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VERITAS
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THE
SATYRS
O F
PERSIUS.
Tranſlated into ENGLISH
BY
THOMAS SHERIDAN, D.D.
Si te ad ftudia revocaveris, omne vitæ fafti-
dium effugeris; nec noctem fieri optabis tæ-
dio lucis, nec tibi gravis eris,nec aliis fuper-
Sen. de tranquill.
vacuus.
DUBLIN:
Printed by GEORGE GRIERSON, at the
Two Bibles in Effex-Street. MDCCXXVIII.
Harding
3-21-29
18983
то
The RIGHT HONOURABLE
THE
LORD VISCOUNT
MONTCASSELL.
My LORD,
I
Dedicate to You this Edition and
Tranflation of Perfius, as an Ac-
knowledgment for the great
Pleaſure you gave me in the first Part
of your Education, which, by your
own 'Application and Goodness of
Temper, was attended with a Succefs
equal to my Wiſhes.
AND fince You ftill proceed in the
fame Paths of Diligence and Virtue in
the University, where You have alrca-
dy diftinguiſhed Your felf in a very*
fhort Time, it lays a farther Obliga-
tion upon me, to return You my
Thanks
a 2
iv
The Dedication.
Thanks in this publick Manner, for
having fo faithfully regarded the laft
Advice, which I gave You.
WHEN I hear from your Gover-
nours, with what Reſpect and Deference
You treat them! How chearful You
are in your Obedience to their Com-
mands! That You are conſtant in all
Duties, enjoined You by the Statutes,
(too much hitherto neglected by thoſe
of your Quality;) That you are regu-
lar in your Life; decent in
Life; decent in your Beha-
viour; good-natured and civil to your
Companions, whom You have prudent-
ly chofen from among the Beft; that
You are diligent in your Studies; with
many other Additions to your Charac-
ter, which very much redound to your
Honour; I then return my Thanks to
God, and think all my Labour, on your
Account, rewarded in the nobleft and
the beſt Manner.
YOU are now in a Situation of ta-
king two the moſt delightful Proſpects,
that a generous Mind can have. First,
You
The Dedication.
V
You can look back upon a good and
honourable Reputation, left behind You
among your School-fellows. You can
behold that ardent Emulation in moſt
of them, which you kindled in their
Breafts by your Example, and thus You
fee Your ſelf a bleſſed Inftrument of
bringing others into the Road of Ho-
nour and Virtue, which you naturally
followed upon the firſt Direction. The
next Prospect is, That You are now
placed on a more publick Stage, among
the hopefulleft young Gentlemen of
this Kingdom, who are already ſo far
influenced by your Example, that they
rather feem willing to contend with
You in the Race, than to follow; and
this by your own Encouragement. Con-
fider, my Lord, the Good You now
do, is not confined to the prefent Age,
but thoſe to come fhall fhew the Ef-
fects of your Virtue, and Pofterity ſhall
bless You for giving an Advantage to
them, which they can only requite, by
the greateſt Efteem they will preferve
for your Memory.
I
vi
The Dedication.
I ſhall make You no Complements up-
on your Birth or Title, for which, You
and your School-fellows will witneſs for
me, That I never did once either dif-
tinguiſh or ſpare You, while You were
under my Care. Neither fhall I ever
allow You any Merit from the meer
Advantages of Fortune. Befides, I al-
ways obferved You much more fond
of the Genealogies of the Greek and Ro-
man Heroes, than of your own. There
You found fo many wonderful Exam-
ples of Piety, Wisdom, Justice, Forti-
tude, Love to their Country, Faithful-
nefs to their Friends, every Action great,
noble, and truly humane, that it is not
to be wondered your Character ex-
ceeds your Years, when You endea-
voured to borrow most of it from
them; for which every wife Man will
acquit You, fince there are ſo few Ex-
amples in the prefent World, that will
deſerve your Imitation. But, the great
Characters of Antiquity are fuch, as You
may fafely follow in every thing that
is
The Dedication.
vii
is great and good. And although it hath
been your Misfortune to live in a Coun-
try, not the moft inviting Scene to
employ thofe Talents, which God hath
given You, and which your own good
Difpofition, added to the Care of your
Inftructors, is fo likely to improve;
yet let not that be a Difcouragement
from perfevering to qualify Your ſelf,
for appearing one Day, where You can
fhine to more Advantage.
BUT my Zeal for your Happineſs
makes me forget, that You are now
under Governours much fitter to direct
You in your future Conduct. I fhall
therefore only join with them in my
good Wishes for a Bleffing on their
Labours. Si agricolam arbor ad fruct-
um perducta delectat; fi paftor ex fœtu
gregis fui capit voluptatem; fi alumnum
fuum nemo aliter intuetur quam ut ado-
lefcentiam illius fuam judicet, quid eve-
nire credis his qui ingenia educaverunt, et
qui tenera formaverunt, adulta fubito vi-
dent? Affero te mihi. Meum opus es. Sen.
Ep.
viii
The Dedication.
Ep. 34.
My Cafe, my Lord, is the
very fame. You are a Plant of my own
Rearing, and although You be now re-
moved to another Soil, the fame De-
light, which I conceived at your pro-
fperous Growth, makes me earneſt in
my Expectations to fee the Fruit. May
You never diſappoint our Hopes, but
become a true Son of the Church, a loy-
al Subject to your Prince, a faithful Friend
to your Country, and an Honour to the
Age You live in. May all Happineſs
and Succeſs attend You, to the laſt Pe-
riod of your Life.
I am,
My LORD,
With true Respect,
Esteem and Affection,
Your most obedient, and
Moft humble Servant,
THOMAS SHERIDAN,
p....
ΤΟ
English
Handing ix)
3-31-89
18983
TO THE
READER.
M
Y Deſign in the following
Translation being to give as
much Light, as I could, into
the Meaning of a very ob-
fcure Author, I hope I fhall
be difpented with, for ſtudying Eaſineſs of
Style, rather than Elegance. And if I have
failed in any Place of the true Meaning,
(which I have too much Reaſon to appre-
hend) I fhall be very glad to accept of a bet-
ter Interpretation from any Gentleman, who
will give himſelf the Trouble of fending it
to the Printer hereof, by whom it ſhall be
faithfully
X To the READER.
faithfully inferted in the next Edition; pro-
vided it meets with the Approbation of two
or three Friends, upon whofe Judgment I
fhall chiefly depend.
I have collected from thofe Editors, who
are in moſt Eſteem, ſome of their beſt Notes,
and have likewiſe added great Numbers of
my own, which I met with in my Reading
with a View to this Author.
I followed the Stops where I thought them
better in one Edition than another, yet in fe-
veral Places made Alterations of my own,
which I hope do rather clear the Senſe than
interrupt it.
It may be expected I fhould give fome Rea-
fon, why I made choice of an Author fo ve-
ry difficult, and of fo little Elegance to de-
dicate and recommend it to a young Noble-
man. This I did rather on account of the
Materials, which it contains, than the Beau-
ty of the Verfe, or the Purity of the Latin.
And therefore, the better to explain my ſelf,
I fhall give a Sketch of every Satyr, in as
ſhort a Manner as I can, from which the
Reader will eafily obferve, that it is a Book
well fitted for the Perufal of a young Noble-
man, and very neceffary to direct him in the
Conduct of the moſt important Parts in Life.
First then, As he is to be a Speaker in Pub-
lick, the firſt Satyr warns him againſt an af-
fe&ed
To the READER.
xi
fected Magnificence of Words, where much
Noife and little Senfe is contained, too of
ten the Caſe of our Modern Orators, who
rather dazzle and perplex the Underſtandings
of the Hearers, than inform their Judgments;
whereas Reafon and Truth fhew always to
the beſt Advantage, in the plaineſt Dreſs.
Secondly, As it is his chief Duty to have
right and worthy Notions of a Supreme Be-
ing, and to know how to approach him with
a fincere Heart upon all Occafions whatſo-
ever; the ſecond Satyr points out a properer
Way of publick Worship, and is a fine In-
vective againſt Hypocrify and Superftition.
Thirdly, As it is of the utmoſt Advantage
to a Man's Character, to be active and pun-
dual in Bufinefs; the third Satyr fhews the
Folly of Procrastination; and the great Ne-
ceffity there is of employing our Time to
the beſt Purpoſes, with a View to our fu-
ture Lives, fixing fome proper and certain
End, to which all our Actions fhould be di-
rected.
Fourthly, As it is the Bufinefs of every Per-
fon, who is entitled to a Share in the Legif-
lature, to improve his Talents, by the Cul-
tivation of his Understanding, or elſe not to
undertake any publick Employment; the
fourth Satyr expofes the Folly of thoſe, who
think themſelves fufficient for State Affairs,
by
xii To the READER.
by the bare Merit of their Family, or Titles,
without any farther Qualifications.
Fifthly, Perhaps I may be cenfured, as par-
tial in my own Favour, for commending
the Gratitude of Perfius to his Mafter Cor-
nutus, in the fifth Satyr, (which is excellent
in its Kind;) and may be thought to have an
Eye to my own Intereft, if I recommend it
to the young Lord it is infcribed to. But
having already faid in my Dedication, that I
am rather indebted to Him, I think my felf
fafe in that Reſpect. But, what is of the
utmoſt Confequence to any Man, there is
towards the latter End of this Satyr, a moſt
exalted Lecture, inftructing us in the true
Freedom of the Mind, which is in every Man's
own Power, by the Virtue of Refolution. And,
what fets it above all other Kinds of Free-
dom, No POWER UPON EARTH CAN
TAKE IT FROM US.
Sixthly, As every Man, who has been con-
cerned in publick Affairs, or publick Employ-
ments, is glad at laft to fteal afide from the
World; the fixth Satyr gives a moſt uſeful
Inftruction, by teaching us the Bleffings of
Retirement and Content; the true Ufe of Ri-
ches; and the Folly of Ambition and Avarice ;
and eſpecially expoſes the Weakneſs of thoſe,
who are too anxious in providing for their
Poſterity.
This
To the READER.
xiii
This is the Sum of the Author which I de-
dicate to my Scholar, and I fhall farther
ſtrengthen my Recommendation by the Au-
thority of St. Auſtin, who, as I have obſer-
ved in the Notes, was fo highly pleaſed with
fome few Lines of the third Satyr, that he
calls them a System of Morality.
AULI
( xiv)
AULI
PERSII FLACCI
VITA
A
ULUS Perfius Flaccus natus eft pri-
die Nonas Decembris, Fabio Perfico,
L. Vitellio Coff. deceffit VIII. Kal.
Dec. Rubrio Mario, Afinio Gallo
Coff. Natus in Etruria Volaterris, E-
ques Romanus, fanguine et affinita-
te primi ordinis viris conjunctus. De-
ceffit ad octavum milliarium via Appia, in prædiis fuis.
Pater ejus Flaccus pupillum reliquit moriens, anno-
rum fere fex. Fulvia Sifennia mater nupfit poftea Fu-
fio, Equiti Romano: et eum quoque extulit intra pau-
cos annos. Studuit Flaccus ufque ad annum XII. Vo-
laterris inde Rome apud GrammaticumRemmium Pa-
læmonem, et apud Rhetorem Verginium Flaccum. Cum
effet annorum xvi. amicitia cœpit uti AnnæiCornuti, ita
ut ab eo nufquam difcederet: à quo introductus ali-
quatenus in philoſophia eft. Amicos habuit à prima
adole-
A. PERSII VITA. XV
adoleſcentia Cafium Baffum, et Calpurnium Statu-
ram, qui eo vivo juvenis deceffit. Colnit ut patrem
Servilium Numanum. Per Cornutum cognovit Annæ-
um etiam Lucanum, æquævum auditorem Cornuti.
Nam Cornutus illo tempore Tragicus fuit, fectæ Sto-
icæ, qui libros philofophiæ reliquit. Sed Lucanus a-
deo mirabatur fcripta Flacci, ut vix retineret fe illo
recitante á clamore, quin illa effe vera poëmata dice-
ret. Sero cognovit Senecam, fed non ut caperetur
ejus ingenio. Ufus eft apud Cornutum duorum con-
victu doctiffimorum, et fan&iffimorum virorum, acri-
ter tum philofophantium, Claudii Agaterni medici
Lacedæmonii, et Petronii Ariftocratis Magnetis, quos
unice miratus eft et æmulatus, cum æquales effent, et
Cornuto minores. Ipfe etiam decem fere annis fum-
me dilectus à Pato Thrafea eft, ita ut peregrinaretur
quoque cum eo aliquando, cognatam ejus Arriam u-
xorem habente. Fuit morum leniffimorum, verecun-
diæ virginalis, formæ pulchræ, pietatis erga matrem
et fororem et amitam exemplo fufficientis. Fuit fru-
gi et pudicus. Reliquit circa H-S XX. matri et foro-
ri: fcriptis tantum ad matrem codicellis, rogavit eam
ut daret Cornuto feftertia, ut quidam dicunt, centies,
ut alii volunt, argenti facti pondera viginti, et libros
circa feptingentos, five bibliothecam fuam omnem. Ve-
rum Cornutus fublatis libris, pecuniam fororibus, quas
frater hæredes fecerat, reliquit. Et raro, et tarde fcrip-
fit. Hunc ipfum librum imperfectum reliquit, verfus
aliqui dempti funt in ultimo libri: et quafi finitus ef-
fet, leviter recitavit Cornuto: et Cafio Baffo petenti
ut ipfe ederet, tradidit edendum. Scripferat etiam in
pueritia Flaccus Prætextam, et O'domoen@y librum u-
num, et paucos in fororem Thrafea Arriæ matrem
verfus, quæ fe ante virum occiderat. Omnia autem
Cornutus auctor fuit matri ejus, ut aboleret. Editum
librum continuo mirari homines, et diripere cœpe-
runt. Deceffit autem vitio ftomachi, anno ætatis
XXX. Sed mox ut à fchola et magiftris deverterat,
fecto libro Lucillii decimo, vehementer Satyras com-
ponere ftuduit : cujus libri principium imitatus eft: fi-
bi
xvi
A. PERSII VITA
bi primo, mox omnibus detre&taturus, cum tanta re-
centium poetarum et oratorum inſectatione, ut etiam
Neronem culpaverit. Cujus verfus in Neronem cum
ita fe haberet,
Auriculas afini Mida rex habet,
in hunc modum à Cornuto ipfo tantummodo eſt e-
mendatus,
Auriculas afini quis non habet?
ne hoc Nero in ſe dictum arbitraretur.
AULI
000000000000000000
AULI PERSII FLACCI
SATYR A.
N
PROLOGUS.
EC fonte labra prolui Caballino ;
Nec in bicipiti fomniaffe Parnaffo
Memini, ut repente fic Poëta prodirem.
Heliconiadafque, pallidamque Pyrenen
Illis relinquo, quorum imagines lambunt
Hederæ fequaces: Ipfe femipaganus
Line I. Caballino. The Fountain Hippocrene, faid to be made
by the Foot of the Horfe Pegafus, by a chance Stroak, as he flew
along with Bellerophon.
L. 2. Parnaffus. A Mountain of Phocis, facred to Apollo, and
the Mufes, having two Summits, one called Thithored, and the
other Hyampeus, according to Herodotus. Juvenal, and other Po-
ets call them Cirrha, and Nifa; one dedicated to Apollo, and the
other to Bacchus.
In this Paffage Perfius alludes to Ennius, who pretended that he
dreamed Homer's Soul had got into him by Tranfmigration.
L. 4. Heliconiadas. By the Figure Epenthefis, put for Heliçont-
das. The Mufes had the Name Heliconides from a Mountain in
Phocis, called Helicon, dedicated to Apollo, and the Muſes.
>
Pyrene. A Spring at the Foot of the Mountain Acrocorinthus
which for it's extraordinary clearness was faid to be frequented
by the Muſes.
THE
000000000000000000:
THE
SATYRS
O F
AULUS PERSIUS.
The PROLOGUE.
Do not remember I took a hearty Draught
of the Pegafean Fountain, or that I dream-
ed like Ennius on the two headed Parnaf-
fus, that all of a ſudden I ſhould com-
mence a Poet. It is to them alone I refign
the Muses, and the pale Pyrene, whofe images, on ac-
count of their fine Performances, are crowned with
Ivy; As for my ſelf, I am but half a Poet, yet Iven-
1.5. Imagines lambunt. A very proper Metaphor, becauſe the
Ivy Leaf is in the shape of a Tongue,
Poets had their Bufts or Statues fet up in the Library of Apollo
Palatinus, crowned with Ivy. Ifta exquifita & cum imaginibus fuis,
defcripta facrorum opera ingentorum. Sen. lib. 1. de tranquil.
Ut dignus ventas hederis de imagine macra. Juven. Sat. 7.
L. 6. Semipaganus, Half a Poet. Pagus fignifies a Village, from
the Dorick Word Tay, which fignifies a Fountain; Becauſe the
Ancients, at the erecting of Villages, had a Regard to the Con-
venience of Water. In this Paffage, I am inclined to think that
Perfius does not mean himſelf to be half a Ruftick, as the Come
mentators would have it, but rather alluding to the firft Etymo.
logy of the Word, that he is a Perſon who has only taken half a
Draught of the Mufes Fountain.
Among the Ancients the Perſon, who was not yet a Soldier
was called Paganus. Hence we find Scavola upon the Lex Fal-
çidia, Si dum Paganus erat, fecerit teftamentum, militia tempore
A 2
Ad
4
PROLOGU S.
Ad facra vatum carmen affero noftrum.
Quis expedivit pfitaco fuum xaîpe?
Picafque docuit noftra verba conari?
Magifter artis ingenîque largitor
Venter, negatas artifex fequi voces.
Quod fi dolofi fpes refulferit nummi,
Corvos Poëtas, & poëtrias picas
Cantare credas Pegafeïum melos.
C
codicillos, lex falcidia in codicillis locum non habet, in teftamento
locum habebit. vid. Calvin, Lexic, jurid, in voce paganus. There-
fore he might mean in that Senfe half a Poet.
7. Ad Jacra varum. Auguſtus had a Temple erected to polle
and the Mufes, at his own Palace, which was a Library for
Poets.
8 Quis expedivit, c. Here he does not mean that it was ne-
ceffity which put him upon writing (for he was a noble Man in
very good Circumſtances) but he rather lashes at thofe Poerafters,
who writ for Bread, and confequently were low, and infipid in
their Performances. Who had nothing better than imperfect Imi-
tations of fuch as were truly worthy of the Name of Poets, for
which Reaſon, he very judiciously compares them to Parrots
and Pyes.
ture
The PROLOGUE.
5
ture to bring my Writings among the reft, to the
Temple of the Mufes. Who taught the Parrot it's
ufual Complement of xaips? and Pyes to endeavour
at Human Speech? Who but that Mafter of Art, and
Beftower of Wit, The Belly---- which fets Men upon
attempting Things almoft impoffible; for if the Hope
of Money does but once glitter in their Thoughts,
you fhall fee Crows, and Pyes, fing like Apollo, and
the Muses.
xalpe, a Word which they taught their Parrots.
11. Magifter artis, &c. Pling's Deſcription of the Belly
agrees very well with Perfius. Peffimum corporum vas inftat
ut creditor, & fapius die appellat. Hujus gratia præcipue avaritia
expetitur huic luxuria conditur huic navigatur ad Phafin: huic
profundi vada exquiruntur, &c. Nat. Hift. lib. 26. c. 8.
13. Corvos poetas, Macrobius, Saturn, lib. 2. c. 4. Speaking of
Auguftus Cefar, has this Paffage, Sublimis Altiaca victoria reverte
batur, occurrit et inter gratulantes corvum tenens, quem inftituerat
hoc dicere, Ave, Gefar, victor, imperator. Miratus Cafar officiofam
avem viginti millibus nummum emit - Idemque miratus in pi
ca hanc quoque redemit. Which plainly makes out, what I hint-
ed in the Tranflation, that the Power of Money ſets Men upon
attempting Things, which feem to be even againſt Nature it felf.
----
AULI
A 3
(6)
A ULI
PERSII FLACCI
SATYRA PRIM A.
P.O Curas Hominum! ô quantum eft in rebus inane!
Quis leget hæc? M. Min' tu iftud ais? nemo Her-
cule. nemo.
Vel duo, vel nemo. P. Turpe et miferabile. M. Quare?
P. Ne mihi Polydamas, et Troiades Labeonem
Prætulerint.--
I. 3. vel duo vel nemo. Agreeable to theſe common Phrales of
the Greeks ἢ ὀλίγοι ἢ ἐδεὶς. οι ἢ τὶς ἢ ἐδεὶς, θαυμάζει
Tis deis. Elian, de animal, lib. 7. c. 8.
L. 4. Polydamas. A noble Trojan the Son of Antenor, and Thea_
mo, who altho' he was marryed to Lycafte the Daughter of Priam,
betrayed the City of Troy to the Greeks, who burned it.
It is very probable that Perfius levels at Nero under this covert
Name, Since they both agreed in one Circumftance. The one
betrayed a Town to be burned, and the other actually burned
Rome. Cicero, in the firſt Epiſtle of his feventh Book to Atticus,
has this remarkable Paffage. altter ſenſero? dideoμxi non Pom.
peium modo, fed τρῶας και τρωάδας. Πολυδαμάς μοι πρῶ-
T enerxelw avadúoei. quis? tu ipfe fcilicet, laudator
fcriptorum & factorum meorum.
TG
Troiades. The Roman Nobility, as being deſcended from the
Irojans,
SATYR
SATYR I.
་
7)
The ARGUMENT.
This Satyr is a Dialogue between Perfius, and his Friend ;
in which he expofes the corrupt Tafte both of the Roman
Orators, and Poets. Now and then he has a Lash at
Nero. We shall think it very just, and ſeaſonable, if
we only obferve the Character which Petronius Arbiter
gives of this Age. Nuper ventofa iftæc & enormis
loquacitas Athenas ex Afiâ commigravit, animof-
que juvenum ad magna furgentes, veluti peftilenti
quodam fidere afflavit, femelque corrupta eloquen-
tiæ regula ftetit, & obmutuit. And as to their cor-
rupt Taſte in Poetry, he says thus ---- --Multos, ô juve-
nis, carmen decepit; nam ut quifque verfum pedi-
bus inftruxit, putavit fe continuo in Heliconem ve-
niffe. Sic forenfibus minifteriis exercitati, frequen-
ter ad carminis tranquillitatem tanquam ad portum
faciliorem refugerunt; credentes poëma facilius ex-
trui poffe, quam controverfiam fententiolis vibran-
tibus pictam.
P. O the ridiculous Cares of Men! How much Va-
nity in their Purſuits! Who will read my Sa-
tyrs? M. Speak you this to me? Why none; or what
is next to none, very few. P. Bafe and wretched in-
deed. M. Why do you think fo? P. Becauſe there is
fuch a Degeneracy of Tafte in the prefent Age, that
I fear Nero, and the Nobility of Rome will prefer Poet
Labeo to me.
Labeo. A bad Poet, who tranſlated Homer, and a great Favourite
with Nero. It moves a perfon's Indignation much to have an In-
ferior prefer'd to him. This makes Menander fay,
Ο νον γένες κρείτ7ον, ἢ τοὺς χειρονας
Ο' αν ἑαυτοῦ ζῶντας διαπρεπέσερον.
----
.-M. nuga
8
SATYRA I
-M. Nuga. Non, fi quid turbida Roma
Elevet, accedas: examenve improbum in illa
Caftiges trutina: Nec te quæfiveris extra.
Nam Romæ quis non? P. Ah, fi fas dicere! fed fas
Tunc, cum ad canitiem, et noftrum iftud vivere triſte
Afpexi, et nucibus facimus quæcunque relictis:
Cum fapimus patruos, tunc, tunc, ignofcite. M. Nolo.
P. Quid faciam? fed fum petulanti fplene cachinno.
M. Scribimus inclufi, numeros ille, hic pede liber,
Grande aliquid, quod pulmo animæ prælargus anhelet.
P. Scilicet hæc populo, pexufque, togaque recenti,
Et natalitia tandem cum Sardonyche albus,
ΤΟ
IS
L. 5. Elevo. is either to raiſe or leffen. In this Place I take it
rather in the ſenſe of leffening. And the moſt elegant Authors
uſe it ſo. Movere rifum oratoris eft quod frangit, quod impedit, quod
elebat. Cic. de orat.
Quintus Fabius res geftas in Hifpania elevavit. Liv.
2. 7. Trutina. Is the Handle of the Scales, thro' which the
Ballance plays. Here it is metaphorically uſed, as it is in Cicero.
Ad ea probanda, que non aurificis Statera, fed quadam populari tru-
tina examinantur. de orat.
Nec te quefiberis extra. This is exactly a Precept of the Stoicks,
who have it thus. Τη δίξη τδ ἐκτὸς μὴ κέχρησε πρὸς
τω σεαυτό κρίσιν, ἀλλὰ σαυτῷ καὶ τοῖς κρείτοσι, ταυ
τὸν δὲ εἰπεῖν, τῇ ἀληθείᾳ. Ad ferendum judicium de te
molt confulere ea qué funt extra te, fed teipfum ; & que præftantio.
Ta funt adhibe, nempe veritatem.
Introrfum bona tua ſpellent. Decretum hoc Stoicum. Sapientem
ex fefe aptum eſſe. Sen. ep. 7.
Judex ipfe fui, totum fe explorat ad unguem;
Quid proceres, vanique ferat quid opinio vulgi
Securus...idem
Aufon. in acroas. Pythag.
L. 9. Vivere trifte. A Græciſm Tò Çuie sμecov. Put for vi
tam triftem.
10. Nucibus relictis. Having laid afide our childish Plays. Sue-
tonius, in the 83d. Chap. of Auguftus's Life, has this Account-----
M. Your
SATYR 1.
M. Your fears are Trifles; for you are not obliged to
fubmit to their Opinions, if Rome ſhould injudiciouſly
decry any thing you write, you are not to weigh your
Merit in her unequal Scales; nor too much depend up-
on the common vogue; for who is not in this cor-
rupt Town a----- P. Could I but fpeak my Thoughts
freely-- I know no reaſon why I fhould not;
when I behold the Follies of Mankind turning Poets
in their old Age, and whatever other wretched Faults
we are guilty of from the time we lay afide our Boys-
Play, fince I am only going to act the Part of a Ċen-
for, I hope you will pardon my Animadverfions.
I will not. P. But I cannot fupprefs my Inclination
to laugh Men out of their Follies, my Spleen is rea-
dy to burst. M. What harm do we do you? We write in
our Cloſets one in Verfe, and the other in Profe,
fomething truly grand, and fublime, which requires
all the Force of our Lungs for the Expreffion.
P. Then this is the Reaſon that the Poet fets his Locks
off to Advantage, and dreffes in his beſt Gown, all
in white, with his Birth-day Ring, in order to read his
M.
mucibufque ludebat cum pueris minutis quos facie et garrulitate a.
mabiles undique conquirebat, pracipue Mauros et Syros. Beroaldus
fays he met with the Expreffion of caftellatis nucibus in a very
ancient Author. But nothing can explain it better than,
Quatuor in nucibus non amplius alea tota eft,
Cum fibi fuppofitis additur una tribus.
Ovid.
L. II. Cum fapimus patruOS. When we are as fevere as Uncles.
They were very ftrict with their Nephews during their Guar
dianship. Qui in reliqua vita mihi effet, fuit in hac caufa pertriftis
quidem patruus, cenfor, caftigator. Cic. pro Cæl.
L. 12. Cachinno onts. An intemperate Laugher. Si ridere conceffum
eft, vituperetur cachinatio. Cic. The word Petulans is likewife
very well explained by Cicero in his Book de Oratore. Si quis mihi
male dicit petulans I plane infanus videtur.
L. 16, Sardonyx. A Stone of a mixture white and red.
Sede
10
SATYRA I.
Sede leget celfa, liquido cum plafinate guttur
Mobile colluerit, patranti fractus ocello.
Heic, neque more probo videas, neque voce ferenâ
Ingentes trepidare ritos, cum carmina lumbum
Intrant, et tremulo fcalpuntur ubi intima verfu.
Tun' verule auriculis alienis colligis efcas?
Auriculis, quibus et dicas cute perditus, ohe!
20
M. Quo didiciffe, nifi hoc fermentum, et quæ femel intus
Innata eft, rupto jecore exierit caprificus?
P. En pallor, feniumque! ô mores! ufque adeone
Scire tuum nihil eft, nifi te fcire hoc fciat alter?
M. At pulchrum eft, digito monftrari, et dicier, hic eft.
Ten' cirratorum centum dictata fuiffe
Pro nihilo pendas? ecce inter pocula quærunt
Romulidæ faturi, quid dia poëmata narrent.
25
30
P. Heic aliquis cui circum humeros hyacinthina læna eft,
L. 17. Sede leget celfa. Poets were obliged at Rome to read
their Works publickly.
Auditur toto fæpe poeta die.
Mart. lib. 10 Ep. 70
Both Poets, Orators, and Philofophers,read their Works in pub-
lick, which is plain from ſeveral Paffages in ancient Authors as in
Plin. lib. 9. c. 27. Senec. Ep. 7. Arrian Epictet. c. 17. lib. Sen.
in proem. lib. 4. controvers. Plin. lib. 7. Ep. 17. lib. 2. Ep. 19.
Juvenal.
------ At fi dulcedine fam&
Succenfus recites Maculonus commodat edes.
Baffus cum toto anno unum librum excudit, et elucubravit, rogare
ultro et ambire cogitur, ut fint qui dignentur audire; et nec id qut-
dem gratis; nam et domum mutuatur, & fubfellia conducit, et libel-
des fpargit. Quintil. de caufis corrupt. eloquent.
Plin. lib. 36. c. 12. Plaſmate autem reeltaturi poeta formabant
fingebant vocem, eamque molliorem fuaviorem reddebant, which
Quinilian remarks of the Poets in his time lib. 1. c. 14. ſit autem
Tectio virilis, & cum fuavitate quadam gravis, & non quidem per fe
fimilis, quia carmen eft, fe canere poeta teftantur, it was a Cuf
tome among Poets and Orators to make a Gargle for their
Throats, in order to speak clear, and diftinctly. Audiant has a.
dolefcentuli: audiant hi quibus pfallendi in Ecclefia officium eft :
deo non voce, fed corde cantandum: nec in Tragadorum modum gut-
sur, fauces dulci medicamine colliniendas, ut in Ecclefia theatrales
moduli audiantur, & cantica, fed in timore, in opere, in fcientia
fcripturarum. Hieronym. in Epift. ad Eph. c. 5.
L. 18. Fractus, effeininate, Non enim pucrum fæminea vocis exili
tate frangi volo
Works
SATYR I.
II
Works to the people; prepares a Gargle for his
Throat, to improve his Voice, and an ogling Look
for his Audience. Hence it is that fome of the no-
bleft Romans are fired with indecent Extafie, thro' the
Provocation of his wanton Poems. Is it thus you
wretched old Debauchee, that you ftudy to pleaſe
their Ears with lafcivious and indecent Expreffions,
'till you have even tired your felf? M. But to what
purpoſe have I thefe Talents if I conceal them? I
cannot-----The Ferment of my Thoughts muft find a
Vent. This wild Fig-tree, fince it has taken root,
muft force its way thro' my Liver.
M. Thou art an
excellent Creature, when I compare thy Studies with
thy Age! Excellent indeed! Is thy Knowledge then
of no manner of uſe except it be proclaimed to o-
thers? M. Ah but Applaufe is a fine thing; It is an
Honour for a Man to be pointed at; and for People
to cry as you pals, That's he. Do you think it is
of no Confequence to be dictated in a School to a
hundred young Gentlemen? Confider too that the
nobleft of the Romans, true defcendants of Romulus,
after eating, call for our fine Poems to be the Enter-
tainment of their Bottle. P. Ay truly, one fits in a
L. 20. Titos. Many of the Roman Nobility had the Name of
Titus, from Titus Tatius, King of the Sabins.
Lo 22. Colligis efcas. Thefe Sayings were common among the
Greek Writers, ευωχεί ως λόγοις, and ευωχια και εςιάσεις
ακοῶν.
L. 24, 25. Fermentum and caprificus are two excellent Meta-
phors to exprefs that Eagerness which fome People have to fhew
their Parts, and Learning: Becauſe a Fermentation cannot be
eafily ſuppreſſed, and the wild-Fig-Tree will burft it's Way
even thro' Monuments of Stone.
Here he alludes to that Saying of Nero mentioned by Suetonius,
C. 20. Occulte mufica nullum effe reſpectum.
L. 27. ------digito monftrari.
Rumpitur invidia quod turba femper ab omni
Monftramur digito---
Martial,
L. 29. The Sons of the Nobility were faid to be Cirrati, be-
caufe of the great Care they took in having their Hair curled.
L. 32. Hyacinthina lena. Veſtimenta mea accubitoria perdidit,
que mihi natali meo donaverat cliens quidam, Tgria, fine dubio, fed
Jam femel lota. Petron. Arbit.
Ran-
12
SATYRA 1.
Rancidulum quiddam balba de nare locutus,
Phyllidas, Hypfiphylas, vatum & plorabile fi quid,
Eliquat, & tenero fupplantat verba palato,
Affenfere viri. Nunc non finis ille poeta
Felix? Nunc levior cippus non imprimit oſſa ?
Laudant convive. Nunc non e manibus illis.
Nunc non e tumulo, fortunataque favilla
Nafcentur violæ ?------
M. rides (ait) & nimis uncis
35
40
Naribus indulges. An erit, qui velle recufet
Os populi meruiffe; & cedro digna locutus,
Linquere: nec fcombros metuentia carmina, nec thus?
P. Quifquis es, ò modo, quem ex adverfo dicere feci,
Non ego, cum fcribo, fi forte quid aptius exit,
(Quando hæc rara avis eft) fi quid tamen aptius exit,
45
L. 33. Phillis. Daughter of Lycurgus King of Thrace. She hang-
ed her felf for Love of Demophoon, the Son of Thefeus, becauſe he
did not return to her as foon as he promiſed.
Hypfiphile. Daughter of Thous King of Lemnos; Who, when
The Lemnian Women murdered all the Men of that Ifland, pre-
ferved her Father, for which Reaſon ſhe was banished. Being ta-
ken by Pyrates, and fold to Lycurgus King of Thrace, he was gi
ven to his Son Opheltes as a Nurfe; at length fhe was releaſed by
the Valour of her two Sons Euneus and Thoas, which he had by
Jafon. Statius in his Thebats laments her misfortunes very much.
L. 35. Eliquit. Is a very good Metaphor, and well fitted to a
perfon, who ſeems to drop out his Words, one by one, taken
from the dropping of Liquids; fo likewife is the Word fupplanto,
for a Lifper, becaufe Lifping is a Kind of Tripping up our
Words. Beyond Queftion he hints at Nero's reading of Trage-
dies in the Theatre. Sueton. Nero. c. 10, Recitavit et carmina
non modo domi, fed in Theatris,
L. 37. Cippus. A Grave-Stone fet up at the Head of the de-
ceafed with theſe Letters infcribed H. S. E. S. T. T. L. Hic
fitus es, fit tibi terra levis.
L. 40, 41.--------nimis uncis
Naribus indulges.
You jibe too much.
…………..naso suspendis adunco
Hor.
L. 42. Cedro digna. Verfes worthy of being preſerved by the
Oyl of Cedar, or in Desks made of Cedar. Τα βιβλια ανε
λιτζεις ἀεὶ, και διακολλάς, και περικόπτεις, ἢ ἀλείφεις των
xoxy ǹ Tỷ #dgw. – Libros evolvis femper, & glutinas, et cir-
Hyacin-
SATYR I.
13
Hyacinthin Cloak, fnuffles thro' his Nofe, and lifps
out Word after Word, fome little infipid Poems of
Phillis' and Hypfiphile's melancholy Amours, or fome
other deplorable Ditties of the Poets; and reads
them with ſo much tenderneſs that he gains a gene-
ral Applaufe from his Company for the Author-----
Now fay they, Are not the Alhes of that Poet happy? Is
not his Grave-ftone lighter upon his Bones? Will not Vio-
lets grow from his Afbes? From his fortunate Urn? M. You
carry your jibing too far: But after all, is there any
man who would be unwilling to receive popular
Applaufe? Is there any one who writes Verfes which
deferve Immortality, and not be to made Wrappers
of Pepper and Anchovies, who would be againſt
tranſmitting them to Pofterity. P. My Friend, who-
ever you are, whom I have engaged in this Difpute,
when any thing happens to be ſtruck out which is tole-
rable, (a rare Thing among Poets!) whenever it is tolera-
cumcidis, & croco, coduoq; ungs. Lucian. adverfus indo&um.
Cedri oleo perunéta materies nec tineam, nec cartem fentit. Plin.
Nat. Hift. lib. 16. c. 39. Vitruvius, in his eleventh Book and
ninth Chap. fays, they did not only anoint Books with oyl of
Cedar to preferve them, but kept them alfo in Boxes made of Ce-
dar left they ſhould be Moth eaten.
L. 43. Scombrt. Pliny commends this Fish for extraordinary
Sawce, in his 31 Book and 8 chapter. Nunc e Scombro pifce law.
datiſſimum, i, e. falfamentum in Carthaginis ſpartaria cetarili-----
Nec liquor ullus pane preter unguenta majore in pretto effe cæpit, no-
bilitatis etiam gentibus.
Et laxas fcombris fape dabis tunicas,
Nec rhoncus metues malignorum,
Nec fcombris dabis tunicas moleſtas.
L. 45. Bxit.
--------CUT urceus exit. {Hor.
cafu vel exercitatione exibunt recta.
Catul.
Martial.
Aliquo vel
L. 46. Laudari metuan. There is no Man, who is not ambiti
ous of that Applaufe which is the Reward of true Merit. Gloria
enim folida quadum res eft & expreffa, non adumbrata: ea eft con-
fentiens laus bonorum, incorrupti vox bene judicantium de excellente
virtute, ea viftuti refonat velut imago gloria, quæ quia recte falto-
rum plerumque comeseft,non eft bonis viris repudianda Illa autem que
Je ejus imitatricem effe vult, temeraria atque inconfiderata, & plea
rumque peccatorum laudatrix fama popularis, fimulatione honeftatis
formam ejus pulchritudinemque corrumpir, Cicero Tufc. 3.
-
Laudari
14
SATYRA I.
Laudari metuam: neque enim mihi cornea fibra eft;
Sed recti finemque, extremumque effe recufo
Euge tuum, & Belle. Nam belle hoc excute totum,
Quid non intus habet?-----Non heic eft Ilias Acci
Ebria veratro; Non, fi qua elegidia crudi
Dictarunt proceres; Non quicquid denique lectis
Scribitur in citreis. Calidum fcis ponere fumen;
Scis comitem horridulum trita donare lacerna;
Et verum, inquis, amo: Verum mihi dicite, de me.
Qui pote? Vis dicam? Nugaris, cum tibi calve,
Pinguis aqualiculus propenfo fefquipede exftet.
O Jane, à tergo quem nulla ciconia pinfit,
Nec manus auriculas imitata eft mobilis albas,
Nec linguæ, quantum fitiat canis Apula tantum.
10
55
60
L. 50. Accius a Writer of Tragedies, born under the Confu-
late of Marcinus, and Serranus, Cicero in one of his Letters to
Atticus, ftyles him ferreus fcriptor, becauſe he tranflated fome
Tragedies of Sophocles in very harth Numbers. But Quintilian
extenuates his Fault by imputing it to the Time wherein he writ.
1. 51. Ebris beratro. It was a Cuftom among the Poets to
purge their Heads with Helebore, Veratrum according to Pliny
is the fame Herb. We read that Carneades the Academick drank a
great Quantity of Hellebore to write againſt Zeno.
L. 53. Citron Beds and Tables were only uſed by the Roman
Nobility. This Timber was brought from Mauritania. The Cu-
ftom of writing Poems after Supper by way of Diverſion, as they
fat at Table, may be ſeen from this Paffage in Catullus to Licinius,
Calus.
Hefferno, Licini, die otiofi
Multum lufimus in meis tabellis,
Ut convenerat, effe delicatos
Scribens verficulos uterque noftrum
Ludebat numero modo hoc, modo illo,
Reddens mutua per jocum atque binum.
Sumen. A delicate kind of Meat which they made of the
Sow's Flanck. It was a common thing for wealthy Poetafters.
to bribe ordinary People, either with Victuals or Cloaths, to
commend their Works.
L. 54. Et verum inquis amo, &c. This is almoſt literally taken
from what Philematium fays to her maid Scapha, in the Motellaria
of Plautus. Ego verum amo, verum volo mihi dici: mendaces odt.
And therefore very well applied from a Courtefan to a Poe
tafter.
L. 56. Aqualiculus, according to Seneca fignifies the Stomach.
Cum pervenit cibus in ventrem, aqualiculi fervore concoquitur, tune
demum corport accedit, Ep. ad Lucilium, Big-bellied glutto-
ble,
SATYR
I.
ble, I am not frightned from the Thoughts of being
commended; for I have not a Heart infenfible of
Praiſe. But I deny that Praife and Applaufe ought
to be the ultimate End of our doing well: For, do
but look into the Bottom of thefe Commendations,
and what are they but the worft of Flattery. When
you shall hear them faying, How different is this from
the Ilias of Accius, who intoxicated himfelf with Hel-
lebore to write better? From the wretched Elegies which
are dictated by the luxurious Nobility. In fhort from
all the Productions of their Citron Couches. And
what is all this for! You know very well how to give
an artful Treat; Or make a prefent of a Cloak to
one of your tatter'd Admirers; and then you fay
Truth is what I love; prithy tell me the Truth. How
can they, when you have corrupted their Judgments?
Will you hear it from me? Thy Poems are perfect
Trifles, and how fhould they be otherwife, thou bald
old Dotard? when thy Paunch fticks out a Foot and
a Half before thee.
Thou art an excellent Janus indeed, who cannot
fee the feveral Poftures and Methods of Ridicule which
are uſed behind thy Back,
nous Fellows were never made to be Poets. Vide. Ariftot. lib.
2. c. 5. de part, animal. Polemo Physiognom. lib. I. cap. 22.
Γαζέρες λαγαραὶ ἢ σαρκώδεις, ει μαλθακαί εισι και έξω
»
κρέμανται, ανόητον, οινόφλυγα, τα ακόλασον δηλούσιν
άνδρα.
L, 57, 58, 59. Here we may obferve there were three ways
among the Romans of ridiculing People behind their Backs. Ei-
ther by ſtretching up the Hand in Form of a Stork's Bill: Or
by making Affes Ears: Or by thrufting out the Tongue. Pinfo
fignifies to beat as with a Peftel in a Mortar, and therefore not
improperly applied to the picking of a Storks Bill. It will not
be amifs to fet down here what St. Jerome ſays in his Letter to
Rufticus the Monk, wherein he recounts thefe (everal Methods
of Ridicule. Ne credas laudatoribus tuis: imo irriforibus aurem
ne libenter accommodes: qui cum te adulationibus foverint, & quo-
dammodo imba tem mentis effecerint : fi fubito refpexeris, aut cieo-
ntarum deprehendes poft te colla curvari: aut manu auriculas agi-
iari afini: aut aftuantem cants portendi linguam, Pinfit is explained
in the 4th Epiftle of St. Jerome to fignifie the Motion of a
Stork's Neck.
Vos
то
SATYRA I.
Vos ô patricius fanguis, quos vivere fas eft
Occipiti cæco, pofticæ occurrite fannæ.
Quis populi fermo eft? Quis enim, nifi carmina molli
Nunc demum numero fluere, ut per læve feveros
Effundat junctura ungues? Scit tendere verfum
Non fecus, ac fi oculo rubricam dirigat uno:
Sive opus in mores, in luxum, & prandia Regum,
Dicere res grandes noftro dat Mufa Poëtæ.
Ecce modo heroas fenfus adferre videmus
Nugari folitos Græce, nec ponere lucum
Artifices, nec rus faturum laudare ubi corbes,
Et focus, & porci, & fumofa Palilia fœno:
Unde Rhemus, fulcoque terens dentalia, Quinti,
Cum trepida ante boves Dictatorem induit uxor,
Et tua aratra domum lictor tulit. Euge Poëta:
Eft nunc Brifeï quem venofus liber Accî,
Sunt quos, Pacuviufque, & verrucofa moretur
Antiopa, erumnis cor luftificabile fulta.
65
70
88
I. 64, 65. -------ut per lave severos &c. This Allegory appears
eafily from their Method of trying Statues, whether they were
well polished Or no; which was by running the Nail along them.
L. 67. Prandia Regum. He alludes in this to the Tragedy of
Atreus, and Thyeſtes.
L. 70. Nugari folitos Grace. Uſed to write Greek Exerciſes; for
the Youth of Rome ftudied Greek before Latin, and it is what
Quintilian recommends in his Inftitutions.
L. 72. Palilia were Feafts inftituted in Honour of Pales, the
Goddeſs of Shepherds (tho' Varro makes Pales maſculine) on the
Calends of May, in order to drive away Wolves from the Folds
and Diftempers from the Cattle. The Shepherds on this Day
kindled feveral Heaps of Straw in their Fields, which they leap
ed over.
Moxque per ardentes ftipula crepitantis acervos,
Ipaycias celeri ftrenua membra pede.
Ovid. Faftor.
L. 73. Quintius Cincinnatus was chofen Dictator from the
Plow, and commanded the Roman Army, when they marched to
fave the Conful Minutius, when he was befet by the Equi in the
Mountain Algidus. In fixteen Days time he returned again to his
Work. Lib. lib. 3. c. 27. Uxor. Herfilia.
t The Romans, after the Expulfion of their King, finding
the Republick could not well fubfift without one fupreme
Head, or Governour, had recourfe to a Magiftrate called Dicta-
tor, whoſe Power was the ſame with that of a King.
L. 76. Brifei Acct. Accius has this Epithet from Bacchus, who
was called Bryſets from Bgúa madefacio; for Poets were una
βρύσ
O you
SATYR I.
17
O you of Patrician Blood, who were never born to
have Eyes behind, for fhame contrive fome way to
eſcape being made fuch Laughing-ftocks! But not-
withstanding my Advice, ftill you will urge, What does
the World fay of my Works? What will it fay, but
ridicule you, and fay that your Numbers are smooth
and harmonious------ That Poet of ours makes his
Verſes run as even as a Carpenter can draw his Line.
Whether the Muſe infpires him to write Comedy, Sa-
tyr, or Tragedy, he is equally dexterous at them all.
Behold them now, who are buoyed up by this kind of Flat-
tery, attempting no less than Epick Poetry, and that
without the least foundation for it; when they have but
just come from their School Exercifes: Nay, and
when they are not capable even of the loweſt Defcrip-
tions; of a Grove; or of the Country, which affords
poetical Materials enough in its Fires, and Hogs,
and the Palilia; The Heroes which it has produced,
fuch as Remus, and you O Quintius Cincinnatus who
were cloathed in the Dictator's Robes by your Wife
at the Head of your Oxen, and had your Lictor to
carry home your Plow.
Happy days for you Poets fince the Tafte of the pre-
ſent Age is fuch, that the turgid Tragedy of Accius de-
lights them, and the rugged Style of Pacuvius, in his An-
tiope, where he props her melancholy Heart with Misfortunes.
der his Dominion as well as that of Apollo. Venoſus turgid, from
Vena a Vein.
L.77.Pacuvius. A Tragedian of Brundifium Nephew to Ennius.
He died at Tarentum, about the 90th Year of his Age. Aulus
Gellius gives us this for his Epitaph.
Adolefcens tametfi properas, hoc te faxum rogat,
Ut fe afpicias, deinde quod fcriptum eft, legas :
Hic funt Poeta Pacuvii fita Marit
Oſſa: hoc polebam neſcias ne eſſes.
Tho' Perfus feems to be very ſevere upon his Antiope (for here
he ridicules the Expreffion of having her Heart propped with
Grief,) Yet Quintilian gives him the Character of Gravity in his
Sentences; Weight in his Expreffions; and Authority in his
Perfons.
L. 78. Antiope Daughter of News, and Queen to Lycus King
of Thebes. Jupiter deceived her in the fhape of a Satyr; When
Lycus came to know it, he was divorced from her, and took
Dice to wife, who treated Anttope in Priſon with all manner of
Cruelty.
B
Hos
18
SATYRA I.
Hos pueris monitus patres infundere lippos
80
8$
Cum videas, quærif-ne, unde hæc fartago loquendi
Venerit in linguas? Unde iftud dedecus, in quo
Troffulus exultat tibi per fubfellia lævis?
Nil-ne pudet, capiti non poffe pericula cano
Pellere, quin tepidum hoc optes audire? Decenter!
Fur es, (ait Pedio) Pedius quid ? Crimina rafis
Librat in antithetis: doctas poffuiffe figuras
Laudatur. Bellum hoc. Hoc bellum? an Romule'ceves
Men' moveat, quippe, & cantet fi naufragus, affem
Protulerim? Cantas, cum fracta te in trabe pictum
Ex humero portes? Verum, nec nocte paratum
Plorabit, qui me volet incurvaffe querela.
go
M. Sed numeris decor eft, & jun&ura addita crudis.
Claudere fic verfum didicit Berecinthyus Atys.
Et qui Ceruleum dirimebat Nerea delphin.
Sic coftam longo fubduximus Appennino.
95
L. 82 Troffulus. The Roman Knights had this Name given them
from a Town in Etruria called Troſſulus, which was taken by
them without the Affiftance of the Roman Foot. Or Troffulus
may be put for Toroffulus a Word made uſe of by St. Jerome Toros-
fulum ¿g in fordibus delicatum. Ep. 67. Formofuli noſtri et torost
vix fummis pedibus adumbrantes veftigia, quorum verba in pug-
nis funt, & fyllogifmi in calcibus, lib. 2- Adverfus Jovinian,
L. 85. Pedius. He was expelled the Senate, in the Reign of
Nero (as Tacitus informs us) being accufed by the People of Cyrene
for robbing the Temple of Æfculapius,
L. 86. Antitheton, A Figure in Rhetorick, whereby Contraries
are fet in Oppofition. Here Perfius ridicules the Cuftom of O-
rators who rather ſtudied Rhetorical Embellishments than good
found Argument.
L. 92.
-Berecynthius Atin,
This and the two following Lines are ſuppoſed to be ſome of
Nero's flatulent Compoſition.
Attis or Atys, A Boy much beloved by Cybele, and therefore
prefided over her facred Rites in Phrygia, for which Reaſon he
got this Epithet from a Mountain there called Berecynthus, fa-
mous for the mad Rites performed upon it to this Goddeſs.
L. 93. Et qui caruleum, &c. This might have been a Line ex.
preffing the Dolphin fwimming with Arton.
L. 94. Sic coftam &c. might allude to Hannibal's making his
Way thro' the Alps by the Help of Fire and Vinegar.
When
SATYR I.
19
When you fee the blind Fathers infufing fuch Stuff
into their Children, can you be at a Lofs to know,
how fo much Fuftian has crept into our Language?
And whence this difgraceful way of Writing, which
notwithstanding makes the fhallow Roman Knight ex-
ult at the Recital.
On the other Hand, you who are an Orator, are
you not aſhamed, fince you are come to Years of bet-
ter Knowledge, that you cannot make your Defence,
but you muſt ufe Rhetorical Embelliſhments, to gain
the cool and infipid Applauſe of Men: And long
to hear them fay, It is prettily done. The Accufer,
for inftance, fays to Pedius, Thou art a Thief, and
what fays Pedius? Why truly he poifes his Cauſe,
according to the Figure Antithefis; for which he is
commended for his Skill in Tropes and Figures, and
hears the Audience cry, This is prettily Spoken --
This prettily! Thou Roman, art thou funk to ſuch a
low Degree of Flattery, as to fawn like a Dog? Do
you think I ſhould be moved in the leaft, or give a
penny to a fhipwrecked Perfon for finging his Mif-
fortunes? No, I ſhould rather reproach him in theſe
Words. What are you fo merry as to fing Friend,
while you are bearing the Picture of your Wreck up-
on your Shoulders? He muft bewail naturally, and
not come with a ſtudied Speech, who would bend me
in the leaſt to Compaffion by his Complaint.
M. But there is Beauty of Numbers you will allow,
and Connection, tho' the Poem it felf be not well
digeſted. When the Poet has learned to point his
Verſe thus
-Berecynthius Attin-------
Berecynthian Attis
Or again to ſay,
Os,
Et qui caruleum dirimebat Nerea Delphin.
The Dolphin who the azure Nereus cleaves.
Sic coftam longo fubduximus Appennino.
A Rib we ſtole from the long Appennine.
B 2
Arms
20
SATYRA 1.
Arma virum. Nonne hoc fpumofum, & cortice pingui?
P. Ut ramale vetus prægrandi fubere coctum.
M. Quidnam igitur tenerum, & laxa cervice legendum?
P. Terva Mimalloneis implerunt cornua bombis ;
Et raptum vitulo caput ablatura fuperbo
Bafaris, & Lyncem Manas flexura corymbis,
Evion ingeminat : reparabilis adfonat Echo.
Hæc fierent, fi tefticuli vena ulla paterni
Viveret in nobis? Summa delumbe faliva
Hoc natat in labris ; & in udo eft Mænas, & Atys;
Nec pluteum cædit, nec demorfos fapit ungues.
M. Sed quid opus teneras mordaci radere vero
Auriculas? Vide fis, ne majorum tibi forte
Limina frigefcant; fonat heic de nare canina
100
IOS
Litera. P. Per me equidem fint omnia protinus alba. 110
Nil moror; Euge, omnes, omnes, bene, miræ eritis res.
Hoc juvat, heic, inquis, veto quifquam faxit oletum.
Pinge duos angues: Pueri, facer eft locus ; extra
Mejite. Difcedo--------
L. 96. Arme virum. Virgil's Æneis.
L. 99. c. Dio mentions a Tragedy written by Nero called his
Baccha. It is not unlikely that thefe four following Lines, Torva
Mimalloneis, &c. are taken out of it.
The Bacchantes or Priefteffes of Bacchus were called Mimallones
from Mimas a Mountain of Ionia, where they ufed to celebrate
his Orgia.
Vitulus. By this is meaned Pentheus.
Baffaris is Agave, who is called by this Name as if he were a
Priestess of Bacchus; for he himself was called Baffareus from
the Hebrew Word 127 Batfar which fignifies to drefs Vines.
Manas another Name given to a Prieſteſs of Bacchus; from
madnels ἀπὸ το μαίνετ
L. 104. In udo eft Manas Atis, Weak, wretched Stuff------
Things ſteeped in Water are generally foft and limber. Evion,
One of Bacchus's Names, derived from u vie which Jupiter
faid to him, as he affifted him in the war againſt the Giants.
L. 106. Nec pluteum cadit &c. Beating the Desk and biting
of Nails were arguments of taking Pains.
L. 108. Cantna litera, The Letter R, which repreſents the
Snarling of a Dog.
Is
SATYR I.
21
Is not the Eneis of Virgil mere frothy and turgid
Stuff to this? P. Ay rather as dry and fuzzy as an
old Branch ſpread over with fpungy Cork. M. What
then do you take to be foft and tender, to be read
with a languiſhing Air?
P.Torva Mimalloneis implerunt cornua bombis ;
Et raptum vitulo caput ablatura fuperbo
Baffaris, & Lyncem Minas flexura corymbis,
Evion ingeminat: reparabilis adfonat Echo.
Grim Horns they fill'd with Mimallonian Sounds,
From the proud Calf the ravifh'd Head, with Wounds
The Mother tears; The spotted Lynx who draws
The Manad mad, the brandifh'd Thyrfus aws.
Evion with loud Acclaim theſe Furies roar,
And Echo joins to make the Tumult more.
Would the like of this ever have been written, if
we had the leaft Remains of the nervous Eloquence
of our Ancestors? Manas and Atys, and all this
drivling Stuff without Sinews or Strength, feems to
be fuch as every Man has at his Tongue's End; and
does not favour of hard Study and Pains. M. But
what occafion is there for thefe bold Truths? Take
care that you do not bring your ſelf to meet with a
cold Reception at the Houfes of great Men; For I
can tell you, there is too much Snarling in your Sa-
tyrs. P. Why then let their Geefe be all Swans for
me---- I fhall not difpute it---- Every thing is fine---
It is all admirable-- This you fay you are pleafed
with, and would have their Works regarded as things
Sacred. Then fet up fome Marks of Reverence, fuch as
the painting oftwo Serpents, to let Boys know the Place
is facred, left they fhould pollute it. And I have done.
L. 113. Pinge duos angues. We read in the 21ſt. chapter of the
fitft Book of Macrobius, That two Serpents were carved under
the Images of Efculapius and Health, becauſe they bring it to
pals that the human Conftitution is again renewed by their In-
fluence, as Serpents are by throwing off their Skins. Herodotus
likewife in his eighth Book fays that the Ancients worshiped the
Gods and Genii of any Place under the Form of Serpents.
------ſecuit
22
SATYRA I.
fecuit Lucilius urbem,.
Te Lupe, te Muti, & genuinum fregit in illis.
Omne vafer vitium ridenti Flaccus amico
Tangit, & admiffus circum præcordia, ludit,
Callidus excuffo populum fufpendere nafo.
IIS
Men' mutire nefas, nec clam; nec cum fcrobe; nufquam,
Heic tamen infodiam. Vidi, vidi ipfe, libelle,
I20
Auriculas afini quis non habet? hoc ego opertum,
Hoc ridere meum tam nil, nulla tibi vendo
Iliade. Audaci quicunque afflate Cratino,
Iratum Eupolidem prægrandi cum fene palles,
Afpice & hæc, fi forte aliquid decoctius audis ;
Inde vaporata lector mihi ferveat aure.
125
Z. 114. Lucilius Thefirft Saryrift among the Romans.
L. 115. Publius Rutilius Lupus a Conful, and Titus Mutius Al-
butius a noble Roman were both ſatyrized by Lucilius, Cicero in
his firſt Book de finibus has preſerved part of the Lines.
Gracum te, Albuti, quam Romanum atque fabinum
Municipem Ponti, tutamen Centurionum.
Praclarorum hominum, ac primorum, figniferumque
Maluifti dict: Grace ergo Prator Athenis
Id quod maluifti, te, cum ad me accedis faluro
Xaige, inquam, Tite: liftores, turma omnis, cohorfq;
Xalgere: hinc hoftis mi Albutius, hinc inimicus,
L. 119. Mene mutire nefas &c. This Paffage is very well ex-
plained by the following Story.
Midas King of Phrygia was made Judge between Apollo, and
Pan, when they contended which was the better Mufician; Be-
Caufe he gave the Prize to Pan, Apollo puniſhed him by giving
him Affes Ears, which he concealed from every one but his Bar-
ber, who not daring publickly to divulge it, and unable altoge-
ther to keep the Secret, made a hole in a marshy piece of Ground,
into which he whiſper'd it. Some Reeds grew up in the Place a
But
SATYR I.
23
But after all why ſhould I fupprefs my Satyrs. When
Lucilius fell foul upon the Vices and Follies of the
Town (nor did even you Lupus or Mutius eſcape) and
broke his very Grinders upon them. Horace was more
artful, and in a merry way touched upon his Friend's
Faults without putting them out of humour, and be-
ing a perfect Mafter of Raillery, he tickled the ve-
ry Hearts of the People. And fhall it be a Crime in
me to mutter in Private? Shall I not like Midas's Bar-
ber make a Hole in the Earth to whisper in? No
manner of way? I will do as he did, and ſay, my Sa-
tyr I faw it, I faw it my felf; For, as the World goes,
who has not Affes Ears. This fecret Comfort, This
Laughing in my Slieve, I would not exchange for all
the Honour which Labeo is to have by his Ilias.
You who are infpir'd with the Spirit of the daring Crati-
nus, and have with the utmoft Application. ftudied
Eupolis, and Aristophanes, caft an Eye upon my Satyrs
likewife; if perhaps you can find any thing in them
above the common Level, after you paffed your Judg-
ment, then let the Town prepare to read me.
little while after this, which by the Help of the Wind uttered
fome articulate Sounds, and diſcovered the Secret.
L. 122. Cratinus a Comick Poet, who lived a little before the
Peloponesian War, was the firft who introduc'd Satyr in Comedy.
L. 123. Eupolis another Comedian at Athens, of the fame Dif
pofition to Satyr. He was killed in an Engagement at Sea which
happened between the Athenians, and Lacedemonians. The Loss of
him was to much lamented, that the Athenians made a Law. No
Poet ſhould ever go to Battle again.
Pragrandis fenex. Ariſtophanes, who had this Epithet on ac-
count of his great Age. He writ feveral fatyrical Comedies, but
the moſt virulent againft Socrates. He writ about fifty Plays of
which we have but eleven. Plato paffes a fine Compliment upon
him, where he fays the Graces were long ftudying to find them-
felves a Temple, and at length they pitched upon the Heart of
Aristophanes.
L. 125. decocttus. More correct. Materiam effe primum volo vel
abundantiorem, atque ultra quam oporteat fuſsam. Multum inde de.
coquent anni, multum ratio limabit, aliquid vel uſu ipfo deteretur.
Non
24
SATYRA I.
Non hic, qui in crepidas Grajorum ludere geſtit,
Sordidus; & luſco qui poffit dicere, lufce;
Sefe aliquem credens, Italo quod honore fupinus,
Fregerit Heminas Areti Ædilis iniquas.
Nec qui abaco numeros, & ſecto in pulvere metas
Scit rififfe vafer, multum gaudere paratus,
Si Cynico barbam petulans Nonaria vellat.
His mane edictum, poſt prandia Callirhoën do.
130
L. 127, crepidas Gratorum, Nero Was a great Deſpiler of Philo-
fophers. His Mother taught him this. Hunc a Philofophia mater
avertit, monens imperaturo contrariam effe. Suet. Ner. c. 52.
L. 130. Edilis. There were feveral Kinds of Edils among the
Romans. The Officer here mentioned is a Country Magiftrate
whoſe Buſineſs it was to inſpect Weights and Meaſures.
Aretum a Town of Etruria.
L. 131. Seɛto in pulvere. It was one of the Methods uſed by
ancient Mathematicians to draw their Lines, and Figures in
I fall
SATYR I.
25
I fhall not approve of him as a Reader, who can over-
look their Learning, and jibe the Grecians for their
Slippers, or who can laugh at People for their natu-
ral Infirmities, fancying himſelf to be fomething, be-
cauſe forfooth being a Country Juftice he has broken
a few falſe Meaſures; Nor him who can waggiſhly
make a Jeſt of a Mathematician working his Prob-
lems in the Duft, and is ready to burft his Sides
when a pert Girl pulls a Cynick by the Beard. Let
fuch Fellows as theſe go read Nero's Bills in the Mor-
ning at the Forum, and in the Afternoon go hear
him read his Callirhoc.
Duft. Archimedes was found fo doing when the Soldiers killed
him at Syracuse.
L. 134. His mane edictum, &c. I baniſh ſuch hearers my Satyrs,
let them go and read Nero's Bills which he has fet up, wherein he
gives out he will read his Callirohe in the Afternoon. Edi&tum
Tudorum, Senec, ep. 98. edictum muneris gladiatorit. lib, de brev.
vitæ.
SATYRA
( 26 )
SATYRA SECUNDA.
HUNC, Macrine, diem numera meliore lapillo,
tibi labentes apponit candidus annos.
Funde merum Genio.
It was a Cuftom among the Ancients to fend Preſents to
their Friends upon their Birth-days. It is for this Reaſon
that Perfius fends this Satyr to his Friend Macrinus.
Line 1. Melior lapillus. A white Stone. The Romans diftin-
guished their fortunate and unfortunate Days in the Calendar,
in white and black; the white drawn by a chalky Stone, which
came from Crete, denoting happy Days; the black, being of
Charcoal, marking out fuch Days as were unlucky.
L. 3. Funde merum genio, Every Man was fuppofed at his
Birth to have two Genil, as Meffengers between the Gods and
him. They were fuppofed to be private Monitors, who by
their Infinuations diſpoſed us either to good or evil Actions;
they were alſo ſuppoſed to be not only Reporters of our
Crimes in this Life, but Registers of them againſt our Trial
in the next; whence they had the Name of Manes given them.
Their Nature and Employment will appear better from the
following Quotations.
Genius eft déus cujus in tutela, ut quifque natus eft vivit, five
quod us generemur curat, five quod una gignitur nobifcum, five
quod nos genitos fufcipit, ac tuetur, certe a genendo "Genius up-
pellatur.
Cenforin. de die natali, c, 3.
Τὸ τὸ δαιμόνων γένῳ ἐν μέσω θεῶν ἢ ἀνθρώπων.
Plutarch. lib. de Orac.
Plutarch in his Book of Isis and Osiris quotes Plato for the
fame Opinion.
•
Απαντι δαίμων ἀνδρὶ τῷ γενομαι τ
B18.
Απα τα 'βτι μυςαγωγ @ τέβια.
Menand.
Not only Men but Cities and Countries were faid to have
their particular Genius.
Quid non proficient fcribentis voce Serena
Vel genius regni, vel pietatis amor.
Claudian.
Symmachus in that Treatife which he writ for reftoring the
Gentile Worfhip fays thus; Suus cuique mos, fuus cuique ritus
eft, varios cuftodes urbibus cunctis mens divina diſtribuit, ut anime
mafcentibus ita populis fatales genii dividuntur. Et obfeffis Hierofo
SATYR
(27)
SATYR II.
The ARGUMENT.
This may be truly called a divine Satyr, for the Author's
chief Aim is to shew the Corruptions and Repugnancies of
Mens Prayers and Wishes; and at the fame time to in-
form them what is most acceptable to the Gods, which he
does more like a Chriftian than a Heathen. It is directed to
his Friend Macrinus, as a Birth-day Preſent.
We find by Plato, That nothing was more difficult, than
for a Perfon to prepare himself in a proper, and pure Manner
of addreffing the Gods. It is for this Reason that he highly
commends an ancient Poet for the following hort and com-
prehenſive Prayer.
Ζεῦ βασιλού, τὰ μλι έπλα καὶ συχόμβροις, καὶ ἀνδύκτοις,
Αμμι δίδυ. τὰ δε δεινὰ καὶ συχομύροις ἀπαλέξειν.
>
And likewife the Lacedæmonians, for using no more in
their Petitions than τὰ καλὰ ὅπὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς.
·
LET this Day, Macrinus, be diftinguifhed in the Ca-
lendar with a particular Mark, which happily be-
gins the Years of your Life. Offer Wine in Abundance
to your Genius.
lymis audita vox eft, numen urbis alio migrare, i, e. Genium.
Niceph. hift. ecclef. lib. 3. c. 4.
The Reaſon why they made Offerings of Wine, to their Gent.
us, and abſtained from bloody Sacrifice, is well explained by
Varro and Cenſorinus, becauſe our Anceſtors would not take Life
from any Thing on the Day wherein they had received Life them.
felves.
non
28
SATYRA II.
non tu prece poſcis emaci,
Quæ nifi fedu&tis nequeas committere divis.
At bona pars procerum tacita libabit acerra,
5
Haud cuivis promptum eft, murmurque, humileſque ſu-
furros
Tollere de templis, et aperto vivere voto.
ΤΟ
Mens bona, fama, fides, hæc clare, et ut audiat hofpes;
Illa fibi introrfum, et fub lingua immurmurat. ô ſi
Ebullit patrui præclarum funus! etô fi
Sub raftro crepet argenti mihi feria, dextro
Hercule! pupillumve utinam, quem proximus hæres
Impello, expungam; namque eft fcabiofus, et acri
Bile tumet. Nerio jam tertia ducitur uxor.
Hæc fancte ut pofcas, Tyberino in flumine mergis
IS
Prece emaci. Here the Author very juſtly commends his Friend.
for not being a Man of expenfive Offerings, as if he were to
make a Purchaſe from the Gods. Plato tells us, The Athenians
once ſent to the Oracle of Apollo to know the Reafon, Why the
Lacedemonians were ſo ſucceſsful againſt them, when the Atheni.
ans had been all along fo expenfive in their Sacrifices, and all the
Pomp of Religion; whereas the Lacedemontans were very thrif
ty, and poor in that Point. Anfwer was given by Ammon to the
Ambaffador, That the Lacedemontan's evonuia, viz. their pure
Prayer was beyond all the Athenian Sacrifices.
Καὶ γδ' αν δεινὸν εἴη εἰ πρὸς τὰ δωρα, καὶ τὰς θυσίας απο
βλέπουσιν ἡμῶν οι θεοί, ἀλλὰ μὴ πρὸς των ψυχώ, ἂν
τις ίσιος, και δίκαιος ὢν τυγχάνη,
Plat. 2. Alcib.
L. 7. Aperto voto. With honeft Petitions; fuch as might be
offered in the Preſence, and Hearing of all Mankind.
Tunc feito effe te omnibus cupiditatibus folutum, cum eo per-
beneris, ut nihil deum roges, nifi quod rogare poffis palam.
Sen. ep. 1o. ex Athenodoro.
Nunc enim quanta dementia eft hominum turpiffima bota diis in-
fufurrant ; fi quis admoverit aurem, conticefcent; et quod fcire ho-
minem nolunt, deo narrant.
Sen. ep. 10.
Sic loquendum effe cum hominibus tanquam dli audient; fic cum
dils tanquam homines audiant,
Macrob. fat.
Clemens Alexandrinus, Ti Toivuv, &c. Quid, igitur Pythago.
rel volunt, clara voce precari jubentes? meo judicio non quia numen
non poffet audire tacite, aut Jubmiſſe precantes; fed quia cenfebant
guftas debere effe preces, & quas nemo bereretur palam concipere,
multifque confeits.
4to Strom.
L. 10. Ebullit for ebullierit. As we read dedim for dederim,
and vizet for vixiffet.
*
You
SATYR II.
29
You are not a Man who makes mer-
cenary Prayers to the Gods, for the granting you fuch
Things, as you would not venture to ask but in pri-
vate. But it is not fo with the reft of the Nobility
who will offer up their Petitions fecretly. Nor is it
an eafy Task to remove this Corruption of murmu-
ring, and whispering their Prayers out of the Temples,
and make them deliver their Petitions to theGods in the
Hearing of all Men.
When they pray for a good Mind, a good Reputa-
tion, and an honeft Heart, they fpeak with a clear and
a. diftin&t Voice, that every one may hear it. But their
unrighteous Requeſts they mutter inwardly. O that my
old rich Uncle were dead once! Or that I could have
the good Luck to hear a Pot of Money chink under
my Spade! O that I could but get my Ward out of
the Way, whofe next Heir I am; for he is diftemper'd
and rotten already! There is Nerius has got his third
Wife! O that I were in his Circumſtances! It is for this
Reaſon, that you may offer thefe Prayers in due Form,
Qui fi virtutes ebullire volent,
fapientias, nihil aliud dicent.
Cic. Tufc.
Dixerit hoc Epicurus, femper beatum effe fapientem: quod quâm
dem folet ebullire nonunquam.
Cic. de finibus.
The true Meaning of ebullio in Perfius is, to appear in Pomp.
L. II. Seria is properly a Jar.
L. 12. Hercules was faid to prefide over hidden Treaſures, as
Mercury prefided over publick Gain. What he expreſſes by dex.
tro Hercule, Horace does by amico Hercule.
L. 13. Diſpungere aliquid was a Term in the civil Law to
change any Part of a Writing, but expungere was to blot out.
L. 14. Tiberino in gurgite. Ablution was a very ancient Mc.
thod of Purification. They who facrificed to the infernal Gods
were only ſprinkled with Water; but they who ſacrificed to the
celeftial Gods, washed their whole Bodies.
Macrob. fat. 1. 3. c. II.
Some made uſe of Sea-water; others of River-water; others
of that which ſprung up in Fountains ;
Θάλαασα κλύζει πάντα τ᾿ ἀνθρώπων κακά. Eurip.
Οι μ' ἄλλοι χεδὸν ἅπαντες ἀμιγεῖ ὑδατι περις αιτον
τα θαλάμε οι πολλοί τινὲς ἢ ποταμοῖς, οι ἢ κάλ
πεσιν ἐκ πηγῶν ἀρυόμενοι. Philo Jud. de facrificant.
Mane
30
SATYRA II.
Mane caput bis, ter-ve, et noctem flumine purgas.
Heus, age reſponde, minimum eft quod fcire laboro:
De Jove quid fentis? Eft-ne ut præponere cures
Hunc cuiquam? cuinam? Vis Stajo? an fcilicet hæres?
Quis potior judex, puerifve quis aptior orbis?
Hoc igitur, quo tu Jovis aurem impellere tentas,
Dic agedum Stajo; prô Jupiter! ô bone, clamet,
Jupiter! at fefe non clamet Jupiter ipfe?
Ignoviffe putas, quia, cum tonat, ocyus ilex
Sulfure difcutitur facro, quam tuque, domuſque?
An quia non fibris ovium, Ergennaque jubente,
Triſte jaces lucis, evitandumque bidental,
Idcirco ftolidam præbet tibi vellere barbam
Jupiter? aut quidnam eft, qua tu mercede Deorum
Emeris auriculas? pulmone et lactibus unctis?
Ecce avia, aut metuens divum matertera, cunis
Exemit puerum, frontemque atque uda labella
Infami digito,
---
20
25
30
L. 16. Mane. An old Scholiaft upon the Argonauticks of Or.
pheus, makes this Obſervation, That Men facrificed to the cele
ftial Gods in a Morning, but to the infernal Gods in the Even-
ing. So likewiſe does a Scholiaſt upon the 4th. Ode of Pindar's
Ifthmian Games.
L. 19. Staius Albius Optanicus poifoned his Wife, his Bro-
ther, and his Brother's Wife. Vide Cicer. orat. pro Aul. Cluent.
L. 24. Sulphur facrum. The Greeks called it Oetov, becauſe
they looked upon it as a thing divine, for its Virtue.
L. 26. Ergenna. The Name of a Tufcan Prieft.
L. 27. Bidental. It was a Cuftom, wherever a Perfon fell by
Thunder, there to let him lye, and to fence in the Place; to fa
crifice a Sheep, and ere& an Altar there. Why the Place ſhould
be called Bidental, proceeded from the Cuſtom of facrificing a
Sheep; and why a Sheep ſhould be (acrificed, is very well ex-
plained by the learned Bochart, whoſe Words I ſhall here infert,
Tempus igitur quo dentes duales abjiciuntur, ideo paftores curiofius
obfervant, quiá hac eft atas plena roboris, ad quam pecora quo propê.
us accedunt, eo majori funt in pretio. Proinde in ovibus bidentes,
i. e. in quibus fefe exerunt hi duo dentes, quos diximus, olim exqui
rebantúr, us diis accepriores, facrificiis aptiores.
you
SATYR II.
31
you wash your felf twice or thrice in the Tiber every
Morning, to purge away the Pollutions of the Night.
Pray let me ask you one Queſtion, it is an eafy
one to refolve. What is your Opinion of Jupiter? Is
there any Perſon among Mankind that you will give
him the Preference to? Let us fee to whom? Shall we
name Stains? Are you in a Doubt to determine which
of theſe two is the properer Judge to take in hand the
Cauſe of Orphans?
Why then make the fame Propoſal to Staius that
you did to Jupiter. O Jupiter! he would cry out. O
good Jupiter! And would not Jupiter himſelf fay the
fame thing? Do you fancy he forgives you, becauſe,
when it thunders, the Oak is blafted rather than you,
and your Family? Is it that you do not lie a wretch-
ed Spectacle of his Vengeance, to be expiated by Sa-
crifice in thoſe Groves where you have abuſed his Wor-
ſhip? Do you think therefore Jupiter fuch a Fool as to
let you carry your Prefumption farther, to pluck him by
the Beard? Or by what do you propoſe to purchase
the Affent of the Gods? Is it by the Fat Intrails of
Beafts?
There is another Kind of Madneſs, which is that of Su-
perftition. Behold now the Grandmother or a fuperfti-
tious Aunt She takes the Infant from the Cradle,
and rubs his Forehead and Lips with her middle Fin-
--
Cadit quinas de more bidentes.
Virg. Æn. 5.
L. 30. Pulmone, & la&ibus unitis. Let us obferve here what
Plautus fays in the Prologue to his Rudens, and we ſhall find it
very confonant to this Paffage.
Et quod fcelefti illi in animum inducunt fuum,
Jovem fe placare poſſe omnibus hoftiis,
Et operam et fumtum perdunt. Id eo fit, quia
Nihil et acceptum eft à perjuris fupplicii,
Facilius fi quis pius eft, á diis fupplicans,
Quam qui fceleftus eft, inventer viam fibi,
L. 33. Infami digito. The middle Finger, with which they
pointed at a ſcandalous Perſon, as a Mark of Ignominy.
---et
32
SATYRA II.
--------et luftralibus ante falivis
Expiat, urentes oculos inhibere perita.
Tunc manibus quatit, et fpem macram fupplice voto, 31
Nunc Licini in campos, nunc Crafli mittit in ædes.
Hunc optent generum rex et regina. Puellæ
Hunc rapiant. Quicquid calcaverit hic, rofa fiat.
Aft ego nutrici non mando vota; negato
Jupiter hæc illi, quamvis te albatá rogarit.
Pofcis opem nervis, corpufque fidele fenectæ ?
Efto, age; fed grandes patinæ tucetaque craffa
Annuere his fuperos vetuere, Jovemque morantur.
Rem ftruere exoptas cæfo bove, Mercuriumque
Arceffis fibra. Da fortunare penates.
Da pecus et gregibus fœtum. Quo, peffime, pacto,
Tot tibi cum in flammis junicum omenta liquefcant?
Attamen hic extis et opimo vincere farto
40
40
Luftralibus falivis. Plutarch and Macrobius make the Days of
Luftration of Infants thus. The eighth Day for Girls, and the
ninth Day for Boys. Gregory Nazianzen calls this Feſtival óvo-
µasńera, becauſe upon one of thoſe Days the Child was na-
med. The old Grandmother or Aunt moved around in a Circle,
and rubbed the Child's Forehead with Spittle, and that with her
middle Finger; to preſerve it from Witchcraft. It is to this
fooliſh Custom St. Athanafius alludes, when he calls the He-
rely of Montanus and Prifcilla γραῶν πλύσματα.
L. 34. Urentes oculos. Bewitching Eyes.
L. 36. Licinius. A wealthy Barber and Freed-man of Augu.
Bus.
Marcus Craffus. Son of Publius Craſſus. He uſed to ſay, that
no Man ſhould be accounted rich, who could not maintain an
Army by his yearly Revenues. In an Engagement with the Par.
thians (for he undertook the War againſt them thro' Covetouſ-
nels) he was taken Priſoner by Surena, his Head cut off, and fil-
led full of melted Gold, by way of Reproach to his Avarice.
L. 40. Albata. They uled to drefs themſelves in white Gowns
when they facrificed, becaufe (as Tully obferves in his Book de
Legibus) white was an Emblem of Innocence.
L. 41. Pofcis opem, &c. Seneca defcribes the evil Effects of
Luxury in one of his Epiftles in a moſt delightful Manner.
Inde pallor, nervorum vino madentium tremor, i miferabilior
ex cruditatibus quam ex fame macies; inde incerti labentium pedes,
& femper qualis in ipfa ebrietate titubatio; inde in totam cutem hu
mor admiffus, diftentufque venter, dum male affuefcit plus capere,
quam poterat : inde fuffufio lurida bilis, et decolor vultus, sabesque
ger,
SATYR II.
33
ger, uses her Spittle by way of Luftration, as an An-
sidote against a bewitching Eye; and then ſhe dandles
in her Arms the flender Hopes of the Family; and
now wiſhes to tranflate him into the Eftate of Lici-
nus; now into the Palace of Craffus. Thus the continues,
May fome great King and Queen court him to be their
Son-in-Law. May the young Virgins all fight for him.
And wherever he treads, let Roles fpring up under his
Feet. At this rate let no Nurſe ever pray for a Child
of mine. Nay, tho' fhe ſhould dreſs her felf in White,
and join Sacrifice to her Prayer, I beseech you, great
Jupiter, to deny her fuch Requeſts.
Perhaps you defire Strength, and Vigour, and a Con-
ftitution that will not fink under the Infirmities of old
Age: Grant you do; yet notwithſtanding this, your
Multitude of Diſhes and Delicates have prevented the
Gods from complying with your Requests; they ſtand
in the Way even of Jupiter himſelf.
Again you deſire to encreaſe your Stores by facrifi-
cing your Cattle to Mercury. Grant me (you fay to
him) good Fortune, and encreaſe my Flocks and
Herds. How can he, you wretched Creature, when
you deſtroy them in fuch Numbers? And yet this ve-
ry Man perfeveres, and thinks to get the better of
Heaven by expenfive Offerings. Now (he cries) my
in fe putrefcentium, & retorti digiti articulis obrigefcentibus, ner-
vorumque fine ſenſu jacentium torpor, aut palpitatio corporum fine
intermiffione vibrantium. Quid capitis vertigines dicam? quid ocu-
lorum aurtumque tormenta, et cerebri aftuantis berminationes,
omnia per qua exoneramur internis ulceribus adƒeða. Innumerabilia
praterea febrium genera.
Multos morbos multa fecerunt. Vide quantum rerum per unam gu.
lam tranfiturum permifcest luxuria terrarum mariſque vaſtatrix.
Neceffe eft itaque inter fe tam diverfa diſſideant, & hauſta male di.
gerantur aliis alto tendentibus. Nec mirum quod inconftans varius.
que ex difcordi cibo morbus eft. Inde tam nullo agrotamus genere
quam vivimus. Maximus ille medicorum fœminis nec capillos de
fluere dixit, nec pedes laborare. Sed jam multa fœmine podagrica
calvaque beneficium fexus futs vitiis perdiderunt.
L. 48. Opime farto. Veteres ftruem farris, bordet, faba, Semi.
nis rapacii, thure & vino additis, ante meſſem parabant, in porce
precidanca immolationem, Janoque, Jovi, & Junoni facrificabant.
Cato, de re ruftica.
C
InteД-
34
SATYRA II.
Intendit. jam crefcit ager, jam crefcit ovile,
Jam dabitur, jam jam, donec deceptus, et expes
Nequicquam fundo fufpiret nummus in imo.
Si tibi crateras argenti, incufaque pingui
Auro dona feram, fudes, & pectore lævo
Excutias guttas, lætari prætrepidum cor;
Hinc illud fubiit, auro facras quod ovato
Perducis facies; Nam fratres inter ahænos,
Somnia pituitâ qui purgatiffima mittunt,
Præcipui funto, fitque illis aurea barba.
Aurum vafa Numæ, Saturniaque impulit æra,
Veftaleſque urnas, & Tufcum fictile mutat.
O curvæ in terras animæ, et cæleftium inanes!
so
55
60
Quid juvat hoc, templis noftros immittere mores,
Et bona Dîs ex hac fcelerata ducere pulpa?
Hæc fibi corrupto cafiam diffolvit olivo;
Hæc Calabrum coxit vitiato murice vellus:
Hæc baccam concha rafiffe, et ftringere venas,
Ferventis maffæ crudo de pulvere juffit.
Peccat et hæc, peccat; vitio tamen utitur. At vos
Dicite pontifices, in facris quid facit aurum?
Nempe hoc, quod Veneri donatæ à virgine puppæ.
Quin damus id ſuperis, de magna quod dare lance
Non poffit magni Meffalæ lippa propago?
65
70
L. 51. Fundo fufpiret, &c. Till he is reduced to one folitary
Piece, which fighs in the Bottom of his Cheft, or Purſe, for want
of Company.
L. 56. Fratres ahant. An old Scholiaft fays the Fratres ahent
were the fifty Sons of Egyptus, whofe Statues were erected in
the Portico of Apollo Palatinus, which gave Reſponſes to ſuch as
flept upon confulting them.
L. 59. Numa was the first who brought religious Rites to
Rome from the Tufcans, as we find it at large in Cicero's Treatife
of Divination.
L. 63. Scelerata l'ulpa. Pulpa fignifies Fleſh. He means our
corrupt Nature.
Hac vetat te calo intereſſe ; et jubet viverę capite dimiſſo.
Senec. de carne.
L. 65. Hac Calabrum, &c. The Reafon why the Calabrian
Wool was the beft Kind is, becauſe the People of that part of
Apulia took great Care to keep their Sheep covered.
Eſtate
SATYR II.
35
Eftate and Flocks are encreaſing. My Wishes will be
granted just now. --- Till at length the hopeleſs Crea-
ture, who deceived himſelf fo long, grows defperate,
when he fees not a Farthing left in his Coffers.
If I ſhould make you Prefents of maffy Silver and
Gold Cups, you are all over Extafy, and your Heart
beats for Joy Hence it comes, that you think the
Gods as corrupt as your felf, which makes you gild
the Faces of their Statues, with fome of the Gold
that you have gained by a Victory: For among the
brazen Statues of the Gods thoſe have moſt of your A-
doration, who fend you the trueft Dreams, for which
you adorn them with gilded Beards.
Gold has ufurped the Place of Numa's earthen Vef-
fels, and turned the brazen Utensils of the Saturnian Age
out of Doors, the Veftal Pitchers with the Tuscan
Earthen-ware. O ye wretched Souls, bent down to the
Earth, and void of every thing which is heavenly!
What ſhould make us introduce fuch Corruptions in-
to our Worship, and think that which is pleafing to
our Senfuality and Luxury, can be fo to the Gods? It
was Luxury firft made us vitiate our Oyl with Caffia;
and die the Calabrian Fleece with the filthy Blood of
the Murex. To fcrape the Pearl from the Shell, and
run the Gold from its Oar.---It is wicked, it is wick-
ed indeed, but ftill we perfevere in our Wickedness.
But tell me, ye Pontiffs, who ought to know better things,
of what Benefit is Gold in your facred Rites?-----
No more than the Puppets were to Venus, which were
offered her by young Virgins.
---
Let us then make an Offering of that which the
blind Family of Meſſala cannot prefent from their large
Pleraque fimiliter faciendum in ovibus pellitis, que propter lane bo-
nitatem (ut funt Tarentine Altinates) pellibus integuntur, ne
lana inquinetur.
Var. de re ruftic. lib. 2. c. 2.
Columella alfo in his eighth Book and fourth Chapter. Ut libe-
ris campis & omni furculo ruboque vacantibus pafcant, ne et lana
carpatur & tegumenta,
L. 70. Puppe. Young Virgins offered little Images of Wool,
or Wax to Venus, to make them fruitful at the Time of Mar-
riage.
C 2
Compofitumi
36
SATYRA II.
Compofitum jus, fafque animi, fanctofque receffus
Mentis, et incoctum generofo pectus honeſto;
Hæc cedo ut admoveam templis, et farre litabo.
75
L. 72. Lito is properly to obtain our Defire by means of our
Sacrifice. Poftero die, facrificio facto, cum primis hoftiis litaffer.
Liv. lib. 38. c. 20.
Tum Jupiter faciat we ſemper ſacrificem, nec unquam litem.
Plaut. in Perf.
This he has borrowed from Ovid.
Ante deos homini quod conciliare valeret,
Far erat, & puri lucida mica falis.
Nondum per tulerat lacrymatas cortice myrrhas
Acta per aquoreas hofpita navis aquas.
Thura nee Euphrates, nec miferat India coftum,
Nec fuerant rubri cognita fila creci.
Cenfors,
SATYR II.
37
Cenfors, a Mind well feaſoned with a true Notion of
divine and human Laws; the inward Receffes of the
Mind pure and holy; a Heart thoroughly impregnated
with native Honour and Honefty: Let me but enter the
Temple with theſe, and a little Cake of Flower ſhall
be acceptable to the Gods.
Ara dabat fumos, herbis contenta Sabinis.
Et non exiguo laurus aduſta ſono. &c.
Faft. 1. 1.
The following Remark from Plato, against expenfiveOfferings,
and in Commendation of a pure and upright Mind, ſeems in
this Place to have been almoſt literally tranſlated by Perfius.
Και γὰρ δεινὸν εἴη εἰ πρὸς τὰ δῶρα καὶ τὰς θυσιας
ἀποβλέπεσιν ἡμῶν οι θεοί, ἀλλὰ μὴ πρὸς τίω ψυχήν
ἂν τις ὅσιος και δίκαιος ὢν τυχάνῃ,
기
​SATYRA
( 38 )
SATYRA TERTIA.
P. Nempe hoc affidue? jam clarum mane feneftras
• Intrat, et anguftas extendit lumine rimas.
B. Stertimus, indomitum quod defpumare Falernum
Sufficiat, quinta dum linea tangitur umbra.
P. En quid agis? ficcas infana canicula meffes
Jamdudum coquit, & patula pecus omne fub ulmo eft,
Unus ait comitum. B. Verum-ne? Ita-ne? Ocyus adfit
Huc aliquis. Nemon'? Targefcit vitrea bilis:
Findor, ut Arcadiæ pecuaria rudere credas.
P. Jam liber, et bicolor pofitis membrana capillis,
Inque manus chartæ, nodofaque venit arundo.
Tunc queritur, craffus calamo quod pendeat humor:
Nigra quod infufa vanefcat fepia lympha:
S
10
Line 1. Nempe hoc affidue. The Tutor is fuppofed to fpeak
this to his Pupil.
L. 2.
anguftas extendit lumine rimas. This Image
very beautifully expreffes the widening of a Chink, by the Ad-
miffion of Light.
L. 3. Indomitum Falernum. Very ſtrong Wine: Pliny tells us
they were obliged to mix Honey to foften it.
Falernum, A Hill of Campania.
L. 4. Quinta linea. Eleven a Clock. From the fifth Line on
the Dial, becauſe the Romans began their firft Hour at fix. The
Antiquity of Sun-dials may be known from hence. Umbrarum
hanc rationem quam bocant gnomonicen, invenit Anaximenes Mi.
lefius, Anaximandri de que diximus, difcipulus primufque horolo.
gium quod appellant Sciotericon, Lacedemone oftendit. Plin. nat.
hift. lib. 2. c. 76.
In quintam varios extendit Roma labores.
Sofia prandendum eft: quarta jam totus in horam
Sol calet ad quintam fle&titur umbra notam.
Mart.
Aufon.
L. 5. Canicula. Canicula exortu aecendi folis Vapores quis igno.
Tat? cujus fideris effectus ampliffimi in terra fentiuntur.
Plin. lib. 2. c. 40.
L. 8. Vitrea bilis. Horace calls it splendida bilis. I fuppofe it
is called vitrea from its Turgefcency, becauſe of the fwelling of
Glaſs when it is blown. The Greek Phyſicians gave the Bile the
very fame Epithet. As; υαλώδης χολή. ὑαλώδες φλέγμα.
L. 9. Arcadia, A Country of Peloponnefus, remarkable for
large Affes.
SATYR
( 39 )
SATYR III.
The ARGUMENT.
This Satyr very well expofes the Folly of young Men who trifle
away their Time, and neglect the Study of Philofophy, be-
ing vainly puft up with the Thoughts of their Family and
Fortune.
P.IS
Is this your daily Cuftom? do not you ſee the bright
Morning ſhine in at your Windows? B. We are only
fnoaring out the Fumes of our Bottle, 'till it is upon the
ftroak of Eleven. P. What do you mean by this? here
is one of your School-fellows, who fays it is very far in
the Day; fo far, that the Sun parches the Corn, and the
Cattle are all retired to the Shade. B. Is it true? Is it ſo
indeed? Let one of the Servants come quickly. Here. Who's
there? What! will no body anfwer? Iſwell with Anger, and
grow as hoarfe as an Arcadian Afs. P. This is the Como-
dy you act. Then you take your Parchment, your Paper
and your Pen in your Hand, to quarrel with them.
Now your Ink is too thick. Then you pour in fome
Water. Now it is too thin.-
L. 10. Bicolor membrana. The Infide of Parchment is white,
the Outfide yellow. Cum charte uſu maxime humanitas vite con-
Let & memoria, & hanc Alexandri magni victoria repertam auflor
eft M. Varro, condita in Egypto Alexandria
mox emulatione
circa bibliothecas regum Ptolomai & Eumenis, ſupprimente chartas
Ptolomeo, idem Varro membranas Pergami tradidit repertas.
Plin. nat. hift. lib. 13. c. II.
·
L. 13. Sepia. The Cuttle-fish. The Blood of it ferved for
Ink. It was the Property of this Fish, when it was encloſed by
a Net, to fhed a black Juice, which fo darkened the Water, that
the Fisherman could not fee it. Vide Plin, nat, hift. 1. 2. c. 29.
Dilutas
40.
III.
SATYRA
Dilutas queritur geminet quod fiſtula guttas.
O mifer! inque dies ultra mifer! huccine rerum
Venimus? at cur non potius, teneroque columbo,
Et fimilis regum pueris pappare minutum
Pofcis? et iratus mammæ lallare recufas?
An tali ftudeam calamo? Cui verba? Quid iftas
Succinis ambages? Tibi luditur. Effuis amens.
Contemnêre. Sonat vitium percuffa, maligne
Refpondet viridi non cocta fidelia limo.
IS
20
Udum et molle lutum es, nunc nunc properandus, et
acri
Fingendus fine fine rota. Sed rure paterno
Eft tibi far modicum, purum et fine labe falinum.
Quid metuas? cultrixque foci fecura patella eft.
Hoc fatis? An deceat pulmonem rumpere ventis,
Stemmate quod Thufco ramum millefime ducis,
Cenforem-ve tuum vel quod trabeate falutas?
25
L. 16. Columbo. A Pidgeon is an Emblem of a foft and ef.
feminate Lad. Seneca in one of his Epiſtles ſets it în a very
good Light. Sed volebam vivere dicis, carere tamen incommodis.
Tam effeminata vox virum dedecet. Hoc meum efto votum: non de.
us unquam faciat, ut fortuna me in deliciis habeat. Ipfe quifquis es
te interroga, fi qua poteftatem tibi deus faciat, utrum malis vivere
in macello, an in caftris. Atqui vivere militare eft. Proinde hi
jultantur, & per operofa atque ardua furfum, atque deorfum eunt, d
expeditiones periculofiffimas obeunt viri funt, priorefque caftrorum,
vivere exiftimandi funt. Ift quos publica quies, aliis laboranti.
bus molliter habet turturilli funt, tuti contumelia caufa, quorum
vita mors cenfenda.
qui
L. 21. Sonat vitium. This Simile of a Pitcher not thoroughly
baked, which therefore returns a blunt, and fullen Sound, is ex-
tremely juſt; for a very little Trial will diſcover what kind of
Education a Man has had.
L. 23. Udum et melle lutum. Εξ ἀρχῆς τὰ ἢ τέκνων ἢθη ρυθ
μίζειν προσήκει. ευπλαςον δ' καὶ ὑγρὸν ἡ νεότης, κ ταῖς
ǹ
τέτων ψυχεις ἁπαλαῖς ἔτι τὰ μαθήματα εντήκεται πάν
δὲ τὸ σκληρὸν χαλεπῶς μαλάττεται. Plut. de inftit. lib.
L. 24- fine fine rota. A round Wheel.
Ther
SATYR III.
41
Then your Pen does nothing but blot. Thou art
a poor Wreich; and likely to improve in thy Follies
every Day. But why don't you rather turn Child again?
be fed out of the Nurfe's Mouth, like a young Pidgeon,
and, like the Sons of our Nobility, quarrel for your
Mince-meat, and refuſe the Lullaby? Shall I write with
fuch a Pen as this? Whom do you ſpeak to? What do you
mean by all this Whining and Complaining? You are
only deceiving your felf. The Time wherein you ought
to study is flying faft away, and you must be an inconfi-
derable, wretched, contemptible Creature. Nothing is
eafier diſcovered than theWant of a well grounded Edu-
cation. The earthen Pitcher which has not been well
baked at first, betrays itſelf by a fullen Sound; confider
how much you refemble this. Your Clay is now both
foft and flexible, juſt of a Temper for the forming
Hand, neither have you one Moment to lofe.
But you will be apt to think that you have a compe-
tent Eſtate, and a well furnished Houfe, what need you
employ your Hours in Study. Is this enough? Is it a
feemly thing in you to be vainly puft up on account of
your Quality? That you derive your Pedigree from the
Tufcans, through the noble Channel of a thouſand An-
cestors? That you have the Privilege of wearing a
purple Robe? Theſe external Fopperies may glitter well
enough in vulgar Eyes; but how fhall you acquit your
L.26.Patella, Was aCenfer in which they offered to their Lares,
which they kept in their Chimney-corners. Why he gives it the
Epithet Secura is becauſe, while they continued religious, they
were not in fear of any Want or Calamity.
L. 28. Stemmate Thufco, Here he alludes to that Paffage, in
the first Ode of Horace, where he mentions Mecanas, as defcen-
ded from the Kings of Hetruria. Stemma fignifies a Crown com-
pofed of many Flowers; hence it is metaphorically ufed to ftand
for the Genealogy of illuftrious Families. Stemmata lineis dif-
currebant ad imagines picas,
Plin, lib. 35. c. 2.
Ad
42
SATYRA III.
Ad populum phaleras. Ego te intus et in cute novi.
Non pudet ad morem difcincti vivere Nattæ ?
Sed ftupet hic vitio, et fibris increvit opimum
Pingue; caret culpa; nefcit quid perdat, et alto
Demerfus, fumma rurfus non bullit in unda.
Magne pater divûm, fævos punire tyrannos
Haud alia ratione velis, cum dira libido
Moverit ingenium, ferventi tincta veneno:
Virtutem videant, intabefcantque relicta.
An-ne magis Siculi gemuerunt æra juvenci?
Aut magis auratis pendens laquearibus enfis
Purpureas fubter cervices terruit; Imus,
Imus præcipites, quam fi tibi dicat, et intus
Palleat infelix, quod proxima neſciat uxor ?
30.
35
40
L. 30. Ad populum phaleras. A proverbial Saying. It is made
uſe of by Plutarch in his Treatife of the Love of Riches. Tȧ TO
πλέτε φάλαρα ταῦτα. The Meaning here is. You may thew
your Trappings to the People. That is, you may amuſe them
with the Pomp of your Family, but you ſhall not make me
think, that fuch external Ornaments can add any intrinſick
Worth to you. Satius eft meis geftis florere, quam majorum opi-
nione niti, & ita vivere ut ego fum pofteris meis nobilitatis ¿5
virtutis exemplum.
Cic. contra Salluft.
L. 35. An excellent Apostrophe, where it is fuppofed he levels
at Nero, and finely expreffes the fecret Stings of Confcience. St.
Austin makes a very right Application of this Paffage in the ninth
Chapter of his Book de Magiftro. Perfius omnibus pænis quas ty-
rannorum vel crudelitas excogitavit, vel cupiditas pendit, hanc unam
anteponit qua cruciantur homines qui vitia que vitare non poſſunt co.
guntur agnofcere.
Dil de que quam male eſt extra legem viventibus! quicquid meru.
erunt femper expectant.
L. 38. Virtutem videant, &c. It is probable that Perſius had
this from the Poet, whom Plutarch quotes.
*Αι αι τό δε ήδε θεῖον ἀνθρώποις κακὸν,
Οταν τὶς εἰδῇ τἀγαθόν, χρῆται δὲ μη.
L. 39. Sicult jubenci. All the Tortures, and Wrecks, con-
trived by Tyrants, cannot equal the Torments of a guilty Con-
ſcience.
Perillus. An Artist from Athens, to gratify the Cruelty of
Phalarts, that famous Tyrant of Syracufe, invented a brazen
Bull to burn Men alive, to make their Cries more dreadful;
felf
SATYR III.
43
ſelf to me, and ſuch as I am, who ſee your Infide tho-
roughly, when we shall reproach you thus? Are you not a-
fhamed to lead fuch a Life as that profligate Spendthrift
Natta? But however there is fome Plea to be made m his De-
fence. He is harden'd and ftupified by a long Courſe of
Vices, and fo far funk in them, that it is not in his Pow-
er to recover himſelf; and befides he is intirely inſenſi-
ble of the Lofs of Virtue, for which I could almoft in-
cline to forgive his Madneſs.
O thou great Father of the Gods, whenever thou un-.
dertakeſt to puniſh Tyrants for their Cruelty, and Inhu-
manity, when the horrid Luft of exercising their Pow-
er ſheds its Poiſon thro' their burning Veins; think of
no other Method of doing it, than by the fevere Stings
of Confcience. Let them fee the Beauties of Virtue,
and pine away for deſerting her. Can the Bull of Pha-
laris, or the Sword of Damocles rack with a greater Tor-
ment, than a Perfeverance in Vice, and the fecret Hor-
rors of a wounding Confcience? when a Man fhall be
inwardly torn for the Committal of ſuch Crimes as he
dare not reveal, even to the Wife of his Bofom.
he was the firft himſelf upon whom the Tyrant made the Ex-
periment.
L. 40. Pendens enfis. The Sword which hung over the Head
of Damocles.
Damocles was a Flatterer in the Court of Dionyfius, the Sict.
lian Tyrant, who, commending the King's Happiness in an ex-
traordinary manner, was convinced of his Miftake, by the fol-
lowing Method. Dionyfius ordered a moſt magnificent Entertain-
ment to be prepared for him, and had a drawn Sword, hung by
a Horfe's Hair, over his Head; ſo that Damocles could reliſh no-
thing of what he eat, or drank, being in conftant Expectation
of the Sword's falling. This Story is beautifully told by Cicero,
in the fifth Book of his Tuſculan Queſtions, ſec, 21. which he
concludes thus, fatifne videtur declaraffe Dionyfius, nihil effe et
beatum, cut femper aliquis terror impendeat.
L. 43. Et intus palleat, &c. The Torments of a guilty Con-
fcience are finely defcribed by Hermes Trismegiftus in his Paman-
der. Cujufnam o filt ardentior flamma eft, quam impietatis g ſcen
Lerum? Quanam fera mordax ita corpus lacerat, ut hac lantant ani
mum? Nonne vides quot malis animus premitur impius? En fic filt
vociferatur impius animus.--Uror...Abfumor--- Quid agam nefcio..--
Devorant me miferum mala undique confluentiá………. Non video quic.
quam-..-Heu miſer non audie!
Sæpe
44
SATYRA III.
Sæpe oculos (memini) tangebam parvus olivo,
Grandia fi nollem morituri verba Catonis
45
Difcere, ab infano multum laudanda magiftro,
Quæ pater adductis fudans audiret amicis.
Jure etenim id fummum, quid dexter fenio ferret,
Scire erat in votis, damnofa canicula quantum
50
Raderet, anguftæ collo non fallier orcæ ;
Neu quis callidior buxum torquere flagello.
Haud tibi inexpertum curvos deprendere mores,
Quæque docet fapiens braccatis illita Medis
Porticus, infomnis quibus indetonfa juventus
Invigilat, filiquis, et grandi pafta polenta.
Et tibi quæ Samios diduxit litera ramos,
Surgentem dextro monftravit limite callem.
Stertis adbuc? laxumque caput compage foluta
55
L. 45. Grandia fi nollem, &c. Every fixth Day Boys declaimed
at Rome in their Schools before their Parents, which we may find
in the tenth Book of Quintilian's Inftit. Cato is here mentioned,
as a Subject for Declamation, which on account of the Subject
ought to be truly ſublime.
L. 48. Sento. Was the Size on the Talus: Venus was the
beft Throw. Talis enim jaltátis, ut quifque canem aut fentonem
miferar in fingulos talos, denarios in medium conferebat: quos tolle.
bat univerfos qui Venerem jecerat, Sueton. The Method of play-
ing with the Tali among the Ancients was thus. They had four
of thein inade, either of Gold, or Silver, or Bone; theſe they
threw out of a Box: The Number of Cafts which could poffi-
bly happen were reduced to 1296, becauſe they had but four
Sides. The oppofite Sides always made feven on each of them,
as one and fix, three and four, five and two. Lucian in his Book
de amoribus explains the Caſt Venus very well. Οι πόλε Tri
Θεόν αυτω ευβολήσεις μήδεν @ ἀςραγάλο πέσον α ἴσω
χήματι προσεκιει, δ ἐπιθυμίας τεύξεθαι νομίζων. Hence
we ſee that when every Dye or Talus turned up a different Num.
ber, that was called Venus. Though Julius Pollux expounds it
after a different Manner. Οι περιβαλλον τῷ πλήθει τ
μονάδων ἔμελλεν αναιρείσαι τὸ επιδιακείμενον ἀργύριον.
He who had the greateſt Number of Aces fwept the Stakes. It
is not to be doubted but they had many Methods of playing
which we cannot fettle at this Diftance of Time.
L. 50. Anguẞle collo non fullier orca. The Boys had a Play of
Pitching Nuts into a narrow-mouth'd Vedel.
SATYR III.
45
I remember the very first Seeds of Vice in my felf had their
original Growth from a Hatred to School. When I was a lit-
tle Boy, I used to find out Ointments to blear my Eyes,
that I might avoid thofe Exercifes and Declamations,
which my Mafter (whom I thought a Madman for his
Pains) used to inftru&t me in, that my Father and my
Friends might have the Pleaſure of hearing me.
All my Delight was rather to be skilled in Dice, to
play at Nuts, and to whip the Top.
But it is not fo with you, who are come to riper Years,
and have had the Advantage of being inftructed in the
Diſtinctions of Right and Wrong, according to the
Doctrine of the Stoicks. In whofe fevere Difcipline
the manly Youth (who are fed upon the plaineft Diet)
are educated. And you have been rightly informed as
to the two Roads, of Virtue, and Vice, which are repre-
fented by the Philofopher Pythagoras, in the Symbol of
the Letter Y.
And do you dream away your Life ftill? and folling
Vas quoque fape cavum fpatio diftante locatur
Ovid. de nuce.
In quod miffa levi nux cadit una manu,
L. 53. The Portico, in which the Stoicks taught at Athens, had
the Conquefts of Miltiades, Leonidas, and Themistocles painted
upon the Walls over Darius and Xerxes.
L. 56. Pythagoras faid the Letter Y, by its Make, reprefented
the two Roads, of Virtue, and Vice; the narrow and the
broad Way. He was a Philofopher of Samos, Son of Mne.
farchus the Jeweller, a Heater of Pherecydes Syrus, inftru&-
ed by Hermodamas. After he had gone through his Courie
under him, he travelled to Egypt, where he was inftructed in
their Theology, &c. He was taken Priſoner, in the Reign of
Artaxerxes, to Babylon, where he had an Opportunity of ſtudy-
ing Aftronomy. He travelled to that part of Italy called Magna
Gracia, where he was the Founder of the Italick Sect. He had
no leſs than fix hundred Hearers at once, who attended him by
Night; among whom the chief were Archytas of Tarentum, Alc
maon of Croton, Hipppafus of Metapontum. It was he who was
the firſt Founder of that Doctrine called the Metempsychosis, or
Tranſmigration of Souls, which he believed ſo firmly that he af.
firmed himself to have been Erhalts the Son of Mercury, after
him Euphorbus, then Hermotmus, after him Pyrrhus, a Fisher of
Delos, next him Pythagores. His Life is very well written by
Famblichus.
Ofcitat
6
SATYRA III.
Ofcitat hefternum, diffutis undique malis?
Eft aliquid quo tendis, et in quod dirigis arcum?
An paffim fequeris corvos, teftave, lutove
Securus quò pes ferat, atque ex tempore vivis?
Elleborum fruftra, cum jam cutis ægra tumebit,
Pofcentes videas? venienti occurrite morbo.
Et quid opus Cratero magnos promittere montes?
Difcite, ô miferi, et caufas cognofcite rerum,
Quid fumus, et quidnam victuri gignimur: ordo
Quis datus, et metæ quam mollis flexus, et unde;
Quis modus argento, quid fas optare, quid aſper
Utile nummus habet; patriæ charifque propinquis
60
65
70
L. 59 Diffutis malis. With Jaws unftitch'd: a good pleaſant
Metaphor to exprefs Gaping.
L. 60. The feventeen Lines which follow contain fome excel-
lent Precepts, for the Conduct of Life in its moft material Cir
cumſtances. St. Auſtin Was to pleaſed with them, that he calls
them a compleat Epitome of moral Philofophy. Vide de civitat.
det lib. 2. c. 6.
Eft aliquid quo tendis. Confilium quemadmodum inveniatur often-
dum. Quoties quid fugiendum fit, aut quid petendum voles fcire, ad
fummum bonum & propofitum totius vite reſpice : illi enim confenti-
re debet quicquid agimus, Now diſponet fingula, nifi cut jam vita
Sua fumma propofita eft. Senec. Ep. 71.
'
Αβ, ἦν καὶ πρὸς τὸν βίον ἡ γνωσις το τέλους μεγάλίω ἔ-
χει ῥοπίων και καθάπερ τοξίη σκοπὸν ἔχοντες, μᾶλλον
Arift. lib. 1. ad Nicomach.
ἂν τυγχάνοι με το δέον θα
L. 65. Craterus. A famous Phyſician at Rome, in the Time of
Auguftus. Cicero mentions him in the twelfth Book of his Epi-
ftles to Atticus, Commovet me Attica, etfi affentior Cratero.
L. 66. Caufas cognofcite rerum. It has ever been the Practice
among the wifeft of Men, to enquire into the Caufes of Things,
as being the beft Method of coming at the firft Fountain of all
Beings, which is God. My Lord Bacon makes this very uſeful
Remark, That as a little Smattering in Philoſophy inclines Men
to Atheiſm, fo does Depth in it bring Men back to Religion.
Virg.
Felix qui potuit rerum cognofcere caufas.
Quanto fatius eft caufas inquirere, I quidem totó in hoc intentum
animo: neque enim quicquam illo invenire dignius poteft, cui se non
tantum commodet, fed impendat. Sen, natural. quæft. lib. 6. c. 3.
I. 69. Quid fumus. τὸ ΓΝΩΘΙ ΣΑΥΤΟΝ το Θεό πα-
ράγει μα και ἀρχὴ καὶ τέλῷ πάσης ἐὶ φιλοσοφίας καὶ ἐν-
ζωίας.
Simplic.
lolling
SATYR III.
47
lolling at yourEale,with your Mouth open,belch out the
Fumes of your laft Night's Revelling? have you pro-
pofed no End in Life to which you may direct your
Courſe, but live ex tempore, without any Regard to the
future, as if you were still in a State of Nature?
You have difmal Examples enough of Procrastination. When
you fhall fee Perfons calling for the Affiftance of Helle-
bore too late, when the Dropfy has overwhelmed them.
Whereas if you feek a Remedy upon the first Approach
of a Diſeaſe, what Occafion will there be to promiſe
your Phyſician golden Mountains for your Recovery?
Be wife therefore, ye wretched Mortals, and make
Philofophy your chief Study; enquire into the Cauſes
of Things; ftudy your felves, and for what End ye were
created; what Rules of Life are laid before you'; what
Race you are to run, and how exact you ought to be in
the Conduct of it; confider the right Ufe of Money;
how much you ought to expend for the Good of your
Country: How much you thould ſpare for the Ser-
vice of your Friends: And above all, to acquit your felf
Sequitur illud ut animadvertamus qui fimus ipfi, ut nos quales o.
portet effe fervemus.
Cic. ac. lib. 4.
Plato's Definition of Man is moſt beautiful. puror sexvior.
ἐκ γειον· ἕν ἢ κλημάτων το Θεό.
ky
Quidnam victuri gignimur. In the next place, after knowing
our own Nature, he advifes to confider the End of our Creati-
on, agreeably to the Stoicks Doctrine, for Perfius was educated
in their Principles. Placet Stoicis que in terris gignuntur, ad uſum
hominum omnià creari : homines autem hominum cauſſa eſſe generatos,
ut ipfi inter fe alii aliis prodeffe poffint: in hoc naturam debemus du-
cem fequi, & communes utilitates in medium afferre, mutatione offi
etorum, dando, accipiendo, tum artibus, tum opera, tum facultati.
bus devincire hominum inter homines focietatem, Cic. lib. 1. offic.
Ordo quis datus. By the Word ordo here is underſtood, The e.
ternal Decrees of Fate, whereby all things were immutably de.
figned to happen as they are. Sic ordinem rerum fati aterna feries
rotat, cujus hæc prima lex eft ftare decreto. Sen, natural, lib. 2.
Sic Vivamus, fic loquamur : paratos nos inveniat atque impigros fám
Hic eft magnus animus qui fe deo tradidit. At contra ille pu-
Allus ac degener, qui obluctatúr, & de ordine mundi male exiſtmat,
da emendare mavult deos quam ſe.
Sen. ep. 107.
tum.
L. 68. Quam mollis flexus & unde. How difficult it is to pafs
thro' Life with Honour, and to know where and what time is
moft proper to begin the Race which we are to run.
Quan
48
SATYRA III.
Quantum elargiri deceat; quem te Deus effe
Juffit; et humana qua parte locatus es in re;
Difce: neque invideas, quod multa fidelia putet
In locuplete penu, defenfis pinguibus Umbris;
Et piper, et pernæ, Marfi monumenta clientis,
Manaque quod prima nondum defecerit orca.
Hic aliquis de gente hircofa Centurionum,
Dicat, quod fatis eft, fapio mihi: non ego curo
Effe quod Arcefilas, ærumnofique Solones,
Obftipo capite, et figentes lumine terram,
Murmura cum fecum, et rabiofa filentia rodunt,
Atque exporrecto trutinantur verba labello,
Ægroti veteris meditantes fomnia: gigni
De nihilo nihil, in nihilum nil poffe reverti.
75
80
Hoc eft, quod palles? cur quis non prandeat, hoc eft? 85
Hos populus ridet, multumque torofa juventus
L. 74. Umbet. A very ancient People of Italy.
L. 75. Marfi. A People of Apulia. Here he mentions the
Prefents which they fent their Lawyers, and defires that we may
not envy thoſe who receive ſuch Gifts, ſuppoſing them the Effect
of Extortion.
L. 76. Mena. A ſmall Sea-fiſh.
L. 77. Hircoſa gens centurionum. So called from their filthy
Sinell. The Captains of the Army were not ſo nice in their
Drefs in this Age of the World. And as to their Love of Learning
and learned Men, the Generality of them were ever the fame as
they are now. It is very natural that Sciences should be ridicu-
led by thoſe who want them. This Cicero has taken notice of
and expoſes in the fifth Book of his Tufculan Questions.
Philofophia quidem tantum abeft ut proinde ac de hominum eft vita
merita, laudetur ; ut a plerifque neglecta, a multis etiam vitupere.
eur. Vituperare quifquam vite parentem, U hoc parricidio ſe ingut.
mare audet? Et tam impie ingratus eſſe, ut eam accuſet, quam vere.
ri deberet, etiam fi minus perſpicere potuiffet? Sed ut opinor, hic er.
honourably
SATYR III.
49
honourably in that Station of Life, wherein God has
placed you.
Learn this, and do not envy that the wealthy Lawyer
encreaſes his Stores beyond you, by Knavery and Op-
preffion.
Perhaps you may hear fome Fop of the Army
fpeak in this Manner. I am wife enough already. I
would not for the World be like arcefilas, or Solon, who
walk with their Heads ftooping, and fix their Eyes up-
on the Earth, murmuring, and growling, 1 know not
what, with themſelves, ftretching out their Lips, and
weighing their Words, dreaming out fuch Inconfiften-
cies as thefe. That nothing is made of nothing, and that no-
thing can be turned into nothing. Is it for this that Philo-
fophers loſe their Stomachs, and look pale? I can tell
them, that it is for thefe Notions both Men and Boys
laugh at them:
For, hec indoctorum animis effufa caligo eft, quod tam longe retrò
refpicere non poffunt.
L. 79. Arcefilas. A Philofopher and Difciple of Polemon, a
great Mafter of Difputation, He ftudied under Crantor, who
was faid to have changed Plato's Philofophy. Cicero in his Acade
mick Questions, in the laft Paragraph of his firft Book, ſays thus
of him. Arcefilas negabat eſſe quid fciri poſſer, ne illud quidem ip.
fum quod Socrates reliquiffet. He is called by Lactantius, the Ma.
fter of Ignorance, becauſe he held, Nothing was to be known.
Solon of Salimis. One of the fever wiſeMen of Greece. He lived
about the Time of Tarquinius Prifcus. It was he who abrogated
the Laws of Draco, and made fuch in their place, as reconciled
the People of Athens to the Senators, who before had a mortal
Hatred for one another. When he left the Athenians, he bound
them by an Oath never to alter his Laws till he returned; which
made him Order his Aftes after his Death to be ſcattered round
the Iſland Salamis,
D
Ingemi-
50.
SATYRA III.
Ingeminat tremulos nafo crifpante cachinnos.
Infpice: nefcio quid trepidat mihi pectus, et ægris
Faucibus exuberat gravis halitus; infpice fodes,
Qui dicit medico, juffus requiefcere, poftquam
Tertia compofitas vidit nox currere venas,
De majore domo modicum fitiente lagena,
Lenia loturo fibi Surrentina rogavit.
90
Heus bone, tu palles. Nihil eft. Videas tamen iftud,
Quicquid id eft: furgit tacite tibi lutea pellis.
95
At tu deterius palles; ne fis mihi tutor:
Jampridem hunc fepeli; tu reftas. Perge, tacebo.
Turgidus hic epulis, atque albo ventre, lavatur,
Gutture fulfureas lente exhalante Mephites.
Sed tremor inter vina fubit, calidumque trientem
Excutit è manibus; dentes crepuere retecti.
Uncta cadunt laxis tunc pulmentaria labris.
Hinc tuba, candela: tandemque beatulus alto
Compofitus lecto, craffifque lutatus amomis,
In portam rigidos calces extendit: at illum
Hefterni capite induto fubiere Quitites.
Tange mifer venas, et pone in pectore dextram.
100
105
L. 87. Cachinnos. Plato, in his third Book de Repub, does high-
ly condemn immoderate and violent Laughter. The proper and
decent Manner of it is most beautifully recommended by Ovid.
Eft qua perverfo diftorqueat ora cachinno,
Cum rifit leta eft, altera flere putes.
Illa fonat raucum quiddam, atque inamabile ridet,
Ut rudit a ſcabra turpis afella mola.
Sint modici riétus, fint parve utrinque lacuns,
Et fummos dentes ima labella tegant,
Nec fua perpetuo contendant ilia rifu,
Sed leve, nefcio quid, famineumque fonent.
Lib. 3. de arte amandi.
L. 90. Here Perfius makes ufe of a very good Allufion, where-
in he compares thofe Perfons, who ask Advice of Philofophers,
and yet deſpiſe their Precepts, to fick People, who confult their
Phyſicians, and yet lay afide their Preſcriptions. Cicero, in the
third Book of his Tufculan Questions, frequently runs a Parallel
He
SATYR III.
SI
He who ſays to a Phyſician, Conſider my Caſe I beſeech
you. I have got a Palpitation at my Heart. My Breath has an
ill Savour. The Phyfician adviſes to keep himſelf calm
and temperate, only four Days. He cannot hold
out, but begs fome delicate Wines before he bathes,
from fome of his noble Friends. The Phyfician comes
after this. My good Friend, you are grown pale. It figni-
fies nothing, Sir. I would have you however to take Care, as
fight as you think it ; your Skin begins to rife, and is of a livid
Colour. Doctor, I think you look paler your felf. Don't
you pretend to be my Governour. I have buried one al-
ready, who told me, I looked fickly, but you are alive to
plague me. Go on your own Way, I shall not trouble you with
any more Advice. To make myStory fhort. ThisGentleman
falls to his Luxury again, breathes out the Stench of his
Indigeſtion; and what is the Confequence? He is feized
with a Palley; the Glafs falls from his Hand; his Teeth
chatter in his Head; his Dainties drop from his Mouth.
Hence come the Trumpets and Lamps; and he is cook-
ed up in all the State and Formalities of a dead Perfon;
then carried out by his Servants to the Grave, who have
now got their full Freedom by his Death. Well, but try
between Philofophy, and Phyfick; between the Distempers of the
Mind, and thoſe of the Body.
L. 93. Surrentina. From a Town in Campania called Surren-
tum. Wine, and Bathing, are both dangerous for People in a
Dropfy.
L. 103. Hinc tuba, candele. Julius Pollux fays, the Trumpet
was for calling the Friends of the Deceaſed together. Candele
were the Torches with which, I ſuppoſe, they lighted theFuneral
Piles.
Beatulus. The Dead among the Ancients were ftyled, The
Happy.
Διὰ ταυτα γδ' τοι καλοιται μακάριοι.
Πᾶς γδ' λέγει τις Ο' μακάριος οίχεται,
Κατέδας εν ευδαίμων.
Ergo & mortui beati nominantur.
Ita quifque ait. Abiit beatus ille.
obdormiit felix.
Stob. Serm. 275.
D 2
Nil
SATYRA III.
Nil calet hic; fummofque pedes attinge, manufque,
Non frigent. Vifa eft fi forte pecunia, five
Candida vicini fubrifit molle puella,
Cor tibi rite falit? Pofitum eft algente catino
Durum olus, et populi cribro decuffa farina.
Tentemus fauces: tenero latet ulcus in ore
Putre, quod haud deceat plebeiâ radere betâ.
Alges, cum excuffit membris timor albus ariftas:
Nunc face fuppofita fervefcit fanguis, et ira
Scintillant oculi; dicifque facifque, quod ipfe
Non fani effe hominis, non fanus juret Oreftes.
IIO
115
L. 115. Excufit membris timor albus ariftas. A Metaphor from
bearded Corn, to expreſs the Hair erect thro' Horror.
me;
SATYR
53
III.
me; I have none of thofe Symptoms; examine my Feet
and Hands. You have worse; for your Distempers are in your
Soul. Can you preſerve your Heart untainted at the Sight of Mo-
ney? Or should your Neighbour's beautiful Daughter betray her
Liking by her Smiles, can you refift the Temptation? Here is a
Dish of cold Pottage, and brown Bread, laid down before you.
Let us try your Palate; This you cannot bear; You have got an
Ulcer in your Mouth, which cannot away with the Roughness of
the Plebeian Beet. In the next place, you are ſo affected with the
Paffion of Fear, that your Hair stands erect. Now again, ja
much under the Dominion of Anger, that your Blood is in a Fer-
ment, your Eyes Sparkle, and you both fay and do, what even the
mad Oreftes would fwear only became a Madman.
SATYR
(54)
SATYR IV.
The ARGUMENT.
The Author in this Satyr levels at Nero under
the Name of Alcibiades, for prefuming to un-
dertake the Administration of publick Affairs,
without fufficient Qualifications for ſo great an
Undertaking, being too young, and altogether
unexperienced in the right Methods of Govern-
ment. The Subftance of this Satyr is taken
from Plato, in the first Dialogue of Socrates
with Alcibiades, where that great Author, in
a most excellent Manner, expofes not only the
Folly of the Ignorant, in endeavouring to have
any Share in the Government, but in pretend-
ing to any other Profeffion in Life, wherein
they have not been fufficiently inftructed. So-
crates had nothing more at Heart, than the
right Education of Youth, and especially of
fuch as were to have any Part in the publick
Affairs of their Country, when they came to
be Men. This will appear from the following
Story which Xenophon records of him in his
Memoirs.
One Day he obferved Euthydemus, a young
Man, ftealing off from one of his Lectures, and
be gave him the following Rebuke. • When-
E ever (faid Socrates) the Publick ſhall have
G •
· Occa
The ARGUMENT.
55
• Occafion for this young Man's Voice, he will
Speak to this Purpofe." Ye Athenians, I
<c
،
never learned any Thing of any Body; I
"avoided the Converfation of learned Men as
« much as was in my Power; nay, I ſhun-
"ned the very Sufpicion of being taught; How-
cc ever,
1 fhall venture to give you fuch Coun-
"fel a: comes into my Head. Might not ano-
ther, who defired the Republick to grant him
a Licence for the Practice of Phyfick, begin
• his Oration in the fame Manner. “ O ye
"Citizens of Athens, Inever learned the Art
"of Phyfick of any Body, nor did I endea-
CC vour, but avoided it as far as lay in my
"Power; however, I would have you give me
"a Licence to profefs it; for I will endeavour
to learn by practising upon your felves.
c
66
S A-
( 56 )
SATYRA QUARTA.
P. Rem populi tractas? (barbatum hoc crede magiftrum
Dicere, forbitio tollit quem dira cicuta)
Quo fretus? dic hoc magni pupille Pericli.
Scilicet ingenium, & rerum prudentia velox
Ante pilos venit; dicenda, tacendaque calles.
Ergo ubi commota fervet plebecula bile,
Fert animus calidæ feciffe filentia turbæ
Majeftate manus. Quid deinde loquere? Quirites,
Hoc, puto, non juftum eft; Illud male; rectius iftud.
Scis etenim juftum gemina ſuſpendere lance
5
IO
Line 1. Barbatus magifter. Socrates. Cicero, in his fourth Book
de finibus, fays. that Philofophers were ftyled barbati by way of
Honour, and Diftinction. We find in the thirteenth Book of
Athenaus, that in the Time of Alexander the Great, cutting the
Beard off was contrived as a Puniſhment, and a Mark of Disgrace.
Socrates is here ftyled magifter, either becauſe he was Tutor to
Alcibiades, or that according to Cicero's Character of him in the
fifth Book of his Tufculan Questions, it is ſaid in theſe Words.
Primus ille philofophiam devocavit e cœlo, ¿ in urbibus collocavit, g
in domus introduxit: coegit de vita & moribus, rebufque bonis &
malis quærere.
L. 2. Sorbitio cicuta, Hemlock is the Poiſon, which Plato
mentions in his Phado, to which Socrates was condemned.
L 3. Quo fretus, ÖTW πi5dWV. The very Expreſſion which
Plato makes Socrates ufe to Alcibiades.
Magni pupille Pericli. In the fame Dialogue where Socrates
taxes Alcibiades with being elated on account of his Family, his
Beauty and his Wealth, he concludes. But of all that I have
⚫ mentioned, you are rather for having Pericles left by your Fa-
ther, as a Tutor to you, and your Brother.
Pericles, a famous Governour of Athens, who managed the
Common-wealth forty Years, a Man of great Eloquence and
SATYR
(57)
SATYR IV.
P. Do you take upon you the Adminiſtration of Af-
fairs? (Suppofe this to be faid by Socrates) Upon
what Foundation? Tell me, I beseech you, Alcibiades.
To be fure you have acquired Wiſdom, and Experience
enough in your Minority. You are excellently well qua-
lified to fpeak in publick. And therefore, if any Còm-
motion should arife in the State, you can filence the Tu-
mult of an inraged Multitude, by your Authority, by
the Waving of your Hand. And what will be your
Speech: To this purpoſe, no doubt. Te Romans, I think
you are now acting against all the Rules of Fuftice. This is a
wicked Rebellion; Peace would be much more for your Advan-
tage. For you very well underſtand to fettle the Scales
of Juftice, when they are in a fluctuating Motion. You
Authority, about 426 Years before Chriſt. The Comick Poets
called him Olympius, becauſe his Oratory ftruck the People with
the Force of Thunder. Read his Life in Plutarch.
Val, max.
lib. 8. 9.
L. 5. Dicenda tacendaque calles. The whole Art of publick O.
ratory confifts in the Secret of knowing rightly what Points a
Man ought to ſpeak to, and what to conceal or paſs over.
L. 8. Majeftate manus.
----
Qui poftquam voce manuque
Murmura compreffit, tenuere filentia cun&t.
----tumultum
Ovid.
Lucan.
Compofuit vultu, dextraque filentia juffit.
L. 10. Scis etenim juftum, &c. What follows is Ironical. Ju-
ftice is here reprefented by a Pair of Scales in Motion, which
requires fome Patience and ExaЯneſs to diſtinguiſh on which
Side the Weight lies; which very well expreſſes what Care is re-
quired in the Determination of ſuch Cauſes as come before a
Judge. It is an excellent Image to caution us againſt giving rafh
Judgment.
Ancipi-
58
SATYRA IV.
Ancipitis libræ: rectum difcernis, ubi inter
Curva fubit, vel cum fallit pede regula varo:
Et potis es nigrum vitio præfigere Theta.
Quin tu igitur, fumma nequicquam pelle decorus,
Ante diem blando caudam jactare popello
Definis, Anticyras melior forbere meracas?
Quæ tibi fumma boni eft? uncta vixiffe patella
15
L. II. Rectum difcernis, &c. Virtues are beft diftinguished by
comparing them with their Extreams; but it oftentimes hap-
pens, that fome Actions are accompanied with fuch Circumftan-
ces, that it is a difficult Matter to determine whether to ſay they
are right or wrong.
L. 12. Nigrum prafigere. To condemn a Criminal to Death,
which requires Juftice tempered with Clemency, becauſe it is
better the Guilty ſhould eſcape, than that the Innocent ſhould
fuffer.
, ftands for Oával, prefixed by the Judges of Athens
to their Sentences of Condemnation.
Ifti qui volet exarationt
Districtum bonus applicare Theta.
Nofti mortiferum Pratoris, Caftrice, fignum,
Eft opera pratium dicere
nobum.
Sidon. Apol. c. 9.
Mart. Epig.
Perfius, as well as Martial, in this follows the Greek Cuſtom;
for the Roman Judges writ A and C for Abfolve, or Condemno, ac•
cording as they paffed Sentence.
L.14-Quin tu igitur,&c. Alcibiades was beautiful, fo was Nere.
vid. Sueton. Here Perfius takes occafion to fhew, that the out-
ward Appearance of Beauty fignifies nothing, where the Beauty
of the Mind is wanting. This Plato has put in a very good Light,
in that Dialogue between Socrates and Alcibiades, as follows,
can
SATYR IV.
59
can difcern Right from Wrong, though they may be
perplexed by many Circumftances. And you can judge
extremely well in Cafes of Life and Death. Let me ad-
viſe you to forbear theſe great Undertakings, for it is
not your Beauty will carry you thro' fuch Difficulties;
therefore conceal your Arrogance from the People 'till
you have gain'dExperience; return to School and learn.
Have you as yet propofed what is the chief Point to pur-
fue? A. Yes, to eat and drink deliciouſly, and to in-
Soc. If any one ſhould tell Amaftris, the Widow Queen of
Xerxes, that the Son of Dinomache a private Perſon proclaimed
War againſt the Son of her, who was a great Queen; and that
the Son of Dinomache had not above three hundred Acres of Land;
I ſuppoſe, Alcibiades, if the Queen were to ſpeak to you, ſhe
would fay that you depend upon your Induſtry, and Wiſdom;
and again, if ſhe ſhould hear that you were not above twenty
Years old, utterly ignorant of all things, would the not be apt
to ſay---- What do you rely upon, young Man, for ſuch an Undertaking?
And we ſhould make Anfwer for you, That you depend upon your
Beauty, your Family, your Riches, and your uncultivated Capacity.
Would the not think us all mad, upon comparing her Wealth, het
Power, and her Wiſdom with ſuch Qualifications?
L. 15. Caudam jactare. A Metaphor taken from Peacocks, who
fpread their Tails to the best Advantage. Here therefore it fig-
nifies Oftentation, an Appearance of Virtue, to gain the Affec-
tions of the People, ſuch as Nero had, when he made uſe of this
Expreffion... O quam vellèm nefcire literas, When he was to fign
a dead Warrant.
L. 16. Anticyre. Two Iflands upon the Theſſalian Coaſt, fa-
mous for Hellebore, good to purge the Brain.
Imbibe, dixiffem, purgantes peltora, fuccos,
Quicquid & in tota nafcitur Anticyra.
Ovid. de pont.
L. 17. Qua tibi fumma boni eft? You are fo unfit for Govern-
ment, that you do not understand the firft Elements of Virtue.
Semper,
бо
SATYRA IV.
Semper, et affiduo curata cuticula fole.
Expecta; haud aliud refpondeat hæc anus. I nunc,
Dinomaches ego fum. fuffla, fum candidus. Efto;
Dum ne deterius fapiat pannucia Baucis,
Cum bene difcincto cantaverit ocyma vernæ,
Ut nemo in feſe tentat deſcendere! nemo!
Şed præcedenti fpectatur mantica tergo.
20
Quæfieris. Noftin' Vectidî prædia? cujus?
Dives arat Curibus, quantum non milvus oberret.
Huncais? Hunc, Diis iratis, genioque finiftro.
Qui quandoque jugum pertula ad compita figit,
Seriolæ veteris metuens deradere limum,
Ingemit, Hoc bene fit, tunicatum cum fale mordens
Cæpe, et farratam pueris plaudentibus ollam,
Pannofam fæcem morientis forbet aceti.
25
30
At fiunctus ceffes, et figas in cute Solem,
L. 18. Curata cuticula fole. It was a Cuſtom among the An-
cients to anoint their Bodies in the Sun, to make them ſleek, and
ftrong, and active; but many did it out of Luxury, and fo it
is to be underſtood here. The Greek Phyſicians called it
Ηλίωσις.
᾿Αλειφαμμή τὸ σῶμα και έσωσα πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον.
I precor. totos avida cute combibe foles,
Quam formofus erts!
Ariftoph.
Mart. lib. 10. ep. 12.
L. 19. Suffa. A Metaphor alluding to the Story of Esop's
Frog. Nefcio quid ſe ſuflubit uxori fue. Plaut. Cafin.
L. 22. Ocgma. Put for any Herbs. This Herb is commended
much for Food by Vurro, and Caro. Pliny tells us it was fuperſti-
tiouſly fown with Curfes, to make it grow better.
L. 23. In fefe defcendere. To examine a Man's felf: Accord-
ing to that golden Precept vaði σEAUTÓV. In deorum fecreta
γνώθι σεαυτόν.
defcendere. Sen. Confenfus populi qui jam defcendit in caufam.
Cic. This Metaphor defcendo is taken from going down into
Pits, to examine what kind of Oar is in them.
dulge
1
SATYR IV.
61
dulge my felf as much as I can in Pleaſure. P. Now let
me fpeak. The firft old Woman, who paffes by can give
me as good an Anfwer. Go now and boast of your
high Blood, and fay, I am the Son of Dinomache; and
puff your felf up on account of your Beauty. Yet still
I shall tell you, that Baucis, while fhe cries her Herbs
about the Streets, is as much a Philofopher. What
a ftrange thing it is, that no Man will allow himſelf
Leifure to examine his own Weakneffes, no not one;
but rather expoſes his Folly to all Mankind. For In-
ſtance, do but ask any one the Queſtion. Do you know
what Estate Vectidius has? Which Vectidius do you mean?
Why him, who has more Land at Cures than a Kite can
fly over. Who, that fad Wretch? Hated by Gods and Men !
Who, when he celebrates the Compitalia, is afraid of lo-
fing the Pitch wherewith he stopped his Flasks of Wine. Then
whines out a Grace over fome Onions, which he has not the
Heart to peel, to eat with his Pottage, and fome four Wine,
quite turned to Vinegar; yet as bad as they are, his Servants ex-
press the greatest Joy to see fuch a Feaſt. You ſhall be cen-
L. 24. Spectatur mantica tergo. This is very well explained by
that Fable in Eſop, where he makes every Man carry two Wal-
lets, one hanging before, wherein he fees the Faults of other
Men, and the other behind, in which he carries his own. Abari,
avaros; gloria cupidos, gloriofi reprehendunt. Eft enim proprium ftul
titia aliorum vitia cernere, oblivifci fuorum. Cic. Tufc. Which
Perfius illuftrates in the Example of Vectidius,
Ľ, 26. Quantum non milvus oberret. A proverbial Saying.
Milvos intra tua paſcus laſſos.
Juv.
L. 28. Pertufa ad compita. The Compita, according to an old
Scholiaft upon Perfius, were Towers erected where two Streets
croffed each other, with Paffages thro' them, facing each Street;
hence they are faid to be pertufa. The Compitalia were Feafts
inftituted, fome lay by Tarquinius Prifcus, in the Month of Janu.
ary, and celebrated by Servants alone, when their Plowing was
over.
Seriola. A little earthen Pot or Jar.
L. 31. Farrata olla. Pottage.
L. 32. Pannofa fax, &c. This Line expreffes four, mothered
Wine extremely well.
L. 33. Figas in cute folem.
Pro isto ao fole, quo su abufus es in noftre pratulo, a te nitidum
folem undumque repetemus.
Cic, ad Attic.
EL
62
SATYR A IV.
Eft prope te ignotus cubito qui tangat, et acre
Defpuat in mores; penemque arcanaque lumbi
Runcantem, populo marcentes pandere vulvas.
Tu cum maxillis balanatum gaufape pectas,
Inguinibus quare detonfus gurgulio extat?
Quinque palæftritæ licet hæc plantaria vellant,
Elixafque nates labefactent forcipe adunca,
Non tamen ifta filix ullo manfuefcit aratro.
Cædimus, inque vicem præbemus crura fagittis.
Vivitur hoc pacto: fic novimus. Ilia fubter
Cæcum vulnus habes; fed lato balteus auro
Protegit, ut mavis; da verba, et decipe nervos,
Si potes. Egregium cum me vicinia dicat,
Non credam? Vifo fi palles, improbe, nummo;
Si facis, in penem quicquid tibi venit amarum;
Si puteal multa cautus vibice flagellas;
Nequicquam populo bibulas donaveris aures.
Refpue, quod non es; tollat fua munera cerdo ;
Tecum habita; et noris, quam fit tibi curta fupellex.
35
40
45
50
L. 48. Si puteal. Becauſe this Line is very obſcure, I ſhall firſt
fet down fome Paſſages in Authors, where the Words puteal, and
flagello are to be found; and then endeavour to make out its Senfe
with the beſt Probability.
Ovid.
Qui puteal janumque timet celebrefque calendas.
Erat autem ara quedam coronata, & fuperpofita puteo, ubi quon-
dam defoſſa novacula, & cos Attli Navii auguris, inde nomen fibi
fecit putealis.
Cic. de divin.
-------forum putealque Libonis,
Mandabo ficcis.--
Hor. lib. 1. ep. 19. lib. 2. fer. fat. 6.
Rofcius orabat fibi adeffes ad puteal cras, atque honori pofterorum
ut vibex fieres. Plaut. bibex fieres, a Blot to your Family.
Dionyf. in the third Book of his Antiquities calls it gézę.
Eryc. Putean. de jurejurando, ſays, that the Judges and Liti-
gants both uſed to ſwear at this Altar, and that Ufurers met at
this Court, where the Puttal was, to put out their Money.
fured
SATYR IV.
63
fured after the fame manner, if you proceed in your
luxurious Methods of Living, and Lewdneſs, which
is the Confequence of them. For, be affured, that
many whom you never knew will animadvert upon
your Vices. We fall foul upon others, and others again
upon us. This is the way of the World; this the greateſt
part of our Bufinefs. You are already wounded in
your Reputation, but your Quality helps in a great
meaſure to glofs it over; however you cannot but be
fenfible of that Weaknefs which you have contracted
by your Debauches. A. But fuppofe you are miſta-
ken, and that the World gives me Applaufe, fhall I
not believe them? P. That Applaufe will be but of
little Ufe to a Man who loves Money to a great De-
gree, and when you, to your Scandal, enhance it all
to your felf. In fhort, I would have you reject that
Reputation which you do not deferve. Let the com-
mon People keep their Commendations to themſelves:
Confine your Thoughts more to the Study of your
felf: And you will foon be fenfible how fhort your
Abilities are.
Chimentellius in his Marmor Piſanum, c. 17. after having treated
a long while upon this Word Puteal, concludes thus, Sed de his
pureis libaſſe fufficiat : profundiorem hauftum aliis relinquimus.
..... Arca flagellat opes.
Flagellare anonim. Plin.
Martial.
to inhance Corn.
From all which compared together, we may conclude, Perfius
means, If a Perfon be an extorting Ufurer, he can never gain the
Affections of the People. Pureal may be taken metaphorically for a
Cheft, and flagello in the Senſe of cording it.
SATYRA
SATYRA
QUINTA.
(64)
P.
Vatibus hic mos eft, centum fibi pofcere voces,
Centum ora, et linguas optare in carmina centum ;
Fabula feu mafto ponatur hianda Tragoedo,
Vulnera feu Parthi ducentis ab inguine ferrum.
C. Quorfum hæc? aut quantas robufti carminis offas
Ingeris, ut par fit centeno gutture niti?
Grande locuturi, nebulas Helicone legunto;
Si quibus apt Procnes, aut fi quibus olla Thyeftæ
Fervebit, fæpe infulfo cœnanda Glyconi.
Tu neque anhelanti, coquitur dum maffa camino,
10
L. 2. Centum ora, &c.
જે લે
8δ εΐ μοι δέκα μὲν γλῶσσαι δέκα δὲ σόματ' εἶεν. Hom.
In Imitation of which Hoftius the Poet, in his ſecond Book of
the Iftrian war, quoted by Macrobius fat. 6. c. 3.
------ Non mihi fi lingua
Centum atque ora fient totidem, vocefque liquat&.
Non mihi fi centum lingue, fint oraque centum.
Virg.
L. 4. Partht. The People of Parthia, a Country of Afia Mi-
nor, bounded at the Weft by Media, at the North by Hyrcania, at
the Eaft by Appiana, at the South by the Deſerts of Carmania.
They were the moft obftinate Enemies the Romans had, having
circamvented Craffus, they cut him off, with all his Army. They
were likewife remarkable for fhooting well with their Arrows,
at the time when they were flying from their Enemies. Hence
we may underſtand ducentis ab inguine pulling out the Arrows
with which they were wounded behind.
L. 8. Procne. Daughter of Pandion, King of Athens, Wife of
Tereus, who under the pretence of vifiting her Sifter Philomela
to bring her home, raviſhed her by the Way, cut out her Tongue,
and impriſoned her. She wrought her whole Misfortune in a
Piece of Embroidery, which the fent to her Sifter; who in Re-
venge dreft up her Son Itys, for her Husband Tereus. After he
bad fupped upon him, ſhe brought in his Head; which when Te.
res beheld, he drew his Sword to kill her. As the fled, she was
SATYR
(65)
SATYR V.
1
The ARGUMENT.
This inimitable Satyr confifts of two Parts. In the firſt,
Perfius makes a most grateful Acknowledgment of the
great Obligations he lies under to his Master Cornutus,
for his Education. In the fecond, he treats of true Liber-
ty, according to the Stoicks Opinion.
P. It has ever been the Cuſtom of Poets, in all great
Undertakings, to wiſh for a hundred Mouths, and
Tongues, whether they write a Tragedy, or an Epick
Poem.
c. For what End, Perfius, do you with the fame?
Or what prodigious Kind of Expreffions do you in-
tend to make ufe of, that you pray for a hundred
Throats to breathe them out? Let ranting Poets, who
delight in Bombaft, go to the Clouds of Helicon,and coin
themſelves new Words, when they have a mind to write
either a Tragedy of Procne, or Thyeftes, to be often
acted by the infulfe Glyco. But, as for your part, you
are far from that laborious, noify, and turgid Non-
fenfe, which is ingendred in murmuring,
changed into a Swallow; he into a green Plover; and the Sifter
Philomela, who, on the Orgies of Bacchus, was forced out of Pri-
fon by Procne, and her Companions, being there prefent, was
changed into a Nightingale; and the Boy Irys into a Pheasant.
Ovid. Metamorph. 6.
Thyeftes. The Son of Pelops and Hippodamia, who bearing a
great Hatred to his Brother Atreus, defiled his Bed. Atreus in
Revenge had his Son dreſſed up for Dinner, at which horrid
Sight, the Sun was faid to turn back in its Courſe.
L. 9. Glyco, An infipid Writer of Tragedies, and a Favourite
of Nero.
E
Folle
66
SATYRA V.
Folle premis ventos: nec claufo murmure raucus
Nefcio quid tecum grave cornicaris inepte:
Nec ftloppo tumidas intendis rumpere buccas.
Verba togæ fequeris, junctura callidus acri
Ore teres modico, pallentes radere mores
Doctus, et ingenuo culpam defigere ludo.
Hinc trabe quæ dicas; menfafque relinque Mycenis
Cum capite, et pedibus; plebeiaque prandia noris.
P. Non equidem hoc ftudeo, bullatis ut mihi nugis
Pagina turgefcat, dare pondus idonea fumo.
Secreti loquimur: tibi nunc hortante Camoena
Excutienda damus præcordia; quantaque noftræ
Pars tua fit Cornute animæ, tibi dulcis amice,
Oftendiffe juvat. Pulfa, dignofcere cautus,
Quid folidum crepet, et pictæ tectoria linguæ.
His ego centenas aufim depofcere voces,
Ut, quantum mihi te finuofo in pectore fixi,
Voce traham pura; totumque hoc verba refignent,
Quod latet arcana non enarrabile fibra.
Is
20
25
L. 13. Stloppo. A fictitious Word to exprefs the Noife of a
Man's Chops, by a Trick of the Finger.
L. 14. Verba toga. Plain Words. The Toga was the Habit
worn in Peace; the Paludamentum in War.
L. 15. Pallentes mores. Wickedness; becauſe a guilty Conſci-
ence appears in the Paleneſs of the Countenance.
---Hic murus aheneus efto
Nil confcire fibi, nulla pallefcere culpa.
Hor.
Teres. Is to be underſtood from this Paſſage in Tully's third
Book de orat. Sed fi habitum etiam orationis, & quafi colorem ali-
quem requiris, eft plena quadam & tamen teres & tenuis, & non fine
mervis ac viribus.
L. 16. Defigere. A Metaphor taken from Criticks, who mark
what they find amifs.
L. 17. Menfafque relinque Mycenis. Leave thofe execrable Sub-
jects of Tragedy to the Greek Poets, who write at
Mycena, a Town of Peloponnefus, built by Perfeus, the Son of.
Danae; famous for Atreus, Brother of Thyeftes. Vide Senec.
Trag. Thyeft.
before
SATYR V.
57
-
before it is difcharged aloud. Your Language
is foft and eaſy, and of true Connection. You are
well skilled in fhaming People out of their Vices, by
your genteel Manner of Raillery. Stick to this, and
leave Tragady to others, fo that you make the com-
mon Follies of Mankind the Topicks of your Satyr.
P. I do affure you it is far from my Thoughts, to
dignify Trifles by lofty Language. I rather chufe to
impart the Secrets of my Mind to you, as a Friend.
And, it is at the Inftance of my Muſe I open my Bo-
fom, that you may fee, my dear Friend Cornutus, how
great a Share of my Soul is yours; and what a De-
light it gives me to fhew it. Knock at my Breaft,
and try me. You very well know what Sincerity is,
nor are you to be deceived by painted Expreffions. Hence
it is, that I Wish for a hundred Voices, to enable me
the better to explain that Love and Friendſhip for
you, which is fo deeply imprinted in my Soul," and
which otherwife I ſhould not be able to exprefs.
L, 21. Bullate nuga. Great Trifles.
L. 21. Camana, qu¸ Canene. Vid. Macrob.
L. 22. Quantaque noftra, &c. Among the Ancients they had
the higheft, and moft generous Notions of Friendship, info-
much, that they ſuppoſed two Friends to have but one Soul, di-
vided in two Bodies. Hence Ovid, fpeaking of Pylades and Ore-
ftes, fays,
Qui duo corporibus, mentibus unus erant.
And Horace, ſpeaking of Virgil,
Et ferves anime dimidium me&.
How high likewife does Cicero carry it, in his firft Book of
Laws, in theſe Words. Ubi illa fanēta amicitia, fi non ipſe amicus
per fe amatur toto pectore, ut dicitur. And again in his Treatife of
Friendship. Ego vos hortari tantum poſſum, ut amicitiam omnibus
rebus humanis anteponatis. Nihil eft enim tam natura aptum, tam
conveniens ad res vel fecundas, vel adverfas. After this, he lavs
down the true Foundation of it, without which, it is impoffi-
ble for an honourable Friendſhip to be contracted. Virtus amici-
tiam et gignit & continet ; nec fine virtute amicitia eſſe ullo pacto
poteft.
Cornutus. A famous Profeffor of the Stoick Philoſophy, Perfius's
Maſter, mentioned by Enfebius. He was banished from Rome by
Nere, becauſe he found fault with his Writings.
E 2
Cum
68
SATYRA V.
f
Cum primum pavido cuftos mihi purpura ceffit,
Bullaque fuccinctis laribus donata pependit:
Cum blandi comites, totaque impune Suburra
Permifit fparfiffe oculos jam candidus umbo:
Cumque iter ambiguum eft, et vitæ nefcius error
Diducit trepidas ramofa in compita mentes,
Me tibi fuppofui: teneros tu fufcipis annos
Socratico, Cornute, finu: Tunc fallere folers
Appofita intortos oftendit regula mores,
Et premitur ratione animus, vincique laborat,
Artificemque tuo ducit fub pollice vultum,
Tecum etenim longos memini confumere foles,
Et tecum primas epulis decerpere noctes.
Unum opus, et requiem pariter difponimus ambo,
Atque verecunda laxamus feria menfa.
Non equidem hoc dubites, amborum fœdere certo
Confentire dies, et ab uno ſydere duci :
30
35
40
45
L. 30. Purpura. By this is mean'd, that Garment proper to the
young Nobility, which they wore to the feventeenth Year of
their Age. It was a Gown bordered around with Purple,
whence the Greek Writers call it περιπόρφυρον. This Garment
was first appointed by Tarquinius Prifcus, as an Honour to his
Son, who at the Age of fourteen, in the War with the Sabins,
flew an Enemy with his own Hands. After this it became com-
mon to Priefs, Senators, Magiftrates, and the Sons of the Nobi-
lity. Ego vobis allego etiam illud facrum pratextarum, quo facerdo-
tes velantur, quo magiftratus: quo infirmitatem pueritia facram fa
cimus ac venerabilem. Fab. Declam. 340.
L. 31. Bulla. A Medal made in the form of a Heart, which
the young Roman Nobility wore about their Necks. Bulla (in.
quit Afconius) ſuſpendi in collo ingenuis folet aurea, libertinis fcor-
tea, quafi communiens pectus puerile.
Romani pueros praetexta donabant et bulla. Hec aurea erat, infigne
nobilitatis, figuram cordis habens, ut fignarent eam atatem alterius
confilio regendam.
Alex. ab. Alex. lib. 2. c. 19.
At the feventeenth Year of their Age, the young Men hung
them up as an Offering to the Lares.
L. 33. Umbo. By fome is underſtood to be a white Shield,
void of any Figures in it, to remind the young Men to whom
they were given, of performing fome glorious Actions, worthy
of being inferted therein. Others imagine it to be a part of the
Toga Virilis, Wrought up in the form of a Shield.
2
When
SATYR V.
69
-
When
I arrived to ſeventeen Years of Age, and was allowed
by my flattering Attendants to ramble through the
vitious Parts of the Town, as I pleaſed; and was in
doubt, what Courfe of Life to purfue, I then put my
felf under your Tuition. You received me into your
Friendship, and formed my Mind according to the
wife Frecepts of Socrates, which you did with ſo much
Art, that my Instruction cost me very little Pains. My
Mind was reformed by Reafon, and grew earneſt to
be improved, till at length it was cultivated by your
skilful Hand, and brought to its full Perfection. I
remember it was with Pleafure I paffed whole Days in
your Converfation, till we refreshed our felves at Night
with a frugal Repaft. We divided our Time happily
between our Study, and our Reft; and nothing but
the Relaxation of a modeft Entertainment came be-
tween.
Surely you cannot doubt, but that both our Birth-
days have been bleft with the fame friendly Planet,
L. 34. Vita nefcius crror. The Doubts concerning what kind
of Life is best to chuſe, are very well deſcribed by Aufonius,
Quod vite feltabor iter, ſi plena tumultu
Sunt fora; fi curis domus anxia; fi peregrinos,
Cura domus fequitur; mercantem fi nova femper
Damna manent: ceffare vetat fi turpis egeftas:
Si vexar labor agricolam, mare naufragus horror
Infamat, peneaque graves in cælibe vita.
Sanguineum fi Martis opus: fi turpia lucra
Fænoris, velox inopes ufura trucidat ?
Omne avum cure, &c.
L. 37. Socratico finu. In the Stoick Philofophy. For Socrates
taught Antisthenes, he taught Diogenes, he again Crates the Theban,
who inftructed Zeno, the firft Founder of that Sect.
L. 40. Sub pollice vultum. A Metaphor taken from Artiſts who
made Statues in Wax.
Inceffum motumque docet, fandique pudorem,
Qualiter artificis picture pollice cera
Accipiunt formas, ignemque munumque fequuntur :
Tulis cras diva natum mutantis imago,
Stat. Theb.
Noftra -
70
SATYRA V.
Noftra vel æquali fufpendit tempora libra
Parca tenax veri, feu nata fidelibus hora,
Dividit in Geminos concordia fata duorum;
Saturnumque gravem noftro Jove frangimus una.
Nefcio quod, certe eft quod me tibi temperat, aftrum.
Mille hominum fpecies, et rerum diſcolor ufus;
Velle fuum cuique eft, nec voto vivitur uno.
Merçibus hic Italis mutat fub Sole recenti
Rugofum piper, et pallentis grana cumini:
Hic fatur, irriguo mavult turgefcere fomno:
Hic campo indulget: hunc alea decoquit: ille
In Venerem eft putris: fed cum lapidofa chiragra
Fregerit articulos veteris ramalia fagi,
Tum craffos tranfiffe dies, lucemque paluftrem,
Et fibi jam feri vitam ingemuere relictam.
At te nocturnis juvat impallefcere chartis;
Cultor enim juvenum purgatas inferis aures
Fruge Cleanthea. Petite hinc juvenefque fenefque
Finem animo certum, miferifque viatica canis.
L. 47. Libra.
Quofque dabunt chela, & quos dat Aquartus ortus,
Unum pectus habent, fidetque immobile vinclum.
In his fifth Book likewiſe we read
Felix equato genitus fub pondere libra.
so
55
60
65
Manil.
L. 49. Geminos. Thoſe who were born under the Sign Gemini
were likewife thought happy. See Manilius's fecond Book treat-
ing of Gemini,
Magnus erit geminis amor & concordia duplex.
To give fome little Notion of the Ancients concerning Ho.
rofcopes. The Afcendant was underftood by them, to be that
Part of Heaven which ariles in the Eaft the Moment-of the
Child's Birth. This, containing 30 Degrees, was called the first
Houfe, in this Point the Aftrologers obferved the Pofition of the
celeftial Constellations, the Planets, and the fixed Stars, placing
the Planets and the Signs of the Zodiack in a Figure, which they
divided into 12 Houfes, reprefenting the whole Circumference
of Heaven. The first was angulus Orientis (by fome called the
Horoscope) fhewing the Form and Complexion of the Child then
born; and likewife the reft had their feveral Significations, too
tedious to be inſerted here, becauſe of no uſe in the leaft. The
Heathen Aftrologers, in cafting Nativities, held, that every
whether
SATYR
7
V.
شد
whether we were born under Libra, or Gemini, or that
the Influence of Jupiter did foften the malignant A-
ſpect of Saturn. But most certain it is, that fome
Conftellation or other has united our Souls.
Mens Inclinations, and Purſuits, are as various as
their Complexions and Conftitutions. Every parti-
cular Man takes his own Courfe. One, moved by
Avarice, trafficks with the Indies for Spices: Another
fleeps away his Life: This follows his Exercifes: That
Man his Gaming: Another ruins his Conftitution with
infamous Women: but when the Gout, which is the Con-
fequence of this Intemperance, ftops the Circulation
in his Joints, that he looks like a withered old Beech,
then he laments that he paffed his Youth in the dark
Practices of Vice, and grieves too late for what is-im-
poffible to be recalled.
But it is not fo with you, whoſe chief Delight is in
`nocturnal Lucubrations; for you are an Instructor of
Youth, and refine their Underſtandings with the Phi-
lofophy of Cleanthes. And thus you exhort them to ſtudy.
Learn hence, both young and old, fome certain
Principles to fix upon. Lay up fome Comforts againſt
the Miſeries of old Age.
Man's Genius was the Companion of his Horoscope, and that the
Horoſcope was tempered by it, hence proceeded that 'Union of
Minds and Friendship, which was obſerved among fome. This
appears from Plutarch in his Life of Anthony, concerning the Ge
nii of Anthony and C, Octavius. Thoſe who have the Curiofity
of being farther informed in theſe aftrological Traditions, let
them conſult Prolomy, Alcabittus, Albo Hali, Guido Bonat. &c.
L. 64. Fruge Cleanthea. With Stoick Philofophy. Cleanthes
was a Stoick Philofopher, firſt the Difciple of Crutes, Succeffor
of Zeno Citienfis. When he went to Athens, he became Diſciple
to Zeno, and was fo extremely laborious, that he got the Name
of another Hercules. Being exceedingly poor, he drew Water
by Night, to maintain himſelf by Day at his Studies, whence he
got the Name of Phreanthes. Having not Money to buy Pager,
he writ down his Inftructions on the Bones of Beafts.
L. 65. Miferifque viatica canis.
Studia juventutem alunt, fenectutem oblectant.
Cic.
Si te ad ftudia revocaverts, omne vita faßlidium effugeris: nte noɑ
Aem fieri optabis radio lucts, nec tibi gravis eris, nec aliis fupervacua
Cras
72
SATYRA V.
Cras hoc fiet. Idem cras fiet: quid? Quafi magnum,
Nempe diem, donas? fed cum lux altera venit,
Jam cras hefternum confumpfimus. Ecce aliud cras
Egerit hos annos, et femper paulum erit ultra;
Nam, quamvis prope te, quamvis temone fub uno,
Vertentem fefe fruftra fectabere canthum,
Cum rota pofterior curras, et in axe fecundo.
Libertate opus eft. Non hac, qua quifque Velina
Publius emeruit, fcabiofum tefferula far
Poffidet. Heu fteriles veri, quibus una Quiritem
Vertigo facit, hic Dama eft non treffis agafo,
Vappa, et lippus, et in tenui farragine mendax.
Verterit hunc dominus, momento turbinis exit
Marcus Dama. Papæ! Marco fpondente, recufas
Credere tu nummos? Marco fub judice palles?
Marcus dixit: ita eft. Affigna Marce tabellas.
Hæc mera libertas, hanc nobis pilea donant.
An quiſquam eft alius liber, nifi ducere vitam
Cuilicet, ut voluit? licet, ut volo, vivere: non fum
Liberior Bruto?
70
75
80
us: multos in amicitiam attrahes; affuetque ad te optimus quifque.
Nunquam, quamvis obfcura. virtus latet, fed mittit fui figna.
Senec, de tranquill.
L. 73. Libertate opus eft, &c. Immediately, when any Perfon
was made free at Rome, he was enrolled in one of their Tribes,
and allowed the common Benefits of a true Citizen. Here I hope
it will not be amiſs to ſet down ſome few Quotations from Ro-
man Authors to explain it. Qui neque fenfu, neque vindicta, ne-
que teftamento liber faltus fit non eſſe liberum. Cic.
ἔθος τοις οικέταις ὅταν ελευθερωθῶσιν ξύρεσθαι τε τὰς κε
φαλὰς, και πίλια φορείν. Plut. in Flam.
Diodorus Siculus, fpeaking of Prufias, defcribes him thus:
Ἐξυρημένον τω κεφαλίω, επίλεον ἔχοντα λουκὸν, καὶ φο
egũvla înßévvav, x xaxlírus. Čalvo capité, & cum pileo candi-
do, toga & calceis.
We
SATYR V.
73
We will do it to Morrow.
To Morrow you will make the fame Excuſe. But is
one Day fo great a Matter? Yes furely; for you called
Yeſterday to Morrow, and yet nothing was done then.
To Morrow, and to Morrow will be ftill the Excufe,
till your Life can have no more to ask; thus will you
be like the hindmoft Wheel of a Chariot, ftill follow-
ing, but never overtaking.
Study Philofophy, and this will bring you to that Li-
berty which confifts in the Freedom of the Mind, not
in the Distinction of a Badge, which determines you
to this or t'other Tribe. Alafs, how barren ye are of
the Truth, who imagine, that one Turn of the Pra-
tor can make you free! This will do as well for the mean-
eft Scoundrel.-- For Inftance, that ordinary Groom
Dama, one of the moft lying, pitiful Sharpers in Rome,
in the very Inftant he is whirled round, he is made
no less than Marcus Dama, and entitled to the following
Compliments from the World. For shame will you refuse to
take Marcus Security for your Money? Or will
fraid to ftand your Trial before a Judge fo incorrupt as he is?
Marcus has faid it; it is enough. Marcus, fign your Name
to this, Now let me make the following Speech for
Marcus. This is true Liberty------ This I have got by the
Prætor's Cap.
you
be a-
Is any other Perfon free, but he who lives as he plea-
fes?
I live as I pleaſe ;
Therefore I am freer than Brutus.
L. 74. Tellerulas. The Teffera was a kind of Ticket, made of
fquare Brafs, which intitled the Owner to ſhare of the Corn di.
ftributed among the common People, through the Bounty of the
Prince. Ac ne plebis frumentationum caufa frequenter a negotiis a-
bocaretur, in annum quaternorum menfium tefferas dare deftinavit.
Sueton, vit. Auguft. c. 45.
L. 81. Adfigna Marce tabellas. Witneſs the Will or Bond be.
fore another, as a Privilege of Honour. Inter extraneos quoque
et alienos eft aliquod privilegium statis. Honores prior peterem, ad
fignandum adpocatus prior rogarer. Fab, declam.
• men-
←
74
SATYRA V.
Mendofe colligis, inquit
Stoicus hic, aurem inordaci lotus acetó.
Hoc (reliquum accipio) licet, ut volo, vivere, tolle.
Vindicta poftquam meus à Prætore receffi,
Cur mihi non liceat, juffit quodcunque voluntas,
Excepto fi quid Mafuri rubrica vetavit?
Difce: fedira cadat nalo, rugofaque fanna,
Dum veteres avias tibi de pulmone revello.
Non Prætoris erat ftultis dare tenuia rerum
Officia, atque ufum rapidæ permittere vitæ.
Sambucam citius caloni aptaveris alto.
Stat contra ratio, et fecretam garrit in aurem
Ne liceat facere id, quod quis vitiabit agendo.
85
90
95
Publica lex hominum, naturaque continet hoc fas,
Ut teneat vetitos in fcitia debilis actus.
Diluis helleborum, certo compefcere puncto
Nefcius examen? vetat hoc natura medendi.
Navem fi pofcat fibi peronatus arator
Luciferi rudis, exclamet Melicerta periſſe
Frontem de rebus. Tibi recto vivere talo
Ars dedit? et veri ſpeciem dignofcere calles,
Ne qua fubærato mendofum tinniat auro:
Quæque fequenda forent, et quæ vitanda viciffim,
Illa prius creta, mox hæc carbone notafti?
100
IOS
L. 93. Mafurius Sabinius. A moft learned Lawyer in the
Reign of Tiberius.
L. 93. Non Pratoris erat, &c. Here he infinuates that it is not
in the Prætor's Power to give that noble and generous Freedom
of the Mind, which is gained by the Study of Philofophy. Phi.
befophiæ fervias oportet, ut tibi contingat vera libertas. Non differtur
in diem, qui fe illi fubjecit et tradidit. Statim circumagitur. Hoc
enim ipſum philofophiæ fervire libertas eft. Sen. ep. 8.
L. 94. Atque ufum rapide permittere vite. It is a fine part of
Philofophy, to confider our felves carried down the great Stream
of Time, that we ftop not one Moment in our Courfe, but ha-
ften on to the vaſt and boundleſs Ocean of Eternity. This is
noft beautifully deſcribed by Juvenal, in his ninth Satyr.
-
Feftinat decurrere velox
Flofculus, angufta, miſeraque bredafima vita
t
But
SATYR V.
75
But hold, fays the true difciplin'd Stoick, you
reaſon falfely. I allow your Major, but I deny your
Minor.
Well, but fince I am become my own Mafter, by
virtue of the Prator's Rod, why may I not do what I
pleaſe, provided I do not act against the Laws?
Liften then with Attention, and be not offended at
what I fhall fay, nor jibe me for my Inftruction, till
fuch time as I remove the Prejudices, which you have
received from the Chat of old Women.
I tell you
again, that it is not the Prator's Province to teach the
true Freedom of the Mind, and to inftruct us in the
refined Methods of acting an honourable Part in Life.
You may as well think, that a tall ignorant Clown
is fitted for a Mufician. Even Reafon itſelf oppofes
you, it whispers you in the Ear, That no Perfon ought
to attempt any thing which is to be the worle for his
undertaking it. The Laws of Man, and Nature for-
bid Ignorance to meddle with what is beyond its Pow-
You prefume to make a Compound of Hellebore,
when you know not how many Grains you ſhould pur
in. The very Nature of Medicine denies you ſhould.
er.
If a Country Bumkin, entirely ignorant of Aſtro-
nomy, fhould undertake to fail, would not Melicerta ex-
claim, that Modefty was fled from off the World.
Has Philofophy inftructed you as yet to live upright-
ly? And can you difcern Truth from the Appearance
of it? Or do you understand what to purfue, and
what to avoid? Have you fet any Marks to diſtinguiſh
Virtue from Vice?
Portio, dum bibimus, dum ferta, unguenta, puellas
Pofcimus, obrepit, non intellecta senectus.
L. 103. Melicerta. Son of Ino and Athamas, King of Thebes.
He killed Learchus, Son of Ino by a former Husband, becauſe the
proved a cruel Stepmother to his Children. This made her fly
with her Son Melicerta, and throw herſelf with him from a
Rock into the Sea. Hence, through Compaffion, the Gods
changed her into a Sea Goddefs, called Leucothea or Matuta, and
he was changed into a Sea God, called Palamon, by the Latins,
Pertanus.
Es
}
76
SATYRA V.
}
Es modicus voti, preffo lare, dulcis amicis?
Jam nunc adftringas, jam nunc granaria laxes,
Inque luto fixum poffis tranfcendere nummum?
Nec gluto forbere falivam Mercurialem?
Hæc mea funt, teneo, cum vere dixeris: efto
Liberque, ac fapiens, Prætoribus ac Jove dextro.
Sin tu, cum fueris noftræ paulo ante farinæ,
Pelliculam veterem retines, et fronte politus
Aftutam vapido fervas fub pectore vulpem :
Quæ dederam fupra, repeto, funemque reduco.
Nil tibi conceffit ratio: digitum exere, peccas.
[IO
IIS
D. Et quid tam parvum eft? P. Sed nullo thure litabis,
Hæreat in ftultis brevis ut femuncia recti.
Hæc mifcere nefas, nec, cum fis, cætera foſſor,
Treis tantum ad numeros Satyri moveare Bathylli.
Liber ego. Unde datum hoc fumis, tot fubdite rebus?
An dominum ignoras, nifi quem vindicta relaxat?
I2I
125
L. 112. Nec gluto forbere, &c. Here he means a voracious
Thirft of Gain.
Percutit et frangit vas; vinum defluit; ansa
StriƐła fuit: glut, glut murmurat unda fonans.
L. 117. Afutam vapido, &c. Wine gone to Decay was called
Vinum vapidum, hence it was metaphorically tranflated to a viti-
ous Man. Vitium musto quibufdam in locis, iterum fponte fervere,
qua calamitate deperit fapor, Vappaque nomen probrofum etiam, ho-
minum cum degeneravit animus. Plin. lib. 15. c. 20.
L. 118. Funemque reduco. A proverbial Saying, taken from an
Exercife practifed by young Boys among the Ancients, which
was contrived to ftrengthen their Arms. They had a Rope thro'
a Hole in a Poft, about four or five Foot from the Ground, with
a Loop at each End for young Lads to hold by, this they pulled
backwards and forwards, till fuch time as one of them was
drawn to the Poft; and fo the Play ended, for another to fuc
eeed.
L. 119. Digitum exere. The Stoicks will not allow of the
leaft Fault.
Η φιλοσοφία φησὶν, ὅτι ἐδὲ ἢ δάκτυλον ἐκτείνειν εικῆ
Tgoońne. Epict.
протина.
123. Tres tantum ad numeros, &c. It is impoffible for a clum.
fey Country Labourer to dance three Turns with the fame enga-
ging Air of Bathyllus.
molli faltante Bathyllo. Juv.
Are
SATYR V.
77
Are you moderate in your Deſires,
not profuſe in your Way of living, and agreeable to
your Friends? Do you know when to fpare, and when
to ſpend? And can you give a Check to your Ava-
rice, in fpight of all Temptations which are laid in
your Way? When you can fincerely affirm, that you
are Maſter of your felf in all thefe Refpects, then fay
that you are truly free, and wife, by the propitious
Confent of Jupiter and the Prator.
But you, who were lately one of the common Strain,
if you ftill retain your former ill Habits, under the
hypocritical Appearance of Virtue, I retract what I
granted you juft now; for you are ftill a Slave to your
Vices. Philofophy allows no Indulgence, even to the
leaft Faults. Do but wag your Finger, undertake any
thing of the leaft Moment, where it is againſt Rea-
fon, and you tranfgrefs. D. And what is of fo little
Confequence as the wagging of a Finger? P. Be that as it
will, all the Sacrifice you can offer, will never bring
it to pass, That one Drachm of Virtue can be found
in Fools. To mix Reafon and Folly is against their
Nature: Nor can you ever bring it about, if you be
in every other Refpect as clumfy as a Ditcher, that
you fhall dance with the leaft Degree of Bathyllus's
Air.
You fay, you are free. How can that be, when you
are fubject to fo many Paffions? Do you acknowledge
no Maſter, but from whom you are diſcharged by the
Prator.
Bathyllus was a famous Pantomime, a Favourite with Mecanas.
L. 125. Vindišta, The Prætor's Rod, with which he
ftruck the manumitted Slave. It was fo called in Memory of
Vindicius, who diſcovered the Sons of Brutus conſpiring the Re-
ftoration of Tarquin. Here he takes occaſion to illuſtrate, in a
moſt beautiful Manner, the different Slaveries of the Soul and
Body, which Philo Judaus has very well expreffed in a few
Words.
¢
Δολεία ή μου ψυχῆς, ἡ δὴ σωμάτων λέγε).
Δεσπόζει σωμάτων ἄνθρωποι, ψυχῶν
Δὴ κακία, και πάθη.
I puer,
78
SATYRA V.
I puer, et ftrigiles Crifpini ad balnea defer.
Si increpuit, ceffas nugator? fervitium acre
Te nihil impellit: nec quicquam extrinfecus intrat,
Quod nervos agitet. Sed fi intus, et in jecore ægro
Nafcuntur domini, qui tu impunitior exis,
130
Atque hic, quem ad ftrigiles icutica, et metus egit herilis?
Mane piger ftertis: Surge, inquit Avaritia; Eja.
Surge. Negas. Inftat, Surge, inquit. Non queo. Surge.
Et quid agam? Rogitas: en, faperdam advehe Ponto,
Caftoreum, ftupas, ebenum, thus, lubrica Coa.
Tolle recens primus piper è fitiente camelo.
Verte aliquid, jura. Sed Jupiter audier. Eheu!
Baro, reguftatum digito terebrare falinum
Contentus perages, fi vivere cum Jove tendis.
135
Jam pueris pellem fuccinctus, et œnophorum aptas: 140
Ocyus ad navem, nil obftat, quin trabe vaſta
Ægeum rapias, nifi folers luxuria ante
Seductum moneat. Quo deinde infane, ruis? Quo?
Quid tibi vis? calido fub pectore mafcula bilis
Intumuit, quam non extinxerit urna cicuta.
Tun' mare tranfilias? tibi torta cannabe fulto,
Cœna fit in tranftro? Vejetanumque rubellum
Exhalet vapida læfum pice feffilis obba?
145
Quid petis, ut nummi, quos hic quincunce modefto
Nutrieras, pergant avidos fudare deunces?
150
Indulge Genio, carpamus dulcia. Noftrum eft
Quod vivis. Cinis, et manes, et fabula fies.
Vive memor lethi, fugit hora. Hoc,quod loquor, inde eft.
L. 129. ---fed fi intus, &c. But if you be a Slave to your Paf.
hons, you are in as wretched a Condition as if you were a Slave
to the fevereſt Mafter. Liber eft qui fervitutem effugit fui. Hac eft
affidua fervitus, et ineluctabilis, ac per diem et noffem aqualiter pre-
mens, fine intervallo, fine commeatu. Sen. nat. queſt. lib. 3.
L. 138. Baro, Of Faro. A Name given.by the ancient Gauls, to
ordinary Fellows who followed the Camp, as Drudges to com-
mon Soldiers.
L. 145. Urna cicure. Hemlock is an Herb of a cooling Na-
ture. The Prieſtelles of Ceres uſed to be anointed with it, to
make them chafte.
Go
SATYR V.
79
Go Boy, fays your Mafter, and carry the rubbing Bruſh
to the Bath of Crifpinus. If he fhould grow pieviſh and
fay, Do you loiter, you lazy Scoundrel? I fuppofe this fe-
vere Bondage does not in the leaft move you; nor
can any thing external reach you. But if you have
your Maſters within your corrupt Mind, how are you
freer than this Slave, who is frighted to his Buſineſs
by his Master's Frown, and Laſh..
In the Morning you lye diffolved in Sloth. Rife up,
Says Avarice; arife, I say. You refuſe her. But fill
The repeats arife, I cannot. Again the preffes. What
fhall I do? Do you ask? Go bring fome of the Saperda
Fish from Pontus, Caftoreum, Flax, Ebony, Frankincense,
and Coan Wines. Get beforehand with the rest, by unload-
ing the thirsty Camel of his Pepper. Traffick and perjure your
Self. But Jupiter alaſs will hear me! You great Fool, you
must be as poor as a Church Mouſe, if you have any Regard
for God or Religion.
Now you prepare, and order your Sailors to their
Sea-jerkins, and Wine-hampers, you haften to your
Ship, with all the Speed you can. Nothing to stop
your Paflage through the scan Sea; only that Lu-
xury calls you afide, to whifper you thus--
Tou Madman, whither do you run ſo rajbly? What do you
mean? You are so far over-run with the Heat of your Fren-
zy, that it would take more than a Pitcher of the Fe of
Hemlock to quench it. Will you expofe your felf to the Dan-
gers of the Sea? Can you bear the Hardship of fiting lathea
to a Plank, while you eat your Meat? Can you take up with
the most ordinary dead Wine, which is corrupted with the
Pitch that stopped the Vefjel? What do you mean by this? Is
it to raise your Money from five to seven per Cent. Indulge
your felf a God's Name. Let us tafte the Sweets of Life.
To me you owe all Pleaſure and Happiness. Confider too that
Life will foon have an End. Live then with this Confidera-
tion, that Death is cloſe upon you, and that Time haftens its
Approach: And that is the Reason I give you this Advice,
En
80
SATYRA V.
4
En quid agis? duplici in diverfum fcinderis hamo:
Hunccine, an hunc fequeris? fubeas alternus oportet
Ancipiti obfequio dominos: alternus oberres.
Nec tu, cum obftiteris femel, inftantique negaris
Parere imperio, Rupi jam vincula, dicas;
Nam luctata canis nodum abripit: attamen illi
Cum fugit, à collo trahitur pars longa catenæ.
Dave, cito, hoc credas jubeo, finire dolores
Præteritos meditor, (crudum Chæreftratus unguem
Abrodens ait hæc) An ficcis dedecus obftem
Cognatis? an rem patriam rumore finiftro
Limen ad obfcoenum frangam, dum Chryfidis udas
Ebrius ante fores extincta cum face canto?
Euge puer, fapias. Diis depellentibus agnam
Percute. Sed cenfen' plorabit, Dave, relicta?
Nugaris folea, puer objurgabere rubra.
Nec trepidare velis, atque arctos rodere caffes.
Nunc ferus et violens: at fi vocet, haud mora, dicas,
Quidnam igitur faciam? ne nunc, cum accerfor, et ultro
Supplicet, accedam? Si totus et integer illinc
156
160
163
170
Exieris, nunc nunc, hic hic, quem quærimus, hic eft;
Non in feftuca, lictor quam jactat ineptus.
Jus habet ille fui, palpo quem ducit hiantem
Cretata ambitio? vigila, et cicer ingere large,
17-5
L. 164. Duplici in diverfum fcinderis hamo. A Metaphor ta-
ken from. Fishing. Avarice baits her Hook with Money, Luxu
ry with Delicacy and Plealure. You know not which to follow.
L. 163. Trahitur pars longa catena. Here he alludes to Dogs
who break looſe, yet drag a ‍great part of their Chain along with
them. Quid ergo intereft? quod alit alligati ſunt, alii abftritti,
alii diftricti quoque. Hic qui ad fuperiora progreſſus eft, et fe altius
extulit, laxam catenam trahit, nondum liber, jam tamen pro libero.
Petrarch has most beautifully expreffed
regard to himſelf, when he was in Love.
Et come vero prigienero affitto
De la catene mie gran parte porto
Sen. de beata vita.
the fame Image with
El cuor, ne gli occhi, et ne la fronte ho fcritto.
Well
SATYR V.
8r
Well now, what will you do? You feem to be at a
lofs which of the two to follow. You muſt alternate-
ly obey both thefe Mafters, and each time be in the
Wrong. Nor can you fay, for once refifting their
Commands, You have now broke loofe; for the Dog
that breaks his Chain, altho' he flies away, yet ftill
drags along a part of it after him.
Says Chareftratus in the Comedy, biting his Nails,
Davus, believe me, I ſhall ſoon put an End to my paſt Af-
flictions; for fhall I be a Disgrace to my fober Relations?
Shall I thus fpend my Eftate, to the Lofs of my Reputation,
in drunken Serenades at Night, before the Door of an Har-
lot? Very well, Sir; proceed in your wife Refolutions, and
offer a Lamb to the Gods who have recovered you. But do
you think, Davus, that ſhe will weep, if I forſake her? This
is all trifling, Sir. This will bring you under the Discipline
of her red Slipper, nor will you ſo much as dare to tremble,
or gnaw the Net, in which you are entangled. Now you
feem to be violently bent upon leaving her; but, if ſhe ſhould
ufe only one foothing Invitation, immediately you would ſay,
What shall I do? What, fhall I not now return, not even
when I am invited back, and when she her ſelf makes it her
Request? If you do entirely withdraw, Now, even at
this Inftant; here, here, I fay, is the very Man we
want; the Man of true Freedom; not he whom the
trifling Lictor makes free, by a Stroke of his Wand.
Is that Man free, who is violently led by his Am-
bition? Make uſe of all your Vigilance, and profuſe-
L. 161. Dave, &c. This is a Dialogue between Dabus the Ser
vant, and his Mafter Chareftratus, which Perfius takes from the
Eunuch of Menander.
L. 165. Dum Chryfidis udas, &c. It was a Cuſtom for Lovers,
when shut out by their Miftreffes, to anoint the Door.Pofts
with Oyl. We find it in the fourth Book of Lucretius.
At lacrumans exclufus amator, limina fape
Floribus, et fertis operit, poſteſque fuperbos,
Ungit amaracino, et foribus mifer ofcula figit.
L. 177. Cicer ingere. Thoſe who were Candidates for any
Pofts of Honour among the Romans, made the common People
Prefents of Peas and Beans for their Votes.
F
Rixanti
82
SATYRA V.
Rixanti populo, noftra ut Floralia poffint
Aprici meminiffe fenes. Quid pulchrius? At cum
Herodis venere dies, unctaque feneftra
186
Difpofitæ pinguem nebulam vomuere lucernæ
Portantes violas, rubrumque amplexa catinum
Cauda natat thynni, tumet alba fidelia vino,
Labra moves tacitus, recutitaque fabbata palles.
Tunc nigri Lemures, ovoque pericula rupto,
Tunc grandes Galli, et cum fiftro lufca facerdos,
Incuffere Deos inflantes corpora, fi non
Prædictum ter mane caput guſtaveris allî.
Dixeris hæc inter varicofos Centuriones,
Continuo craffum ridet Vulfenius ingens,
Et centum Græcos curto centuffe licetur.
185
190
L. 180. Herodis venere dies, &c. Here Perfius fhews how mi-
ferable thoſe People were, who laboured under the Dominion of
Superftition; and here he takes occafion to lafh at the Jewish, A.
fiatick, and Egyptian Rites, which were introduced by the Inha-
bitants of thoſe Countries to Rome,
The Herod here mentioned, is Herod the Great, whoſe Birth-
Day was obſerved with great Solemnity by a Sect of the Jews,
mentioned by Epiphanius, and called Herodians.
L. 185. Tunc nigri lemures, &c. Plutarch, Ipeaking of Super-
ftition, and the Terrors it produces in the Imagination, agrees
very nearly with Perfius.
Οι δόλοι το δεσποτῶν ἐπιλανθάνον) καθούδοντες -
Τέλος δίδωσιν εἰπεῖν ἡ δεισιδαιμονία. μόνη γδ'
ένδε
πρὸς ὕπνον ἐδὲ τῇ ψυχῇ, τολὲ γεν, δίδωσιν ἀναπνεῦσαι,
κι αναθάρρησαν.
ly
SATYR V.
83
ly fcatter your Largeffes among the People, that old
Fellows, chatting upon a funny Bank, may remem-
ber your Generolity upon the Festivals of Flora. What
can be finer than this? But when the Birth-day of
Herod comes, and your Lamps, crowned with Violets,
are difpofed in your clouded Windows; and your Thu-
nie, which fills your Difh, is fwimming in its Sauce;
and your white Jug is full of Wine! Then, in Imita-
tion of the circumcifed Jews, you filently move your
Lips, and you dread the Sabbaths of the Circumcifed.
Add to this, the feveral other Plagues of your Superftition,
Your Notions of Hobgoblis, the Dangers portended
you from a burfted Egg. Then, the fat Pricfts of Cy-
bele, and the blinded Prieftefs of Ifis, threaten you with
thofe Gods, who may affect your Body with a Dropfy,
unleſs you bite a Head of Garlick thrice in a Morning.
Do but preach this Doctrine concerning true Liberty,
among the brawny Centurions, immediately fwaggering
Vulfenius lets up a Horfe-laugh, and tells you, that a
hundred Gr.ek Philoſophers are not in Value a hundred
Farthings.
L. 186. Cum fiftro lufca facerdos. This is taken from a Notion
they had of Ceres, That if he were offended at her Prieftefs, the
immediately ftruck ber blind with a Siftrum.
Vidi ego linigera numen violaſſe fatentem
Ifidis, Ifiacos ante federe focos.
Alter ob huic fimilem privatus lumine culpam,
Clamabat media ſe meruiſſe bia.
Ovid. lib. Pont.
F 2
SATYRA
( 84 )
SATYRA SEXTA
A D
CÆSIUM BASSUM.
A Dmovit jam bruma foco te, Baffe, Sabino?
Jam-ne lyræ et tetrico vivunt tibi pectine chorda?
Mire opifex numeris veterum primordia rerum,
Arque marem ftrepitum fidis intendiffe Latinæ ;
Mox juvenes agitare jocos, et pollice honeſto
Egregios lufiffe fenes? Mihi nunc Ligus ora
Intepet, hybernatque meum mare, qua latus ingens
Dant fcopuli, et multa littus fe valle receptat.
Line 1. Bafus. A Lyrick Poet, who lived partly in the Time
of Claudian, and partly during the Reign of Vefpafian. He and
his whole Villa were deftroyed by an Eruption of Vesuvius.
Bruma. The ſhorteſt Day in Winter, according to Ovid.
Faft. I.
Bruma novi prima eft, veterifque noviffima folis.
Sabini. A People who lay between the Umbrt and the Latins.
Sabini (ut quidam exiftimavere) a religione et deorum cultu Sevini
appellati. Plin. nat. hift. lib. 3. c. 12.
L. 2. Tetricus. A rough Mountain of the Sabins. Hence
it may be metaphorically uſed for the Roughness of the Plectrum,
in rouzing the Strings of the Lyre. Some Editors of Perſins
have it thus: et trite bibunt tibi pectine chorda.
Liv, in his Character of Numa Pompilius, gives us the full
Force of the Word Tetricus. Suopte igitur ingenio temperatum
animum virtutibus fuiſſe opinor magis: inftru&tumque non tam pere.
grinis artibus, quam difciplina tetrica, ac trifti peterum Sabinorum ;
quo genere nullum unquam incorruptius fuit.
L. 4. Marem ftrepitum. A manly and majeftick Sound, be-
coming the Subjec.
Mufa dedit fidibus divos, puerofque deorum,
Et pugilem victorem, et equum certamine primum,
Et jubenum curas, et libera vina referre,
Hor.
SATYR
( 85 )
SATYR VI.
The ARGUMENT.
This Satyr is written to his Friend Baffus, in a familiar
epiftolary Style. It is in Commendation of Retirement,
and Content; againſt Ambition, Avarice and Prodigality;
and at the fame time fhews the true Ufe of Riches, con-
demning those who are too parsimonious or fordid rather,
to enrich their Heirs.
TO CASIUS BASSUS, a Lyrick Poet.
HAS the Winter, my Friend Baſſus, removed you
from the Town to your comfortable Sabine Re-
treat? Do you ftill command the Roman Lyre, and
do the Strings return their uſual ſprightly Sound? Won-
derful Artift! who have improved their Strains to fuch
a degree, as to express the firſt Origine of the World,
in Sounds becoming the Subject. Now again you con-
deſcend to fing the Joys and Recreations of Youth;
or in a graver Style defcribe the Atchievements of ve-
nerable Age. As for me, I have retired to the tem-
perate Ligurian Coaft, within Profpect of the rolling
Sea, where a Promontory of Rocks forms a moft de-
lightful Harbour.
L. 6. Ligus ora. Liguria. A Country of Italy, divided by the
River Maera from Hetruria, by the River Varus from Gallia Nar-
bonenfis. According to Pliny it extended in length 211 Miles.
L. 7. Intepet, hybernatque meum mare. How the Warmth of
this Coaft may be reconciled with a Sea at the fame time tempe-
ftuous, is plain, from a natural Cauſe given by Cicero, in his fe-
cond Book de natura deorum. Maria agitata pentis ita tepefcunt
ut intelligi facile poſſit, in tantis illis humoribus inclufum eſſe calon
rem ; nec enim ille externus, et adventitius habendus eft repor, fed
ex intimis maris partibus agitatione excitatus.
F 3
Lumai
86
SATYRA VI.
Lunai portum eft operæ cognofcere, cives.
Cor jubet hoc Ennî, poftquam deftertuit effe
Moonides Quintus, pavone ex Pythagoreo.
Heic ego fecurus vulgi, et quid præparet Aufter
Infelix pecori; fecurus, et angulus ille
Vicini, noftro quia pinguior; etfi adeo omnes
Ditefcant orti pejoribus, ufque recufem
Curvus ob id minui fenio, aut coenare fine unco,
Et fignum in vapida nafo tetigiffe lagena.
Difcrepet his alius. Geminos horoscope varo
Producis genio, Solis natalibus, eft qui
L. 9. Lunat portum, c. A Line of Ennius humouroufly in-
troduced by Perfius, to exprefs the pleaſant Place he chofe for his
Retirement.
Luna, a Town of Hetruria, moft delightful for its Situation,
being built upon one of the fineſt Harbours in the World, en-
cloſed by two high Ridges of Mountains, which afford a very
noble Profpe& on either Side. Prolomy calls it the Harbour of
Erx. It is now named Porto di Spetia.
L. 10. Cor jubet hoc Enni, &c. Ennius, a very ancient Roman
Poet, born at Rudii, a Town of Calabria, in the Confulate of
2. Valerius and C. Manlius; encouraged to Rome by Cato the Que
for. He writ fome Annals, Satyrs, Tragoedies, and Comedies,
which are loft. We have nothing of his Works remaining, but
a few Fragments. The Reafon why the Poet ufes the Word Cor
in this Place, is from an old Tradition, which we read in Aulus
Gellius lib. 17. c. 17. Quintus Ennius tria corda habere fefe dicebat,
quod loqui Grace, et Ofce, ef Latine feiret. We find a Paffage in
the feventh Book of Pliny's Nat. Hift. much to his Honour, Prior
Africanus Q. Ennit ftatuam fepulchro fuo impont juffit: clarumque
illud nomen, imo vero ſpoltum, ex tertia orbis parte raptum, in cinere
Supremo cum poetæ titulo legi. Ennius held the Tranimigration of
Souls, according to the Doctrine of Pythagoras; and imagined
himself the fifth, in this way of Defcent from Homer. Tertullian,
in his Treatife of the Refurrection, runs the phantaftical Gene-
alogy thus: Euphorbas, Pythagoras, Homerus, Pavus, Ennius.
L. 16. Minui fento. Envy, or any other Anxiety of the Mind,
reduces the Body to fuch an ill State, that it produces the viſible
Effects of old Age, hence it is, that Hefiod fays,
Αιψα δ' ἐν κακότητι βροτοὶ καταγηράσκεσι.
And Ovid,
Jam mihi deterior camis afpergitur &tas,
Jamque meos vultus ruga fenilis arat.
'Tis
SATYR
87
VI.
'Tis worth your while, ye Romans, to behold
The Port of Luna, ſaid a Bard of old,
Who from a Peacock dream'd himſelf to be
By Tranfmigration, in the fifth Degree.
Here I live regardleſs of the common People, re-
mote from Ambition; without any Dread of Rot, or
Murrain among my Herds; nor does it give me the
leaft Uneafinefs, that my Neighbour has a larger Crop
than mine; and tho' all the baſe-born Upſtarts around
me fhould wallow in Riches, would I repine fo far, as
to make me look old; or fink into the Extream of
Parfimony to vye with them. Let others differ from
me in this, it is natural. The fame Conftellation pro-
duces even Twins of a different Genius and Difpofiti-
The one on his Birth-day (when he ought to be ge-
on.
Fam vigor et quaffo languent in corpore vires,
Nec juvent lufus qui placuere juvant.
Nec me, fi fubito videas, cognofcere poſſis,
Etatis fa&ta eft tanta ruina mea.
Confiteor facere hoc annos ; fed et altera caufa oft,
Anxietas animi, continuufque labor.
L. 17. Et fignum, &c. To examine the Seal of my Flask fo
clofely, as to touch it with my Noſe, left any of my dead Wine
ſhould be ſtolen.
L. 18. Difcrepet his alius, &c. Here he very well expreffes
the different Inclinations of Men, altho' they should be Twins,
and born very nearly at the fame time. Horace (peaks to the fame
purpoſe, in the ſecond Book of his Epiftles.
Cur alter fratrum ceffare, et ludere, et ungi
Preferat, Herodis palmetis pinguibus: alter
Dives et importunus, ad umbram lucis ab ortu
Sylveftrem flammis, et ferro mitiget agrum ?
Scit Genius,
Lampridius tells us, no two Perfons could be more different
than Commodus and Antoninus, altho' the Aftrologers foretold they
fhould prove alike, becauſe they were born under one and the
fame Conftellation,
Tingat
88
SATYRA VI.
Tingat olus ficcum muria vafer in calice empta,
Ipfe facrum irrorans patinæ, piper: hic bona dente
Grandia magnanimus peragit puer. Utar ego, utar,
Nec rhombos ideo libertis ponere lautus,
Nec tenuem folers turdorum noffe falivam.
Meffe tenus propria vive, et granaria (fas eft)
Emole, quid metuas? Occa, en feges altera in herba eft.
Aft vocat officium: trabe rupta, Bruttia faxa
Prendit amicus inops; remque omnem, furdaque vota
Condidit Ionio; jacet ipfe in littore, et unà
Ingentes de puppe Dei; jamque obvia mergis
Cofta ratis laccræ. Nunc et de cefpite vivo
Frange aliquid; largire inopi, ne pictus oberret
Cærulea in tabula. Sed, cœnam funeris hæres
Negliget iratus, quod rem curtaveris, urnæ
20
25
30
L. 20. Muria. A kind of Pickle mentioned by Pliny lib. 31.
c. 8. Muria quoque, five illa falfugo, Spiffat, mordet, extenuar,
ficcat.
L. 21. Ipfe facrum, &c. The Poet gives the Epithet Sacrum
to the Word Piper here, the better to exprefs the Perfon's Ava-
rice, who ſeems to be as fparing in the Uſe of it, as if it were
rather intended for pious and religious Uſes; for Pepper, as we
read in Pliny, was a dear Commodity at Rome, Utrumque falve.
Are gentibus fuus eft, et tamen pondere emitur, ut aurum, vel argen.
tum. In the fame Chapter he ſays, it was adulterated with Juni-
per Berries; which would not have anſwered the Cheat, had
Pepper been a cheap thing. Plin, nat, hift, lib. 1. c. 7.
L. 21, 22.
----hic bona dente
Grandia magnanimus peragit puer. The other on t'other Extream
runs madly through his whole Fortune.
Utar ego, &c. Here begins that Paffage wherein the true and
proper Uſe of Wealth is expreft.
L. 27. Aft vocat officium, &c. Here he proceeds to fhew the
beit Inftance of Liberality to our Friends in Diftrefs.
Bruttia faxa. The Brutti were a People in the South of Italy,
formerly Shepherds, belonging to the People of Lucania, who
flying from them fettled on the orher fide of the River Laus,
whence they were called Bronti in the Lucanian Tongue, which
was a Nare in their Language for Fugitives. By the Romans
they were called Brutit, for their Stupidity. They revolted to
Annibal, in the ſecond Punick War, for which Reaſon they were
ever after treated as Slaves by the Romans.
nerous)
SATYR VI.
89
nerous) fcarce allows Seafoning enough to his Pottage;
the other, quite oppofite in Temper, fquanders away
all his Eftate. But as for me, I will enjoy the Blef
fings which I have from Heaven; nor will I be fo
prodigal as to feed my Freed-men with Turbets, nor
fo. delicate as to diftinguish between the Flavor of
one Thruſh and another. Enjoy, a God's name, your
prefent Fruits; grind your Corn, and fpare not. You
cannot fear to want. You no ſooner harrow your
Land, but behold the green Hopes of another Har-
veft!
But you who are covetous will make this Pretence. My
poor Friend is fhipwrecked on the Brutian Rocks. All
his Effects, and his Prayers are funk in the Ionian Sea.
He lies a melancholy Spectacle on the Shore, and his
fhipwrecked Gods befide him; and now the ſhattered
Planks of his Veffel are floating to meet the Sea-
Mews. Then give him Part of your Eftate, and do
not let him beg about the Streets. But you will think
perhaps, your Heir will fo much reſent the Diminuti-
on of your Fortune, that he will neglect defraying
L. 30. Ingentes de puppe det. The Image of the Tutelar God
was generally painted on the Ship. Lactantius calls them Pictos
navium prafules.
Eft mihi, fitque precor flava tutela Minerva,
Navis et a pict̃a caſſide nomen habet.
Ovid.
L. 33.
-fed cœnam funeris, &c. The Ancients had ſeveral
kinds of Suppers made in Honour of the Deceaſed. First, that
which was laid upon the funeral Pile, ſuch as we find in the
23d Book of Homer, and the 6th Enets of Virgil, Catull. Ep. 55.
Ovid. Faft. 2. Secondly, the Supper given to the Friends and
Relations at their Return from the Funeral. As in the 24th Book
of Homer's Ilias, in honour of Hector. This kind of Supper is
mentioned in Lucian's Treatife of Grief, and Cicero's third Book
of Laws. Thirdly, the filicernium, a Supper laid at the Sepul
chre, called indтne deiπvov. Others will have it to be a Meet-
ing of the very old Relations, who went in a very folemn Man-
ner after the Funeral, and took their Leaves one of the other, as
if they were never to meet again. The fourth was called epulum
novendiale,
Offa
90
SATYRA VI.
Offa inodora dabit, feu fpirent cinnama furdum,
35
Seu cerafo peccent cafiæ nefcire paratus.
Tu-ne bona incolumis minuas? Sed Beftius urget
Doctores Graïos. Ita fit, poftquam fapere urbi
Cum pipere, et palmis, venit noftrum hoc maris expers,
Fœnifecæ craffo vitiârunt unguine pultes.
Hæc cinere ulterior metuas? At tu, meus hæres
Quifquis eris, paulum à turba feductior audi.
O bone num ignoras? Miffa eft à Cæfare laurus
Infignem ob cladem Germanæ pubis, et aris
Frigidus excutitur cinis, ac jam poftibus arma
Jam chlamydes Regum, jam lutea gaufapa captis,
Effedaque, ingenteſque locat Cæfonia Rhenos;
Diis igitur, Genioque ducis centum paria, ob res
Egregie geftas, induco. Quis vetat? aude.
Væ, nifi connives. Oleum, artocreafque popello
Largior; an prohibes? Dic clare. Non adeo, inquis.
Exoffatus ager juxta eft. Age, fi mihi nulla
Jam reliqua ex amitis, patruelis nulla, proneptis
Nulla manet patrui, fterilis matertera vixit,
Deque avia nihilum fupereft; accedo Bovillas,
Clivumque ad Virbi; præfto eft mihi Manius hæres.
40
45
50
55
L. 35. Oſſa inodora. It was a'Cuftom among the Romans to
depofite the Bones of the Deceaſed in an Urn, with aromatick
Gums and Spices. Herodian mentions this in his Hiftory of Se
Derus. τω κόνιν στην αρωμασιν εἰς κάλπω αλαβάσ
ἐνέβαλον.
L. 39. Maris expers. Void of a true maſculine Spirit.
L. 40. Fanifece. Meaning the primitive Romans, who lived as
common Farmers.
L. 43. Miffa eft a Cafare laurus. When a Roman General gain-
ed a Victory, the Letter, which he fent, was wrapt in Laurel.
Τα γράμματα δάφνη περιβαλῶν ὡς ἔθος εσὶν ἐπὶ νί-
xxis.
Appian. Mith.
Fiatricem laurum quam venit ante vides. Martial. Ep. lib. q.37.
t
the
SATYR VI.
91
the proper Charges of your Funeral, and fay, What,
will you embezle that Income, while you live, which
ought to be mine at your Death? But Beftius affures
you, that all theſe expenfive Offerings to the Dead
were introduced by the Greek Philofophers. We never
knew any of this Luxury, before the effeminate Gre-
cians brought it over with their Dates, and Pepper;
and now the Infection has spread it ſelf ſo far, that
even our common Labourers cannot fit down to their
Sallads, without fome of the beſt, and moſt fragrant
Oils. But feriouſly, do you carry ſuch Fears as theſe
beyond the Grave? Now let me whifper my Heir,
whoever he ſhall be. Do you hear the News, my
Friend? Cafar has ſent an Exprefs, with an Account
of his Victory over the Germans. A thanksgiving Day
as appointed. The cold Afhes are fwept from the Al-
tars, to make Room for new Sacrifices. Cafonia, the Em-
prefs, has ordered the Trophies, and the Spoils of
Kings and Captives to be hung up. The Chariots.
and the lufty Germans to be expofed to publick View.
Therefore I fhall, as a Complement to his Victories,
exhibit a Shew of a hundred Gladiators. Gainfay it
if you dare. You fhall dearly fuffer for it, if I fhall
difcover the leaft Diflike in you. I refolve upon a pub-
lick Largeſs to the common People. Do you pretend
to forbid it. Come, ſpeak aloud. You have not ſo
great an Eſtate to be thus laviſh of it. Well, I can
tell you it is in my own Power, and if I have not one
of my Aunts living, nor any one remote Relation,
I will go to Boville or Mount Virbius, and make choice
of Manius for my Heir. That Son of the Earth! Why
Rumoremque fui pervenit laurea belli,
Lauream gefte profpera rei.
L. 46. Caufapa. The Gaulish Habit.
L. 53. Exoffatus ager. Land well cultivated.
Claudian.
Tacit. hift.
L. 55. Bovillas. A Town in Latium, not far from Rome, in
the Road which led to Aricia. Ovid makes it near the City.
Orta fuburbanis quædam fuit Anna Bovillis,
It was called from a Cow, which dragged her Entrails after her
to that Place.
qu, Bovis ville
Progenies
92
SATYRA VI.
60
Progenies terræ. Quære ex me, quis mihi quartus
Sit pater, haud prompte, dicam tamen, adde etiam unum,
Unum etiam, terræ eft jam filius, et mihi ritu
Manius hic generis prope major avunculus exit.
Qui prior es, cur me in decurfu lampada pofcis?
Sum tibi Mercurius; venio Deus huc ego, ut ille
Pingitur. An renuis? Vin' tu gaudere relictis?
Deeft aliquid fummæ. Minui mihi; fed tibi totum eft,
Quicquid id eft. Ubi fit, fuge quærere, quod mihi quon-
dam
Legarat Tadius, neu dicta repone paterna.
Fænoris accedat merces; hinc exime fumptus.
65
Quid reliquum eft? Reliquum? Nunc nunc impenfius
unge,
Unge puer caules. Mihi feſta luce coquatur
Urtica, et fiffa fumofum finciput aure?
70
L. 56. Clivumque ad Virbl. A Town about four Miles from
Rome, in the Road to Aricia, near the Grove of Diana, where
Virbius (a Name given to Hippolytus) was worshipped.
Manius. A Name for fome ordinary Perfon. Mando tibi, Ma-
ni, illa folitaurilla circumagi jubeas. Cato de re ruft. c. 191.
L. 59. Terra eft jam filius. Perſons of obſcure Birth were ge-
nerally fo called. I remember Cicero, in one of his Letters to
Atticus, calls the Perfon who carried it, by the Name of Terre
filtus, for which Reaſon he ſaid he could not truſt him with any
Affair of Importance.
L.61. Qui prior es, &c. The Gracians had a Game inſtituted
in honour of Prometheus called 'Azov naμzadoux. The
Perſons who engaged in the Conteſt were to run from the Tomb
of Prometheus to Athens, with lighted Torches in their Hands,
if the foremoſt happened to be extinguiſhed, the ſecond in courſe,
provided his was lighted, happened to carry the Victory, if his
failed, it fell to the third, and fo on according to their Succeffi-
on. I ſhall here infert the Deſcription given of it by Paufanias.
Εν ᾿Ακαδημία ϋ 'σαι Προμηθέως βωμές, και θέασιν ἀπ'
αυτό προς πω πόλιν ἔχοντες καιομοίας λαμπάδας. τὸ
αγώνισμα, ὁμοῦ τῷ δρόμῳ φυλάξαι ἢ δάδα ἔτι καιομλύ
ω 'στὶν ἀποσβεθείσης δ, ἐδὲν ἐτι τ' νίκης τῷ πρώτῳ,
,
not?
SATYR VI.
93
not? Only enquire of me, who was my Anceſtor at
the diſtance of four Generations, and I ſhall not rea-
dily anſwer it.--- Do but proceed one or two farther
back, and I fhall tell you that he was a Son of the
Earth; by which means Manius may come to be my
great Uncle. But why fhould you, being older than
me, invert the order of Nature? Confider I am your
Mercury; I come as he is reprefented by the Painter.
Do you reject me? Will you be pleafed with what I
leave you? But you have broke in upon the Principal.
That I did for my own Ufe. But whatever is left, it
is all your own. Do not you call me to an Account
for the Legacies, which were left me by Tadius ; Nor
with the Authority of a Father adviſe me, to live up-
on the Uſe of my Money. But still you urge, What
will be left for me? Left for you. Is that your Que-
ftion. Here, who is there? Go, my Servant, ufe more
Oil to my Coleworts. Shall I ftint my felf to dryed
Hog's-cheek, and Nettles, upon a Feftival; that fuch
€
δευτέρῳ ἢ απ' αυτό μέτεσιν. ἐι ἢ μηδὲ τέτῳ καιοιτο,
τρίτος ἐςὶν ὁ κρατῶν. ἐι ὃ κ πᾶσιν αποσβεσθείη εδεὶς
ɔ̃y sdeis
στὶν ὅτῳ καταλείπεται ἡ νίκη
Others will have it, There was a fucceſſive delivering of the
Torches from one to another, and we have fome Allufions of
this in Authors, when they exprefs the various Changes and Vi
ciffitudes of human Affairs, or the Succeffion of Animals.
Inque brevi fpatio mutantur fecla animantum,
Et quafi curfores vital lampada tradunt.
Lucret.
Γεννῶντες, και εκτρέφοντες παῖδας, καθάπερ λάμπαδα τὸν
βίον παραδίδοντες ἄλλοις ἐξ ἄλλων. Plat. leg. lib. 6.
L. 62. Sum tibi Mercurius, &c. I am an unexpected God of
Gain to you. I come with a full Bag in my Hand like him.
Το άγαλμα άντε βασάζων μάρτυπον. Suidas in 'Eg
Kйs.
VI
94
SATYRA VI.
Ut'tuus ifte nepos olim fatur anferis extis,
Cum morofa vago fingultiet inguine vena,
Patricia immeïat vulvæ, mihi trama figuræ
Sit reliqua? aft illi tremat omento popa venter?
Vende animam lucro, mercare, atque excute folers 75
Omne latus mundi, ne fit præftantior alter
Cappadocas rigida pingues paviffe cataſtâ.
Rem duplica. Feci; jam triplex; jam mihi quartò,
Jam decies redit in rugam, depinge, ubi fiſtam,
Inventus, Chryfippe, tui finitor acervi.
80
L. 77. Cataſta. A wooden Engine, on which the Slaves were
placed which were expoſed to Sale. Talem in Catafta bidere Chry-
Jogonum Sylla. Plin. lib. 35. It became in later Ages an Engine
to rack the Chriftians upon. Catafla, genus tormenti, i. e. lecti
ferret, quibus impofiti Martyres, ignis Supponebatur. Cyprian Ep.
33. Vid. St. Auguft. in Pfalm. Apon. lib. 3. Comment, in Cant.
A&a. S. S. Martyr. Numid. N. 6.
E. 80. Chryfippus. An Afiatick Philoſopher, the moſt famous
of the Stoicks. He was Zeno's Diſciple, and a moſt excellent
Logician. It was ſaid of him, that if the Gods theinfelves made
any ufe of Logick, it could be no other than his. The Athenians
a Spend-
SATYR VI.
95
a Spendthrift as this may live in all manner of Lux-
ury? Shall I ftarve my back to feed his Belly? What
a fine Speech he makes to me!
Go now and fell thy Soul for Gain, ranfack the whole
World to get the ſtart of others in Riches. Deal in Cappa-
docian Slaves. Double your Fortune. I have already made
it three-fold: I may fay four-fold. Now it is ten-fold.
Tell me, Chryfippus, you who found out a Method to
finiſh your endleſs Argument, where ſhall I end this?
had him in fo great Efteem, that they erected a Statue to him.
He was the Inventor of that Way of Arguing called the Sorates.
Venit ad Soritas, lubricum fane et periculofum locum, quod' tu.moda
dicebas effe vitiofum interrogandi genus. Quid ergo? iftius vitit
num noftra culpa eft? Rerum natura nullam nobis dedit cognitionem
finium, ut illa in re ftatuere poffumus.--- Quatenus ; nec hóc in acer-
Do tritici folum unde nomen eft; fed ulla omnino in re minutatim in.
terroganti, dives, pauper : clarus, objcurus: multa, pauca: magna,
parva: longa, brevia : lata, anguſta : quanto aut addito aut dempto
certum, quod refpondeamus, non habemus. Cic. academ, quæft.
PERSIUS
(96)
PERSIUS has imitated HORACE in many
Paffages, which I think proper to place
under their Names in the following Man-
ner.
HORAC E.
Quid faciam præfcribe. fat. 2
Scribimus indocti
Et cantu tremulo pota. lib. 4 od. 13
donec ohe jam
Ad cœlum manibus fublatis
fenium depone camena.
lib. 2 fat. s
lib. I ep.
Balba feris annofo verba palato.
fperamus carmina fingi
Poffe linenda cedro.
unctum qui recte ponere poffit.
fat. 3 1.2
art. poet.
ibid
tritæ munere veftis. ep. 19 lib. 1
VOS O
Pompilius fanguis.
art. poet.
quia ponere totum
Nefciet.
art. poet.
Primum ipfi tibi
ibid
Mene moveat cimex Pantilius.
fi vis me flere dolendum eft
Sæpe caput fcaberet, et vivos roderet ungues. fa. 10 li. I
Creſsâ ne careat pulchra dies nota.
ad miferas preces
Decurrere, et votis pacifci.
At bona pars hominum
I
lib. 1 od. 36
lib. 3 od. 29
fat. I lib. I
Jane pater, clare, clare cum dixit, Apollo:
Labra movet metuens audiri; pulchra Laverna
Da mihi fallere
ep. 16 lib. I
O fi urnam argenti fors qua mihi monftret. fat. 6 lib. 2
maxime quis non
Jupiter exclamet
PER-
( 97 )
PERSIU S.
SAT. I.
Quid faciam?
Scribimus inclufi.
Tremulo fcalpuntur, &c.
dicas cute perditus ohe.
lin. Iz
13
21
23
En pallor feniumque
tenero fupplantat verba palato.
35
a mut
42
53'
54
et cedro digna locutus.
calidum fcis ponere fumen.
Artifices
tritâ donare lacerna.
vos o patricius fanguis,
nec ponere lucum
Men' moveat quippe.
Plorabit qui me volet incurvaffe querela.
Nec pluteum cædit, nec demorfos fapit ungues.
SAT. II.
Hunc, Macrine, diem numera meliore lapillo.
non tu prece pofcis emaci.
At bona pars procerum
hæc clare, et ut audiat hofpes.
Illa fibi introrfum, et fub lingua immurmurat:
Ofi
Sub raktro crepet argenti mihi feria
61
༡༠
89
91
106
I
3
$
8
II
proh Jupiter! O bone, clamet,
22
G
an
( 98 )
Moverit inceftus
HORACE.
an trifte bidental
Quid voveat dulci nutricula majus alumno. ep. 4 lib. I
quo pacto peffime
Non fumptuofa blandior hoftia,
Immunis aram fi tetigit manus
Mollibit averfos penates
Farre pio, et faliente mica.
art. poet.
fat. 7 lib. 2
lib.
3 od. 23
lib. 3 od. 29
fat. 7 lib. 2
Jam paftor umbras cum grege languido.
nemon' oleum feret ocyus ?
Calpantur fruftra calami.
argillâ quidvis imitaberis udâ.
modo fit mihi menfa tripes et
Concha falis puri
vivit filiquis et pane fecundo.
reddat natis chariſque propinquis.
Stes capite obftipo
velut ægri fomnia vanæ
Fingentur fpecies
-
fat. 3 lib. z
ep.
fat. 3 lib. r
ep. 1 lib. z
I
fat. 1 lib.
art. poet.
impranfi correptus voce magiftri.
nefis patruus mihi
rectius hoc eft:
Hoc faciens vivam melius
fat. 4 lib. r
Introrfum turpem, fpeciofum pelle decorâ. lib. 2 ep. 16
aliquis cubito ftantem prope tangens. fat. s lib. 2
Cadimur, et totidem plagis confumimus hoftem.
Regibus hic mos eft
At tu conclufas hircinis follibus auras
Ufque laborantes, dum ferrum molliat ignis,
Ut mavis imitare
-
notum fi calida verbum
Reddiderit jun&ura novum
lib. I fat. 4
Utrumque noftrum incredibili modo
Confentit aftrum.
od. 17 lib. 2
Scit genus natale comes qui temperat aſtrum.
Trifte
(99)
PERSIU S.
Trifte jaces lucis evitandumque bidental.
Aft ego nutrici non mando vora.
quo peffime pacto.
Hæc cedo ut admoveam templis et farre litabo.
SA T. III.
et patulâ pecus omne fub ulmo eſt.
Ocyus adfit huc aliquis: nemon?
Tunc queritur craffus calamo quod pendeat humor
Udum et molle lutum es,
purum et fine labe falinum.
filiquis et grandi paſta polenta.
patriæ charifque propinquis
Quantum elargiri deceat
Obftipo capite et figentes lumine terram,
Agroti veteris meditantes fomnia:
cur quis non prandeat, hoc eft ?
ne fis mihi tutor :
SAT. IV.
Hoc puto non juftum eft, illud male, rectius iftud.
fummâ nequicquam pelle decorus.
Eft prope te ignotus cubito qui tangit.
Cædimus inque vicem præbemus crura fagittis.
Vatibus hic mos eft,
SA T. V.
Tu neque anhelanti coquitur dum maffa camino,
Folle premis ventos :
junctura calidus acri
amborum fœdere certo
Confentire dies,
27
39
46
75
6
7
12
23
25
55
70
So
78
83
∞ ∞ a
85
90
8
13
33
4I
I
11
14
45
Nefcio quod certe eft, quod me tibi temperat aftrum. 51
G 2
Hic
( 100 )
HORAC E.
Hic mutat merces furgente a fole, ad eum quo
Vefpertina tepet regio
Eft mihi purgatam crebro qui perfonet aurem.
Dum vult libertas mera dici.
clament periiffe pudorem
Cun&ti pene patres
Securus cadat, an recto ftet fabula talo.
creta an carbone notandi?
In triviis fixum cum fe dimittat ob aſſem.
ep. r
fat.3 15.
Quæ poterunt unquam fatis expurgare cicuta?
In cicere atque faba bona tu perdaſque lupinis.
Labra moves cupiens audiri
O fi angulus ille
far. 3 lib. 2
Proximus accedat qui nunc denormet agellum. fat. 1. 2
indignum quod fit pejoribus ortus.
nec metuam quid de me judicet hæres,
Quod non plura datis invenerit
Quantulum enim fummæ curtabit quifque dierum.
Mercibus
( 101 )
PERSIU S.
Mercibus hic Italis mutat fub fole recenti.
Cultor enim es juvenum purgatas inferis aures.
Hacmera libertas.
exclamar Melicerta periffe
Frontem de rebus
tibi recto vivere talo.
Illa prius cretâ mox hæc carbone notafti.
Inque luto fixum poffis tranfcendere nummum.
quam non extinxerit urna cicutæ.
cicer ingere large
Rixanti populo
-
Labra moves tacitus.
Są
63
82
103
104
108
111
177
184
SAT. VI.
angulus ille
Vicini, noftro, quia pinguior
Ditefcant orti pejoribus
fed cænam funeris hæ res
Negliget iratus.
Quod rem curtaveris.
13
- -
Mi
IS
33
34
RAJ UJ
FINIS.
DO NOT CIRCULATE
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