Quis Modus Argento: quid fas optare: quid afper Quantum elargiri deceat: Quem Te Deus effe In locuplete Penu, defenfis pinguibus Umbris; Et Piper, et Pernæ, Marfi Monumenta Clientis : 75 Mænaque quód prima nondum defecerit Orcâ. Hic aliquis de Gente hircofa Centurionum, Dicat; "Quod fapio, fatis eft Mihi: Non ego curo "Effe quod Arcefilas, ærumnofique Solones, "Obftipo Capite, & figentes Lumine Terram; "Murmura cum fecum, et rabiofa Silentia rodunt, "Atque exporrecto trutinantur Verba Labello, 66 Ægroti veteris meditantes Somnia: gigni "De Nihilo Nibilum, in Nihilum Nil posse reverti. 80 "Hoc eft, quod palles! cur quis non prandeat, hoc His Populus ridet; multumque torosa Juventus Ingeminat tremulos, Nafo crifpante, Cachinnos. Infpice; nefcio quid trepidat Mihi pectus; et ægris Faucibus, exfuperat gravis Halitus; infpice fodes, Qui dicit Medico; juffus requiefcere, poftquam Tertia compofitas vidit Nox currere Venas, De majore Domo, modicè fitiente Lagenâ, Lenia loturo fibi Surrentina rogavit. "Heus bone, Tu palles." Nihil eft. 66 iftud, 90 "Videas tamen Quicquid id eft: furgit tacitè Tibi lutea Pellis." 95 At tu deteriùs palles; ne fis Mihi Tutor; Jampridem Hunc fepeli: Tu reftas. "Perge, tacebo." Turgidus Hic Epulis, atque albo Ventre, lavatur; Gutture fulphureas lentè exhalante Mephites. Sed Tremor inter Vina fubit, calidumque Triental roo Excutit e Manibus: Dentes crepuere retecti; Uncta cadunt laxis tunc Pulmentaria Labris: Hinc Tuba, Candela. Tandemque beatulus alto Com Compofitus Lecto, craffisque lutatus Amomis, In Portam rigidos Calces extendit. At illum 105 Tange, Mifer, Venas; et pone in pectore Dextram : Nil calet hìc. Summofque Pedes attinge, Manufque : Non frigent-Vifa eft fi fortè Pecunia, five Candida Vicini fubrifit molle Puella; Cor Tibi ritè falit? Pofitum eft, algente Catino, Durum Olus; & Populi Cribro decussa Farina: Tentemus Fauces. Tenero latet Ulcus in Ore Putre, quod haud deceat plebeia radere Betâ. 110 Alges, cum excuffit Membris Timor albus Arif tas: Nunc, Face fuppofita, fervefcit Sanguis, & Irâ 115 Finis TERTIA SATIRÆ. THE FOURTH SATIRE OF PERSIUS. PLAT The ARGUMENT. LAT O, in one of his Dialogues, introduces Socrates holding a Converfation with Alcibiades, and reproving that young Athenian for medling fo early with StateAffairs. Alcibiades was then quite young and unexperienced; but being of a Temper very vain and ambitious, and prefuming upon his Birth, his Fortune, and the great Authority of his Guardian and Relation, Pericles, he looked upon himself, even at that time, as equal to the most imbortant Undertakings. THIS Dialogue of Plato's, Perfius has in fome Mea fure tranflated: but what the Philofopher relates as paffing there there between Alcibiades and Socrates, the Poet would have us apply here to Nero and (his Tutor) Seneca. At the time this Satire was wrote, Nero had not entirely thrown off his Mafk; but, whatever Debaucheries he might practise in fecret, to the public he ftill continued to perfonate a Character of fome remaining Virtues. It is for this reason, we find Perfius affuring him, that no Man's Actions can ever be so concealed, but that the World, fome way or other, will come at the Knowledge of them. The Compliments of your Flatterers (fays he) will avail you but little: whatever Perfections they may please to allow you, the reft of Mankind, and your own Confcience, will not fail to present you with a very different Account. WAS thus, of old, the bearded awful Sage TW (He, the fam'd Victim of Athenian Rage, Whom Hemlock's fatal Juice from Life remov'd) Addrefs'd th' afpiring, forward Youth he lov'd: Ver. 3. Whom Hemlock's fatal Juice] The Manner of putting State-Criminals to Death at Athens, was by poisoning them with a Liquor expreffed from the Cicuta; a cold venomous Plant, to which our Hemlock is fuppofed to bear fome Affinity. Socrates, having fallen under the People's Difpleasure, for explaining himself too freely upon fome of their grofs Errors, was condemned to drinks this deadly Draught. |