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

570 EXPLANATORY NOTES. BOOK I., EPISTLE VII.
criminet notum. Bentley reads sine crimine natum, i. e., "bom without
a fltain ;" but this clashes with the idea of his being a libertuSt and, conBe*
quently, of servile origin.—57. Ei properare loco et cessare, &c. " That he
was wont, as occasion required, to ply his basiness with activity and take
his ease, to gain a little and spend it." Loco is here eqnivalent to tempore
opporttmo,—58. Gaudentem parvis sodcUibus, et lore certo, &c.
"Delighting in a few companions of humble life, and in a hoase of bis
own, and also in the public shows, and, when the business of the day was
over, in a walk through the Campus Martins." By lore certo is denoted
that he bad a fixed abode, and did not lodge in a canaculum,
60-65. 60. Scitari l-Utet ex ipso^ &c. "I would know from the man
hunself all that thou reportest."—62. Benigne. '* I thank thy master kind-
ly." Menas expresses his thanks for the honor of the invitation, but, at
the same time, declines accepting it.—63. Improhus. "The rascaL"—JBi
te negligit aut horret. "And either slights, or is a&aid of thee." Horrere
and horror are properly meant of that awe and respect which we
feel in approaching any thing sacred ; and as the vulgar are apt to look
upon great men as somewhat above the ordinary rank of mortals, the
same words have been used to express the respect they feel when admitted
to their presence, as well as the dread they have of coming into it.
—64. Vultemm mane Philippus, &c. "Next morning Philip comes upon
Vulteins, as he was selling second-hand trumpery to the poorer soit of
people, and salutes him first." The verb occti^pare^ as here employed,
means to surprise, to come upon another before he is aware of our ap-
proach.—65. Tunicato pope^o. This expression literally refers to the
poorer part of the citizens as clad merely in tunics^ their poverty preventing
tbem from purchasing a toga in whioh to appear abroad. Foreigners
at Rome seem also to have had the same dress, whence homo tunicatus
is put for a Carthaginian, Plant., Peenul., v., 3, 2. Scruta. By this term
is meant any hind of old second-hand furniture, movables, clothes, &cand
they who vended them were called scrutarii.
66-72. 66. Hie Philippo excusare laboremt &c. " He began to plead
to Philip his laborious vocation and the fetters of business as an excuse
for not having waited upon him that morning ; in fine, for not having seen
him first." The expression mercendria vincla refers to his employment
as auctioneer, and his being boimd to give up his whole time to it, for
which he received a fixed compensation {merces) from those who employed
him to sell. [Orellit ad loc.)—68. Q,uo& non maTie domum venisset.
Clients and others waited upon distinguished men early in the morning
for the purpose ofpaying their respects. Menas apologizes for not having
called upon Philip at this time, both to salute him and excuse himself for
not having accepted his invitation.—69. Sie. " On this condition."— ^70.
Ut libet. A form of assenting.— ^71. Post nonam. " Afber the ninth hour."
Or, to adopt our own phrad'eology, " after three o'clock."— ^72. Dicenda td'
cenda. " Whatever came into bis head." Literally, " Things to he mentioned,
and things about which silence should have been kept." The
poet evidently intends this as an allusion to the effects of PhUip's good old
wine upon his new guest.
73-98. 73. Hie, iibi stBpe occultuTn, &c. " He, when he had often been
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