Et nux ornabat mensas cum duplice ficu. 125 Quantum hinc imminuet? Quanto aut ego parcius aut vos, Saeviat atque novos moveat Fortuna tumultus: O pueri, nituistis, ut huc novus incola venit? Nam proprie telluris herum natura neque illum Nec me nec quemquam statuit: nos expulit ille; 130 135 them up on threads.-122. Duplice ficu. Figs, when ripe, are split into two parts, dried in this manner, and then put together again.123. Culpa magistra, 'fault being the magister bibendi, president of the banquet; that is, whoever had made any blunder at table was condemned as a punishment to drink off a glass of wine.-124. Ceres is here corn itself.-126. Saeviat atque moveatsi saeviat atque moveat.-127. Parcius = minus. Ofellus here addresses his children (0 pueri) The novus incola (line 128) is the new proprietor of the farm, who, however, is called incola, a temporary occupant, settler,' for the reason which is now to be mentioned, and which forms a suitable conclusion to the satire.-132. Vivacior. Compare ii. 1, 53. SATIRA IV. In this poem Horace takes up the extreme view of the Epicurean philosophy (animal enjoyment), and this affords an opportunity of satirizing certain follies and failings of mankind. He gives a philosophy of the kitchen, putting it into the mouth of Catius, an Epicurean philosopher, who had recently died. Most of the culinary precepts here inculcated, however, were opposed to general opinion. Horace begins, as usual, with a dialogue. 'UNDE et quo, Catius?' 'Non est mihi tempus aventi Ponere signa novis praeceptis, qualia vincunt Pythagoran Anytique reum doctumque Platona.' 'Peccatum fateor, quum te sic tempore laevo Interpellarim; sed des veniam bonus oro. 1. Catius, the vocative here. Gram. 311, note. namely, to talk to you.-2. Ponere signa with the dative, signs for; that is, consignare, to commit to writing.' 5 Tempus; 'to make -3. Anyti Quod si interciderit tibi nunc aliquid, repetes mox, Ede hominis nomen, simul et, Romanus an hospes.' 6 reus is Socrates, who was accused by Anytus. -6. Interciderit; namely, ex memoria. If my interruption should make anything slip out of your mind, you will soon recall it either by your naturally strong memory or by your system of mnemonics.-9. Tenues, 'subtle.'-10. Hominis; namely, who has taught you the new precepts. Romanus an hospes scil. sit, whether he be a Roman or a stranger (that is, especially, a Greek.') Who was the author of the new precepts? Maecenas? Compare ii. 8. - 12. Horace begins with the so-called gustatio, 'foretaste,' which consisted chiefly of eggs, and then goes regularly through the whole meal.-14. Ponere apponere in mensa. It was an ancient belief that the longshaped eggs contained the male chick; and that, being compact and fleshy (callosa), they were more nourishing (magis alma) than those of a fuller form. -15. That is: caulis qui siccis crevit in agris est dulcior suburbano caule, all the fields and gardens in the neighbourhood of Rome being thoroughly watered.-16. Irriguo horto; more properly, than the cabbage which grows in a well-watered garden.' Elutius; literally, more washed out; that is, weaker, more insipid.'-17. Vespertinus. See i. 6, 113. Oppresserit here is nothing more than has come upon thee unexpectedly.' - 18. Malum responsare is to give a harsh note, to grate under the teeth,' as tough meat does.-19. Doctus eris, 'be taught,' = disce. — 21. Male creditur, because they are indigestible.-23. Antè gravem so lem, before the sun becomes oppressive; that is, early in the morning. - 24. It was customary at the beginning of a banquet to drink Falernian, a strong, heady (fortis) wine. Horace rejects this system, and prefers a lighter wine.-27. Morabitur, scil. te, = tibe Mitulus et viles pellent obstantia conchae Vinea submittit capreas non semper edules. Piscibus atque avibus quae natura et foret aetas, 45 Ante meum nulli patuit quaesita palatum. Sunt, quorum ingenium nova tantum crustula promit. 50 Nequaquam satis in re una consumere curam ; - gravis erit. 28. Conchae were perhaps 'oysters.'-29. Coo, scil. vino. This, being mixed with sea-water, had a laxative power. 30. It was believed that the waxing moon influenced the size of shell-fish. 32. Baiae, the Lucrine Lake, famed for its oyster-beds, Circeii and Misenum, were all on the coast of Campania, not far from Naples.-34. Jactat se = gloriatur excellit.- 35. The meal proper, the coena, itself begins. -36. Tenuis, 'subtle,' and exactus, thoroughly understood,' are philosophical expressions.-37. Mensa is the fishmonger's counter, hence cara.-38. Ignarum is the subject of the infinitive averrere; one who does not know.' Quibus assis, ablative absolute.-39. The sense is: one must know what fish, when roasted, load the stomach. 41. Lances, dishes of silver, in the size of which wealth and luxury were displayed, for we have mention made of lances weighing 500 pounds. Vitantis, governed by lances, ejus qui vitare vult. Inertem, insipid.'-42. Laurentum, from which the adjective Laurens comes, is a town on the coast of Latium, south of Rome. -43. Vinea; that is, the districts where vines are cultivated. The goats which feed on young vineleaves have tough flesh. 45. Aelas, scil. optima; that is, the best time for catching and eating them. 51. Precepts regarding wine, extending to line 62. Massicum is so named from Mount Massicus in Campania, between Sinuessa on the sea and Suessa, which lies higher. On the northern slope the Massic is grown, on the southern Et decedet odor nervis inimicus; at illa Nam facie praestant. Venucula convenit ollis, Hanc ego cum malis, ego faecem primus et allec the Falernian.-54. Vitiata lino perdunt integrum saporem, 'if strained through a linen cloth, lose their pure taste.' They must be clarified with pigeons' eggs, in the same way as Surrentine wine, which, being somewhat acid, is mixed with faex Falerna, lees of Falernian.'-56. Limus is the impurity.'-58. Marcentem potorem, him whom drinking has made sleepy.-60. Hillae are a kind of sausages which excite appetite. The viands, too, which are brought hot (ferventia) from the popinae, are sausages, of which the Romans were very fond.-61. In morsus; that is, for new eating.-63. Juris =jusculi, as above, in line 38.-65. Muria, a sauce, principally made from the tunny-fish, which, Horace says, must be caught near Byzantium. 67. Receipt for the preparation of the double sauce. Sectis, minced.'-68. Corycus is a mountain in Cilicia.-69. As to Venafrum, famous for its olive-oil, see Carm. iii. 5, 55.—70. Picenis pomis. The apples of the district of Picenum were the best to be had at Rome.71. Venucula, a kind of grapes unknown to us, suitable for jars; that is, for making preserves. -73. The speaker plumes himself on his having originated the practice of putting little elegant cups round the dishes with roast-meat. In these cups there were faex, preserved grapes, allec, a kind of caviare, white pepper, which was not so strong as the other, mixed with black salt, which was stronger than the white. -76. Precepts regarding the external arrangements of a banquet, particularly in regard to cleanliness. . Angustoque vagos pisces urgere catino. 80 85 90 95 77. Compare line 41, note. 80. Veteri craterae. The bowl, being old, is valuable, but it should be kept clean.-81. Quantus sumptus: evidently ironical.83. Lapides varios. The floor of the diningroom was of variegated marble, of mosaic, and was swept before the dessert came. 84. Tyrias vestes, Tyrian (that is, purple) coverlets,' on which the banqueters lay. -85. The sense is: we cannot expect at every banquet costly viands and furniture, since only the rich can have these, but we have a right to demand cleanliness.-88. Per divos rogatus, a common formula.-89. Quocunque perges; that is, whoever he is who has given you these precepts, and to whom you will return. 91. Non tamen interpres tantundem juveris, since thou art merely an interpreter, thou canst not help me so much' as the man from whom thou hast received the precepts. 94. Serious expressions placed in immediate connection with a jocular passage make the joke more telling. SATIRA VI. A COUNTRY life and the seclusion of the Sabine farm contrasted with the restlessness and bustle of Rome; hence a satire upon city life. Hoc erat in votis: modus agri non ita magnus, 1. Hoc erat in votis, this was always my wish,' which was gra |