136. Pulvino... sufficit: L. Roscius Otho, a tribune of the people, instituted a law, that there should be in the theatres fourteen rows of seats, covered with cushions, for the accommodation of the knights; and that no poor person, nor any other having less than 400 sestertia (about $14,280), should sit there.

142. Quis gener: Umbricius continues to show the miseries of being poor, and instances the disadvantages, which men of small fortunes lie under with respect to marriage.—Censu minor : 'inferior in property' to the lady, to whom he would propose himself in marriage, or, as some interpret it, 'less than the census,' i. e. one whose income is too small to be registered and assessed. 145. Tenues... Quirites: the plebeians of Rome.'

146. Emergunt: out of obscurity, poverty, and contempt, to wealth and honors.

147. Durior: 'more difficult,' than it is in any other place.Illis: to the poor.

150. Quod... Sabellam: i. e. they certainly think it no (negavit, i. e. negare solet) disgrace, who go on a sudden to live among the Marsians, or who are acquainted with the poor fare of the Sabellans.-Others think that the poet here alludes to Curius Dentatus, who conquered the Samnites and Marsi, and reduced the Sabellans into obedience to the Romans. When elected

consul, he was immediately ordered to march against the Samnites.

152. Veneto duroque culullo: according to Ruperti, "luteo et fictili poculo ansato." Others have cucullo; it would then signify with a coarse blue hood.'-The cucullus was a short cloak of rough coarse cloth, with a cowl to pull over the head occasionally; it was usually dyed with blue, which color seems to have been first used by Venetian fishermen.

154. Nemo... mortuus: it was customary among the Romans to put a gown on a corpse, when it was carried forth to burial. In many parts of Italy, where they lived in rustic simplicity, the people dressed in the tunica or jacket, never wearing the toga.The meaning is that one might live in other places besides Rome, at a much less expense.-Dierum... festorum: the dies festi were festivals observed on some joyful occasion: the people then went, dressed in their best apparel, to the plays and shows.

155. Herboso... theatro: at Rome, the theatres were built of marble and other splendid materials: here they were not at the expense of costly edifices, but green sods alone were used.

156. Notum exodium: 'some well known farce.'

157. Persona... hiatum: the persona or larva was a mask, entirely covering the head, having a large gaping mouth, that the actor might speak through it the more easily.

159. Illic: i. e. in many towns of Italy.

160. Orchestram: among the Greeks this was in the middle of the theatre, where the Chorus danced: but, among the Romans, it was the space between the stage and the common seats,

where the nobles and senators sat.-Clari... alba: the ædiles, who presided at these celebrations, did not, as at Rome, dress themselves in fine robes decked with purple, but were content to appear in plain white tunics.

162. Hic: i. e. at Rome.

164. Ambitiosâ paupertate: though poor, we are all ambitious to appear rich and great.

165. Omnia... pretio : 'every thing is extravagantly dear at Rome.'

167. Veiento: Fabricius Veiento was a proud nobleman, a favorite of Nero and Domitian: he is here represented as being so haughty, that he would not deign to say a word to the suitors, who were admitted to him; yet even admission to his presence was attained with great difficulty, and not until they had paid high bribes to the servants.

168. Ille...amati: it was the custom of the Romans, to dedicate the first shavings of the beard and cuttings of the hair, after they had arrived at a state of manhood, to some deity; when these were dedicated by the great a festival was observed and presents were expected from all their dependants. It was also customary with the wealthy to cut off the hair of their minions, just arrived at puberty, and to consecrate it, on which occasions also presents were expected.

169. Libis venalibus: these were cakes made of honey, meal, and oil, and sent as presents from the poor to the rich, on festal occasions. The slave, to whom they were presented, often sold them to advantage, hence the epithet, venalibus. Accipe... habe hear too this cause of indignation, and let it work within your mind.'—Fermentum: a metaphor from the working of bread; for anger raises the mind into a state of fermentation.

170. Cultis ... servis: 'augment the vails (or perquisites) of spruce slaves.'

171. Gelidâ Præneste: Præneste was a city of Latium, well watered, and situated amidst romantic mountains; hence it is called by the poets cold.-As it is always found in the neuter gender, commentators supply the word urbe.-Ruinam : 'the falling

of houses.'

173. Volsiniis: Volsinium or Volsinii (now Bolsena) was a pleasantly situated town in Etruria.

174. Simplicibus Gabiis: Gabii was a town of the Volscians, taken by the cunning of Sextus Tarquin: hence it is called simple.-Proni... arce: Tibur (now Tivoli) was a pleasant city of Italy, about sixteen miles from Rome, on the river Anio: it stood upon a precipice, and had the appearance of hanging over it.

175. Nos... sui: Rome was in many parts ruinous, and many of the houses were supported by very slight props.

177. Villicus: the city officer, whose duty it was to attend to the repairs of the city: or more properly the steward of the landlord of these houses.-Achaintre thinks villicus means 'a country

mason.-Rima... hiatum: instead of repairing the holes in the wall, he merely stops them up with mortar or something else. 179. Illic: i. e. in those small and retired towns.

180. Frivola: his moveables of little value.

181. Ucalegon: see Virgil's Æn., book 2, 310–312.—Tibi : 'to your destruction.'

182. Si... ardebit: if the occupants of the ground floor are in confusion (in consequence of the fire) the garret will burn.' 185. Lectus... minor: 'Codrus had a couch shorter than his wife Procula.'

186. Infrà beneath' the cupboard.

187. Cantharus: a drinking vessel with a handle to it.—Sub ... Chiron: a figure of Chiron (the centaur) under the same marble;' i. e. under the marble slab, of which the cupboard was formed, perhaps by way of support to it.-Some suppose that this was a mean figure of Chiron, made of the same materials with the cantharus, viz. of clay, which he ironically expresses by marmore, for of this images were usually made.

189. Opici: barbarous; opicus is a word taken from the Opici, an ancient, rude, and barbarous people of Italy.

191. Ultimus ...ærumnæ cumulus: 'the height of his accumulated misery.'

192. Nudum: as having lost his few clothes by the fire. 193. Hospitio: 'entertainment.'

194. Asturii: the name of some rich and noble man.-Horrida mater: the Roman matrons are in mourning;' or mater may mean 'Rome itself.'

197. Ardet adhuc: while the house is still on fire.

199. Euphranoris et Polycleti: these were two eminent Grecian statuaries.

200. Hæc: this lady.'

201. Mediamque Minervam: and a bust of Minerva.' Gran gaus observes, that the ancients had their "imagines aut integræ, aut dimidiata;" of which latter sort was the image of Minerva.Britannicus expounds mediam Minervam, "a statue of Minerva to be placed in the middle, by way of ornamenting his library." 202. Modium: modius means here an indefinite quantity: so we say a bushel of money."

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203. Persicus: Asturius was either a Persian or was so called from his immense riches.

205. Avelli Cirsensibus: the Circensian games were so called, because they were exhibited in the circus. See Kennett's Rom. Antiq. These shows were favorite amusements, and therefore the Romans could with difficulty be prevailed upon to absent themselves from them; hence the sarcastic avelli, to be forcibly dragged away.-Sora ... Fabrateriæ... Frusinone: these were pleasant towns in Campania.-Paratur: 'is purchased.'

207. Tenebras: 'darkness;' but here, figuratively, some miserable dark hole.'

Latum

208. Hic i. e. in any of these towns.-Reste movendus: i. e. not so deep as to want a rope and bucket.

210. Bidentis: a fork with two prongs, used in husbandry: here, by Metonymy, 'husbandry' itself.

211. Pythagoreis: Pythagoras and his followers lived on vegetables, particularly pulse.

213. Lacerta: the green lizard is found in various parts of Italy, as in all warm climates, and is very fond of living in gardens. The poet means, that wherever a man may be placed, it is no small privilege to be able to call one's self master of a little spot of ground, though it were no larger than to contain one poor lizard.

214. Hic here in Rome.-Vigilando: by being deprived of sleep and rest, from the continual noise in the streets.

215. Imperfectus: 'indigested.'

216. Ardenti: feverish and burning. He seems to allude to what we call a heart burn.

218. Indè: i. e. from want of sleep.-Rhedarum: rheda means any vehicle, drawn by horses, mules, &c.-Arcto... mandræ: the streets of Rome were anciently very narrow and crooked; the consequence was, that carriages were obliged frequently to stop: hence the scolding and abusive language heaped by the drivers on each other for stopping the way.

219. Mandræ: mandra signifies a hovel for cattle, a pig-stye; also by Metonymy, a team of horses or of any beasts of burden. Some think it put for the driver.

220. Druso: Tib. Claud. Drus. Cæsar was, according to Suetonius, exceedingly drowsy. See Suetonius, Claud. c. 5 and 8.

222. Liburno: sc. servo; carried in a sedan on the shoulders of tall Liburnian slaves, above the heads (super ora) of every footpassenger.

225. Antè... veniet: though he reads, writes, or sleeps, on the way, he will arrive at his journey's end before us, poor wretches.

227. Assere: asser signifies a pole, a piece of wood, 'the joist of a house; the last may be meant here: or it may mean the pole of some litter,'-' a chair-pole.'

229. Plantâ ... hæret: i. e. I can hardly turn myself, but some heavy, splay-footed fellow tramples upon my feet, and at last some soldier's hob-nail runs into my toe.-Soldiers wore a kind of harness, called caliga, on their feet and legs, which was stuck full of nails.

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231. Sportula: this word does not mean the hundred quadrantes, but the supper which was given to the poor clients.-Fumo. some understand fumo figuratively, with how much bustle:' others think it alludes to the smoke of the chafing dishes, which were used to keep the food warm, as it was carried through the streets.

232. Convive . . . culina : i. e. those who have received their

share of the sportula or supper, and are on their return home, each followed by a slave, who is carrying a portable kitchen or chafing-dish.

233. Corbulo: a very strong and valiant man in the time of Nero.

237. Sarraco: sarracum is a strong wagon to carry timber and

stone.

239. Saxa Ligustica: vast masses of stone, cut out of the mountains of Liguria, between Etruria and Gaul.

242. Perit: is reduced to nothing;' or at least ground so small as to be imperceptible.

243. More anima: i. e. the particles, which composed the body, could no more be found, than the soul, which is immaterial. -Secura: unconcerned' as knowing nothing of the accident. 244. Unctis striglibus: for strigilibus, for the sake of the metre; strigil was an instrument for scraping the body after bathing it had some oil put on it, to make it slide with less friction over the skin. These instruments were made of gold, silver, iron, or the like, which, when gathered up or thrown together, make a clattering sound (sonat).

245. Lintea: napkins,' to wipe the body after bathing.— Gutto: guttus was a vessel, from which oil was poured drop by drop upon the body after bathing, and then it was rubbed all over it.

246. Ille the slave, bringing home the sportula, who had been killed by the fall of a block of stone.

247. Ripa: sc. Stygia; where the unburied and the poor, who could not pay the farthing (trientem) to Charon, were obliged to remain, till the expiration of a hundred years.

249. Ore trientem: the triens was a very small piece of money, (equal to about one half of a cent,) the third part of the as. It was customary among the Greeks to put a piece of money into the mouth of the dead, which was supposed to be given to Charon as the fare for passing in his boat over the river Styx.

Juvenal seems to ridicule the Romans for adopting this foolish. superstition.

250. Respice: Umbricius, as an additional reason for his leaving Rome, now shows, with great humor, the dangers and disadvantages, to which the inhabitants, especially the poorer sort, are exposed in walking the streets by night.

There is every reason, from the testimony of contemporary writers, to believe that the picture is as faithful as it is animated; it is nearly that, in short, of every overgrown and vicious capital, which is not protected by a vigilant police.

251. Quod.. · sublimibus: i. e quod spatium sit a tectis subli

mibus ad terram.

252. Testa: a fragment of any broken vessel; 'a potsherd' 254. Possis... haberi: you may justly be considered negligent of your affairs.