The Satires of Juvenal, Persius, Sulpicia, and Lucilius: Literally translated into English prose, with notes, chronological tables, arguments, &c.Persius
General
The Satires of Juvenal, Persius, Sulpicia, and Lucilius: Literally translated into English prose, with notes, chronological tables, arguments, &c.
Persius
Juvenal -- Translations into English; Verse satire, Latin -- Translations into English
What forge or anvil is not weighed down with chains? The greatest
amount of iron used is employed in forging fetters; so that you may
well fear that enough may not be left for plowshares, and that mattocks
and hoes may run short. Well may you call our great-grandsires[173]
happy, and the ages blest in which they lived, which, under kings and
tribunes long ago, saw Rome contented with a single jail.[174]
To these I could subjoin other reasons for leaving Rome, and more
numerous than these; but my cattle summon me to be moving, and the
sun is getting low. I must go. For long ago the muleteer gave me
a hint by shaking his whip. Farewell then, and forget me not! and
whenever Rome shall restore you to your native Aquinum, eager to
refresh your strength, then you may tear me away too from Cumæ to
Helvine Ceres,[175] and your patron deity Diana. Then, equipped with
my caligæ,[176] I will visit your chilly regions, to help you in your
satires--unless they scorn my poor assistance.
FOOTNOTES:
[101] _Prochyta._ An island in the Bay of Naples, now called Procida.
[102] _Sævæ_, "from the ceaseless alarms it causes." "Sævus est qui
_terret_." Donat. in Ter., Adelp., v. s. iv.
[103] _Augusto._ Cf. Plin., 1, Epist. xiii. "Magnum proventum poëtarum
annus hic attulit; toto mense Aprili nullus ferè dies quo non recitaret
aliquis."
[104] Either those of Romulus, or the aqueduct; and "moist Capena,"
either from the constant dripping of the aqueduct (hence arcus
stillans), or from the springs near it, hence called Fontinalis; now
St. Sebastian's gate. It opens on the Via Appia.
[105] Cf. vi., 542.
[106]
"O how much more devoutly should we cling
To thoughts that hover round the sacred spring!" Badham.
Read præsentius: cf. Plin., Ep. viii., 8, the description of the
Clitumnus, and Ov., Met., iii., 155, _seq._
[107] Umbritius (aruspicum in nostro ævo peritissimus, Plin., x., c.
iii.) is said to have predicted Galba's death, and probably therefore,
with Juvenal, cordially hated Otho.
[108] _Portus_ may mean, "constructing" or "repairing" harbors; or
"farming the harbor-dues," portoria.
[109] Scipio's was performed by contract. Plin., H. N., xxxi., 3.
[110] The spear was set up in the forum to show that an auction was
going on there. Hence things so sold were said to be sold _sub hastâ_.
_Domina_, implies "the right of disposal" of all things and persons
there put up. This may mean, therefore, to buy a drove of slaves
on speculation, and sell them again by auction; or, when they have
squandered their all, put themselves up to sale. So Britann. Dryden,
"For gain they sell their very head." "Salable as slaves." Hodgson. So
Browne, who reads "præbere caput domino."
[111] "From abject meanness lifts to wealth and power." Badham. Cf.
vi., 608.
[112] "Though a soothsayer, I am no astrologer." "I never examined the
entrails of _a toad_."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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