BOOK XVII.

ARGUMENT.

This book contained, according to Schoenbeck's view, a discussion

on the dogma of the Stoics, "that no one could be said to possess

any thing peculiarly his own." The poet therefore ridicules the

creations of the older poets, who have dignified their heroines

with every conceivable embellishment, and invested them with the

attractions of every virtue that adorns humanity. He then goes

through the list of all the greatest mythological personages that

occur in the various Epic poets, in order to show the fallacy

of their ideas, and establish his own theory on the subject of

moral virtue. Gerlach, on the other hand, considers that the

subject was merely a disparagement of the boasted virtues of

the female character; by showing that even these creations of

ideal perfection, elaborated by poets of the greatest genius,

and endowed with every excellence both of mind and body, are not

even by them represented as exempt from those passions and vices

which disgrace their unromantic fellow-mortals. In this general

detraction of female purity, not even the chaste Penelope herself

escapes. The 6th Fragment seems to be directed against those

whose verses are composed under the inspiration of sordid gain.

1 Now that far-famed lady with the "beautiful ringlets," "and

beautiful ankles?" Do you think it was forbidden to touch

her...? Or that Alcmena, the bedfellow of Amphytrion, and

others, was knock-kneed or bandy-legged.               In fine,

Leda herself; I don't like to mention her: look out yourself,

and choose some dissyllable. Do you think Tyro, the nobly-born,

had any thing particularly disfiguring; a wart ... a mole, or a

projecting tooth?[1800]

2 All other things he despises; and lays out all at no high

interest ... but that no one has aught of his own....[1801]

3 His bailiff Aristocrates, a drudge and neat-herd, he corrupted

and reduced to the last extremity.[1802]

4 Do you, when married, say you will never be married, because

you hope Ulysses still survives?

5 If he will not go, seize him, he says; and if he shuffles, lay

hands on him....[1803]

6 ... if you sell your Muses to Laverna.[1804]

7 ... the big bones and shoulders of the man appear.[1805]

FOOTNOTES:

[1800] καλλιπλόκαμος is the epithet applied by Homer (Il., xiv., 326)

to Demeter, in a passage which seems to have been a favorite one with

Lucilius. Cf. book i., Fr. 15. _Leda_ is also mentioned in connection

with her. It is applied also to Thetis, Il., xviii., 407. καλλίσφυρος

is applied to Danäe in the passage referred to above, and to Ino,

daughter of Cadmus, Odyss., v., 333. For _mammis_ Gerlach suggests

"palmis." _Compernis_ is also applied to one who, from having over-long

feet or heels, knocks his ankles together, ἄκοιτιν. Odyss., xi., 266.

Τυρὼ εὐπατέρειαν. Odyss., xi., 235. _Verruca_, ἀκροχορδών. _Nævus_

(quasi gnæus, or gnavus, Fest., because born with a person, hence

sometimes called Nævus Maternus) is put for any disfiguring mark. Cf.

Hor., i., Sat. vi., 67. Shaks., Cymb., act ii., sc. 2.

[1801] _Proprium_, equivalent to _perpetuum_. Nonius.

[1802] _Mediastinum._ Cf. Hor., i., Ep. xiv., 14, "Tu _mediastinus_

tacitâ prece rura petebas. Nunc urbem et ludos et balnea _villicus_

optas." Torrentius explains _mediastinus_ by "Servus ad omnia viliora

officia comparatus." The Schol. Cruq. by "Servus qui stat in medio,

paratus omnium ministeriis." _Commanducatus._ Cf. ad iv., Fr. 12. _Ad

Incita._ Cf. ad iii., Fr. 30.

[1803] _Calvitur_, from _calvus_, because the tricky old men, slaves

especially, were always represented on the Roman comic stage (as

the clowns in our pantomimes) with bald heads: hence "to frustrate,

disappoint." "Calamitas plures annos arvas calvitur." Pacuv. So Plaut.,

Cas., II., ii., 3, "Ubi domi sola sum sopor manus calvitur." Hence

Venus is called Calva, "Quod corda amantium _calviat_," i. e., fallat,

deludat. Serv. ad Virg., Æn., i., 720.

[1804] The Fragment is very corrupt. The reading of the MSS. is,

"Si messes facis, Musas si vendis Lavernæ." Dusa suggests "Semissis

facient." Mercer, "Si versus facies musis." Gerlach, "Semissis facies

Musas si vendis Lavernæ." Semissis, a genitive like Teruncii, i. e.,

"Your verses will be worthless if the only Muse that inspires you

is the love of gain." _Laverna_ was the Goddess of Thieves at Rome.

Plaut., Cornic., "Mihi Laverna in furtis celebrassis manus." Hor.,

i., Epist. xvi., 60, "Pulchra Laverna, da mihi fallere, da justo

sanctoque videri," where the old Schol. says she derived her name a

Lavando, because thieves were called Lavatores. Scaliger thinks she is

identical with the Greek goddess πραξιδίκη, which others deny. The word

is also derived from latere, and λαβεῖν. Ausonius applies the term to

a plagiarist: "Hic est ille Theo poeta falsus, Bonorum mala carminum

Laverna." Ep. iv.

[1805] Cf. Virg., Æn., v., 420, "Et magnos membrorum artus, magna ossa

lacertosque Exuit."