JUVENAL. THE ELEVENTH SATYR. By Mr. WILLIAM CONGREVE. The ARGUMENT. The Defign of this Satyr is to expofe and reprehend all manner of Intemperance and Debauchery; but more particularly touches that exorbitant Luxury ufed by the Romans, in their Feafting. The Poet draws the Occafion from an Invitation, which he bere makes to bis Friend, to Dine with him; very artfully preparing him, with what he was to expect from his Treat, by beginning the Satyr with a particular Invective against the Vanity and Folly of fome Perfons, who having but mean Fortunes in the World, attempted to live up to the height of Men of great Eftates and Quality. He fhews us, the miferable End of fuch Spend-thrifts and Gluttons; with the Manner and Courses, which they took to bring themselves to it; advifing Men to live within Bounds, and to proportion their Inclinations to the Extent of their Fortune. He gives his Friend a Bill of Fare, of the Entertainment he has provided for him; and from thence takes occafion to reflect upon the Temperance and Frugality of the Greatest Men, in former Ages: To which he opposes the Riot and Intemperance of the prefent; attributing to the latter a visible Remifnefs, in the Care of Heaven over the Roman State. He inftances fome lewd Practices at their Feafts, and by the by, touches the Nobility, with making Vice and Debauchery the chiefeft of their Pleafures. He concludes with a repeated Invita tion to bis Friend; advising him (in one particu lar fomewhat freely) to a neglect of all Cares and Difquiets, for the prefent; and a moderate use of Pleafures, for the future. F I Noble Atticus make plenteous Feafts, And with luxurious Food indulge his Guests, 2 But when poor Rutilus spends all his Worth, That he's the Common Theme of all the Town. 1 The Name of a very emi-fhameful Degree of Poverty. nent Person in Rame: But here This likewife is here made use it is meant to fignify any one of, as a Common Name to all of great Wealth and Quality. Beggarly Gluttons, fuch whose a One who by his own ex-unreasonable Appetites remain travagant Gluttony, was at after their Eftates are confulength reduc'd to the most med. Urg'a Urg'd 3 by no Pow'r, reftrain'd by no Advice, In Riot thus, while Money lafts, he lives, M 3 Sometimes Persons were | Rutilus) apply'd himself to compell'd, by the Tyranny of that wretched State. Kero, to practise the Trade of Fencing, and to Fight upon the Stage, for his inhuman Diverfion; otherwife, feldom any but common Slaves or condemn'd Malefactors were fo employ'd: Which made it the greater Reflection on any Perfon, who either voluntarily, or forced by his own Extravagance, for a Livelihood (like Reftrain'd by no Advice. Hinting, that though he was not compell'd to fuch a PraAice of Fencing; yet it was a Shame that he was fuffer'd to undertake it, and not advised, or commanded by the Magiftracy, to the contrary. 4 Viz. Reduced to Poverty by Riotous living. Till forc'd of meer Neceffity, to eat, He comes to pawn his Dish to buy his Meat; Imagine now, you fee afplendid Feast: Strange Ignorance! That the fame Man, who knows Between fmall Incomes and a vast Estate! From Heav'n, to Mankind, sure, that Rule was sent, Through all the various Courses, which we steer. Whea s Broken, or defaced; that [accompany'd the Grecian Arit might not be discover'd to be my to the Siege of Troy; where his Mother's Picture, when ex- he took a Privilege often to pos'd to Sale. rail and fnarle at the Commanders. 6 A noble Roman, who liv'd hofpitably. 7 An Impudent, Deform'd Ill-Tongu'd Fellow (as Homer describes him, Iliad 2.) who Some relate, that at laft Achilles, for his Sawcinefs, kill'd him with a Blow of his Fift. Therefore we are not to understand Juvenal, here, When scarce 8 Ulyffes had a good pretence, here, as relating a matter of 8 The most Eloquent of all the Grecian Princes. After Achilles's Death, Ajax a fam'd Grecian Warrior pretended to his Armour; Ulysses oppofed him, before a Council of War, and by his admirable Eloquence obtain'd the Prize. Ov. Met. 13. 9 Brought to that pass, by his Gluttony; that he was forced to fell his Ring, the Mark of Honour and Distinction worn by Roman Knights. But |