Note III. Know, my wild fig-tree, which in rocks is bred, Will split the quarry, and shoot out the head.-P. 209. Trees of that kind grow wild in many parts of Italy, and make their way through rocks, sometimes splitting the tomb-stones. Note IV. In cedar tablets worthy to appear.-P. 210. The Romans wrote on cedar and cypress tables, in regard of the duration of the wood. Ill verses might justly be afraid of frankincense; for the papers in which they were written, were fit for nothing but to wrap it up. Note V. Products of citron beds.-P. 210. Writings of noblemen, whose bedsteads were of the wood of citron. Note VI. Hadst thou but, Janus-like, a face behind.-P. 211. Janus was the first king of Italy, who refuged Saturn when he was expelled, by his son Jupiter, from Crete (or as we now call it, Candia). From his name the first month of the year is called January. He was pictured with two faces, one before and one behind; as regarding the past time and the future. Some of the mythologists think he was Noah, for the reason given above. Note VII. Where Romulus was bred, and Quintius born.--P. 212. He speaks of the country in the foregoing verses; the praises of which are the most easy theme for poets, but which a bad poet cannot naturally describe: then he makes a digression to Romulus, the first king of Rome, who had a rustical education; and enlarges upon Quintius Cincinnatus, a Roman senator, who was called from the plough to be dictator of Rome. Note VIII. With periods, points, and tropes, he slurs his crimes. P. 213. Persius here names antitheses, or seeming contradictions; which, in this place, are meant for rhetorical flourishes, as I think, with Casaubon. Note IX. 'Tis tagg'd with rhyme, like Berecynthian Atys, P. 213. Foolish verses of Nero, which the poet repeats; and which cannot be translated, properly, into English. Other verses of Nero, that were mere bombast. I only note, that the repetition of these and the former verses of Nero, might justly give the poet a caution to conceal his name. Note XI. Manas and Atys.-P. 214. Poems on the Mænades, who were priestesses of Bacchus; and of Atys, who made himself an eunuch to attend on the sacrifices of Cybele, called Berecynthia by the poets. She was mother of the gods. Note XII. Two painted serpents shall on high appear.-P. 215. Two snakes, twined with each other, were painted on the walls, by the ancients, to show the place was holy. Note XIII. Old Lucilius.-P. 215. Lucilius wrote long before Horace, who imitates his manner of satire, but far excels him in the design. Note XIV. King Midas has a snout, and asses ears.-P. 215. The story is vulgar, that Midas, king of Phrygia, was made judge betwixt Apollo and Pan, who was the best musician: he gave the prize to Pan; and Apollo, in revenge, gave him asses ears. He wore his hair long to hide them; but his barber discovering them, and not daring to divulge the secret, dug a hole in the ground, and whispered into it: the place was marshy; and, when the reeds grew up, they repeated the words which were spoken by the barber. By Midas, the poet meant Nero. Eupolis and Cratinus, as also Aristophanes, mentioned afterwards, were all Athenian poets; who wrote that sort of comedy which was called the Old Comedy, where the people were named who were satirized by those authors. Note XVI. Who fortune's fault upon the poor can throw.-P. 216. The people of Rome, in the time of Persius, were apt to scorn the Grecian philosophers, particularly the Cynics and Stoics, who were the poorest of them. Note XVII. Who counts geometry, and numbers toys, And with his foot the sacred dust destroys.-P. 216. Arithmetic and geometry were taught on floors which were strewed with dust, or sand; in which the numbers and diagrams were made and drawn, which they might strike out at pleasure. THE SECOND SATIRE OF PERSIUS. DEDICATED TO HIS FRIEND PLOTIUS MACRINUS, ON HIS BIRTH-DAY. THE ARGUMENT. This Satire contains a most grave and philosophical argument, concerning prayers and wishes. Undoubtedly it gave occasion to Juvenal's tenth satire; and both of them had their original from one of Plato's dialogues, called the "Second Alcibiades." Our author has induced it with great mystery of art, by taking his rise from the birth-day of his friend; on which occasions, prayers were made, and sacrifices offered by the native. Persius commending, first, the purity of his friend's vows, descends to the impious and immoral requests of others. This satire is divided into three parts. The first is the exordium to Macrinus, which the poet confines within the compass of four verses: the second relates to the matter of the prayers and vows, and an enumeration of those things, wherein men commonly sinned against right reason, and offended in their requests: the third part consists in showing the repugnances of those prayers and wishes, to those of other men, and inconsistencies with themselves. He shows the original of these vows, and sharply inveighs against them; and, lastly, not only corrects the false opinion of mankind concerning them, but gives the true doctrine of all addresses made to heaven, and how they may be made acceptable to the powers above, in excellent precepts, and more worthy of a Christian than a Heathen. LET this auspicious morning be exprest What from each other they, for shame, conceal. |