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

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EXPLANATORY NOTES. BOOK I., 8ATIRB VI. 459
40-44. 40. At Novius collega, &o. The tribone is here supposed to
answer, and to nrg'e in hia defence that his colleague Kevins is of humbler
origin than himself. To which the poet replies by demanding ot
him whether he fancies himself on that account a Faolus or a Messala, or,
in other words, one of the old nobility. Panlus was the cognomen of one
of the families of the gens ./Emilia, and Messala of one of those of the gens
Valeria.—Gradtt post me sedeS uno. " Sits one row behind me," i. e., is
inferior to me in rank. The reference is to the fourteen rows of seats set
apart for the equestrian order at the public spectacles. The tribune of
the commons, to whom the poet here alludes, as well as his colleague
Novius, having obtained equestrian rank in consequence of possessing the
requisite fortune, had seats, of course, amon§f these fourteen rows. It
wo'uld seem, however, that, in occupying these seats, those of better ori
gin always preceded those who were inferior to them in this respect.
41. Namque est ille, &c. " For he is what my father was," i. e., he is a
freedman, whereas I am the son of a freedman, and consequently one degree
his superior. Hoc tibi Paulus, &c. "Dost thou fancy thyself, on
this account a Faulus and a Messala ?" .Emilias Faulns and Messala
Corvinns were two distinguished noblemen of the day, and the question
here put is equivalent to this : Dost thou fancy to thyself that, on this accoant,
thon art deserving of being compared with men ofthe highest rank
and the most ancient families ?—43. At hie, siplostra ducenta, Sec. The
individual with whom the tribune is supposed to be engaged in argument
here replies to the excuse which the latter has advanced : Well, suppose
thy colleagae Novius has been advanced to office, although'a freedman,
did not bis merits obtain this station for him 7 Has ho not a voice load
enoQgh to drown the noise of two hundred wagons and three iunerals
meeting in the Forum 1 It is this that pleases us in the maa, and there-
fore we have made him a tribune. All this, it will be readily perceived,
is fnll of the most bitter and cutting irony against poor Novius (under
which character the poet evidently alludes to some personage of the day),
since his whole merit appears to have consisted in the strength of bis
lungs, and the people had advanced to the tribuneship a man who was
only fit to be a public crier.—43. Triafunera. The Minerals of the Romans
were always accompanied with music ; and, for this purpose, performers
of various kinds, trumpeters, comettera, Hute-players, &c., were
employed.
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Magna sondbit cornua, &c. This must be rendered in such
a way as to express the foolish admiration of the person who ntters it.
" AVill send forth a mighty voice, so as to drown the notes of the horns
and the trumpets." Observe that magna is the neuter plural used adverbially,
in imitation of the Greek.—44. Saltern. There is something
extremely amusing in the self-importance which this saltern denotes.
Tenet. In the sense of delectat.
45-64. 45. N-ajie ad me redeo, Dec. The digression from which the poet
now returns commenced at the 23d line.—46. Rodnnt. " Cafp at." lAb-
vrtino. The repetition of this word is meant to show how those who envied
him used to carp at the circumstance ofhis hnmble origin.—48. Qund
mihi pareret, &o. The poet alludes to the command which he once held
in the army of Brutus and Cassius. In each Roman legion there were
six military tribunes, who commanded under the general in pairs, each
pair two months.—49. Dissimile hoc illi est. " This latter case is differ