The works of Horace : with English notes, critical and ... - Cristo Raul

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EXPLANATORY NOTES. BOOK I., SATIRE IV. 445
poet.—48. Quod meretrice nepos, Jcc. " Because his dissolute son, madly
in love with a harlot-mistress." Observe that the nouQ n^os-haa here the
force of an adjective.—50. Ambulet ante noctem mmfacihus. The reference
here is more to Greek than Koman manners, the comedies of Terence
being mere imitations of those of Menander. The intoxicated and
profligate youth among the Greeks were accnstomed to rove about the
streets with torches at a late hour of the night, after having; ended their
orgies within doors, and serenade their female friends. But far more dis-
graceful was it to appear in the public streets in a state of intoxication,
and bearing torches, before the day was drawn to a close. Ante noctem
here means merely "before nightfall," i. e., while it is still light, while it
is twiUght. Compare Orelli : " comissaturjam per crepjtsculum." Borne
commentators eironeonsly render it "before midnight."— 51. Numquid
Pomponiut istis, &c. We have here the reply of the poet, which is simply
this, that, with whatever vehemence oflanguage the angry father rates
his son, it is very little different from what Fomponius might expect from
his father, if he were alive. It is the natural language of the passions expressed
in measures. 5i. Leviora. "Less severe reproofs." Ergo. In
order to understand the connection here between this sentence and the
one which precedes, we must suppose the foUpwing to be understood before
ergo: Now, if the^ railings of the angry father have nothing in them
either sublime or poetical, and if they are equtdly devoid of ornament and
elegance (i. e., if they are pura, sell, c^rodria], "then," &c.—53. Puris
verbis. "In words equally devoid of ornament and elegance."—55. Personatus
paier. " The father represented on the stage." Literally, " masked father."
the
57-71. 57. Tempora certa modosque, &a. "Their fixed times and
rhythm." The tempora are.'the feet, composed of long and short syllables
in a certain order ; the modi are the rhythmic arrangement of the feet
{Keightlet/, ad loe.)—60. Non, ut si solvas, &o. The construction is Non
etiam irmenias membra disjecti poelce, ut ei solvas (has versus Ennii).
" Thou wilt not stiU find," &c. Observe the force of etiam, " still," i. e.,
after this dislocation has taken place. The meaning of the poet is, that
tke lines composed by Lucilius and himself become, when divested of
number and rhythm, so much prose, and none will find the scattered fragments
animated with the true spirit of poetry, as he will if he take to
pieces the two lines of Ennins which are cited.—63. Alias. " At some
other time." He now prpceeds to show that the dread and dislike of
satiric poetry are nmreasonable.—64. Sulcius acer et Caprius. The scho.
liast describes tiiese two persons as informers, and at the same time law-
yers, hoarse with bawling at the bar, and armed with their written acculations.—65.
JSooei mcde cumque libelMe. " Completely hoarse with bawl-
jngi and armed with their written accusations." Rauci male is equivalent
to valde rauci.'—68. Ut sis iu similis, &c. " So that,,even if. thou art
like the robbers Caelius and Birrius, I am not like Caprius or Sulcius,"
«. e„ if thou art a robber like Caelius and Birrius, I am not an informer
like Caprius or Sulcius. This is a biting piece of satire. However bad
thy character may be, thou hast nothing tQ fe ar from me. 1 neither accuse
nor expose people ; I only laugh at little defects of character. I^eigiiley,
ad loc.)—71. Nulla taiema meos. Ice. "No bookseller's shop noi
pinar has any productions of mine. Books at Borne were exposed for
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