SATIRA XVI. WHO WOULD NOT BE A SOLDIER? A willing recruit. The sol Quis numerare queat felicis praemia, Galle, Commoda tractemus primum communia, quorum Causes 2. prospera castra] "a successful division." A fortunate campaign would of course raise the character of a division, and give the recruits a better prospect both of credit and prize-money. 3. porta scil. 'castrorum.' 5, 6.] Than if a letter of introduction from Venus (see note on Sat. x. 314) or his mother Juno had recommended us to Mars himself." 6. Samia-arena] Cf. Virg. Aen. i. 15, 16, "Quam (Carthaginem) Juno fertur terris magis omnibus unam Posthabita coluisse Samo." The latter was her favourite residence. 7. communia] scil. to all soldiers. Opposed to the privilege mentioned in 1. 51-61, which affects only those who have a father living. 10 8. togatus] "a civilian." Cf. Sat. viii. 240; x. 8, and Cicero's wellknown "cedant arma togae." See note on Sat. x. 122. 11. offam] "weal." 12. oculos-relictos] "Left in the head, and that is all; the doctor promising nothing as to your ever seeing with them again." 13, 14.] "Even if you have the courage to seek redress, the juror assigned you is the soldiers' shoe, and their huge ancles round the tribunal." Causes in which soldiers were concerned were tried by the centurions. For "judex datur," see note on Sat. iii. 213, vadimonia.' 13 Bardiacus] So called from the Bardaei, a people of Dalmatia camp; 15 tried in Calceus, et grandes magna ad subsellia surae, ergo Declamatoris Mutinensis corde Vagellî, 21 Quum duo crura habeas, offendere tot caligas, tot anxiety." 30 23. Vagelli] A rhetorician of the day, not known otherwise. 24, 25. tot caligas-clavorum] See Sat. iii. 248 and note. 25. tam procul] i. e. so far as the camp, for the purpose of prosecuting his suit. See l. 15, 16. 26, 27. tam Pylades-veniat] “so much your friend as to come outside the city wall;" i. e. as your 'advocatus' or witness. For molem aggeris, see note on Sat. x. 95 (head 4). The Praetorian guard (which is here referred to) were quartered just outside the "agger;" so that the term "procul" is ironical. 27, 28. se excusaturɔs] “who will be certain to..." 29. da testem] "even grant you have.. 31. barbacapillis] Sat. v. 30 and note. 33. paganum] "a civilian;" equi 36 Contra fortunam armati contraque pudorem. Praemia nunc alia, atque alia emolumenta notemus a speedy Sacramentorum. Convallem ruris aviti hearing; Improbus aut campum mihi si vicinus ademit, Aut sacrum effodit medio de limite saxum, Quod mea cum vetulo coluit puls annua libo, Debitor aut sumtos pergit non reddere numos, 40 Vana supervacui dicens chirographa ligni: Exspectandus erit, qui lites inchoet, annus Totius populi: sed tunc quoque mille ferenda Taedia, mille morae; toties subsellia tantum Sternuntur; jam facundo ponente lacernas Caedicio et Fusco jam micturiente, parati Digredimur, lentaque fori pugnamus arena. Ast illis, quos arma tegunt et balteus ambit, Quod placitum est ipsis, praestatur tempus agendi, Nec res atteritur longo sufflamine litis. 45 50 fields were unenclosed, and their boundaries marked by a statue of Terminus, which usually consisted of merely an upright stone or post. On the fête of the Terminalia an altar was erected near this, and honeycombs, corn, and wine offered on it, with a lamb or sucking-pig. The Terminalia' were celebrated every 23rd of February, at the sixth milestone on the road to Laurentum. 41. vana-ligni] Repeated from Sat. xiii. 137. See note there. 42. exspectandus erit] "I, as a civilian, must wait for.' Opposed to the soldiers' ("illis-ambit," 1. 48) privilege, a speedy hearing. ib. annus] i. e. a year's cause-list. I must wait its being gone through, for it to reach (lit. begin) my case. 43. tunc] "even at the year's end." 44. subsellia] See on 1. 14 above. 45. ponente lacernas] i. e. to assume the judicial robe. 46. Caedicio] Sat. xiii. 197. ib. Fusco] Probably the Fuscus' of Sat. iv. 112; see note there. "Micturiente :" transl." growing impatient." 48. illis ambit] i. e. the soldiers. 220 Testa JUVENALIS SAT. XVI. 51-60. Solis praeterea testandi militibus jus mentary Vivo patre datur: nam, quae sunt parta labore power in the fa Militiae, placuit non esse in corpore census ther's life. Omne tenet cujus regimen pater. Ergo Coranum, Signorum comitem castrorumque aera merentem, aequus Provehit, et pulcro reddit sua dona labori. 51-54.] By the strict rule of law a son was incapable, during his father's lifetime, of acquiring property, and consequently of bequeathing it to others. Whatever he did acquire was "in corpore census (property') cujus tenet regimen pater;"-belonged to the father absolutely. Under Augustus an exception to the rule was made in favour of property acquired by military service, which a son was allowed to treat as his own, and accordingly to bequeath. It was called castrense peculium." 6: 54. Coranum] The name may have been suggested by Hor. Sat. ii. 5, which is a compendium of the practice of legacy-hunters ('captatores'). See note on Sat. iv. 18"Coranus,' in the satire of Horace, is a rich man who takes in one of these 'captatores." 22. 55. aera merentem] i. e. 'stipendia.' It is the technical term for military service. 56. captat] See note on 1. 54 above. 56 60 ib. hunc] scil. "Coranus." ib. aequus] i. e. non iniquus.' Kindly toil, which brings him some personal advantage. 57. provehit] "leads to promotion." The repetition of the word "labori" in this line is unaccountable; but the satire is feeble throughout, and on this account is often considered spurious. It perhaps more resembles the production of advanced life. 58. hoc] i. e. "ut, qui fortis erit, sit felicissimus," amplifying 1. 57. 58-60.] "It is certainly the general's interest that this should be so, that merit should be rewarded." Laeti," sub. "sint." FINIS. GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, PRINTERS, ST. JOHN'S SQUARE, LONDON. |