Catullus, the blithe poet who left us some hundred or so of his poems, frequently wrote lines more lyrical than chaste. Yet he himself bids us remember that if a poet’s life be chaste, his lines need not necessarily be so, too. As Herrick later put it, “Jocund his muse was, but his life was chaste.” But the self-revelations of Catullus are probably no more improper to read than those of many later and lesser poets. CATULLUS _THE ROMAN COCKNEY_ _Stipends_ Anius even on opportunity _shtipends_, _Ambush_ as _hambush_ still Anius used to declaim; Then, hoped fondly the words were a marvel of articulation, While with an _h_ immense _hambush_ arose from his heart. So his mother of old, so e’en spoke Liber his uncle, Credibly; so grandsire, grandam, alike did agree. Syria took him away; all ears had rest for a moment; Lightly the lips those words, slightly could utter again. None was afraid any more of a sound so clumsy returning; Sudden a solemn fright seized us: a message arrives. “News from Sonia country; the sea, since Anius entered, Changed; ’twas _Ionian_ once, now ’twas _Hionian_ all.” _A FIXED SMILE_ Egnatius, spruce owner of superb white teeth, Smiles sweetly, smiles forever. Is the bench in view, Where stands the pleader just prepared to rouse our tears, Egnatius smiles sweetly. Near the pyre they mourn, Where weeps a mother o’er the lost, the kind, one son; Egnatius smiles sweetly--what the time, or place, Or thing soe’er, smiles sweetly. Such a rare complaint Is his, not handsome, scarce to please the town, say I. So take a warning for the nonce my friend; town-bred Were you, a Sabine hale, a pearly Tiburtine, A frugal Umbrian body, Tuscan, huge of paunch, A grim Samnian, black of hue, prodigious-tooth’d, A Transpadane, my country not to pass untaxed-- In short, whoever cleanly cares to rinse foul teeth; Yet sweetly smiling ever I would have you not: For silly laughter, it’s a silly thing indeed. Of Horace it is difficult to say anything without saying too much. In this Outline there is no space for discussion, informative or discursive, of the writers, it is our province but to name them and to give examples of their humor. Horace was not a comedian but in his Satires, as well as in some of his other works, the comic muse is discernible. HORACE _OBTRUSIVE COMPANY ON THE SACRED WAY_