Deterius nostra. Demetri, teque, Tigelli, 90 are Pollio and Messella (lines 42 and 29.)-90. As to Demetrius, see line 79. Hermogenes Tigellius was a singer and teacher of music: hence plorare jubeo. you may howl away.' Besides, however, jubeo aliquem plorare, like the Greek oipúlev Keλeuw, has the sense of an imprecation, ruin take you.' -92. Said not without a special purpose. LIBER SECUNDUS. SATIRA I. A JOCULAR defence of the Satires, which had drawn much odium upon Horace. He represents himself as consulting C. Trebatius Testa, a celebrated lawyer, well known on account of his intimacy with Cicero, and the humorous letters which the latter wrote to him. The result of the poet's deliberation and consultation is this: I cannot live without writing poetry, and the satire is suited to my powers; besides, my Satires please Caesar Octavianus, who will therefore protect my person from dastardly attacks: therefore I will write satires. SUNT, quibus in satira videor nimis acer et ultra 'Ter uncti Quid faciam praescribe.' 'Quiescas.' 'Ne faciam, inquis, 5 10 1. Videor and videar have almost equal manuscript authority. The indicative, in a case like this, is generally preferred by Horace. See Gram. 360, 4. Ultra legem. No doubt the twelve tables are meant, for in them a punishment was decreed against the author of mala carmina; that is, lampoons.-4. Deduci, 'spun out' like thread. Compare i. 10, 60.-6. Feream male, a form of strong assertion, may I be hanged, if that were not the best thing;' that is, undoubtedly it would be the best. But erat implies that he cannot do it. - 7. Connect ter with transnanto. Swimming across the Tiber was a common practice with the young men who frequented the Campus Martius. -9._Irriguum_mero; namely, which they had drunk at night. 12. Laturus, the reason, because thou wilt receive.' 14. Fracta cuspide. The chief weapon of the Romans was the pilum, a spear about six feet long, with a strong barbed iron head: the wooden shaft broke off, but the head remained in the wound, thus Aut labentis equo describet vulnera Parthi.' Quum sibi quisque timet, quamquam est intactus, et odit.' Credebat libris, neque, si male cesserat, unquam Vita senis. Sequor hunc, Lucanus an Appulus anceps: 25 39 30 35 causing death.-16. Justum et fortem scil. Caesarem, 'the justice and constancy of Augustus.'-17. Scipiada, properly Scipionides, refers to the younger Scipio Africanus, the destroyer of Carthage and Numantia. He was praised in the poems of Lucilius, Horace's predecessor in satire.-20. Undique tutus. The figure is taken from a pair of horses, which when any danger approaches, put their heads together, and keep off all foes by their heels.-22. Pantolabus, name of a spendthrift, from the Greek návra λabciv, 'one who takes all from all,' having nothing himself. Nomentanus, also a spendthrift. -24. lcto; namely, by wine; that is, drunk.-25. Numerus accessit lucernis, a man when drunk seeing double.-26. Ovo prognatus eodem, his twin brother Pollux. -27. Pugnis, from pugnus. -30. The sense is: Lucilius intrusted all his secrets to his books, his bad fortune as well as his good; so that his life can be seen from his writings. just as from a picture which people who have escaped from any imminent danger hang up in the temple of the god whom they believe to have given them assistance; for this is tabula votiva.34. Senis, improperly applied, for Lucilius is said to have died in his forty-sixth year. Lucanus an Appulus anceps; that is, who am but a common man, not being able even to name definitely the province of my birth. Lucilius, on the other hand, was a Roman eques.-35. Finem, used poetically for the plural, fines, 'territory.' Venusia became a Roman colony in 291 B. C.-37. Quo ne ne quo, that in no direction.'-39. Stilus, as we say, 'my pen;' that is, Quemquam animantem et me veluti custodiet ensis Sed mala tollet anum vitiato melle cicuta. Ne longum faciam: seu me tranquilla senectus Frigore te feriat.' 'Quid? Quum est Lucilius ausus = 40 45 50 55 60 my satire. 42. Tutus contains the condition, if I am safe.' -43. Ut=utinam, and positum depositum.-46. Insignis, here notorious,' one to be pointed at with the finger of scorn. Cantabitur, said with reference to the verses which Horace will make on his enemies.-47. Cervius, a well-known accuser at Rome; urna, the urn into which the tablets with the sentence of the judges were thrown.-48. As to Canidia, see Epode 5. Albutius, also a poisoner. It is probable that to Albuti, according to a common Latin idiom, uxor is to be supplied. However, there is an ambiguity in the line, for the genitive may be taken as governed by venenum. 49. Turius, a venal judge, who, in any lawsuit in which one of the parties was his private foe, used, simply for that reason, to give sentence against him.-50. Suspectos infestos, hostes.-52. Intus: sua.-53. Scaeva, as the scholiasts tell us, was a rich spendthrift, who, considering that his mother was living too long, removed her by poison. 54. Dextera; as we say, 'he will not lay hands on her, kill her by open violence, but by poison.' To mirum supply est. 58. Circumvolat; supply even now,' whilst I am still young.-59. Seu fors, etc. exul, = vel, si fors, etc. exul.-61. Majorum nobilium virorum. —62. Frigus is coldness,' somewhat milder than odium, opposed to calor, studium.-64. Connect nitidus with per ora, 'outwardly beautiful.' We see this from the antithe a natura Cederet, introrsum turpis. Num Laelius et qui Nugari cum illo et descincti ludere, donec Decoqueretur olus, soliti. Quidquid sum ego, quamvis Dissentis.' Equidem nihil hinc diffingere possum; 65 70 75 80 85 -73. sis introrsum turpis.-66. The Scipiada mentioned in line 17.67. Q. Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus, consul in 143 B. C., and L. Cornelius Lentulus Lupus, consul in 156 B. C., political opponents of the younger Scipio and Laelius, and therefore attacked by Lucilius.-69. Arripuit, he laid hold of,' a lively expression for vituperavit. Tributim. Lucilius attacked whole tribes of the people, for neglect or mal-performance of their military or other duties. —71. Remorant, contracted form of removerant. Gram. 141, 1.Discincti; that is, when they had laid aside the toga, in order to amuse themselves more at ease. The comedian Terence was also one of the intimates of Scipio and Laelius.-75. Infra censum, 'inferior in fortune,' for Lucilius was rich, and an eques by birth, which was a much more important thing in his time than in the reign of Augustus.-78. Offendet solido: the dative used poetically for ad solidum.-79. Hinc diffingere; that is, to make a transformation in your nature, which you have now been describing to me: I can make no alteration in you, but take care. -82. Mala carmina. See note on line 1. Horace has chosen the word mala intentionally, as it may mean either 'immoral,' or, as applied to poems, 'stupid, witless.'-85. Latraverit. The figure is taken from a dog. The construction with the accusative is poetical. -86. Tabulae here are the wooden benches on which the judges sit. The judges burst into such a hearty fit of laughter that the joints of the benches are loosened. P |