The toils of Hercules, and his cruel labours, better Than the lasciviousness, and luxury, and plumes of Sardanapalus. 1 shew what yourself may give to yourself: SURELY THE ONLY PATH TO A QUIET LIFE LIES OPEN THROUGH VIRTUE. You have no deity, O Fortune, if there be prudence; but 365 Thee we make a goddess, and place in heaven. once comprehend all its meanings: it includes the will, pleasure, and determination or decree of a deity; power, authority; a divine impulse; divine protec tion and favour; influence; also a deity, a god; all this the heathens attributed to their goddess Fortune. 366 Thee we make a goddess, &c.] The ancient Greeks and Romans made a goddess of Fortune, which is in reality, nothing more than a sudden and unexpected event of things, from Fors, luck, chance, hazard. These the heathen, who knew not GOD, deified in the imaginary being FORTUNE, which they substituted in the place of that wise, though mysterious government of the world, and all things in it, by HIM "whose "judgments are unsearchable, and whose ways are past finding out!" He has "given to man that wisdom which is profitable to direct" (Eccl. x. 10.) in the affairs and concerns of common life; the due and proper exercise of which is the duty of man towards himself. This neglected, leaves him without excuse, whatever evil may happen; yet, under the strictest exercise of human wisdom and prudence, let us remember, that disappointment may defeat the ends proposed; this ought to awaken our confidence in the SUPREME DISPOSER OF ALL who knows what is best for 66 EVENTS, us: tles, as Fortuna libera, redux, publica, equestris, &c. See BROUGHTON, Bibl. Hist. Sacr. tit. FORTUNE. Horace's description of this goddess, and her great power, forms one of the most beautiful of his odes. See lib. i. ode xxxv, O Diva gratum quæ regis Antium, 366. Place in heaven.] Give her a place among the gods.—q. d. As things are, men are foolish enough to erect temples to Fortune, make her a goddess, worship her as such, and attribute all their miscarriages and troubles, not to their own neglect, folly, and mismanagement, but to the power and influence of this imaginary deity. For the ideas which the Romans entertained about the goddess Fortune, see sat. iii. 1. 39, 40. Sat. vi. 1. 604. -8. I should observe, that some copies read, 1. 365, Nullum numen abest, &c. No deity is absent, &c. As if it were said, that if there be prudenee, that is, if a man acts wisely and prudently, all the gods are present with him, not one absents himself from him; or, prudence is all-sufficient, and no other deity can be wanting. But the sense first above given, on the reading nullum numen habes, appears to be most consonant to the intention of the two lines taken together. I know not how to end my observations on this Tenth Satire of Juvenal, without calling it the finest piece, in point of composition, matter, and sentiment, which we have derived from heathen antiquity. I should call it inimitably fine, had not the late Dr. SAMUEL JOHNSON's poem, on "THE VANITY OF HUMAN WISHES," appeared; such a copy, of such an original, is rarely to be met with. SATIRA XI. ARGUMENT. The poet takes occasion, from an invitation which he gives to his Multos porro vides, quos sæpe elusus ad ipsum, Line 1. If Atticus, &c.] The name of a very eminent person in Rome, but here it is meant to signify any one of great wealth and quality. If such a one gives a great entertainment, it being agreeable to his rank and fortune, deserves not any other name than that of splendour and munificence. 2. If Rutilus, &c.] One, who, by his extravagant gluttony, was reduced to the most shameful degree of poverty. This, likewise, is here made use of as a common name for all such characters, If such a one make a splendid feast, we must call him mad. 2-3. A greater laugh, &c.] What can be a greater subject of ridicule among the vulgar, than Apicius in rags? 5 10 3. Apicius.] A-noted epicure in the time of Nero; he spent an immense estate in eating and drinking; growing poor and despised, he hanged himself. See sat. iv. 1. 25. 4. Company.] Convictus signifies a living together in one house, or at one table, and, perhaps, what we call clubs, or ordinaries. →Baths.] Thermæ, hot baths. These were much resorted to, and were places of great gossipping and tattling. See sat. vii. l. 233, and note. - The stations.] Particular places in the city, where idle people used to meet and talk together, perhaps about the market-place, or forum ; as in our towns, where there are commonly a number of SATIRE XI. ARGUMENT. and debauchery the chiefest of their pleasures. He opposes the temperance and frugality of the greatest men in former ages, to the riot and intemperance of the present. He concludes with repeating his invitation to his friend, advising him to a neglect of all care and disquiet for the present, and a moderate use of pleasures for the future.. IF Atticus sups sumptuously, he is accounted splendid; 5 If Rutilus, mad: for what is received with a greater idle people standing and talking together, in and near the market-place. See AINSW. Statio, No. 6. 5. Of Rutilus.] De-about or concerning Rutilus.-q. d. He is the common subject of conversation at all these places. -Youthful limbs, &c.] While in the prime of life, and fit to bear arms in the laudable service of his country, he is so reduced to poverty, by his luxury and extravagance, as to apply himself to the wretched trade of a fencer, or prizefighter, for bread. 6. He is reported.] Or fertur may mean he is carried, by the necessity of his circumstances, to copy out the laws, rules, words of command (regia verba), and other matters of knowledge, neces 10 sary to make him a fencer, that he may be thoroughly qualified for the art. 7. The tribune not compelling, &c.] Hinting, that, though he was not compelled to such a practice of fencing, by the magistracy, as many had been by Nero for his inhuman diversion, yet it was a shame that he was suffered to undertake it, and not advised, or commanded, by the magistracy, to the contrary. See sat. viii. 193. 9. You see many, &c.] Such fellows as Rutilus. 9. Often-eluded creditor.] Who had been often promised payment, but deceived over and over again; and who in vain had pursued them to come at his money. 10. Wait for, &c.] Knowing no place Et quibus in solo vivendi causa palato est. Egregius coenat, meliusque miserrimus horum, Interea gustus elementa per omnia quærunt, Nunquam animo pretiis obstantibus: interius si 15 Attendas, MAGIS ILLA JUVANT, QUÆ PLURIS EMUntur. Ergo haud difficile est perituram arcessere summam Lancibus oppositis, vel matris imagine fractâ ; Et quadringentis nummis condire gulosum 20 Refert ergo quis hæc eadem paret: in Rutilo nam so likely to find them at, as in their way to market for provisions, at the entrance to which he places himself, in hopes to catch them, before they had spent the little remains of his money that he had lent them. 11. The purpose, &c.] Who have no other design, or end of living, but eating and drinking, 12. The most wretched, &c.] When they are visibly falling into ruin, even the most wretched of them will live more expensively than ever, thinking, perhaps, to put a good face on the mat ter, the better to conceal their situation, and thus to maintain their credit some little time longer; or, perhaps, from mere desperation, seeing it is too late to retrieve their affairs, and they can be but ruined. This is no uncommon thing in our day. 14. Meantime.] While they have any thing left. -They seek, &c.] They ransack, as it were, earth, air, and water, for flesh of beasts, fowl, and fish, for dainties to please their taste. 15. The prices, &c.] They never consider or scruple the price which they are to pay; these do not stand in their way. i. e. to gratify their gluttony 25 17. It is not difficult ] They make no sort of difficulty of procuring money, by pawning what they have. -Be wasted, &c.] Which will soon be gone, squandered away presently. 18. Dishes being pawned.] Lanx signifies, literally, a great broad plate, a deep dish, or platter, to serve meat up in. Here, by lancibus, perhaps, is to be understood his plate in general, his family-plate, per synec. This he sends to the pawnbrokers to raise money upon for the present supply of his extravagance. 18. Broken image, c.] A family bust, or statue, broken to pieces that it may not be known, and pawned for the value of the gold or silver only. 19. Four hundred sesterces, &c.] When so many nummi are mentioned, sesterces (sestertii) are usually understood; the sestertius is often called absolutely nummus, because it was in most frequent use. Also, sestertius nummus, about 1d. of our money. See KENNETT, book v. part ii. p. 13. Four hundred of these (about 21. 10s.) were laid out in seasoning a single dish. 20. Earthen dish.] Having pawned their plate, they are reduced to earthen 16. More intimately, &c.] More closely ware. The dish is put here, by meton. to the dispositions of such. for its contents. —Please more, &c.] The dish pleases best that is dearest bought; therefore, -To the diet, &c.] Miscellanea—a mixture of things without any order, a And to whom the purpose of living is in the palate alone. Meantime, they seek a relish thro' all the elements, 15 The prices never opposing their inclination: if you attend More intimately, THOSE THINGS PLEASE MORE WHICH ARE BOUGHT FOR MORE. Therefore it is not difficult to procure a sum that will be wasted, Earthen dish; thus they come to the diet of a prize-fighter. 20 It importeth, therefore, who may prepare these same things— for, in Rutilus, It is luxury; in Ventidius a laudable name 25 It takes, and derives its fame from his income. I should by right, gallimawfry, an hotchpotch, such as the sword-players and prize-fighters used to eat. From their dainties they are at last reduced to the coarse diet, as well as to the mean occupation, of a cominon *prize-fighter. See l. 5. and note 2. Ludî, for ludii, the gen. of ludius, a stage-player, dancer, sword-player, and the like, who play on a stage. 21. It importeth, therefore.] q. d. Therefore, that we may judge aright, and not indiscriminately, it importeth us to consider, who gives the entertainment, what are his circumstances; for that may be praise-worthy in those who can afford it, which is highly vicious, and blameable, in those who cannot. -In Rutilus.] Above mentioned. See note on 1. 2. To live splendidly, would, in such a one as Rutilus, deserve the name of extravagance and luxury, because he is poor, and can't afford it, 22. Ventidius ] A noble Roman, who lived hospitably. -A laudable name.] The entertainments given by such a one are deservedly styled generous and magnifi 23. From his income.] From the great estate of the giver, who only lives in a magnificence suitable to his income. 23-4. By right, despise, &c.] Or justly, for he deserves it. 24. Atlas. See sat. viii. 1. 32, note, 26. A little bag] Sacculus a little bag, poach, or purse, in which money is put. 27. Iron chest.] The rich used to keep their money in large chests armed with iron, to prevent their being broken open and robbed. The poet means, that if a man has sense enough to distinguish the size of Atlas from that of other mountains which are inferior in size, and, at the same time, is foolish enough not to see the difference between his own narrow circumstances, and the fortunes of the rich, so as to regulate his manner of living accordingly, he is very deserving of the utmost contempt. — Know thyself.] [yw σexvrov. This was a saying of Chilon the Lacedæmonian, and a very important one; for on self-knowledge depends all other that can contribute to the right management 23. Derives its fame.] The commenda- and direction of human life; for no man," tion which is justly bestowed upon it endowed with this would plunge himself its praise. into difficulties, by undertaking what is H cent. VOL. II. |