55 Cuique fuus. Magnum narras, vix credibile. Atqui Aiebas mecum. Memini bene; fed meliori 65 70 75 Excla vidual has his proper rank. "You tell me a marvel"lous thing, fcarcely credible." But it is even so. "You the more inflame my defires to be near his per"fon." You need only to be inclined to it: fuch is your merit, you will accomplish it and he is very capable of being won; and on that account the firit access to him he makes difficult. "I will not be want 66 ing to myself: I will corrupt his fervants with pre"fents; if I am excluded to-day, I will not defift; I "will seek proper opportunities; I will meet him in "the public streets; I will wait upon him home. "This world allows nothing to mortals without great "labour." While he was running on at this rate, lo, Fufcus Ariftius comes up, a dear friend of mine, and one who knew the fellow well. We make a stop. "Whence come you? Whither are you going?" He asks and answers. I began to twitch him by the elbow, and to take hold of his arms that were affectedly paffive, nodding and distorting my eyes, that he might rescue me. Cruelly arch he laughs, and pretends not to take the hint; anger galled my liver. Certainly, fays I, Fufcus, you mentioned, that you wanted to communicate fomething to me in private. "member it very well; but will tell you at a better opportunity to day is the thirtieth * fabbath. "Would you affront the circumcifed Jews?" I reply, that I had no fcruple of confcience on that account. "I re But I have: I am fomething weaker, one of the "multitude. You must forgive me: I will speak with "you at another time." And hath this fun arose so difaftrous upon me? The wicked rogue runs away, and leaves me under the harrow. But by good luck his adversary met him and "whither are you going, you infamous fellow ?" roars he with a loud : *The Jews began their year the first of September, and celebrated their Paffover about the middle of April, at the expiration of thirty weeks. It continued eight days, the two firft and two last of which, it was not permitted amongst them even to talk upon business. + The impertinent fellow. Exclamat voce: et, Licet anteftari? Ego vero Oppono auriculam. rapit in jus: clamor utrinque, Undique concurfus. fic me fervavit Apollo. SATYRA X. Suum de Lucilio judicium tuetur, & egregia fcribendarum fatyrarum præcepta afpergit. N EMPE incompofito dixi pede currere verfus Ut non hoc fateatur ? at idem, quod fale multo Nec tamen hoc tribuens, dederim quoque cætera ; nam fic Et Laberi mimos, ut pulchra poemata, mirer. 5 IÒ Auditoris et eft quædam tamen hic quoque virtus. 15 Hermo voice: And, "do you witnefs the arreft?" I inftantly *affent. He hurries him into court: there is a great clamour on both fides, and a mob came up from all parts. Thus Apollo preferved me. SATIRE X. He fupports the judgment he had before given of Lucilius, and interfperfes fome excellent precepts for the writing Satire. T O be fure I did † say that the verfes of Lucilius did not run smoothly. Who is fo foolishly fond of Lucilius, that he would not own this? But the fame writer is applauded in the fame fatire, on account of his having lafhed the town with great humour. Nevertheless, granting him this, I will not therefore give up other confiderations: for at that raté I might even admire the farces of Laberius, as fine poems. Wherefore it is by no means fufficient to make an auditor grin with laughter and yet there is fome degree of merit even in this. There is a conciseness requifite, that the fentence may run off, nor embarrass itself in a multiplicity of words, that overload the fated car: and fometimes a grave, frequently a jocofe ftile is neceffary, fupporting the character one while of the orator, and at another of the poet, now and then that of a graceful rallier, that curbs the force of his pleasantry, and weakens it on purpose. For ridicule often decides matters of importance more effectually, and in a better manner, than the fevere. Those poets by whom the ancient comedy was wrote, ftood upon this foundation, and in this are they worthy of imitation; whom neither the smooth-faced Hermogenes ever read, *Literally, "I offer my ear" for the person to touch; which was a particular form on thefe occafions, and without which the perfon called on was not obliged to appear. The reafon of this Pliny gives, Eft in aure ima memoriæ locus, quam tangentes atteftamur. + See Satire the fourth of this book, verse the eleventh. Hermogenes unquam legit, neque fimius ifte, At magnum fecit, quod verbis Græca Latinis 20 Cum verfus facias, teipfum percontor, an, et cum 25 Dura tibi peragenda rei fit caufa Petilli, Scilicet oblitus (a) patriæque patrifque, Latine Cum Pedius caufas exfudet, Poplicola, atque Verba foris malis, Canufini more bilinguis ? 30 35 Turgidus Alpinus jugulat dum Memnona, dumque (b) Diffingit Rheni luteum caput, hæc ego ludo; Quæ nec in æde fonent certantia, judice Tarpa, Nec redeant iterum atque iterum spectanda theatris. Arguta meretrice potes, Davoque Chremeta Eludente fenem, comis garrire libellos, Unus vivorum, Fundani: Pollio regum (a) Patriæ patrifque Latini. (b) Defingit Rheni lutei. 40 Facta |