Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Book[307] _Conducenda._ "By whose hired tablet and concurring spell, The noble Roman, Otho's terror, fell." Hodgson. [308] _Magnus civis._ Cf. Suet., Otho, 4, "Spem majorem cepit ex affirmatione Seleuci _Mathematici_, qui cum eum olim superstitem Neroni fore spopondisset, tunc ultro inopinatus advenerat, imperaturum quoque brevi repromittens." Cf. Tac., Hist., i., 22, who says one Ptolemæus promised Otho the same when with him in Spain. Ptolemy helped to fulfill his own predictions, "Nec deerat Ptolemæus, jam et sceleris instinctor, ad quod facillimè ab ejusmodi voto transitur." [309] _Cyclada._ Cf. i., 73, "Aude aliquid brevibus Gyaris et carcere dignum." x., 170, "Ut Gyaræ clausus scopulis parvaque Seripho." [310] _Tanaquil._ Cf. Liv., i, 34, "perita cœlestium prodigiorum mulier." "To him thy Tanaquil applies, in doubt How long her jaundiced mother may hold out." Gifford. [311] _Pinguia sucina._ The Roman women used to hold or rub amber in their hands for its scent. Mart., iii., Ep. lxv., 5, "redolent quod sucina trita." xi., Ep. viii., 6, "spirant, succina virgineâ quod regelata manu." Cf. v., Ep. xxxviii., II. (Cf. ix., 50.) "By whom a greasy almanac is borne, With often handling, like chafed amber worn." Dryden. [312] _Thrasyllus_ was the astrologer under whom Tiberius studied the "Chaldean art" at Rhodes (Tac., Ann., vi., 20), and accompanied his patron to Rome. (Cf. Suet., Aug., 98.) Cf. Suet., Tib., 14, 62, and Calig., 19, for a curious prediction belied by Caligula. [313] _Petosiris_, another famous astrologer and physician. Plin., ii., 23; vii., 49. [314] _Fulgura._ When a place was struck by lightning, a priest was sent for to purify it, a two-year-old sheep was then sacrificed, and the ground, hence called bidental, fenced in. [315] _Agger._ The mound to the east of Rome, thrown up by Tarquinius Superbus. Cf. viii., 43, "ventoso conducta sub aggere texit." Hor., i., Sat. viii., 15, "Aggere in aprico spatiari." [316] _Phalas._ The Circensian games were originally consecrated to Neptunus Equestris, or Consus. Hence the dolphins on the columns in the Circus Maximus. The circus was divided along the middle by the Spina, at each extremity of which stood three pillars (metæ) round which the chariots turned: along this spine were seven movable towers or obelisks, called from their oval form ova, or phalæ; one was taken down at the end of each course. There were four factions in the circus, Blue, Green (xi., 196). White, and Red, xii., 114; to which Domitian added the Golden and the Purple. Suet., Domit., 7. The egg was the badge of the Green faction (which was the general favorite), the dolphin of the Blue or sea party. For the form of these, see the Florentine gem in Milman's Horace, p. 3. Böttiger has a curious theory, that the four colors symbolize the four elements, the green being the earth. The circus was the resort of prostitutes (iii., 65) and itinerant fortune-tellers. (Hence "_fallax_," Hor., i., Sat., vi., 113.) Cf. Suet., Jul., 39, and Claud., 21. [317] _Mane._ "The first thing seen" in the morning was a most important omen of the good or bad luck of the whole day. This is well turned by Hodgson: "The sooty embryo, had he sprung to light, Had heir'd thy will and petrified thy sight; Each morn with horror hadst thou turn'd away, Lest the dark omen should o'ercloud the day." [318] _Spurcos lacus._ Infants were exposed by the Milk-pillar in the Herb-market: the low ground on which this stood, at the base of Aventine, Palatine, and Capitoline, was often flooded and covered with stagnant pools. "Hoc ubi nunc fora sunt udæ tenuere paludes," Ov., Fast., vi., 401. The "Velabri regio" of Tibull., ii., v., 33. "The beggars' bantlings spawn'd in open air, And left by some pond-side to perish there; From hence your Flamens, hence your Salii come, Your Scauri chiefs and magistrates of Rome." Gifford. [319] _Mimum._ Cf. iii., 40, "Quoties voluit Fortuna jocari." [320] _Boletus._ Cf. v., 147. Nero used to call mushrooms "the food of the gods" after this. Cf. Suet., Nero, 33. Tac., Ann., xii., 66, 7. Mart., i., Ep. xxi. [321] "That only closed the driveling dotard's eyes, And sent his godhead downward to the skies." Dryden. [322] _Cæsonia._ Cf. Suet., Calig., 50, "Creditur potionatus a Cæsonia uxore, amatorio quidem medicamento, sed quod in furorem verterit." [323] _Grande Sophocleo._ "Are these then fictions? and would satire's rage Sweep in Iambic pomp the tragic stage With stately Sophocles, and sing of deeds Strange to Rutulian skies and Latian meads?" Badham. [324] _Pontia_, daughter of Titus Pontius, and wife of Drymis, poisoned her two children, and afterward committed suicide. The fact was duly inscribed on her tomb. Cf. Mart., vi., Ep. 75. [325] _Tamen._ Heinrich proposes to read "tantum." [326] _Alcestim._ "Alcestis, lo! in love's calm courage flies To yonder tomb where, else, Admetus dies, While those that view the scene, a lapdog's breath Would cheaply purchase by a husband's death." Badham. [327] _Insulsam._ "But here the difference lies--those bungling wives With a blunt axe hack'd out their husbands' lives." Gifford. [328] _Ter victi_, by Sylla, Lucullus, and Pompey. Cf. xiv., 452, "Eme quod Mithridates Composuit si vis aliam decerpere ficum Atque alias tractare rosas." SATIRE VII. All our hope and inducement to study[329] rests on Cæsar[330] alone. For he alone casts a favoring eye[331] on the Muses, who in our days are in a forlorn state. When poets, now become famous and men of renown, would fain try and hire a little bath at Gabii, or a public oven at Rome. While others, again, would esteem it neither shocking nor degrading to turn public criers: since Clio herself, if starving, would quit the vales of Aganippe, and emigrate to courts.[332] For if not a single farthing is offered you in the Pierian shades, be content with the name and calling of Machæra:[333] and sooner sell what the auction duly set[334] sells to those that stand around; wine-flagons, trivets, book-cases, chests; the "Alcyone" of Paccius, or the "Thebes" and "Tereus" of Faustus. This is preferable to asserting before the judge that you are a witness of what you never did see.[335] Even though Asiatic,[336] and Cappadocian, and Bithynian knights stoop to this: fellows whom Gallo-Græcia transports hither with chalked feet.[337] Hereafter, however, no one will be compelled to submit to an employment derogatory to his studies, who unites loftiness of expression to tuneful numbers, and has chewed the bay.[338] Set vigorously to work then, young men! The kindness[339] of the emperor is looking all around, and stimulates your exertions, while he is seeking worthy objects of his patronage. If you think that from any other quarter you may look for encouragement in your pursuits, and with that view fill the parchment of your yellow[340] tablet; call with all speed for a fagot, and make a present of all your compositions, |