Quem libet occidunt populariter: inde reversi Quid Romae faciam? Mentiri nescio; librum 37. inde reversi Conducunt foricas:] They give them shows, and then go back to their trade, which condescends to low gains. They are not above farming the public foricae,' places of convenience in Rome for passengers, which were erected at the public expense and farmed. They were no doubt like the cabinets d'aisance at Paris, where they are private property. 'And what,' says Umbricius, is to prevent their having a monopoly of all these things, since they are of the number of those whom Fortune, when in a merry mood, raises from low degree to the highest?' The persons who contracted for these last mentioned places were called 'foricarii.' See Casaubon on Sueton. Vesp. c. 23: "Quod etiam urinae vectigal commentus esset." He quotes Lucretius, iv. 1026, sqq. 42. laudare et poscere;] Poscere' is generally supposed to mean to ask for a copy,' as Gifford says. It may be to call for the book, i.e. to ask to hear it. motus Astrorum ignoro;] 'I cannot make gain by astrology, of which I know nothing.' See below, vi. 553, sqq., xiv. 248, and Hor. C. i. 11, Introd. A favourite subject for consulting these fortune-tellers upon was the probable time when a relation would die and leave his money behind, as appears from this place and the above: "neque ulla de re saepius consulebantur astrologi.” (Casaubon on Pers. ii. 10.) 44. ranarum viscera] He means the 'rubeta,' from which poison was extracted. (See i. 70, n.) He could not profess to be an haruspex, to ascertain such matters from the entrails of animals. See below, vi. 548, sqq., where it is said the astrologer had more credit than the haruspex. 46. norint] The MSS. read 'norunt.' Several old editions and Heinrich have norint,' which is the better reading. 47. nulli comes exeo,] For this reason I never go abroad in company, I have no companion, because all have some thieving to do, and they look upon me as one maimed, with a hand fit for nothing, a mere lump of dead flesh.' This is the meaning of exstinctae corpus non utile dextrae,' where 'dextrae' is the genitive of quality. Comes' means 'comes exterior,' the great man's walking companion (v. 131, n.). 49. nisi conscius] Conscius' is an accomplice, as "miseram se conscia clamet " (Hor. S. i. 2. 130), and “ quo te demisit peccati conscia herilis" (S. ii. 7. 60). The next is a good expressive line, the heart boiling with secrets it is afraid to betray, being a party to the crimes through taking reward to hide them. Martial (vi. 50) says of one Thelesinus, as long as he kept good company he could not buy himself decent clothes, but when he took to that of lewd men he could afford to buy all manner of fine things. Therefore says he: "Vis Accusare potest. Tanti tibi non sit opaci Quae nunc divitibus gens acceptissima nostris fieri dives, Bithynice? conscius esto." The name of Verres has never ceased to be proverbial since the exposure of his crimes by Cicero. See S. ii. 26, and viii. 106. 54. opaci Omnis arena Tagi] Martial expresses both (the shade and the gold) in his Epigram to Licinianus (i. 50. 15): "Aestus serenos aureo franges Tago Obscurus umbris arborum." The Pactolus, Po, Ganges, and Hebrus were all reputed to have gold in their sands. See below, xiv. 299, and Pliny H. N. xxxiii. 4. 58. Quae nunc divitibus gens] He goes on to tell how the town is overrun with Greeks and Eastern strangers, and though he is ashamed to think of it, that shall not make him hold his peace. Properabo fateri' implies that the confession is disgrace ful, and that he forces himself to it as a man who makes haste to do a disagreeable duty and get it over. He repeats his complaint about the Greeks in S. xv. 10. 61. quamvis quota portio] He corrects himself and says, and yet how small a portion of our dregs are from Greece? Quota' with 'pars' (or here 'portio') ge nerally signifies how small a part,' as Lucretius (vi. 652): "Et quota pars homo sit terrai totius unus." (See Forcellini.) Quotus' is the question which is answered by an ordinal numeral, and quota pars means properly, in a series of graduated parts what place would the thing occupy? and the implication is that it would come very late in the series. Whath part' (if we had such a word) would express 'quota 55 60 pars,' as septima pars,' octava,' &c., would be the seventh, eighth, &c., part. (See Key's L. G. § 248, and note.) 62. in Tiberim defluxit Orontes] The Orontes (Nahr-el-Asy), which flows from the south in Coele-Syria to the north, where it enters the sea four miles below the ancient Seleucia, is here put generally for the province of Syria, which was added to the Roman dominions by Cn. Pompeius A.U.C. 689. Its own trade, and that of the East, to which it opened a wider door, brought to Rome that influx of slaves of which Juvenal complains. The Orientals have little or no ear for music; and on lower ground than Umbricius takes, he might have run away from the music of Eastern flageolets, harps, and drums. They were probably such as are still in use all over Asia, and no discord is comparable to that which is there listened to with satisbut two or three holes, and no stops, and faction. The first instrument has usually the last (corresponding to the Indian tomtom) is beaten with no perceptible reference to time. The sort of harp here mentioned which is meant by obliquas.' The girls was called 'sambuca,' and it was triangular, are those who were called 'Ambubaiae.' (See note on Hor. S. ii. 1. 1, "Ambubaiarum collegia.") Dinacium in Plautus (Stich. ii. 3. 356), says Epignomus has him "fidicinas, tibicinas, sambucinas, exireturned from the East, and brought with mia forma." The Circus Maximus had vaults under it, which were occupied by prostitutes. 'Jussas' means that they were gain of their prostitution. Propertius (ii. hired for the purpose by others, who made 23. 21) says: "Et quas Euphrates, et quas mihi misit Orontes Me capiant: nolim furta pudica tori." Vexit et ad Circum jussas prostare puellas. Hic alta Sicyone, ast hic Amydone relicta, 66. picta lupa barbara mitra !] Pictus,' like Tokiλos, means embroidered.' The women in Eastern Asia do not wear any thing on their head but a veil to draw over their face. The mitra,' a sort of light turban, belonged to the women of Syria and Asia Minor. "Mitra proprie Lydorum fuit" is Servius' note on Aen. ix. 616: "Et tunicae manicas et habent redimicula mitrae: O vere Phrygiae neque enim Phryges." The effeminate Romans took to wearing it. It is always associated with them or with harlots. Why these persons should be called by a name which means a shewolf is obvious. According to Livy the story of Romulus and Remus being nursed by a wolf is founded on their having sucked the breasts of a 'meretrix.' I agree with Heinrich, who says 'ite' means 'go thither,' i. e. to the Circus. Ruperti says 'in malam rem.' 67. Rusticus ille tuus] See last Satire, 127, n. Here he apostrophizes Romulus as there he spoke to Mars, though according to Servius, there quoted, Mars was called Quirinus when he was in a quiet mood. Of 'trechedipna' the Scholiast says they were Greek shoes (caligulae) worn by parasites running to dinner. The derivation from Tρéxe and deπvov is obvious enough; and whatever the things were, the context shows they were Greek. That they were shoes may be inferred from the name. Also a parasite was called TрexédeιTVоs. Beyond this nothing can be said with certainty about 'trechedipna,' which is found nowhere else. Rusticus' does not here mean a rustic literally, but the descendants of rustics; and Henninius' supposition, therefore, that Juvenal is indignant that even the rustics of Italy should be shod like Greeks, despising their native shoes, is not to be regarded, as the next verse might have told him. 68. Et ceromatico fert niceteria collo.] 'Ceroma' (κýрwua) was a preparation of clay, oil, and wax, with which the Greek wrestlers were anointed. Niceteria' (vŋThpia) here means the prizes of victory for wrestling, a practice only introduced at Rome under the empire. The early Romans despised the Greek gymnastic exercises, and Nero was the first to build a public gymnasium or training-school for wrestlers, &c. Juvenal mentions this as one of the discreditable Greek innovations. He uses Greek words designedly. 69. Hic alta Sicyone,] These Greeks come from all parts,' he means. One from Sicyon, which he calls' alta.' That part of Sicyonia which lay on the coast (of the Sinus Corinthiacus) was level, and the city of Sicyon, its capital, was originally on the plain, about a mile and a half from the shore. But this was destroyed by Demetrius Poliorcetes, and a new town was built by him, which, according to Strabo (viii. p. 382), stood on a fortified eminence. Sicyon was celebrated for its refinements. Amydon is introduced as being at the other end of Greece, on the banks of the Axius in Macedonia. Homer mentions it in his Catalogue, Il. ii. 849. Others, he says, are islanders, some from Andros, and others from Samos, the name of which represented all that was refined and luxurious in the earlier history of the Asiatic Greeks, but which was itself much decayed at this time. Tralles and Alabanda were flourishing towns on the main land; the former in Lydia, on the right bank of the Maeander; the other in Caria, on the river Marsyas. 71. Esquilias dictumque] He chooses to represent the city by an important part of it, including the third and fifth Regions, which comprised the Esquiline and Viminal hills, and some of the best houses in Rome. Mons Viminalis was supposed to have been so called from an osier plantation that grew on the top of it. He says, these slaves are brought to Rome, to be introduced into great houses, and become so necessary to them as to be themselves the heart and virtual masters of those houses. This he follows up by a description of their character, quick talents, reckless effrontery, and great abundance of words, which, considering the licence the Romans gave their upper slaves, would naturally lead to the results he fears. Viscera magnarum domuum dominique futuri. Promptus et Isaeo torrentior. Ede quid illum Esse putes? quem vis hominem secum attulit ad nos: 75 80 Ad summam, non Maurus erat neque Sarmata nec Thrax 72. Viscera magnarum domuum] 'Domus' has its dative and ablative singular, and genitive and accusative plural, of the second or fourth declension. The other cases are of the fourth. See Servius on Virgil, Aen. ii. 445: "Turres ac tecta domorum." 74. Isaeo torrentior.] This Isaeus was a rhetorician of great eminence who lived in Juvenal's time. Pliny the Younger (Epp. ii. 3) says of him, "Summa est facultas, copia, ubertas," that he always spoke extempore, but just as if he had written his speeches; with much more in the highest strain of praise. 'Torrens' is repeated in the same connexion in S. x. 9 and 128. It is like Horace's description of Pindar (C. iv. 2.5): "Monte decurrens velut amnis imbres Quem super notas aluere ripas Fervet immensusque ruit profundo Pindarus ore." Ede quid illum] Come tell us what you think he is (that is, what is his particular accomplishment). Why, he is every thing or any thing you please.' Heinrich reads, on his own conjecture, 'esse jubes.' But the evidence of all the MSS. is in favour of 'putes.' Heinrich says the indicative is wanted after 'ede,' as below (v.296), 'ede-in qua te quaero proseucha; but he leaves out ubi consistas,' which corresponds more nearly to this place. 'Quaero' does not depend on 'ede.' By 'illum' is plainly meant any one of these Greeks. They were ready to open schools for grammar or rhetoric or geometry or drawing or wrestling; to tell the will of heaven or to dance upon the tight-rope; to administer medicines or charms; it was all the same to them. It must be remembered that the Grammatici and Rhetorici, or teachers of grammar and rhetoric, were mostly fo- (See 78. Graeculus esuriens] The starveling Greek, bid him fly up to the skies and he'll do it' (or try). This seems to have been a proverbial way of speaking. Horace says, "Caelum ipsum petimus stultitia" (C. i. 3. 38). Juvenal adds, In short (if you doubt me), it was no other than a Greek, born in the heart of Athens, who put on wings and flew.' Daedalus was generally reputed to have been an Athenian. 'Jusseris' is 'suppose you bid him,' on which construction, see Key's L. G. 1227 b, and note on Hor. S. i. 1. 45. Johnson has given this verse a turn which changes its meaning, and is not saved by fidelity from the charge of coarseness. Their fine 80. [Ribbeck has 'pinnas.'] 81. fugiam conchylia?] clothes dyed with purple, the juice of the shell-fish purpura and murex. Persons of most consideration would naturally sign wills and so forth as witnesses before their inferiors, and lie upon handsome sofas with fine coverings ('stragulae vestes.' See Hor. S. ii. 3. 118, n.). 83. quo pruna et cottona vento?] Pliny Usque adeo nihil est, quod nostra infantia caelum Quid, quod adulandi gens prudentissima laudat "Haec tibi quae torta venerunt condita meta ; Si majora forent cottona ficus erant." To these imported fruits the 'bacca Sabina' is opposed,-the olive grown on the Sabine hills, where they still grow in abundance. The Aventine is put for Rome as the Esquiliae and Viminal were above. ' Hausit caelum' is borrowed from Virgil, Aen. x. 899: "ut auras Suspiciens hausit caelum mentemque recepit." Ruperti adopts the reading of a few MSS., 'Aventinum.' Either form will do. 86. Quid, quod adulandi] I have removed the note of interrogation that generally appears after 'quid.' See below, v. 147. It introduces another illustration of the subject, a common use of 'quid' and 'quid enim.' (See Hor. S. i. 1.7, note.) Cicero cautions his brother Quintus particularly against the Greeks in his province (Asia). A very few, he says, were worthy of old Greece: "Sic vero (as times now go) fallaces sunt permulti et leves et diuturna servitute ad nimiam assentationem eruditi." (Ad Qu. Fr. i. 1. 5.) 88. collum cervicibus aequat] 'Collum' signifies the whole neck before and behind, including the throat; cervix' the hinder part, where the strength of the neck lies. Cervix' is only used in the plural number by Cicero; and Quintilian remarks (viii. 3) that it appears more commonly in that number than the singular (see Forcellini). Antaeus, the giant wrestler of Libya, was beaten by Hercules only by lifting him up from his mother earth, from whom he got all his strength, and so squeezing him to death. There were many pictures and venal writes as if he had seen one. The sculptures representing the scene; and Justruggle is described with some power by Lucan (iv. 597, sqq.). 91. quo mordetur gallina marito.] There can be no doubt that the poets sometimes used the construction of the ablative of the agent without the preposition a, and that 'quo,' the reading of all the MSS., is right. See note on Hor. C. i. 6. 2. 'Marito' is put in the ablative by attraction, as (Hor. S. i. 4. 2) "Atque alii quorum comoedia prisca virorum est;" (Ib. 10. 16) “Illi scripta quibus comoedia prisca viris est." 92. sed illis Creditur.] We may flatter just as they do, but they are believed (and we are not). They knew how to administer flattery so as to make a man believe himself what they represented. An instance of this is mentioned by Suetonius in the life of Nero (c. 22). He had a great opinion of his musical talents, and paid a visit to Greece in order to display them there. He sang at a dinner party, and being highly applauded, he is said to have cried, "Solos scire audire Graecos, solosque se et studiis suis dignos." 93. An melior quum Thaida sustinet,] Is there a better actor than he when he plays a courtezan, or a chaste matron, or an unveiled strumpet? You could declare it was a woman before you, not a masked |