requires a lashing Line Who squeez'd a Toad into her Husband's Wine So well the fashionable Med'cine thrives That now 't is Practis'd ev'n by Country Wives Poys'ning without regard of Fame or Fear And spotted Corps are frequent on the Bier Wou'dst thou to Honours and Preferments climb Be bold in Mischief dare some mighty Crime Which Dungeons Death or Banishment deserves For Virtue is but dryly Prais'd and Sterves Great Men to great Crimes owe their Plate Embost Fair Palaces and Furniture of Cost And high Commands A Sneaking Sin is lost Who can behold that rank Old Letcher keep His Son 's Corrupted Wife and hope to sleep Or that Male-Harlot or that unfledg'd Boy Eager to Sin before he can enjoy If Nature cou'd not Anger would indite Such woeful stuff as I or S ll write Count from the time since Old Deucalion's Boat Rais'd by the Flood did on Parnaâ—â—us Float And scarcely Mooring on the Cliff implor'd An Oracle how Man might be restor'd When soften'd Stones and Vital Breath ensu'd And Virgins Naked were by Lovers View'd What ever since that Golden Age was done What Humane Kind desires and what they shun Rage Passions Pleasures Impotence of Will Shall this Satyrical Collection fill What age so large a Crop of Vices bore Or when was Avarice extended more When were the Dice with more Profusion thrown The well fill'd Fob not empty'd now alone But Gamesters for whole Patrimonies play The Steward brings the Deeds which must convey The lost Estate What more than Madness reigns When one short sitting many Hundreds Drains And not enough is left him to supply Board-Wages or a Footman's Livery What Age so many Summer-Seats did see Or which of our Forefathers far'd so well As on seven Dishes at a private Meal Clients of Old were Feasted now a poor Divided Dole is dealt at th' outward Door Which by the Hungry Rout is soon dispatch'd The Paltry Largess too severely watch'd E're given and every Face observ'd with Care That no intruding Guest Usurp a share Known you Receive The Cryer calls aloud Our Old Nobility of Trojan Blood Who gape among the Croud for their precarious Food The Praetors and the Tribunes Voice is heard The Freedman justles and will be preferr'd First come first serv'd he Cries and I in spight Of your Great Lordships will Maintain my Right Tho born a Slave tho my torn Ears are bor'd 'T is not the Birth 't is Mony makes the Lord. The Rents of Five fair Houses I receive What greater Honours can the Purple give The Poor Patrician is reduc'd to keep In Melancholly Walks a Grazier's Sheep Not Pallas nor Licinius had my Treasure Then let the Sacred Tribunes wait my leasure Once a Poor Rogue 't is true I trod the Street And trudg'd to Rome upon my Naked Feet Gold is the greatest God though yet we see No Temples rais'd to Mony 's Majesty No Altars fuming to her Pow'r Divine Such as to Valour Peace and Virtue Shine And Faith and Concord where the Stork on high Seems to Salute her Infant Progeny Presaging Pious Love with her Auspicious Cry But since our Knights and Senators account To what their sordid begging Vails amount Judge what a wretched share the Poor attends Whose whole Subsistence on those Alms depends Their Houshold-Fire their Rayment and their Food Prevented by those Harpies when a wood Of Litters thick besiege the Donor's Gate And begging Lords and teeming Ladies wait The promis'd Dole Nay some have learn'd the trick To beg for absent persons feign them sick Close mew'd in their Sedans for fear of air And for their Wives produce an empty Chair This is my Spouse Dispatch her with her share 'T is Galla Let her Ladyship but peep No Sir 't is pity to disturb her sleep Such fine Employments our whole days divide The Salutations of the Morning-tide Call up the Sun those ended to the Hall We wait the Patron hear the Lawyers baul Then to the Statues where amidst the Race Of Conqu'ring Rome some Arab shews his Face Inscrib'd with Titles and profanes the place Fit to be piss'd against and somewhat more The Great Man home conducted shuts his door Old Clients weary'd out with fruitless care Dismiss their hopes of eating and despair Though much against the grain forc'd to retire Buy Roots for Supper and provide a Fire Mean time his Lordship lolls within at ease Pamp'ring his Paunch with Foreign Rarities Both Sea and Land are ransack'd for the Feast And his own Gut the sole invited Guest Such Plate such Tables Dishes dress'd so well That whole Estates are swallow'd at a Meal Ev'n Parasites are banish'd from his Board At once a sordid and luxurious Lord Prodigious Throat for which whole Boars are drest A Creature form'd to furnish out a Feast But present Punishment pursues his Maw When surfeited and swell'd the Peacock raw He bears into the Bath whence want of Breath Repletions Apoplex intestate Death His Fate makes Table-talk divulg'd with scorn And he a Jeast into his Grave is born No Age can go beyond us Future Times Can add no farther to the present Crimes Our Sons but the same things can wish and do Vice is at stand and at the highest flow Then Satyr spread thy Sails take all the winds can blow Some may perhaps demand what Muse can yield Sufficient strength for such a spacious Field From whence can be deriv'd so large a Vein Bold Truths to speak and spoken to maintain When God-like Freedom is so far bereft The Noble Mind that scarce the Name is left E're Scandalum Magnatum was begot No matter if the Great forgave or not But if that honest licence now you take If into Rogues Omnipotent you rake Death is your Doom impail'd upon a Stake Smear'd o're with Wax and set on fire to light The Streets and make a dreadful blaze by night Shall They who drench'd three Uncles in a draught Of poys'nous Juice be then in Triumph brought Make Lanes among the People where they go And mounted high on downy Chariots throw Disdainful glances on the Crowd below Be silent and beware if such you see 'T is Defamation but to say That 's He Againt bold Turnus the Great Trojan Arm Amidst their strokes the Poet gets no harm Achilles may in Epique Verse be slain And none of all his Myrmidons complain Hylas may drop his Pitcher none will cry Not if he drown himself for company But when Lucilius brandishes his Pen And flashes in the face of Guilty Men A cold Sweat stands in drops on ev'ry part And Rage succeeds to Tears Revenge to Smart Muse be advis'd 't is past consid'ring time When enter'd once the dangerous Lists of Rhime Since none the Living-Villains dare implead Arraign them in the Persons of the Dead The End of the First Satyr EXPLANATORY NOTES ON THE FIRST SATYR COdrus or it may be Cordus a bad Poet who wrote the Life and Actions
Name is uâ—'d here for any Rich Vicious Man Tagus a Famous River in Spain which discharges it self into the Ocean near Lisbone in Portugal It was held of old to be full of Golden Sands Orontes the greatest River of Syria The Pâ—et here puts the River for the Inhabitans of Syria Tyber the River which runs by Româ— Romulus First King of Rome Son of Mars as the Poets feign the first Romans were Originally Herdsmen But in that Town c. He means Athens of which Pallas the Goddess of Arms and Arts was Patroness Antiochus and Stratocles two Famous Grecian Mimicks or Actors in the Poet's time A Rigid Stoick c. Publius Egnatius a Stoick falsly accus'd Bareas Soranus as Tacitus tells us Diphilus and Protogenes c. Were Grecians living in Rome Or him who had c. Lucius Metellus the High Priest who when the Temple of Vesta was on Fire sav'd the Palladium For by the Roscian Law c. Roscius a Tribune who order'd the distinction of Places in Publick Shows betwixt the Noblemen of Rome and the Plebeians Where none but only dead Men c. The meaning is that Men in some parts of Italy never wore a Gown the usual Habit of the Romans till they were bury'd in one Cossus is here taken for any great Man Where the tame Pidgeons c. The Romans us'd to breed their â—ame Pidgeons in their Garrets Codrus a Learned Man very poor by his Books suppos'd to be a Poet. For in all probability the Heroick Verses here mention'd which Rats and Mice devour'd were Homer's Works A Pythagorean Treat He means Herbs Roots Fruits and Sallads Gygantick Corbulo Corbulo was a Famous General in Nero's time who Conquerd Armenia and was afterwards put to Death by that Tyrant when he was in Greece in reward of his great Services His Stature was not only tall above the ordinary Size but he was also proportionably strong The Ferry-Man's c. Charon the Ferry-Man of Hell whose Fare was a Half-penny for every Soul Stern Achilles The Friend of Achilles was Patroclus who was slain by Hector Beneath the Kings c. Rome was Originally Rul'd by Kings till for the Rape of Lucretia Tarquin the proud was expell'd After which it was Govern'd by two Consuls Yearly chosen but they oppressing the People the Commoners Mutiny'd and procur'd Tribunes to be Created who defended their Priviledges and often oppos'd the Consu ar Authority and the Senate Aquinum was the Birth-place of Iuvenal THE FOURTH SATYR OF JUVENAL Translated into ENGLISH VERSE ARGUMENT OF THE Fourth Satyr The Poet in this Satyr first brings in Criâ—pinus whom be had a lash at in his first Satyr and whom he promises here not to be forgetful of for the future He exposes his monstrous Prodigality and Luxury in giving the Price of an Estate for a Barbelâ— and from thence takes occasion to introduce the principal Subject and true Design of this Satyr which is grounded upon a ridiculous Story of a Turbut presented to Domitian of so vast a bigness that all the Emperor's Scullery had not a Dish large enough to bold it Upon which the Senate in all haste is summon'd to Consult in this Exigency what is fittest to be done The Poet gives us a Particular of the Senators Names their distinct Characters and Speeches and Advice and after much and wise Consultation an Expedient being found out and agreed upon he dismisses the Senate and concludes the Satyr THE FOURTH SATYR ONce more Crispinus call'd upon the Stage Nor shall once more suffice provokes my Rage A Monster to whom every Vice lays claim Without one Virtue to redeem his Fame Feeble and Sick yet strong in Lust alone The rank Adult'reâ— preys on all the Town All but the Widows nauseous Charms go down What matter then how stately is the Arch Where his tir'd Mules flow with their Burden march What matter then how thick and long the Shade Through which by sweating Slaves he is convey'd How many Acres near the City Walls Or new-built Palaces his own he calls No ill Man's happy least of all is he Whose study 't is to corrupt Chastity The incestuous Brute who the veil'd Vestal Maid But lately to his impious Bed betray'd Who for her Crime if Laws their Course might have Ought to descend alive into the Grave But now of slighter Faults and yet the same By others done the Censors Justice claim For what good Men ignoble count and base Is Virtue here and does Crispinus grace In this â—e's safe whate'er 〈…〉 The Person is more odious than the Crime And so all Satyr's lost The Lavish Slave Six thousand Pieces for a Barbel gave A Sesterce for each Pound it weigh'd as they Give out that hear great things but greater say If by this Bribe well-plac'd he would â—nsnare Some sapless Usurer that wants an Heir Or if this Present the sly Couâ—â—â—â— meant Should to some Punk of Quality be 〈◊〉 That in her easie Chair in state does ride The Glasses all drawn up on ev'ry side I 'd praise his Cunning but expect not this For his own Gut he bought the stately Fish Now even Apicius Frugal seems and Poor Outvy'd in Luxury unknown before Gave you Crispinus you this mighty Sum You that for want of other Rags did come In your own Country Paper wrapp'd to Rome Do Scales and Fins bear Price to this Excess You might have bought the Fisherman for less For less some Provinces whole 〈…〉 Nay in Apulia if you bargain well A Mannor wou'd cost less than such a 〈◊〉 What think we then of his Luxurious Lord What Banquers loaded that Imperiall Board When in one Dish that taken from the rest His constant Table wou'd have hardly mist So many Sesterces were swallow'd down To stuff one Scâ—rlet coated Court 〈◊〉 Whom Rome of all her Knights now Chiefest greâ—â—â— From crying stinking â—ish about her Streets Begin Calliope but not to singâ— Plain Honest Truth we for our Subject bâ—ing Help then ye young Pierian Maids to â—ell A downright Narrative of what befell Afford me willingly your Sacred aids Me that have call'd you young me that have stil'd you Maids When he with whom the 〈◊〉 Race decay'd The groaning World with Iron Scepter sway'd When a bald Nero Reign'd and servile Rome obey'd Where Venus Shrine does fair Ancona grace A Turbut taken of Prodigious Space Fill'd the extended Net not less than those That dull Maeotis does with Ice enclose Till conquer'd by the Sun 's prevailing Ray It opens to the Pontick Sea their way And throws them out unweildy with their Growth Fat with long ease and a whole Winteâ—'s sloth The wise Commander of the Boat and Lines For our High Priest the stately Prey designs For who that Lordly Fish durst sell or buy So many Spies and Court-Informers nigh No Shoar but of this Vermin Swarms does bear Searchers of Mud and Sea-weed that would swear The Fish had long in Caesar's
large in his Life written by Suetonius and Tacitus and in the Continuation which Mr. Saville has added to his Translation of the last of these Authors by way of Supplement to what is wanting betwixt the Annals and the History But I shall only relate what I find mention'd in this Satyr and shall begin with his Parricides Upon suspicion that Seneca his Tutor had some Knowledge of the Conspiracy which Piso was carrying on against his Person Nero laid hold on this Oportunity to Rid himself of the uneasie Censurer of his Vices yet allow'd him the liberty of chusing the Manner of his Death Seneca was apprehensive of Pain and therefore desired to have his Veins opened which he judg'd might be the most easie and pleasant Method of Dying But finding it too tedious he prevail'd with his Friend and Phisitian Annaeus Statius to give him a Draught of Poyson which too operating very slowly by Reason his Veins were exhausted and his Limbs chill'd the Standers by to make quicker dispatch smother'd him with the steem of an hot Bath Iuvenal not unjustly places this Murder of Seneca among Nero's Parricides since a Tutor ought to be esteem'd as a Civil Parent This bold Thought and Expression of Iuvenal is grounded on the Roman Laws whereby Parâ—icides were Condemn'd to be sow'd up in a Bag call'd Culeâ—s with a Cock a Monkey a Serpent and a Dog and thrown together into the Sea or any Neighbouring River This Punishment of drowning in a Sack is still us'd in several Parts of Germany but without the Company of those Creatures abovemention'd The Story of Orestes betwixt whom and Nero Iuvenal wou'd draw a Parallell is this his Mother Clytemnestra finding her Husband Agamemnon was return'd alive from the Siege of Troy and fearing he might Revenge her Amours with Egystheus with whom she had lived in Adultery during her Husband's absence she thought the safest way might be to Assassinate Agamemnon by the help of Egystheus at his first Reception and before he cou'd suspect such an attempt The manner how they dispatch'd him is reported differently Some Authâ—rs relate that as he was changing his Linnen he was stifled in a Shirt â—owâ—d together at the Neck But Homer in the 4th and 11th Books of his Odyssea where he describes this Murder is of Iuvenal's Opinion that he was kill'd at a Banquet when he little expected such Treatment Egystheus after this Murder Married Clytemnestra and Usurp'd the Kingdom of Mycena 7 Years During which time Orestes grew up to Man's Estate and by the instigation of his Sister Electra and the Assistance of some Neighbouring Princes march'd from Athens Destroy'd and Murther'd the Usurper and at last under pretence of being Mad stab'd his Mother Homer as well as our Author justifies this Revenge as being undertaken by the Advice of the Gods And Paterculus infers they must needs have approved the Action since Orestes after it lived long and Reigned Happily Nero cou'd not suffer his Mother Agrippina because of her encroaching on his Government for which Reason he made frequent Attempts upon her Life but without success till at last Anicetus his Bondman undertook to stab her which she perceiving and guessing by whose Orders he came clapt her hand upon her Belly and bid him with great presence of Mind strike there supposing it deserv'd that Punishment for bearing such a Monster He ordered his first Wife Octavia to be publickly Executed upon a false Accusation of Adultery and kill'd his second Wife Poppaea when she was big with Child by a kick on the Belly Britannicus his Brother by Adoption was Poison'd by his Orders out of jealousie lest he shou'd supplant him And Antonia Claudius's Daughter was Executed under pretence of a Conspiracy but in truth because she refused to Marry Nero after the Death of Poppaea He caus'd Rufinus Crispinus Son to Poppaea to be Drown'd as he was Fishing and Aulus Plancus a Relation of his Mothers to be kill'd because she was fond of him I need mention no more of these unnatural Murders but go on to his other Extravagancies He was Industrious to be esteem'd the best Musitian of his Age and at his Death regretted nothing more sensibly than that the World shou'd lose so great a Master To maintain this Reputation he frequently condescended to Act and Sing upon the Theater among the ordinary Comedians and took a journey to Greece on purpose to try his skill against the most Famous Artists of that Country from whom he bore away the Garland which was the usual Recompence of the first performer return'd to Rome in Triumph as if he had Conquer'd a Province and order'd both the Garland and Instrument to be hung up among the Banners and Honours of his Family He had likewise a great Vanity towards being thought a good Poet and made Verses on the Destruction of Troy call'd Troica and 't is reported he burnt Rome to be more lively and natural in his Description Tho 't is more probable he destroy'd the Old-Fashion'd Buildings out of dislike to the narrowness and crookedness of the Streets and to have the Honour of rebuilding the City better and calling it by his own Name These monstrous Frolicks and Cruelties cou'd not but make his People weary of his Government Virginius Rufus who was his Lieutenant General in Gaule by the Assistance of Iunius Vindex a Nobleman of that Country soon perswaded the Armies under his Command to fall from their Allegiance and sollicited Sergius Galba who was Lieutenant General in Spain to do the like by offering him the Empire in favour of Mankind which he at last accepted upon intimation that Nero had issued out secret Orders to dispatch him and March'd with all the Forces he cou'd gather towards Rome Nero not being in a Condition to oppose such Troops fell into Dispair which turn'd to an uncertainty what Measures to take whether to Poyson himself or beg Pardon of the People or endeavour to make his Escape The last of these Methods seem'd most Adviseable he therefore put himself into Disguise and crept with four Attendants only into a poor Cottage where perceiving he was pursued as a Sacrifice to the Publick Vengeance and apprehending the Rabble wou'd Treat him Barbarously if he fell into their Hands with much adoe he resolv'd to Stab himself Catiline's Conspiracy is a Story too well known to be insisted on He was of a Noble Family but by his Extravagancies had reduced himself to great want which engaged him in bad Practices The Roman Armies were then pursuing Conquests in remote Provinces which Catiline judg'd the most seasonable opportunity for undertaking some desperate Design He therefore entred into a Conspiracy with Cethegus Lentulus and other Senators and Persons considerable by their Births and Employments to make themselves absolute Masters of their Country by seizing the Senate plundering the Treasury and burning the City Incendiaries by the Roman Law were wrapt in a Pitch'd Coat which they call'd Tunica Molesta
Torment than a Guilty Mind Which Day and Night doth dreadfully accuse Condemns the Wretch and still the Charge renews XIX A trusted Spartan was inclin'd to Cheat The Coin lookt lovely and the Bag was great Secret the Trust and with an Oath defend The Prize and baffle his deluded Friend But weak in Sin and of the Godâ— afraid And 〈◊〉 well vers'd in the forswearing Trade He goes to Delphos humbly begs advice And thus the Priestess by Command replies Expect sure Vengeance by the Gods decreed To punish Thoughts not yet improv'd to Deed. At this he started and forbore to swear Not out of Conscience of the Sin but Fear Yet Plagues enâ—u'd and the contagious Sin Destroy'd himself and ruin'd all his Kin. Thus suffer'd He for the imperfect Will To sin and bare Design of doing ill For he that but conceives a Crime in thought Contracts the danger of an Actual Fault Then what must he expect that still proceeds To fiâ—â—â—h Sin and work up Thoughts to Deeds XX. Perpetual Anguish fills his anxious Breast Not stopt by Business nor compos'd by Rest No Musick chears him and no Feasts can please He sits like discontented Damocles When by the sportive Tyrant wisely shown The dangerous Pleasures of a flatter'd Throne Sleep flies the Wretch or when his Care 's opprâ—st And his toss'd Lambs are weary'd into rest Then Dreams invade the injur'd Gods appear All arm'd with Thunder and awake his Fear What frights him most in a Gigantick size Thy sacred Image flashes in his Eyes These shake his Soul and as they boldly press Bring out his Crimes and force him to confess This Wretch will start at every flash that flies Grow pale at the first murmur of the Skies E're Clouds are form'd and Thunder roars afraid And Epicurus can afford no aid His Notions fail And the destructive Flame Commission'd falls not thrown by Chance but Aim One Clap is past and now the Skies are clear A short reprieve but to increase his Fear Whilst Arms Divine revenging Crimes below Are gathering up to give the greater Blow But if a Fever fires his sulphurous Blood In ev'ry Fit he feels the Hand of God And Heaven-born Flame Then drown'd in deep Despair He dares not offer one repenting Prayer Nor vow one Victim to preserve his Breath Amaz'd he lies and sadly looks for Death For how can Hope with desperate Guilt agree And the worst Beast is worthier Life than He. XXI He that once Sins like him that slides on Ice Goes swiftly down the slippery ways of Vice Tho' Conscience checks Him yet those rubs gone o're He slides on smoothly and looks back no more What Sinners finish where they first begin And with one Crime content their Lust to Sin Nature that rude and in her first Essay Stood boggling at the roughness of the way Us'd to the Road unknowing to return Goes boldly on and loves the Path when worn XXII Fear not but pleas'd with this successful Bait Thy Perjur'd Friend will quickly tempt his Fate He will go on until his Crimes provoke The Arm Divine to strike the Fatal Stroke Then thou shalt see him plung'd when least he fears At once accounting for his deep Arrears Sent to those narrow Isles which throng'd we see With mighty Exiles once secure as He Drawn to the Gallows or condemn'd to Chains Then thou shalt triâ—mph in the Villain 's pains Enjoy his Groans and with a grateful Mind Confess that Heaven is neither Deaf nor Blind The End of the Thirteenth Satyr EXPLANATORY NOTES ON THE THIRTEENTH SATYR SOme Read Extemplo quodcunque malum c. Thebes had but seven Gates and the River Nile but seven Mouths That is were of better Quality and had more Wealth Skins and Acorns being the primitive Cloaths and Food according to the Poets If a swarm of Bees pitcht upon a Temple it was lookt upon as an Omen of some very great Mischief Thyestes was treated with a Haâ—h made of his own Son Isis. An Aegyptian Goddess suppos'd to be much concern'd in inflicting Diseases and Maladies on Mankind Ladas An Excellent Footman who wan the Prize in the Olympian Games Stentor A famous Crier in the Grecian Army whose single voice was as loud as that of fifty Men together Homer says that Mars being wounded by Diomedes made as great an out-cry as ten thousand Men shouting to the Battel Bathyllus A Fidler and a Player But put here for any idle Scoundrel or insignificant Fellow A Surgeon of no great Credit and Reputation The Villain that kill'd his Father was to be put into a Bag with a Dog a Cock a Serpent and an Ape and thrown into the Sea Philosophers of great Credit and Worth Damocles having very much extoll'd the Happiness of Kings in the presence of Dionysius King of Syracuse Dionysius invited him to Dinner plac'd him in a rich Throne and gave him a very splendid Entertainment but just over his Head hung a Sword by a Hair with the point downward A Philosopher who thought all things were by Chance THE FOURTEENTH SATYR OF JUVENAL Translated into ENGLISH VERSE BY Mr. IOHN DRYDEN Junior ARGUMENT OF THE Fourteenth Satyr Since Domestick Examples easily corrupt our Youth the Poet prudently exhorts all Parents that they themselves should abstain from evil practices Amongst which 〈◊〉 chiâ—fly poinâ—s at Dice and Gamâ—ng Taâ—erns Drunkenness and Cruelty which they exercis'd upon their Slaves Lest after their pernicious Example their Sons should copy them in their Vices and become Gamesters Drunkards and Tyrants Lestrigons and Canibals to their Servants For if the Father says Juvenal love the Box and Dice the Boy will be given to an itâ—hing Elbow Neither is it to be expected that the Daughter of Larga the Aduâ—â—ress shou'd 〈◊〉 more contineut than her Mother Since we are all by Nature more apt to receive ill impressions than good and are besides more pliant in our Infancy and Youth than when we grow up to riper years Thus we are more apt to imitate a Catiline than a Brutus or the Uncle of Brutus Cato Ulicensis For these Reasons he is instant with all 〈◊〉 that they permit not their Children to bear lascivious words and that they Banish Pimps Whores and Parasites from their Houses If they are careful says the Poet when they make an invitation to their Friends that all things shall be clean and set in order much more it is their Duty to their Children that nothing appear corrupt or undecent in their Family Storks and Vultures because they are fed by the Old Ones with Snakes and Carrion naturally and without instruction feed on the same uncleanly Diet. But the Generous Eaglet who is taught by her Parent to fly at Hares and sowse on Kids disdains afterwards to pursue a more ignoble Game Thus the Son of Centronius was prone to the Vice of raising Stately Structures beyond his Fortune because his Father had ruin'd himself by Building He whose Father is a Jew is Naturally prone
inclos'd in it wou'd render the sound of a Bull 's roaring caus'd the Workman to make the first Experiment Docuitque suum mugire Iuvencum The Wretch who fitting c. He alludes to the Story of Damocles a Flatterer of one of those Sicilian Tyrants namely Dionysius Damocles had infinitely extoll'd the Happiness of Kings Dionysius to convince him of the contrary invited him to a Feast and Cloath'd him in Purple But caus'd a Sword with the point downward to be hung over his Head by a Silken Twine which when he perceiv'd he coâ—'d Eat nothing of the Delicates that were set before him Thou in the Stoick Porch c. The Stoicks taught their Philosophy under a Porticus to secure their Scholars from the Weather Zeno was the Chief of that Sect. Polygnotus A Famous Painter who drew the Piâ—tures of the Medes and Persians Conquer'd by Miltiades Themistocles and other Athenian Captains on the Walls of the Portico in their Natural Habits And where the Samian Î¥ c. Pithagoras of Samos made the allusion of the Y or Greek Upsilon to Vice and Virtue One side of the Letter being broad Characters Vice to which the ascent is wide and easie The other side represents Virtue to which the Passage is strait and difficult And perhaps our Saviour might alâ—o allude to this in those Noted words of the Evangelist The way to Heaven c. Fat Fees c. Casaubon here Notes that among all the Romans who were brought up to Learning few besides the Orators or Lawyers grew Rich. The Martians and Vmbrians were the most Plentiful of all the Provinces in Italy His Heels stretch'd out c. The Romans were Buried withoout the City for which Reason the Poet says that the Dead man's heels were stretch'd out towards the Gate That Mad Orestes Orestes was Son to Agamemnon and Clitemnestra Agamemnon at his return from the Trojan Wars was slain by Aegysthus the Adulterer of Clitemnestra Orestes to revenge his Fathers Death slew both Aegysthus and his Mother For which he was punish'd with Madness by the Eumenides or Furies who continually haunted him THE FOURTH SATYR OF Aulus Persius Flaccus Translated into ENGLISH VERSE BY Mr. DRYDEN ARGUMENT OF THE Fourth Satyr Our Author living in the time of Nero was Contemporary and Friend to the Noble Poet Lucan both of them were sufficiently sensible with all Good Men how Unskilfully he manag'd the Common-wealth And perhaps might guess at his future Tyranny by some Passages during the latter part of his first five years tho he broke not out into his greater Excesses while he was restrain'd by the Counsels and Authority of Seneca Lucan has not spar'd him in the Poem of his Pharsalia For his very Complement look'd asquint as well as Nero. Persius has been bolder but with Caution likewise For here in the Person of Young Alcibiades he arraigns his Ambition of meddling with State Affairs without Iudgment or Experience 'T is probable that he makes Seneca in this Satyr sustain the part of Socrates under a borrow'd Name And withal discovers some secret Vices of Nero concerning his Lust his Drunkenness and his Effeminacy which had not yet arriv'd to publick Notice He also reprehends the Flattery of his Courtiers who endeavour'd to make all his Vices pass for Virtues Covetousness was undoubtedly none of his Faults but it is here describ'd as a Veyl cast over the True Meaning of the Poet which was to Satyrise his Prodigality and Voluptuousness to which he makes a transition I find no Instance in History of that Emperour 's being a Pathique tho Persius seems to brand him with it From the two Dialogues of Plato both call'd Alcibiades the Poet took the Arguments of the Second and Third Satyr but he inverted the order of them For the third Satyr is taken from the first of those Dialogues The Commentatours before Casaubon were ignorant of our Author 's secret meaning and thought he had only written against Young Noblemen in General who were too forward in aspiring to publick Magistracy But this Excellent Scholiast has unravell'd the whole Mystery And made it apparent that the Sting of the Satyr was particularly aim'd at Nero. THE FOURTH SATYR WHo-e're thou art whose forward years are bent On State-Affairs to guide the Government Hear first what Socrates of old has said To the lov'd Youth whom he at Athens bred Tell me thou Pupil to great Pericles Our second hope my Alcibiades What are the grounds from whence thou dost prepare To undertake so young so vast a Care Perhaps thy Wit A Chance not often heard That Parts and Prudence shou'd prevent the Beard T is seldom seen that Senators so young Know when to speak and when to hold their Tongue Sure thou art born to some peculiar Fate When the mad People rise against the State To look them into Duty And command An awful Silence with thy lifted hand Then to bespeak 'em thus Athenians know Against right Reason all your Counsels go This is not Fair nor Profitable that Nor t'other Question Proper for Debate But thou no doubt can'st set the business right And give each Argument its proper weight Know'st with an equal hand to hold the Scale See'st where the Reasons pinch and where they fail And where Exceptions o're the general Rule prevail And taught by Inspiration in a trice Can'st punish Crimes and brand offending Vice Leave leave to fathom such high points as these Nor be ambitious e're thy time to please Unseasonably Wise till Age and Cares Have form'd thy Soul to manage Great Affairs Thy Face thy Shape thy Outside are but vain Thou hast not strength such Labours to sustain Drink Hellebore my Boy drink deep and purge thy brain What aim'st thou at and whither tends thy Care In what thy utmost Good Delicious Fare And then to Sun thy self in open air Hold hold are all thy empty Wishes such A good old Woman wou'd have said as much But thou art nobly born 't is true go boast Thy Pedigree the thing thou valu'st most Besides thou art a Beau What 's that my Child A Fop well drest extravagant and wild She that cries Herbs has less impertinence And in her Calling more of common sense None none descends into himself to find The secret Imperfections of his Mind But ev'ry one is Eagle-ey'd to see Another's Faults and his Deformity Say dost thou know Vectidius Who the Wretch Whose Lands beyond the Sabines largely stretch Cover the Country that a sailing Kite Can scarce o'reflye 'em in a day and night Him do'st thou mean who spight of all his store Is ever Craving and will still be Poor Who cheats for Half-pence and who doffs his Coat To save a Farthing in a Ferry-Boat Ever a Glutton at another's Cost But in whose Kithin dwells perpetual Frost Who eats and drinks with his Domestick Slaves A verier Hind than any of his Knaves Born with the Curse and Anger of the Gods And
11 He means one of the Salii or Priests of Mars who carry'd his Shield and Implements and was Brawny enough to Dance under them at his Festival Câ—elestia Martis Arma ferunt Salii Ov. Fast. 3. 12 Mars Father of Romulus who Founded Rome 13 Emrods call'd in Latin Ficuâ— 1 CVmae a small City in Campania near Puteoli or Puzzolo as it is call'd The Habitation of the Câ—maean Sybil. 2 Another little Town in Campanio near the Sea A pleasant Place 3 A small Barren Island belonging to the Kingdom of Naples 4 The Poets in Iuvenal's time us'd to rehearse their Poetry in August 5 The second King of Rome who made their Laws and instituted their Religion 6 Nymph Aegeria a Nymph or Goddess with whom Numa feign'd to converse by Night and to be instructed by her in modeling his Superstitions 7 Where Daedalus c. Meaning at Câ—mâ—e 8 Lacheâ—is one of the three Destiâ—ies whose Office was to spin the Life of every Man as it was of Clotho to hold the Distaff and Atropos to cut the Thread 9 Any debauch'd wicked Fellow who gains by the times 10 With Thumbs benâ— backward In a Prize of Sword-Players when one of the Fencers had the other at his Mercy the Vanquish'd Party implor'd the Clemency of the Spectators If they thought he deserv'd it not they held up their Thumbs and bent them backwards in sign of Death 11 Praetor in Sicily Contemporary with Cicero by whom accus'd of oppressing the Province he was Condemn'd His Name is uâ—'d here for any Rich Vicious Man 12 Taguâ— a Famous River in Spain which discharges it self into the Ocean near Lisbone in Portugal It was held of old to be full of Golden Sands 13 Orontes the greatest River of Syria The Pâ—et here puts the River for the Inhabitans of Syria 14 Tyber the River which runs by Româ— 15 First King of Rome Son of Mars as the Poets feign the first Romans were Originally Herdsmen 16 But in that Town c. He means Athens of which Pallas the Goddess of Arms and Arts was Patroness 17 Antiochus and Stratocles two Famous Grecian Mimicks or Actors in the Poet's time 18 A Rigid Stoick c. Pâ—blius Egnatius a Stoick falsly accus'd Bareas Soranus as Tacitus tells us 19 Diphilus and Protogenes c. Were Grecians living in Rome 20 Or him who â—ad c. Lucius Metellus the High Priest who when the Temple of Vesta was on Fire sav'd the Palladium 21 For by the Roscian Law c. Roscius a Tribune who order'd the distinction of Places in Publick Shows betwixt the Noblemen of Rome and the Plebeians 22 Where none but only dead Men c. The meaning is that Men in some parts of Italy never wore a Gown the usual Habit of the Romans till they were bury'd in one 23 Cossus is here taken for any great Man 24 Where the tame Pidgeons c. The Romans us'd to breed their â—ame Pidgeons in their Garrets 25 Codrus a Learned Man very poor by his Books suppos'd to be a Poet. For in all probability the Heroick Verses here mention'd which Rats and Mice devour'd were Homer's Works 26 He means Herbs Roots Fruits and Sallads 27 Gygantick Corbulo Corbulo was a Famous General in Nero's time who Conquerd Armenia and was afterwards put to Death by that Tyrant when he was in Greece in reward of his great Services His Stature was not only tall above the ordinary Size but he was also proportionably strong 28 Tâ—e Ferry-Man's c. Charon the Ferry-Man of Hell whose Fare was a Half-penny for every Soul 29 The Friend of Achilles was Patroclus who was slain by Hector 30 Beneath the Kings c. Rome was Originally Rul'd by Kings till for the Rape of Lucretia Tarquin the proud was expell'd After which it was Govern'd by two Consuls Yearly chosen but they oppressing the People the Commoners Mutiny'd and procur'd Tribunes to be Created who defended their Priviledges and often oppos'd the Consu ar Authority and the Senate 31 Aquinum was the Birth-place of Iuvenal 1 IF Laws their course c. Ought to descend c. Crispinus had deflour'd a Vestal Virgin but by his Favour with Domitian she escap'd the Punishment due to her Offence which was to be bury'd alive by Numa's Law as may be seen in Livy l. 1. and is more particularly describ'd in Plutarch's Life of Numa 2 Six thousand of the Roman Sestertii which makes six Sestertia according to our Account 46 l. 17 s. 6 d. 3 Apicius A Man for Gluttony and Prodigality famous even to a Proverb who having spent most of his vast Estate upon his Gut for fear of want poison'd himself Senec. 4 Part of Italy near the Adriatick Gulf where Land it seems was very cheap either for the barrenness and cragged heighth of the Mountains or for the unwholsomness of the Air and the Wind Atabulus Horac Lib. 1. Sat. 5. Montes Apulia notos quos torret Atabulus quos Nunquam erepsemus c. 5 The Emperor Domitian 6 The Flavian Race decay'd Domitian was the last and worst of the Flavian Family which tho at first obscure yet had produc'd great and good Men. Reipublica nequaquam paenitenda says Sueton. 9. For of this Family were Vespasian and Titus 7 Domitian who could not so much as bear with Patience the mention of baldness tho in Jest only and objected to another as Suetonius in his Life tells us And who for his Cruelty is here call'd a second Nero. 8 The Emperor Domitian call'd so either from his Instituting the Colledge of the Alban Priests of whom he was as it were Chief or for taking upon him the Office of Pontifex Maximus in the Condemnation of the Vestal Virgin Cornetia or more generally because often the Emperors assum'd both the Title and Office of High Priest 9 Palphurius and Armillatus Both Men of Consular Degree Lawyers and Spies and Informers and so Favourites of Domitian 10 What remains of Alba c. Alba longa built by Ascanius about fifteen Miles from Rome was destroy'd after by Tullus Hostilius the Temples only excepted Liv. l. 1. The Albans upon this their Misfortunes neglecting their Worship were by sundry Prodigies commanded to restore their Ancient Rites the chief of which was the keeping perpetually burning the Vestal Fire which was brought thither by Aenaeas and his Trojans as a fatal Pledge of the perpetuity of the Roman Empire 11 There was a more stately Temple erected to Vesta at Rome by Numa than this of Alba where the same Ceremonies were us'd 12 The Senate always so call'd Patres Conscripti 13 Some say that of the People of this Country which is a part of Illyricum the Romans made their Cryers because of their lowd Voyces Others take Liburnus for the proper Name of one Man Liburnus that the Senate call'd 14 A Citizen of Alba a very Learned Lawyer and Praefect or Chief Magistrate of Rome He calls
whereby Parâ—icides were Condemn'd to be sow'd up in a Bag call'd Culeâ—s with a Cock a Monkey a Serpent and a Dog and thrown together into the Sea or any Neighbouring River This Punishment of drowning in a Sack is still us'd in several Parts of Germany but without the Company of those Creatures abovemention'd 28 The Story of Orestes betwixt whom and Nero Iuvenal wou'd draw a Parallell is this his Mother Clytemnestra finding her Husband Agamemnon was return'd alive from the Siege of Troy and fearing he might Revenge her Amours with Egystheus with whom she had lived in Adultery during her Husband's absence she thought the safest way might be to Assassinate Agamemnon by the help of Egystheus at his first Reception and before he cou'd suspect such an attempt The manner how they dispatch'd him is reported differently Some Authâ—rs relate that as he was changing his Linnen he was stifled in a Shirt â—owâ—d together at the Neck But Homer in the 4th and 11th Books of his Odyssea where he describes this Murder is of Iuvenal's Opinion that he was kill'd at a Banquet when he little expected such Treatment Egystheus after this Murder Married Clytemnestra and Usurp'd the Kingdom of Mycena 7 Years During which time Orestes grew up to Man's Estate and by the instigation of his Sister Electra and the Assistance of some Neighbouring Princes march'd from Athens Destroy'd and Murther'd the Usurper and at last under pretence of being Mad stab'd his Mother Homer as well as our Author justifies this Revenge as being undertaken by the Advice of the Gods And Paterculus infers they must needs have approved the Action since Orestes after it lived long and Reigned Happily 29 Nero cou'd not suffer his Mother Agrippina because of her encroaching on his Government for which Reason he made frequent Attempts upon her Life but without success till at last Anicetus his Bondman undertook to stab her which she perceiving and guessing by whose Orders he came clapt her hand upon her Belly and bid him with great presence of Mind strike there supposing it deserv'd that Punishment for bearing such a Monster 31 Britannicus his Brother by Adoption was Poison'd by his Orders out of jealousie lest he shou'd supplant him And Antonia Claudius's Daughter was Executed under pretence of a Conspiracy but in truth because she refused to Marry Nero after the Death of Poppaea 30 He ordered his first Wife Octavia to be publickly Executed upon a false Accusation of Adultery and kill'd his second Wife Poppaea when she was big with Child by a kick on the Belly 32 He caus'd Rufinus Crispinus Son to Poppaea to be Drown'd as he was Fishing and Aulus Plancus a Relation of his Mothers to be kill'd because she was fond of him I need mention no more of these unnatural Murders but go on to his other Extravagancies 33 He was Industrious to be esteem'd the best Musitian of his Age and at his Death regretted nothing more sensibly than that the World shou'd lose so great a Master To maintain this Reputation he frequently condescended to Act and Sing upon the Theater among the ordinary Comedians and took a journey to Greece on purpose to try his skill against the most Famous Artists of that Country from whom he bore away the Garland which was the usual Recompence of the first performer return'd to Rome in Triumph as if he had Conquer'd a Province and order'd both the Garland and Instrument to be hung up among the Banners and Honours of his Family 34 He had likewise a great Vanity towards being thought a good Poet and made Verses on the Destruction of Troy call'd Troica and 't is reported he burnt Rome to be more lively and natural in his Description Tho 't is more probable he destroy'd the Old-Fashion'd Buildings out of dislike to the narrowness and crookedness of the Streets and to have the Honour of rebuilding the City better and calling it by his own Name 35 These monstrous Frolicks and Cruelties cou'd not but make his People weary of his Government Virginius Rufus who was his Lieutenant General in Gaule by the Assistance of Iunius Vindex a Nobleman of that Country soon perswaded the Armies under his Command to fall from their Allegiance and sollicited Sergius Galba who was Lieutenant General in Spain to do the like by offering him the Empire in favour of Mankind which he at last accepted upon intimation that Nero had issued out secret Orders to dispatch him and March'd with all the Forces he cou'd gather towards Rome Nero not being in a Condition to oppose such Troops fell into Dispair which turn'd to an uncertainty what Measures to take whether to Poyson himself or beg Pardon of the People or endeavour to make his Escape The last of these Methods seem'd most Adviseable he therefore put himself into Disguise and crept with four Attendants only into a poor Cottage where perceiving he was pursued as a Sacrifice to the Publick Vengeance and apprehending the Rabble wou'd Treat him Barbarously if he fell into their Hands with much adoe he resolv'd to Stab himself 33 He was Industrious to be esteem'd the best Musitian of his Age and at his Death regretted nothing more sensibly than that the World shou'd lose so great a Master To maintain this Reputation he frequently condescended to Act and Sing upon the Theater among the ordinary Comedians and took a journey to Greece on purpose to try his skill against the most Famous Artists of that Country from whom he bore away the Garland which was the usual Recompence of the first performer return'd to Rome in Triumph as if he had Conquer'd a Province and order'd both the Garland and Instrument to be hung up among the Banners and Honours of his Family 33 He was Industrious to be esteem'd the best Musitian of his Age and at his Death regretted nothing more sensibly than that the World shou'd lose so great a Master To maintain this Reputation he frequently condescended to Act and Sing upon the Theater among the ordinary Comedians and took a journey to Greece on purpose to try his skill against the most Famous Artists of that Country from whom he bore away the Garland which was the usual Recompence of the first performer return'd to Rome in Triumph as if he had Conquer'd a Province and order'd both the Garland and Instrument to be hung up among the Banners and Honours of his Family 36 Catiline's Conspiracy is a Story too well known to be insisted on He was of a Noble Family but by his Extravagancies had reduced himself to great want which engaged him in bad Practices The Roman Armies were then pursuing Conquests in remote Provinces which Catiline judg'd the most seasonable opportunity for undertaking some desperate Design He therefore entred into a Conspiracy with Cethegus Lentulus and other Senators and Persons considerable by their Births and Employments to make themselves absolute Masters of their Country by seizing the Senate plundering the
Trunk of it and he was devour'd by Wild Beasts 2 Sejanus was Tiberius's first Favourite and while he continu'd so had the highest Marks of Honour bestow'd on him Statues and Triumâ— phal Chariots were every where erected to him But as soon as he fell into Disgrace with the Emperor these were all immediately dismounted and the Senate and Common People insulted over him as meanly as they had sawn'd on him before 3 The Island of Capreae which lies about a League out at Sea from the Campanian Shore was the Scene of Tiberius's Pleasures in the latter part of his Reign There he liv'd for some Years with Diviners Soothsayers and worse Company And from thence dispatch'd all his Orders to the Senate 4 Iulius Caesar who got the better of Pâ—mpey that was stil'd the Great 5 Demosthenes and Tully both dyed for their Oratory Demosthenes gave himself Poyson to avoid being carried to Antipater one of Alexander's Captains who had then made himself Master of Athens Tully was Murther'd by M. Antony's Order in Return for those Invectives he had made against him 6 The Latin of this Couplet is a Famous Verse of Tully's in which he sets out the Happiness of his own Consulship Famous for the Vanity and the ill Poetry of it For Tully as he had a good deal of the one so he had no great share of the other 7 The Orations of Tully against M. Aâ—â—ony were stil'd by him Philippics in imitation of Demosthenes who had given that Name before to those he made against Philip of Macedon 8 This is a Mock-Account of a Roman Triumph 9 Babylon where Alexander dy'd 10 Xerxes is represented in History after a very Romantick Manner affecting Fame beyond Measure and doing the most Extravagant things to compass it Mount Athos made a Prodigious Promontory in the AEgaean Sea He is said to have cut a Channel through it and to have Sail'd round it He made a Bridge of Boats over the Hellespont where it was three Miles broad â—And order'd a Whipping for the Winds and Seas because they had once crossed his Designs as we have a very solemn account of it in Herodotus But after all these vain Boasts he was shamefully beaten by Themistocles at Salamis and return'd home leaving most of his Fleet behind him 11 Mercury who was a God of the lowest size and employ'd always in Errands between Heaven and Hell And Mortals us'd him accordingly For his Statues were anciently plac'd where Roads met with Directions on the Fingers of 'em pointing out the several ways to Travellers 12 Nestor King of Pylus who was 300 Years old according to Homer's account at least as he is understood by his Expositors 13 The Ancients counted by their Fingers Their Left Hands serv'd 'em till they came up to an Hundred After that they us'd their Right to express all greater Numbers 14 The Fates were three Sisters which had all some peculiar Business assign'd 'em by the Poets in Relation to the Lives of Men. The First held the Distaff the Second Spun the Thread and the Third cut it 15 Whilst Troy was Sacking by the Greeks Old King Priam is said to have Buckled on his Armour to oppose ' em Which he had no sooner done but he was met by Pyrrhus and Slain before the Altar of Iupiter in his own Palace as we have the Story finely told in Virgil's 2d AEneid 16 Hecuba his Queen escap'd the Swords of the Grecians and out-liv'd him It seems she behav'd her self so fiercely and uneasily to her Husband's Murtherers while she liv'd that the the Poets thought fit to turn her into a Bitch when she dy'd 17 Mithridates after he had disputed the Empire of the World for 40 Years together with the Romans was at last depriv'd of Life and Empire by Pompey the Great 18 Craesus in the midst of his Prosperity making his Boast to Sâ—lâ—n how Happy he was receiv'd this Answer from the Wiâ—e Man That on One could pronounce himself Happy till he saw what his End should beâ—â— Thâ—â— truth of this Craesus found when he was put in Chains by Cyrus and Condemned to die 19 Pompey in the midst of his Glory fell into a Dangerous Fit of Sickness at Naples A great many Cities then made Publick Supplicatâ—ons for him He Recover'd â— was beaten at Pharsalia fled to Ptolomy King of AEgypt and instead of receiving Protection at his Court had his Head â—truck off by his Order to please Caesar. 20 Cethegus was one that conspir'd with Catiline and was put to Death by the Senate 21 Catiline dy'd Fighting 22 Virginia was kill'd by her own Father to prevent her being expos'd to the Lust of Appius Claudius who had Ill Designs upon her The Story at large is in Livy's Third Book and 't is a remarkable one as it gave occasion to the putting down the Power of the Decemviri of whom Appius was one 23 Hippolytus the Son of Theseus was lov'd by his Mother in Law â—haedria But he not complying with her she procur'd his Death 24 Bellerophon the Son of King Glaucus residing sometime at the Court of Paetus King of the Argives the Queen Sthenobaea fell in Love with him But he refusing her she turn'd the Accusation upon Him and he narrowly scap'd Paetus's Vengeance 25 Messalina Wife to the Emperor Claudius Infamous for her Lewdness She set her Eyes upon C. Sâ—lius a fine Youth forc'd him to quit his own Wife and Marry her with all the Formalities of a Wedding whilst Claudius Caesar was Sacrificing at Hostia Upon his Return he put both Silius and her to Death 1 The Name of a very Eminent Person in Rome But here it is meant to signifie any one of Great Wealth and Quality 2 One who by his own Extravagant Gluttony was at length reduc'd to the most shameful Degree of Poverty This likewise is here made use of as a Common Name to all Beggarly Gluttons such whose unreasonable Appetites remain after their Estates are Consumed 3 Sometimes Persons were compell'd by the Tyranny of Nero to Practice the Trade of Fencing and to Fight upon the Stage for his Inhumane Diversion otherwise seldom any but Common Slaves or Condemn'd Malefactors were so employ'd Which made it the greater Reflection on any Person who either Voluntarily or forced by his own Extravagance for a Livelyhood like Rutilus apply'd himself to that wretched Trade Restrain'd by no Advice Hinting that though he was not compell'd to such a Practice of Fencing yet it was a shame that he was suffer'd to undertake it and not advised or commanded by the Magistracy to the contrary 4 Of the same wretched kind viz. Reduced to Poverty by riotous living 5 Broken or desaced that it might not be discover'd to be his Mother's Picture when expos'd to Sale 6 A Noble Roman who liv'd Hospitably 7 An Impudent Deformed Ill-Tongu'd Fellow as Homer describes him Iliad 2. who accompany'd the Grecian Army to the Siege