_The Saturae._--There were thirty Books altogether, by whom arranged is unknown. Fragments are extant from all the Books, except xxi. and xxiv. (and possibly xxiii. and xxv.). Books i.-xx. and xxx. were in hexameters; xxii. in elegiacs; xxvi.-xxvii. in trochaic septenarii; and the next two in trochaic septenarii, iambic senarii, and hexameters. Books xxvi.-xxix. were published first, then Book xxx. In Book xxvi. Lucilius states his views of life, his poetic principles, what led him to write satire, etc. Cf. l. 3, 'Nunc itidem populum aucupamur istis cum scriptoribus.' Lines 7-20 contain a conversation between Lucilius and a friend who wishes him to engage in public life. Cf. ll. 16-7, 'Publicanu' vero ut Asiae fiam scripturarius pro Lucilio, id ego nolo, et uno hoc non muto omnia.' Two divisions of the work may be recognized--(i) Books i.-xxi. (to which xxii.-xxv. may be an addition) in hexameters; these Books are referred to as one collection by Varro, _L.L._ v. 17. (2) Books xxvi.-xxx. in various metres. _Dates of Composition._--Hor. _Sat._ ii. 1, 62-70 (quoted above), shows that Lucilius attacked Lupus and Metellus while Scipio and Laelius were still alive, _i.e._ not after B.C. 129; xxvi., ll. 88-9, in which Lucilius sneers at marriage, 'Homines ipsi hanc sibi molestiam ultro atque aerumnam offerunt. Ducunt uxores, producunt, quibus haec faveant, liberos,' may have special reference to the attempts of Metellus in his censorship (B.C. 131) to encourage it. If this is so, Books xxvi.-xxx. were composed about B.C. 131-129. Book i. was composed after the death of Carneades in B.C. 129 (cf. l. 12, 'nec si Carneaden ipsum Orcu' remittat'), and probably soon after the death of Lupus, on whom the gods are represented as sitting in judgment. Serv. ad _Aen._ x. 104, 'Totus hic locus de primo Lucili translatus est libro; ubi inducuntur di habere concilium et agere primo de interitu Lupi cuiusdam ducis in re publica, postea sententias dicere.' In B.C. 126 Lucilius was probably, along with other _peregrini_, banished under the law of M. Iunius Pennus, trib. pl. in that year. He probably returned in B.C. 124, when the law was repealed by C. Graccus. Bk. xi. was composed after the condemnation of L. Opimius in B.C. 110. Cf. ll. 19-21, 'Quintus Opimius ille, Iugurtini pater huius, et formosus homo fuit et famosus, utrumque primo adulescens, posterius dat rectiu' sese.' _Subjects of the Satires._--These were very varied. Besides personal satire, we have (1) ethical criticism, as ridicule of philosophers and attacks on luxury. Lib. incert. ll. 134-5 (imitated by Hor. _Sat._ i. 3, 132 _sqq._; _Ep._ i. 1, 106-8), 'Nondum etiam, qui haec omnia habebit, formonsus, dives, liber, rex solu' feretur?' iv. 4-6 (cf. Hor. _Sat._ ii. 2, 46-8), 'O Publi, o gurges, Galloni: es homo miser, inquit, cenasti in vita numquam bene, cum omnia in ista consumis squilla atque acupensere cum in decimano.'