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The Satires of Juvenal, Persius, Sulpicia, and Lucilius

Juvenal Gaius Lucilius Persius Sulpicia

22 ... purified--expiated-- 23 ... a journey from the lowermost (river) to be told, and heard. 24 Long life to you, gluttons, gormandizers, belly-gods.[1630] 25 ... him that wanders through inhospitable wastes there accompanies the greater satisfaction of things conceived in his mind.[1631] FOOTNOTES: [1615] There are two persons of the name of Hostilius mentioned by Livy, as contemporary with Cn. Manlius Vulso. Hostilius is Gerlach's reading for the old _hostilibus_. Cn. Manlius got the nickname of Vulso from _vellendo_, plucking out superfluous hairs to make his body more delicate. (Plin., xiv., 20. Juv., viii., 114; ix., 14. Pers., iv., 36.) He was consul B.C. 189, and marched into Gallo-Græcia, and for his conquests was allowed a triumph, B.C. 186. Livy enters into great detail in describing all the various luxuries which he introduced into Rome, such as sofas, tables, sideboards, rich and costly vestments and hangings, foreign musicians, etc. Liv., xxxix., 6. Plin., H. N., xxxiv., 3, 8. Cf. Bekker's Gallus, p. 294. Catax (quasi cadax a cadendo) is explained by coxo, "one lame of the hip." There is probably an allusion to his effeminacy. Corpet considers Manlius Verna to be intended, who had the sobriquet of Pantolabus, i. e., "grasp-all." [1616] Leg. _obducto tenebris_. Dusa's conjecture, adopted by Gerlach. [1617] _Exsculpo._ So Fr. incert. 49, "Esurienti Leoni ex ore _exsculpere_ prædam." Ter., Eun., IV., iv., 44, "Possumne hodie ego ex to _exsculpere_ verum." [1618] All the commentators agree that no sense can be elicited from this line. Ellendt (vid. sup.) supposes Æmilius Scaurus to be meant; others, Æmilius the præco, by whom Scipio, when candidate for the censorship, was conducted to the forum, for which he was ridiculed by Appius Claudius. _Præcantare_ is applied to singing magic hymns and incantations by the bed of one sick, to charm away the disease. Cf. Tibull., I., v. 12, "Carmine cum magico præcinuisset anus." Macrob., Somn. Scip., II., iii. _Excantare_ is "to elicit by incantation." Vid. Lucan, vi., 685, "Excantare deos." [1619] Corpet says, this obviously refers to Scipio Africanus major. But, as Gerlach says, it may apply equally well to Scipio Nasica, or Opimius, who killed the Gracchi; perhaps even better to the latter than to Scipio Africanus, who went _voluntarily_ into exile. [1620] Cf. Ter., Andr., V., vi., 12, "_Tuus est_ nunc Chremes." Gerlach's reading and punctuation are followed. _Gentilis_ is a proper name, on the authority of Appuleius. [1621] _Natrix_, properly "a venomous water-serpent." Cic., Acad., iv., 38. Hence applied by Tiberius to Caligula. (Suet., Calig., xi.) It means here a thong or whip (scutica), which twists about and stings like a snake. So Anguilla, Isidor., Orig., v. 27. [1622] _Succussatoris._ Gr. ὑποσειστής, "one that shakes the rider in his seat." _Caballi._ Vid. Pers., Prol. i., 1. [1623] _Impuratus._ Ter., Phorm., IV., iii., 64. _Impuno_, "one who dares all, through hope of impunity." _Rapister_ is formed like magister, sequester, etc. [1624] Cf. Bähr ad Herod., vii., 61 (which seems to confirm the conjecture, χειροδύται), and the quotation from Virgil below. Herod., vi., 72. Schneider's note on Xen., Hell., II., i., 8. _Rica_ is a covering for the head, such as priestesses used to wear at sacrifices, generally of purple, square, with a border or fringe; cf. Varro, L. L., iv., 29; but worn sometimes by men, as Euclides of Megara used one. A. Gell., vi., 10. _Thoracia._ Properly "a covering for the breast," then "an apron" (Juv., v., 143, "viridem thoraca jubebit afferri"), then "a covering for the abdomen or thigh," like the fasciæ. Cf. Suet., Aug., 82, "Hieme quaternis cum pingui togâ tunicis et subuculâ _thorace_ laneo et feminalibus et tibialibus muniebatur." _Mitra_ was a high-peaked cap, worn by courtesans and effeminate men. Vid. Juv., iii., 66, "Ite quibus grata est pictâ lupa barbara mitrâ." Virg., Æn., ix., 616, "Et _tunicæ manicas_ et habent redimicula mitræ." iv., 216. Ov., Met., xiv., 654. [1625] _Ferta._ Rich cakes, made of flour, wine, honey, etc., which formed part of the usual offerings. Cf. Pers., ii., 48, "Attamen hic extis et opimo vincere ferto intendit." [1626] _Bulga_ is properly "a traveling bag of leather, carried on the arm." See the amusing Fragment, lib. vi., 1. Hence its obvious translation to the meaning in lib. xxvi., Fr. 36, and here. [1627] _Monogrammo._ A metaphor from painting, "drawn only in outline." Used here for a very thin emaciated person. (Cf. lib. xxvii., 17.) Epicurus applied this epithet to the gods (Cic., Nat. Deor., ii., 23), as being "tenues sine corpore vitæ." Virg., vi., 292. Cf. Pers., vi., 73, "trama figuræ." [1628] _Mutinus_, or _Mutunus_, is the same deity as Priapus. The form is cognate with Muto. He appears to have been also called Mutinus Tutinus, or Tutunus. The emblem was worn as a charm or phylactery against fascination, and hung round children's necks. Cf. Lactant., i., 20. August., Civ. D., iv., 7. _Lurcor_ is "to swallow greedily." _Lardum._ Cf. Juv., xi., 84, "Natalitium lardum." _Carnaria_ is probably the neuter plural of the adjective. Carnarius homo, is one who delights in flesh. Carnarium is either "an iron rack with hooks for hanging meat upon," or "a larder where provisions are kept." [1629] _Noctilucam._ An epithet of the moon. Hor., iv., Od. vi., 38, "Rite crescentem face Noctilucam." (Cf. Var., L. L., v., 68, "Luna dicta Noctiluca in Palatio, nam ibi _noctu lucet_ templum.") Hence used for a lantern, and then for a "minion of the moon," a strumpet, because they suspended lights over their doors or cells. (Juv., vi., 122. Hor., ii., Sat. vii., 48.) This last appears from Festus to be the sense intended here. [1630] _Lurco_ is derived by some from λαῦρος, "voracious;" but by Festus from _Lura_, an old word for "the belly." Cf. Plaut., Pers., III., iii., 16, "Lurco, edax, furax, fugax." Lurco was the cognomen of M. Aufidius, who first introduced the art of fattening peacocks, by which he made a large fortune. Varro, R. R., iii., 6. Plin., x., 20, 23. [1631] _Inhospita tesqua._ Horace has copied this sentiment in his epistle to his Villicus, "Nam quæ deserta et inhospita tesqua credis, amæna vocat mecum qui sentit." i., Ep. xiv., 19. Tesqua is derived from δάσκιος, "very wooded." (Lucan, vi., 41, "nemorosa tesca.") Varro says _tesca_ are "places inclosed and set apart as _templa_ for the purposes of augury." L. L., vi., 2. BOOK III. ARGUMENT. We have not only much more ample and satisfactory information respecting the subject of this Satire from ancient writers, but the Fragments which have come down to us give sufficient evidence that their statements are correct. It is the description of a journey which Lucilius took from Rome to Capua, and thence to the Straits of Messina; with an account of some of the halting-places on his route, and incidents of travel. Besides this, which was the main subject, he indulged by the way in a little pleasing raillery against some of his contemporaries, Ennius, Pacuvius, Cæcilius, and Terence, according to the old Scholiast. This Satire formed the model from which Horace copied his Journey to Brundusium, i, Sat., v. The special points of imitation will be seen in the notes; from which it will appear that the particular incidents mentioned by Horace, are probably fictitious. As to the journey itself, Varges and Gerlach are both of opinion that it was a _real_ one, and undertaken solely for purposes of pleasure; as it was not unusual for the wealthier Romans of that day to travel into Campania, or even to Lucania, and as far as the district of the Bruttii. (Cf. Hor., i., Sat. vi., 102, _seq._) These journeys were occasionally performed on foot: as we hear of Cato traveling on foot through the different cities of Italy, bearing his own arms, and attended only by a single slave, who carried his baggage and libation-cup for sacrificing. But Lucilius probably on this occasion had his hackney (canterius), like Horace, which carried not only his master's saddle-bags, but himself also. (Cf. Fr. 9. Hor., i., Sat. vi., 104.) It is not quite clear whether the scene described at Capua was a gladiatorial exhibition, or merely a drunken brawl that took place in the streets, from which one of the parties came very badly off. Several of the "uncertain Fragments" may be fairly referred to this book; evidently Fr. inc. 27. Cf. Hor., i., Sat. v., 85. Probably Fr. inc. 77, 95, 53, 11, 10, 14, 36. 1 ... you will find twice five and eighty full miles; from Capua too, two hundred and fifty--[1632] 2 ... from the gate to the harbor, a mile; thence to Salernum.[1633] 3 ... thence to the people of the Dicæarcheans and Delos the less.[1634] 4 Campanian Capua-- 5 ... three miles in length.[1635] 6 ... But there, all these things were mere play--and no odds. They were no odds, I say, all mere play--and a joke. The real hard work was, when we came near the Setine country; goat-clambered mountains; Ætnas all of them, rugged Athosès.[1636] 7 Besides, the whole of this way is toilsome and muddy--[1637] 8 Moreover, the scoundrel, like a rascally muleteer, knocked against all the stones--[1638] 9 My portmanteau galled my hackney's ribs by its weight.[1639] 10 We pass the promontory of Minerva with oars--[1640] 11 ... four from this to the river Silarus, and the Alburnian harbor.[1641] 12 Hence, I arrive at midnight, by rowing, at Palinurus--[1642] 13 And you shall see, what you have often before wished, the Straits of Messina, and the walls of Rhegium; then Lipara, and the temple of Diana Phacelitis--[1643] 14 ... here the third passes the truck on the top of the mast:[1644] 15 And you will square out the way, as the camp-measurer does....[1645] 16 ... and we will take a decent time for refreshing our bodies.[1646] 17 There was not a single oyster, or a burret, or peloris:[1647] 18 no asparagus. 19 Waking out of sleep, therefore, with the first dawn I call for the boys-- 20 Bending forward at once he covers his[1648] 21 The rabbit-mouthed butcher triumphs; he with the front tooth projecting, like the Ethiopian rhinoceros--[1649] 22 ... the other, successful, returns in safety with seven feathers, and gets clear off--[1650] 23 ... the forum of old decorated with lanterns, at the Roman games. 24 ... besides, the neat-herd Symmachus, already given over, was heaving with panting lungs his last expiring breath.[1651] 25 ... like the thick sparks, as in the mass of glowing iron.[1652] 26 she did not give birth to.... 27 ... whoever attacks, can confuse the mind-- 28 Tantalus, who pays the penalty for his atrocious acts-- 29 ... our senses are turned topsy-turvy by the wine-flagons.[1653] 30 ... when it came to extremity and utter destruction--[1654] 31 then you exhale sour belchings from your breast-- 32 we raise our jaws, and indulge in a grin 33 here however is one landlady, a Syrian[1655] 34 The little old woman's flight was rough and premature 35 ... they are studying; look to the wood.... 36 propped up on a cushion. 37 seeing that 38 You should receive a share of the glory; you should have partaken with me in the pleasure. FOOTNOTES: [1632] It is not known what the places are from which Lucilius meant to