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

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538 EXPIANATORY NOTES. BOOK II., SATIRE VII.
truly good which are becoming: and virtaons, and since virtue, which is seated
in the mind, is alone sufBcient for happiness, external things contribate
nothing toward happiness. The wise man, in every condition, is happy
in the possession of a mind accommodated to nature, and all external
things are consequently indifferent. Teres atgue rotund/us. . "Smooth
and round." The metaphor is taken from a globe, which the ancients regarded
as the most perfect of forms. Our defects are so many inequali-
ties and roughn^esses, which wisdom polishes and rubs off. The imag^e,
too, suits extremely well with the other part of the description, in se ipso
totus.—Extemi Tie quid valeat, &c. " So that no external substance can
adhere to the surface, by reason of the polish which it possesses," i. e., ao
that no moral defilement can attach itself where there is nothing congenial
to receive it.—58. Manca. " With feeble power." Poiesne exTmut proprium
quid noscere ? " Canst thou, out of all these qualities, recognize
any one that belongs peculiarly to thee ?"—59. Non quis, " Thou canst
not." Quis from queo.—60. Domiivas non lenis. "An unrelenting master,"
i. e., the tyrant sway of thy passions.—61. Versatque negantem.
"And urges thee on, though striving to resist." Equivalent to r^mgnantem
indtat.
63~G7. 62. Pausiaca torpas tdbella. " Art lost in stupid admiration of
a picture by Paasias." Fausias was a Grreek painter, a native of Sicyon,
and flourished about 360 B.C. As his works were mostly what we call
cabinet pictures, there might be many of them at Rome. {KeightUy, ad
. loc.)— 63. Qui peccas minus atque ego, &c. "How art thou less deserv
ing of blame than I?" Fulvi, Rutuh^ue^ aut Pladdeiani, Sec. Fulvius,
Rutuba, and Placideianns were three famous gladiators of the day, and
the allusion in the text is to the delineations of gladiatorial combats, which
were put up in public, and were intended to announce the coming sports,
being analogous in this respect to our modem show-bills. These repre
sentations were in general rudely drawn ; sometimes, however, much
skill was displayed in their execution.—64. Contento poplite. "With
the sinews of the Jiam strongly stretched." This is intended to represent
the posture of a gladiator, when facing his antagonist, resting firmly on
one leg, and having the other thrown out in advance, "contento poplite.''
—67. Nequam et ce&sator Dtwus, &c. The connection is as follows:
" Davus, if he spends any time in gazing upon such sights, is called a
knave and a loiterer, while thou art styled a nice and experienced judge
of ancients works of art." Audis^ literally, " thou hearest thyself styled,"
in imitation of the Greek usage with respect to the verb &KOva- Consult
note on Sat. ii., 6, 20.
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69-85. 69. Nil ego. "I am called a good-for-nothing rascal."— riJi
ingens virtus atque animus^ &c. " Do thy mighty virtue and courage re-
sist the temptation of a good supper?" Compare, as regards responsat,
verse 85. 71. Obsequium ventris mihi pemiciosius est, Sec. The train
of ideas is as follows : if I, in order to satisfy the cravings of a hungry
stomach, lay my hands on a snaking cake, it is more fatal to me ; and
why, pray ? Because my back must pay for it. And dost thou imagine
that thou obtaineet with any more impunity those rare and exquisite
dishes ? Thou wilt pay in truth but too dearly for them. Those endless
repasts create only palling and distaste, and thy enfeebled and tottering
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