526 Totum regis agrum nuda ac tremebunda cruentis 530 Ergo hic praecipuum summumque meretur hono rem, 534 Qui grege linigero circumdatus et grege calvo property of his family was confis- sian Isis became an established Roman divinity. Her principal temple was that above referred to, and from which she was called Campensis.' 530. dominae] of the goddess herself. 531.] Spoken of the devotee; of course ironically. "Precisely the heart and mind with which heavenly beings would commune!" 526. Io] i. e. Isis. with whom she was often confounded. Io was transformed by Jupiter into a cow, to protect her from Juno's jealousy. Isis was often represented with a cow's face, and this may have led to the confusion. 'Candida Io'-perstitious temper. because the cow was white. 528, 529. aedem-ovili] The 'antiquum ovile' was a portion of the Campus Martius, near the Circus Flaminius. It was appropriated for holding the' Comitia Centuriata,' and originally fenced off with hurdles. From the resemblance of these to a sheep-pen (ovile') it derived its name. Julius Caesar replaced it with a magnificent building, called 'Septa Julia.' The latter was destroyed by fire under Titus, but restored by Domitian, who at the same time built the temples of Isis and Serapis near it. The worship of Isis was introduced at Rome in the time of Sulla. It met with great opposition at first on account of the licen tious character of her festivals. The same cause, however, made them popular; and from the time of Vespa 532. Ergo From the same su 533.] The priests of Isis were shorn, hence "calvo." Both priests and worshippers wore linen_robes. 534. populi derisor] Imposing on their credulity. Anubis, the attendant of Isis and her husband Osiris, was always represented with a dog's head. So Virg. Aen. viii. 698,"latrator Anubis." The dog's grin gives particular force to the "derisor 538-541.] "Your wife's tears fcrsooth have persuaded Osiris (after being properly bribed), to pardon any little faux pas she may have committed." 538. movisse caput] i. e. as a sign of favour. ib. argentea serpens] This seems to have been carried in the processions of Isis and Osiris. See Ov. Am. ii. 13. 13, "Pigraque labatur circa donaria serpens.' The wife who con tune tellers, Ut veniam culpae non abnuat, ansere magno 540 545 Quum dedit ille locum; cophino foenoque relicto sults for Arcanam Judaea tremens mendicat in aurem, Interpres legum Solymarum et magna sacerdos Arboris ac summi fida internuntia coeli. Implet et illa manum, sed parcius: aere minuto Qualiacumque voles Judaei somnia vendunt. Spondet amatorem tenerum, vel divitis orbi Testamentum ingens, calidae pulmone columbae Tractato, Armenius vel Commagenus haruspex ; Pectora pullorum rimatur et exta catelli, Interdum et pueri; faciet, quod deferat ipse. Chaldaeis sed major erit fiducia: quidquid Dixerit astrologus, credent a fonte relatum Hammonis; quoniam Delphis oracula cessant 555 Et genus humanum damnat caligo futuri. Praecipuus tamen est horum, qui saepius exsul, or astro logers, 540. ansere] The goose was sacrificed to Isis. See Ov. Fast. i. 453, 454, anser Det jecur in lances, Inachi lauta, tuas." Geese were also the favourite diet of the Egyptian priests. See Herod. 2. 37, Xvév πλῆθός τι ἑκάστῳ γίνεται πολλὸν ἡμέρης ἑκάστης. 542. ille] The Archigallus. 542-545. cophino foenoque- -mendicat-sacerdos arboris] See note on Sat. iii. 14-16. 543. Judaea] i. e. the Jews;the country used for the people. ib. arcanam-in aurem] Jews 103, 104, ad fin. ib. implet manum] 'gets a fee.' 551 552. faciet-ipse] In fact, he will kill one for the purpose, and then accuse some one else of the crime." 555. oracula cessant] The Delphic oracle had been destroyed by Nero. It was restored by Hadrian, but subsequently to the publication of this Satire. The oracle was finally suppressed by Theodosius. 557-559.] Otho's insurrection against Galba was in great part due to the suggestions of the astrologer Ptolemaeus (called "Seleucus" in Sueton. Otho, 4). See Tac. Hist. i. 22-36,"Ptolemaeus jam et sceleris instructor (cap. 22). Galba was killed in the revolt; see note on Sat. ii. 104. He is the " magnus civis" of 1. 559. 66 ... 557. saepius exsul] Astrology was prohibited by law at Rome. The words of Tacitus (cap. 22 above) are, genus hominum. quod in civitate nostra et prohibebitur semper, et retinebitur." Persons practising it were punished with imprisonment or exile. See 11. 561, 562. or casts horo 560 Cujus amicitia conducendaque tabella rem 565 Efferat et patruos, an sit victurus adulter 570 Haec tamen ignorat, quid sidus triste minetur Saturni, quo laeta Venus se proferat astro, herself; Qui menses damno, quae dentur tempora lucro. scopes for 'obiit.' 558.] "Through whose intimacy with Otho, and hireling scroll." He had cast a horoscope, predicting that Otho should be emperor. 559. obit] contr. "Was assassinated." 560-564.] It is in fact the public stigma attached to astrologers, which procures them their lady clients." See on 1. 557. 560. Inde si &c.] "They (the women) confide in an astrologer, precisely because." ib. ferro] The iron handcuff. I. e. because he has been in confinement. 561. castrorum] This probably refers to the case of some particular astrologer. They frequently promised victory to the contending generals of the day. Pending the issue of his predictions, one of these prophets may have been carried with the army in confinement. It is not of course meant that astrologers (or any malefactors) were sent to the military prison for confinement, as the usual practice. 562. genium indemnatus habebit] "will be allowed (by the ladies) to have any talent, unless he has been under a penal sentence.' "Mathe maticus," "astrologer :" xiv. 248. as in Sat. 563. Sed qui] i. e. 'nemo nisi qui:' in apposition with line 562. ib. perit] Undergone capital punishment. 563, 564. cui-Seripho] "who just got off with transportation, and has come back at last from serving his time." For Cyclada and Seripho, see Sat. i. 73 and note; x. 170. 565. lento de funere] inquires how much longer she will be in dying. 566. Tanaquil tua] Your wife. Tanaquil was the wife of Tarquinius Priscus :-" perita, ut vulgo Etrusci, coelestium prodigiorum mulier," Livy i. 34. On their removal from Tarquinii to Rome, an eagle flew away with Tarquinius' felt cap, just as the carriage reached the Janiculum. Tanaquil however alta sperare virum jubet; alitem-levasse superpositum capiti decus, ut divinitus eidem redderet." 66 569. Huec] the wife who consults the astrologers. 'She does not herself understand the art. What is really formidable (' illius,' 1. 572) is the wife who casts her own horoscopes." (in fact, rich and Illius occursus etiam vitare memento, 576 In cujus manibus, ceu pinguia succina, tritas 572. occursus] It is a baddish omen even to meet her. 573.] Ladies carried amber (succina) in their hands, to give them an agreeable scent. 66 a 574.] Ephemeris' in its first sense is "a diary;" with mathematica expressed or understood it means calendar." This was used to ascertain the position of the stars for astrological calculations. 576. revocata] "because..." ib. numeris] So Hor. Od. i. 11. 2. 3, 66 nec Babylonios Tentaris numeros. The first sense of the word 'numeri' is "numerals;" 1, 2, 3, &c. From this it came to be used (amongst other senses) for the science of numbers, or arithmetic. (Possibly it meant the counters themselves, which were used in calculation ;-just as 'numeri,' for the same reason, sometimes means' dice.' See Ovid, Art. Am. ii. 203," Seu ludet, numerosque manu jactabit eburnos.") In the Latinity of the later republic and empire, however, 'numeri' had acquired the specific sense of calculations of the stars, either for astronomy or natural magic. See Cic. Fin. v. 29, "Plato Aegyptum peragravit, ut de sacerdotibus numeros et coelestia acciperet." So too Lucan i. 644,"numerisque moventibus astra. Similarly Stat. Theb. 4. 411, "numerisque sequentibus astra." ib. Thrasylli] A Rhodian astrologer, who predicted that Tiberius 580 should obtain the empire. He accompanied the latter to Rome, and obtained great reputation in his art. 99 66 577.] If she has only to drive a mile out of town." Lapidem," sub. 'milliarium,'-" mile-stone." These were erected on all the leading roads out of Rome. The distances of various places from the gates of the latter were inscribed on the 'milliarium aureum;'-a gilt pillar which Augustus had placed in the forum. ib. hora] the (propitious) hour. 578. libro] The (astrologer's) scroll. 579. inspecta] Used with the strict participle meaning. "She does not ask for, &c., until she has inspected." Genesi," "her nativity;" i. e. the planetary influences (or house') under which she was born. Cf. Sat. xiv. 248. 581. Petosiris] An astrologer of ancient Egypt. It is here used for any professor of the art. 582-591.] "Even the poorest must have the stars read for them." 582. mediocris] "in mean circumstances." 582, 583.] "She will consult the fortune-tellers in the Circus Maximus. Cf. Hor. Sat. i. 6. 113, 114, "Fallacem circum vespertinumque pererro Saepe forum; adsisto divinis." See also note on Sat. iii. 65. 583. metarum] The Circus was a long oval enclosure. Down the centre of it ran a straight low wall called 'spina,' round which the chariots poor alike Praebebit vati crebrum poppysma roganti. must have the Divitibus responsa dabit Phryx augur et Indus 585 stars read Conductus, dabit astrorum mundique peritus, for them.) Atque aliquis senior, qui publica fulgura condit. Plebeium in circo positum est et in aggere fatum. Quae nullis longum ostendit cervicibus aurum, Consulit ante phalas delphinorumque columnas, An saga vendenti nubat caupone relicto.) The wife who 591 Hae tamen et partus subeunt discrimen, et omnes Nutricis tolerant fortuna urgente labores; might do one thing Sed jacet aurato vix ulla were driven in the races. This wall was called 'spina' from its resemblance to a back-bone:-it was, of course, unconnected with the sides. 66 At each end of the spina,' not upon, but in front of it, was a goal, called the 'meta' (hence here, spatium utrumque metarum "). This meta consisted of a base, supporting three wooden cones ornamented with carving. Upon the spina' itself stood, at one end, two pillars, on which the 'ova' were placed. The 'ova' were seven balls of wood, so called from their shapes. One of these was taken down at the termination of each of the seven courses of the chariots, to show the spectators how many remained. On the other end of the 'spina' stood two corresponding pillars, supporting seven figures of dolphins; hence the delphinorum columnas," 1. 590. These apparently served for ornament only. 66 583. sortes ducet] draw lots. ib. frontem] Fortune-tellers of that day examined the lines on the forehead, as well as the hand. 584. poppysma] "A douceur." Ποππύζειν, from which the word is formed, is to smack the lips, or whistle-especially to produce the sound made by grooms in rubbing down a horse to keep him quiet. The word thus got the sense of coaxing or caressing. It may possibly have become a cant term for "a gratuity." puerpera lecto. 594 585. Indus] i. e. a Brahmin. 587. publica fuly. condit] When any one had been struck by light ning, the spot where this occurred was at once consecrated. See Hor. Art. Poet. 471, "triste bidental Moverit incestus." A sheep ('bidens') was sacrificed there, and other ceremonies performed by a priest appointed for the purpose-here the "aliquis senior, qui fulgura condit." The priests were hence called bidentales,' and the place itself 'bidental.' Publica," must be construed adverbially; at the public expense." 588. aggere] See note on Sat. v. 153-155. 589. Quae-aurum] i. e. "the pauper." "Longum aurum;" probably the gold necklace worn by women. 590. ante] previously. Or it may be the preposit. governing "phalas and "columnas," with " augurem understood after "consulit.' ib. phalas] These were towers erected between the metae' (see note on 1. 583) and the side-walls of the Circus, on the occasion of shamfights there. "Delphinorum columnas" see note last cited. 591. saga vendenti] A slop-seller. The 'sagum' was the common soldier's cloak. "An" is here" whether.' 592. Hae] The poor. "Bad as these are, they do not do what the rich do." 594-597.] "In the gilded couch |