Page images
PDF
EPUB

SATIRA V.

A DEAR DINNER.

Starvation

versus

patronage.

How you

Si te propositi nondum pudet, atque eadem est

mens,

Ut bona summa putes, aliena vivere quadra ;
Si potes illa pati, quae nec Sarmentus iniquas
Caesaris ad mensas, nec vilis Galba tulisset:
Quamvis jurato metuam tibi credere testi.
Ventre nihil novi frugalius. Hoc tamen ipsum
Defecisse puta, quod inani sufficit alvo :

5

Nulla crepido vacat ? nusquam pons et tegetis pars
Dimidia brevior? Tantine injuria coenae ?

Tam jejuna fames? quum possit honestius, illic 10
Et tremere et sordes farris mordere canini.

Primo fige loco, quod tu discumbere jussus earned Mercedem solidam veterum capis officiorum.dinner. (Fructus amicitiae magnae cibus. Imputat hunc

your

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

Et, quamvis rarum, tamen imputat.)-Ergo duos

post

Si libuit menses neglectum accire clientem,
Tertia ne vacuo cessaret culcita lecto:

Una simus, ait.

15

Votorum summa! Quid ultra Quaeris? Habet Trebius, propter quod rumpere

somnum

Debeat et ligulas dimittere, sollicitus, ne Tota salutatrix jam turba peregerit orbem Sideribus dubiis, aut illo tempore, quo se Frigida circumagunt pigri sarraca Bootae. How you Qualis coena tamen ? Vinum, quod succida nolit enjoyed Lana pati de conviva Corybanta videbis.

it;

:

17. tertia-lecto] "lest the third cushion on a spare couch should be unemployed; i. e. just to fill up a vacant place. This refers to the arrangements of the triclinium.' The couches (lecti') formed three sides of a parallelogram round the table, while the bottom was left open to allow of the slaves placing the dinner. Each couch held three, who reclined on their left side, leaning on a cushion placed under the elbow; the "culcita" here. The right hand was thus left free for eating, for which they leant forward, returning to the left elbow when satisfied.

The guests were arranged in numerical order, beginning with the right-hand couch (as you stood at the bottom or open side), the guest nearest the bottom being No. 1, the next No. 2, and the next No. 3, which completed the summus (first) lectus. The 'medius lectus (that at the top) was similarly arranged, and so on to No. 9, who lay nearest to the bottom on the left-hand couch, 'imus lectus.' As the guests all lay in the same direction, the head of No. 2 (who was therefore said 'jacere infra') rested nearly in the bosom of No. 1, who was said " jacere supra; that of No. 3 in No. 2, and so on. Themedius lectus' was the most honourable of the three,

20

25

[blocks in formation]

22, 23.] "At daybreak, or even in the depth of night." Lit. "when the stars are paling, or while the chill wain of Bootes is still lazily wheeling round."

24. succida] Newly shorn. Lit. succidus is "having the juice in it," like fresh-gathered fruit. Here it is applied by metaphor to recently shorn wool, out of which the dirt has not been washed.

24, 25. quod-pati] It appears from Pliny, that wool saturated with wine or other fluids, was used in external applications. The rubbing of the sheep themselves with wine-lees after shearing cannot possibly be meant, as has been supposed.

ib. nolit-pati] "would refuse to absorb."

25. Corybanta] "A maniac;"-the wine is so fiery. The Corybantes were the priests of Cybele, whose worship was celebrated with wild

the wine; Jurgia proludunt; sed mox et pocula torques
Saucius, et rubra deterges vulnera mappa,
Inter vos quoties libertorumque cohortem
Pugna Saguntina fervet commissa lagena.
Ipse capillato diffusum consule potat
Calcatamque tenet bellis socialibus uvam,
Cardiaco numquam cyathum missurus amico.
Cras bibet Albanis aliquid de montibus, aut de
Setinis, cujus patriam titulumque senectus
Delevit multa veteris fuligine testae;
Quale coronati Thrasea Helvidiusque solebant
music and dances. See Hor. Od. i.
16. 7, 8, "Non acuta Si geminant
Corybantes aera."

29. Pugna-commissa] "battle joined with." Cf. Sat. i. 163.

ib. Saguntina] A cheap but useful pottery was manufactured at Saguntum in Spain.

30. diffusum] sub. "vinum." "Bottled." Lit. poured from the cask into the amphora. Cf. Hor. Ep. i. 5. 4,"Vina bibes iterum Tauro diffusa."

[blocks in formation]

31.] Imitation of Hor. Od. iii. 14. 18,"cadum Marsi memorem duelli." The "bellum sociale" broke out B.C. 90, and was terminated in the following year by Pompeius Strabo. It was a revolt of the allied states ("socii") of Italy, with the exception only of the Latins, Tuscans, and Umbrians. The revolt was provoked by the jealousy of the "socii" at their continued exclusion, as a body, from the Roman citizenship. On the termination of the war, this point was judiciously conceded; see note on Sat. iii. 34. The Italian states having thus become an integral part of the commonwealth, the term "socii" was now transferred to allied states out of Italy.

80

35

It should be observed that the complete term for the Italian allied states had been "socii Latini," (or nomen Latinum,') i. e. "socii et Latini;" the inhabitants of Latium having, from their early connexion with Rome, the privilege of being thus distinguished from the "socii" of the rest of Italy. See Sat. viii. 256, "auxiliis (i. e. sociis ") atque omni pube Latina."

6

32. cyathum] A Roman measure; - of a pint ("sextarius").

34. Setinis] From Setia in the Pomptine marshes. Under the empire, its wines to some extent superseded those of Campania.

36, 37.] "Wine fit only for a festival." The particular festival instanced is remarkable as showing Juvenal's attachment to republican institutions. It is one which he supposes Thrasea and Helvidius to have kept on the birthdays of the "liberators of their country;"-the Bruti (the two "patriots" of that name), and Cassius. Thrasea (P.Thrasea Poetus), and Helvidius (Priscus Helvidius, the son-in-law of Thrasea), were both famous for the independence they professed under the empire. The former was murdered by Nero A.D. 66. The latter, after being banished by Nero, and recalled by Galba, was again banished by Vespasian (whom he refused to recognize as emperor) and finally executed by his order.

36. solebant] sub. "bibere."

the

Brutorum et Cassi natalibus. Ipse capaces drinking Heliadum crustas et inaequales beryllo vessels;

Virro tenet phialas: tibi non committitur aurum ;
Vel, si quando datur, custos affixus ibidem,

:

40

45

Qui numeret gemmas unguesque observet aduncos. Da veniam praeclara illic laudatur iaspis. (Nam Virro, ut multi, gemmas ad pocula transfert A digitis, quas in vaginae fronte solebat Ponere zelotypo juvenis praelatus Iarbae.) Tu Beneventani sutoris nomen habentem Siccabis calicem nasorum quatuor, ac jam Quassatum, et rupto poscentem sulphura vitro. Si stomachus domini fervet vinoque ciboque, Frigidior Geticis petitur decocta pruinis. Non eadem vobis poni modo vina querebar ?— the at- Vos aliam potatis aquam. Tibi pocula cursor tendance; Gaetulus dabit, aut nigri manus ossea Mauri, Et cui per mediam nolis occurrere noctem,

the

water;

37-39. Ipse-Virro] Your en

tertainer.

37, 38. capaces Heliadum crustas] "The ample embossments of the Heliades ;" i. e. of amber. It means, of course, the goblets to which the embossed work ("crustae") was attached. See note on Sat. i. 76. The Heliades were Phaeton's sisters, whose tears were turned to amber.

38. inaequales] "studded." 42.] Sarcastically. 66 Perhaps though we must excuse him ;-the jasper on that cup is celebrated."

43-45.] The jewels on plate were probably moveable, like the 'crustae,' and, in Virro's case, were perhaps set either for wearing on the finger, or affixing to a goblet when at table. Hence, "ad pocula transfert a digitis." By the "quas solebat" it is not meant that Aeneas (see next note) wore these identical gems. What he put on his scabbard, Virro, and those like him, ("ut multi,") displayed alternately on their hands and drinking-cups.

45. praelatus] i. e. by Dido. See Virg. Aen. iv. 36, 37, "despectus Larbas, Ductoresque alii." The "ju

venis" is of course Aeneas.

50

46. Beneventani sutoris] Vatinius, a favourite and spy of Nero, formerly a cobbler of Beneventum. Drinking-cups with nozzles were introduced by him, and called "Vatinia" in consequence. See Mart. Ep. xiv. 96," sutoris calicem monumenta Vatini Accipe;" also note on 1. 48 of this Sat.

48. quassatum] "cracked."

ib. rupto-vitro] The exchange of broken glass for sulphur is mentioned in Martial, Ep. i. 41. 4, 5,

66

Qui pallentia sulphurata fractis Permutant vitreis." Cf. Ep. x. 3. 3, 4, "Quae sulphurato nolit emta ramento Vatiniorum proxeneta fractorum."

50. decocta] sub. "aqua." Water boiled, and afterwards cooled with snow.

51.] "Non" is construed with "eadem," and "modo" with "querebar."

52. cursor] A lackey, who ran before carriages; i. e. a mere outdoor servant, had in to wait. This made the indignity the greater.

the

bread;

Clivosae veheris dum per monumenta Latinae. 55
Flos Asiae ante ipsum, pretio majore paratus,
Quam fuit et Tulli census pugnacis, et Anci,
Et, ne te teneam, Romanorum omnia regum
Frivola. Quod quum ita sit, tu Gaetulum Gany-
medem

59

64

Respice, quum sities. (Nescit tot millibus emtus
Pauperibus miscere puer: sed forma, sed aetas
Digna supercilio.)-Quando ad te pervenit ille?
Quando vocatus adest calidae gelidaeque minister?
Quippe indignatur veteri parere clienti,
Quodque aliquid poscas et quod se stante recumbas.
Maxima quaeque domus servis est plena superbis.
Ecce alius quanto porrexit murmure panem
Vix fractum, solidae jam mucida frusta farinae,
Quae genuinum agitent, non admittentia morsum.
Sed tener et niveus mollique siligine factus
Servatur domino. Dextram cohibere memento.
Salva sit artoptæ reverentia. Finge tamen te
Improbulum, superest illic, qui ponere cogat
"Vis tu consuetis, audax conviva, canistris
Impleri, panisque tui novisse colorem ?"
Scilicet hoc fuerat, propter quod saepe, relicta

55.] See note on Sat. i. 171. These tombs must have afforded great facilities for highway robbery.

57. Tulli pugnacis] See Virg. Aen. vi. 814, 815, "Otia qui rumpet patriae, residesque movebit Tullus in arma viros."

ib. census]"property." The word first means the register of persons and property made by the censor every five years, and by which the ordo' of each individual was ascertained. See note on Sat. viii. 2. It then comes to mean the qualification itself as stated in the register; and thus, at last, merely "property." 59. frivola] "chattels."

[ocr errors]

59-63.] "So mind, if thirsty, you are to summon only your black Ganymede" (the cursor" of 1. 52, 53);" the page won't serve you. Well; there is some excuse for him; -he is young, and good-looking.

70

75

But, in reality, even the blackamoor (ille,' 1. 62) does not come to you once in ten times."

[ocr errors]

61. miscere] sub. "pocula :" compound the wine and water for." The continental practice is familiar.

63. calidae gelidae] sub.": "aquae." 68. Vix fractum] So stale that it has to be broken in pieces, not cut; and even this is done with some difficulty.

69. genuinum] sub. "dentem." "Your jaw-tooth."

72, 73.] "Keep your distance from the fancy-bread. Though, in fact, should you attempt a theft, you will be soon made to drop it." "Artopta' was a kind of roll-tin for baking light bread. It is here used for the bread itself.

74, 75.] The butler speaks: 76— 79. Soliloquy of the poor guest.

« PreviousContinue »