The Roman Poets of the Republic, 3rd editionSellar, W. Y. (William Young)
History
The Roman Poets of the Republic, 3rd edition
Sellar, W. Y. (William Young)
Latin poetry -- History and criticism
under the second, whole poems, such as the Iliad, or the Annals of
Ennius. The only interest attaching to these fragments is that, like
the didactic works of Accius, they testify to the crude critical
effort that accompanied the creative activity of the earlier Roman
poets.
As specimens of his continuous style the two following passages may
be given. The first exemplifies the serious moral spirit with which
ancient satire was animated; the second vividly represents and rebukes
one of the most prevalent pursuits of the age--
Virtus, Albine, est pretium persolvere verum,
Queis in versamur, queis vivimu' rebu', potesse:
Virtus est hominis, scire id quod quaeque habeat res.
Virtus scire homini rectum, utile, quid sit honestum;
Quae bona, quae mala item, quid inutile, turpe, inhonestum;
Virtus quaerendae rei finem scire modumque:
Virtus divitiis pretium persolvere posse:
Virtus id dare quod re ipsa debetur honori:
Hostem esse atque inimicum hominum morumque malorum,
Contra defensorem hominum morumque bonorum,
Hos magnifacere, his bene velle, his vivere amicum;
Commoda praeterea patriae sibi prima putare,
Deinde parentum, tertia jam postremaque nostra[44].
If there is no great originality of thought nor rhetorical grace
of expression in this passage, it proves that Lucilius judged of
questions of right and wrong from his own point of view. To him, as
to Ennius, common sense and a just estimate of life were large
ingredients in virtue. To be a good hater as well as a staunch friend,
and to choose one's friends and enemies according to their characters,
is another quality of his virtuous man. With him, as with the best
Romans of every age, love of country, family, and friends, were the
primary motives to right action. The next passage, written in language
equally plain and forcible, gives a graphic picture of the growing
taste for forensic oratory--
Nunc vero a mane ad noctem, festo atque profesto,
Toto itidem pariterque die, populusque patresque
Iactare indu foro se omnes, decedere nusquam,
Uni se atque eidem studio omnes dedere et arti,
Verba dare ut caute possint, pugnare dolose,
Blanditia certare, bonum simulare virum se
Insidias facere, ut si hostes sint omnibus omnes[45].
These passages are probably not unfavourable specimens of the author's
continuous style. At its best that style appears to be sincere,
serious, rapid, and full of vital force, but careless, redundant,
and devoid of all rhetorical point and subtle suggestiveness. Even to
these passages the censure of Horace applies,--
At dixi fluere hunc lutulentum.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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