BOOK II.

ARGUMENT.

On the subject of this book the commentators differ: some supposing

that it was directed against luxury and effeminacy. But the

avarice and licentiousness of the times form a considerable

portion of the writings of Lucilius, and there are very few of

his Satires in which these are not incidentally glanced at.

From the sixth Fragment, which after all is a very obscure one,

Ellendt supposed it was written to expose Æmilius Scaurus. Corpet

maintains that it contained the description of a sanguinary

brawl, in which many persons were engaged; that one person

was taken up for dead, his house purified (Fr. 22), and all

preparations made for his funeral, when some one saw another

lying in his bier. Fr. 1. It is quite clear that Fr. 14, 24,

and perhaps 2, refer to luxury; if by Manlius, in the second

Fragment, is intended Cn. Manlius Vulso. (Vid. note.)

1 ... whom, when Hortensius and Posthumius had seen, the rest,

too, saw that he was not on his bier, and that another was

lying there.

2 Hostilius ... against the plague and ruin which that halting

Manlius, too, «introduced among» us.[1615]

3 ... which were all removed in two hours, when the sun set, and

was enveloped in darkness.[1616]

4 ... that he, having been ill-treated, attacked the other's

jaws, and beat the breath out of him.

5 Now for the name: next I will tell you what I have got out of

the witnesses, by questioning.[1617]

6 ... which I charm and wrest and elicit from Æmilius.[1618]

7 I say not. Even though he conquer, let him go like a vagabond

into exile, and roam an outlaw.[1619]

8 The prætor is now your friend; but if Gentilis die this year,

he will be mine--[1620]

9 ... if he has left on his posteriors the mark of a thick and

large-headed snake.[1621]

10 Of a rough-actioned, sorry, slow-paced jade--[1622]

11 ... that unclean, shameless, plundering fellow.[1623]

12 Sleeved tunics of gold tissue, scarfs, drawers, turbans.[1624]

13 What say you? Why was it done? What is that guess of yours?

14 ... who may now ruin you, Nomentanus, you rascal, in every

thing else!

15 So surrounded was I with all the cakes.[1625]

16 ... to penetrate the hairy purse.[1626]

17 ... for a man scarce alive and a mere shadow.[1627]

18 ... as skilled in law.

19 ... he would lead these herds--

20 ... for what need has he of the amulet and image attached to

him, in order to devour fat bacon and make rich dishes by

stealth.[1628]

21 ... her that shows light by night.[1629]

22 ... purified--expiated--

23 ... a journey from the lowermost (river) to be told, and heard.

24 Long life to you, gluttons, gormandizers, belly-gods.[1630]

25 ... him that wanders through inhospitable wastes there

accompanies the greater satisfaction of things conceived in his

mind.[1631]

FOOTNOTES:

[1615] There are two persons of the name of Hostilius mentioned by

Livy, as contemporary with Cn. Manlius Vulso. Hostilius is Gerlach's

reading for the old _hostilibus_. Cn. Manlius got the nickname of Vulso

from _vellendo_, plucking out superfluous hairs to make his body more

delicate. (Plin., xiv., 20. Juv., viii., 114; ix., 14. Pers., iv.,

36.) He was consul B.C. 189, and marched into Gallo-Græcia, and for

his conquests was allowed a triumph, B.C. 186. Livy enters into great

detail in describing all the various luxuries which he introduced into

Rome, such as sofas, tables, sideboards, rich and costly vestments

and hangings, foreign musicians, etc. Liv., xxxix., 6. Plin., H.

N., xxxiv., 3, 8. Cf. Bekker's Gallus, p. 294. Catax (quasi cadax a

cadendo) is explained by coxo, "one lame of the hip." There is probably

an allusion to his effeminacy. Corpet considers Manlius Verna to be

intended, who had the sobriquet of Pantolabus, i. e., "grasp-all."

[1616] Leg. _obducto tenebris_. Dusa's conjecture, adopted by Gerlach.

[1617] _Exsculpo._ So Fr. incert. 49, "Esurienti Leoni ex ore

_exsculpere_ prædam." Ter., Eun., IV., iv., 44, "Possumne hodie ego ex

to _exsculpere_ verum."

[1618] All the commentators agree that no sense can be elicited from

this line. Ellendt (vid. sup.) supposes Æmilius Scaurus to be meant;

others, Æmilius the præco, by whom Scipio, when candidate for the

censorship, was conducted to the forum, for which he was ridiculed by

Appius Claudius. _Præcantare_ is applied to singing magic hymns and

incantations by the bed of one sick, to charm away the disease. Cf.

Tibull., I., v. 12, "Carmine cum magico præcinuisset anus." Macrob.,

Somn. Scip., II., iii. _Excantare_ is "to elicit by incantation." Vid.

Lucan, vi., 685, "Excantare deos."

[1619] Corpet says, this obviously refers to Scipio Africanus major.

But, as Gerlach says, it may apply equally well to Scipio Nasica, or

Opimius, who killed the Gracchi; perhaps even better to the latter than

to Scipio Africanus, who went _voluntarily_ into exile.

[1620] Cf. Ter., Andr., V., vi., 12, "_Tuus est_ nunc Chremes."

Gerlach's reading and punctuation are followed. _Gentilis_ is a proper

name, on the authority of Appuleius.

[1621] _Natrix_, properly "a venomous water-serpent." Cic., Acad.,

iv., 38. Hence applied by Tiberius to Caligula. (Suet., Calig., xi.)

It means here a thong or whip (scutica), which twists about and stings

like a snake. So Anguilla, Isidor., Orig., v. 27.

[1622] _Succussatoris._ Gr. ὑποσειστής, "one that shakes the rider in

his seat." _Caballi._ Vid. Pers., Prol. i., 1.

[1623] _Impuratus._ Ter., Phorm., IV., iii., 64. _Impuno_, "one who

dares all, through hope of impunity." _Rapister_ is formed like

magister, sequester, etc.

[1624] Cf. Bähr ad Herod., vii., 61 (which seems to confirm the

conjecture, χειροδύται), and the quotation from Virgil below. Herod.,

vi., 72. Schneider's note on Xen., Hell., II., i., 8. _Rica_ is a

covering for the head, such as priestesses used to wear at sacrifices,

generally of purple, square, with a border or fringe; cf. Varro, L. L.,

iv., 29; but worn sometimes by men, as Euclides of Megara used one. A.

Gell., vi., 10.

_Thoracia._ Properly "a covering for the breast," then "an apron"

(Juv., v., 143, "viridem thoraca jubebit afferri"), then "a covering

for the abdomen or thigh," like the fasciæ. Cf. Suet., Aug., 82, "Hieme

quaternis cum pingui togâ tunicis et subuculâ _thorace_ laneo et

feminalibus et tibialibus muniebatur."

_Mitra_ was a high-peaked cap, worn by courtesans and effeminate men.

Vid. Juv., iii., 66, "Ite quibus grata est pictâ lupa barbara mitrâ."

Virg., Æn., ix., 616, "Et _tunicæ manicas_ et habent redimicula mitræ."

iv., 216. Ov., Met., xiv., 654.

[1625] _Ferta._ Rich cakes, made of flour, wine, honey, etc., which

formed part of the usual offerings. Cf. Pers., ii., 48, "Attamen hic

extis et opimo vincere ferto intendit."

[1626] _Bulga_ is properly "a traveling bag of leather, carried on

the arm." See the amusing Fragment, lib. vi., 1. Hence its obvious

translation to the meaning in lib. xxvi., Fr. 36, and here.

[1627] _Monogrammo._ A metaphor from painting, "drawn only in outline."

Used here for a very thin emaciated person. (Cf. lib. xxvii., 17.)

Epicurus applied this epithet to the gods (Cic., Nat. Deor., ii., 23),

as being "tenues sine corpore vitæ." Virg., vi., 292. Cf. Pers., vi.,

73, "trama figuræ."

[1628] _Mutinus_, or _Mutunus_, is the same deity as Priapus. The form

is cognate with Muto. He appears to have been also called Mutinus

Tutinus, or Tutunus. The emblem was worn as a charm or phylactery

against fascination, and hung round children's necks. Cf. Lactant., i.,

20. August., Civ. D., iv., 7.

_Lurcor_ is "to swallow greedily." _Lardum._ Cf. Juv., xi., 84,

"Natalitium lardum."

_Carnaria_ is probably the neuter plural of the adjective. Carnarius

homo, is one who delights in flesh. Carnarium is either "an iron rack

with hooks for hanging meat upon," or "a larder where provisions are

kept."

[1629] _Noctilucam._ An epithet of the moon. Hor., iv., Od. vi., 38,

"Rite crescentem face Noctilucam." (Cf. Var., L. L., v., 68, "Luna

dicta Noctiluca in Palatio, nam ibi _noctu lucet_ templum.") Hence used

for a lantern, and then for a "minion of the moon," a strumpet, because

they suspended lights over their doors or cells. (Juv., vi., 122. Hor.,

ii., Sat. vii., 48.) This last appears from Festus to be the sense

intended here.

[1630] _Lurco_ is derived by some from λαῦρος, "voracious;" but by

Festus from _Lura_, an old word for "the belly." Cf. Plaut., Pers.,

III., iii., 16, "Lurco, edax, furax, fugax." Lurco was the cognomen of

M. Aufidius, who first introduced the art of fattening peacocks, by

which he made a large fortune. Varro, R. R., iii., 6. Plin., x., 20, 23.

[1631] _Inhospita tesqua._ Horace has copied this sentiment in his

epistle to his Villicus, "Nam quæ deserta et inhospita tesqua credis,

amæna vocat mecum qui sentit." i., Ep. xiv., 19. Tesqua is derived from

δάσκιος, "very wooded." (Lucan, vi., 41, "nemorosa tesca.") Varro says

_tesca_ are "places inclosed and set apart as _templa_ for the purposes

of augury." L. L., vi., 2.