Ad sextam. Facere hoc non possis quinque diebus 206. You could not, &c.] i. c. Frequent feasts, and indulge in idleness; however these may be occasionally pleasant, a continuance of them for a week together would grow irksome. 207. Such a life.] Of ease and volup tuousness. 208. Rarer use, &c.] The poet concludes with a general sentiment, very applicable to all pleasures of sense, which, by continual use, pail and grow tiresome : To the sixth. You could not do this for five days Successively for the fatigues of such a life also Are great: RARER USE COMMENDS PLEASURES. For frequent use would the delight ex clude, Pleasure's a toil when constantly pursued. CONGREVE. Shakespeare, 2d part of Hen. IV. act i. scene 2. has finely expressed the like sentiment: If all the year were playing holidays, SATIRA XII. ARGUMENT. The Poet having invited Corvinus to assist at a sacrifice, which he intended to offer up by way of thanksgiving for the safety of his friend Catullus from the danger of the seas, professes his disinterestedness on the occasion, and, from thence, takes an NATALI, Corvine, die mihi dulcior hæc lux, Line 1. This day.] On which I am going to offer sacrifices, on account of my friend Catullus, the merchant's escape from the dangers of the sea. -Corvinus.]Juvenal's friend, to whom this Satire is addressed. -Birth-day.] Which was a day of great festivity among the Romans; they celebrated it yearly, offering thanksgiving-offerings to the gods, and made feasts, to which they invited their friends, who made them presents on the occasion. See sat. xi. 1. 84, note. See HOR. ode xi. lib. iv. 1. 1—20. VIRG. ecl. iii, 1. 76. 2. Festal turf.] The altar of green turf, which our poet had built on the occasion, thus suiting his devotion to his circumstances. Comp. HOR. lib. iii. od. viii. 1.2-4. -The animals promised.] i. e. To be offered in sacrifice to the gods. 3. Queen.] Juno, the queen of the 5 gods. See En. i. 1. 50. The fabled wife of Jupiter, the supreme deity of the Romans. -A snowy lamb.] They offered white animals to the superior gods, black to the inferior. See HoR. lib. i. sat. viii. 1. 27; and VIRGIL, Æn. iv. 1. 61. 4. Equal fleece.] A like fleece, i. e. a white one; or fleece, here, may, by synec. be put for the whole animal offered; a like offering. -Minerva.] Lit. the fighter with the Moorish gorgon. The gorgons were sup. posed to be three, who inhabited near mount Atlas, in Mauritania. Medusa is said to have been beloved by Neptune, who lay with her in the temple of Minerva, at which the goddess, being angry, changed the hair of Medusa into serpents, and so ordered it, that whoever beheld her should be turned into stone. She was killed by Perseus, the son of SATIRE XII. ARGUMENT. opportunity to lash the Hæridepetæ, or Legacy-hunters, who flattered and paid their court to rich men, in hopes of becoming their heirs. THIS day, Corvinus, is sweeter to me than my birth-day, 5 But the petulant victim shakes his long extended rope, Jupiter and Danae, (with the help of Minerva,) as she lay asleep, who cut off her head this was afterwards placed in the ægis, or shield, of Minerva. Hyginus says, that Medusa was not slain by Perseus, but by Minerva. Britannic. in loc. Sometimes the head of Medusa was supposed to be worn in the breast-plate of Minerva. See En. viii. 1. 435-8. 5. Petulant victim, &c.] The wantonness and friskiness of the calf leading along in a rope is here very naturally described. 6. Tarpeian Jove.] On the mons Capitolinus, otherwise called the Tarpeian hill, from the vestal virgin Tarpeia, who betrayed it to the Sabines, Jupiter had a temple, whence his titles; Tarpeian and Capitoline. 7. Ripe, &c.] The beasts were reckoned of a proper age and size for sacrifice, joint, in the hinder leg. 8. Sprinkled, &c.] They used to pour wine on the heads of the sacrifices, between the horns. So VIRG. En. iv. 1. 60, 1. Ipsa tenens dextrâ pateram pulcherrima Candentis vaccæ media inter cornua Hence the Greek epigram on the vine and the goat. Κ' ην με φαγής επι ρίξαν όμως ετι καρπο φορήσω Όσσον επισπεισαι σοι, Τραγε, θυομένω. ANTHOL. ep. i. "Though thou eatest me down to the very root, yet I shall bear fruit Sufficient to pour on thee, O goat, "when thou art sacrificed." 8. Is now ashamed, &c.] Hath left off sucking; is grown above it. 9. Teazes, &c.] It is usual for the when the tail reached the hough, or young of all horned animals to butt Si res ampla domi, similisque affectibus esset, against trees, as if practising for future fight; sometimes we see them in sport engaging one another. 10. If my fortune, &c.] The poet, throughout the above account of his sacrifices, as well as of the altar on which they were to be offered, shews his prudence and frugality, as well as his friendship for his preserved friend Catullus. He professes to shew his affection, not as he would, but as his fortune could afford it. Instead, therefore, of a white bull to Jupiter, and white cows to Juno and Minerva, he offers a white ewelamb to Juno, the same to Minerva, and a calf to Jupiter. 11. A bull.] The usual sacrifice to Jupiter was a white bull. -Fatter than Hispulla.] A fat, sensual lady, noted as infamous for keeping a player. Sat. vi. 1. 74. -Drawn.] Dragged, by ropes fixed to the horns, to the altar. 11, 12. With its very bulk slow.] So fat that he could hardly stir. 12. In a neighbauring pasture.] Not bred or fatted in the neighbourhood of Rome. 13. His blood shewing, &c.] By the colour and richness, as well as quantity of it. 10 15 20 25 -Clitumnus.] A river dividing Tuscany and Umbria, whose water, says Pliny, makes the cows, that drink of it, bring white calves: whence the Romans, as Virgil and Claudian observe, were plentifully furnished with white sacrifices for Jupiter Capitolinus. See VIRG. Georg. lib. ii. 146-8. 14. A great minister.] Some interpret this, as referring to the quality of the person giving the blow, as if it were to be the chief pontiff, or sacrificer, and not one of his popæ, or inferior officers, Others think, that it refers to the size and strength of the person officiating, able to perform his office at one blow. 15. Yet trembling friend, &c.] This is a very natural circumstance, that a man, for some time after a narrow escape from an horrible danger, should shudder at the very thoughts of it, and stand amazed at his deliverance. 17. The hazard of the sea.] i. e. The danger of the waves. 17, 18. Lightning escaped.] By which he might have been killed in an instant, but happily escaped the blow. 18. Thick darkness, &c.] So that they could take no observation, nor know where they were, or which way to steer. |