No More Learning

The _general_ subject of the book seems to be agreed upon by all
commentators, though they differ as to the details. Schoenbeck
says it is directed against the lusts of women; particularly
the occasions where those lusts had most opportunity of being
exhibited and gratified, the festivals of the Matronalia and the
kindred Saturnalia. Petermann considers that it refers simply
to the intercourse between husbands and wives, in which view
Dousa seems to coincide. Duentzer takes a wider view, and says
it refers to _all_ licentious pleasures. Van Heusde leaves the
matter undecided. Gerlach coincides with the general view, but
supposes that the passions and the quarrels alluded to must be
referred to _slaves_, or at all events persons of the lowest
station, for whom festivals, like the Sigillaria (alluded to in
Fr. 4), were more particularly intended. The first two Fragments
evidently refer to a matrimonial brawl. The tenth, eleventh,
and twelfth refer to an unhallowed passion. The fifth, sixth,
and thirteenth to the unnatural and effeminate refinements
practiced by a class of persons too often referred to in Juvenal
and Persius. The fifteenth, to the fastidious taste of those
who professed to be judges of such matters. The connection of
the seventh Fragment is uncertain, as it applies apparently to
rewards for military service.

1 When he wishes to punish her for her misdeed, the fellow takes
a Samian potsherd and straightway mutilates himself--[1700]

2 I said, I come to the main point; I had rather belabor my wife,
grown old and mannish, than emasculate myself--[1701]

3 . . . who would love you, prove himself the patron of your bloom
and beauty, and promise to be your friend.

4 This is the slaves' holiday; a day which you evidently can not
express in Hexameter verse. [1702]

5 I am shaved, plucked, scaled, pumice-stoned, bedecked, polished
up and painted--[1703]

6 Did I ever compare this man with Apollo's favorite
Hyacinthus. [1704]

7 Five spears: a light-armed skirmisher, with a belt of
gold. [1705]

8 first glows like hot iron from the forge--

9 If he moves and flattens his nostrils as a dolphin at
times. [1706]

10 The one grinds, the other winnows corn as it were. . . . [1707]

11 . . . bloom and beauty, like a go-between and kind
procuress. [1708]

12 like that renowned Phryne when. . . . [1709]

13 that no dirt settle on the ear . . . no vermin--

14 . . . that have no eyes, or nose. . . .

15 We are severe; difficult to please; fastidious as to good
things.

16

17 . . . and the goose's neck. [1710]

18

19 . . . We murmur, are ground, sink down. . . . [1711]

20 you whimper in the same way--[1712]

21 With such passion and hatred for him am I transported. [1713]

22 Here is Macedo if Acron is too long flaccid. [1714]

FOOTNOTES:

[1700] _Samos_ produced a particular kind of earth (Samia creta),
peculiarly serviceable in the potter's art. Hence the earthenware
of Samos acquired, even in very early ages, considerable celebrity;
and the potters at Samos, as at Corinth, Athens, and Ægina, formed a
considerable portion of the population. See the pun on "Vas Samium,"
Plaut. , Bacch. , II. , ii. , 23. Vid. Müller's Ancient Art, § 62. With
the sharp fragments of the Samian potsherds, the Galli, or priests of
Cybele, were accustomed to mutilate themselves. Plin. , XXXV. , xii. , 46.
Juv. , vi. , 513, "Mollia qui ruptâ secuit genitalia testâ. " Mart, iii. ,
Ep. lxxxi. , 3.

[1701] _Virosus_, φιλανδρος, "viri appetens. "

[1702] The Scholiast on Hor. , i. , Sat. v. , 87, tells us that the
allusion is to the festival of the Sigillaria. (Auson. , Ecl. de Fer.
Rom. , 32, "Sacra Sigillorum nomine dicta colunt. ") The Saturnalia
were originally held on the 19th of December (xiv. Kal. Jan. ), and
lasted for one day only. They were instituted B. C. 497 (Liv. , ii. ,
21; xxii. , 1), and were intended to commemorate the golden days of
Saturn, when slavery was unknown; hence slaves were waited on by their
masters, who wore a short robe, called the Synthesis, for that purpose.
It was a time of general festivity and rejoicing; and presents were
interchanged between friends. The festival was afterward extended to
three days by an edict of Julius Cæsar, which Augustus confirmed; and,
commencing on the 17th, terminated on the 19th. (Macrob. , Sat. i. ,
10. ). Caligula added two more days (or one at least, Suet. , Cal. , 17),
which custom Claudius revived when it had fallen into desuetude. Then
the Sigillaria were added, so that the period of festivity was extended
to seven days. Mart. , xiv. , Ep. 72. The Sigillaria were so called from
sigillum, "a small image. " (From the words of Macrobius, it seems
that these sigilla were _images_ of men offered to Dis, and intended
as substitutes for the _living_ sacrifices which were offered in more
barbarous ages. Macrob. , _u. s. _) The name was applied to the little
figures which were sent as presents on the occasion of this festival.
These not unfrequently were confectionery or sweetmeats made in this
form. Senec. , Ep. , xii. , 3. Suet. , Claud. , 5. The Easter cakes in Roman
Catholic countries are no doubt a remnant of this custom. (Cf. Blunt's
Vestiges, p. 119. )

[1703] _Pumicor. _ Cf. Ov. , A. Am. , i. , 506, "Nec tua mordaci pumice
crura teras. " Juv. , viii. , 16, "Si tenerum attritus Catinensi pumice
lumbum. " ix. , 95, "res Mortifera est inimicus pumice lævis. " The
pumice-stone, particularly that found at the foot of Mount Ætna, was
used to render the skin delicately smooth. Resin, and a kind of plaster
made of pitch, was used to eradicate all superfluous hairs. Plin. ,
xiv. , 20; xxxv. , 21. Cf. ad Juv. , viii. , 114, "Resinata juventus. " ix. ,
14, "Bruttia præstabat calidi tibi fascia visci. " ii. , 12. Pers. , iv. ,
36, 40, Plaut. , Pseud. , I. , ii. , 9. Mart. , xiv. , Ep. 205.

[1704] _Hyacintho. _ Cf. ad Virg. , Ecl. , iii. , 63. Ov. , Met. , x. , 185,
_seq. _ _Cortinipotens_ is an epithet of Apollo as lord of the Cortina;
i. e. , the egg-shaped basin on the Delphian tripod whence the oracles
were echoed. Vid. Hase's Ancient Greeks, p. 144. Serv. ad Virg. , Æn. ,
iii. , 92, "Mugire aditis Cortina reclusis. " vi. , 347, "Neque te Phœbi
cortina fefellit. " Suet. , Aug. , 52. _Contendi. _ Cf. lib. i. , Fr. 15.
[1705] _Cinctus_ is sometimes put for a soldier. Plin. , vii. , Ep. 25.
Juv. , xvi. , 48.

The _Rorarii_ were light companies who advanced before the line, and
began the battle with slings and stones; so called from ros. "Quod
ante rorat quam pluit. " Cf. Varro, L. L. , vi. , 3. Liv. , viii. , 8. The
_Velites_, from vexillum.

[1706] _Simat. _ Cf. ad lib. v. , Fr. 19.

[1707] _Molere. _ Hor. , i. , Sat. ii. , 35. Auson. , Epig. , lxxi. , 7.
Theoc. , iv. , 58, μύλλει. Cf. lib. ix. , Fr. 26.

[1708] _Saga. _ Tibull. , i. , El. v. , 59, "Sagæ præcepta rapacis desere. "

[1709] _Phryne. _ Vid. Athen. , xiii. , p. 591. Plin. , xxxiv. , 8. The name
was not uncommon in the same class at Rome. Tibull. , ii, El. vi. , 45.
Hor. , Epod. , xiv. , 16.

[1710] 16 and 17 seem hopelessly corrupt. Gerlach supposes some
"remedy for languishing love" to be intended ("irritamentum Veneris
languentis"), and reads "Callosa ova et bene plena: tunc olorum atque
anseris collus" (cf. Hor. , ii. , Sat. iv. , 14), "Hard and well-filled
eggs; then swan's and goose's neck. " But the emendation is too wide to
be admitted into the text.

[1711] _Muginor_ is used by Cicero in the sense of "dallying,
trifling. " "Nugas agere, causari, moras nectere, tarde conari. " Att. ,
xvi. , 12. But its primitive meaning is conveyed by its etymology,
"Mugitu moveo. " It refers to the noise made by those who move heavy
weights, that their efforts may be exerted in concert. Coupled with Fr.
10, its meaning is obvious here.

[1712] _Ogannis_, i. e. , obgannis. It is properly applied to a dog. Cf.
Juv. , vi. , 64, "Appula gannit. " Compare the Greek λαγνεύειν.

[1713] Cf. lib. iv. , Fr. 8.

[1714] Gerlach reads "Acron" for the old _lorum_, which Scaliger
approved, and connected this Fragment with the second of the eighth
book.


BOOK VIII.

ARGUMENT.

The eighth book, as Schoenbeck supposes, consisted of an exposition
of domestic life, with a discussion as to the virtues which a
good wife ought to possess. Duentzer would rather connect it with
the last book, and imagines unlawful love to have been the theme,
and that the ancient title of the book countenanced this opinion.
The second, fourth, fifth, eleventh, and thirteenth Fragments
seem to confirm the conjecture; the drift of the others is not
apparent.

1 When the victor cock proudly rears himself, and raises his
front talons--

2 When I drink from the same cup, embrace, press lip to
lip. . . . [1715]

3 But on the river, and at the very parting of the waters, . . . a
merchantman . . . with feet of holm-oak. [1716]

4 . . . that she is slender, nimble, with clean chest, and like a
youth. . . . [1717]

5 . . . then she joins side to side, and breast to breast. [1718]

6 If he achieve the whole route, and the steep stadium at an
ambling pace--[1719]

7 To salt sea-eels, and bring the wares into the larder. [1720]

8 But all trades and petty gains. . . .

9 the Hiberian island. . . . [1721]

10 a necessary close at hand; a bake-house, store-room,
kitchen[1722]

11 . . . with friendly hand wipes off the tears. . . .

12 . . . giblets, or else liver. . . . [1723]

13 . . . the work flags. . . . [1724]

14 . . . wine-bibbers. [1725]

FOOTNOTES:

[1715] Nonius reads "fictrices," and explains "fingere" by "lingere. "
Cf. Schol. ad Aristoph. , Aves, 507.

[1716] Gerlach says, "Ex his verbis vix probabilem eruas sensum. "

The _cercurus_ was a large merchant-vessel, used by the Asiatics,
undecked, and capable of carrying a large freight. It was invented,
according to Pliny, by the Cyprians. Plin. , vii. , 56, 57. Cf. Plaut. ,
Merc. , I. , i. , 86. Stich. , II. , iii. , 34. It appears, however, from
Livy, that the name was sometimes applied to a vessel of smaller size.
Liv. , xxx. , 19. _Ilignis pedibus. _ Cf. Ter. , Adelph. , IV. , ii. , 46.
Virg. , Georg. , iii. , 330. For _concinat_, Gerlach proposes to read
"concinnat. "

[1717] _Pernix_ is the epithet Catullus applies to Atalanta: ii. , 12,
"Quam ferunt puellæ Pernici aureolum fuisse malum. "

[1718] Cf. Lib.