion, yet it was a shame that he was suffered to undertake it, and not advised, or commanded, by the magistracy, to the contrary. See sat. viii. 193.

9. You see many, &c.] Such fellows as Rutilus.

9. Often-cluded creditor.] Who had been often promised payment, but deceived over and over again; and who in vain had pursued them to come at his money.

10. Wait for, &c.] Knowing no place

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Et quibus in solo vivendi causa palato est.
Egregius cœnat, meliusque miserrimus horum,
Et cito casurus jam perlucente ruinâ.

Interea gustus elementa per omnia quærunt,
Nunquam animo pretiis obstantibus: interius si

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Attendas, MAGIS ILLA JUVANT, QUÆ PLURIS EMUNTUR.

Ergo haud difficile est perituram arcessere summam
Lancibus oppositis, vel matris imagine fractâ ;
Et quadringentis nummis condire gulosum
Fictile sic veniunt ad miscellanea ludî.

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Refert ergo quis hæc eadem paret: in Rutilo nam
Luxuria est; in Ventidio laudabile nomen
Sumit, et a censu famam trahit. Illum ego jure
Despiciam, qui scit quanto sublimior Atlas
Omnibus in Libyâ sit montibus, hic tamen idem
Ignoret, quantum ferratâ distet ab arcâ
Sacculus: e cœlo descendit, yvä

so likely to find them at, as in their way to market for provisions, at the entrance to which he places himself, in hopes to catch them, before they had spent the little remains of his money that he had lent them.

11. The purpose, &c.] Who have no other design, or end of living, but eating and drinking.

12. The most wretched, &c.] When they are visibly falling into ruin, even the most wretched of them will live more expensively than ever, thinking, perhaps, to put a good face on the matter, the better to conceal their situation, and thus to maintain their credit some little time longer; or, perhaps, from mere desperation, seeing it is too late to retrieve their affairs, and they can be but ruined. This is no uncommon thing in our day.

14. Meantime.] While they have any thing left.

-They seek, &c.] They ransack, as it were, earth, air, and water, for flesh of beasts, fowl, and fish, for dainties to please their taste.

15. The prices, &c.] They never consider or scruple the price which they are to pay; these do not stand in their way.

16. More intimately, &c.] More closely to the dispositions of such.

-Please more, &c.] The dish pleases best that is dearest bought; therefore,

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i. e. to gratify their gluttony

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17. It is not difficult.] They make no sort of difficulty of procuring money, by pawning what they have.

-Be wasted, &c.] Which will soon be gone, squandered away presently.

18. Dishes being pawned.] Lanx signifies, literally, a great broad plate, a deep dish, or platter, to serve meat up in. Here, by lancibus, perhaps, is to be understood his plate in general, his familyplate, per synec. This he sends to the pawnbrokers to raise money upon for the present supply of his extravagance.

18. Broken image, &c.] A family bust, or statue, broken in pieces that it may not be known, and pawned for the value of the gold or silver only.

19. Four hundred sesterces, &c.] When so many nummi are mentioned, sesterces (sestertii) are usually understood; the sestertius is often called absolutely nummus, because it was in most frequent

use.

Also, sestertius nummus, about 14d. of our money. See KENNETT, book v. part ii. p. 13. Four hundred of these (about 21. 10s.) were laid out in seasoning a single dish.

20. Earthen dish.] Having pawned their plate, they are reduced to earthen ware. The dish is put here, by meton. for its contents.

-To the diet, &c.] Miscellanea-a mixture of things without any order, a

And to whom the purpose of living is in the palate alone.
The most wretched of these, and now soon to fall, (his
Ruin already being clear,) sups the more elegantly, and the

better.

Meantime, they seek a relish thro' all the elements,

The prices never opposing their inclination: if you attend 15 More intimately, THOSE THINGS PLEASE MORE, WHICH ARE

BOUGHT For more.

Therefore it is not difficult to procure a sum that will be wasted,
Dishes being pawned, or a broken image of their mother,
And, for four hundred sesterces, to season a relishing

Earthen dish: thus they come to the diet of a prize-fighter. 20 It importeth, therefore, who may prepare these same thingsfor, in Rutilus,

It is luxury; in Ventidius a laudable name

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It takes, and derives its fame from his income. I should, by right,
Despise him, who knows how much higher Atlas is
Than all the mountains in Libya, yet this same person
Be ignorant, how much a little bag differs from an
Iron chest: KNOW THYSELF-descended from heaven,

gallimawfry, an hotchpotch, such as the sword-players and prize-fighters used to eat. From their dainties they are at last reduced to the coarse diet, as well as to the mean occupation, of a common prize-fighter. See 1. 5, and note 2.

Ludi, for ludii, the gen. of ludius, a stage-player, dancer, sword-player, and the like, who plays on a stage.

d.

21. It importeth, therefore.] q. Therefore, that we may judge aright, and not indiscriminately, it importeth us to consider, who gives the entertainment, what are his circumstances; for that may be praiseworthy in those who can afford it, which is highly vicious, and blameable, in those who cannot.

-In Rutilus.] Above mentioned. See note on 1. 2. To live splendidly, would, in such a one as Rutilus, deserve the name of extravagance and luxury, because he is poor, and can't afford it.

22. Ventidius.] A noble Roman, who lived hospitably.

-A laudable name.] The entertainments given by such a one are deservedly styled generous and magnifi

cent.

23. From his income.] From the great estate of the giver, who only lives in a magnificence suitable to his income. 23, 4. By right, despise, &c.] Or justly, for he deserves it.

24. Atlas.] See sat. viii. 1. 32, note.

26. A little bag.] Sacculus-a little bag, pouch, or purse, in which money is put.

27. Iron chest.] The rich used to keep their money in large chests armed with iron, to prevent their being broken open and robbed.

The poet means, that if a man has sense enough to distinguish the size of Atlas from that of other mountains which are inferior in size, and, at the same time, is foolish enough not to see the difference between his own narrow circumstances, and the fortunes of the rich, so as to regulate his manner of living accordingly, he is very deserving of the utmost contempt.

Know thyself.] Γνώθι σεαυτον. This was a saying of Chilon the Lacedæmonian, and a very important one; for on self-knowledge depends all other that can contribute to the right management and direction of human life: for no man,

23. Derives its fame.] The commendation which is justly bestowed upon it endowed with this, would plunge himself into difficulties, by undertaking what is

its praise.

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