Today | News | Books | Recipes Adventure | Science Fiction | Ghost stories | Poetry | Children | History Booksame quarters in Trajan's reign, which caused his expedition, in A.D. 114, against the Armenians and Parthians. In A.D. 100, Marius Priscus was accused by Pliny and Tacitus. Vid. Plin., ii., Ep. xi. Probably half way between these two dates we may fix the writing of this Satire. [462] _Mitte Ostia._ So most of the commentators interpret it. "Send your Legatus to take the command of the troops for foreign service, waiting for embarkation at Ostia." But if so, "ad" should be expressed, and either Tiberina added, or Ostia made of the 1st declension. Britann., therefore, and Heinrich explain it, "Pass by his own doors;" omitte quærere illic, "he is far away." [463] _Sandapila._ The bier or open coffin, on which the poor, or those killed in the amphitheatre, were carried to burial; hence "sandapila popularis." Suet., Domit., 17. Stepney (in Dryden's version) thus enumerates these worthies: "Quacks, coffin-makers, fugitives, and sailors, Rooks, common soldiers, hangmen, thieves, and tailors." [464] _Resupinantis._ In Holyday's quaint version, "Among great Cybel's silent drums, which lack Their Phrygian priest, who lies drunk on his back." [465] _Ergastula._ Private prisons attached to Roman farms, in which the slaves worked in chains. The Tuscan were peculiarly severe. Vid. Dennis's Etruria, vol. i., p. xlviii. [466] _Turpia cerdoni._ Cf. iv., 13," Nam quod turpe bonis Titio Seioque decebat Crispinum." Pers., iv., 51, "Tollat sua munera cerdo." "And crimes that tinge with shame the cobbler's face, Become the lords of Brutus' honor'd race." Hodgson. [467] _Locasti._ "Lets out his voice (his sole remaining boast), And rants the nonsense of a clam'rous ghost." Hodgson. [468] _Sipario._ The curtain or drop-scene in _comedy_, as _Aulæum_ was in _tragedy_. Donat. [469] _Phasma._ Probably a translation from the Greek. Ter., Eun., pr. 9, "Idem Menandri phasma nunc nuper dedit." Catullus is not to be confounded with C. Valerius Catullus of Verona (the old Schol. says Q. Lutatius Catullus is meant, and quotes xiii., 11, whom Lubinus, ad loc., calls "Urbanus Catullus") as far as the Phasma is concerned.--_Laureolus_ was the chief character in a play or ballet by Val. Catullus, or Laberius, or Nævius: and was crucified on the stage, and then torn to pieces by wild beasts. Martial (de Spect., Ep. vii.) says this was acted _to the life_ in the Roman amphitheatre, the part of the bandit being performed by a real malefactor, who was crucified and torn to pieces in the arena, "Non falsâ pendens in cruce Laureolus." "And Lentulus _acts_ hanging with such art, Were I a judge, he should not _feign_ the part." Dryden. [470] _Sedet._ "Sit with unblushing front, and calmly see The hired patrician's low buffoonery; Smile at the Fabii's tricks, and grin to hear The cuffs resound from the Mamerci's ear." Gifford. [471] _Cogente Nerone._ Cf. Tac., Ann., xiv., 14, who abstains from mentioning the _names_ of the nobles thus disgraced, out of respect for their ancestors. Cf. Dio., lxi. Suetonius says (Nero, cap. xii.) that 400 senators and 600 knights were thus dishonored (but Lipsius says 40 and 60 are the true numbers). [472] _Nec dubitant._ No doubt a spurious line. [473] _Gladios._ This is the usual interpretation. Perhaps it would be better to take "gladios" for the _death_ that awaits you if you refuse to comply: as iv., 96; x., 345. So Badham: "Place here the tyrant's sword, and there the scene; Gods! can a Roman hesitate between!" [474] _Thymele._ Cf. i., 36. [475] _Ludus._ Properly, "school of gladiators." [476] _Gracchus._ Cf. ii., 143. [477] _Tunicæ._ Cf. ii., 143, tunicati fuscina Gracchi. Suet., Cal., 30. The Retiarii wore a tunic only. The gold spira was the band that tied the tall conical cap of the Salii; who wore also a gold fringe round the tunic. [478] _Seneca._ There is said to be an allusion here to the plot of Subrius Flavius to murder Nero and make Seneca emperor. It was believed that Seneca was privy to it. Tac., Ann., xv., 65. [479] _Simia._ Cf. xiii., 155, "Et deducendum corio bovis in mare cum quo clauditur adversis innoxia simia fatis." The punishment of parricides was to be scourged, then sewn up in a bull's hide with a serpent, an ape, a cock, and a dog, and to be thrown into the sea. The first person thus punished was P. Malleolus, who murdered his mother. Liv., Epit. lxviii. [480] _Culeus._ Cf. Suet., Aug., 33. Nero murdered his mother Agrippina, his aunt Domitia, both his wives, Octavia and Poppæa, his brother Britannicus, and several other relations. [481] _Agamemnonidæ._ Grangæus quotes the Greek verse current in Nero's time, Νέρων, Ὀρέστης, Ἀλκμαίων μητροκτόνοι. Cf. Suet., Nero, 39. [482] _Virginius_ Rufus, who was legatus in Lower Germany, Julius Vindex, proprætor of Gaul, and Sergius Galba, præfect of Hispania Tarraconensis, afterward emperor, were the chiefs of the last conspiracy against Nero. In August, A.D. 67, Nero was playing the fool in Greece; in March, 68, he heard with terror and dismay of the revolt of Vindex, who proclaimed Galba. Dio., lxiii., 22. [483] _Quid Nero._ "What but such acts did Rome indignant see Perform'd in Nero's savage tyranny?" Hodgson. [484] _Prostitui._ "To prostitute his voice for base renown, And ravish from the Greeks a parsley crown." Gifford. Nero was in Greece A.D. 67, into which year (though not an Olympiad) he crowded all the games of Greece, "Certamina omnia et quæ diversissimorum temporum sunt cogi in unum annum jussit." Suet., Ner., 23. "Romam introiit coronam capite gerens Olympiam dextrâ manu Pythiam," c. 25. [485] _Domitius_ was the name both of the father and grandfather of Nero. His father was Domitius Ahenobarbus, governor of Transalpine Gaul. Suetonius (Nero, 6) tells us that the two pædagogi to whom his childhood _was_ intrusted _were_ a _saltator_ and a _tonsor_. To this perhaps his subsequent tastes may be traced. [486] _Citharam._ Cf. Suet., Ner., 12, "_Citharæ_ a judicibus ad se delatam, adoravit ferrique ad Augusti _statuam_ jussit." "And on the proud Colossus of your sire, Suspend the splendid trophy of--a lyre!" Hodgson. "Sacras coronas in cubiculis circum lectos posuit: item statuas suas Citharædico habitu: quâ notâ etiam nummum percussit." Suet., Ner., 25. [487] _Braccatorum._ Gallia Narbonensis was called Braccata from the Braccæ, probably "plaid," which the inhabitants wore. Plin., iii., 4. Diod., v., 30. The Senones were a people of Gallia Lugdunensis, who sacked Rome under Brennus; hence _Minores_, i. e., "as though you had been the hereditary enemies of Rome." [488] _Tunicâ molestâ._ Cf. ad i., 155, "a dress smeared with pitch and other combustibles," and then lighted. Cf. Mart., x., Ep. xxv., 5. In some cases Nero buried his victims up to the waist, and then set fire to their upper parts. [489] _Vigilat_ refers to Cicero's own words, "Jam intelliges multo me _vigilare_ acrius ad salutem, |