The verse of both parts are mine, and I have taken a great liberty in 'em; and tho' I believe there I have not wrong'd the original, yet all will not amount to call them good.
The money at first I made English coin, but not the exact worth, because it would have been odd in some places to have brought in pence and farthings; as when the thousand sesterces are offered for Gito, it would not be consistent with the haste they were in to offer so many pounds, so many shillings, and so many pence: I therefore proportioned a sum to the story without casting up the sesterces; thus they went to the press: But advis'd either to give the just value or the Roman coin, I resolv'd on the latter for the reasons I have given, and alter'd the summs as the proofs came to my hands; but trusting the care of one sheet to a friend, the summ of 2000 crowns past unalter'd.
W. B.
THE SATYRICON OF PETRONIUS
THE SATYR OF TITUS PETRONIUS ARBITER
With its Fragments, recover'd at Buda, 1688.
PART ONE
"I promis'd you an account of what befel me, and am now resolv'd to be as good as my word, being so met to our desires; not only to improve our learning, but to be merry, and put life in our discourse with pleasanter tales.
"Fabricius Vejento has already, and that wittily, handled the juggle of religion, and withal discover'd with what impudence and ignorance priests pretend to be inspir'd: But are not our wrangling pleaders possest with the same frenzy? who cant it? These wounds I receiv'd in defence of your liberty; this eye was lost in your service; lend me a hand to hand me to my children, for my faltering hams are not able to support me.
"Yet even this might pass for tolerable, did it put young beginners in the least way to well-speaking. Whereas now, what with the inordinate swelling of matter, and the empty ratling of words, they only gain this, That when they come to appear in publick, they think themselves in another world. And therefore I look upon the young fry of collegiates as likely to make the most helpful blockheads, because they neither hear nor see any thing that is in use among men: But a company of pirates with their chains on the shoar; tyrants issuing proclamations to make children kill their fathers; the answers of oracles in a plague-time, that three or more virgins be sacrific'd to appease the gods; dainty fine honey-pellets of words, and everything so said and done, as if it were all spice and garnish.