Simplicitas, cujus non audeo dicere nomen? where he is to get the ability for such work, and where the freedom of speech that his forefathers had, but which at that time could not be so much as spoken of, not in public at least. ; 154. Quid refert dictis ignoscat Mucius] The MSS. vary between Mucius' and 'Mutius.' The same variation appears in Persius (i.115), where the name occurs again in conjunction with Lupus, whom Horace mentions with Metellus as objects of Lucilius' satire. The man is supposed to ask, 'What does it signify (refert, rem fert) whether you might attack Mucius with impunity, as Lucilius did, or not? Introduce Tigellinus, and you will be served as the Christians were.' 'Pone' is used in Pers. i. 70: "nec ponere lucum Artifices;" where the Scholiast says, "Ponere dicit scribere;" and he quotes Horace, A. P. 120: "Scriptor honoratum si forte reponis Achillem." There 'reponere' has reference to the stage. Here it means, perhaps, put up as your mark,' or it may be put into your verse.' He means, if you attack any of the great man's great men you will suffer for it. Sophronius Tigellinus (whose name is used proverbially) was Nero's chief favourite, and his accomplice in the burning of Rome. The origin of the fire was traced to his house (Tac. Ann. xv. 39). To avert from himself and his friend the odium of this crime, Nero, as is well known, charged it upon the Christians, who were put to death in great numbers and in the most cruel fashion. Among other torments they were hung up on crosses, tarred, and set fire to by way of torches (Tac. 1. c. cap. 44). "Taeda' here means either a pitched shirt, called below tunica molesta' (viii. 235), or, as Heinrich takes it, the pine wood with which they were burnt. Juvenal represents the poor wretches with a stake thrust under their chin. Two of the oldest MSS., P. and the oldest of the Nürnberg, have 'pectore' for gutture,' which is the reading of the other MSS. In P. the word is corrected to 'gutture' by a later hand. Jahn and Ribbeck adopt 'pectore.' 157. Et latum media sulcum deducis] The variety of readings, and still greater va 155 riety of conjectures, in respect to deducis,' involve the passage in almost hopeless difficulty. To judge by the MSS., which are nowhere so various as here, the verse must always have been hard to understand. Pithoeus says of it; "nec ullus est in his Satyris locus, quem ego ex Grammaticorum Glossis minus grammatice intelligam." Gesner, quoted by Ruperti, supposes Juvenal to mean that his body would be dragged through the arena. Rigalti had said this long before: "ardebis in tunica molesta, et jam ecce raptaris per mediam arenam ut pice oblitus et impactus unco flammeris.” incline to this interpretation, which Heinrich also approves. The present for the future only represents the action as if now going on. Et' for 'aut' presents no difficulty. But Heinrich thinks it should be aut,' which is not in any MS. Another explanation is that the 'sulcus' is a stream or gutter formed by the melted pitch running off the man's body on the ground. I do not see how 'sulcus' can have that meaning. Madvig's explanation, adopted by Mr. Mayor, is to my mind without any value. He reads 'deducit,' and derives a nominative (quae taeda) from what goes before, and then supposes the furrow to be formed in the earth by a number of victims buried up to their waists in a long row and set fire to. Some take the meaning to be ploughing the sand and wasting labour, quoting "tenuique in pulvere sulcos Ducimus, et sterili littus versamus aratro" (vii. 48, sq.). But this gives a poor meaning here. Nearly all the MSS. have the third person, fluctuating between 'di' and 'de' and the present and future tenses. P. has deducis' as a correction; and Robt. Stephens' oldest MS., which Ruperti describes as of high character, has the same. phens' edition has deducit;' but the joint edition of his grandson and Rigalti (Paris, 1613) has deducis;' and I believe that to be the true reading. Ste 158. Qui dedit ergo] Probus, quoted by the old commentators, says Tigellinus had three uncles, and poisoned them all and forged wills by which he got their money, which is most probably an invention derived Pensilibus plumis, atque illinc despiciat nos? from the text. The Scholiast says more truly that Juvenal is speaking generally against those who gain their bad ends by poison. Pensilibus plumis' means a 'lectica' with soft feather-bed and cushions, raised aloft on men's shoulders. 162. Securus licet Aeneam] 'You may safely set Aeneas and Turnus fighting; Achilles will not hurt you if you write of his death at the hand of Paris; and Hylas is at the bottom of the well with his pitcher, so you may say what you like about him.' Hylas was a favourite of Hercules; drawing water at a well he was dragged in by the nymphs, and Hercules sought him long, sorrowing and calling upon his name, and set the people of the country (Mysia) to seek him; a subject much handled by the old poets. Virgil asks, “Cui non dictus Hylas puer?" (Georg. iii. 6.) 'Committere' is to match one against another. So he says below (vi. 436): "Committit vates et comparat." 165. Ense velut stricto] This reminds us of Horace, S. ii. 1. 39, sqq.: "Sed hic stilus haud petet ultro Quemquam animantem, et me veluti custodiet ensis Vagina tectus; quem cur distringere coner Tutus ab infestis latronibus ?" What Ruperti says about Damocles' sword is ridiculous. 167. tacita sudant praecordia culpa.] A cold sweat coming over the heart through the power of conscience and the fear of exposure is a forcible description. Praecordia' are the intestines rather than the heart. In these passion and feeling had their seat, 160 165 170 according to the Romans: the heart was the seat of intelligence. 168. Inde irae et lacrimae.] Terence's "Hinc illae lacrimae" (Andr. i. 1. 99) came to be a proverb. Horace uses it, Epp. i. 19. 41; and Cicero likewise (pro Coelio, c. 25). 169. ante tubas:] Before the battle is begun. When a man has put on his armour it is too late to draw back. The substance of his friend's advice is, that if he must write he had better attack those who are dead and gone; and the poet says he will follow his advice. From this it might be inferred that this Satire was written before the others. But I do not think it is a proof that can be depended upon. The Via Latina' was the oldest road out of Rome, and ran through the heart of Latium to Beneventum, where the Via Appia' joined it. The Via Flaminia' has been mentioned above, v. 61. The chief roads leading out of Rome were lined for several miles with the tombs of the wealthier citizens, burial within the walls of the city being forbidden by the twelve tables. "Hominem in urbe ne sepelito neve urito" (Cic. de Legg. ii. 23). So that burning was practised as early as the decemvirate. It grew afterwards into general use, and was not discontinued till the end of the second century of the Christian era (see Becker's Gall., Exc. on the interment of the dead). Heinrich supposes Juvenal, by mentioning the Flaminian and Latin roads, to hint at Domitian and his favourite, Paris the actor, of whom the former was buried on the Via Flaminia, and the other on the Via Latina. SATIRA II. INTRODUCTION. THIS satire is levelled at those persons in the upper ranks of society (and particularly it would seem at the Emperor Domitian) who, pretending a stoical virtue and crying out against vice and calling up stringent old laws against it, were themselves practising the worst vices in secret, and giving to the age a character which never had been equalled, and could never be surpassed, for debauchery of the filthiest kind. The Commentators have generally supposed the Satire to be aimed at the professional philosophers of the day. The poet in this Satyr inveighs against the Hypocrisie of the Philosophers and Priests of his time," is Tate's account of the argument. What his notions of a Roman priest may have been it is hard to say, but he writes: "When hypocrites read lectures, and a sot, Tho' surfeit-gorged and reeking from the Stews, Heinrich, in a dissertation of much sagacity, has shown that Juvenal's meaning is very different from this, and the scope of the poem more wide and important. The vices and hypocrisy of Domitian were imitated by the respectable people, and at these he aims his invectives. From the word 'nuper' in v. 29, it has been inferred that the satire was written soon after the events there referred to, which took place A.D. 83. Nuper' admits a good deal of latitude, as it often does in Cicero, but it is reasonable to suppose that Juvenal wrote while the matter was pretty fresh; and as the satire clearly has reference to the time of Domitian, that it was written before his reign was over. Domitian was assassinated in September, A. D. 96. It is not very likely that he gave it much publicity while the tyrant was alive. For indignant power there is none of the poems that excels this. The nature of the subjects however renders it almost unreadable, and nothing but the honesty of the writer could make the task of editing it endurable. Whoever would judge of the difference between the spirit of true indignation and that of a weak or impure mind in dealing with such painful subjects, should compare Juvenal with his translator Tate, who has taken from the satire the best recommendation it has, which is the virtue of the author. If the psalm-translator and poet-laureate was a man of purity, he has done himself injustice. The other translators have executed their task better in this respect. ARGUMENT. dare talk of morals, No faith is in their What, you reprove I would gladly run to the utmost North when canting hypocrites mere ignorant fellows, though they fill their shelves with busts. outside. The whole town is teeming with these solemn villains. vice, the foulest of all foul pretenders! They affect few words, and silence, and cropped hair; more honest far is Peribomius, who makes no secret of his sin. I leave him to his destiny; I pity him. But they are worst who with fine words attack such vices. "I am no worse than you," says Varillus the degraded. Let the straightlimbed laugh at the bandy-legged, the fair at the blackamoor. For who would tolerate the Gracchi complaining of sedition, nor exclaim if Verres should affect to hate a thief, Milo a murderer, Clodius an adulterer, Catiline Cethegus, or Sulla's pupils carp at his proscription? But such was he who, while his fatal incest was in the doing, and while his niece was spawning her abortions, restored the bitterest laws against adultery. The most corrupt may therefore well despise these moralists, and turn the tables on them, as Lauronia did when she heard one cry for the Julian law: "O happy times (cried she) with such a bulwark for its morals! Let the town blush, another Cato is come down from heaven! But whence, pray, this perfumery? If you must call old laws up from their rest, you'd better summon the Scantinian first. Look at the men, for they are worse than we, but their compact array and numbers save them; the lewd will hang together: among us nought so detestable is found. Say, do we meddle with the forum and the laws? A few, and but a few, are seen in the arena. But you will sit and spin and do our women's work better, yea than the best of us. We all know who was Hister's heir, and by what complaisance his wife got rich; and others may do likewise. And yet we are condemned; and censure spares the raven to hunt down the dove." These Stoics fled confused before the truth of her rebuke. V. 65. What will not others do when you put on those clothes of gauze and go and preach before admiring crowds against the female sinners, Creticus? They would at least put on a decent toga if it came to that. But it is so hot," say you: why then go naked; madness is less disgraceful. Look at the dress in which, had you lived then, our hardy ancestors had seen you in the rostra. Would you not cry out, "Heaven and earth!" if you saw a judex so attired? How would a witness look in clothes like these? And yet you, stern unbending Stoic, go transparent ! V. 78. The infection has spread, and will farther spread, like murrain among sheep, or scurf in pigs, or contagious rot from grape to grape. You will go on to something worse than this. The height of wickedness is reached by slow degrees. Soon we shall see you among those who mock the rites of Bona Dea, driving out the women, and keeping up such orgies as the Baptae tire Cotytto with. They wear long garlands on their heads and jewels on their neck, and sacrifice, and pour libations. Here one paints his eyebrows and makes his eyes look languishing: another drinks from an obscene glass with his long locks tied up in a net of gold, with a handsome tunic, while his slave swears by his master's Juno! Another holds a mirror to his face such as vile Otho carried when he went to the wars; a novel piece of furniture for a camp! Of course it is a great man's part to kill a tyrant—and to mind his skin; to aim at empires-and to smooth his face. Semiramis and Cleopatra did not so. Here is no reverence for the table, none; but Cybele's foul licence and the languishing voice, a fanatic high priest with his white hair, rare glutton he and master of his art. Long since they should have cut their useless parts, as the Phrygian priests are wont. V. 117. Gracchus his portion brought to a trumpeter: the marriage deeds were signed; the blessing spoken; the feast prepared; the new bride lay upon his husband's bosom. Ye nobles! need we the censor or the haruspex here? What if a woman calved or a cow lambed? you'd shudder more and count them greater monsters. The priest of Mars who sweated with the ancilia puts on a bridal dress! Gradivus, whence this shame to Latin shepherds? whence have thy sons this itch? A man of birth and wealth marries a man, and yet thy wrath is still! quit then the plain which thou dost so neglect. "I must be up betimes, and do my duty by the Quirinal.” "What duty?" What duty! why my friend will take a husband-the marriage will be private." But soon there'll be no privacy, they'll want to put it in the news. And yet they must die barren (this torments them), in spite of herbs and the Lupercus' blows. V. 143. But this is less than noble gladiators, who scour the arena, better born than all the fine folk who look on by the podium, yea than the great man too who gives the games. The fables about manes, Styx, and Charon's boat we leave to babes. But only think them true, and what would all those mighty spirits say when such a shade came down! They'd cry for lustral water, sulphur, pine, and laurel. V. 159. So changed are we, alas! Our arms are carried to the furthest North, but those barbarians do not what their conquerors do. Yet one, Armenian Zalates, more soft than all the rest, indulged the tribune's lust. See what bad company does! he came to us a hostage. 'Tis here we fashion men. Let children stay with us, and they will find a lover. They'll throw away their breeches and their sports, and carry back foul habits to their home. ULTRA Sauromatas fugere hinc libet et glacialem 1. Ultra Sauromatas] It is enough for this place to say, that Sarmatia represented Poland, and the Russian empire in Europe and part of Asia, from the Vistula to the Volga and from the Euxine to the Northern Ocean, including regions unexplored by the ancients, countries of fable, to which, according to Pindar (Pyth. x. 40)— ναυσὶ δ ̓ οὔτε πεζὸς ἰὼν ἂν εὕροις See note on Horace, C. ii. 20. 16: 'Hyperboreosque campos.' 2. aliquid de moribus audent] 'Audere' is here used as we might say, 'venture any thing on morals,' i. e. have the boldness to say any thing about morals. 3. Qui Curios simulant] Who affect the Curii.' On this plural see last Satire, v. 109, n. Horace has "Et maribus Curiis et decantata Camillis" (Epp. i. 1. 64), where, as here, the person referred to is M. Curius Dentatus, the conqueror of Pyrrhus, and the type of honesty in all after ages among the Romans; a pattern of the good old times (see note on the above passage of Horace). Martial (i. 25) has the following epigram on a lately-married man, which, besides this place, illustrates vv. 8 and 9 (see notes): "Adspicis incomptis illum, Deciane, capillis, Cujus et ipse times triste supercilium; Qui loquitur Curios assertoresque Cami!los? Nolito fronti credere; nupsit heri." So he says to one Chrestus (ix. 28): "Curios Camillos Quintios Numas Ancos Loque ris." 4. Indocti primum,] In the first place they are ignorant fellows, though they profess a great acquaintance with authors; but with all their show you cannot trust their outsides; within they are full of abomina 5 tion, and overrun the town with their lewdness.' Primum' has no 'deinde' after it, and does not require it. It is not uncommonly used to introduce a subject. Ruperti makes a deinde' at frontis nulla fides' (8), a 'praeterea' at 'hispida membra quidem' (11), and a 'denique' at 'rarus sermo illis' (14.) The 'frons,' or outside show, on which no dependence is to be placed, is their affectation of studious habits and learning. -quanquam plena omnia gypso Chrysippi] Though you will find all parts of his house full of busts of Chrysippus (the reputed founder of the Stoic philosophy, though third in descent from Zeno-see note on Hor. S. i. 3. 125), made of gypsum,' of which casts were commonly made. It was usual to see busts of this sort in libraries, both public and private-see note on Hor. S. i. 4. 21: "Beatus Fannius ultro Delatis capsis et imagine." 6. Si quis Aristotelem] 'Similem' means a good likeness. So Martial uses the word in an epigram on Issa, a little dog of Publius (i. 110): "Hanc ne lux rapiat suprema totam Aut utramque putabis esse pictam." 7. Et jubet archetypos] Cleanthes was the teacher of Chrysippus and disciple of Zeno, and was born at Assos, about the year B.C. 300. Pittacus, one of the seven wise men, was born at Mitylene, about B.C. 650. 'Pluteus' was a shelf fixed to the wall for books or other things to stand upon. See Pers. i. 106, n. The translators say that Cleanthes' busts are set to guard the books. It is the shelves that are ordered to hold the busts. For 'pluteum' has been substi |