Ridens diffimulare: meum jecur urere bilis. Certè nefcio quid fecretò velle loqui te Aiebas mecum. Memini bene; fed meliori 70 Tempore dicam; hodie tricefima fabbata. Vis tu 75 69. Tricefima fabbata.] The Jews began their Year the first of September, and celebrated their Paschal Festival the fifteenth of April in the thirtieth Week, from whence Horace calls it tricefima fabbata. It continued eight Days, of which the two firft and two laft were obferved with fo much Solemnity, that it was not permitted even to talk of Bufinefs. Auguftus, in Imitation of Julius Cæfar, allowed the Jews uncommon Privileges. He not only permitted them an undisturbed Enjoyment of their Religion, but eftablished Funds, that they might offer a Bull and two Lambs in the DAC. Temple of Jerufalem every Day for him and his Family. 71. Unus multorum. One of the Multitude; Although Ariftius had probably as little Religion, in its prefent Meaning of Scruples and Superftition, as our Epicurean Poet. 76. Licet anteftari.) When a Man had given Bail in a Court of Juftice, if he neglected the Time of Appearance, he might be taken by Force before the Prætor. But the Perfon, who would arreft him, was obliged, before he used him with Violence, to have a Witness of his Capture, anteftari. This however could not be done without the Confent of the Witness; who therefore willingly offered the Captor his Ear to touch, who was liable, if these Forms were not obferved, to an Action, injuriarum a&tionem. But Thieves, and People of infamous Characters were not treated with fo much Formality. When a Fellow in Plautus cries out, Will you not call a Witness before you feixe me? Nonne anteftaris? he is anfwer.d, What, fhall I touch an boneft Man's Ear for fuch a Scoundrel as you are? Pliny tells us the lower Part of the Ear is the Seat of Memory, from whence came this Form of their Laws. 77. Oppono auriculam.] Such was the Law-term, which our Poet very willingly pronounced, to fignify the Confent of the Witness. 78. Sic But he was abfent all the while, Provok'd at his Diffimulation Like many of the Croud capricious: And I fhall talk another Time. Oh! that fo black a Sun fhould rife! Away the cruel Creature flies, At last, by special A&t of Grace Sir,. will you witness for my Capture?" 78. Sic me fervavit Apollo.] A Poet naturally attributes his Deliverance to the God of Poets, but the Favour had been more welcome, if it had been granted a little fooner. SAN. SAT. N SAT. X. EMPE incompofito dixi pede currere versus Lucilî. Quis tam Lucilî fautor ineptè eft, Ut non hoc fateatur ? At idem, quòd fale multo Urbem defricuit, chartâ laudatur eâdem. Nec tamen hoc tribuens, dederim quoque cætera: nam fic Et Laberî mimos, ut pulchra poemata, mirer. Auditoris; & eft quædam tamen hic 5 10 Et Lucilius had his numerous Admirers in Rome, who were greatly difobliged by the Freedom, with which our Poet had treated him in his fourth Satire. Horace was determined to fupport his own Judgment, and inftead of making an Apology, confirms what he had faid with his utmoft Force and Addrefs. If Criticifm, as a great Rhetorician afferts, be the last Effort of Reflexion and Judg ment, we fhall equally admire the Critic as the Poet, in the following Satire. We may fix the Date of it, with Mr. Sanadon, in 727, or 728; because the Temple of Apollo Palatinus, mentioned in the thirtyeighth Line, was not dedicated before the Year 726. Verfe 1. Nempe incompofito.] Horace blames Lucilius for having abandoned himself to the Rapidity of his Genius, currere verfus, and being too negligent of his Verfification, incompofito pede. One follows the other; for it is a general Rule in all poetical Compofitions, that they become valuable in proportion to the Trouble they coft. A Poet, who pretends to gain Honour by profeffing with how much Eafe he writes, only raises a Prejudice against him, for he is either very little fincere, or he is a very bad Poet. The greatest Favour he can expect is, that we hope his Works may give him the Lie. SAN. 2. Quis SAT. X. YES, I did fay, that his rough Verses roll'd In ruder Style precipitately bold; Who reads Lucilius with fo fond an Eye, 'Tis not enough a bursting Laugh to raise, From 2. Quis tam Lucili.] We may fay of Lucilius, that he has has the good Fortune of fome Women, who with very little Beauty have raised very violent Paffions in their Lovers. He had a powerful and numerous Party of Critics in his Favour, who carried Cudgels under their Robes to beat all them, who dared to find fault with his Verses: and even Quintilian is numbered amongst those Admirers, whom Horace calls ridiculous, inepte. DAC. 5. Nec tamen boc tribuens.] Our Poet does not deny Lucilius his juft Praise of Wit and Humour, but fays it cannot be concluded that his Poetry was perfect, meerly because it made us laugh. One Excellence does not neceffarily fuppofe all the reft. The Perfection of a Poem confifts in joining together the beautiful and the pleafing, DAC. SAN. 6. Laberi mimos.] Mimi were Farces written purely for Diverfion and Laughing. Decimus Laberius was made a Roman Knight by Julius Cæfar. He had long maintained the first Character in this Kind of Writing, but Publius Syrus at last became his Rival, and carried off all the Applause of the Theatre, Et fermone opus eft modò trifti, fæpe jocofo: Ridiculum acri Fortiùs ac meliùs magnas plerumque fècat res. Nil præter Calvum & doctus cantare Catullum. 15 20 Quum 12. Defendente vicem modò rhetoris] Sometimes affuming the Character of a Rhetorician; fometimes of a Poet; fometimes of a Rallier, and parcentis viribus must be referred in common to them all. Horace does not fay, that the Style of Satire should be eloquent; but that it should have Strength to convince, Addrefs to perfuade, and Art to elude an Objection; that it fhould be animated with the Spirit of Poetry, and enlivened by a chearful, delicate Raillery. Such is the Defcription of an Orator by Cicero. He must have a certain Elegance, and Pleafantry, and Erudition fit for a Gentleman, with Vivacity and Strength to attack and confute; with Politeness and Addrefs to infinuate and perfuade. The Word Rhetorician, being little known except in the Schools, has been changed in the Tranflation for that of Critic, which is Part of our Poet's Character in the present Satire. 14. Ridiculum acri.] It is a Fact of all Ages, that a lively Jeft is capable of difconcerting the graveft Reasons and Reafoners. Rifus rerum fæpe maximarum momenta vertit, fays Quintilian. Thefe happy Sallies do not depend on Art or Defign; they rife to Life at cnce, and are always beft, when neither premeditated, nor ex`pected. SAN. 17. Quos neque pulcher.] Hermogenes was a Mufician, and probably remarkable for an effeminately handfome Face, and he is here fet in oppofition to fome Perfon, equally diftinguished for the Countenance of an Ape. We do not not know his Name, but the Picture is too ftrongly drawn to doubt that the Original must have been eafily known. 19. Nil |