, 288,
μακρὸς
δὲ καὶ ὄρθιος οἶμος.
Satires
, 780; iii.
,
Od. xxiv. , 31, "Virtutem incolumem odimus, Sublatam ex oculis quærimus
invidi. " Pers. , Sat. v. , 61, "Et sibi jam seri vitam ingemuero
relictam. "
[1359] _Siculi. _ Alluding to the bull of Phalaris, made for him by
Perillus. Cf. ad Juv. , viii. , 81, "Admoto dictet perjuria tauro. "
Plin. , xxxiv. , 8. Cic. , Off. , ii. , 7. Ov. , Ib. , 439, "Ære Perillæo
veros imitere juvencos, ad formam tauri conveniente sono. " A. Am. , i. ,
653, "Et Phalaris tauro violenti membra Perilli Torruit infelix imbuit
auctor opus. " Ov. , Trist. , III. , xi. , 40-52. Claud. , B. Gild. , 186.
Phalaris and Perillus were both burnt in it themselves.
[1360] _Ensis_ refers to the entertainment of Damocles by Dionysius
of Syracuse. Vid. Cic. , Tusc. Qu. , v. , 21. Plat, de Rep. , iii. , p.
404. Hor. , iii. , Od. i. , 17, "Destrictus ensis cui super impia Cervice
pendet non Siculæ dapes Dulcem elaborabunt vaporem. "
[1361] _Tangebam. _ Cf. Ov. , A. Am. , i. , 662, "Put oil on my eyes to
make my master believe they were sore. "
[1362] _Catonis. _ Either some high-flown speech put into Cato's mouth,
like that of Addison, or a declamation on the subject written by the
boy himself. Cf. Juv. , i. , 16; vii. , 151.
[1363] _Damnosa Canicula. _ Cf. Propert. , IV. , viii. , 45, "Me quoque per
talos Venerem quærente secundos, semper _damnosi_ subsiluere _Canes_. "
Juv. , xiv. , 4, "_Damnosa_ senem juvat alea," The talus had four flat
sides, the two ends being rounded. The numbers marked on the sides
were the ace, "canis" or "unio" (Isid. , Or. xviii. , 65, only in later
writers), the trey, "ternio," the quater, "quaternio," and the sice,
"senio," opposite the ace. They played with four _tali_, and the best
throw was when each die presented a different face (μηδενὸς ἀστραγάλου
πεσόντος ἴσῳ σχήματι, Lucian, Am. Mart. , xiv. , Ep. 14, "Cum steterit
nullus tibi vultu talus eôdem"), i. e. , when one was canis, another
ternio, another quaternio, and the fourth senio. This throw was called
Venus, or jactus Venereus, because Venus was supposed to preside over
it. The worst throw was when all came out aces; and there appears
to have been something in the make of the dice to render this the
most common throw. This was called Canis, or Canicula; as Voss says,
because "like a dog it ate up the unfortunate gambler who threw it. "
Ovid, A. Am. , ii. , 205, "Seu jacies talos, victam ne pœna sequatur,
Damnosi facito stent tibi sæpe Canes. " One way of playing is described
(in Suet. , Vit. August, c. 71) is letter of Augustus to Tiberius.
Each player put a denarius into the pool for every single ace or sice
he threw, and he who threw Venus swept away the whole. There were
probably many other modes of playing. Cf. Cic. , de Div. , i. , 13. The
_tesseræ_ were like our dice with six sides, numbered from one to six,
so that the numbers on the two opposite sides always equaled seven. Cf.
Bekker's Gallus, p. 499. Lucil. , i. , fr. 27.
[1364] _Orcæ. _ This refers to a game played by Roman boys, which
consisted in throwing nuts into a narrow-necked jar. This game was
called τρόπα by the Greeks; who used dates, acorns, and dibs for the
same purpose. Poll. , Onom. , IX. , vii. , 203. Ovid refers to it in his
"Nux. " "Vas quoque sæpe cavum, spatio distante, locatur In quod missa
levi nux cadat una manu. " Orca (the Greek ὕρχα Arist. , Vesp. , 676) was
an earthen vessel used for holding wine, figs, and salted fish. Cf.
1. 73, "Mænaque quod primâ nondum defecerit orcâ. " Hor. , ii. , Sat.
iv. , 66, "Quod pingui miscere mero muriâque decebit non alià quam quâ
Byzantia putruit orca. " Colum. , xii. , 15. Plin. , xv. , 19. Varro, R.
R. , i. , 13. The dibs used for playing were called taxilli, Pompon. in
Prisc. , iii. , 615.
[1365] _Buxum. _ "Volubile buxum. " Cf. Virg. , Æn. , vii. , 378-384.
Tibull. , I. , v. 3.
[1366] _Porticus. _ ἡ ποικίλη Στοά. The Pœcile, or "Painted Hall,"
at Athens. It was covered with frescoes representing the battle of
Marathon, executed gratuitously by Polygnotus the Thasian and Mycon.
Plin. , xxxv. , 9. Corn. Nep. , Milt. , vi. This "porch" was the favorite
resort of Zeno and his disciples, who were hence called Stoics. Diog.
Laert. , VII. , i. , 6.
[1367] _Samios diduxit litera ramos. _ The letter Y was taken by
Pythagoras as the symbol of human life. The stem of the letter
symbolizes the early part of life, when the character is unformed, and
the choice of good or evil as yet undetermined. The right-hand branch,
which is the narrower one, represents the "steep and thorny path"
of virtue. The left-hand branch is the broad and easy road to vice.
Compare the beautiful Episode of Prodicus in Xenophon's Memorabilia.
Servius ad Virg. , Æn. , vi. , 540, "Huic literæ dicebat Pythagoras
humanæ vitæ cursum esse similem, quia unusquisque hominum, cum primum
adolescentiæ limen attigerit, et in eum locum venerit 'partes ubi se
via findit in ambas,' hæreat nutabandus, et nesciat in quam se partem
potius inclinet. " Auson. , Idyll. , xii. , 9, "Pythagoræ bivium ramis
pateo ambiguis Y. " Shakspeare, Hamlet, Act i. , sc. 3. Cic. , de Off. ,
i. , 32. Hesiod, Op. et Di.
, 288, μακρὸς δὲ καὶ ὄρθιος οἶμος. Pers. ,
Sat. , v. , 35.
[1368] _Cratero_, a famous physician in Cicero's time. Cic. ad Att. ,
xii. , 13, 14. He is also mentioned by Horace, Sat. , II. , iii. , 161,
"Non est cardiacus, Craterum dixisse putato. "
[1369] _Flexus. _ "There are many periods of life as critical as the
end of the stadium in the chariot-race, where the nicest judgment
is required in turning the corner. " Adrian Turnebe. The reading of
D'Achaintre is followed.
[1370] _Asper Numus. _ Cf. ad Juv. , xiv. , 62.
[1371] _Defensis pinguibus Umbris. _ For the presents which lawyers
received from their clients, cf. Juv. , vii. , 119, "Vas pelamidum. "
[1372] _Orca. _ Cf. sup. , 1. 50. The _Mœna_ was a common coarse kind of
fish (Cic. , Fin. , ii. , 28), commonly used for salting.
[1373] _Arcesilas_ was a native of Pitane, in Æolis. After studying
at Sardis under Autolycus, the mathematician, he came to Athens, and
became a disciple of Theophrastus, and afterward of Crantor. He was the
founder of the Middle Academy. Diog. Laert. , Proœm. , x. , 14. Liv. , iv. ,
c. vi. He maintained that "nothing can be known," and is hence called
"Ignorantiæ Magister. " Lactant. , III. , v. , 6. His doctrine is stated,
Cic. , de Orat. , iii, 18. Acad. , i, 12.
[1374] _Obstipo capite_ implies "the head rigidly fixed in one
position. " Sometimes in an erect one, as in an arrogant and haughty
person. (Suet. , Tib. , 68, "Cervix rigida et obstipa. ") Sometimes bent
forward, which is the characteristic of a slavish and cringing person.
(δουλοπρέπες. Cf. Orell. ad Hor. , ii. , Sat. v. , 92, "Davus sis Comicus
atque Stes capite obstipo multum similis metuenti. ") Sometimes in the
attitude of a meditative person in deep reflection, "with leaden eye
that loves the ground. "
[1375] _Torosa. _ Applied properly to the broad muscles in the breast of
a bull. Ov. , Met. , vii. , 428, "Feriuntque secures Colla torosa boüm. "
[1376] _Surrentina. _ Surrentum, now "Sorrento," on the coast of
Campania, was famous for its wines. Ov. , Met. , xv. , 710, "Et Surrentino
generosos palmite colles. " Pliny assigns it the third place in wines,
ranking it immediately after the Setine and Falernian. He says it was
peculiarly adapted to persons recovering from sickness. XIV. , vi. , 8;
XXIII. , i. , 20. Surrentum was also famous for its drinking-cups of
pottery-ware. XIV. , ii, 4. Mart. , xiv. , Ep. 102; xiii. , 110.
[1377] _Tremor. _ So Hor. , i, Epist. xvi. , 22, "Occultam febrem sub
tempus edendi dissimules, donec manibus tremor incidat unctis. "
[1378] _Trientem_, or _triental_, a cup containing the third part of
the sextarius (which is within a fraction of a pint), equal to four
cyathi Cf. Mart. , vi. , Ep. 86, "Setinum, dominæque nives, densique
trientes, Quando ego vos medico non prohibente bibam? "
[1379] _Amomis. _ Juv. , iv. , 108, "Et matutino sudans Crispinus _amomo_,
Quantum vix redolent duo funera. " The _amomum_ was an Assyrian shrub
with a white flower, from which a very costly perfume was made. Plin. ,
xiii. , 1.
[1380] _Rigidos calces. _ Vid. Plin. , vii. , 8. The dead body was always
carried out with the feet foremost.
[1381] _Hesterni Quirites. _ Slaves, when manumitted, shaved their
heads, to show that, like shipwrecked mariners (Juv. , xii. , 81), they
had escaped the storms of slavery, and then received a pileus (v. , 82)
in the temple of Feronia. Cf. Plaut. , Amph. , I. , i. , 306. The temple,
according to one legend, was founded by some Lacedæmonians who quitted
Sparta to escape from the severity of Lycurgus' laws. Many persons
freed all their slaves at their death, out of vanity, that they might
have a numerous body of freedmen to attend their funeral.
[1382] _Visa est. _ So iv. , 47, "Viso si palles improbe numo. "
[1383] _Cribro. _ The coarse sieve of the common people would let
through much of the bran. The Romans were very particular about the
quality of their bread. Cf. Juv. , v. , 67, _seq. _
[1384] _Beta. _ Martial calls them _fatuæ_, from their insipid flavor
without some condiment, and "fabrorum prandia. " xiii. , Ep. xiii.
[1385] _Orestes. _ Cf. Juv. , xiv. , 285.
SATIRE IV.
ARGUMENT.
Had Persius lived _after_ instead of before Juvenal we might have
imagined that he had taken for the theme the noble lines in his
eighth Satire,
"Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se
Crimen habet quanto Major qui peccat habetur. " viii. , 140.
"For still more public scandal Vice extends,
As he is great and noble who offends. "--Dryden.
Or had he drawn from the fountains of inspired wisdom, that he
had had in his eye a passage of still more solemn import: "A
sharp judgment shall be to them that be in high places. For mercy
will soon pardon the meanest; but mighty men shall be mightily
tormented. " Wisdom, vi. , 5. Either of these passages might fairly
serve as the argument of this Satire. What, however, Persius
really took as his model is the First Alcibiades of Plato, and
the imitation of it is nearly as close as is that of the Second
Alcibiades in the Second Satire. And the subject of his criticism
is no less a personage than Nero himself. The close analogy between
Nero and Alcibiades will be further alluded to in the notes. We
must remember that Nero was but seventeen years old when he was
called to take the reins of government, and was but three years
younger than Persius himself. The Satire was probably written
before Nero had entirely thrown off the mask; at all events, before
he had given the full evidence which he afterward did of the savage
ferocity and gross licentiousness of his true nature. There was
enough indeed for the stern Satirist to censure; but still a spark
of something noble remaining, to kindle the hope that the reproof
might work improvement. In his First Satire he had ridiculed his
pretensions to the name of Poet; in this he exposes his inability
as a Politician. The Satire naturally and readily divides itself
into three parts. In the first he ridicules the misplaced ambition
of those who covet exalted station, and aspire to take the lead in
state affairs, without possessing those qualifications of talent,
education, and experience, which alone could fit them to take the
helm of government; and who hold that the adventitious privileges
of high birth and ancient lineage can countervail the enervating
effects of luxurious indolence and vicious self-indulgence. The
second division of the subject turns on the much-neglected duty of
self-examination; and enforces the duty of uprightness and purity
of conduct from the consideration, that while it is hopeless in
all to escape the keen scrutiny that all men exercise in their
neighbor's failings, while they are at the same time utterly
blind to their own defects, yet that men of high rank and station
must necessarily provoke the more searching criticism, in exact
proportion to the elevation of their position. He points out also
the policy of checking all tendency to satirize the weakness of
others, to which Nero was greatly prone, and in fact had already
aspired to the dignity of a writer of Satire; as such sarcasm only
draws down severer recrimination on ourselves. In the third part
he reverts to the original subject; and urges upon the profligate
nobles of the day the duty of rigid self-scrutiny, by reminding
them of the true character of that worthless rabble, on whose
sordid judgment and mercenary applause they ground their claims to
approbation. This love of the "aura popularis" was Nero's besetting
vice; and none could doubt for whom the advice was meant. Yet
the allusions to Nero throughout the Satire, transparent as they
must have been to his contemporaries, are so dexterously covered
that Persius might easily have secured himself from all charge
of personally attacking the emperor under the plea that his sole
object was a declamatory exercise in imitation of the Dialogue cf
Plato.
"Dost thou wield the affairs of the state? "[1386]--(Imagine the
bearded[1387] master, whom the fell draught of hemlock[1388] took off,
to be saying this:)--Relying on what? Speak, thou ward[1389] of great
Pericles. Has talent, forsooth, and precocious knowledge of the world,
come before thy beard? Knowest thou what must be spoken, and what
kept back? And, therefore, when the populace is boiling with excited
passion, does your spirit move you to impose silence on the crowd by
the majesty of your hand? [1390] and what will you say then? "I think,
Quirites, this is not just! That is bad! This is the properer course? "
For you know how to weigh the justice of the case in the double scale
of the doubtful balance. You can discern the straight line when it lies
between curves,[1391] or when the rule misleads by its distorted foot;
and you are competent to affix the Theta[1392] of condemnation to a
defect.
Why do you not then (adorned in vain with outer skin[1393]) cease to
display your tail[1394] before the day to the fawning rabble, more fit
to swallow down undiluted Anticyras? [1395]
What is your chief good? to have lived always on rich dishes; and a
skin made delicate by constant basking in the sun? [1396] Stay: this
old woman would scarce give a different answer--"Go now! I am son of
Dinomache!
Od. xxiv. , 31, "Virtutem incolumem odimus, Sublatam ex oculis quærimus
invidi. " Pers. , Sat. v. , 61, "Et sibi jam seri vitam ingemuero
relictam. "
[1359] _Siculi. _ Alluding to the bull of Phalaris, made for him by
Perillus. Cf. ad Juv. , viii. , 81, "Admoto dictet perjuria tauro. "
Plin. , xxxiv. , 8. Cic. , Off. , ii. , 7. Ov. , Ib. , 439, "Ære Perillæo
veros imitere juvencos, ad formam tauri conveniente sono. " A. Am. , i. ,
653, "Et Phalaris tauro violenti membra Perilli Torruit infelix imbuit
auctor opus. " Ov. , Trist. , III. , xi. , 40-52. Claud. , B. Gild. , 186.
Phalaris and Perillus were both burnt in it themselves.
[1360] _Ensis_ refers to the entertainment of Damocles by Dionysius
of Syracuse. Vid. Cic. , Tusc. Qu. , v. , 21. Plat, de Rep. , iii. , p.
404. Hor. , iii. , Od. i. , 17, "Destrictus ensis cui super impia Cervice
pendet non Siculæ dapes Dulcem elaborabunt vaporem. "
[1361] _Tangebam. _ Cf. Ov. , A. Am. , i. , 662, "Put oil on my eyes to
make my master believe they were sore. "
[1362] _Catonis. _ Either some high-flown speech put into Cato's mouth,
like that of Addison, or a declamation on the subject written by the
boy himself. Cf. Juv. , i. , 16; vii. , 151.
[1363] _Damnosa Canicula. _ Cf. Propert. , IV. , viii. , 45, "Me quoque per
talos Venerem quærente secundos, semper _damnosi_ subsiluere _Canes_. "
Juv. , xiv. , 4, "_Damnosa_ senem juvat alea," The talus had four flat
sides, the two ends being rounded. The numbers marked on the sides
were the ace, "canis" or "unio" (Isid. , Or. xviii. , 65, only in later
writers), the trey, "ternio," the quater, "quaternio," and the sice,
"senio," opposite the ace. They played with four _tali_, and the best
throw was when each die presented a different face (μηδενὸς ἀστραγάλου
πεσόντος ἴσῳ σχήματι, Lucian, Am. Mart. , xiv. , Ep. 14, "Cum steterit
nullus tibi vultu talus eôdem"), i. e. , when one was canis, another
ternio, another quaternio, and the fourth senio. This throw was called
Venus, or jactus Venereus, because Venus was supposed to preside over
it. The worst throw was when all came out aces; and there appears
to have been something in the make of the dice to render this the
most common throw. This was called Canis, or Canicula; as Voss says,
because "like a dog it ate up the unfortunate gambler who threw it. "
Ovid, A. Am. , ii. , 205, "Seu jacies talos, victam ne pœna sequatur,
Damnosi facito stent tibi sæpe Canes. " One way of playing is described
(in Suet. , Vit. August, c. 71) is letter of Augustus to Tiberius.
Each player put a denarius into the pool for every single ace or sice
he threw, and he who threw Venus swept away the whole. There were
probably many other modes of playing. Cf. Cic. , de Div. , i. , 13. The
_tesseræ_ were like our dice with six sides, numbered from one to six,
so that the numbers on the two opposite sides always equaled seven. Cf.
Bekker's Gallus, p. 499. Lucil. , i. , fr. 27.
[1364] _Orcæ. _ This refers to a game played by Roman boys, which
consisted in throwing nuts into a narrow-necked jar. This game was
called τρόπα by the Greeks; who used dates, acorns, and dibs for the
same purpose. Poll. , Onom. , IX. , vii. , 203. Ovid refers to it in his
"Nux. " "Vas quoque sæpe cavum, spatio distante, locatur In quod missa
levi nux cadat una manu. " Orca (the Greek ὕρχα Arist. , Vesp. , 676) was
an earthen vessel used for holding wine, figs, and salted fish. Cf.
1. 73, "Mænaque quod primâ nondum defecerit orcâ. " Hor. , ii. , Sat.
iv. , 66, "Quod pingui miscere mero muriâque decebit non alià quam quâ
Byzantia putruit orca. " Colum. , xii. , 15. Plin. , xv. , 19. Varro, R.
R. , i. , 13. The dibs used for playing were called taxilli, Pompon. in
Prisc. , iii. , 615.
[1365] _Buxum. _ "Volubile buxum. " Cf. Virg. , Æn. , vii. , 378-384.
Tibull. , I. , v. 3.
[1366] _Porticus. _ ἡ ποικίλη Στοά. The Pœcile, or "Painted Hall,"
at Athens. It was covered with frescoes representing the battle of
Marathon, executed gratuitously by Polygnotus the Thasian and Mycon.
Plin. , xxxv. , 9. Corn. Nep. , Milt. , vi. This "porch" was the favorite
resort of Zeno and his disciples, who were hence called Stoics. Diog.
Laert. , VII. , i. , 6.
[1367] _Samios diduxit litera ramos. _ The letter Y was taken by
Pythagoras as the symbol of human life. The stem of the letter
symbolizes the early part of life, when the character is unformed, and
the choice of good or evil as yet undetermined. The right-hand branch,
which is the narrower one, represents the "steep and thorny path"
of virtue. The left-hand branch is the broad and easy road to vice.
Compare the beautiful Episode of Prodicus in Xenophon's Memorabilia.
Servius ad Virg. , Æn. , vi. , 540, "Huic literæ dicebat Pythagoras
humanæ vitæ cursum esse similem, quia unusquisque hominum, cum primum
adolescentiæ limen attigerit, et in eum locum venerit 'partes ubi se
via findit in ambas,' hæreat nutabandus, et nesciat in quam se partem
potius inclinet. " Auson. , Idyll. , xii. , 9, "Pythagoræ bivium ramis
pateo ambiguis Y. " Shakspeare, Hamlet, Act i. , sc. 3. Cic. , de Off. ,
i. , 32. Hesiod, Op. et Di.
, 288, μακρὸς δὲ καὶ ὄρθιος οἶμος. Pers. ,
Sat. , v. , 35.
[1368] _Cratero_, a famous physician in Cicero's time. Cic. ad Att. ,
xii. , 13, 14. He is also mentioned by Horace, Sat. , II. , iii. , 161,
"Non est cardiacus, Craterum dixisse putato. "
[1369] _Flexus. _ "There are many periods of life as critical as the
end of the stadium in the chariot-race, where the nicest judgment
is required in turning the corner. " Adrian Turnebe. The reading of
D'Achaintre is followed.
[1370] _Asper Numus. _ Cf. ad Juv. , xiv. , 62.
[1371] _Defensis pinguibus Umbris. _ For the presents which lawyers
received from their clients, cf. Juv. , vii. , 119, "Vas pelamidum. "
[1372] _Orca. _ Cf. sup. , 1. 50. The _Mœna_ was a common coarse kind of
fish (Cic. , Fin. , ii. , 28), commonly used for salting.
[1373] _Arcesilas_ was a native of Pitane, in Æolis. After studying
at Sardis under Autolycus, the mathematician, he came to Athens, and
became a disciple of Theophrastus, and afterward of Crantor. He was the
founder of the Middle Academy. Diog. Laert. , Proœm. , x. , 14. Liv. , iv. ,
c. vi. He maintained that "nothing can be known," and is hence called
"Ignorantiæ Magister. " Lactant. , III. , v. , 6. His doctrine is stated,
Cic. , de Orat. , iii, 18. Acad. , i, 12.
[1374] _Obstipo capite_ implies "the head rigidly fixed in one
position. " Sometimes in an erect one, as in an arrogant and haughty
person. (Suet. , Tib. , 68, "Cervix rigida et obstipa. ") Sometimes bent
forward, which is the characteristic of a slavish and cringing person.
(δουλοπρέπες. Cf. Orell. ad Hor. , ii. , Sat. v. , 92, "Davus sis Comicus
atque Stes capite obstipo multum similis metuenti. ") Sometimes in the
attitude of a meditative person in deep reflection, "with leaden eye
that loves the ground. "
[1375] _Torosa. _ Applied properly to the broad muscles in the breast of
a bull. Ov. , Met. , vii. , 428, "Feriuntque secures Colla torosa boüm. "
[1376] _Surrentina. _ Surrentum, now "Sorrento," on the coast of
Campania, was famous for its wines. Ov. , Met. , xv. , 710, "Et Surrentino
generosos palmite colles. " Pliny assigns it the third place in wines,
ranking it immediately after the Setine and Falernian. He says it was
peculiarly adapted to persons recovering from sickness. XIV. , vi. , 8;
XXIII. , i. , 20. Surrentum was also famous for its drinking-cups of
pottery-ware. XIV. , ii, 4. Mart. , xiv. , Ep. 102; xiii. , 110.
[1377] _Tremor. _ So Hor. , i, Epist. xvi. , 22, "Occultam febrem sub
tempus edendi dissimules, donec manibus tremor incidat unctis. "
[1378] _Trientem_, or _triental_, a cup containing the third part of
the sextarius (which is within a fraction of a pint), equal to four
cyathi Cf. Mart. , vi. , Ep. 86, "Setinum, dominæque nives, densique
trientes, Quando ego vos medico non prohibente bibam? "
[1379] _Amomis. _ Juv. , iv. , 108, "Et matutino sudans Crispinus _amomo_,
Quantum vix redolent duo funera. " The _amomum_ was an Assyrian shrub
with a white flower, from which a very costly perfume was made. Plin. ,
xiii. , 1.
[1380] _Rigidos calces. _ Vid. Plin. , vii. , 8. The dead body was always
carried out with the feet foremost.
[1381] _Hesterni Quirites. _ Slaves, when manumitted, shaved their
heads, to show that, like shipwrecked mariners (Juv. , xii. , 81), they
had escaped the storms of slavery, and then received a pileus (v. , 82)
in the temple of Feronia. Cf. Plaut. , Amph. , I. , i. , 306. The temple,
according to one legend, was founded by some Lacedæmonians who quitted
Sparta to escape from the severity of Lycurgus' laws. Many persons
freed all their slaves at their death, out of vanity, that they might
have a numerous body of freedmen to attend their funeral.
[1382] _Visa est. _ So iv. , 47, "Viso si palles improbe numo. "
[1383] _Cribro. _ The coarse sieve of the common people would let
through much of the bran. The Romans were very particular about the
quality of their bread. Cf. Juv. , v. , 67, _seq. _
[1384] _Beta. _ Martial calls them _fatuæ_, from their insipid flavor
without some condiment, and "fabrorum prandia. " xiii. , Ep. xiii.
[1385] _Orestes. _ Cf. Juv. , xiv. , 285.
SATIRE IV.
ARGUMENT.
Had Persius lived _after_ instead of before Juvenal we might have
imagined that he had taken for the theme the noble lines in his
eighth Satire,
"Omne animi vitium tanto conspectius in se
Crimen habet quanto Major qui peccat habetur. " viii. , 140.
"For still more public scandal Vice extends,
As he is great and noble who offends. "--Dryden.
Or had he drawn from the fountains of inspired wisdom, that he
had had in his eye a passage of still more solemn import: "A
sharp judgment shall be to them that be in high places. For mercy
will soon pardon the meanest; but mighty men shall be mightily
tormented. " Wisdom, vi. , 5. Either of these passages might fairly
serve as the argument of this Satire. What, however, Persius
really took as his model is the First Alcibiades of Plato, and
the imitation of it is nearly as close as is that of the Second
Alcibiades in the Second Satire. And the subject of his criticism
is no less a personage than Nero himself. The close analogy between
Nero and Alcibiades will be further alluded to in the notes. We
must remember that Nero was but seventeen years old when he was
called to take the reins of government, and was but three years
younger than Persius himself. The Satire was probably written
before Nero had entirely thrown off the mask; at all events, before
he had given the full evidence which he afterward did of the savage
ferocity and gross licentiousness of his true nature. There was
enough indeed for the stern Satirist to censure; but still a spark
of something noble remaining, to kindle the hope that the reproof
might work improvement. In his First Satire he had ridiculed his
pretensions to the name of Poet; in this he exposes his inability
as a Politician. The Satire naturally and readily divides itself
into three parts. In the first he ridicules the misplaced ambition
of those who covet exalted station, and aspire to take the lead in
state affairs, without possessing those qualifications of talent,
education, and experience, which alone could fit them to take the
helm of government; and who hold that the adventitious privileges
of high birth and ancient lineage can countervail the enervating
effects of luxurious indolence and vicious self-indulgence. The
second division of the subject turns on the much-neglected duty of
self-examination; and enforces the duty of uprightness and purity
of conduct from the consideration, that while it is hopeless in
all to escape the keen scrutiny that all men exercise in their
neighbor's failings, while they are at the same time utterly
blind to their own defects, yet that men of high rank and station
must necessarily provoke the more searching criticism, in exact
proportion to the elevation of their position. He points out also
the policy of checking all tendency to satirize the weakness of
others, to which Nero was greatly prone, and in fact had already
aspired to the dignity of a writer of Satire; as such sarcasm only
draws down severer recrimination on ourselves. In the third part
he reverts to the original subject; and urges upon the profligate
nobles of the day the duty of rigid self-scrutiny, by reminding
them of the true character of that worthless rabble, on whose
sordid judgment and mercenary applause they ground their claims to
approbation. This love of the "aura popularis" was Nero's besetting
vice; and none could doubt for whom the advice was meant. Yet
the allusions to Nero throughout the Satire, transparent as they
must have been to his contemporaries, are so dexterously covered
that Persius might easily have secured himself from all charge
of personally attacking the emperor under the plea that his sole
object was a declamatory exercise in imitation of the Dialogue cf
Plato.
"Dost thou wield the affairs of the state? "[1386]--(Imagine the
bearded[1387] master, whom the fell draught of hemlock[1388] took off,
to be saying this:)--Relying on what? Speak, thou ward[1389] of great
Pericles. Has talent, forsooth, and precocious knowledge of the world,
come before thy beard? Knowest thou what must be spoken, and what
kept back? And, therefore, when the populace is boiling with excited
passion, does your spirit move you to impose silence on the crowd by
the majesty of your hand? [1390] and what will you say then? "I think,
Quirites, this is not just! That is bad! This is the properer course? "
For you know how to weigh the justice of the case in the double scale
of the doubtful balance. You can discern the straight line when it lies
between curves,[1391] or when the rule misleads by its distorted foot;
and you are competent to affix the Theta[1392] of condemnation to a
defect.
Why do you not then (adorned in vain with outer skin[1393]) cease to
display your tail[1394] before the day to the fawning rabble, more fit
to swallow down undiluted Anticyras? [1395]
What is your chief good? to have lived always on rich dishes; and a
skin made delicate by constant basking in the sun? [1396] Stay: this
old woman would scarce give a different answer--"Go now! I am son of
Dinomache!
