: Inquiry how many servants he maintains? how many acres of land He possesses? in how many and great a dish he sups ? AS MUCH MONEY AS EVERY ONE KEEPS IN HIS CHEST, SO MUCH CREDIT TOO HE HAS. Tho' you should swear by the altars, both Of the Samothracian, and of our gods, a poor man to contemn thunder 145 Is believed, and the gods, the gods themselves forgiving him. What, because this same affords matter and causes of jests To all, if his garment be dirty and rent, 151 If his gown be soiled, and one of his shoes with torn says he, If he has any shame, and let him rise from the equestrian cushion, 156 The smart youths of a sword-player, and the youths of a fencer: who has not a knight's revenue go out of the knight's place or seat. It is to be observed, that, formerly, all persons placed themselves, as they came, in the theatre, promiscuously: now, in contempt of the poor, that licence was taken away. Lucius Roscius Otho, a tribune of the people, instituted a law, that there should be fourteen rows of seats, covered with cushions, on which the knights were to be seated. If a poor man got into one of these, or any other, who had not 400 sestertia a year income, which made a knight's estate, he was turned out with the utmost contempt. 155. Is not sufficient for the law.] i. e. Who has not 400 sestertia a year, according to Otho's law. 156. The sons of pimps, &c.] The lowest, the most base-born fellows, who happen to be rich enough to answer the conditions of Otho's law, are to be seated in the knights' seats; and persons of the best family are turned out, to get a seat where they can, if they happen to be poor. See HoR. epod. iv. 1. 15, 16. 157. Crier.] A low office among the Romans, as among us, who proclaimed VOL. I. the edicts of magistrates, public sales of goods, &c. The poet says, nitidi præconis; intimating that the criers got a good deal of money, lived well, were fat and sleek in their appearance, and affected great spruceness in their dress. -Applaud. Take the lead in applauding theatrical exhibitions. Applause was expressed, as among us, by clapping of hands. 158. Of a sword-player.] Pinnirapi denotes that sort of gladiator, called also Retiarius, who, with a net which he had in his hand, was to surprise his adversary, and catch hold on the crest of his helmet, which was adorned with peacock's plumes; from pinna, a plume or feather, and rapio, to snatch. See sat. ii. 1. 143. note, where we shall find the figure of a fish on the helmet; and as pinna also means the fin of a fish, perhaps this kind of gladiator was called Pinnirapus, from his endeavouring to catch this in his net. -The youths.] The sons now grown young men-juvenes. Such people as these were entitled to seats in the fourteen rows of the equestrian order, on account of their estates: while N Sic libitum vano, qui nos distinxit, Othoni. HAUD FACILE EMERGUNT, QUORUM VIRTUTIBUS OBSTAT sons of nobles, and gentlemen of rank, were turned out because their income did not come up to what was required, by Otho's law, to constitute a knight's estate. 158. A fencer.] Lanista signifies a fencing-master, one that taught boys to fence. d. 159. Thus it pleased vain Otho.] q. No sound or good reason could be given for this; it was the mere whim of a vain man, who established this distinction, from his own caprice and fancy, and to gratify his own pride and vanity. However, Otho's law not only distinguished the knights from the plebeians, but the knights of birth from those who were advanced to that dignity by their fortunes or service; giving to the former the first rows on the equestrian benches. Therefore HOR. epod. iv. where he treats in the severest manner Menas, the freedman of Cn. Pompeius, who had been advanced to a knight's estate, mentions it as one instance of his insolence and pride, that he sat himself in one of the first rows after he became possessed of a knight's estate. Sedilibusque magnus in primis eques, See FRANCIS, notes in loc. 160. What son-in-law.] Umbritius still proceeds in shewing the miseries of being poor, and instances the disadvantages which men of small fortunes lie under with respect to marriage. -Inferior in estate.] Census signifies a man's estate, wealth, or yearly revenue. Also a tribute, tax, or subsidy, to be paid according to men's estates. According to the first meaning of census, censu minor may signify, that a man's having but a small fortune, unequal to that of the girl to whom he proposes himself in marriage, would occa 160 165 sion his being rejected, as by no means pleasing or acceptable to her father for a son-in-law. According to the second interpretation of the word census, censu minor may imply the man's property to be too small and inconsiderable for entry in the public register as an object of taxation. The copulative atque seems to favour the first interpretation, as it unites the two sentences; as if Umbritius had said, Another instance, to shew how poverty renders men contemptible at Rome, is, that nobody will marry his daughter to one whose fortune does not equal hers; which proves, that in this, as in all things else, money is the grand and primary consideration. Themistocles, the Athenian general, was of another mind, when he said, "I had rather have a man for my daughter without money, than money "without a man.' " 161. Written down heir?] Who ever remembered a poor man in his will, so as to make him his heir? 162. Ediles.] Magistrates in Rome, whose office it was to oversee the repairs of the public buildings and temples; also the streets and conduits; to look to weights and measures; to regulate the price of corn and victuals; also to provide for solemn funerals and plays. This officer was sometimes a senator, who was called Curulis, a sellâ curuli, a chair of state made of ivory, carved, and placed in curru, in a chariot, in which the head officers of Rome were wont to be carried into council. But there were meaner officers called Ædiles, with a similar jurisdiction in the country towns, to inspect and correct abuses in weights and measures, and the like. See sat. x. 101, 2. When, says Umbritius, is a poor man Thus it pleased vain Otho, who distinguished us. What son-in-law, here, inferior in estate, hath pleased, and unequal To the bags of a girl? what poor man written down heir? When is he in counsel with Ediles? In a formed body, The mean Romans ought long ago to have migrated. 160 THEY DO NOT EASILY EMErge, to whoSE VIRTUES NARROW FORTUNE IS A HINDRANCE; but at Rome more hard to them is, The endeavour: a miserable lodging at a great price, at a great price 166 The bellies of servants, and alittle frugal supper at a great price. It shameth to sup in earthen ware: which he denied to be disgraceful, -Atqui ever consulted by one of the magistrates? may be. So HoR. sat. v. lib. ii. 1. 8. In a formed body.] Agmine facto- 163. Long ago.] Alluding to the sedition and the defection of the plebeians, called here tenues Quirites; when oppressed by the nobles and senators, they gathered together, left Rome, and retired to the Mons Sacer, an hill near the city consecrated to Jupiter, and talked of going to settle elsewhere; but the famous apologue of Menenius Agrippa, of the belly and the members, prevailed on them to return. This happened about 500 years before Juvenal was born. See ANT. Un. Hist. vol. xi. 383403. 163. Ought long ago to have migrated.] To have persisted in their intention of leaving Rome, and of going to some other part, where they could have maintained their independency. See before, 1. 60. Quirites. 164. Easily emerge.] Out of obscurity and contempt. -Whose virtues, &c.] The exercise of whose faculties and good qualities is cramped and hindered by the narrowness of their circumstances: and, indeed, poverty will always prevent respect, and be an obstacle to merit, however great it est. But high descent and meritorious deeds, 166. The endeavour.] But to themillis-to those who have small incomes, the endeavouring to emerge from contempt is more difficult at Rome than in any other place; because their little is, as it were, made less, by the excessive dearness of even common necessaries; a shabby lodging, for instance; maintenance of slaves, whose food is but coarse; a small meal for one's self, however frugal; all these are at an exorbitant price. 168. It shameth, &c.] Luxury and expence are now got to such an height, that a man would be ashamed to have earthen ware at his table. -Which he denied, &c.] The poet is here supposed to allude to Curius Dentatus, who conquered the Samnites and the Marsi, and reduced the Sabellans (descendants of the Sabines) into obedience to the Romans. When the Samnite ambassadors came to him to treat about a league with the Romans, they found him among the Marsi, sitting on a wooden seat near the fire, dressing his own dinner, which consisted of a few roots, in an earthen vessel, and offered him large sums of money; but he dismissed them, saying, "I had rather "command the rich, than be rich my self; tell your countrymen, that they Translatus subito ad Marsos, mensamque Sabellam, Contentusque illic Veneto, duroque cucullo. Pars magna Italiæ est, si verum admittimus, in quâ Nemo togam sumit, nisi mortuus. Ipsa dierum Hic ultra vires habitûs nitor: hic aliquid plus "will find it as hard to corrupt as to conquer me.' Curius Dentatus was at that time consul with P. Corn. Rufinus, and was a man of great probity, and who, without any vanity or ostentation, lived in that voluntary poverty, and unaffected contempt of riches, which the philosophers of those times were wont to recommend. He might, therefore, well be thought to deny that the use of earthen ware was disgraceful, any more than of the homely and coarse clothing of those people, which he was content to wear. See ANT. Univ. Hist. vol. xii. p. 139. But among commentators there are those, who, instead of negavit, are for reading negabit-not confining the sentiment to any particular person, but as to be understood in a general sense, as thus; However it may be reckoned disgraceful, at Rome, to use earthen ware at table, yet he who should suddenly be conveyed from thence to the Marsi, and behold their plain and frugal manner of living, as well as that of their neighbours the Sabellans, will deny that there is any shame or disgrace in the use of earthen ware at meals, or of wearing garments of coarse materials. This is giving a good sense to the passage-but as Juvenal is so frequent in illustrating his meaning, from the examples of great and good men who lived in past times, and as negavit is the reading of the copies, I should rather think that the first interpretation is what the poet meant. 170 175 180 170. A Venetian and coarse hood.] Venetus-a-um, of Venice-dyed in a Venice-blue, as the garments worn by common soldiers and sailors were. AINSW. This colour is said to be first used by the Venetian fishermen. The cucullus was a cowl, or hood, made of very harsh and coarse cloth, which was to pull over the head, in order to keep off the rain. 172. Unless dead.] It was a custom among the Romans to put a gown on the corpse when they carried it forth to burial. In many parts of Italy, where they lived in rustic simplicity, they went dressed in the tunica, or jacket, never wearing the toga, the ordinary habit of the men at Rome, all their lifetime. Umbritius means to prove what he had before asserted, (1. 165—7.) that one might live in other places at much less expence than at Rome. Here he is instancing in the article of dress. The solemnity, &c.] The dies festi were holidays, or festivals, observed on some joyful occasions; when people dressed in their best apparel, and assembled at plays and shows. 173, 4. A grassy theatre.] He here gives an idea of the ancient simplicity which was still observed in many parts Who was translated suddenly to the Marsi, and to the Sabel lan table, And there was content with a Venetian and coarse hood. 170 There is a great part of Italy, if we admit the truth, in which Nobody takes the gown, unless dead. The solemnity itself of Festal days, if at any time it is celebrated in a grassy Theatre, and at length a known farce returns to the stage, When the gaping of the pale-looking mask The rustic infant in its mother's bosom dreads: 175 Habits are equal there, and there alike you will see The orchestra and people: the clothing of bright honour, 179 Here is a finery of dress beyond ability: here is something more of Italy, where, on these occasions, they were not at the expence of theatres built with wood or stone, but with turfs dug from the soil, and heaped one upon another, by way of seats for the spectators. See VIRG. Æn. v. 286-90. 174. A known farce.] Exodium (from Gr. odos, exitus) was a farce, or interlude, at the end of a tragedy, exhibited to make the people laugh. Notum exodium signifies some well-known, favourite piece of this sort, which had been often represented. -Stage.] So pulpitum signifies, i. e. that part of the theatre where the actors recited their parts. 175. The gaping of the pale-looking mask.] Persona, a false face, vizard, or mask, which the actors wore over the face they were painted over with a pale flesh-colour, and the mouth was very wide open, that the performer might speak through it the more easily. Their appearance must have been very hideous, and may well be supposed to affright little children. A figure with one of these masks on may be seen in Holyday, p. 55. col. 2. Also in the copperplate, facing the title of the ingenious Mr. Colman's translation of Terence. See also Juv. edit. Casaubon, P. 73. 177. Habits are equal there.] All dress alike there; no finical distinctions of dress are to be found among such simple people. 178. The orchestra, &c.] Among the Greeks this was in the middle of the theatre, where the Chorus danced; but among the Romans, it was the space between the stage and the common seats, where the nobles and senators sat. No distinction of this sort was made, at those rustic theatres, between the gentry and the common people. The clothing of bright honour.] The chief magistrates of these country places did not wear, as at Rome, fine robes decked with purple; but were content to appear in tunics, or jackets, white and plain, even when they gave or presided at these assemblies. See AINSW. Tunica, No. 1. letter b, under which this passage is quoted. 179. Ediles.] See before, 1. 162, and note. 180. Here, &c.] Here at Rome people dress beyond what they can afford. 180, 1. Something more than enough.] More than is sufficient for the purpose of any man's station, be what it may; in short, people seem to aim at nothing but useless gaudy show. 181. Sometimes it is taken, &c.] This superfluity in dress is sometimes at other people's expence: either these find people borrow money to pay for their extravagant dress, which they never repay; or they never pay for them at all which, by the way, is a vice very common among such people. 182, 3. Ambitious poverty,] Our po |