mands respect, and, though he may fail to convince, always secures attention.

A very pleasing part of Dryden's work, is the affectionate gratitude with which, in imitation of his author, he inscribes the translation of this Satire to his old master, Dr. Busby, " at the distance (he says) of forty-two years from the time when he departed from his tuition."

Fabula seu moesto ponatur hianda tragœdo,
Vulnera seu Parthi ducentis ab inguine ferrum.

66

Quorsum hæc ? aut quantas robusti carminis offas

VER. 4. Vulnera seu Parthi ducentis ab inguine ferrum,] Casaubon supposes that this graphic line describes the manner in which the Parthian discharged his arrow, from the upper part of the thigh. But the Parthian in his flight (which is what the poet had in view) drew his bow over the left shoulder; and the wound which is received, not given by him, is inflicted by the lance of the pursuing Roman. Persius had Horace in his thoughts:

"Aut labentis equo describit vulnera Parthi."

VER. 1. Poets are wont, &c.] An allusion to Virgil-who, whenever he copies the hyperboles of Homer, is seldom satis

SATIRES

OF

PERSIUS.

TO ANNÆUS CORNUTUS.

SAT. V. V. 1-8.]

POETS

PERSIUS.

OETS are wont a hundred mouths to ask, A hundred tongues,-whate'er the purposed taskWhether a Tragick tale of Pelops' line,

For the sad actor, with deep-mouth, to whine; Or Epick lay; the Parthian wing'd with fear, And wrenching from his groin the Roman spear.

CORNUTUS.

Heavens! to what purpose, (sure, I heard thee

wrong,)

Tend those huge gobbets of robustious song,

fied without adding to their extravagance. The old bard was content with ten mouths and ten tongues: his moderation has been overlooked; and, in spite of the ridicule of Persius, none of his followers, from Statius to Tasso inclusive, think of asking for less than a hundred of each :

"Non io se cento bocche, e lingue cento

"Havessi, e ferrea lena e ferrea voce," &c.

Ingeris, ut par sit centeno gutture niti?
Grande locuturi, nebulas Helicone legunto;

Si quibus aut Prognes, aut si quibus olla Thyestæ
Fervebit, sæpe insulso cœnanda Glyconi.

Tu neque anhelanti, coquitur dum massa camino,
Folle premis ventos; nec clauso murmure raucus
Nescio quid tecum grave cornicaris inepte;
Nec stloppo tumidas intendis rumpere buccas.
Verba togæ sequeris, junctura callidus acri,

VER. 15. Dull Glyco's feast!] The theatrical taste of the Romans must have greatly degenerated, if the abominable banquets mentioned in the text were allowed to be openly served. Horace had long before reprobated such disgusting exhibitions; and, indeed, it is pretty certain that nothing of the kind obtained favour in his time:

"Nec pueros coram populo Medea trucidet,

"Aut humana palam coquat exta nefarius Atreus,
"Aut in avem Progne vertatur," &c.

It seems probable that subsequently the national theatre was, in some measure, abandoned to the populace; and that the actors were held in little esteem. Their merits appear not to have been above their characters. From the parts played by Glyco (Thyestes and Pandion) he must have been primo-tragico; yet Persius calls him a simpleton; and Juvenal, in his description of Cerinthus, another prime actor, is not more respectful in his language.

The pseudo-Cornutus tells us that this person was much admired by Nero, who purchased his freedom at a considerable price. The approbation of so discerning a judge is greatly in Glyco's favour: but, adds the scholiast, (who favours us with a portrait of the actor, which might pass at this day for a flattering likeness of Mr. Romeo Coates)-nescius jocari, propter

Which, struggling into day, distend thy lungs,
And need a hundred mouths, a hundred tongues?
Let fustian bards to Helicon repair,

And suck the spungy fogs that hover there,
Bards, in whose fervid brains, while sense recoils,
The pot of Progne. or Thyestes boils,

Dull Glyco's feast!-But what canst thou propose?
Puff'd by thy heaving lungs, no metal glows;
Nor dost thou, mumbling o'er some close-pent

strain,

Croak the grave nothings of an idle brain;
Nor swell, until thy cheeks, with thundering sound,
Displode, and spirt their airy froth around.

Confined to common life, thy numbers flow,
And neither soar too high, nor sink too low:

quod eum insulsum dixit Persius. It is to be hoped that the poet had a better reason for his satire; he scarcely expected a tragedian to joke, or looked for much facetiousness in the character of Thyestes. On, cœnanda, Casaubon observes, cœnare hic est agere fabulam cupiditate cana; and hence he accounts for the introduction of sæpe: this had been said before by Stelluti, and was not worth repeating. The satire is not directed against Glyco, but the audience, who could bear the frequent repetition of such unnatural exhibitions.

VER. 21. Confined to common life,] "Some," says M. Raoul, "translate the words verba toge by pacifick, (as opposed to a state of war,) which I should think very strange, if it were not supported by great authorities." These great authorities are Monti and Dryden, the former of whom renders it thus: "A pacato parlar