Metre: Dactylic Hexameter, B. 368; A. & G. 615.
1. 1 ff. Praeneste, Volsiniis, Gabiis, Tiburis: country towns at a moderate distance from Rome. ruinam: 'The spontaneous collapse of the tenement houses was such a common occurrence that nobody paid attention to it, though it is an event that would fill our newspapers with a thrilling subject for days….There were companies formed for the purpose of propping…houses.'—Lanciani, Ruins and Excavations of Ancient Rome, Conclusion, p. 563. The entire chapter should be read in connection with this selection. 3. proni: i.e. on a hillside. 4. urbem: i.e. Rome. tibicine: prop. 5. labentibus: the falling walls. 6. vilicus: the owner's agent. 8. incendia: fires were common at Rome. Especially memorable were the great conflagrations in the reigns of Nero, Titus, and Commodus. The Temple of Vesta was almost or entirely destroyed five times by fire. 10. Ucalegon: your neighbor on the next floor below; called Ucalegon because iam proximits ardet, Vergil, Aeneid, 2. 311. tabulata tertia: the third or attic story where you live. 11. trepidatur: the cry of 'Fire!' is raised. 13. ultimus ardebit: and likewise will get the alarm last. 14. Codro: any poor man in this situation. Procula minor: too short for Tom Thumb. Procula was probably a dwarf. urceoli: displayed on the sideboard, or abacus, beneath which was a reclining statuette of the Centaur Chiron. 17. Iam: modifies vetus. 18. divina carmina: the Greek books just mentioned. opici: a name given by the Greek colonists of southern Italy to the native races. Since these were of inferior refinement, the word came to mean barbarian. It is applied to the mice since they destroy the manuscripts. 20, 21. ultimus cumulus: the last straw. 21. frusta: a mouthful of food. 23. Asturici: type of a rich man. 24. differt vadimonia: puts off the time at which the defendant had given security (vadimonium) to appear. 26. Ardet: impersonal. 28. Euphranoris: a Greek sculptor of the fourth century B.C. Polycliti: a Greek sculptor of the fifth century B.C. He made a famous gold and ivory statue of Hera. 29. ornamenta deorum: stolen from some temple. Roman conquerors and governors (like Napoleon in modern times) freely robbed subject countries of works of art. 30. forulos mediamque Minervam: bookcases and a Minerva among them. A 'bust of Pallas,' the goddess of wisdom, is appropriate to a library. 32. Persicus: the same person as Asturicus. The name is given because of the reputed wealth of the Orient. So our expression 'nabob' originally meant a viceroy in India. Cf. Milton, Paradise Lost, 2. 3-4:
where the gorgeous East, with richest hand, Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold.
orborum lautissimus: richest of childless men. It is on this account that all assist him, hoping eventually to receive a legacy. Asturicus understands their motive; hence Juvenal's humorous suspicion.
34 ff. avelli: middle. circensibus: the games consisted of many kinds of entertainment, especially chariot racing. As with the opera to-day for lovers of music, these games formed one of the chief attractions of life in a great city. Sorae, Fabrateriae, Frusinone: these are country towns of Latium. 36. tenebras: a dark hole. 37. brevis: shallow. 40. Pythagoreis: Pythagoras, believing that the human soul might pass into one of the lower animals after death, forbade animal food to his disciples. 42. unius dominum lacertae: i.e. of the small area which would be necessary to furnish food to one lizard.
43. Plurimus aeger: many sick men. aeger, though singular, is used for a plural with the adjective of plural signification. vigilando: the final o is short. 44. inperfeptus: undigested. 45. ardenti: inflamed. meritoria: lodgings. 46. Magnis opibus: ablative of price. Martial says, 12. 57. 4, 'There is no place in Rome for a poor man to sleep.' Wagons were not allowed under ordinary circumstances to pass through the streets till the late afternoon, so that the heavy teaming was at night. 47. arto: the medium width of the principal living streets of Rome was only from 16 to 20 feet. 48. stantis oonvicia mandrae: the mingled noises of the penned-up herd, i.e. the abuse of the drivers and the lowing of the animals. 49. Druso: probably the Emperor Claudius, who was lethargic. vitulis marinis: Pliny says, Natural History, 9. 42, that no animal sleeps more soundly than the seal. 50. officium: e.g. the duty of attendance on his patron. 53. clausa fenestra: effected in some instances by drawing the curtains, in others by closing the windows of mica. 55. unda prior: the human tide, or surging crowd in front. 56. assere: the chances were that this would be the pole of a litter, as that of the rich man just mentioned. 59. clavus militis: the soldier's boot was studded with hobnails. 60. quanto celebretur sportula fumo: in the midst of how great a smoke they throng after the sportula. The sportula is in this instance the food given by the patron to the client in return for his attendance. 61. convivae: the clients. culina: a portable kitchen to keep the food warm. 62. Corbulo: type of a strongman; as we might say 'a Samson.' Tacitus, Annales, 13. 8, describes a Roman general of this name as ingens corpore. 65. longa ff.: a long fir tree sways to and fro as its trucks come on. A similar picture of the crowded city streets is found in Horace, Epistulae, 2. 2. 70. 68. procubuit: once falls over. saxa Ligustica: the marble from Luna on the border between Etruria and Liguria. The Romans knew hundreds of varieties of marble and used them in vast quantities. 'As Tibullus says, the streets of the city were always obstructed by carts laden with transmarine columns and blocks,—columns measuring sometimes 1.97 metres in diameter and 17.66 metres in length, like those of Trajan's temple; or blocks weighing sometimes 27 tons.'—Lanciani, Ruins and Excavations of Ancient Rome, p. 524. 71. Obtritum perit more animae: ground to powder, is gone like a breath. 72. domus: the slaves, pueri, of the client just killed. Even a poor man might have several. 74. striglibus: to remove perspiration or oil from the body. gutto: oil cruet. 76. ripa: of the Styx. Cf. for the scene Vergil, Aeneid, 6. 298 ff. novicius: a complete stranger, i.e. never having died before,—a grim joke. Juvenal's wit has been called 'the earliest known instance of American humor.'—Peck and Arrowsmith, Roman Life, etc. 77. nec sperat: he cannot cross the Styx since he has not received the rites of burial. 78. porrigat ore: offer with his mouth. A coin was often put in the mouth of the dead to pay Charon's fee. 80. Spatium: i.e. how high the roofs are. Cicero describes Rome as 'suspended in the air.' Some of the houses were 100 feet in height. 83. silicem: even the volcanic stone which forms the pavement of the street is broken. 85 ff. quot patent vigiles fenestrae: this may be punningly rendered,—as many as there are windows up.—Peck and Arrowsmith, Roman Life, etc.
2. 9. sacellis: the shrines of the Lares found in every house. The common offering at them was a pig. 10. tomacula: minced meat. 17. Sardanapali: effeminate and luxurious, the last king of Assyria. When a conspiracy against him was about to succeed, he burned himself with his treasures. Byron has a drama Sardanapalus. 19. virtutem: Virtueland. 20. Nullum numen abest: the gods are all on the side of the provident. Fortune is no deity and only we mistaken men think her such.
3. 3. quae lacrimas dedit: i.e. in that she gave us tears. haec: i.e. sympathy. 4. ergo: i.e. this gift of tears implies that, etc. 5. squaloremque rei: persons on trial often appeared in court with unshorn beard, unwashed toga, and other signs of mourning. 6. circumscriptorem: his dishonest guardian. 7. puellares capilli: boys wore long hair till they put on the toga virilis. 10, 11. minor igni rogi: minor with the ablative here means too small for. It was unusual to burn the bodies of very young children. face dignus arcana: i.e. worthy of initiation into the Eleusinian mysteries. On the fifth day of the festival the initiated marched in a torch-light procession from Athens to Eleusis. They must be holy in thought and deed. 13. mutorum: dumb animals. venerabile: reverential. 14. divinorumque capaces: with a capacity to know God. 16. sensum ff.: a feeling from above, i.e. sympathy. Man with his religious nature, with his power to practice the arts, and his erect posture, is given this also as a crowning mark of distinction from the lower creation. 18. indulsit: in his goodness gave. 19, 20. tantum animas: merely life. animum: a soul. mutuus adfectus: a feeling of brotherhood. 24. tutos: protected by. 25. collata fiducia: confidence due to union. 27. defendier: archaic form of defendi.
4. 1. Di: sc. date or dent. sine pondere terram: cf. Martial, Selection 13. 9, 10 and note. 2. spirantis: fragrant. perpetuum ver: because the urn is always supplied with flowers.
2. procul, a procul inde: a part of the formula used to warn away the unhallowed from sacred rites. Cf. Vergil, Aeneid, 6. 258, procul, o procul este profani. The phrase, accordingly, has attached to it a religious earnestness and solemnity, like In the name of God, away! 3. pernoctantis parasiti: the contemptible guest who, for a dinner, stays all night, entertaining his host with low songs. 5. nec contempseris annos: do not think your child too young to observe and imitate.