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115

120

Templorum quoque majestas praesentior, et vox
Nocte fere media mediamque audita per Urbem,
Litore ab Oceano Gallis venientibus, et dîs
Officium vatis peragentibus. His monuit nos,
Hanc rebus Latiis curam praestare solebat
Fictilis et nullo violatus Jupiter auro.
Illa domi natas (nostraque ex arbore) mensas
Tempora viderunt; hos lignum stabat in usus,
Annosam si forte nucem dejecerat Eurus.
At nunc divitibus coenandi nulla voluptas,
Nil rhombus, nil dama sapit, putere videntur
Unguenta atque rosae, latos nisi sustinet orbes
Grande ebur, et magno sublimis pardus hiatu,
Dentibus ex illis, quos mittit porta Syenes
Et Mauri celeres et Mauro obscurior Indus,
Et quos deposuit Nabataeo belua saltu,
Jam nimios capitique graves. Hinc surgit orexis,
Hinc stomacho bilis: nam pes argenteus illis,
Annulus in digito quod ferreus. Ergo superbum

111-114.] See this story in Livy v. 32. The voice was heard by a plebeian, M. Caedicius, in the Via Nova.

116. Jupiter] i. c. his image. For "violatus," cf. Sat. iii. 20.

117. nostra ex arbore] As walnut ("nucem," 1. 119), oak, &c.; opposed to the foreign woods or materials mentioned afterwards.

118. hos- usus] "for this purpose the wood was stacked;" i. e. to make the furniture.

122. orbes] "tables ;" lit. the circumference of the table. See note on Sat. i. 137.

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125

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Convivam caveo, qui me sibi comparat, et res 130 Despicit exiguas: adeo nulla uncia nobis Est eboris, nec tessellae nec calculus ex hac Materia: quin ipsa manubria cultellorum Ossea. Non tamen his ulla unquam opsonia fiunt Rancidula, aut ideo pejor gallina secatur. Sed nec structor erit cui cedere debeat omnis to match. Pergula;-discipulus Thrypheri doctoris, apud

and attendance

quem

135

140

Sumine cum magno lepus atque aper et pygargus
Et Scythicae volucres et phoenicopterus ingens
Et Gaetulus oryx, hebeti lautissima ferro
Caeditur et tota sonat ulmea coena Subura.
Nec frustum capreae subducere, nec latus Afrae
Novit avis noster tirunculus ac rudis omni
Tempore et exiguae furtis imbutus ofellae.
Plebeios calices et paucis assibus emtos
Porriget incultus puer atque a frigore tutus:
Non Phryx aut Lycius, non a mangone petitus
Quisquam erit et magno. Quum poscis, posce
Latine.

Idem habitus cunctis, tonsi rectique capilli,

130, 131. res exiguas] "poverty." per." So in Hor Od. iii. 16. 25, “Contemtae dominus splendidior rei."

132, 133. nec-materia] "neither a mosaic (tessellae'), nor even a counter of it."

136. structor] Sat. v. 120, note. 136, 137. cui-pergula] "who has no rival in the carving-school." Pergula' was a booth open to the street, like a cobbler's stall. It was used either as a workshop, or by poor teachers of grammar, rhetoric, or other accomplishments, including, it would seem, the art of carving. Cf. note on Sat. vii. 173.

137-141. Thrypheri] A famous 66 structor of the day, who taught the art of arranging a table and carving. See note on Sat. v. 120. The lesson was illustrated by wooden models; hence 1. 141, "lautissima ulmea coena (in appos. with "lepus ' &c.) a most splendid (elm) sup

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145

139. Scythicae volucres] "pheaScythicae" is used for Phasianae;" i. e. natives of the river Phasis in Colchis. The bird takes its name from the latter.

141. Subura] Sat. iii. 5 and note. 142-144.] "As for slaves, mine is too innocent to filch (i. e. from the dish) a piece of kid or the wing of a guinea-fowl; novice as he is, and uncivilized on all occasions, and only practised in thefts of a tiny scrap (from the plates)." The "Afra avis" occurs also in Hor. Epod. 2. 53.

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146. a frigore tutus] With just clothes to keep him warm;" (not for finery.)

148. magno] sub. "pretio." "Latinè:"-since he is home born, not a foreigner. "Poscis," "call for any thing."

149. tonsi rectique] "cut close and

Leave care to

itself,

and Rome to its

Atque hodie tantum propter convivia pexi.
Pastoris duri est hic filius, ille bubulci :
Suspirat longo non visam tempore matrem,
Et casulam et notos tristis desiderat hoedos,
Ingenui vultus puer ingenuique pudoris,

150

Quales esse decet, quos ardens purpura vestit. 155
Hic tibi vina dabit, diffusa in montibus illis,

A quibus ipse venit, quorum sub vertice lusit: 160
Namque una atque eadem est vini patria atque
ministri.

180

Nostra dabunt alios hodie convivia ludos:
Conditor Iliados cantabitur, atque Maronis
Altisoni dubiam facientia carmina palmam.
Quid refert, tales versus qua voce legantur?
Sed nunc dilatis averte negotia curis,
Et gratam requiem dona tibi, quando licebit
Per totam cessare diem. Non fenoris ulla
Mentio, nec, prima si luce
egressa, reverti
Nocte solet, tacito bilem tibi contrahat uxor.
Protenus ante meum, quidquid dolet, exue limen:
Pone domum, servos, et quidquid frangitur illis
Aut perit; ingratos ante omnia pone sodales. 190
Interea Megalesiacae spectacula mappae

straight;" i. e. not curled. Juvenal
perhaps thought of the "Puer quis
ex aula capillis Ad cyathum statue-
tur unctis" of Hor. (Od. i. 29. 8).
155.] "Such as I only wish our
high-born youth were.' "Ardens
purpura,
i. e.
the "toga prae-
texta. See note on Sat. i. 78.
156. diffusa] See on Sat. v. 30.
159, 160. vina-venit] i. e. the
"vin du pays;"-opposed to im-
ported or "fine" wines.

178, 179. dubiam] i. e. with Homer. For" cantabitur " ("recited") see Sat. vii. 153.

184,185. prima-uxor] So the empress Messalina, Sat. vi 116-132.

192-202.] "Meanwhile, let the people at Rome enjoy the races at their pleasure.'

191. mappae] The signal for the chariots to start was given, by the

185

praetor dropping a napkin; so that it is equivalent to races.

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ib. Megalesiacae] From the Megalesia (or Megalenses ludi '), celebrated in honour of Cybele, the μsyaλn μýτyp. See on Sat. iii. 137. Hence they are here called the "Idaeum solenne," 1. 192. They took place in April; see Sat. vi. 69, and note: and it appears from 1. 75, 76, of this Satire, that it was written about the same time. See note on 1. 72. During the Republic, these 'ludi' consisted only of scenic representations. From the present passage, however, they had evidently come

to include chariot-races in the Circus as well; and it would seem that there existed the same enthusiasm as those of the magni ludi' themselves. See Sat. iii. 223, and note.

·

races.

196

chariot Idaeum solenne colunt, similisque triumpho
Praeda caballorum Praetor sedet, ac, (mihi pace
Immensae nimiaeque licet si dicere plebis,)
Totam hodie Romam circus capit, et fragor aurem
Percutit, eventum viridis quo colligo panni.
Nam si deficeret, moestam attonitamque videres
Hanc urbem, veluti Cannarum pulvere victis
Consulibus. Spectent juvenes, quos clamor et audax
Sponsio, quos cultae decet adsedisse puellae ; 200
Spectent hoc nuptae juxta recubante marito,
Quod pudeat narrasse aliquem praesentibus ipsis.
Nostra bibat vernum contracta cuticula solem
Effugiatque togam. Jam nunc in balnea, salva 204
Fronte, licet vadas, quamquam solida hora supersit
Ad sextam. Facere hoc non possis quinque diebus
Continuis, quia sunt talis quoque taedia vitae
Magna. Voluptates commendat rarior usus.

''

191, 192. colunt] "honour." Spectacula" is the nomin. to the verb, and "Idaeum solenne" the accus. after it.

192. similis triumpho] See note on Sat. x. 36-46.

193. Praetor] See note to Sat. vii. 87.

ib. praeda caballorum] i. e. at their mercy, if they choose to run away. He was himself seated in a chariot; see Sat. x. 42. It is also explained, a prey to his horses; i. e. eaten up by the expense of keeping them. But this seems far-fetched. ib. pace]" by the leave of;" i. e. without offence to. It is most common in the phrase "pare tua.' 195-202.] See 1. 53, and notes on Sat. iii. 223; vii. 114.

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198, 199. veluti consulibus] Livy says (xxii. 54), "Romam ... occidione occisos cum duobus exercitibus consules, deletasque omnes copias, allatum fuerat. Nunquam, salva urbe, tantum pavoris tumul

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SATIRA XII.

"WELCOME HOME."

Our mu

tual

escape

from

ship

Natali, Corvine, die mihi dulcior haec lux, friend's Qua festus promissa deis animalia cespes Exspectat. Niveam Reginae caedimus agnam : Par vellus dabitur pugnanti Gorgone Maura: Sed procul extensum petulans quatit hostia funem, Tarpeio servata Jovi, frontemque coruscat : Quippe ferox vitulus, templis maturus et arae, Spargendusque mero, quem jam pudet ubera matris Ducere, qui vexat nascenti robora cornu.

wreck.

6

Si res ampla domi similisque affectibus esset, 10
Pinguior Hispulla traheretur taurus, et ipsa
Mole piger;
nec finitima nutritus in herba,
Laeta sed ostendens Clitumni pascua sanguis
Iret, et a grandi cervix ferienda ministro,

1. natali-dulcior] So Hor. Od. iv. 11. 17, "Jure sollemnis mihi sanctiorque Paene natali proprio."

ib. haec lux] He proposes to keep it as a festival for the safe return of their mutual friend Catullus.

2. cespes] The turf-altar. Hor. Od. i. 19, 13, "Hic vivum mihi cespitem" iii. 8. 3, 4, "positusque carbo in Cespite vivo."

3. Reginae] to Juno. There was a temple of Juno Regina' on the Aventine.

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6. Tarpeio] i. e. Capitolino.

11. Hispulla] Some notoriously stout lady; perhaps the Hispulla of Sat. vi. 74.

13. Clitumni pascua] Virg. Georg. ii. 146-148, "Hinc albi, Clitumne, greges, et maxima taurus Victima, saepe tuo perfusi flumine sacro, Romanos ad templa deûm duxere triumphos."

13, 14. sanguis-cervix] In apposition with taurus' (repeated from 1. 11 before "iret "); "a bull, blood of Clitumnus, neck that the priest's attendant must be tall to strike." The minister was termed 'popa.' He stunned the victim with a blow on the head, and then cut its throat.

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