THE

SECOND SATIRE

OF

PERSIUS.

THE ARGUMENT.

This fatire contains a moft grave and philofophical argument, concerning prayers and wishes. Undoubtedly it gave occafion to Juvenal's tenth fatire; and both of them had their original from one of Plato's dialogues, called the fecond Alcibiades. Our author has induced it with great mastery of art, by taking his rife from the birth-day of his friend; on which occafions, prayers were made, and facrifices offered by the native. Perfus commending the purity of his friend's vows, defcends to the impious and immoral requests of others. The fatire is divided into three parts. The firft is the exordium to Macrinus, which the poet confines within the compafs of four verfes. The fecond relates to the matter of the prayers and vows, and an enumeration of those things, wherein men commonly finned against right reafon, and offended in

their requests. The third part confifts in fhewing the repugnancies of thofe prayers and wishes, to thofe of other men, and inconfiftencies with themfelves. He fhews the original of these vows, and Sharply inveighs against them: and lastly, not only corrects the falfe opinion of mankind concerning them, but gives the true doctrine of all addreffes made to Heaven, and how they may be made acceptable to the Powers above, in excellent precepts, and more worthy of a Chriftian than a Heathen.

THE

SECOND SATIRE.

DEDICATED TO HIS FRIEND PLOTIUS MACRINUS, ON HIS

BIRTH-DAY.

LET this aufpicious morning be exprest With a white ftone, diftinguifh'd from the reft: White as thy fame, and as thy honour clear; And let new joys attend on thy new added

year.

Indulge thy genius, and o'erflow thy foul, 5 Till thy wit sparkle, like the chearful bowl.

Ver. 2. white ftone,] The Romans were used to mark their fortunate days, or any thing that luckily befell them, with a white ftone which they had from the island Creta; and their unfortunate with a coal.

Pray; for thy prayers the test of heaven will

bear;

Nor need'st thou take the gods afide, to hear: While others, ev'n the mighty men of Rome, Big fwell'd with mischief, to the temples come; And in low murmurs, and with coftly smoke, Heaven's help, to profper their black vows invoke.

So boldly to the gods mankind reveal

12

What from each other they, for fhame, conceal.

Give me good fame, ye Powers, and make

me juft:

15

Thus much the rogue to public ears will trust :
In private then-When wilt thou, mighty
Jove,

My wealthy uncle from this world remove?
Or-O thou Thunderer's fon, great Hercules,
That once thy bounteous deity would please 20
To guide my rake, upon the chinking found
Of fome vaft treasure, hidden under ground!
O were my pupil fairly knock'd o' the head ;
I fhould poffefs the eftate, if he were dead!
He's fo far gone with rickets, and with the evil,
That one fmall dofe will fend him to the de-
vil.

26

Ver. 19. Hercules was thought to have the key and power of bestowing all hidden treasure.

30

This is my neighbour Nerius his third fpoufe, Of whom in happy time he rids his house. But my eternal wife !-Grant heaven I may Survive to fee the fellow of this day! Thus, that thou mayft the better bring about Thy withes, thou art wickedly devout: In Tyber ducking thrice, by break of day, To wash the obscenities of night away. But pr'ythee tell me, ('tis a fmall requeft) With what ill thoughts of Jove art thou pof

feft?

35

Wouldst thou prefer him to fome man? Suppofe

40

I dipp'd among the worst, and Staius chofe?
Which of the two would thy wife head declare
The truftier tutor to an orphan heir?
Or, put it thus:-Unfold to Staius, ftreight,
What to Jove's ear thou didft impart of late:
He'll ftare, and, O good Jupiter! will cry;
Can'ft thou indulge him in this villainy!
And think'ft thou, Jove himself, with patience,

then,

45

Can hear a prayer condemn'd by wicked men? That, void of care, he lolls fupine in ftate, And leaves his bus'nefs to be done by fate?

Ver. 35. The antients thought themfelves tainted and polluted by night itfelf, as well as bad dreams in the night, and therefore purified themfelves by washing their heads and hands every morning; which cuftom the Turks obferve to this day.

50

Because his thunder fplits fome burly tree,
And is not darted at thy houfe and thee?
Or that his vengeance falls not at the time,
Juft at the perpetration of thy crime:
And makes thee a fad object of our eyes,
Fit for Ergenna's prayer and facrifice?
What well-fed offering to appeafe the god,
What powerful prefent to procure a nod,
Haft thou in ftore? What bribe haft thou pre-
par'd,

To pull him, thus unpunifh'd, by the beard?

Our fuperftitions with our life begin:

55

The obfcene old grandam, or the next of kin, 60
The new-born infant from the cradle takes,
And firft of fpittle a lustration makes:
Then in the spawl her middle finger dips,
Anoints the temples, forehead, and the lips,
Pretending force of magick to prevent,
By virtue of her nafty excrement.

65

Then dandles him with many a mutter'd prayer That heaven would make him fome rich mifer's

heir,

Lucky to ladies, and, in time, a king;

Which to enfure, fhe adds a length of navelftring.

70

Ver. 54. When any one was thunderftruck, the foothsayer (who is here called Ergenna) immediately repaired to the place to expiate the difpleafure of the gods, by facrificing two sheep.

Ver. 62. The poet laughs at the fuperftitious ceremonies which the old women made ufe of in their luftration or purification days, when they named their children, which was done on the eighth day to females, and on the ninth to males.