PERSIUS THE FOURTH SATYR. By Mr. DRYDEN. The ARGUMENT. Our Author, living in the time of Nero, was Contemporary and Friend to the Noble Poet Lucan; both of them were fufficiently fenfible, with all good Men, how unskilfully be manag'd the Commonwealth: and perhaps might guess at his future Tyranny, by fome Paffages, during the latter part of his first five Years; tho' he broke not out into his great Exceffes, while he was reftrain'd by the Counfels and Authority of Seneca. Lucan has not Spar'd him in the Poem of his Pharfalia; for his very Compliment look'd afquint as well as Nero. Perfius has been bolder, but with Caution likewife. For bere, in the Perfon of young Alcibiades, he arraigns his Ambition of meddling with State Affairs, without Judg ment or Experience. 'Tis probable that he makes Seneca, in this Satyr, fuftain the Part of Socra N 2 tes, And, withal, di tes, under a borrow'd Name. fcovers fome fecret Vices of Nero, concerning bis Luft, bis Drunkenness, and his Effeminacy, which had not yet arrived to publick Notice. He alfo reprehends the Flattery of bis Courtiers, who endeavour'd to make all his Vices pafs for Virtues. Covetousness was undoubtedly none of bis Faults; but it is here defcribed as a Veil caft over the true Meaning of the Poet, which was to Satyrize bis Prodigality and Voluptuousness; to which be makes a Tranfition. I find no Instance in Hiftory, of that Emperor's being a Pathique, tho' Perfius feems to brand him with it. From the two Dialogues of Plato, both called Alcibiades, the Puet took the Arguments of the Second and Third Satyr, but be inverted the Order of them: For the Third Satyr is taken from the First of those Dialogues. The Commentators before Cafaubon, were ignorant of our Author's fecret Meaning; and thought be bad only written against young Noblemen in general, who were too forward in aspiring to Publick Magiftracy: But this excellent Scholiaft bus unravell'd the whole Mystery; and made it apparent, that the Sting of this Satyr was particularly aim'd at Nero. W Hoe'er thou art, whofe forward Years are bent On State Affairs to guide the Government; Hear, firft, what Socrates of old has faid 1 Socrates, whom the Oracle of Delphos praised, as the wifeft Man of his Age, liv'd in the Tel time of the Peloponnesian War. He, finding the uncertainty of Natural Philosophy, apply'd himself 2 Tell me, thou Pupil to great Pericles, Our fecond Hope, my Alcibiades, What are the Grounds, from whence thou doft prepare To undertake, fo young, fo vast a Care? Perhaps thy Wit: (A Chance not often heard, That Parts and Prudence fhou'd prevent the Beard :) Know when to speak, and when to hold their Tongue, Nor t'other Queftion proper for Debate. Can't punish Crimes, and brand offending Vice. Leave, himself wholly to the Moral. He was Mafter to Xenophon and Plato; and to many of the Athenian young Noblemen; among the reft, to Alcibiades, the moft lovely Youth then living; afterwards a famous Captain, whofe Life is written by Plutarch. 2 Pericles was Tutor, or rather Overfeer of the Will of Clinias, Father to Alcibiades. | While Pericles liv'd, who was a wife Man, and an excellent Orator, as well as a great General, the Athenians had the better of the War. 3 Cauft punish Crimes, &c. That is, by Death. When the Judge wou'd condemn a Malefactor, they caft their Votes into an Urn, as, according to the Modern Custom, a Ballotting-Box. If the Suffrages N were |