XV TO VALA ORDERED by his physician to take the cold-water cure, Horace writes to his friend Vala for information about two seaside places, Velia and Salernum, especially as to the climate, people, drinking water, game, and fish. As such an interest in personal luxuries may seem quite inconsistent with doctrines he has often preached, Horace humorously admits that he is like the well-known Maenius, who would loudly proclaim the blessings of a simple life, but, if he had the chance, would indulge his appetite to the full. The opening paragraph (1-25) is loosely framed, with lengthy parentheses, giving an air of careless freedom of style, after the fashion of conversation in real life. Numonius Vala, who had a country house in southern Italy, belonged to a family of some distinction in Lucania, as is evidenced by coins and inscriptions. XV. 10 Quae sit hiems Veliae, quod caelum, Vala, Salerni, quorum hominum regio et qualis via (nam mihi Baias Musa supervacuas Antonius, et tamen illis me facit invisum, gelida cum perluor unda per medium frigus. sane murteta relinqui dictaque cessantem nervis elidere morbum sulfura contemni vicus gemit, invidus aegris, qui caput et stomachum supponere fontibus audent Clusinis1 Gabiosque petunt et frigida rura. mutandus locus est et deversoria2 nota praeteragendus equus. "quo tendis? non mihi Cumas est iter aut Baias," laeva stomachosus habena dicet3 eques; sed equi frenato est auris in ore); maior utrum populum frumenti copia pascat ; collectosne bibant imbres puteosne perennis iugis aquae (nam vina nihil moror illius orae : rure meo possum quidvis perferre patique ; ad mare cum veni, generosum et lene requiro, quod curas abigat, quod cum spe divite manet in venas animumque meum, quod verba ministret, 20 quod me Lucanae iuvenem commendet amicae); 1 Clusinos VE. 3 dicit E. 4 2 diversoria ERøy. equis frenato T. 6 commendat aR. 5 15 a Baiae was famous for its hot sulphur baths, but Musa has prescribed the cold-water treatment, which is not to be had there. EPISTLE XV 66 What's the winter like, my Vala, at Velia, what's the climate at Salernum, what sort of people live there, what kind of road is it for Antonius Musa makes Baiae useless to me, and yet a puts me in ill favour there, now that in midwinter I drench myself in cold water. Of course the town murmurs at its myrtle-groves being deserted, and its sulphur baths despised, so famous for driving a lingering disorder from the sinews, and takes offence at invalids who dare to plunge head and stomach under the showers from Clusium's springs, or who repair to Gabii and its cold country-side. I must change my resort, and drive my horse past the familiar lodgings. Where are you going? I'm not bound for Cumae or Baiae"; so will the rider say as he tugs in anger at the left rein-but the horse's ear is in its bridled mouth -which town has the better supply of food, do they drink rain-water from tanks, or have they springwater, welling forth all the year—(for that region's wines I put out of court: in my country home I can stand and suffer anything; but when I go to the seaside I need something generous and mellow, to drive care away, to flow with rich hope into veins and heart, to find me a flow of words, and to give me the grace of youth with the ladies of Lucania)— The rider might have spared his words, for the horse is guided only by the bit. tractus uter pluris lepores, uter educet apros; utra magis piscis et echinos aequora celent, pinguis ut inde domum possim Phaeaxque reverti, scribere te nobis, tibi nos accredere par est. 1Maenius, ut rebus maternis atque paternis fortiter absumptis urbanus coepit haberi scurra vagus, non qui certum praesepe teneret, impransus non qui civem dinosceret hoste, quaelibet in quemvis opprobria fingere saevus,2 pernicies et tempestas barathrumque macelli, quidquid quaesierat, ventri donabats avaro. hic ubi nequitiae fautoribus et timidis nil aut paulum abstulerat, patinas cenabat omasi, vilis et agninae,4 tribus ursis quod satis esset; scilicet ut ventres lamna candente nepotum diceret urendos correctus5 Bestius. idem, quidquid erat nactus praedae maioris, ubi omne verterat in fumum et cinerem, non hercule miror," aiebat," si qui comedunt bona, cum sit obeso nil melius turdo, nil vulva pulchrius ampla." 66 40 Nimirum hic ego sum. nam tuta et parvola laudo, cum res deficiunt, satis inter vilia fortis? : verum ubi quid melius contingit et unctius, idem vos sapere et solos aio bene vivere, quorum conspicitur nitidis fundata pecunia villis.9 25 7 În a ll. 43-44 follow 39; in π they follow 38. a As if he were one of the i. 2. 28. The language is Plautine. he swept everything before him. 30 35 1 Here a new Epistle begins in all important мss. except a. 2 certus two Bland. 3 donarat V, II: donaret Bentley. 5 correptus ER: corrector Lambinus. 4 agnini aλ. 6 verteret E. 45 |
