SATIRA V. INTRODUCTION. L. ANNAEUS CORNUTUS, to whom this satire is addressed, as stated in the Introduction, was the instructor of Persius, who went to him as soon as he came to man's estate, to learn the Stoic philosophy. He was a native of one of the two places in Libya named Leptis (Κορνοῦτος Λεπτίτης φιλόσοφος· ἡ δὲ Λέπτις πόλις Λιβύης. Suidas, Κορνοῦτος). His name shows him to have been a freedman of one of the Annaei, of which family there were many wealthy branches. Seneca was one of them, and was a friend of Cornutus. The poet Lucan was an Annaeus, and one of his pupils. Dion Cassius (62, c. 29) says that Nero, intending to write a Roman history in Epic verse, consulted Cornutus as to the number of books it should be in. Some of his flatterers told him they should be four hundred, but Cornutus said no one would read them. And when some one said Chrysippus, the Stoic, had written many more, Cornutus answered that his books had something useful in them for human life. Whereupon Nero sent him into exile. This must have been after the death of Persius, A.D. 62. According to Jerome it was in 68, the last year of Nero's reign, [but according to Dion it was before the consulship of Telesinus, and therefore before B.C. 66.] The Satire turns upon the character and teaching of Cornutus. It is supposed to be delivered in conversation with him, and the introduction is well arranged. Persius begins by referring to the commonplace of poets asking the Muse for a hundred tongues ; and Cornutus asks what he can be about, and hopes he is not going to write a tragedy or an Epic poem. He answers that he wants this gift of tongues to tell his affection and gratitude towards his friend and teacher, whom he addresses in affectionate language, declaring that their fates are the same, and their lives under the protection of the same star. He contrasts the earnest life of his master, devoted to study and to the instruction of the young, with the various selfish pursuits of the world; and he takes that opportunity to urge upon old and young the study of philosophy. One of the tenets of the Stoics is that which is dwelt upon at length in the seventh satire of Horace's second book, and in the fifth of Cicero's Paradoxa, of which the title is ÖTL μόνος ὁ σοφὸς ἐλεύθερος καὶ πᾶς ἄφρων δοῦλος. Taking up this doctrine Persius occupies the rest of his Satire with illustrations of it, showing that real liberty is not that of the slave set free by the Praetor, though with his freedom he may get the world to worship him, and fancy he is at liberty to live as he pleases. These notions he treats as old wives' tales; for the Praetor cannot teach a man the duties of life and how to enjoy it, any more than he can teach a low fellow to play the harp. A man cannot do what he pleases, for he can only do what he is fit for. If he is upright, and discerning, and just, and moderate, and kind, and liberal without extravagance, and free from avarice, he is a free man; but if not, he is as much a slave as the man that carries his master's things to the bath, and is flogged if he loiters on the way. There are those, he goes on to say, who are slaves alternately of avarice and self-indulgence, but who believe themselves free notwithstanding. The youth who has summoned courage to give up his mistress after she has ill-treated him, and thinks he is going to lead a new life, finds his liberty is not proof against the first invitation to return. The ambitious man is the slave of the mob, the superstitious of his fears and of the knaves that impose upon him. The Satire ends abruptly with the old hit at the rude gentlemen of the army (S. iii. 77, sqq.), whose business, of course, it is to ridicule these fine sentiments. This abrupt ness is frequent in Horace, whose language Persius copies in this Satire more even than in the others. Most of the places are pointed out in the notes. This poem is ranked by the critics above the other five. There is not much obscurity in it, though, according to the plan of this edition, it requires a good many notes. The address to Cornutus has those evidences of genuine feeling which always attract admiration. Had it been expressed in language more original, it would have appeared still more real. The astrological fictions (of course known by the writer to be so) do not much detract from this reality, though they would hardly answer the same purpose now. The description of a slave's manumission, and its consequences, is humorous and vigorCornutus, who had gone through the process himself, was probably amused when he read it. The rest of the poem contains so much that is borrowed in form and language, that, although the borrowed material is well applied and forcibly used, it takes a good deal from the credit of the poem, and makes it doubtful whether it will sustain all the praises that have been bestowed upon it. ous. Various passages are quoted by Scholiasts and old writers, and particularly by John of Salisbury, who, in his Policraticus sive De nugis Curialium et vestigiis Philosophorum (Lugd. Bat. 1639), makes large use of quotations from Juvenal and Persius. His readings would be of much value, as belonging to the twelfth century, if it were not that he sometimes quotes from memory, and changes the words to suit his purpose. ARGUMENT. Bards tragic and bards epic all are wont to pray the Muses for a hundred tongues. 'What's this? What strong meat are you going to give us now? Let the grand poets go to Helicon and gather fogs. You're not the man to labour at the forge, and mutter to yourself, and puff your cheeks. Yours is the common tongue, harmonious, smooth, skilful in humorous satire. Confine yourself to this; leave horrid banquets, stick to vulgar dinners.' V. 19. I've no desire to swell my page with tragic nonsense, giving weight to smoke. We are alone, and here I offer you, Cornutus, my heart to search, that you may know how much of me you are. Strike, you will find it solid. For this I ask a hundred tongues, to tell my hidden love for you. V. 30. When first I went abroad a man, that time when friends are wont to flatter, and ignorance to lead the feet astray, I gave myself to you. You took me to your bosom: insensibly you trained my principles; my mind submitted gladly; you formed with artist's skill the plastic features: with you I passed long days, and stole the early hours from night. Our work and rest were one, and social meals relaxed our serious toils. You cannot doubt our days are joined in one sure bond; our star is one: our times were equal at our birth; our fates harmonious; Jove protects us both. V. 50. Men and their wishes vary. One trades, another sleeps, one loves the Campus, one the dice, another languishes in lust. But when the gout comes then they mourn too late the life they've left behind them. 'Tis your delight to study and to sow the seeds of truth in youthful ears. Here, young and old, get for your minds a purpose, and provision for hoar hairs. To-morrow it shall be.' Aye, to-morrow it will be the same. What, grudge me but one day? But when another day is come then yesterday is gone, and so to-morrow drives away to-day, and the time always lies a little further. The hinder wheel can never overtake the foremost. V. 73. We all want liberty, not that which gives the slave his name and his corn ticket. Fools! who suppose a single turn can make a citizen. This worthless Dama gets a twist and straight is Marcus Dama! Marcus is surety, who would refuse to Marcus has spoken, and it must be lend? Marcus is Judex, who shall be afraid? true! Marcus, I pray you sign and seal my will! freedom gives us this! V. 83. ‘But who is free but he who does what he likes? I live as I please, and am I not more free than Brutus? Your inference is bad, the sage replies. I grant you all but that, ‘I live as I please.' 'Why not, now that I've got my freedora from the Praetor -so long, at least, as I keep within the law? Now put aside that angry look, and I'll relieve you of these old wives' tales. The Praetor could not teach you the subtle offices of life, and how to use it. As soon shall low slaves play the harp. Reason forbids that any should do that which they must spoil in doing; the laws of man and nature say the same. The ignorant must not mingle medicines: a ploughman taking to a ship were shameless. Say, have you learnt to walk uprightly? To know sound from unsound? To set their true marks upon things, whether to be pursued or shunned? And are you moderate in your wishes and your life? kind to your friends? liberal, but not extravagant? no longing eye for moneys not your own? When you can say, 'all this is mine,' be free and wise in Praetor's name and Jove's. But if within you're only what you were, then I retract, you're nought in reason's eye; only put forth your finger and you err; folly and right can never dwell together; the ditcher cannot dance Bathyllus' Satyr. You free, the servant of so many masters! Suppose you're safe from the lash, have you no lord within to punish you? and trade, bargain, and Then off you start till You to cross the seas, V. 132. See, Avarice wakes you up from sleep and bids you go lie: fool! never mind though Jove should overhear you. Self-indulgence bids you pause: Madman, where go you? to sit upon a coil of rope, eat off a bench, and drink red wine of Veii? And all to double the fair interest you're getting on your capital. Indulge yourself; the moment that we live is ours; you'll soon be turned to dust; for time is flying, death will soon be here.' See your dilemma. Now you must serve this master and now that. And though you once resist you cannot say you're free. The dog may break his chain, but drags a good part after him. V. 161. Chaerestratus declares he'll mend his ways, and wait no longer at a harlot's door. Well done, young master,' Davus cries. But do you think she'll be unhappy, Davus ?' O foolish boy, she'll beat you with her shoe. Fume not, you talk fierce now, but when she calls you back you'll go in a moment. It would not be so had you left her whole and sound. V. 174. Aye, whole and sound, here is the thing we want; not in the lictor's rod. Is that man free, led by ambition open-mouthed, flinging his largess to the people? V. 179. When the Jews' feast comes round you mutter prayers and tremble at their sabbaths. Or a black ghost, or broken egg, or Cybele's great priests, or Isis' priestess, threatens you with plagues unless you eat a head of garlic thrice in the morning. V. 189. Now tell all this to the captains, and they'll laugh and swear these Greeks are barely worth one as a-piece. VATIBUS hic mos est, centum sibi poscere voces, 1. Vatibus hic mos est,] Homer set the example (Il. ii. 488, sqq., where he is entering on his catalogue), ПIλnoùv d'oùк av ἐγὼ μυθήσομαι οὐδ ̓ ὀνομήνω, Οὐδ ̓ εἴ μοι δέκα μὲν γλῶσσαι δέκα δὲ στόματ ̓ εἶεν, Φωνὴ δ ̓ ἄῤῥηκτος, χάλκεον δέ μοι ἦτορ vein. Virgil would not be able with a hundred tongues and mouths, and a voice of iron, to tell of the crimes and the punishments of the damned (Aen. vi. 625), or the cultivation of trees (Georg. ii. 43). Ovid wants at least the same number to Centum ora et linguas optare in carmina centum, "Quorsum haec? aut quantas robusti carminis offas Ingeris, ut par sit centeno gutture niti? Grande locuturi nebulas Helicone legunto, Si quibus aut Prognes aut si quibus olla Thyestae repeat the lamentations of Meleager's sisters (Met. viii. 532). Valerius Flaccus could not count the Scythians with a thousand mouths (vi. 36). The commentators bring up from Macrobius (Sat. vi. 3), "Non si mihi linguae Centum atque ora sient totidem vocesque liquatae," which he quotes from the Histric war of Hostius, a poet of whom little is known. No one who considers the poverty of the Latin Epic can be surprised at this commonplace bombast being often repeated. We have it in Silius Italicus, who was a contemporary of Persius. Claudian of course has it more than once (In Probini et Olybrii Consulatum, 55. De Sexto Cons. Honorii Augusti, 436). 3. ponatur hianda tragoedo,] As to 'ponatur' see S. i. 70. 86, n., and on 'hianda,' which has reference to the tragic mask, see Juv. vi. 636, n., "Grande Sophocleo carmen bacchamur hiatu." 4. Vulnera seu Parthi] Heinrich says ' vulnera' means the wounds the man inflicts, and ferrum,' the scimitar carried by the Persians ("Medus acinaces," Hor. C. i. 27. 5). The Scholiast quotes Horace, "Aut labentis equo descripsit vulnera Parthi" (S. ii. 1. 15); he therefore understood it differently, supposing the man to be wounded and to draw the point of the arrow that shot him from his groin. This I think is right. Casaubon and Jahn take 'vulnera' actively, but 'ferri' for an arrow hanging in its quiver by the man's side. The poems on the Parthians written in Persius' time, no doubt, were as full of falsehoods as those which may have suggested Horace's line above quoted. 5. Quorsum haec?] His friend is supposed to interrupt him, thinking he has some grand poem in hand. Offas,' which Juvenal uses in ways of his own (S. ii. 33; xvi. 11), may here mean raw crude scraps of poetry of the robust or Epic sort. In 5 10 as geris' may mean, are you tossing us scraps of raw meat are thrown to a dog. Below we have " Vigila et cicer ingere large Rixanti populo" (177). 'Par' means that it befits the occasion, the means are equal to the end. 7. nebulas Helicone legunto,] 'Let them gather fogs on Helicon.' Ovid in the place above referred to (note on v. 1) has "Non mihi si centum deus ora sonantia linguis, Ingeniumque capax totumque Helicona dedisset," &c. Here the vegeλnyepéraι are tragic poets telling of the supper Progne put before Tereus, or Atreus before Thyestes. These suppers the actor Glyco had to digest pretty often. They were favourite subjects. The Scholiast is the only authority about Glyco. He says he was an actor of Nero's time, which is an easy guess. Persius thought him a stupid fellow. 10. Tu neque anhelanti] These are the great Epic poets, who puff and blow with their bellows to get the crude stuff into shape. This is taken from Horace (S. i. 4. 19, sq.): "At tu conclusas hircinis follibus auras, Usque laborantes dum ferrum molliat ignis, Ut mavis imitare." Nescio quid tecum grave cornicaris inepte, Hinc trahe quae dicas, mensasque relinque Mycenis Non equidem hoc studeo, pullatis ut mihi nugis 14. Verba togae sequeris] 'Toga' here means common life. As to 'junctura' see S. i. 92, n. 'Teres,' which is connected with 'tero' (Hor. C. i. 1. 28, n.), signifies 'smooth.' Ore modico' is unambitious language. 'Pallentes mores' are vicious habits that tell upon the complexion through conscience, or anxiety, or disease. See above, iv. 47, "Viso si palles, improbe, nummo;" and Horace, Epp. i. 1. 61, "Nil conscire sibi, nulla pallescere culpa." Radere' is used in this sense above (i. 107). Ingenuo ludo' is that which he ascribes to Horace (i. 116): "Omne vafer vitium ridenti Flaccus amico Tangit, et admissus circum praecordia ludit." 'Defigere,' Heinrich thinks, is the huntsman's word to 'pierce;' and so Jahn takes it. It may be to nail fast.' This is nearly Casaubon's explanation, though he is not certain, and the sense is doubtful. 'Mensas' is the supper of Thyestes, which he tells him to leave, head, feet, and all, at Mycenae (where the scene of this terrible feast is laid), and confine his attention to vulgar dinners, by which he may mean the 'prandia regum,' as he calls them elsewhere (i. 67). They would be vulgar compared with the tragic feasts. 19. pullatis ut mihi nugis] Pullatae nugae,' the Scholiast says, are tragedies, because tragic characters were acted in dark dresses. (Juv. iii. 213, "Pullati proceres.") The Scholiast also recognizes the reading of many MSS. and the old editions bullatis.' The other is the right word, no doubt, and the explanation is also right. Persius says, in reply to his friend, that he has no such ambition as this, that his page should swell with dismal nonsense, and aim at giving weight to smoke,—a proverbial sort of expression. Fumum vendere,' the proverb quoted by Jahn, has a different meaning. As to 'pagina' see Juv. S. vii. 100, n. n. 21. Secreti loquimur,] We are talking in private, and the Muse bids me offer you here my heart to search. The Scholiast's explanation is not right. "Secreti loquimur: Hoc est: ea quae scribimus digna non sunt theatris-sed tibi, o Cornute, placitura." As to Camena' see Juv. iii. 16, Excutienda' is explained above, S. i. 49, n. The words that follow are like Horace's "Et serves animae dimidium meae," alluding to Virgil (C. i. 3. 8), and "Ah te meae si partem animae rapit Maturior vis quid moror altera ?" (C. ii. 17. 5, sq.), addressed to Maecenas. The Greeks and Romans had stronger language and warmer feelings in the friendships of man and man than are common with us. 25. Quid solidum crepet] 'Solidum' is opposed to tectoria' as marble to stucco. Tectorium is plaster, which, like the chunam in India, might be made to look very like marble. (See the word in Forcellini.) Juvenal uses tectoria' for the plasters employed by women, S. vi. 467. Graevius' conjecture of 'fictae' for 'pictae' is against all the MSS., and pictae' is used in allusion to the colouring given to the stucco to complete the resemblance to marble. Solidum crepet' is like 'sonat vitium' in S. iii. 21, and 'mendosum tinniat ' below, 106. E e |