Nomentanus erat fuper ipfum, Porcius infra Poft hoc me docuit melimela rubere, minorem Vibidius Balatroque, fecutis omnibus : imi 25 30 35 40 In patina porrecta fub hoc herus, Hæc gravida, inquit, Capta eft; deterior post partum carne futura. (a) Semel abforbere placentas. (b) Pafferis affi, et. 45 59 Erucas brought along with him, unbidden * guests. cakes at once. Above Nafidienus himself was Nomentanus, below him Porcius, who made himself ridiculous in fwallowing whole Nomentanus was prefent for this purpofe, that if any thing elegant should chance to be unobferved, he might fhew it with his pointing finger. For the other company, we I mean, eat promifcuously of fowls, oyfters, fish, which had concealed in them a juice far different from the known and common: as prefently appeared, when he reached to me the entrails of a plaice and of a turbot, fuch as had never been tafted before. After this, he informed me that honey apples were most ruddy, when gathered under the waning moon. What difference this makes, you will hear best from himself. Then Says Vibidius to Balatro; we, if we do not drink to his coft, fhall die in his debt. And he calls for larger tumblers. A palenefs prefently changed the countenance of our hoft, who fears nothing fo much as hard drinkers: either because they are more freely cenforious; or because heating wines deafen the fubtile judgment of the palate. Vibidius and Balatro, all following their example, pour whole cafks into +Aliphanians: the guests indeed of the lowest couch, did no hurt to the flagons. A lamprey next is brought, extended in a difh, in the midst of floating fhrimps. Whereupon, This, fays the master, was caught when pregnant; which after having young would have been lefs delicate in its flesh. For these a fauce is mixed up; with oil which the best cellar of Venafrum preffed; with pickle from the juices of Iberian fish, with wine of five years old, but produced on this fide of the fea, while it is boiling; after it is boiled, the Chian wine fuits it fo well, that no other does better than it, with white pepper; not without the vinegar, which, by being I vitiated, turned four Literally fhadows, i. e. friends introduced by Mecenas. + Cups of fize larger than ordinary, made at Aliphæ, a Samnite town. Thefe were his own creatures, Nomentanus and Porcius. the Erucas virides, inulas ego primus amaras Interea fufpenfa graves aulæa ruinas 55 60 65 70 Nafidienus ad hæc: Tibi Di, quæcunque preceris, 75 Nullos his mallem ludos fpectafle. fed illa Emen the Methymnean grape. I firft fhewed the way to ftew it in green rockets, and the bitter elicampane; Curtillus to flew in it the fea-urchin unwashed, as being better than the pickle, which the fea fhell-fish yields. In the mean time the fufpended tapestry made a heavy downfall upon the dish, bringing down along with it fo much black duft as the north wind never raifes on the plains of Campania. Having been fearful of fomething worfe, as foon as we perceived there was no danger, we rife up. Rufus, hanging his head began to weep, as if his fon had died an untimely death: What would have been the end, had not the difcreet Nomentanus thus raised his friend? Alas! O Fortune, what God is more cruel to us than thee? How dolt thou always take pleasure in sporting with human affairs! Varius could fcarce fmother a laugh with his napkin. Balatro, fneering at every thing, obferved, This is the condition of human life therefore a fuitable glory will never answer your labour. Muft you be rent and tortured with all manner of anxiety, that I may be entertained fumptuoufly; left burnt bread, left ill-feafoned foup fhould be fet before us; that all your flaves fhould wait properly attired and neat? Add befides thefe accidents; if the hangings fhould tumble down, as just now; if the groom flipping with his foot fhould break a difh. But adverfity uses to disclose, profperity to conceal the abilities of a hoft as of a general. To this Nafidienus : May the Gods give you all the bleffings, whatever you can pray for; you are fo good a man, and fo civil a gueft: he calls for his fandals. Then on every couch you might fee divided whispers buzzing in each secret ear, and I would not choose to have seen any theatrical entertainments fooner than these things. But come, recount what you laughed at next. While Vibidius is enquiring of the flaves, whether the flagon was also broken, because cups of wine were not brought when he called for them; and while a laugh is continued on feigned pretences, Balatro feconding it; you, Nafidienus, return with an altered countenance, as if to VOL. II. H repair Emendaturus fortunam. deinde fecuti (a) Veluti fi. Bentl. (b) Serpentibus atris. $5 95 Q. Horatii |