Chapter XXII: Book II: Argument

On the subject of this book the commentators differ: some supposing
that it was directed against luxury and effeminacy. But the
avarice and licentiousness of the times form a considerable
portion of the writings of Lucilius, and there are very few of
his Satires in which these are not incidentally glanced at.
From the sixth Fragment, which after all is a very obscure one,
Ellendt supposed it was written to expose Æmilius Scaurus. Corpet
maintains that it contained the description of a sanguinary
brawl, in which many persons were engaged; that one person
was taken up for dead, his house purified (Fr. 22), and all
preparations made for his funeral, when some one saw another
lying in his bier. Fr. 1. It is quite clear that Fr. 14, 24,
and perhaps 2, refer to luxury; if by Manlius, in the second
Fragment, is intended Cn. Manlius Vulso. (Vid. note.)

1 ... whom, when Hortensius and Posthumius had seen, the rest,
too, saw that he was not on his bier, and that another was
lying there.

2 Hostilius ... against the plague and ruin which that halting
Manlius, too, «introduced among» us.[1615]

3 ... which were all removed in two hours, when the sun set, and
was enveloped in darkness.[1616]

4 ... that he, having been ill-treated, attacked the other's
jaws, and beat the breath out of him.

5 Now for the name: next I will tell you what I have got out of
the witnesses, by questioning.[1617]

6 ... which I charm and wrest and elicit from Æmilius.[1618]

7 I say not. Even though he conquer, let him go like a vagabond
into exile, and roam an outlaw.[1619]

8 The prætor is now your friend; but if Gentilis die this year,
he will be mine--[1620]

9 ... if he has left on his posteriors the mark of a thick and
large-headed snake.[1621]

10 Of a rough-actioned, sorry, slow-paced jade--[1622]

11 ... that unclean, shameless, plundering fellow.[1623]

12 Sleeved tunics of gold tissue, scarfs, drawers, turbans.[1624]

13 What say you? Why was it done? What is that guess of yours?

14 ... who may now ruin you, Nomentanus, you rascal, in every
thing else!

15 So surrounded was I with all the cakes.[1625]

16 ... to penetrate the hairy purse.[1626]

17 ... for a man scarce alive and a mere shadow.[1627]

18 ... as skilled in law.

19 ... he would lead these herds--

20 ... for what need has he of the amulet and image attached to
him, in order to devour fat bacon and make rich dishes by
stealth.[1628]

21 ... her that shows light by night.[1629]

22 ... purified--expiated--

23 ... a journey from the lowermost (river) to be told, and heard.

24 Long life to you, gluttons, gormandizers, belly-gods.[1630]

25 ... him that wanders through inhospitable wastes there
accompanies the greater satisfaction of things conceived in his
mind.[1631]

FOOTNOTES:

[1615] There are two persons of the name of Hostilius mentioned by Livy, as contemporary with Cn. Manlius Vulso. Hostilius is Gerlach's reading for the old _hostilibus_. Cn. Manlius got the nickname of Vulso from _vellendo_, plucking out superfluous hairs to make his body more delicate. (Plin., xiv., 20. Juv., viii., 114; ix., 14. Pers., iv., 36.) He was consul B.C. 189, and marched into Gallo-Græcia, and for his conquests was allowed a triumph, B.C. 186. Livy enters into great detail in describing all the various luxuries which he introduced into Rome, such as sofas, tables, sideboards, rich and costly vestments and hangings, foreign musicians, etc. Liv., xxxix., 6. Plin., H. N., xxxiv., 3, 8. Cf. Bekker's Gallus, p. 294. Catax (quasi cadax a cadendo) is explained by coxo, "one lame of the hip." There is probably an allusion to his effeminacy. Corpet considers Manlius Verna to be intended, who had the sobriquet of Pantolabus, i. e., "grasp-all."

[1616] Leg. _obducto tenebris_. Dusa's conjecture, adopted by Gerlach.

[1617] _Exsculpo._ So Fr. incert. 49, "Esurienti Leoni ex ore _exsculpere_ prædam." Ter., Eun., IV., iv., 44, "Possumne hodie ego ex to _exsculpere_ verum."

[1618] All the commentators agree that no sense can be elicited from this line. Ellendt (vid. sup.) supposes Æmilius Scaurus to be meant; others, Æmilius the præco, by whom Scipio, when candidate for the censorship, was conducted to the forum, for which he was ridiculed by Appius Claudius. _Præcantare_ is applied to singing magic hymns and incantations by the bed of one sick, to charm away the disease. Cf. Tibull., I., v. 12, "Carmine cum magico præcinuisset anus." Macrob., Somn. Scip., II., iii. _Excantare_ is "to elicit by incantation." Vid. Lucan, vi., 685, "Excantare deos."

[1619] Corpet says, this obviously refers to Scipio Africanus major. But, as Gerlach says, it may apply equally well to Scipio Nasica, or Opimius, who killed the Gracchi; perhaps even better to the latter than to Scipio Africanus, who went _voluntarily_ into exile.

[1620] Cf. Ter., Andr., V., vi., 12, "_Tuus est_ nunc Chremes." Gerlach's reading and punctuation are followed. _Gentilis_ is a proper name, on the authority of Appuleius.

[1621] _Natrix_, properly "a venomous water-serpent." Cic., Acad., iv., 38. Hence applied by Tiberius to Caligula. (Suet., Calig., xi.) It means here a thong or whip (scutica), which twists about and stings like a snake. So Anguilla, Isidor., Orig., v. 27.

[1622] _Succussatoris._ Gr. ὑποσειστής, "one that shakes the rider in his seat." _Caballi._ Vid. Pers., Prol. i., 1.

[1623] _Impuratus._ Ter., Phorm., IV., iii., 64. _Impuno_, "one who dares all, through hope of impunity." _Rapister_ is formed like magister, sequester, etc.

[1624] Cf. Bähr ad Herod., vii., 61 (which seems to confirm the conjecture, χειροδύται), and the quotation from Virgil below. Herod., vi., 72. Schneider's note on Xen., Hell., II., i., 8. _Rica_ is a covering for the head, such as priestesses used to wear at sacrifices, generally of purple, square, with a border or fringe; cf. Varro, L. L., iv., 29; but worn sometimes by men, as Euclides of Megara used one. A. Gell., vi., 10.

_Thoracia._ Properly "a covering for the breast," then "an apron" (Juv., v., 143, "viridem thoraca jubebit afferri"), then "a covering for the abdomen or thigh," like the fasciæ. Cf. Suet., Aug., 82, "Hieme quaternis cum pingui togâ tunicis et subuculâ _thorace_ laneo et feminalibus et tibialibus muniebatur."

_Mitra_ was a high-peaked cap, worn by courtesans and effeminate men. Vid. Juv., iii., 66, "Ite quibus grata est pictâ lupa barbara mitrâ." Virg., Æn., ix., 616, "Et _tunicæ manicas_ et habent redimicula mitræ." iv., 216. Ov., Met., xiv., 654.

[1625] _Ferta._ Rich cakes, made of flour, wine, honey, etc., which formed part of the usual offerings. Cf. Pers., ii., 48, "Attamen hic extis et opimo vincere ferto intendit."

[1626] _Bulga_ is properly "a traveling bag of leather, carried on the arm." See the amusing Fragment, lib. vi., 1. Hence its obvious translation to the meaning in lib. xxvi., Fr. 36, and here.

[1627] _Monogrammo._ A metaphor from painting, "drawn only in outline." Used here for a very thin emaciated person. (Cf. lib. xxvii., 17.) Epicurus applied this epithet to the gods (Cic., Nat. Deor., ii., 23), as being "tenues sine corpore vitæ." Virg., vi., 292. Cf. Pers., vi., 73, "trama figuræ."

[1628] _Mutinus_, or _Mutunus_, is the same deity as Priapus. The form is cognate with Muto. He appears to have been also called Mutinus Tutinus, or Tutunus. The emblem was worn as a charm or phylactery against fascination, and hung round children's necks. Cf. Lactant., i., 20. August., Civ. D., iv., 7.

_Lurcor_ is "to swallow greedily." _Lardum._ Cf. Juv., xi., 84, "Natalitium lardum."

_Carnaria_ is probably the neuter plural of the adjective. Carnarius homo, is one who delights in flesh. Carnarium is either "an iron rack with hooks for hanging meat upon," or "a larder where provisions are kept."

[1629] _Noctilucam._ An epithet of the moon. Hor., iv., Od. vi., 38, "Rite crescentem face Noctilucam." (Cf. Var., L. L., v., 68, "Luna dicta Noctiluca in Palatio, nam ibi _noctu lucet_ templum.") Hence used for a lantern, and then for a "minion of the moon," a strumpet, because they suspended lights over their doors or cells. (Juv., vi., 122. Hor., ii., Sat. vii., 48.) This last appears from Festus to be the sense intended here.

[1630] _Lurco_ is derived by some from λαῦρος, "voracious;" but by Festus from _Lura_, an old word for "the belly." Cf. Plaut., Pers., III., iii., 16, "Lurco, edax, furax, fugax." Lurco was the cognomen of M. Aufidius, who first introduced the art of fattening peacocks, by which he made a large fortune. Varro, R. R., iii., 6. Plin., x., 20, 23.

[1631] _Inhospita tesqua._ Horace has copied this sentiment in his epistle to his Villicus, "Nam quæ deserta et inhospita tesqua credis, amæna vocat mecum qui sentit." i., Ep. xiv., 19. Tesqua is derived from δάσκιος, "very wooded." (Lucan, vi., 41, "nemorosa tesca.") Varro says _tesca_ are "places inclosed and set apart as _templa_ for the purposes of augury." L. L., vi., 2.