Quis humana sibi doleat natura negatis. Quos tibi dat retinere velis servareque amicos, ἐάν τε ὑπὸ πατρὸς ἐάν τε ὑπὸ ἀδελpoû èáv Te út' ¿λλov tivòs Bouλnται τιμᾶσθαι, μὴ, τῷ οἰκεῖος εἶναι πιστεύων, ἀμελῇ, ἀλλὰ πειρᾶται, ὑφ ̓ ὧν ἂν βούληται τιμᾶσθαι, τού τοις ὠφέλιμος εἶναι. There is good authority for the reading adopted by Gesner: An si... ? ‘Would you be losing your labour if you endeavoured to retain (by meriting it) the love of your kindred? Is that a hopeless task?' 92. Denique sit finis. • In fine, let a definite limit be set to your pursuit of wealth.' Observe how this verse connects itself with vv. 106-7.: 'Such a limit is a principle in nature, and the neglect of it is inconsistent with rectitude.' quærendi, amassing, making money;' as in Epist. 1. vii. 57. cumque. Al. quoque, against the MSS. Pauperiem metuas minus et finire laborem Quid mi igitur suades? Ut vivam Mænius? aut sic, Turbæ comparet, hunc atque hunc superare laboret. cumque habeas plus, since you have more than before;' as parto quod avebas, 'having obtained your original desire,' i. e. a competency. 95. dives. sc. ita dives. 100. fortissima Tyndaridarum. i.e. 'like a Clytemnestra.' 101. Mænius. Epist. 1. xv. 26. Nævius is the reading of more MSS. Of him, see Sat. 11. ii. 68. 102. L. Cassius Nomentanus, proverbial with Horace for his extravagance. Sat. I. viii. 11., 11. i. 22. 104. vappam ac nebulonem. The same terms are used Sat. 1. ii. 12., as the opposite of avarus. vappa was properly wine, or rather vinegar, which had lost all its acid and taste. nebulo is from nebula, mist, cloud. They describe, therefore, a wasteful worthless character. 95 100 105 110 105. This is said by the Scholiast to be a Greek proverb. 108. I come back to my first point, viz., that men in their covetousness are never contented.' nemo ut, i.e. ut nemo: "pro accus. cum infinitivo, ut Sat. 1. iii. 115.”– Orelli. The construction is apparently repeated from his first sentence (v. 1.): fit, ut nemo contentus vivat. nemon' ut... ? is the reading of many MSS. and Edd., but has all the appearance of being a mere correction (such as may be compared with the conjectural nominatis in Carm. III. xiv. 11.), and the interrogative construction is out of place in a summary of reasonings. 110. Cp. Ov. A. A. i. 350.: Vicinumque pecus grandius uber habet. Sic festinanti semper locupletior obstat, Ut cum carceribus missos rapit ungula currus, 115 120 SATIRA II. AMBUBAIARUM collegia, pharmacopolæ, 114. Ut cum carceribus. Cp. Virg. Geor. i. 512. The carceres were the inclosed vaults or stalls in which chariots and horses were ranged for starting in the race. See art. CIRCUS in the Dict. of Antiqq. They (or their doors) are called "spatiis obstantia claustra " in Epist. 1. xiv. 9. 119. Lucret. iii. 951., and 970973. (So Epist. II. ii. 214.) 120. Crispini, a butt for Horace's satire, apparently a Stoic. Sat. 1. iii. 138. scrinia, writing desk or case.' Ep. II. i. 113. Spenser has the word scryne," derived from it. 66 SAT. II. 5 Omnia conductis coëmens obsonia nummis ; Si quis nunc quærat: Quo res hæc pertinet? illuc : 14. Quinas capiti mercedes ex-] secat. A description of excessive usury. Caput, the principal;' merces, the interest. The old rate of interest established by the XII. Tables was a yearly one, unciarium fenusth of the sum borrowed, or 8 per cent. But in later times interest was paid every month, and in calculating it the rate was expressed by the as and its divisions. Thus, asses usuræ signified 12 per cent., being 1 as per month. deunces usura 11 per cent. unciæ usura (uncia being the 12th of an as) signified 1 per cent. Instead of asses usuræ, the phrase centesimæ us. was often used, because at this rate in a 100 months a sum equal to the principal was paid up. And thus binæ centes. us. was 24 per cent.; and in this passage quinas is equivalent to 19 15 20 25 quinas centesimas, or 60 per cent. 16. Nomina. i.e. bonds or bills. 18. At in se... 'But of course he spends liberally in proportion... Not so,' etc. 20. Terentî fabula. The Heautontimorumenos. Cp. act. III. sc. i. 31. with v. 24., dum vitant, etc. 25. Maltinus. The Scholiast supposes Maecenas to be alluded to under this substituted name; on which, see Milman's Life, pp. 39, 40. tunicis demissis. Orelli quotes Plaut. Poen. v. v. 24. : Sane genus hoc muliebrosum est tunicis demissiciis. These long flowing robes, worn as a protection against cold, were a mark of effeminacy. They might also be a mark of slovenliness. (Cp. Sat. 1. iii. 31.) 26. facetus, neat, trimly dressed,' or thinking himself so, Pastillos Rufillus olet, Gargonius hircum. Nil medium est. Sunt qui nolint tetigisse nisi illas, Contra alius nullam nisi olenti in fornice stantem. 27. Repeated Sat. 1. iv. 92. 39. Cp. Epist. 1. ii. 55. 53. hoc se amplectitur uno, 'in this he hugs himself; this is his boast.' |