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

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522 EXPLANATORY NOTES. BOOK 11., SATIRE VI.
80-99. 80. Davits sis comicus. " Copy Davus in the piay." The alln-
sion is to a cunning slave in the Andria of Terence.—81. Capite ohstipo.
" With head hent stiffly forward." The attitude of a person showing
great deference to another, and having his head stifQy fixed like a stipes
or stake The leading idea, however, in the phrase is merely thatof rigid
stiffness, without reference to inclination in any particular direction, and
hence while it here denotes deference, and in Persius, Sat iii., 80, indicates
anappearanceofdeepiihough^ it is applied in Suetonins {Vit. Tib., e,
68) to one who walks with head adffiy erect. Multum similis metuenii.
" Much like one who stands in awe of another."—83. Obseqtiio grassare,
"Ply him with assiduities."-T/»cre5«i^. "Has began to freshen."
88. Velet caput. The Romans were accustomed, in the city, as a screen
from the heat or wind, to throw over their head the lappet of their gown,
—84. Awem substringe loquaci. " Lend an attentive ear to him if he is
fond of talking." Substringere literally means "to bind close," "to tie
tight," &:c. Hence its figurative signification in the present case.—83. importunus
amat laudaril "Is he extravagantly fond of being praised?"
—Oliejam ! Supply satis est.—86, Urge. "Press him hard," i. c, ply
him well.—89. Cerium vigilcms. "Wide awake," i. c, far from dreaming.
Quartaestopartis Ulixes, &.c. The language of the will.—90. Ergo
nunc Dama sodalist &c. The constraction is as follows : Sparge subinde,
Est sodalis Da-gia ergo nusgitam? ice. " Throw out, from time to tune,
some such expressions as these: 'Is my friend Dama then no more?'"
&c.—91. Unde mihi tamfortem tamgue Jidelem f Supply parabo.— 92. Et
si pa/ulum potes illacrymanre. " And if thou canst shed a few tews, do so."
Understand illacryma,—Est gaudia prodentem vultum celare. " One is
able, in this way, to disguise a countenance indicative otherwise only of
joy." Est is here equivalent to licetf and the passage may be paraphrased
as follows: "licet lacrymando animi IcEtitiam de heredAtate^m
vultu expressam, occultare."—94. Permissum arbitrio. " Left to thy discretion."
Sine sordibus. "Without any meanness."—95, Egregie factum.
"Celebrated in a handsome manner."—96. Forte senior Ttuzle tus-
siet. "Happens to be advanced in years, and to have a bad cough."
Huic tu die, ex parte tua, &c. " If he wishes to become the purchaser,
either of a farm or a house, oat of thy share, do thou tell him that thou
wilt make it over to hii9 with pleasure for anominal6um,"z.e., for nothing
at all. Addicere nummo is to make a thing over to another for any small
piece ofmoney, just to answer the law, which required that, in the trans-
fer of property, money should be given as an equivalent, in order to render
the sale a vaUd one. This species of sale, therefore, was in reality a gift
or present.—99. Im^&iosa irdkit Proserpina, " The inexorable Proserpina
drags me hence."— Ttzjc vale^^. A common form ofbidding farewell
Satire VT. A panegyric on the felicity of rural existence, in which the
poet contrasts the calm and tranquil amusements of the country with the
tumnltuoas and irregular pleasures of the capital, and delightfully expresses
his longing after rural ease and retirement. In order to give force
to his eulogy on a country life, he introduces the well-known and apposite
fable of the town and country mouse.
'-12. 1. In potis. "Among ray wishes," t. c, one of my wiBbes.