The Comment UPON THE FIRST SATYR.

VErse 2. Theseis.] A Heroick Poem (writ in imitation of Virgils Aeneis, but not by so good a Hand) magnifying The­seus that built Athens, for encountring with Monsters, kil­ling of Giants, and such Herculean Knight-errantry, as had been fathered upon the valour of his Youth, by fabulous Antiquity: For, the first Hi­storians described valiant Persons, as the old Geographers did the unknown parts of the World, fancying impossibilities in Nature, [...], Shoars without waters, or guarded by wilde Beasts; as Plutarch observes in his preamble to the Life of Theseus. The Author of this Latine Poem was Codrus; you have an account of him Sat. 3.

[Page 13]To this Miserable Inventory of his Goods, might well have been an­nexed the Schedule of this pittifull Poem, wherewith he had so often tormented the Eare of Juvenal.

Verse 4. Huge Telephus.] The Tragicomedy of Telephus, base Son to Hercules, by Auge the Daughter of Alaeus ▪ from whose eyes, when she could no longer conceal the shame within her, it put him into such a fu­ry, that he resolved never to see her more. In pursuance of this resoluti­on, he committed her to a Master of a Ship, commanding him to set her ashoar in some far distant Country, where her dishonour could not have arrived: but his private instructions were, that when he had her at Sea, he should drown her. Before she came aboard him, in a Forest of Mysia, she fell in labour, and was delivered of a Boy, that by the Midwife was conveyed away, and hid among the bushes. Fortune having thus rescu­ed the Child, Beauty pleaded in behalf of the Mother; and so far the Master's cruel heart was melted, that he landed her in Caria, and there sold her to Theutrantes, who in a short time raised her from his Slave to be his Queen. Mean time some Mysian Shepheards, driving their flocks through the Forest, saw a Hind (singled from the Heard) that never of­fered to stir till they came up to her, where they found her giving suck to a new-born Babe, which they took up and carried home to one of their Wives. The news of the Child's strange preservation flying through the Kingdome of Mysia, came to the King's ear, who sent for the Infant, and was so taken with his beauty, that he eased the Shepheards of their care, and bred him up as his own. In short, the King being Childless, upon his death-bed, adopted this Child of fortune, to whom he then gave his Crown, as he had formerly given him the name of Telephus in memory [Page 14] of his Nurse the Hinde. Telephus succeeding to the Kingdome, was cour­ted by the Greeks, in their march to Troy, for a passage through his Do­minions; which he denying, and with an Army of his own endeavou­ring to give a stop to theirs, he was by Achilles wounded in the left thigh with a Spear; and when all the art of Chiurgery failed to give him ease, the Oracle being consulted, answered, that no humane help would save his life, unless he could receive it from the hand that woun­ded him: whereupon he reconciled himself to Achilles, who, it seems, made the first experiment of the weapon-salve upon Telephus, healing his wound (saith Pliny) with the rust of the Spear that made it.

Others say that Achilles did this cure by virtue of certain herbs taught him by his Singing-master the Centaur. Chiron.

Here was plot enough to make a Play, like the Thanks in Terence that were to be sent to Thais, more than Great, Huge.

[Page 15]Verse 5. Orestes] The Tragedy of Orestes, Son to Agamemnon, and Clytemnestra, that having murdered the King her Husband, to make way for her second marriage with Aegistus; her next resolution was (in order to a settlement) to take the life of her young Son Orestes. But she was prevented in this designe by the vigilant care of her Daughter, Prin­cesse Electra, by whom her Brother, with his Governour, was privately sent to his Uncle by the Father, Strophius, Prince of the Phocians; in whose Court Orestes was educated with the Prince's Son Pylades, inse­parable Friend and Companion to him in all the sad changes of his for­tune. When for some years he had remained with his Uncle, Orestes sickned & dyed, as the world was made believe: the colourable Ceremo­nies of his Funeral being over, Embassadors from the Prince were sent to Aegistus and Clytemnestra, to condole (that was to congratulate) for the death of Orestes, who (attended by his Cousin Pylades) went him­self in their train disguised, shrinking his shoulders to disguise his height; and being admitted to the presence of his Mother and Father in law, Orestes slew them both in revenge of his own Fathers murder. With the horror of this committed matricide, he fell distracted, imagining that his Mothers ghost, with a guard of Furies, haunted him. He likewise slew Pyrrhus, the Son of Achilles in the Temple of Apollo, for ravishing his Betrothed, the fair Herimone, the Daughter of Hellen by Menelaus: and wandered with Pylades into Taurica Chersonesus; where the barba­rous Custome of the Europaean Sarmatians was, to offer up to Diana the blood of Strangers, especially Graecians, which of all the World they hated. The King of the Country Thoas, receiving intelligence that one of the Stranger-Princes was Orestes, commanded that he, as the better man, should be sacrifized: but no discovery could be made which of the two [Page 16] was he; for Pylades took upon him the name of Orestes, and Orestes owned himself; their friendship being so strict, as they refused not to die for one another. Cicero de Amicitia. These bloody Rites were superintended by the Lady Iphiginia, one that before the Trojan War, (when the Grecian Fleet lay winde-bound, for Agamemnon's offence of killing a Stag in Aulis) was brought thither to appease the wrath of Di­ana as a Sacrifice: but the goddesse pittying her innocence sent a Hinde to supply her place at the Altar, and conveyed away the Princess to be her Priestesse in Taurica; where she now coming to the knowledge of her Brother Orestes, saved his life by joyning with him to kill Thoas King of Taurica; from whence they fled into Italy, carrying along the Image of Diana hid in a Faggot; and therefore called Fascilides by the Romans, and adored by that Title in the Aricine Wood, where the figure was left by these Wanderers. Lastly, Orestes being told that he should finde rest, and be dispossessed of the Furies in Arcadia, directed his course thither; and there died, bit by a Viper. His body was afterwards digged up by command from the Oracle, and found to be be ten foot and a half high. Pliny lib. 7.

Verse 8. The Grove of Mars,] Several Groves were consecrated to Mars, one in Pontus, another at Athens, a third in Alba, where the Wolf gave suck to the Twins of Mars, Romulus and Rhemus. This last, I conceive, my Author means, as a subject on which his Country­men, the Romans, used to exercise their Muses.

Verse 8. Vulcan's Grotto near to the Aeolian Rocks.] By Vulcan's Grotto is meant the concave of the burning Mountain Aetna, where Vul­can the god of fire hammered out Thunderbolts, as the old World was made believe; when the truth of Histories was wrapt up in Fables by the [Page 17] wisedome of the Ancients. Right against Aetna lie the 7. Liparen Islands, Liparis, Tremessa, Ericusa, Phenicusa, Evonyma, Hiera, and Strongyle, the greatest of the seven; where Aeolus reigned, that was believed to be god of the Windes, and blew from his Aeolian Rocks, as the Bellowes to Vulcan's great Forge in Aetna; who had likewise a little Forge in Hiera, the least of these 7. Islands, called the Vulcanian Isle, and his Liparen Work-house, Sat. 13.

The cause why this Isle was dedicated to Vulcan, was, from a little sto­nie Hill therein, continually vomiting up fire.

Verse 10. What Souls Judg Aeacus torments.] The three Infernal Judges were Rhadamantus, Minos, and Aeacus: The first commissioned to hear the Charge, and judge of matter of fact. Virg. Aeneid. lib. 5.

The second pronounced Sentence. Horace.

The third saw Judgment executed; as in the words here commented upon.

Verse. 11. Who stole the Golden Fleece.] The Theef was Jason: his [Page 18] Fable Ovid gives you; the History of the Fleece, Justin lib. 24. Phry­xus Prince of Thebes, after the death of his Mother Queen Ino, when he durst no longer trust his life to the madness of his Father Athamas, and the malice of his Step-mother Mephele, committed himself to the mercy of the Sea, and desperately attempted to pass the Pontick Straits upon the back of the Golden-Ram, his Sister Helle riding behinde him: but she, poor Lady, frighted with the roaring of the waves, let goe her hold, and was drowned in that narrow Sea, afterwards called Hellespont. Phryxus himself came safe to Aeta King of Cholcos, where he sacrificed the gol­den-Ram to Jupiter; some say to Mars. The Ram swifter then he stemd the Straits, flew up to heaven, and was made a Star, retaining his former figure. The Golden-fleece hung up in the Temple, until Medea char­med the Guards for Jason to steal both it and her.

Verse 11. What Ash-trees Centaurs fling.] Ixion had issue the Centaurs by the cloud, which he imagined to be Juno: by his own Wife he had Pirithous Prince of the Lapiths, married to Hippodame, the Daughter of Oenomaus, King of Elis. At this Wedding the Centaures having drunk hard, nothing would content them but the Bride; attempting to carry her away by force, they were fought with, and defeated by the Lapiths, under the command of Piriibous, assisted by his Friend (that afterwards went with him down to Hell) Theseus. In the fight the Cen­taur Rhetus pluckt up by the rootes, and flung at the Lapiths, such wilde Ash-trees as Boreas in a storm could hardly blow down. The expression is Lucans: The battel Ovid most rarely describes.

Verse. 12. Julius Fronto.] A Tribune, by Galba discharged out of the City Cohorts, Tacit. lib. 16. After this exauctoration Fronto lived in Rome most nobly, his House and Gardens being free for all that would [Page 19] read their works, as well for meanest Poetasters, Codrus and Cluvienus, as for the noblest Poets, Juvenal, Statius: and Martial, that in an Epigram to Fronto stiles him,

Verse 13. We have counsel'd Sylla to lay down the Sword.] To advise Sylla that he should lay down his Commission for Dictator or supreme Ma­gistrate, was a Theam or Exercise as common in the Rhetorick Schools, when the Scholars were to learn the point of perswasion, as it was for their Master to make them deliberate for Hannibal, Sat. 7.

A hard task it would be for the best Rhetorician living, to perswade Sylla, if he were now alive (for that was the case) to resigne the sove­reign power, unless he were such an Orator as could bring arguments to raise the love of Pleasure above that of Ambition and Revenge: to all which Sylla was passionately given, as you will finde in this Summary of his life. Sylla or Sulla was nobly born; but till the time of his Questorship, he much dishonored the Patrician Family, from which he was descen­ded, with drinking, wenching, and acting in private among Stage-play­ers, his wit making him an excellent Comedian; for it was quick and sharp, as you may note from his animadversion upon the letter writ him by Caphis the Phocian, advising him not to meddle with the sacred trea­sure of Delphos, because he was told for certain that the God was heard to strike his Lute in the Sanctuary. To this Sylla answered, That he [Page 20] wondered Caphis understood the god no better; for one that is really sad will have no minde to play Tunes: and therefore Caphis should not fear to receive that which Apollo parted with so merrily. But Sylla was not hap­pier in his jests, then he was in serious concerns; wherein he had been without a Parallel, if his Cruelty had not blemish'd his Fortune. He fet­tered King Jugurth, defeated Marius, destroyed the Government of Cinna, proscribed Sulpitius; and commanded that Sulpitius his Slave, for betray­ing of his Master, should have his neck broken from the Tarpeian rock. He beat Mithrydates out of all Europe, and Euboea, confining him within the limits of his hereditary Kingdome of Pontus. At the walls of Rome, neer to the Collin Gate, he fought a battel, where the number of the slain was said to be 80000. Then he entred the City, where he gave quar­ter to 4000 men; and when they had delivered up their weapons, orde­red them to be put to the sword, he himself (as Seneca reports) then sit­ing in Senate within the Temple of Bellona; where the Lords being frighted with the shrieks of the dying men, he cryed, To the business of the day, these (my Lords) are a few seditious Rogues slain by my com­mand. He likewise put to death of his own party above 9000. In his first Roll of Proscription he writ down 80000 names: in his second List 5000. By his order M. Marius, Brother to C. Marius, had his eyes dig'd out, and was then cut to pieces limb by limb: He also slew Carinates Praetor to Marius. In short, he made not only Rome, but all Italy, a Slaughter-house. He did ill valiantly: and was cautious enough to se­cure himself He knew no fear of Heaven; had no Faith; no Mercy. Four Marian Legions confiding in his false promise, and imploring the pitty that never dwelt in him, were slain to a man. Five thousand Praenestines, that had his word for their indemnity, he caused to be slain [Page 21] and cast into the fields, denying burial to their bodies. He drew his sword against women. He commanded mens heads to be brought him only to make sport withall. The ashes of Marius were dis-urned by his barbarity. From the time that he resigned the Dictator-ship, until the very hour of his death, he recreated himself with Players, Fools and Fidlers. The day before his death, hearing that Granius the Praetor de­ferred the payment of his vast debts in expectation of Sylla's death, he sent for the Praetor to his Chamber, and there, after he had Rogu'd and Rascal'd him, commanded him to be strangled: But the fury wherewith he ranted, put his body into so violent an agitation, that his Impost­hume (the bed of his lowsie disease) broke; and all that night strugling for life in his own blood, next morning he gave up the Ghost. His E­pitaph writ by his own hand was to this effect.

Verse 22. Lucilius.] The first Latine Poet that writ Satyrs, born at Aurunca in Italy, a Town famous for Satyrists, Lenius, Silius and Turnus being all three Auruncanes; whereof the last was a Person of great qua­lity, and gracious with the two Vespasian Caesars, Titus and Domitian. In the six and fourtieth year of his age Lucilius died at Naples, and was buried at the publick charge.

Verse 26. Bare-brested Maevia foyls the Tuscan Boar.] This may with great reason have the second place among the motives that prevai­led with Juvenal to write Satyrs, and is as much against nature as the first. What a prodigious sight it was for the Romans, in their great Show-place, the Circus, to see a Woman fight with a Boar, and of all Italian Boars the Tuscan Boar was the wildest: But, it seems, Maevia was a fier­cer Creature: and no doubt but Rome would have been astonished, if [Page 22] such a Prize had been played in King Numa's dayes; when a woman but coming into the Senate-house to plead in her own Cause, they sent to the Oracle to know, what it portended to the State. Plutarch in the life of Numa.

Verse 28. That with his Sissers.] Cynnamus the Barber, whose For­tunes were raised by his Mistresses, to the quality of a Roman Knight, with a vast Estate, as Juvenal tells us, Sat. 10.

He was at last forced to flye from Rome into Sicily. Martial.

Verse 31.

Crispinus, Freed-man to Nero, was born in Aegypt, at Canopus the lewdest Town in all that Kingdome, and he as lewd a Knave as ever came from thence, but a man of a most insatiable pride and curiosity. See the beginning of Sat. 4. Of his Cloak thus Martial,

Verse 40.

From a poor Advocate Matho grew so rich an Informer, that he went in his Sedan, and filled it, he was so fat with taking his ease: of whom Martial

Verse. 41.

This arch Rogue some think to be Cassius, Tutor and Impeacher of Silanus. Tacitus lib. 13. But an old Commentator affirmes the man to be Heliodorus the Stoick, Nero's Informer-General. This grand Knave might well be cal­led Prince of Informers, unto whom the petty Informers, the Players, Massa, Carus, and Latinus, were such obedient Subjects, that the two first presented him their wealth, & the last his wife: yet were these Players Va­lets of the Chamber to Nero, and such as he much delighted in. Bebius [Page 25] Massa is remembred by Tacitus at the death of Piso. Pliny saith, That by Carus a Libel was given to Domitian Caesar, that would (if the Em­peror had lived) have cost Pliny his life. As for Latinus, he was put to death by Claudius, for being Pander to his Empresse Messalina.

Verse 48. Leaves Proculeius one ounce, Gill eleven.] The Civil Law accounts the whole Estate as a Pound, or As. An absolute Heir is called Haeres ex asse. The first named in a VVill, Haeres primae Cerae; A Lega­tee, Haeres in ima Cera. The twelfth part of a Pound or As, is an Ounce: so that he who is Heir to eleven Ounces, carrieth away eleven parts of the Estate; and he that is Heir to an Ounce, only one poor part.

Verse 53.

At Lyons in France Caligula instituted Exercises for Rhetoricians: the Victors had an Imperial donative: the conditions of the vanquished were, That they should satisfie the Victors either by writing of their praises, or with a summe of money, or lick out the Orations they themselves had written, or be beaten with Ferula's, or drowned in the next river, at the discretion of the Judges. No marvel then if the poor Orators looked as pale as consumptive Wenchers.

Verse 60. Marius.] Marius Priscus Proconsul of Africa, accused and prosecuted by the Africans for poling of their Country, was banish­ed and condemned by Cornutus in the summe of 7000 nummi or sestertii: but this small summe (not ten pound more then Crispinus paid for his Mullet) was paid in to the Exchequer: the Province lost the charges of the Suit wherein they overthrew him; and the vast remainder of the money which he had extorted from them, enabled him in his ba­nishment to live more riotously then he had done in Rome; for there [Page 26] he eat at their ninth hour, which is our three of the clock in the after­noon; but in his exile he drank from their eighth hour, which is our two of the clock in the afternoon, being the time when the Romans bathed to prepare their bodies for dinner; and so Marius by his banish­ment clearly got an hour of earlier riot. And though his own Country Gods were offended, it seems the forrein Gods were better pleased.

Verse 64. Hercules.] Son to Jupiter by Alcmena. The twelve La­bors imposed upon him by Juno, was a subject much handled by the Romançe Poets. Panyasis writ the Heraculea, fourteen books of Her­cules.

Verse 65. Diomed.] The tale of Diomed is this: In a duel with Ae­neas he wounded Venus, that assisted his Antagonist her Son; and to re­venge her self of him, she sent her other Son Cupid to his wife Aegialia, that struck her in love with Sthenelus; who set on by his Mistress, lay in ambush for her Husband as he returned from the siege of Troy, routed him, his men flying to the Sea side; where, their legs not being able to carry them farther, they found wings, and were transformed into birds. See Lycophron and Solinus.

Verse 66. Labyrinth.] Thus runs the Fable of the Labyrinth. Pasi­phae, Wife to Minos King of the Cretans, was taken with a preternatu­rall and nefarious love to a Bull; and by the art of Daedalus, she was in­closed in a Cow of wood; so attaining her desire, she conceived and brought forth the Minotaur, half Man half Bull. The Instruments of her wickedness being discovered by Minos, he shut up Daedalus with his Son Icarus in that very Labyrinth made by his Master Builder Daedalus: But he got out with another invention of Wings, and flew to Cumae in Italy, where he laid them down. Sat. 3. But his Son Icarus flying too [Page 27] high, the wax that fastned on his Wings, was melted by the Sun, and the Boy drowned in the Sea.

Verse 68. When that which Law lets not the Wife injoy.] Domitian Cae­sar made a Law, that Adulteresses should be uncapable of inheriting and of using close Chairs or Sedans. Sueton.

Verse 72. Waking nose.] The Pimp to his own Wife counterfeited sleep so artificially, that with snoring he made such a noise, as if his nose had been awake.

Verse 73. To be Captain of the Guard he stands.] Fuscus (afterwards Generall against the Dacians) had consumed all the Estate left him by his noble Progenitors, with keeping a Stable of Chariot-horses to fol­low the Court from Rome to Caesars Country-house, whether he him­self used to drive his Chariot along the Flaminian way, where the Sta­tues and Urnes of his Ancestors stood in his sight, which might well have deterred him from spending prodigally the fortunes they had left him, acquired by their Noble Industry. But, it seems, that which flat­tered him to this expence, was a hope that Caesar would make him Prae­fect or Captain of his Praetorian Guards.

Verse 76. Automedon] was Coachman to Achilles. It appears that Fuscus, besides his expectation to be Captain of the Guard, had a natu­rall inclination to be a Chariotier; for, when he was the Boy Autome­don, that is, before he was able to drive the horses like a man, he used to sit with the Chariot-driver, and to hold the rains, to show his affection to that Art, and withall to commend himself to his young Mistresses that were so much taken with Chariotiers.

Verse 80. Forger of a Will.] The Author means Tigellinus, that poy­soned three of his Uncles (as you may read towards the end of this [Page 28] Satyr) and forged Wills, wherein he made himself Heir to them all.

Verse 83. Maecenas.] That great Patron of the Poets Maecenas, was known to be likewise so great a Voluptuary, that Juvenal never useth his name but in this sense, as here, and Sat. 12.

Verse 87. Locusta.] One of Nero's Court-Instruments, that being chid for dallying with Britannicus, gave him a dose that wrought so nim­bly, he dyed before the boll could be taken from his hand.

Verse 89. Gyarus.] The least Island of the Cyclades, to which the Ro­mans banished highest offendors.

Verse 96. Loose young Gallants.] The Praetextati, or young Nobility of Rome, that wore the Praetexta or Gown bordered with Purple, of which they were divested before they could be arraigned by Law.

Verse 98. Cluvienus.] Such another pittifull Poet as Codrus was.

Verse 99. Since Deucalion] That is since the World began again after Deucalion's Flood; when he landing upon the top of the Moun­tain Parnassus, consulted the Oracle of Themis about the restoration of Mankinde, and was answered, It might be done by him and his Wife Pyrrha, if they would cast stones over their shoulders, which should be mollified into flesh and blood, and inanimated with a rational Soul; and (if we believe the Greek Historians or Fabulists) they did so, and it succeeded accordingly; to which Juvenal adds, that Pyrrha put the Males and Females together.

Verse 113. Villa's.] Country-houses.

Verse 115. The Sportula.] When the Romans were grown so proud in their Luxury, that a great man scorned to admit his Friends to his Table; instead of a Supper they were entertained by a Porter at the Gate, [Page 29] with the Sportula, a little Basket that held 100 farthings, as in this place: but sometimes the Sportula was enlarged, and the Porter treated the Guests with variety of meats. Vid. Sat. 3.

Verse 119. Our Trojan Lords.] The Romans derived themselves from Trojan Aeneas.

Verse 121. The Praetor.] The Praetor Urbanus was an Officer in the nature of our L. chief Justice, attended by the Lictor, or Officer of Death, that carried on his shoulder an Axe within a bundle of rods, signifying the different punishments of petty and capital offenders; those being on­ly whipt, these beheaded. To the Urbanus or great Praetor were added at last 17. Praetors more, whereof two were Praetores Fidei Commissarii, in the nature of Lord Chancellors or Keepers. Fenest. de mag. Rom. c. 10.

Verse. 121. The Tribune.] The Tribunes of the People, from the number of two in their first Institution, came afterward to be ten. These were Protectors of the Commonalty; they sate at the dore of the Senate; they were the Grand-jury to inform the Lords: No Act could pass un­less they subscribed it with the letter T. but they themselves had not au­thority to make an Act at first; yet in processe of time they usurped such a power. Pomp. Laet. Stadius in Flor. Pigh. Rosin.

Verse. 122. The Freed-man.] Was an Infranchised Slave; and this might be Crispinus by his taking place of the Praetor and Tribune, or it might be any other Infranchised Slave, that was a Native of Capadocia, Mesapotamia, Assyria, or Arabia; for the river Euphrates runs through all these Countries.

Verse 127. A Roman Knight.] The Census Equestris, or that E­state which made the Eques Romanus, (a dignity answering that of [Page 30] Knight with us) was 400 sestertia, about 3125 l. of our money. A Freed-man worth so much might claim the Priviledges of a Knight, and a Knight that had less could not sit upon the Benches and Cushions at a Play by Otho's Law. Sat. 3.

Vers. 128. Corvinus.] One of the noble Family of the Corvini, but grown so wretchedly poor, that he was inforced to serve a Shepheard, and keep his Flocks near to the Town of Laurentum in his own native Country.

Verse 130. Pallas.] He was the wealthy Freed-man of Claudius Cae­sar, that suffered him, together with Narcissus his fellow Freed-man, to have, not only great Estates conferred by Decree of Senate upon them, but likewise the Dignities of Quaestor and Praetor; and let them extort and monopolize so much, that when he complained of the emptiness of his Exchequer, one answered, It would be full enough if his two Freed-men might refund. See Sueton and Tacitus.

Verse 131. The Licini.] Licinus, Caesars Freedman, was by Augustus made Governor of Gaule, which he pillaged, and so got a masse of wealth. It seems there were more Freed-men of that name, because it is put in the plural number.

Verse 134. Chalkie Feet.] A Slave that from forein parts was brought to Rome to be sold in the Market, had his feet marked with Chalk. So Pliny and Tibullus.

Verse 139. Concord, where the Storks nest creaks.] The Stork built in the Temple of Concord, erected by the Senate in the Forum. App. lib. 1. and therefore when the old Stork returned to feed her young ones, they would be sure to salute her with a creaking noise. If it were not for the word creaking, I should have inclined to Politian's opinion, that in his Miscel­lanies interprets this to be a nest of Quails, the Embleme of Concord.

[Page 31]Verse. 142. Clients.] A Client had relation to some Noble man as his Patron. The Patron was obliged in honour to protect his Client; the Client, besides his attendance in publick, was bound by Law to con­tribute towards his Patrons assesments and Daughters marriages. If any Client could be proved unfaithfull to his Patron, to have informed, made oath, or given his vote against him, or for his Enemy, he was for such disloyalty devoted to the Infernall Gods, and not only accursed by the Priest, but out-lawed by the Criminal Judge; so that it was lawfull for any man to kill him. Lazius de Repub. Rom. lib. 12. c. 3.

Verse 153. The Forum.] The great Roman Piazza, where the Courts of Justice sate, to which the Client, after he had complemented his Friends at the Sportula, waited upon his Patron. Martial

Verse 154. The learned in the Law, Apollo.] The reason of this ex­pression was occasioned by the Library of Civil-law-books, made by Augustus Caesar, in the Temple of Apollo-Pallatine ▪ where the Judges also heard Causes, as appears by Horace's delivery from the prating Fel­low that was arrested and carried before the Judge sitting in that Tem­ple. Horace

Verse 156. Aegyptian and Arabarch.] Crispinus the Aegyptian, that by his Master was priviledged to have triumphal Titles, Ornaments and a Statue, in the pedestall or basis whereof was engraven the style of Ara­barch, which Crispinus might conceive the Reader would take to be [Page 32] Arabian Prince. Some take Arabarch for a Customer in Aegypt, that re­ceived toll for Cattle brought thither out of Arabia; but Juvenal seems to use the Word for an Arch-rogue.

Verse 161. A Supper.] The Supper which the Patron was ordered by Domitian Caesar to bestow upon his Clients, was called Caena recta, a plain Supper, to distinguish it from the Patrons Caena dubia, or Supper of varieties, such as puzled the Guests to know where they should be­gin. But at this time the Sportula was not by Domitian reduced to the Caena recta, of which Martial

Verse 171. Whole Boars.] The first that brought in fashion the having of a Boar served up whole to his Table was Servilius Tullus. Pliny.

Verse 174. Crude Peacock.] Peacocks flesh never putrifieth. St. Au­gustine. Then well it might be raw upon a Gluttons stomach, when he bathed before his next meal. Hortentius the Augur, was the first that brought this meat in request at Rome.

Verse 177. Angry Friends.] Neer relations must needs be vext at the death of a Friend, by gluttony so surprized, as not to have time to make a Will. Yet even they could not but laugh at such a Comicall disaster, though they lost their Legacies by it.

Verse 186. Mutius.] A great Knave but a poor man; so that when the Auruncane Satyrist, Lucilius, published his knavery, he had not a purse to see Advocates in a cause of Defamation: but if Tigellinus, the Emperor's Favourite, had been the man so defamed, he would have fol­lowed the Law, which was, Ne licet carmen fieri ad alterius injuriam. Cicer. lib. 4. Tusc. Be it unlawfull for any man to make verse to the injury [Page 33] of another. And in favour of so eminent a Courtier, Juvenal thinks it probable that the Judg would have sentenced the Offender to die as cru­el a death as was inflicted upon Christians; of which barbarous cruelty read Tacitus lib. 15. Yet that very Judge might in his conscience know that Tigellinus was a thousand times the greater Villain. M. Tigellinus Ophonius poysoned three of his Fathers Brothers, and forging their Wills came to a vast Estate most villanously. Probus.

Verse 189. Like those.] Christians, of whose living bodies Nero made bonfires, using them as he had done Rome, with the firing where­of, he charged them. Note that Juvenal, speaking here of the Christi­ans Martyrdomes, writes nothing disparageable to the Religion it self, as he doth to that of the Jewes in Sat. 3. and 14. from whence it may with reason be inferred, that because he scofs not at Christianity, he re­verenced it.

Verse 195. Aeneas.] Anchises his Son, that when Troy was fired, took his Father upon his shoulders, carried him through the flames, and brought him safe to Drepa [...]um, a Town in Sicily, where the old man dy­ed, that in his youth begot this Pious Son upon the Goddesse Venus at the Trojan river Simois. Virgil Aeneid. 1. He was King of the Latins, and reigned eleven years after the death of Latinus, in the right of his Wife Lavinia, Daughter and Heir to King Latinus; and the Widow of Tur­nus slain by his hand. Aeneid 12. Eutropius. In his voyage from Troy to Italy, he lost his Wife Creusa, buried his Father (as you heard before) in Sicily, but never touched upon the Coast of Africa; and therefore could not have seen Dido, if she had been then living. After a tedious passage at Sea, he landed safe with his Sonne Ascanius in Italy; there conquered and settled: and from him Julius Caesar derived himself.

[Page 34]Verse. 196. Turnus.] Generall of the Rutilians in their warre against Aeneas, with whom he fought single, and was very angry with Juno that she would not let him stay to end the Combat. See Virgil Aeneid. lib. 6.

Verse 197. Achilles.] Son to Peleus and Thetis, that in his Infancy washed him in the Stygian water, whereby he was made invulne­rable in any part of his body but only the foot, by which his Mother held him when he was dipt. His Tutor was Chiron the Centaur, of whom he learned Horsmanship, Musick, and Physick. His Mother un­derstanding by the Oracle, that he should perish in the Trojan Expedi­tion, concealed him in a womans habit in the Court of King Lycomedes, where he got the Kings Daughter Deidamia with child of Pyrrhus. At last discovered by the subtilty of Ulysses, he was drawn into the war, be­cause Troy could not be taken by the Graecians until they had the assi­stance of Achilles. To prevent the Fate which Thetis knew him to be in danger of, she prevailed with Vulcan to make him armes that were im­penitrable. After he had shewn much valour in the war, he was in such a rage with Agamemnon for taking from him his beloved Prisoner, fair Briseis, that he resolved (notwithstanding all the Prayers and importu­nities of his Countrymen) never more to draw his Sword against the Trojans: But hearing that Hector had slain Patroclus, his fury for the death of that Friend made him forget his rage against his ene­my, King Agamemnon, and dispensing with his solemn resolution, he fought again more furiously then ever, slew Hector, and in his Friends revenge tyed the dead body to his Chariot, and drag'd it three times a­bout the walls of Troy; at last sold it to King Priam. Finally, when he was to be married to Polixena in the Temple of Apollo, Paris, Hector's ef­feminate Brother, to prevent his Sisters marriage, concealed himself be­hinde [Page 35] the Image of the God, and with an arrow hit Achilles in the heel, where he was only capable of a wound. See Pliny, Homer, and Gellius.

Verse 198. Hylas.] A most delicate Boy, Favorite to Hercules, that having slain his Father Theodamant, fell in love with the Boy; and in his voyage with the Argonauts to Colchos, when his Oare was broken and he forced to land, that he might get another in the Mysian Woods; the day being extremely hot, he sent Hylas with a pitcher for water to the ri­ver Ascanius ▪ but the bank being so high above water that he could not stand and fill his Pitcher, the Boy lay down upon his breast and hung o­ver the stream, running with such a violence, that from his hand it car­ried away the Pitcher, which he suddenly striving to recover, the Pit­cher and Hylas were both drowned together. This occasioned the Fable that the Nymphs had ravished Hylas. But Hercules, when he heard no more news of the Boy, was so madded, that leaving the Argonauts, he searched Mysia for him, calling aloud upon his name. Virg.

Verse 206. Latin and Flaminian way.] High-wayes from Rome full of dead-mens Monuments. The Flaminian way, Arc and Forum were so called from the Consul Flaminius, that fighting Hannibal was slain at Thrasimene, where his body was by Hannibal searched for amongst the dead, but not found. Livi. lib. 22. The Latin way, formerly called the Ferentian way, the Ausonian by Martial, not farre from the Latin Port, fell into the via Appia, that reached as far as Capua.

The Comment UPON THE SECOND SATYR.

VErse 1. Beyond Sarmatia, and the Frozen Sea I could fly hence—]Juvenal was so moved at the impudence of pretenders to Philosophy, base Hypocrites, that took upon them to reform the manners of the Romans; That, rather then stay in Rome with such Knaves, he could be con­tented (if wings were to be got) to fly beyond Sarmatia, that is, to trust himself with the most barbarous Russians, Laplanders, Finlanders, and inhumane Cannibals; and so passing the River Tanais (that divides the two Sarmatia's, parting the European Tartars from the Asiatick) to fly over the Frozen Sea, which was then believed to be innavigable; but the Hollanders have lately sailed so far in the North-east passage, that they have discovered Nova Zembla within the Artick Circle, but twelve degrees from the Pole.

Verse 3. Curian Temperance.] The Curian Family was enobled by the Temperance and Valour of Marcus Curius, that triumphed over the Sa­bines, Samnites, and Leucanians, and beat King Pyrrhus out of Italy; [Page 48] but his greatest triumph was over himself and his affections, as appears by his answer to the Samnite Ambassadors, that finding his Table cove­red by the fire-side, furnished only with earthen dishes, and Curius him­self roasting of roots for his supper, beseeched him to better his poor con­dition, by accepting a great sum of money from their hands; to which he answered, that he had rather still eat in earth, and command the Samnites that were served in gold. Being accused for plundering, he produced a wooden vessell, which upon proof appeared to be all he had of the spoil. Liv.

Verse 4. Bacchanals.] The Celebraters of the Bacchanalia or Dionysia, the libidinous Feasts of Bacchus, where virtue was death; for they that refused to sacrifice to Lust, were sacrificed by the fury of the Bacchanals. Of the abominable Ceremonies used at these Feasts, see Liv. & St. Augustine. They were at last as a Seminary of wickedness interdicted by the Senate.

Verse 5. Chrysippus.] The Philosopher Chrysippus, the most ingenious Scholar to Zeno the first Stoick, and to his Successor Cleanthes; from both which Masters he only desired to know Doctrines, and bid them leave the Proofs to him; indeed he was so incomparable a Logician, that it grew to a Proverb, If the Gods would study Logick, they would read Chrysippus. He was Son to Apollonides (by some called Apollonius) of Tarsis, but he was born at Soli a City of Cilicia. Having spent what his father left him in following a Kings Court, he was compelled to study Philosophy, as being capable of no other course that might buoy up his fortunes: but after he was an eminent Philosopher, he never de­dicated any of his books, as others did theirs, to Kings; and therefore was thought to be a great despiser of Honours, Laertius. But it is more [Page 49] probable, that he following his studies to inrich himself, would neglect no good Medium to a fortune; and I rather believe, that he having smarted so much by attendance at Court, would never apply himself to Princes any more. He died of a violent laughter, with seeing an Asse eat figs, as some say, but of a Vertigo, according to Hermippus, in the 143 Olympiad, having lived seventy three years.

Verse. 7. Aristotle] Was born at Stagyra, a City of Thrace, seated upon the river Strymon; his Father was Nicomachus the Physician, the Son of Macaon, famed by Homer for his skill in Physick, which it seems came to him extraduce, for Micaon was the Son of Aesculapius. Phaestias, Mother to Aristotle, was descended likewise from Aesculapius, as some affirm; but others say, she was Daughter to one of the Planters sent from Chalcis to Stagyra. He was a slender man, crump-shouldered, and stuttered naturally very much: but, for his incomparable erudition, Philip of Macedon sought to him to be his Son Alexander's Tutor; and Alexander made him his Secretary. He was 18 years old when he came to Athens, and there for 20 years he heard Plato. The City of Stagyra, from its ruines, was for his sake reedified by his Pupill, Alexander the great. When Alexander marched into Asia, Aristotle returned to Athens, and read Philosophy in the Lyceum thirteen years, from whence his Scholars were properly called Peripateticks of the Lyceum, (to distin­guish them from the Peripateticks of the Academy, the Platonists,) yet afterwards they were known by the name of Peripateticks only, where­of he himself is deservedly styled the Prince. After all the benefits re­ceived from him by Athens, the return made, was an impeachment drawn up against him, that he was no true worshiper of the Gods. But this (as you shall presently see) had formerly been the case of Socrates, by the [Page 50] sad example of whose death, Aristotle learned to decline the envy and fury of that unthankfull City; from whence he went to Chalcis in Eubaea, and there died in the sixtie third year of his age, and the 114 Olympi­ad, when Philocles was Archon: the very same year Demosthenes also died in Calauria, both being forced to fly their Countries. Aristotle was the first that made a Library, Strabo lib. 3. which together with his School, he left to Theophrastus, that taught the Kings of Aegypt how to order their Library, by disposing of their Books into severall Classes.

Verse 8. Pittacus.] Pittacus, one of the seven Sages of Greece, assisted by the Bretheren of Alcaeus the Poet, slew Melancrus Tyrant of Lesbos, in the chief City whereof, viz. Mytelene, Pittacus was born. A war breaking out between the Athenians and Mytelenians about the Achil­leian fields, he was chosen General for his Country, and finding his Army too weak to dispute that Title in the field, he challenged Phryno, Generall of the Athenians, to a single combat, and met him like a Fisher-man, his visible armes being a Trident, Dagger, and Shield; but under it was a Net, which, in the Duel, he cast over the head of Phryno, and so conquered him by stratagem that had been Victor by his Giantly strength in the Olympick Games. Strabo. Laert. This Duel Lyps. saith, was the original of those kind of prizes played by the Roman Gladiators, called the Retiarius, and Secutor, or Mirmillo, described in this Satyr, to the shame of so noble a person as one of the Gracchi was, that for a poor salary was hired by the Praetor to venture his life as a Retiarius or Net-bearer, against the Secutor's Fauchi­on. You may see their figures (as they acted in the Circus) in the Designe before this Satyr. So long as his Country needed him to [Page 51] manage the warres, so long Pittacus held the Sovereign power as an absolute Prince. But when the warre was ended, he like an ab­solute Philosopher, put an end to his own authority; and after a vo­luntary resignation of his power continued for ten years, he lived ten years more a private person, Laert. Val Max. being about fourscore, he dyed in the third year of the 52 Olympiad, Aristo­menes being Archon.

Verse 9. Cleanthes.] Cleanthes the Stoick was Scholar to Crates, and Successor to Zeno Founder of the Stoicks; his Father was Pha­nius of Assus; by his first profession he was a VVrastler, but it brought him in no great revenue; for all he had was but four Drachma's when he came to hear Crates: and to get a lively-hood under him and Zeno, he was forced to work by night, to keep himself from hunger and scorn in the day time. The Court of Areopagus ci­ting him to clear the suspicion of Fellony, and give an account how he lived, he produced a Woman, for whom he ground meal; and a Gardiner that payed him for drawing of water; and shewed Ze­no's Dictates writ in shells and Oxes shoulder-blades, for want of money to buy Paper. He succeeded Zeno in his Schoole, lived above fourscore years, and died voluntarily; for his Physicians injoyning him to fast two dayes; for the cure of an ulcer under his tongue; when they would have had him eat again, he would not, but took it unkindly that they would offer to bring him back, being two dayes onward on his journey; so continuing his fast for other two dayes, he came to his last home.

Verse. 14. Socratick Catomite.] Socrates was son to the Statuary So­phroniscus, and the Midwife Phaenareta, and husband first to Myrto the [Page 52] Daughter of Aristides the Just, afterwards to Zantippe, the arrantest Scold that ever thundered with a tongue. He first reduced Philo­sophy from naturall to morall (that is) from contemplation to pra­ctise, it being his constant Maxime, Quae supra nos nihil ad nos, We are not at all concerned in things above us. Anytus the Orator, indeed the leather-Dresser, for that Trade inriched him; though he was asha­med to own it, and therefore having been upon that score (reproached by Socrates) to satisfie his spleen, he got Melitus the Poet and Lycon his fellow Orator, to joyn in drawing up an Impeachment against Socra­tes, as no true worshiper of the Gods, and a corrupter of youth, ha­ving first made him a scorn to the people, by hiring Aristophanes to bring him upon the Stage in a Comedy. From the abuse put up­on him in this Comedy, others, many ages after, took occasion to abuse Socrates; especially Porphyrius observed by Nicephorus to be more malicious then were his Accusers, Anytus and Melitus. But I doe not believe that my Author intended to cast dirt upon him in this place; where Socratick Catamite cannot be otherwise interpreted, then one of those censorious persons, that would be thought as learned and virtuous as Socrates, when they really were as vitious as men could be, and as un­learned as the very Statues of the Philosophers, the purchase whereof was all the proof they could make of their learning. Some there are that imitate their folly in our dayes, as appears by the instance Lubine makes in a Scholar, his Contemporary, whom he forbears to name, that gave 3000 drachma's for the earthen-lamp, that Epictetus used, hoping, that if it burned all night by his bed-side, it would infuse into him the wisdome of Epictetus in a dream. If he bought the lamp for this reason (as Lubine con­ceives he did) then he was guilty of the vanity of Juvenal's Philosophasters [Page 53] but if he bestowed so much money upon a piece of Antiquity, that might be usefull to the present and succeeding times; in that case I should honour him for his expence, as I doe the memory of Thomas Earl of Arundell and Surrey, (Grandchilde and Heir to the last Duke of Nor­folke) for the vast summes those Statues cost him, from which Mr. Sel­den hath pickt out so many learned notions; as you may find in his book entituled Marmora Arundeliana: among which Statues is the inscription that proves Laches to be Archon at the death of Socrates, which is to be made use of in this very place. As for Epictetus his lamp, it might have been of great advantage to Fortunius Licetas, when he writ De Lucernis absconditis. To return to our account of Socrates, He was convicted of impiety and improbity by the false oaths of his Accusers, and the testiness of his Judges, for being asked at the Bar, What in his own judgement he deserved, he answered, To be maintained by you the great Councell or Prytanaeum, at the publique charge; which so enraged the Senate, that the major part, by above 80. voted him to death, and accordingly execution was done, the Officer of death presenting him a draught of Hemlock, which he cheerfully took off; and so Laches, as aforesaid, be­ing Archon, in the first year of the ninety fift Olympiad, he was poyso­ned by that ingratefull City of Athens, which as Juvenal sayes Sat 7.

Verse 21. Peribonius.] The Archi-gallus or chief Priest of Cybele, Principall of an Order of Rogues so infamous for drunkennesse and de­bauchery, that it was not lawfull for a free-born Roman to be one of the number. The original of their institution was this, Cybele the daughter of King Minos, being in her infancy exposed upon the Hill Cybelus in [Page] Phrygia, from which Hill she had her name, and there nourished by the wilde beasts, to whose mercy she was left, was found by a Shepherds wife, bred up as her own Child, and grew to be both a great Beauty, and a Lady of most excellent naturall parts; for the Greeks from her in­vention had the Taber, Pipe, and Cimballs. She was married to Saturne, and therefore Mother of the Gods, her highest title. She was also called Rhea, from her flowing or aboundant goodnesse: styled likewise Pessi­nuntia, from Pessinus a Mart-town in Phrygia; and Berecynthia, from Berecynthus a Mountain in the same Countrey, where her Ceremonies were begun; and Atis, a handsome young Phrygian, by her appointed su­perintendent over them, upon condition that he would promise chastity during life: but not long after he defloured a Nymph: for which offence Cybele took away his understanding; and in one of his mad fits, by his own hand he was gelt, and after that, he attempted to kill himself; but it seems the Compassionate Gods prevented him, and turned the youth in­to a Pine-tree, Ovid. Met. By his example, the Phrygian Priests ever after gelded themselves with the shell of a fish. Their Vest was particoloured, called Synthesis, or amictus variegatus; they carried the picture of their Goddesse through the streets of Rome in their hands, and striking their breasts, kept tune with their Tabers Pipes, and Cymbals, called Aera Corybantia: as they were named Corybantes, from Corybantus, one of Cybele's first Votaries, they wore Miters fastened under their chins, Sat. 6.

In this manner dancing about the streets, they begged money of the [Page 55] people, from whence the Romans termed them Circulatores Cybelei, Cybels Juglers, or Collectors; they were common Bawds, as appears by this place, and Master-Gluttons and Drunkards, as you may see in the follow­ing part of this Satyr; and where the young Consul Damasippus layes the chief Priest of Cybele dead drunk, Sat. 8.

Verse 27. Herculean language.] This referres to Xenophons Dialogue between Hercules Virtue and Vice; where Hercules confutes the monster Vice with arguments, as he had done other monsters with his club.

Ver. 29. Varillus.] A poor Rogue, that will acknowledg no difference or odds in point of goodness between himself & the wicked great man Sextus.

Verse 33. To hear a Mutineer complain'd of by the Gracchi,] Signifies the same with our English Proverb, To hear Vice correct Sin. Caius and Ti­berius Gracchus (Sons to that excellent patern of modesty, Cornelia Daugh­ter to Scipio Africanus, that conquered Hannibal) were young men of in­comparable wit and elocution, but too much addicted to popularity. This made them relinquish the Lords, and court the People, with whom to in­gratiate themselves, they passed the Lex Agraria, for division of the pub­lick lands between the Lords and Commons, which Law, though groun­ded upon a fundamentall Right, was the firebrand to a sedition quenched in the blood of these two Brothers; Tiberius being slain, as he was making a Speech to the people, by the hand of Publius Nassica the Pontifex Ma­ximus; and Caius, when he had fortified the Capitoline Mount, by the com­mand of the Consul Opimius. Plutarch in Caio & Tiberio.

Verse 35. Milo.] T. Annius Milo from the Papian Family adopted by T. Annius his maternal Grand-father, slew Clodius Tribune of the Peo­ple, that had many seditions and dangerous designes against the Republick, [Page 65] for which reason Cicero intended to make the people favourable to the Murtherer, and spake in his behalf, but not that Oration which is at this day to be seen among his works; and that afterwards coming to the hand of Milo, then banished to Masilia, where he lived in extreme want: Oh, sayes Milo, if Cicero had spoke this, I had not gathered worms in Masilia, Nonn. in Romanorum Historiam.

Verse 36. Verres.] Caius Verres was first Questor to Cneius Carbo, then Legate and Proquestor to Cneius Dolabella, both which he betrayed. When Lucullus and Cotta were Consuls, he was made Praetor Urbanus, or Lord chief Justice of Rome; and after the discharge of that office, Praetor of Sicily, where he exercised his authority with so much lust, ava­rice and cruelty, that the Sicilians sued him upon the Law De pecuniis repetundis, to make him refund: and in their favour, Cicero managed the accusation against him with so much vigor and art, that when Verres saw how his Patron Hortensius was over matched, he withdrew into volun­tary exile, where, after he had rested free from any further molestation for twenty six years, he was by the Triumviri proscribed and slain. Plin. lib. 34. The cause of his proscription, was for denying to Mark Antony certain antique pieces of Corynthian plate, which that Triumvir much de­sired. Seneca saies he died like a stout man; but it seeems he had lived like a thief, one that robbed not one man, not one City, but all Sicily. See Ci­cero in Verrinis, Asconius Pedianus and Lactautius lib. 2.

Verse 36. Clodius.] Clodius, Cicero's capitall enemy, made himself be adopted by a Plebeian, only that he might be one of the body of the peo­ple, to vote Cicero out of Rome, Cicero ad Atticum lib. 1. He was an A­dulterer most impudent and sacrilegious, for he came to the solemnity of the Good Goddess (where it was unlawfull for any man to be present) in [Page 57] the habit of a singing-Woman, Sat. 6. to meet Julius Caesar's wife, Plu­tarch. which occasioned the Julian Law, that made adultery death. He married his own Neece, enjoyed three Sisters, and corrupted Metella Daughter to the religious Pontifex Maximus, that lost his eyes with zealous care to preserve the Temple of Pallas when it was on fire, Sat. 3.

Verse 37. Catiline.] A Roman, for his conspiracy against his Country, made famous by the pen of Cicero. Catiline's fellow Conspirators were Lentulus, Cethegus, Statilius, Gabinius, Ceparius: you may read their whole Plot at large in Salust; and Cicero's Orat. against Catiline.

Verse 38. Sylla 's three Scholars,] Caesar, Anthony, and Lepidus; imita­ting in the beginning of their Triumvirate, the bloody Roll of their Tu­tor in the Art of Government, Sylla. See Sylla in the Comment upon the first Satyr.

Verse 39. One lately married his own Neece.] This might be Claudius Caesar, that after he had put to death his Empress Messalina, married Agrip­pina his own brothers Daughter, Mother to Nero, the Senate dispen­sing with the incestuous Marriage: and she (lest she might bring a Co­heir to her Son Nero) took potions, and receipts to make her part with her conceptions: which deformed Embrions or Abortives could not choose but be very like her Uncle their Father; for he was (as the Mother of An­tonius used to call him) a monster of men, a thing begun by nature but not finished. And after the violation of the Law, in this marriage with his Neece, he revived the Julian Law, which made adultery death; not only a terrible Law to Men, but that would have reached Mars and Venus too, if Vulcans Counsell might have pleaded it. Others, to whose o­pinion I subscribe, understand this (One) to be Domitian Caesar, that was [Page 58] like wise very ugly, and married his own Neece Julia, here named, Daughter to the delight of mankinde, his noble Brother Titus: forcing her to take so many drugs to prevent the danger of child-bearing, that by seek­ing to preserve, he destroyed her.

Verse 45. Scauran Counterfeits.] Aemilius Scaurus born of noble (but poor) parents, raised himself by his elocution to the dignity of Consul: He having once been so poor, that he was forced to trade in Charcoal for a lively-hood. In his Consulship he triumphed for his victory over the Ligurians, and Cantisci: when he was Censor he made the Aemilian Way, and built the Aemilian Bridge: He commanded his Son Scaurus (for giving ground to an enemy) never to come into his sight again; the sense of which ignominy, made so deep an impression in the bashfull youth that he slew himself, Plin. But as the best interpretation (of Scauran Counterfeits) Salust in his Jugurthines gives this character of Aemilius Scaurus. He was a person noble, active, factious and bold, but he had the art of concealing his vices. After the expiration of his Consulship, when he was Consular, and Prince of the Senate: the House sent him Ambassador to King Ju­gurth to diswade him from assaulting Cirra, and besieging Adherbal.

Verse 48. Laronia.] A wanton, but a witty Lady, that tells the sowre Philosophy-monger, that Cato Major, (Censor by his office) and his Ne­phew, whose constancy was admired by the Romans (being now in their ashes) it seems a third Cato was come from heaven, meaning this censori­ous Stoick; but whilest she thus looks upon him as upon a kinde of God, she takes notice that he is in something lesse then a Man; for she findes that he weares a perfume, and desires to know his Drugster, that she might buy at the same Shop: such essences being as proper for her sex, as con­trary to his severe profession.

[Page 50]Verse. 54. The Law Scantinian.] Caius Scantinius, being accused by Caius Marcellus, for offering to force his Son; a Law passed in Senate, that set a Fine of 10000 H.S. upon the like attempt; and the foul Offen­der was either to pay the whole summe or his life.

Verse 66. Arachne,] Idmon's Daughter, a Lydian Maid that had the vanity to challenge the Goddess Pallas to weave with her, and being dis­graced by the Goddess, despaired: and had hanged her self but that Pallas as a monument of her own mercy and the Maids presumption, saved her life and turned her into a Spider, that is still weaving to no purpose. Ovid Met. lib. 6. Pliny sayes Arachne was the Inventress of Lines and Nets▪ and that her Son Closter found out the VVheels and Spindles for wool.

Verse 67. Penelope,] Wife to Vlysses, that in the twenty years absence of her Husband, could never be wrought upon, either by her Parents perswasions or the Courtship of her Suitors, to violate her faith in giving way to a second marriage▪ but when the libidinous pretenders were so pressing that she feared violence, she won them to a grant of so much time, for her to think upon it, as till the work which she had in hand (and was then in the Loom) should be wrought off: and she carried her designe so politickly, that all which they saw her weave in the day time, she un­wove in the night. Thus she staved off their fury, till her Husband return­ed, who coming home in a Beggers habit, desired of his wife a nights lodg­ing, and in that time made an end of all his Rivals. Homer in Odyss.

Verse 80. Procula.] Procula, Pollinea, Carfinia, and Fabulla were fa­mous Roman Curtesans in Juvenal's time.

Verse 87. Victorious Fathers.] The ancient Romans; whose richest ap­parell was their wounds, their strongest fortifications the mountains, and their healthfullest exercise, the plough that maintained their Families: [Page 60] with what indignation would they have looked upon the effeminate im­pudence of these Sarcenet Judges.

Verse 93. Legislative Cretan.] The silken Judges that would be thought as strict and just as Minos the Cretan Legislator.

Verse 101. Hedge-Priest.] The word is now so proper for a Mock-Priest, that I rather choose it then my Author's expression, Qui longa domi redimicula sumunt, a House-Priest, one of those that weare fillets and jewels about their necks, which he calls House-Priests, to distinguish them from Priests belonging to the Temples, appointed to sacrifice by publick Authority; to which he adds the wearing of fillets and jewels, to distinguish them from men, their effeminacy disowning of their sex. These Separatists he parallels with the Dippers or Baptists of Athens, that worshiped their Goddess Cotytus or Cotittus, with the like abhominable Ceremonies, being diametrically opposite to those used by the Romans at the Feast of the Good Goddess; for there the Vestal Nuns were Super­intendents. Cic. de Arusp. respons. no man admitted to the Sacrifice, not so much as a male picture, Sat. 6. (though it seems Clodius brought in a masculine substance;) nay, the very Myrtle was excluded, because it was consecrated to Venus: but here they had nothing appertaining to the Good Goddess, but that which made her thought to be Ceres, the paunches of fat Sowes, and bolls or vessels of wine, which they called by the name of Amphora's of hony. Alex. Gen. Dier. lib. 6. c. 8. but they admitted no women, they themselves acting womens parts.

Verse 116. Masters Juno.] It was the Roman mode for the man to pro­test by his Genius, and the woman by her Juno.

Verse 117. Otho.] Otho Sylvius descended from the Hetrurian or Tus­can Kings, came to be Emperor by treason, murdering his poor old [Page 61] Sovereign Galba. Tacitus lib. 1. cap. 7. sayes, that Otho's Souldiers as if they had marched against the Parthians, Vologeses, or Pacho, to unthrone them that had rooted out the Arsacean Line, and not to murder their own Emperor unarmed and aged, scattering the people, trampling upon the Senate, put spurs to their horses and charged into the place of Assembly; neither did the sight of the Capital, nor reverence of the Temples there, nor the memory of past Princes, or fear of those to come terrifie them from committing that inhumane act, which the immediate Successor is obliged to revenge. Galba was slain by Camurius a Souldier of the fifteenth Le­gion. Tacit. Plut. But Otho that when he was conquered by Vitelius, painted his face before his great Looking-glass like an ordinary woman, (for it seems the two Queens Semiramis and Cleopatra did not so in their last battels) yet in his death, and only in his death, shewed himself a man. Plut. Tacit.

Verse 118. Auruncane Actors spoil.] It relates to Virgils verse lib. 12. Actoris Aurunci spolium, Auruncane Actors spoil; being a massy spear won in fight from that great Souldier by Turnus: not greater for a spear then Otho's Trophy for a Looking-glass.

Verse 127. Bedriack field.] The ground where Otho was defeated by Vitelius, in all other but the Louvre-copy written Bebriack.

Verse 129. Semiramis.] Queen of Assyria, the Widow of King Ninus, that perceiving the Assyrians would not indure to be governed by a VVo­man, concealed his death, and took upon her self his person, till such time as her Son Ninus should grow up and be able to manage the Affairs of State. She walled the City of Babylon, Sat. 10. Brick-wal'd Babylon. Subduing her neighbour Princes, she very much extended the limits of her Empire, Valer. lib. 9. cap. 3. Once, when she was dressing her self, [Page 62] newes came that the Babylonians had revolted, and one side of her hair being uncomb'd out, she put on her Quiver, and in that posture led up her Army against the Town, nor would she suffer the other side of her hair to be put in order till the City was rendered. But the end of her life answered not so glorious a beginning; for she fell in love with her Son Ninus, that having no other way to be rid of her nefarious importunity, slew her with his own hand.

Verse 131. Cleopatra,] Queen of Aegypt, Daughter of Ptolomy Auletus, Sister and Wife to Ptolomy the last: She was first Mistress to Julius Cae­sar, and had by him her Son Caesario: Afterwards Mark Antony lived with her as her Husband, divorcing himself from his own Lady the Si­ster of Augustus, which he so resented, that he declared a war against An­tony, and defeated him at sea in the battel of Actium, where he fought and fled in obedience to Cleopatra; at last died upon his own sword, Plut. This example Cleopatra followed, that disdaining to be made a scorn to Rome, and to follow the triumphant Chariot of Augustus, procured a Country fellow to bring her in a basket of figs, a venomous Asp, which she angering, it sucked her arme, and so the poyson struck her to the heart. Plut. in the life of Marc. Antony.

Verse 134. Foul Phrygian talk.] A lacivious Lecture read at meal­times by the Archigallus, Peribonius, to his Scholars that exactly followed him in Trencher-doctrines, and point of gusto, but could not be brought to imitate him in the use of his Phrygian Razor ( viz.) the Fish-shell wherewith he gelt himself.

Verse 142. Gracchus for thy Dower.] This Gracchus a prodigie of that noble house of the Gracchi, that being descended from Gracchus Sempro­nius the Proconsul of Spain, to whom the Celtiberians rendred them­selves, [Page 63] and from Scipio that defeated Hannibal, to the dishonour of his Family and Nation, basely married himself as a Bride to a Trumpeter; out of a meer wanton humor; for he was able to subsist of himself, as ap­pears by the Dower which he brought to the Trumpeter, being 4000 Se­stertia, about 3125 l. sterling, the Census Equestris or legal Estate of a Ro­man Knight: yet was this very Gracchus one of the four and twenty Salian Priests, of which were twelve, being the first number, instituted by Numa Pompilius in the honor of Mars, and were to dance in Procession through the streets of Rome, carrying in their hands the Ancile or brazen Shield that dropt from heaven into King Numa's hand, Plut. in Numa.

Verse 145. Censor.] The Censors were two Officers chosen by the Consuls with consent of Senate, to Register mens names, and to assesse or value their estates: in the second place they were capacitated to reform manners, by inquiring into mens lives and actings: and in this secondary sense, Juvenal asks whether it be not more necessary, that a Censor should set a Fine upon the head of Gracchus, or that an Aruspex should purifie Rome, after the production of such a Monster.

Verse 145. Aruspex,] A Soothsayer, that divined of things to come by inspection of the entrails of sacrificed beasts, part of whose office it was to lustrate or purge the place contaminated with any monstrous birth.

Verse 148. A Cow calve a Lamb.] Be pleased to take notice that calve in this place is the proper action of a Cow in bringing forth a Lamb; and that in the precedent verse Damme is the denomination received by the woman, after she hath teemed a Calfe. This I explane, lest my Rea­der, referring both the words to one action, I might be thought to trans­gress against the rules of proportion.

Verse 150. Ancilian Shields.] The Ancile was a brazen Shield round [Page 64] at both ends, and half-moon'd at the sides, which in King Numa's reign (as I said before) fell down from Heaven at the ceasing of a plague, a voice being heard (out of the cloud from whence it dropt, when Mira­cles were frequent at Rome) that promised health to the City so long as that Ancile should be kept safe; whereupon Mamurius was commanded by Numa to make eleven more such Shields, which he did, and made them all so like the first, as they were indistinguishable. These twelve Ancilia were delivered into the custody of twelve Priests of Mars, which number was afterwards increased to four and twenty, (one of whose Colledge this Gracchus was, before he married the Trumpeter) called Salian or dancing Priests, because, as you have heard, their cu­stome was to dance when they carried the Ancilia. This stupendious marriage of a Priest of Mars makes my Author cry out upon the God, that revenged not upon his Priest this prophanation of his Deity; and that being the Father of Romulus, and therefore of the Romans, his God­headship looked no better to his children, but suffered them to act these abominations even in the Campus Martius, the Fields of Mars, and in the Quirine Valley, which was likewise consecrated to him, that was in his fury called by the Romans Gradivus, but when he was amicable Quirinus, Ovid. 2. Fast.

Verse 171. Swoln Lyde's Salve-box.] A charm against barreness worn by the superstitious Roman women, and sold by those Quack-salving Gossips of Lydia. About the understanding of this word Lyde there have been great controversies among the Criticks: Junius will have Lyde to be the Lydian Maid Arachne, and so to signifie a Spider, which (the Naturalists say) if it be worn about a woman, will make her fruitful. Politianus will have Lyde to signifie one of those Lydian women that went [Page 65] about Rome to sell receipts to Ladies. Now doe but suppose this Spi­der of Junius to be put into Politian's Salve-box, and to feed upon the un­guent that imbalmed the inside thereof (as those Spiders doe which at this day are worn in bags or walnut-shells against a Tertian Ague) and then either interpretation of Lyde may stand good; and so the Spider may be sold for a charm against barrenness by a Lydian woman, that should best know her nature, being her Country-woman: and consequently the two Criticks are reconciled, without the learned scruple, that if Ly­de had signified a Spider, condita then must have been the nominative case, and so the verse would have wanted his true quantities. And thus much shall suffice for these kinde of Criticismes, being difficiles nugae.

Verse 172. Active Luperci.] The Lupercalia were Feasts and Games solemnized by the Romans in honour of God Pan, whom they called In­uus or Junus, Pomponius Laetus de Sacerd. cap. de Luper. The time of their celebration was upon the unfortunate dayes of February, a Februando, be­ing the time of Purification; though the Feast it self was called Lupercale, the Feast of Wolves, in memory of the Wolf that nursed Romulus and Remus: and the Luperci, the Priests that ran the Course, set forth at the foot of Mount Palatine, where the Wolf gave suck to Romulus; likewise a Dog the VVolfs enemy was then sacrificed with two Goats. These were the Ceremonies, Plut. in Romul. after the Sacrifice, two young Lords wait­ing at the Altar, had their foreheads bloodied with the Popa's knife where­with he killed the Goats: the blood was presently dried up with wool dipt in milk; and as soon as ever their foreheads were drie, it was their Qu to laugh: then the Goats skins being cut into thongs, the youths took them in their hands, and only girting a napkin about their middles, ran stark naked through the streets, striking all they met with the thongs, [Page 66] and the wives that never had children, would be sure to stand in their way, because they believed there was a virtue in those touches that hel­ped conception. The reason why they ran naked, was, because the Shep­herds God, Pan Licaeus, in whose honour the Arcadians first instituted such Games, was ever painted naked, Fenest. de Sacerd. cap. 1.

Verse 173. Fencer Gracchus] Juvenal seems not to be so much offen­ded with Gracchus the Salian Priest, as with Gracchus the Gladiator, be­cause this dishonoured his illustrious Family in the sight of all Rome; fighting upon the Stage as a Retiarius, or Jack-Pudding to the Clown the Myrmillo. The manner of their fight was this; the Retiarius and Myrmillo or Secutor being so armed as you see in the Designe before this Satyr, and the whole City of Rome, as well the Senate as the People look­ing on; the Retiarius tried all the wayes of his Art, to get the Myrmillo's head into his Cast-net, sometimes seeming not to minde himself, that the Secutor might think he lay open to his Sica or crooked sword, and whilest he cunningly gave him a blow at his leg or thigh, attempting with his Float-net to halter him: but if he missed, he was forced to fly round about the Lists till he could recover, and put himself into a posture of offence: in the mean time he kept off the Sica with his Fuscina or Trident: Some­times they would come to a Parlee, and the Net-bearer would act the Complementaster, telling the Follower, though he knew his blood was sought by him, and alwayes carried a spunge in his pocket, Plin. lib. 31. to wipe away his fury, yet for his own part he meant no harm to the Follower himself, only he desired to catch his Fish. See Lipsius in Saturnal. & Ju­venal, Sat. 8. where he describes this Gracchus in the Lists, not compelled by Nero to fight as a Gladiator: but voluntarily, after he had spent his fortunes, selling his honor, life and funerall to the Praetor, being a man of [Page 67] mean birth, in whose Shew this Lord fought for money, in the presence of the greatest persons of Rome, but none of them, no not the Capitolini Marcelli, &c. so nobly born as himself.

Verse 176. Capitoline Race.] Capitoline was the Cognomen or Sur­name of the Manlian Family, whose Founder Marcus Manlius, for affecting the Sovereign power, was adjudged to be cast down from the Tarpeian or Capitoline Rock.

Verse 177. Marcellus] was the proper name of the gallant Roman that in a single combat killed the Generall of the Gauls, took Syracusa in Sicily, was five times Consul, and at last, circumvented by Hannibal in an ambush, perished.

Verse 177. Catuli,] The honour of that name Qu. Luctatius Catulus, in the first Punick war, with three hundred saile of Romans, cutting of pro­visions from six hundred Carthaginian Ships under their Admiral Amil­car, and defeating their whole Fleet, put an end to the war: yet granted them at their humble suit peace, upon these conditions, That they should leave to the Romans Sicily and Sardinia, with the rest of the Isles between Italy and Africa, and withdraw their forces out of Spain that lies beyond Iberus, Liv.

Verse 177. Fabian name.] The Fabii were those noble and potent Romans that took upon themselves the war against the Vientes, only drawing with them into the field their Clients and Slaves; and having worsted the Enemy in many light skirmishes, at last by a stratagem at the River Cremera they were all slain to a man, Ovid lib. 2. Fast. yet this sad calamity one of the Fabian Family survived, being left at Rome a Child, from whom by a long series of descents came that Fabius Ma­ximus, created Dictator against Hannibal, whose dilatory prudence [Page 68] restored Rome to her former greatness, much impaired and almost quite lost by the temerity of other Generals.

Verse 178. Paulus.] Paulus Aemilius the Consul, slain at the battel at Cannae in Apulia.

Verse 180. Not bating him.] The Praetor that hired the Gladiator Gracchus.

Verse 182. Stygian Sound.] The River Styx, over which Charon (with the Oare here mentioned) rowed thousands of souls at a Fare.

Verse 184. Pay not for their bath.] No children at Rome were exemp­ted from paying the Balneatick, or Bath-farthing, but only such Infants as were carried in their Nurses armes; and it should seem that only such believed their Nurses, that told them of Hell and Hobgoblins.

Verse 185. Camillus] Was called a second Romulus, as a new Founder of Rome after the Gauls were Masters of it: ten years he held the Veians besieged, and then took the Town by a Mine: Soon after he was brought to his Trial by Apuleius Saturninus Tribune of the people, for riding in Triumph with white horses, and for an unequal distribution of the spoil: being condemned he withdrew into Ardea: but when the Gauls had possessed themselves of Rome, and straightly besieged the Capitol, he was in his absence chosen Dictator, and collecting the scattered Romans, surprized the Gauls that only busied their heads about weighing of Roman gold; and so restored his Country to their Liberty. After this, when the people of Rome would needs transplant themselves to Veii, he stayed them with a grave and eloquent Oration, which you may read in Livy, wherein you may see all the perfections and excellencies of the [Page 69] City of Rome. The third time that he was made Dictator, he preserved the City Satricum, confederate with the people of Rome, from the fury of the Latins. The fourth time that he was chosen Dictator to pacifie a se­dition of the people, he excused himself for want of health, and deputed another in his place. The fifth time that he was Dictator, the Gauls once again marching towards Rome, and quartering their Army neer the Ri­ver Aviene, were utterly defeated by him. Lastly, at 80 years of age he died in Rome of the plague.

Verse 186. Fabricius.] The Censor, titled for his strictness Maximus, assisted by his Collegue Q. Aemilius Papus, fined Pub. Cornelius Ruffinus, who had been twice Consul, and put him out of the Senate, for having in his house a silver vessel of ten pound weight, Agel. lib. 4. Val. Max. See Juvenal. Sat 9 and 11: where he notes the like Censure passed by him upon his Collegue P. Decius ▪

Verse 186. Curius.] Of him in the beginning of the Comment upon this Satyr.

Verse 186. Both the Scipio 's] Scipio Africanus and Scipio Aemilianus, or Africanus minor: the first when he was a boy used at certain hours of the day, to retire himself into a private part of the Temple, and was thought by the people to converse with Jove. At seventeen years of age his Fa­ther carried him into the field, in the beginning of the second Punick war; and even then he rescued his Father wounded and catched in one of Hannibals traps, Liv. Plut. After he had taken new Carthage in Spain, he passed his Army into Africa, where conquering Hannibal, he made Carthage tributary, Liv. Where he died is uncertain; some say at Rome, and shew a Monument at the Porta Capena with three Statues over it, two of P. and L. Scipio, the third of the Poet Ennius Scipio's friend, Cic. [Page 70] Others say he died at Linternum, and was there buried by his own ap­pointment, declining his ingratefull Country, that would have condem­ned him for moneys received of King Antiochus, and not brought into the publique Treasury. By this Scipio the other Scipio was adopted (for he was the Son of L. Aemilius Paulus) he utterly destroyed Carthage and Numantia, two Cities most inveterate enemies to the State of Rome. At last, living privately at his own house, he was there slain, for which murder the Gracchi were suspected, Liv.

Verse 187. The Legion.] The three hundred and six Fabii before mentioned.

Verse 188. The Youth at Cannae.] The flower of all the Roman Militia, upon whom the Carthaginians at the battel of Cannae did execution so long, till Hannibal himself cryed out Souldiers no more blood.

Verse 191. Purifie themselves.] The Aruspex when he purified a place defiled with Monsters, used a Torch and Sulphur with water, and a Laurell sprinkle, Ovid.

Verse 195. Th' Orcades] Claudius Caesar added the Islands of the Or­cades to the Roman Empire.

Verse 198. Zalates.] One of the Armenian Children sent Hostage to Rome, and there debauched by the Tribune, who had the custody and breeding of him.

Verse 205. Artaxata,] A City in Armenia, Strab. lih. 11. built up­on the River Araxes by Hannibal King of Artaxia.

The Comment UPON THE THIRD SATYR·

VErse 2. Cumae,] A City in Campania, upon the Sea-coast neer to Puteoli, built by the Cumaeans, a people of Asia, whose Generall Hippocles joyning with Megasthenes Generall for the Chalcidians, the Articles between them were so drawn, that Hippocles was to have the naming of the City, and Megasthenes the right of colony or plantation, Strabo lib. 5. Thus the Cumaeans of Aeolia gave the name to that Town, from which the Sibyll called Cumaea received hers.

Verse 4. Baiae,] Another City of Campania, so named from Baius one of Vlysses his Mates there buried. Neer to this City were the Baths, or that confluence of warm Springs whereunto the noblest Romans resorted both for pleasure and health, which made it flourish with many fair and Princely Buildings, Martial to Valerius Flaccus.

As much in commendations of the place is said by Horace in his Epistles.

Verse 5. Prochyta,] A little desolate Island in the Tyrrhene Sea, one of those called the Aeolian Isles: some say it was a Mountain in the Isle [Page 91] of Enarime, which by an Earthquake was from thence poured out, and therefore by the Graecians called Prochyta. But Dionys Halicar, lib. 1. af­firms the name to be derived from Prochyta Nurse to Aeneas.

Verse 6. Suburra,] One of the fairest and most frequented Streets in Rome. Festus from the authority of Verrius saith it had the name a fuccur­rendo, for as much as the Courts of Guard were there which relieved the Watch, when the Gabines besieged that part of the Town; and to shew that the change of the letters came only by the vulgar errour of pronoun­cing, he tells us that in his time the Tribe or Inhabitants of the Suburra was written Tribus Succurranea, not Suburrana; nor Suburana, as Varro would have it called, for being under the old Bulwark, sub muro terreo. Varro lib. 4. de ling. lat.

Verse 10. Poets that in August read.] Among the sufferings of those that lived constantly in Rome, my Author reckons the torment they were put to by the Poets, whom they could not be rid of, even in the moneth of August, when the extremity of heat was enough to kill a man that, being pressed by their importunity, must stand in the open Street to hear their ridiculous Verses read; and Vmbricius seems the more sen­sible of the misery in regard it only fell upon the meaner sort; for all the great persons of Rome were then at their Country-houses, to which they removed upon the Calends or first day of July.

Verse. 12. At the ancient Arc by moist Capena] An Arc was a Mo­nument of stone raised like to the Arch of a Bridge in memory of some triumph or victory: and this Arc was built in honour of the Horatii: af­terwards it was called the distilling or dropping Arc, because over it the pipes were laid that carried the water into Rome from Egeria's Foun­tain, Ovid Fast.

Verse 13. Where Numa every night his Goddess met.] Numa Pompilius, second King of the Romans, was born at Cures a Town of the Sabines. He was famous for Justice and Piety: He pacified the fury of his Neigh­bours, and brought the Roman Souldiers (that were grown cruell and savage in their long War under King Romulus) to a love of peace and reverence of Religion. He built the Temple of Janus, which being opened signified war; being shut, times of Peace: and all the whole Reign of Numa it was shut, but stood open after his death for fourty years toge­ther. He created the Dial Martial and Quirinal Flamens or Priests. He instituted a Colledge of Twelve Salian Priests of Mars. He consecra­ted the Vestall Virgins: declared the Pontifex Maximus or Chief Bishop: distinguished the dayes Fasti and Nefasti, the Court-dayes, and Va­cation or Justicium: divided the year into twelve moneths: and to strike a Veneration into the hearts of the Romans, and make them observe what he enjoyned, out of an awfull religious duty; he made them believe that every night he met a Goddess or Nymph which he called Egeria, from whose mouth he received his whole form of government: their place of meeting was in a Grove without the Porta Capena, called afterwards the Muses Grove, wherein was a Temple consecrated to them and to the Goddess Egeria, whose Fountain waters the Grove. Ovid that calls her Numa's Wife saith likewise, that she grieving for his death, wept her self into a Fountain, Metamorph lib. 15. which Fountain, Grove and Temple at a yearly Rent were let out to the Jews, grown so poor after the [Page 93] Sack of Jerusalem, that all their Stock was a Basket for their own meat▪ and hay to give their Horses. Lastly King Numa, after he had reigned fourty years beloved and honoured by his own People and all the neigh­bour-States, died, not having any strugle with nature, meerly of old age. By his Will he commanded that his body should not be burned, but that two stone-Chests or Coffins should be made, in one of which they should put his Corps, and in the other the Books he had written, Plutarch in Numa, where he saith (and quotes his Author Valerius Ansius) that the Coffin of Numa's Books contained four and twenty, twelve of Ceremo­nies, and twelve of Philosophy written in Greek. Four hundred years after, P. Cornelius and M. Baebius being Consuls, by a sudden inundation the earth was loosned, and the covers of the Coffins opened; but there was no part of his body found in the one, in the other all the Books intire, pre­served by the earth and water: But Petilius (then Praetor) had the read­ing of them, which occasioned their destruction by fire; for he acquanit­ing the Senate with their Contents, it was not thought fit by the great Councell of Rome, that secrets of such a nature should be divulged to the People; so the books were brought into Court and burned.

Verse 25. Vmbricius.,] A man rare at divination by the entrails of sa­crificed beasts, Pliny. He foretold the death of Galba, Tacit. but those honest Arts not bringing in sufficient to maintain Vmbricius in Rome, he scorned to use cozning Arts, by playing the Mountebank for a lively­hood, as you see by his words.

[Page 94] Upon these Premisses he concludes. ‘What should I doe at Rome? —’ From whence, contemning the vanities and baseness of the Town, with his whole household in a Waggon, this poor Aruspex went out in greater triumph at the Porta Capena or Triumphal Gate, then ever any Con­queror entred by it into Rome.

Verse 30. Daedalus,] An Athenian Handicraft-man, Sonne of Mition, the most ingenious Artist of his time. From his invention we have the Saw, the Hatchet, the Plummet and Line, the Auger, Glue and Cement. He was the Inventor of Sails and Sail-yards, which undoubt­edly occasioned the Fable of his invention of Wings. He set eyes in Statues, and by secret springs, wheels, and wyers, gave motion to those men of marble so artificially as they appeared to be living: an Art revi­ved, in the reign of the Emperor Charles the Fifth, by his Mathematician Janellus Turrianus. See. Strada in his Hist. Dec. 1. How Daedalus built the Labyrinth, was imprisoned in it, and escaped by the VVings he made himself; you have in the Comment upon Sat. 1. From thence flying to Sardinia, then as farre as Cumae; there he laid down those Wings, the Wings of Sails, as Virgil calls them, and rested upon the Terra firma. Lucian lib. de Astrolo. tells us, that Daedalus was a Mathematician: and his Son Icarus taught Astrology, but being a young man full of fiery imma­ginations, he soared too high, pride bringing him into error, and so fell into a Sea of notions, whose depth was not to be sounded.

Verse 33. Lachesis.] The three fatall Goddesses which the Heathens believed to dispose the thread of mans life, were Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, the Daughters of Erebus and Night. The first bore the Distaffe, the second spun the Thread, and the third (when it came to the determi­ned [Page 95] end) cut it off. Apuleius thinks the ternary number of the Destinies or Parcae, to be derived from the number of three points of time; that the Flax wound about the Distaffe signifies the time past, the Thread in spinning, the time present; and that which is not twisted, the time to come. The old Latins called these three Sisters Nona, Decima, and Morta.

Verse 36. Arturius and Catulus.] These two from poor beginnings had raised themselves to great Estates and Offices, and made use of their wealth and authority to ingross all good Bargains, and to monopolize all beneficiall places and employments, even to those of the Scavenger and Gold-finder.

Verse 40. Spear.] At Auctions or publick sales of mens goods (part whereof was their Slaves) the Romans ever stuck up a Spear, to give no­tice to the Town, Cic. Phil. and when they came in, there was upon the place an Affix posted up, which contained a Particular of the parcels to be sold, with their several prices Sig. de Jud. Under the Spear sate the Cryer, asking who giveth most? and by him an Officer, some Arturius or Catulus, for Voucher.

Verse 43. Revers'd Thumbs.] At any Sword-play, either in the Cir­cus or upon Theaters, it was in the power of the People to make the Gladiators or Fencers fight it out, and die upon the place: or to dis­charge them; and likewise to restore them to their liberty, lost by the baseness of their calling, for the present, and if they pleased for ever. The first was done by bowing down their Thumbs; the second (as by these words appears) with turning up their Thumbs; the third by gi­ving them a Rod or Wand, called Rudis; the last by bestowing Caps upon them. Qui insigniori cuique homicidae Leonem poscit, idem Gladia­tori [Page 96] atroci petat Rudem, & Pileum praemium conferat, He that will have a notorious Murderer exposed to the Lyons, even he will give to the bloody Gladiator a Rudis, and reward him with a Cap, Tertul. de Spect. cap. 21.

Verse 54. Toads Entrails.] The skilfullest Aruspex that ever divined by Toads Entrails was Locusta, much imployed in that service by Agrip­pina, and by, the Son of her vitious Nature, Nero.

Verse 65. Dark Tagus.] Tagus is a River of Lusitania rolling gol­den sands, Plin. by which my Author conceives the stream to be dark­ned. Neer to this Spanish River (if we credit Pliny) Mares are hors'd by the West-winde, and foale Ginnets infinite Fleet, but their time of life is swifter; for they never live to above three years old.

Verse 71. Greek Town.] Rome, where Graecians (that were Johns of all Trades, and could do every thing to please the humour of a Roman) carried away the men like ships, with a breath: and where the very wo­men affected and spake the Greek tongue, Sat. 6.

Verse 73. Orontes,] A River of Caelesyria, that springs up not farre from Mount Lebanon and the City of Seleucia Pieria, where it sinks un­der ground, and riseth again in the Apemene Territorie, running by An­tioch, and falling into the Sea neer Seleucia. It was called Orontes by his name that first made a Bridge over it, for before they called it Tryphon, Strab.

[Page 97]Verse 76. Circus,] The great Shew-place at Rome, neer to that part of Mount Aventine where the Temple of Diana stood. Tarquinius Priscus built Galleries about it, where the Senators and People of Rome, to the number of a hundred and fifty thousand, might see the running of great Horses at Lists, Fireworks, Tumbling, and baiting or chasing of wilde Beasts. In after Ages there was likewise to be seen Prizes played by the Fencers or Gladiators: and in Vaults underneath it stood women that would prostitute their bodies for money, Rosin. Antiq. and as you may see in this Satyr.

Verse 79 Our nointed Clown] The meanest sort of Roman Fencers had their necks nointed with an artificiall Clay made of oyle and earth; and so that they were able to compass such a nointing, with a Trechedip­na or a poor Poste-Gown, in which they might runne to the Sportula (either to get a share in the hundred farthings, or in the Clients plain Supper) their ambition was satisfied. But the Greek Peasants, though farre meaner (as subject to these) scorned such low thoughts, aiming to recover that by cozenage, which they had lost by fighting with the Romans.

Verse 81. Andros,] An Island in the Aegaean Sea, being the principall of the Cyclades, where there is a Spring whose water every year upon the fifth day of January tastes like wine, Plin. lib. 2. Samos is an Island in the Icarian Sea right against Ionia, Ptolomy. Amydon a City of Paeonia or Macedonia, that gave assistance to the Trojans. Alaband a City in Caria, Plin. Ptol. infamous for effeminate men and impudent singing women; only famous for the birth of Appolonius the Rhetor. Trallis a Town of Caria in the Lesser Asia, Plin. lib. 5. Sicyon an Island [Page 98] in the Aegean Sea, opposite to Epidaurum, very high and eminent, Plin. From this Isle Minerva was called Sicyonia, because Epopaeus there built a Temple to her for his victory against the Boeotians.

Verse 83. Mount Esquiline.] The seven hills that Rome stood upon, were the Palatine, the Quirinal, the Aventine, the Caelian, the Esquiline, the Tarpeian or Capitoline, and the Viminall; the last being so called from the VVickers or Oziers growing upon it.

Verse 88. Isaeus,] The fluent Orator, whose Scholar Demosthenes was.

Verse 96. At Athens born.] Daedalus that put off his VVings at Cumae, as before.

Verse 100. Syrian Figs] Syrian Figs, Sea-coal, and the Grecians came in with one wind and for one purpose, viz. to be sold in the Market at Rome.

Verse 102. Sabine Olives.] Olives growing in the narrow, but long Country of the ancient Sabines, which reached from Tyber as farre as the Vestines, and was bulwarkt on both sides by the Apennine Mountains, Plin.

Verse 106. Antaeus,] A Giant, begot by Neptune upon the Earth, sixty four cubits high. He spent his youth in Libya at the Town of Lixus, afterwards called the Palace of Antaeus. Ever when he found himself weary or over-toyled, he recovered his strength and spirits by touching of the Earth his Mother; and therefore Hercules, when they two wrast­led together, held him up in the aire, that the earth should not refresh him. The great Roman Souldier Sertorius, at Tygaena a town of Libya, digged up the Sepulcher of Antaeus, and found his body, Plutarch.

Verse 111. Doris,] A Sea Nymph, Daughter to Oceanus and Thetis, [Page 99] and VVife to her Brother Nereus, by whom she had an infinite number of Children, Sea-Nymphs, that from their Fathers name were called Nereides. Her Picture was alwayes drawn naked, and so it seems the Greek Players acted her.

Verse 112. Thais,] A famous Curtesan born in Alexandria, that set­ting up for her self at Athens, drew the custome of all the noble Youth of that learned City. She was rarely charactered by Menander the Poet in a Comedy, which probably was acted in Rome by the rare Greek Comedians, Demetrius, Antiochus, Stratocles and Haemus.

Verse 137. Gymnasium] is here taken for any Room wherein the Greek Philosophers read to their Roman Pupills.

Verse 139. Bareas.] Bareas Soranus was impeached of high Treason by his Friend and Tutor P. Egnatius, that took upon him the gravity of the Stoicks in his habit and discourse, to express the Image of an honest Exer­cise, Tacit. but the Informer was paid in his own coyn; for he that im­piously and basely had murdered his Scholar in Nero's time, was him­self in the reign of Vespasian condemned and executed upon the informa­tion of Musonius Rufus, Dio, Tacit.

Verse 142. A feather fell.] In Cilicia P. Egnatius was born, at a Town as lying as himself; for there, as their History sayes, Bellerophon's Horse Pegasus (having stumbled in the aire and sprained his Fetlock) dropt a feather from his heel, and ever since the Town was called Tarsus.

Verse 144. Erimantus.] Erimantus, Protogenes, and Diphilus were Greeks, which the Great men of Rome trusted with the government of their Children.

Verse 158. Lictor.] See Praetor Sat. 1. whose Officer the Lictor was.

Verse 156. Modia] Modia and Albina were rich Ladies that had [Page 100] not any Children of their own, and therefore the Roman Lords courted them in as servil a manner as the Lords were attended by their Clients, Sat. 5.

Verse 160. The Tribune.] I conceive this Tribune to be the Militarie Tribune that commanded in chief with Consular power; not one of those six that had every of them a thousand men in a Legion, consisting of six thousand.

Verse 161. Catiena.] Catiena, Calvina, and Chio were rich Curtezans, too dear for the Common sort of Romans; for mean people were hardly able to pay their Sedan-men or Chair-bearers.

Verse 166. Cybel's Host.] Scipio Nasica, whom the Senate judged to be the best man; and therefore when Cybele Mother of the Gods was first brought to Rome, with advice from the Oracle, that she should be en­tertained by the best man, they voted her to be lodged in his House. When he found himself inauspiciously named for Consull by Gracchus, he resigned his Authority. When he was Censor, he made the Con­sulls Statues be pulled down, which had been set up in the Forum by every mans ambition. When he discharged the Office of Consull, he took the City of Deiminium in Dalmatia. His Army put upon him the name of Imperator, and the Senate decreed him a Triumph, but he refused both. He was very eloquent, very learned in the Law, and [Page 101] with an excellent wit, a most wise man; and in the esteem of all Rome, worthy his noble Ancestors the two Africani. He left not money e­nough to pay for his Funerall expenses; therefore they were defraied by the People; and in every street through which the body past they strew­ed flowers, Plin. lib. 22. cap. 3.

Verse 166. Numa.] See the beginning of the Comment upon this Satyr.

Verse 167. He that sav'd our Pallas.] L. Metellus the Pontifex Maximus before mentioned, that when the Temple of Vesta was burned down, rescued from the flame the Palladium or wooden Image of Pal­las, brought from Troy: But his piety had a very sad success, for ventu­ring too desperately into the fire, he lost both his eyes, Plin. lib. 7. cap. 44. This Metellus in the first Punick VVarre, for his victories over the Carthaginians, had a most glorious triumph; for he led through Rome thirteen great Commanders of the Enemie, and sixscore Ele­phants.

Verse 174. Samothracians.] Samothracia or Samothrace is an Island in the Aegaean Sea, neer to that part of Thrace where the River Hebrus falls into the Sea, Stephan. It was anciently called Dardania, from Dardanus the Trojan, that is reported to have fled thither with the Palladium; but the first name of this Island was Leucosia, Aristot. in his Republick of Samothracia. The Gods worshiped by these Islanders, were Jupiter Juno Pallas, &c. from the Samothracians brought to the Romans, whose peculiar Deities were Mars and Romulus.

Verse 188. Vain Otho.] L. Roscius Otho when he was Tribune passed a Theatrall Law, wherein he distinguished the Roman Knights from the Common people, assigning fourteen Benches in the Theater only [Page 102] for the Knights, that is, for such as had an Estate worth four hundred Se­stertia, being about three thousand one hundred twenty five pound of our money, by which Law they that were not worth so much incurred a penalty if they presumed to sit upon any of those Benches, Cic. Philip. 2. See likewise his Orat. for Muraen.

Verse 191. Aediles.] The Romans had three sorts of Aediles. The first they called Aediles Curules, from the Chariot they rid in: these were chosen out of the Senate, Pilet. in lib. 2. Cic. epist. fam. 10. and had in charge the repairing both of Temples and private Houses. The second sort were Aediles Plebeii, chosen out of the People; and these came into Office when the Curules went out, they ruling several years by turns, Alex. Gen. Dier. lib. 4. c. 4. these were impowred (together with their charge of Temples and private Dwellings) to punish the falsifying of Weights and Measures, to look to the publick Conduits, and to make provision for Festivall Playes. The third sort were Clerks of the Mar­ket, looking to the Corn and Victuals sold in publick, Alex. ibid. these were the Aediles Cerealis in ordinary: the extraordinaries were the An­nonae praefecti, Rosin. Antiq. l. 7. c. 38.

Verse 198. Marsians.] The Marsians were a poor but stout People of Italy, Neighbours to the Samnits, descended from Marsus Sonne to the Witch Circe: Men that with their spittle cured such as were bitten by Vipers, Plin.

Verse 199. Sabellian Food.] Such pitifull poor meat as served the Sa­bellians, which inhabited that part of Italy lying upon the Mountains betwixt the Marsians and the Sabines. They were conquered by M. Curius the Dictator. Their ancient name was Samnites, Stephan lib. 3. cap. 12.

[Page 103]Verse 206. The pale gaping thing.] The vizarded Fool in the Play.

Verse 215. What giv'st thou] To the Lord Cossus his Chamber-keepers, to let thee in.

Verse 216. Veiento] Fabricius Veiento, a Lord of the Senate: how proud he was of his honour and excessive wealth, may be gathered from hence, poor men not being able to get so much as the favour of a look from him, unless they bought it of his Servants: how politick a Courtier he was, you may see Sat. 4. and how unhappie in his Wife Hippia, in Sat. 6.

Verse 222 Cold Praeneste] Thus, not moist Praeneste, it should have bin printed in the Satyr, if the Transcriber had not mistaken. It is a Town of Latium fortified by nature, as standing very high: it was a Greek Plan­tation, as appears by the old name Polystaephanus. In this Town was the Temple of Fortune, which L. Sylla (the Fortunate) richly paved with square stones, Plin. l. 36. ca. 25.

Verse 223. The Volscian Cliffs.] Those that dwell upon the rockie Mountains in Latium. Camilla was a Volscian, she that assisted Aeneas against Turnus, Aeneid. 7. Of all the Volscians the poorest were those of Gabium.

Verse 224. Tibur,] A City of the Sabines, sixteen miles from Rome, watered with many pure Springs, and seated in an excellent aire, Ovid. 4. Fast. The three Sonnes of Amphiraus, Tiburnus, Catillus, and Chorax built the Town, to which the eldest Brother gave the name. Solin. Sex­tus the Graecian. The Fort of Tibur stood so very high, as to those that looked upon it at a distance it seemed to be bending and falling like Grantham-Steeple.

Verse 233. Three stories high.] Poor Romans, such as Vcalegon, dwelt in Garrets, Sat 10.

Verse 237. Codrus,] the Author of the lamentable Heroick Poem, in­tituled Theseis, Sat. 1. one that could neither make Friends nor money to buy a Bed long enough for his Dwarf-wife Procula.

Verse 253. Euphranor,] A noble Picture-drawer, and as rare a Statu­ary, one that writ some Volumes of Symetry and Colours. He flou­rished in the hundred and fourth Olympiad: many excellent pieces he likewise cut in brass, Plin. l. 34. ca. 8.

Verse 253. Polyclet.] Polycletus for his accuratness and the sweetness of his touches excelled all Statuaries, Quintilian. He did things in brass honoured with the commendations of great Writers, particularly that of his Gamesters playing at Dice was thought to be incomparable. He was a Sidonian and Schollar to Gelades. Two Statues he made of one and the same designe; the first according to art, by his own judgement; the other following vulgar opinion, as any that came in desired him to alter it: when they were finished, he exposed them to the common view, and that which he did of himself was infinitely commended, the other thought to be nothing neer it: But friends (said he) you must know, this which you cry up, is my worke; that which you dislike, your own.

Verse 261. Circus] See the former part of the Comment upon this Satyr, there you will finde the reason why the Romans were so loath to leave the Circus for any other place, where they were not like to have such rare sport for nothing.

Verse 262. Fabrateria,] A poor Town of Campania. Sora, another of the same Country, taken (and I suppose sleighted) by the Ro­mans, Plin. lib. 3 cap. 5. Frusino another neighbour Town in the Fa­lern [Page 105] Territory, anciently called Frusinum, Ptolom.

Verse 268. Pythagoreans,] The Disciples of Pythagoras, that first gave name to Philosophy, and made himself be called Philosophus, not Sophus, a Lover, not a Master of Wisedom, that title being proper to God a­lone, Laer. in prooem. l. 1. See Comment upon Sat. 15.

Verse 278. Dull Drusus,] One that it seems was as drousie for a Man▪ as the Seal or Sea-Calf for a Fish.

Verse 291. Corbulo,] A man of a vast body, and that spoak high and mighty words, Tacit. lib. 13.

Verse 298. Ligurian Stones,] Marble digged out of the Quarries in Liguria, upon the Appennine Mountains between France and Hetruria, now Florence.

Verse 308. Charon,] Brother to the Destinies; the Ferry-man of Hell, that carries no Souls in his Boat under farthings a piece.

Verse 323. Achilles.] See the Comment upon Sat. 1. from whence you may fancie in what impatient postures the Players would act Achil­les, when he was in fury for the death of his friend Patroclus.

Verse 355. Pontine Fenns.] The Volsian Fenns neer to Forum Appii, not farre from Tarracina, twenty miles from Rome: they were drained by the Consul Cornelius Cethegus, to whom that Province fell, and tur­ned into good Land, Liv. l. 47. After this it was overflowed again and a Trench for Theeves, untill the reign of Theodoric King of the Goths, by whose Command it was drained once more. The Gallin Wood stood neer to the Cumaean Bay, and was another shelter for Theevs.

Verse 368. Aquine.] Aquinum a Town of the Latins, Plin. watered by the River Melpha, Strab. now called Aquino, famous for the birth of two men incomparable for their several kindes of Learning, my Author [Page 106] Juvenal the Satyrist, and Thomas Aquinas the Schoolman, called by our Country-men St. Thomas of Watering, a word expressing the moistness of the place, which may likewise appear by the adjacent Temple of Ceres, the Goddess of Husbandry, by the Title of Elvin Ceres, that is, Ceres of the Washes or Marshes, from whence the Spring and River of Elvis took their names; yet there was drie ground neer to Aquine in Juve­nal's own Land, called Diana's Hill, Martial to Juvenal, lib. 2. Epig. 18.

The Comment UPON THE FOURTH SATYR.

VErse 1. Crispinus] In the beginning of Sat 1. he is only menti­oned as Freed-man to Nero; but before this Satyr was written Nero had raised him to be Master or Generall of his Horse Guards; and at this time the Moor Crispinus was one of the Lords of the Councell to Domitian Caesar.

Verse 5. Porticos.] When the Romans were at the height of wealth and pride, they expended vast summes of money in building ground-Galleries, standing upon Marble Pillars, of the form (as I suppose) of our Piazzas but longer and higher, as made to ride in, both for their Coaches, as here, and for their horses, Sat. 7.

Verse 8. Forum.] The City of Rome had six Forums or great Piazza's; The first was the Forum Romanum or Vetus, and in it the Comitium or their Westminster Hall, where their Courts of Justice sate; there was also the Rostra or Pulpits for Orations, and their old Exchange or Tabernae built [Page 118] about it, with the Basilicae Pauli and other noble Buildings, Hen. Sal­muth in Pancirol. lib. rerum deperdit. cap. de Basil. & Tabern. The se­cond was the Forum Julium, built by Julius Caesar. The third was built by Aug. Caesar, and from him named Augusti Forum. The fourth Do­mitian began, and Nerva finished: this they called Transitorium, being a Transitus or Thorough-fare into their Market-places: Martial calleth it Forum Palladium, because in the midst of it was the Temple of Pallas: Lips. de magnitud. Rom. l. 3. c. 7. The fifth was built by Trajan, where the Senate erected that Imperial Monument of Trajan's Columne, a Pil­lar that was a hundred and fourty cubits high, wherein was carved all the battails and actions of the Emperor Trajan, which was finished two years after Juvenal writ the thirteenth Satyr; and therefore you see only a part of it in the Designe or brass-Cut before the second Satyr. The last was Forum Salustii, opening into the goodly fair Garden, called the Hor­ti Salustini.

Verse 11. A Vestal he deflowr'd.] The House that was dedicated to the Goddesse Vesta stood neer to the Temple of Castor. In this House at first four Virgins were cloistered, afterwards six: their Charge was to keep the sacred fire of Vesta, which if it went out would portend evill to the Romans, as they believed: their penalty for such neglect, was to be stript naked as farre as the waste, and then to be whipt by their Lady-superintendent: as for the fire, it was only to be kindled again from the beams of the Sun, which was done by a kinde of Burning-glass. They were admitted between six and eleven years of age, and were to remain in the Cloister thirty years; the first ten to learn mysterious Ceremonies, the next ten to practise them, and the last ten to instruct others. If in all these thirty years any Vestal was convicted of inchastity, she was led to [Page 119] the Campus Sceleratus or Field of Execution, lying within the walls of Rome neer to the Colline Gate: Munster in sua Cosmog. there in her closs Chair let down into a Vault, wherein was a Couch, a Lamp burning, and a little meat: the hole they put her in was presently stopped up: Plutarch in Numa, and so this poor defloured Vestall like an Anchorite lived and died in her grave. The reason of this kinde of death and burial, was because they held it unlawfull to lay violent hands upon a Vestall, and unfit to burn her body, who had kept the sacred fire with no more sanctity.

Verse 14. The Censor.] Domitian Caesar, that acting the Censor, had executed Cornelia a defloured Vestall according to the letter of the Law, and commanded Adulterers to be whipt to death in the Comitium, where the Judges sate.

Verse 15. Titius.] Titius and Seius are the John a Nokes and John a Stiles of the Civil Law.

Verse 19. Six thousand.] Six thousand Nummi or Sestertii made six Sestertia, being neer upon fifty pound sterling; and the Mullet weighed six pound, equall to the number of the Sestertia.

Verse 28. Apicius,] The most noted Glutton that was ever recorded in History, he writ a volume yet extant of the art of Cookery. Seneca in his book of Consolation to Albina tells us, that Apicius lived in his time, and hanged himself, because when he took his accounts of an infinite summe of money which he had laid up only to maintain his Kitchen, he found the remainder to be but the tenth part.

Verse 33. Province.] Provinces were all Countries out of Italy, to which the Romans sent a Praefect, Proconsul, or any other Gover­nour.

[Page 120]Verse 40. Nilus,] The seven-channel'd River of Aegypt, inclosing the City of Canopus where Crispine was born.

Verse 41. Calliope,] One of the Muses, Mother to the Poet Orpheus, ta­ken to be the Inventress of Heroick Verse: Virg. in Epigram.

Verse 43. Speak you Pierian Girls.] The nine Muses were called Pi­erian, because Pierius begot them of Antiopa: Cic. 2. de natura deorum; but the Poets say they were so stiled from a rich Macedonian, that by his Wife Evippe had nine Daughters turned into Magpies by the nine victorious Muses, whom they had challenged to sing: Ovid. 5. Metam. Now when they sung, the subject-mattter was still fained, and therefore Juvenal sayes they must speak, because the storie is true.

Verse 45. Our last Flavius] The Flavian Family, as it was Imperial, began in Vespasian and ended in Domitian, that by way of jeer was called bald Nero, for that he had all the ill qualities of his Predecessor Nero, and would have looked like him if he had not wanted his head of hair.

Verse 47. Adriatick,] The Sea that parts Italy from Dalmatia, and is now called the Gulf of Venice.

Verse 48. Greek Ancona,] The chief City of the Pisans, built by the Sicilians upon the Adriatick shoar, where the Emperor Trajan was at the charge of making a commodious Haven a work of great magnifi­cence: Plin. lib. 3. cap. 13. The name of the City is Greek, shewing the figure of the place to be like a bended Elbow, which the Greeks call [...].

Verse 50. Maeotis,] A Scythian Lake or Sea freezing in Winter, that in Summer dischargeth it self into the Euxine Sea by the Cimmerian Bosphorus. The fish there bred (as of a greater size then any other) is cal­led Maeotick fish: Stephan. These straits of Bosphorus are to the South, at [Page 121] the North is another Bosphorus (or Straits, where Cattel have adventured to swim over) called Thracius, which openeth into the Propontis, the South end whereof is called Hellespont, from whence to the Mediterranean, it bears the name of the Aegaean Sea.

Verse 54. Chiefe Bishop.] There was in Rome a Colledge of Ponti­fices or Bishops, consisting of four, the number appointed by Numa, chosen out of the Nobility, whereunto were added four more out of the Commons: Fenest. de Sacerd. These eight were the Major Bishops, to which Sylla added seven Minor Bishops: Rosin. Ant. lib. 3. cap. 22. This College of fifteen was exempted from all temporall Jurisdiction, and com­missioned in their own Court of Judicature, to hear and determine the Causes of Priests and private Persons: the President of this Colledge was stiled Chief Bishop or Pontifex Maximus, a title that after the In­auguration of the Roman Emperors, devolved to the Crown.

Verse 60. Caesar's Vivaries.] The Emperor's Fish-ponds, where the great Turbot had been formerly inclosed, and from thence made an e­scape into the Adriatick Sea, as the Informers Palfurius and Armillatus would pretend, to avoid the Law, knowing very well that by the Ci­vill Law any man to his own use may take fishes which never belonged to any Pond, as ferae naturae, the wild creatures of nature.

Verse 71. Lake.] Albane Lake.

Verse 71. Robb'd Alba,] A City in Latium built by Ascanius Son to Aeneas, and by King Tullus Hostilius taken, sleighted, and robbed of all the Treasure and Reliques which the Trojans had there placed in the Temple of Vesta: only her fire was left, out of a superstitious fear that it boaded ill luck to have the Vestall fire extinguished in any place. Alba took its name from the white Sow with thirty Pigs sucking her, being [Page 122] the first living thing the Trojans saw at their landing in Italy, Sat. 12.

Verse 77. Caesar.] The word Caesar is put in upon my own account, for that used by my Author is Atrides, Agamemnon: So Juvenal here calls Domitian scoptically, as in the end of this Satyr he calls him our mighty General; and in the beginning of this Satyr, Chief Bishop, Pontifex Maximus; because in his Feasts he exceeded the Pontifices, from whom a great Supper was called Caena Pontifica by the Italians, that have now varied the phrase to buccone per Cardinale, a Morsel for a Cardinal.

Verse 80. Genius.] The ancient Heathens called God Genius; after­wards they took Genius for a subordinate Spirit, and thought every man at his nativity to have a good and a bad Genius assigned him: but some conceived a Genius to be the Spirit that stirs up men to pleasure▪ there­fore amongst the Romans the time of feasting were called Genial dayes; and when they made great treatments, it was grown into a Proverb a­mong them, that they met to indulge the Genius.

Verse 92. Bayliffe.] Pegasus a great Civil Lawyer born in Alba, (where the great Turbot was brought to Domitian) now Praefectus Vrbis or Chancellor of Rome, all Causes of what nature soever within a hundred miles of Rome being heard in his Court, Fenestell. Alexand. Neopl. Sigon. But in the reign of the Tyrant Domitian this great Judge [Page 123] stood only for a Cypher; and to be Praefect of Rome, was no more then to be Bayliffe of a Village.

Verse 97. Crispus.] Vibius Crispus, a rich subtle and smooth-tongu'd Orator, but his abilities were more in private causes then in publick bu­siness: Quintil. He was born at Placentia: Tacit. and lived to be foure­score years old, in the several Courts of evill Emperors; yet he still kept in favour, by being (as the Marquess of Winchester in the like case said of himself) a Willow and not an Oak. In a Progress-time he followed Caesars Chariot on foot. When he was a Youth, Nero whispered him in the ear, and asked him, Crispus, hast thou ever enjoyed thy own Sister? he answered, not yet Sir: a cautious and a handsome return from one that would not own a crime he never committed, and yet durst not finde fault with any that should offend in the same kinde, it being Nero's Case. In Domitians time, being asked if any one were with the Emperor, Crispus answered, not a flie Sir: Sueton. This was a pleasant but a sharp reply; for Domitian in the beginning of his Empire, used every day to with­draw for an hour only to kill flies. Crispus was twice Consull, twice mar­ried, and left an Estate of 00 H. S.

Verse 113. Acilius.] Acilius Glabrio, a Man of singular prudence and fidelity: Plin. He was Consul with Vlp. Trajan eight hundred fourty five years after Rome was built, at the very time when Domitian commanded himself to be called Lord and God: Eutrop. lib. 9. Sueton in Domit. That Acilius lived to be fourscore years old, and then sate in Councel about the Turbot, we have Juvenal's authority; but after this he was charged with designs of innovation; so was the Youth that came to the Councell with him, his Son Domitius, and both of them were con­demned; yet was the old man's Sentence changed into Banishment, not [Page 124] out of the Emperors mercy, but cruelty, that he might afflict himself with remembrance of the untimely death of his Son: who knowing his life was sought by Domitian at this time, soon after counterfeited mad­ness, in hope that would take off the Tyrant, in whose sight he fought naked with Lions in the Albane Theater, where Domitian at his own charge brought wilde beasts to be slain, and killed a hundred with his own hands: Sueton. This Impeachment against the Father and Sonne pretended to be for innovation in the State, was really upon suspicion that the Son had been converted to the Christian Faith; as I was told in Oxford by a Gentleman of worth, assuring me that he had the authority of a great Author for it, which I thought to be Eusebius or Baronius, but having searched them both, I finde not Domitius recorded for a Martyr by either of them; and therefore in the Designe before this Satyr I only tell you, that some say he was a Christian.

Verse 116. Old Lords shew'd like Prodigies long since.] Long before Domitian reigned, it was news in Rome to see an old Lord, for this bald Nero took his Pattern from Nero himself, qui nobilissimo cuique exitium destinabat, that singled out the noblest persons for destruction.

Verse 124. A bearded King.] Tarquinius Superbus, whom Brutus be­guiled, wore his beard long; for in his time the Barbers were not come over to Rome from Sicily.

Verse 125. Rubrius,] That in his youth committed some such foul crime as pathick Nero did, and being come to mans Estate, was as bold a Writer of Satyrs against others, as Nero was against Quintinian a notorious Pathick: Lub.

Verse 128. Montanus. Curtius Montanus (mentioned by Tacitus) a huge fat Glutton, and a great Master in the Art of Cookery, whose [Page 125] belly Juvenal here only takes notice of, but leaves him not so; you will meet him again in this Satyr.

Verse 130. Pompey.] Pompeius Ruffus, not so gallant and fine a Cour­tier as the Arabarch Crispinus in his Oriental perfumes; yet was Pompey the subtler in whispering of accusations.

Verse 132. Fuscus.] Cornelius Fuscus, that having only heard of bat­tails, and studied stratagems of Warre within the marble walls of his Villa or Country-house, was sent General by Domitian against the Da­cians, where his Army and Fuscus himself was lost.

Verse 134. Veiento.] See the Comment upon the third Satyr.

Verse 135. Catullus.] Catullus Messalinus a blinde man and a bloody Villain, whose informations cost many men their lives: Domitian used to cast him at great persons like a blinde dart that will spare no man: Plin. He was by this Emperor raised from begging at the foot of the Aricine Hill in the Via Appia, to be one of his Councellors of State, Domitian taking it for granted, that the tongue which begged so well would urge an accusation better.

Verse 143. Cilicians.] Sword-players of Silicia whose art in fencing this blnde Parasite had commended upon the Theaters; as he had likewise praised the Engine (such as we have in Masks and Playes) that hoisted up the Boyes to the Clouds, or the blue Canvas which they called the Velaria, covering the top of the Theater: Xiphilin.

Verse 146. Bellona.] Minerva Goddess of War, (Sister to Mars) stiled likewise Enyo and Pallas, whose Priests sacrificed their own blood to her, and immediately she so inspired them as to explane things present and foretell the future: before her Temple stood a Pillar called the Col­lumna Bellica, whereon lay the Spear which the Faecealis or Herald took [Page 126] in his hand when he denounced war: Alexander ab Alexandro, lib 2. cap. 12.

Verse 150. Arviragus.] King of the South Britains youngest Son to Kymbeline, a great Enemy to the Romans in this Island, both in Domi­tian's reign (when it seems he flourished) and in Claudius Caesar's, whose Daughter Genissa (if we may believe our British Historians that he had such a one) Arviragus married.

Verse 159. Prometheus,] Son to Japet by his Wife Asia; an excel­lent Potter he must needs be, for he was the first (according to the Poets) that made a man of clay: thus runs the Fable. Minerva, extremely ta­ken with his ingenious workmanship, promised to give him any thing the Gods had that would conduce to the perfection of his Art; and when Prometheus answered, that he could not conjecture how Celestial things would advantage him unless he took a view of them, Minerva carried him up to heaven, where finding all the heavenly bodies to be animated by fire, he thought that would be most instrumentall, and therefore with a Rule which he had in his hand he touched a wheel of the Sun's Chariot, and so with his Rule burning, he brought down to the Earth fire where­with he made his man of clay. Jupiter, inraged at this presumptious theft, gave a Box to Pandora to be delivered to her Husband Epimetheus (Brother to Prometheus) which being opened by him, filled the world with innumerable diseases and calamities; as for Prometheus, Mercury was commanded to binde him to the Mountain Caucasus, where an Eagle continually fed upon his heart: but afterwards, when Jupiter fell in love with Thetis, and declared that he would marry her, Prometheus, skilfull in future events, deterred him from the Match, because he said it was decreed by the Fate, that the Sonne born of Thetis should be a greater [Page 127] Person then his Father; and Jupiter remembring how he had deposed his own Father Saturn, feared the same measure from his Son; and there­fore chose to loose Thetis rather then his possession of the Heavens. In recompence of the service done him in this discovery, Jupiter sent Hercules to Caucasus, where he killed the Eagle and unchained Prometheus. If I have trespassed upon your patience with this tedious Fable, I doubt not but to please you again with the Mythologie of it. Prometheus was the first that taught the Assyrians Astrology, which he had studied upon the top of the high Mountain Caucasus, not farre from Assyria and neer to the Heavens, from whence he could the easier discover the magnitude rising and setting of the Starres. An Eagle was said to tire upon his heart, because it was consumed with care, and watch­ing the motions of the celestial bodies: and being these were the acts of Prudence and Reason, Mercury, the God of both, was said to have chain­ed him to the Mountain: moreover for that he shewed to men how thunder and lightning was generated, it was reported that he brought fire down from Heaven: N. Comes Mythol. lib. 4. c. 6.

Verse 165. Falerne Wine.] That the Grapes growing upon the Fa­lerne Mountains in Campania made a rare Wine in Juvenal's time, you may know by his frequent use of the word Falern, and at this day it is the absolute best Wine in Italy, as they say that have met with it where it is pure, which is only in the Cardinals or some great Princes Cel­lars.

Verse 167. Lucrin Rocks or Circe's.] The Lucrin Rocks were in the Bay of Lucrinum in Campania; the Rocks of Circe were about Cajeta, where was a Temple dedicated to Circe, and a Mountain that bore her name.

[Page 128]Verse 168. Richborough] in Kent.

Verse 176. Sicambri,] The People of Gelderland, between the Rivers of the Mose and the Rhene.

Verse 176. Catti,] Germans, now Subjects to the Landgrave of Hessen called Hassi, against whom Domitian made one voluntary expedition, as he did another of necessity against the Dacians, now the Hungarians, where his whole Legion was overthrown, and the General Fuscus slain, ut supr.

Verse 178. Flying Posts] Some conceive that Juvenal meant Carrier-Pigeons; but he calls them not flying Posts either for the speed of bird or man; but because in Packets of Overthrows or Insurrections, the Ro­mans used to stick a Feather: in expresses of victory, a Lawrel: M. V. C. quoted by Lubin.

The Comment UPON THE SIXTH SATYR.

VErse 1. Saturn,] Son to Coelum and Vesta. He married his Sister Ops, and cut off his Father's generative parts, casting them into the Sea, where they begot Venus, therefore called Aphrodite. His elder brother was Titan, that perceiving his Mother and Sisters stood affected to Saturn, resigned his birth-right, conditioned that Saturn's male-issue should be destroyed, that so the Crown might return to Titan's Children. In pursuance of these Articles Saturn devoured his Sons. Now Ops, being delivered of Jupiter and Juno at one birth, made the Midwife carry Juno to Saturn, but Jupiter she concealed, and had him privately nursed in the house, sending for the Corybantes to play to her upon their Cymbals, that the noise of their bells might drown the [Page 185] crying of the Childe. Then she brought forth Neptune and put him to Nurse: to her Husband shewing (wrapt up in swadling clouts) a stone, which he devoured. In her third Child-bed she had Twins a­gain, Pluto and Glauca, and, as before, concealing the Boy, shewed only the Girle to Saturn. All this being at last discovered to Titan; when he saw that his Brother's Sons would come between him and the Crown, he mustered his own Sonnes the Titans, defied his Brother Saturn, fought him, had the victory; and pursuing his Brother and Sister, Saturn and Ops, took them both, and imprisoned them till such time as Jupiter, be­ing grown a man, defeated the Titans, setting at liberty his Father and Mother. Afterwards Saturn (hearing from the Oracle that his Son should dispossess him of his Kingdome) sought the life of Jupiter: whereof he had intelligence, and by way of prevention, seized the government of Creet into his own hands. Saturn fled into Italy, where in the Do­minions of King Janus for some time he lurked; and from his Latitat that part of Italy was called Latium. Under the Reign of Saturn the Fabulists place the Golden Age, when the earth not forced by the Plough and Harrow, afforded of it self all kinds of grain and fruit, the whole ter­restrial Globe being then a Common, not so much as one Acre inclo­sed. The naturall Philosophers reduce this Fable of Saturn and Coelum to the motion of Time and the Heavens: the Astrologers apply it to the course of the Planets: See Lucian. de Astrol. Ovid. Metam. The My­thology of it you may have from the Chymists, and Nat. Comes lib. 2. & 10.

Verse 3. Lar.] A Spirit or God to which the Romans ascribed the guarding of their houses; painting him like a Dog, because they wished to have him like a Dog that keeps the house, gentle to the houshold, [Page 186] fierce only towards strangers. The Lar and the Dog are compared by Ovid. Fast. 5.

The Temple of this God was the House, the smoak his incense, and his Altar the Hearth, which was therefore accounted sacred, as appears by C. M. Coriolanus, taking sanctuary in the Chimney of his Enemy Tullus Attius: Plutarch in Coriol.

Verse 5. Mountain-Wife.] before such time as men durst venture, for fear of wilde beasts, to carry their Wives down with them from the tops of the Mountains.

Verse 7. Cynthia,] Mistress to the Poet Propertius, that confesseth his captivity in these words.

Verse 7. Nor her.] Lesbia, Mistress to Catullus, that writ upon the death of her Sparrow: the Elegie begins thus:

[Page 187]Verse 10. Great Child.] Before the debaucheries of Parents had les­sened the Statures of their Children, cum robora Parentum Liberi magni referebant, when goodly strong Children shewed the strength of their Parents.

Verse 12. Th' Oak's rupture.] Men as they grew more civilized, lodg­ed a-nights in hollow trees, which made the wilder People believe that trees brought forth men.

Verse 13. Had no Parents,] Whose evill manners they might inhe­rit by example.

Verse 15. Ere Jove had a beard.] Jupiter or Jove was, as aforesaid, Son to Saturn and Ops, delivered of him and Juno at one birth in the Isle of Creet, where he was bred up by the Curetes or Corybantes, the Priests of Cybele, that concealed him from his devouring Father. But after he had released Saturn from imprisonment, and found that his Father had a plot upon his life, he outed him of his Kingdomes which he divided with his Bretheren by lot: Sat. 3. Heaven and earth fell to himself, the Sea to Neptune, to Pluto Hell. Then he married his Sister Juno, by whom he had Vulcan. There were four Jupiters, two Arcadians; one Son to Aether and Father to Proserpine and Bacchus; the other Son to Coelum and Father to Minerva, the Inventress of Warre: the third was Son to Saturn, born in Creet, where his Tomb was to be seen: Cic. 3. de Natura Deor. The Naturallists interpret Jove to be the Element of fire, and will have Jupiter to signifie adjutor, because nothing helps and che­rishes nature so much as fire: sometimes Jove is taken for the two superi­or Elements, when they act upon the two inferior Elements for genera­tion and corruption. The Ethnick Poets by the several adulteries and thefts of Jove, under the shadow of a Fable, give us the character of a [Page 188] Tyrant. The time of his reign they call the Silver Age, in reference to the Golden Age under his Father Saturn; for as much as Silver participates more of Earth, and consequently of rust and corruption, then Gold doth: Hierocl. The purest of the Silver Age was ere Jove had a beard; for when Down once grew upon his chin, you see what reaks he played with La­dies in Ovid's Metamorphosis, iron barres and locks could not hold out against his golden key: Horace,

[Page 189]Verse 16. Ere Greeks by others heads swore.] The Grecians swore by the heads of the Heroes, as the Aegyptians did by the lives of their Kings, and the Irish by their Governours hands.

Verse 19. Astraea,] Daughter to Astraeus, one of the Titans, who is said to have begot her upon Aurora, by whom he had likewise all the Windes, which he armed to fight for his Brothers in their war against heaven. She abhorring the iniquity and falsehood of men, flew up to heaven, and was made one of the twelve Signes, Libra: and there, as Justice ought to doe, she weighes the intents and actings of men in the celestial Scales. That her Sister Chastity fled to heaven with her, is Ju­venal's opinion.

Verse 26. In our Age.] Sat. 13.

Verse 27. Thy Pledge.] It was the Roman mode for the Bridegroome upon his Wedding day before he carried his Bride to the Temple, to present her with a Ring as a Pledge of his endless affection: Macrob. lib. 7. A. Gell. This Ring she wore upon her middle finger, because from it there passeth an Artery to the heart, and therefore the Antients judged the middle finger only fit to be crowned in Matrimony.

Verse 32. Aemilian Bridge,] A mile from Rome, built over the Ri­ver Tiber by Aemilius Scaurus, as in the Comment upon Sat. 2.

Verse 39. Julian Law.] Now that Vrsidius Posthumus means to marry and live honest, he would have Adultery punishable by death; and there­fore magnifies the Julian Law for making it a capitall crime: See the Comment upon Sat. 2.

Verse 40. Loose the Gifts.] How childless persons were courted with [Page 190] gifts out of the Shambles: read Sat. 5.

Verse 46. Latinus Chest.] The Comedian Latinus mentioned Sat. 1. played upon the Stage the Gallant to an Adultress, that upon the unex­pected return of her Husband, locked him up in her Chest: a part that had, as it seems, been really acted by Vrsidius in his younger dayes.

Verse 49. Tarpeian Jove.] From Jupiter's Temple in the Tarpeian or Capitoline Mount he was called Tarpeian Jove; the Mount had the name of Capitoline from the head of one Tolus, found as they digged for the foundation of the Tower built upon that hill formerly called Tarpei­an, from Tarpeia the Vestal Virgin ( Virg. l. 9.) that betrayed the place (where her Father commanded in chief) to the Sabines, upon their pro­mise to gratifie her with all they wore on their left armes, she meant their Gold-Bracelets; but they gave her all indeed, Bracelets and Shields; so the Traytress perished: Varr.

Verse 50. Juno,] Daughter of Saturn and Ops, Sister and Wife to Jupiter, Goddess of Kingdomes and Riches, Patroness of Marriage, from whence she was called Pronuba; the Helper of women in their la­bour, which gave her the title of Lucina. Hebe was her Daughter, conceived, as Poets tell us, by eating of wilde letuce, of which she surfei­ted at a Treatment made her by Apollo. She had Vulcan and Mars by Jove, though Ovid would have her to conceive Mars only by the touch of a flower. The Naturalists make Juno to be the Aire, and there­fore Sister and Wife to Jove: for that between the Aire and the Skie there is the neerest relation. The name of Juno is derived like to that of Jupiter, a juvando, from helping: Cic. 2. de Natura deor. Vrsidius at his marriage might very well afford to gild the horns of the Heifer which [Page 191] he sacrificed to Juno, if she would help him to an honest VVife, and in that nick of time purge the Town of VVenches for his sake.

Verse 52. Ceres,] Daughter to Saturn and Ops, inventress of Husban­dry: Virg. Georg.

Rosin. Ant. lib. 2. cap. 11. She is pictured sometimes in a Matrons habit, wearing a Garland of Corn with a handfull of Poppy or a Sheaf in one hand, and a Sickle in the other, as you may see upon the top of her Temple in the Designe before the twelfth Satyr: sometimes she is drawn with a sad look, as if she were seeking her Daughter Proserpine, stoln a­way by Pluto as she gathered flowers in the Vale of Aetna, where Ceres lighting a Lamp to search for her, fired the Mountain, which is like to burn for ever. In her travel to finde Proserpine, Ceres came to the Court of King Eleusius in Attica, where she was made Governesse to his Sonne Triptolemus, and tryed to make the Childe immortall, suckling him in the day time, but all night long she put him in the fire. Eleusius, wondring at the strange growth of his Sonne, set Spies upon the Nurse, which bringing him no discovery of any extraordinary means used by her in the day time, the King hid himself in her Chamber to watch her in the night, where seeing her thrust his sonne into the fire, the sudden fright made him call out to her to hold her hand. Ceres offended with the Kings curiosity, punished it with death. To the Childe she taught the art of sowing seed, and put him into a Chariot drawn with flying [Page 192] Dragons, that he might ride through the whole world and teach Hus­bandry to all Nations. The Nymph Arethusa giving intelligence to Ceres that Proserpine was in Hell, Ceres went to Heaven and expostu­lated with Jupiter of the injury done her by their Brother Pluto, demand­ing restitution of her Daughter, which was granted in case that Proser­pine had eat nothing while she was in Hell. But Ascalaphus testi­fying that he had seen her eat some of a Pomgranate which she plucked from the tree, as shee walked in Pluto's Gardens, her return was obstru­cted for ever. For this testimony Ceres turned the Witnesse into an Owle. At last, to qualifie the griefe of his Sister, Jupiter consented that her Daughter Proserpine should be in Hell the one half of the year, and the other half-year upon the Earth. The Romane Sacrifices to the Goddesse Ceres were called sacra Graeca, Grecian Sacrifices, and the chief Priestesse Sacerdos Graeca, because those Ceremonies were brought to Rome out of Greece by Evander. The time of her Solemnities was at day-break, the Rites only performed by Women, that ran up and down with Lamps in their hands, helping Ceres to seek her Daughter. They that officiated in her Mysteries were injoyned silence; and therefore Wine was forbidden at that time, which was upon the 27. of March, being the fifth of the Calends of Aprill. For this reason the Romans cal­led a Feast without Wine Cereris sacrificium, a Sacrifice to Ceres: Plaut. in Aulular. Into the Temple of Ceres no person durst presume to come that knew him or her self guilty of the least crime, much less they that had to answer for so great a sinne as lasciviousness, which is the sense of Juvenal in this place.

Verse 53. Crown thy dores.] On wedding dayes the common sort of people crowned their dores and dore-posts with Ivie; the leaves, bran­ches [Page 193] and berries covering their very thresholds; but persons of honour instead of Ivie had Laurel, and builded Scaffolds in the streets for the people to behold the Nuptiall Solemnity, as you will see in the follow­ing Verses, when Lentulus is named.

Verse 55. Iberina,] Vrsidius Posthumus his Bride that was to be.

Verse 65. Bathyllus,] A Pantomime, that acted with his hands the wanton Mien of the Dancing-Mistress Laena, with whose postures, imitated by a man, the Country Ladies, Thuscia, Appula, and Thymele were much taken.

Verse 70. The Courts of Law,] That sate in the Forum Romanum.

Verse 71. In Cybel's Games.] The Megalesian Games were Showes made in honour of the Goddess Cybele, the magna Mater; they began upon the fourth day of Aprill, and were continued for six dayes after, du­ring which time the common Play-houses were shut up. M. Junius Bru­tus dedicated those sports to the Mother of the Gods.

Verse 72. Thyrse.] The Thyrsus was a Spear wreathed about with Vine-leaves and grapes, proper to Bacchus, which his Priests the Bac­chanals carryed in their hands when they were possessed with their God; therefore in the seventh Satyr Juvenal sayes

that is, a poor man can never come to be possessed with a Poeticall furie, as high as a Bacchanalian rage, because he wants money to buy wine.

Verse 73. Autonoe's loose Jig.] Autonoe, Daughter to Cadmus King of Thebes by his Wife Hermione: she was married to Aristaeus, and by him had Actaeon, called the Autonoeian Heros: Ovid Metam. l. 3. He­siod. in Theog. It seems that some Attelan or ridiculous jeering rimes [Page 194] were made upon Autonoe, that used to be sung on the Stage after the acting of a Tragedy, to make the Spectators merry again. For rehear­sing of this Jigge the poor beggerly Aelia fals in love with Vrbicus, the Fool in the Play.

Verse 78. Quintilian,] The grave Rhetorician born at Calaguris in Spain; he therefore called the Spaniards his Country-men. He came to Rome with Galba, and was Governor to Domitian's Nephews. He first taught Rhetorick in Rome, was Tutor to Juvenal, had a Pension out of the Exchequer, and writ Rhetoricall Institutions and Declamations.

Verse 87. Hippia,] The unworthy Wife to the great Lord of the Senate, Frabricius Veiento.

Verse 89. Pharian Isle.] Pharos was a little oblong Isle of Aegypt; a dayes sail from the Continent, if we believe the authority of Homer; but now it is joyned by a Bridge to Alexandria: the change is ascribed to the River Nilus, whose seven channels cast up an infinite quantity of mud upon the Foards adjoyning: Ovid Metam. lib. 15.

See Plin. lib. 2. cap. 85. This Isle had a Tower of white Marble built upon a Rock, which cost Ptolomey Philadelphus eight hundred talents, Sostratus Gnidius being his Architect. The Tower bore the name of Pharos: and in the night hung forth a Lantern, by which the Ships at Sea sailed into the Haven. In this Isle Alexander the great resolved to build a City, but finding the place too narrow for his Modell, right a­gainst it he built the City of Alexandria, not far from the Canopian mouth [Page 195] of Nilus: the ground was laid out by the rare Architect Dinocrates fif­teen miles in compass, cast into the fashion of a Macedonian Cloak. Here Lagus lived that was Father of Ptolomey, successor to Alexander in the Kingdome of Aegypt; therefore Juvenal calls Alexandria the lewd walls of Lagus.

Verse 90. Nile,] A great Aegyptian River: some say the name of it was derived from King Nilus, others from the new slime or mud which it works up continually. It springs from a Mountain in the lower Mau­ritania, not far from the Ocean, in a Lake, which is called Nilis; then for some dayes journeys it runs underground; and again bursts forth within a greater Lake in Caesarian Mauritania, and again, swallowed up in the sands, for twenty dayes journeys it passeth through the Deserts to the Ae­thiopians; at last spouts out of a Fountain called Nigris: then dividing Africa from Aethiopia, it makes diverse Islands, the noblest whereof is Meroe. After it hath received all recruits from confederate Rivers, it takes the name of Nilus, and dischargeth it self into the Sea by seaven mouths, viz. the Canopian, Bolbitic, Sebennitic, Pharmitic, Mendesic, Tanic and Pelusiac. Nile embraceth the lower parts of Aegypt, divided by her right and left armes: by the Canopian from Africa; from Asia by the Pe­lusiac: Plin. lib. 5. cap. 9. so that some have set down Aegypt in the list of Islands, the River Nilus cutting it into a Triangle; and from that figure many have called Aegypt by the name of the Greek letter Δ Delta.

Verse 91 Dissolute Canopus,] Another City of Aegypt, distant from Alexandria 120 furlongs, so named from Canobus Amyclaeus, Master of Menelaus his Ship, that carried Hellen from Sparta, and by a storm was driven upon that coast, where the Master dyed, bit by the Serpent Haemor­rhoida. In memory of him Menelaus built the City, wherein he left all [Page 196] his men that were unfit for any further Sea-service. Who can enume­rate the superstitious wickednesses of the City of Canopus: Ruff. lib. 11. cap. 26. this of all Aegyptian Towns was the lewdest, as you may see here and Sat. 15.

Verse 96. Paris,] A handsome young Player, Favourite both to the Emperor Domitian and to his Empress; but his Imperial Mistress lost him his Master and his life: for upon that account Domitian put him to death. So long as he was in favour he did many gallant things: Sat. 7.

Though Paris was highly commended in these verses, yet the Satyr of them (that touched his quality of a Player) so stung him, that he procu­red a command of foot for the Author, and sent him with his Regiment as far as Aegypt: See the life of Juvenal, and the Designe before Sat. 16.

Verse 101. Tyrrhene waves.] The Tyrrhene Sea is part of the Medi­terranean, lying beneath Italy (called therefore Mare inferum) between Corsica and Sicily: the Ionian is part of the Mediterranean, above the Adriatick Straits, between Sicily and Creet; through both which Seas they must needs pass that sail from Rome to Aegypt.

Verse 119. This makes Hyacinths.] Hyacinthus was Son to Amyclas, [Page 197] and beloved at the same time by Apollo and Zephyrus; but Hyacinth in­clining more to Apollo, his Rival Zephyrus was so inraged, that his love turned to hatred, and watching his time when Apollo played at Pall­mall with his Mignion, Zephyrus blew the Iron Ball (which Apollo struck) full upon the head of Hyacinth; so the fine Boy was slain: and though sad Apollo had not power to quicken him again into a man, yet he revived him into a purple flower, that still beares the name of Hyacinth: Palaeph. in tract. de fabul. See the same story told, with some alterations by Ovid. Metam. lib. 10.

Verse 125. Whose daring Wife.] Messalina, that taking her opportuni­ty when her Husband Claudius was asleep, went to the common Stews in a red Periwig, then in fashion with common Prostitutes; which also wore Gold-chains about their necks.

Verse 131. Lycisca,] The most famous Courtesan of those times, whose name was chalked over the Chamber-dore where Messalina en­tertained her Customers.

Verse 133. High-born Britannicus.] Britannicus was Son to the Em­peror Claudius by Messalina, at least so reputed. He was first tituled Germanicus. When he was an Infant his Father carried him into the Camp, and commended him to the Army: yet notwithstanding all that care, by the contrivance of Nero he was poysoned: Tacit. lib. 13.

Verse 162. Canusian Breed.] Canusium was a Town of the Apulian Daunia, upon the River Aufidus: Ptol. Plin. Pompon. Canusium afford­ed the best Sheep of Italy, and the finest wool, which nature had died with an Eye of red: they that wore it in a Garment were called Canusi­nati: Martial. lib. 9.

Verse 159. Falerne Vine-yards.] Falernus was a part of Campania [Page 198] (yeilding incomparable wine) anciently called Amineum. Aminean Vines: Virg.

Verse 166. Berenice,] That after the death of King Herod was the Concubine of her first Husband's Brother, incestuous Agrippa: Joseph.

Verse 175. Peace-making Sabines.] The Sabine Women; they came to Rome to see the solemnity of the Consualia, Shews made in honour of Neptune, God of secret Counsels: Tertul. de spect. cap. 5. as he was also the Inventer of horsemanship. These Shews were the original of the Cir­censian Games, begun by Evander, Dion. Hal. lib. and revived by Romulus purposely to intrap the Sabine Maids, whose curiosity he knew would bring them to the Shew; and then, he resolved, that his new Plan­tation of Romans should not want Wives, which they could have a­mongst their Neighbours by fair means; therefore he got these by strata­gem, and deteined them by force. A war growing about it between Tatius and Romulus, these late chast Maids, now virtuous Wives, with their hair scattered about their shoulders (as at a Funeral) came betwixt the two Armies, bearing their young Children in their armes, and made a Peace between their Fathers and their Husbands: Plutarc. in Romul. Liv. Ovid Fast. 3.

Verse 178. Cornelia,] Mother to those two (formerly named) valiant but mutinous Tribunes, Caius and Tiberius Gracchus; Daughter to Scipio Africanus that conquered Hannibal, and Syphax King of Numidia, and subjected Carthage to the power of Rome. She was not only noble by ex­traction, but exceeding handsom, chast, rich, and prolifick, glorying much in her Children; for, being intreated by a Campanian Lady to honor her with the sight of her richest Ornaments, she brought her out neither Gold, Jewels, nor glorious apparrel, only shewed her Sons: Val. Max.

[Page 199]Verse 184. Amphion,] Son to Jupiter, by Antiope the Daughter of Nycteus, and Wife to Lycus King of Thebes, that finding her to have lost her Maidenhead, circumvented by K. Epaphus, or as others say, Epopeus, divorced himself from her, and married Dirce. In the widowhood of Antiope Jupiter got her with Child; but Dirce suspecting her Husband to have done it, clapt her up in prison. Jupiter, pittying her sufferings for his sake, delivered her from imprisonment when she was almost at down-lying. She fled to the Mountain Cithaeron, and there at the crossing of two high-waies was brought to bed of Male-twins, which the Shepherds took up, and called the one Zethus, the other Amphion. These two, com­ing to be men, were called in by the Thebans; and when they knew how Dirce had used their Mother, they tyed her to the tail of a wild Bull that dragged her through briers and bushes, miserably tearing her, till Bac­chus put an end to her torture, by turning her into a Fountain of her name. Amphion was so great a Master of Musick, that it was said Mercury gave him the Lute, which he playing upon made the stones dance at the building of Thebes till they had walled it about. Amphion married Ni­obe Sister to Pelops, and Daughter to Tantalus King of Phrygia, Son to Jupiter by the Nymph Plore: She had by him fourteen Sons and seven Daughters: but being proud of her great birth, her marriage, and fruitfulness, Niobe scorned the Thebane Matrons for sacrificing to La­tona that had but two Children. But those two, Apollo and Diana, sensi­ble of this affront offered to their Mother, in one day shot to death all the Children which Niobe had bragged of: not sparing Amphion, only be­cause he was her Husband. As for Niobe, she was taken up in a whirle-wind that carried her from Greece into Asia, and neer to the Town of Sipylus, where she was born, transformed into a Marble Statue: Ovid. [Page 200] Metamorph. 6. That Amphion with his Lute made the stones dance after him, only signifies the musick of his Elocution, winning the hearts of rude ignorant people, that dwelt at distance, to meet and live in a body, that they all might defend one City. This power of perswasion was the Lute, which he received from Mercury the God of Eloquence: See Alberic. Rocat. N. Com. Mythol. lib. 9. cap. 15. By the Marble Statue into which Niobe wept her self, is understood the effects of immode­rate griefe, which at last converts to stupidity, and makes us insensi­ble of grief. Thus was Niobe petrefied into Marble, the only Mo­nument she could raise to her self, after her Children were destroyed: Paleph.

Verse 197. Till she her Tuscan.] Till she changes her Tuscan or Ita­lian Mother-tongue into Greek, nay even the barbarous Latin of Sulmo into pure Attick Greek.

Verse 209. Haemus,] A smooth-tongued Greek Comedian, mentioned Sat 3. Carpophorus was another of the Company.

Verse 216. Dacian and German Caesar.] Domitian's Picture cut in Gold, or rather the Sculpture of Trajan, a Prince that deserved the In­scription of Dacian and German Caesar. Such Coins were usually by the Bridegroom presented in a massy piece of Plate, as a gratification for his first nights lodging.

Verse 236. Her bright Veil.] The Bride's yellow Veil, or the Flam­meum, in which they brought her (with her face covered) to the Bride­groom: Plin. lib. 21. cap. 8. This Ceremony the Romans used, to put the Woman in remembrance that she ought to preserve, what she then covered, the blushes of a Bride.

Verse 251. Manilia,] A subtle Curtesan, that being accused to the [Page 201] Senate by Hostilius Mancinus, then the Aediles Curulis, for having by night wounded him with a stone, appealed to the Tribunes, and pleaded that Mancinus would violently have entred her house at an unseasonable hour, but was beat back with stones: no marvail my Author uses her name for a she-wrangler in the Law: A. Gel. lib. 4. cap. 4.

Verse 254. Celsus.] Junius Celsus, a great Orator that writ seven Books of Rhetoricall institutions.

Verse 255. Tyrian Cassocks.] The Roman Fencers alwayes played their Prizes in their Endromides or short Coats: this was the reason why the Retiarii were called Tunicati: and no doubt but the Retiarius (de­scribed Sat. 2. and 8.) fought in a purple Cassock of the right Tyrian die, he being a Noble-man, descended from the Gracchi and Africani. This fashion was followed by the wanton Roman Dames, that likewise imita­ted the poorer sort of Fencers, nointing themselves with their Ceromatick composition of oile and clay, being exercised and trained as Tyrones or young Souldiers in the Campus Martius.

Verse 259. Florall Trumpets.] The Florall Games were celebrated in honour of Flora, Goddess of Gardens and Medows, upon the four last dayes of Aprill, and the first of May: Ovid. Fast. 5.

The Institution of this Feast was, to pray that the earth might seaso­nably bring forth flowers and fruits: but the Shew was of impudent Strumpets, dancing naked through the streets to the sound of the Trum­pet. The Beasts hunted in these Games, were Goats, Hares, and such [Page 202] milde creatures: Hosp. de Orig. Fest. There also were shewed tame Ele­phants taught to walk upon the ropes: Suet. in Gal.

Verse 275. Great Lepidus.] M. Aemilius Lepidus the Censor, that upon his death-bed enjoyned his Sons to cast a linnen Cloth over his bo­dy, and so to carry it, upon the Bed he died in, to the Pile to be burned, without imbalming, Purples, Trumpets, waxen Images, common Mour­ners, or any other Funeral pomp at all.

Verse 276. Blind Metellus,] The Censor and Pontifex Maximus, that lost his eyes with saving the Image of Minerva when her Temple was on fire: See the Comment upon Sat. 13.

Verse 276. Spend-thrift Fabius,] Sonne to Fabius Maximus; in his youth he had consumed his Estate, which surnamed him the Gulf or Spend-thrift: but afterwards he grew to be a staid man, and a great ex­ample of virtue, in particular of Frugality and Abstinence

Verse 279. Assylus,] A Gladiator or common Fencer.

Verse 292. We are dumb] Juvenal would have his Tutor, that in­comparable Rhetorician Quintilian, out of all the colours, flowers, or fal­lacies of his art, to say something in excuse of a woman taken in the man­ner; but all he can answer is for himself, That he is dumb, and his Ora­tory nonplust: he cannot for shame be of Counsell or open his mouth in so plain a Case. Then the Judge of manners, the Censor Juvenal, turns to the Woman, and bids her speak in her own Cause: She no sooner looks upon her Apron-strings, but she justifies the act, as grounded upon a Contract parole, or Articles of Agreement before marriage, wherein it was mutually covenanted, consented and agreed by and between her and her Servant (now her Husband) that after the subsequent solemnization of their marriage, it should be lawfull for them, or either of them (as if [Page 203] no such marriage had been solemnized) severally and respectively to doe or act whatsoever should best please them, or either of them; and this whereof she is accused, is her several and respective pleasure: Can a Judge then have power to call her to an account for doing what she had liberty and right to doe?

Verse 299. Lerna.] Lerna, or Lernes, is a Lake neer Argos, where Hercules ended one of his twelve labours, by killing the Serpent Hydra, whose heads, still as he cut them off, were multiplied. This many-headed Monster had laid waste the whole Country of the Argives, insomuch as it grew to a Proverb with the Greeks, when one mischief came upon the neck of another, to call their present condition [...], a Lerna of evils.

Verse 309. Rhodes,] An Island in the Carpathian Sea, where Homer was born; so named from Rhodia, one of Apollo's Mistresses: Diodor. lib. 5. In this Isle was a Gymnasium or School of Asiatick eloquence, and the Mathematicks; so that when Aristippus, the great Socratick Philosopher, was shipwrackt upon the coast of Rhodes, and found there some Geome­tricall Schemes, he cried, Cheerly my Mates, I see the foot-steps of men. Vitru. lib. 7. Here stood one of the Wonders of the World, that huge Collossus 70 cubits high (built by the famous Statuary Cares) from which some think the Inhabitants to have been called Colossians. This Island held by the Knights of Rhodes, was taken by Solyman the Magnificent in the year 1522.

Verse 309. Malta.] Malta, or Melita, is an Isle lying neer to that part of Sicily which looks towards Africa: Plin. lib. 3. cap 8. From hence came the breed of fine little Dogs that so please the great Ladies: Strab. lib 6. This Island afforded very precious Roses and delicate soft Vests: Cicer. and is now inhabited by the Knights of Rhodes, called Knights of Malta.

[Page 204]Verse 309. Sybaris,] A Town of Magna Graecia, seated between the Rivers Crathis and Sybaris: Steph. It was built by the Trojans, that after the sack of their City, were driven upon the place by extremity of wea­ther. This Town was once so potent that it governed four great Coun­tries, subdued 25. Cities, and armed 300000. men in their war against the Crotonians: Strab. lib 6. But prosperity made them wanton; no such Gluttons in the world, witness the Proverb, A Sybaritick Sow.

Verse 309. Tarentum] A great City of Magna Graecia; the founder of it was Tarentes Son to Neptune, after whose time it was enlarged by the Lacedemonians, that, led by their General Phalantus, took the place (almost impregnable, as lying between two Seas in the form of an oblong Isle) and outed the Inhabitants: Justin▪ lib. 3. From this Spartan Colony descended those Tarentines that for a long time maintained a War with the Romans; at last, finding themselves over-matcht, called in Pyrrhus K. of Epire to assist them. Some say that Tarentum had the name from the Sabine word Tarentum, signifying soft; and the Tarentines were a very soft and effeminate People, madly debauched, and jeering all other Nati­ons; but a sad just Judgement fell upon them; for when, without any ground of quarrel, they had surprized a City from their Neighbours the Japygians (now Calabrians) and for a whole day exposed the young men and Maids, their Prisoners, to the libidinous fury of the Souldier, it was revenged from heaven, their whole Armie being instantly consumed with lightning: Leonic. Thom. lib. 3. cap. 38. Neer to this Town breeds the Snake called Tarentula, that if he bites any one, makes the party bit­ten die laughing: the cure for it is a present sweat, which they take in a dance, physick proper for the constitutions of such Voluptuaries.

Verse 322. Chastitie's old Altar.] The Wantons of Rome in spight and [Page 205] contempt of the Goddesse of Chastity, prophaned the ruins of her Image, at her antiquated and neglected Altar.

Verse 329. Now the Good Goddess.] That which the Romans in Ju­venal's time called the Good Goddess, was by the Antients named Fauna, Fatua, and Senta; she was one of the 5. Daughters to Faunus, a Lady of that strict modesty, that after she was married, no man but her Husband ever set eye upon her; therefore, by her example, no man was admitted to her Sacrifices: See the Comment upon Sat. 2. and Alexand. ab Alexandro, lib. 6. cap. 8.

Verse 332. Priapaean Maenades.] The Maenades, otherwise called Bac­chae, Bassarides and Thyades, sacrificed to Bacchus, every second year, up­on the Mountain Parnassus in the night time, with torches in their hands, and their hair about their ears, crying Eu, Hoe, sounds that implyed the wishes of good fortune, for which they prayed in their Drink. These two sounds being joyned in one word, gave to Bacchus the name of Evoeus or Evan. This company of mad women had likewise a tumultuous meet­ing, once in three years, upon the Mountain Cithaeron, whether they came every one bearing in her hand a Thyrsus (being a Spear wrapt about with Ivy) and there, with strange howling, celebrated the Orgies of Bacchus. The Ceremonies of the Good Goddess had a great resem­blance to these Bacchanalian Rites, in dancing to Pipes, singing (which brought in the Priapaean Singing-woman Clodius) and forbidding of men to be present at the Sacrifice: See Plutarch in Caesare.

Verse 340. Priam,] King of Troy, who lived to be so old that nothing could put outward heat into him, but such an accident as firing of his City by the Greeks; nor could any thing inflame his spirit, unless it were such a sight as this: See the Comment upon Sat. 10.

[Page 206]Verse 340. Hernia,] A rupture that spoiled the Courtship of Ne­stor: See likewise the Comment upon Sat. 10.

Verse 352. Caesar's Anti-Cato's.] Caesar hearing that Cato Major was dead (whose virtues Cicero had commended in his Dialogue titled Cato) to disparage his life and manners, writ two Books which he called Anti-Cato's; and when they were rolled up in the form of a Cylinder, as all Books then were (you may see it in the figure of the Tragedy pawned by the Poet Lappa, in the Designe before Sat. 7.) no doubt but they made a pretty bulk; yet my Author conceives that something of a larger size was brought in to Caesar's Wife, when she danced in the private Feast of the Good Goddesse, by Clodius, that came into the assembly of Ladies like a Singing-woman, and was discovered by Caesar's Mother, Aurelia.

Verse 357. Earthen.] The earthen vessels used in the first Roman Sacrifices by King Numa (the Inventer of their Ceremonies) were ne­ver so prophaned as their Vessels of Gold have been.

Verse 364. Tall Syrians shoulders.] These Syrians were Slaves of a gigantick stature, which in Juvenal's time the Roman Ladies kept, as they now keep Switzers, one to carry their Segetta's or Sedans.

Verse 365. Ogulnia,] A Wanton of a miserable poor fortune, but one that made a shew as if she were some great Lady.

Verse 389. With Bacchus or Priapus.] The naked Statues of Bacchus and Priapus, Gods of the Vines and Orchards, which very much re­sembled the goodly Evnuch when he came to his Lady in the Bath.

Verse 394. To Praetors.] Part of the Praetors office was to hire Mu­sick and Voices at the setting forth of publick Playes or Games.

Verse 399. The Lamian house and Appian name.] She must needs be a great person by extraction and marriage, that was descended from [Page 207] Lamus, Father to Antiphates King of the Laestrygons, by Horace called the ancient Lamu's, Ode 17. and married to one of the noble Appian Family, which took that surname from the Crown won by L. Ap­pius in Achaia. Who would imagine this Lady could have a passion for the poor mercenary Lutenist, Pollio? much less, that as a Sacrificer she would stand veiled, repeat the Priests words: turn pale for fear of some unlucky signe, when the Aruspex looked into the entrails of the sacrificed beast; and bring to the Altar an Offering of barley-cakes and wine: all this to make the Gods propitious to her Servant, that when the Musick-prize was played in the Capitol, he might bear away that oaken Wreath given to the best Musician Poet and Player by the Judges, which Do­mitian Caesar had appointed in the Capitoline Games.

Verse 400. Vesta and Janus.] There were two Vesta's, Ops or Vesta VVife to Coelum, and her Daughter the Virgin Vesta, in whose honour the vestall Virgins were consecrated by Numa at Rome, her Rites anci­ently having been performed, and her sacred fire kept in Alba, Sat. 4. Liv. These two Vesta's are taken for one another in the Poets, but when they are distinguished: by Vesta the Mother is understood the Earth, by the Daughter the Fire.

Janus was the most ancient King of Italy, that, as I have formerly told you, protected Saturn (when he fled out of Creet from his Son Ju­piter:) and these two Kings entred into so strict a league of friendship, that Saturn imparted to Janus the secret of Agriculture, and in requitall Janus admitted Saturn into a partnership of government. They built two Towns which bore their names, one called Saturnium, the other Ja­niculum. They first coined brass money: Macrob. lib. 1. stamped on the one side with the beak of a Galley, on the other side with the picture [Page 208] of Janus graved with two faces, because Janus was held to be so prudent a Prince, that looking backward he remembred all things past, and looking forward, foresaw and provided for the future. After his death Janus was reputed a God; and King Numa built a Temple to him (as aforesaid) which stood open when the Romans were in warres, and was shut in times of peace. This Temple gave him the attributes of Pa­tuleius and Clusius: Serv. Three times he was Clusius; for his Temple was shut thrice; first, during the reign of Numa, then at the end of the second Punick Warre, and lastly after the Battail of Actium. Janus and Ogyges are the same. It is agreed, by the common consent of an­cient VVriters, that Janus, who is likewise Ogyges, came into Italy in the Golden times, when men were just. He taught his Subjects to plant Vineyards, to sow their grounds, and of their fruits first to make Offerings to the Divine power; then to use the remainder with moderation: Munster, lib. 2. Cos. Janus was a Priest, a religious man, a learned Philosopher, and a Theologue: He was, I say, the Father of Gods and men, the first Head and Governour of mankinde; of whom depended the management of this vast VVorld: Fab. Pict. Juvenal calls him thou old God Father Janus ▪ and so old a God his Children the Romans thought him to be, that some of them conceived he was the Chaos: Ovid. in Fast.

Verse 412. Th' Aruspex will grow crooked sure] VVith stooping to look into the entrails of sacrifices made by great Ladies, for Fidlers and Players.

Verse 425. Niphates,] A great River of Armenia the less, tumbling [Page 209] down from the Mountain Niphates, that divides the lesser Armenia from Assyria, and gives the name to the River: Strab. lib. 11. which name of Niphates comes a nivibus, from snow: Stephan. and therefore upon a violent sudden Thaw, the gossiping great Lady (that holds conference with Generals, palludated in their imbroidered riding-Coats, as being ready to march into the field) might very well report that Niphates had drowned all the Countries about it.

Verse 438. Two Leaden Balls.] They that sweat before they bathed▪ swung two Leaden Balls, in each hand one, (and then were nointed:) Senec. Epist. 57.

Verse 462. The labouring Moon.] When the Moon was in eclipse, the simple superstition of the Romans made them believe that she was be­witched with charmes and incantations, for which there was no Counter-spell but only a sound of brass, from Trumpets, Basons, Kettles, and the like: Tibull. Eleg. 8.

Verse 465. Sylvanus.] God of the Woods, Son to his Grandfather and Sister, in this manner: Venus being offended with Valeria Tuscula­naria, made her fall in love with her own Father. She opened the wicked secret to her Nurse, and the old Bawd trepand her Master into his Daugh­ters Bed, telling him there was a Neighbour's Daughter, a very pretty young Maid, that had a months mind to him, but durst not speak for her self, no nor look upon so reverend a person. After enjoyment, when the old man was tippled, he took a light in his hand, which the Nurse seeing, [Page 210] prevented his fury, and casting her self out of the Window broke her neck: a President shortly after followed by the old man; but Valeria, trusting to her nimble feet, over-ran her Father Valerius, got into the VVoods, and was delivered of Sylvanus, called by the Grecians Aegypa­nes, from his figure, being a man with Goats feet. This Phantasm was by the Greeks and Romans believed to be God of the VVoods and Cattel; also that he had the power to transform Cyparissus, the Boy whom he doted upon, into a Cypress tree. To this God men offered up a Hog; but women never sacrificed to Sylvanus, nor did any of their sex pay a farthing to the Bath-keeper; as the Stoick did, that imagined himself a King, for which Horace laughs at him: neither was it the fashion for wo­men to wear short Coats: all which my Author thinks fit they should take upon them as well as the understanding of great Authors, which is proper only to men.

Verse 468. Enthymem,] An imperfect Sylogisme, wanting one pro­position.

Verse 471. Palaemon.] Remmius Palaemon, born at Vincentia, by Plin. and Ptol. called Vicentia. He lived at Rome, in the reigns of Tiberius and Claudius Caesar; he was an excellent Grammarian, and Tutor to M. Fabius Quintilian: but such a pride his Art put into him, that he said, Learning was born and would die with him; and used to call M. Varro a litterate Hog, whom Quintilian (not learning to make a Judgement from his Tutor) called the most learned of the Romans: and sayes, he writ ma­ny learned books, was a Master of the Latin tongue, and skilfull in all Antiquity both of the Romans and Greeks. One of Palaemon's brags was, That Virgil in his Bucolicks prophecied of him, as the only competent Judge of all Oratours and Poets. He repoted, that when Thieves had ta­ken [Page 211] him, after he had named himself, they let him go: but Poverty pro­ved not so kinde; for she never let goe her hold when she had catched him; after his expensive vanity of bathing many times a day, to which his fortunes were not answerable: Suet.

Verse 482. Poppaea,] Nero's Empress: she invented a rare Poma­tum: and was so elegant, so carefull to preserve her beauty, that when she was banished Rome, she carried fifty she-Asses along with her, for their milk to wash her self in. She died by a sudden rage of her Husband, kicking her when she was with child: Tacit.

Verse 205. The Sicilian Court.] In the reigns of, the cruellest Tyrants of Sicily, Phalaris and the Dionisii.

Verse 509. Isis.] Her first name was Io: she was Daughter to the Ri­ver Inachus, and one of Jove's Mistresses. For fear of Juno, Jupiter meta­morphosed her into a white Cow; but Juno's jealousie found her out in that shape, and begged the Cow of her Husband, which he had not the courage to deny her. Then she made Argos with his 100 eyes her Cow­keeper, whereat Jupiter was so enraged, that he slew him by the hand of Mercury: Juno, to revenge her self upon his Love, made her mad, and so grievously tormented her, that Jove was forced to reconcile himself to his Wife; and then won her to consent that Io might be restored to her for­mer shape. Afterwards she married Osiris, and changed her name to Isis; and after her death the Aegyptians, in memory of benefits received from her, by whom they were taught the use of Letters, deified her, and called her Priests Isaici: See Plutarc. in his Morals. Neer to the Palace of Romu­lus, by Juvenal here called the old Sheep-coat, stood her Roman Temple, which was the meeting place for Wenches, Pimps and Bawds, as appears in this and the ninth Satyr, where it is pictured in the Designe: Ovid.

Verse 510. Psecas,] The Woman or Dresser to a tyrannicall Lady.

Verse 517. The Matron of the Wheel,] That being very old, was in favour of her eye-sight, spared from needle-work, set to spinning, and made one of her Lady's Councel.

Verse 525. Andromache,] VVife to Hector, Daughter to Eetion King of Thebes in Cilicia: Hom. lib. 12. Iliad. and Mother to Astyanax. In her widowhood Pyrrhus carried her into Greece, and had by her a Son called Molossus; afterwards (falling in love with Hermione, that was betroathed to Orestes) he gave her in Dower part of his Kingdome, and married her to the Prophet Helenus, Son to Priam, Volater. Her name imports a Virago or a masculine woman, and a tall one she was; you may take Ju­venal's word.

Verse 535. Bellona,] The Goddesse Pallas, or Minerva formerly de­scribed, whose fanatick Priests sacrificed to her their own blood, and were therefore highly reverenced by the superstitious Roman Dames.

Verse 535. Cybele.] Vid. Sat. 2. where the Goddesse Cybele and her Priests are set out at large.

Verse 548. Tarquins Fields.] The Fields consecrated to Mars, cal­led Campus Martius and Tiberinus (in regard they lay neer the River Ti­ber) were bestowed upon the people of Rome by the Vestal Caja Tarra­tia. These Juvenal calls Tarquin's Fields, because Tarquin the Proud converted all that ground to his own use, sowing it with corn: but when Brutus had freed Rome from his Yoak, the Fields were restored to their Martiall use, and the sacrilegious crop of Corn flung into the River; the Romans judging it to be impious for any man to make a benefit of holy [Page 213] ground. The infinite number of Sheavs, clotted with the River-mud, in time became firm ground, and was called the Isle of Aesculapius, or the holy Island: Rosin. antiq. lib. 6. cap. 11. In the Campus Martius were to be seen the Statues of many Roman Generals, and the rarities which the Capitol had not room for. There the Tyrones or young Souldiers ex­ercised their arms, and the Romans ran Horse-races and Foot-races, Wrestled, Fenced, cast the Bowl, Sledge and Dart, learned how to use the Sling and Bow, and to vault from the back of one horse to another: Coel. Rhod. l. 21. cap. 29.30. Here was also a Mount paved with Marble, tarressed about with Galleries, and in the midst of it a Tribunal or Seat of Justice, about which the Assemblies of the people many times gave their votes at the election of Magistrates: Serv. in Buc. Eclog. 1.

Verse 549. White Io.] See the preceding Comment upon Isis: yet I cannot but take notice that Juvenal makes her only a white Cow, where Suidas tells us she was sometimes white, sometimes black, and sometimes of a Violet colour.

Verse 550. Meroe.] Of all the Islands made by the River Nilus, Meroe (as aforesaid) is the greatest: it is in length 3000 furlongs and 1000 in breadth. The Chief City bears the name of the Island, and was built by Cambyses, that gave it the name of his deceased Sister Meroe. The Isle is inhabited by Shepherds, good Huntsmen and Husbandmen; as also industrious Miners, digging for Gold, Silver, Brass, Iron, divers sorts of Stones, and the precious Ebone-tree: Herod.

Verse 555. Her darling Priest.] The Priest of Isis at Rome.

Verse 556. Bald Crew.] They that celebrated the mysteries of Isis, shaved all the hair off their heads: Apulei. Plin.

Verse 557. Anubis,] Son to Osyris and Io or Isis: he was worshipped in [Page 214] the form of a Dog, as his Brother Macedo was in the figure of a Wolfe, because in their Shields the one bore a Dog, the other a Wolf: Diodor. Coel. Rhod. lib. 3 ca. 12. After this Dog the Romans, in imitation of the Ae­gyptians, went crying and howling, as if they followed him in quest of his Father Osiris King of Aegypt, that was murdered privately by his Bro­ther Typhon: and the body having been long sought for by Queen Isis, was at last found cut in pieces neer to Syene: after his deification they still mourned for him with this Ceremony, and adored him in the form of a Bull, by the name of Apis, which in the Aegyptian tongue signifies a Bull; accordingly his offering was Hay: and if he took it, it betokened prosperous success; if he took it not, it was ominous: Strab. lib. ult. Plin. lib. 8. cap. 16.

Verse 461. Silver Snake.] That Silver Snake, which in the Temple of Isis and Osyris twined it self about the Images of the Dog and Wolf.

Verse 566. The poor she-Jew,] That durst not beg in publick, because she was an alien, but more especially, because she begged in the name of one God, not of the many Gods of Rome.

Verse 573. Commagenian.] The Commagenian or Syrian Aruspex, and the Armenian Sooth-sayer told fortunes to Ladies, by inspecting the en­trails of Pigeons, Chickens and Dogs; now and then they would steal a Child and dissect it; afterwards they would inform the Magistrate, and leave their good Dames to the mercy of the Law.

Verse 576. Chaldaean] The Chaldaeans lived about Babylon, and had among them an Oracle like that of Delphos in Greece. They were the most ancient Babylonians, their office in the Common-wealth was to manage the government of Religion, their study Philosophy and Astro­logy, wherein they were great Masters: the reason was, they studied [Page 215] not all Arts and Sciences like the Grecians; but laying aside the care of worldly business, only applied themselves to Philosophy, whereby they came to be most learned: Diodor. Sicul. lib. 3. Cicer.

Verse 578. Jove's secret Springs,] Spoken by my Author in scorn of Astrologers; as if Jupiter should now whisper them in the ear, with knowledge of future events, ever since Apollo had lost his voice at Delphos, where the Oracle was silenced at the birth of our Saviour Christ.

Verse 581. Th' oftest Exile's chief.] The Ladies of Rome had the high­est opinion of such an Astrologer as either by exile or imprisonment suf­fered most, for predicting against great persons, and had been upon the accomplishment of his prediction repealed or set at liberty; as he was, who foretold that Otho should be Successor to his great Rivall the Empe­ror Galba.

Verse 589. Seriphus,] A very little Island in the Aegean Sea; it is one of the Cyclades, to which the Romans confined Informers, Astrologers, and great offenders, whose sentence ran, In Insulam deportari, to be carried into an Isle: See Plin. Panegyr.

Verse 590. Tanaquil.] Wife to Tarquinius Priscus King of Rome: Liv. This Queen was much given to the study of Astrology and Ma­thematicks.

Verse 595. Saturn's frowns] Are here ballanced, in antithesi, with the smiles of Venus: he being the most sullen, cold, and malignant Planet; she the most benigne and fortunate, especially in conjunction.

Verse 604. Thrasyllus,] A Platonist, and a very great Mathematician, once in high esteem with Tiberius Caesar, afterwards by his command cast into the Sea at Rhodes.

Verse 610. Petosyris,] A famous Aegyptian Astrologer or Mathemati­cian [Page 216] (for so was an Astrologer called by the Romans) Plin. l. 7. c. 28. Suid.

Verse 614. Phrygian Augurs.] The Phrygians, Cilicians and Arabians were marvelous skilfull Augurs or Diviners by the flight of Birds.

Verse 614. Gymnosophists.] Indian Philosophers, so called because they were wise and naked. From the rising to setting of the Sun they would look upon him with fixed eyes; and stand in the hot boiling sands, first upon one leg, then upon the other: Plin. lib. 7. cap. 2. some say they could indure heat and cold without any sense of pain. When Alexander the great came among them, he bid them ask of him whatsoever they had a mind to, and he would grant it: they prayed him to bestow upon them what they infinitely thirsted for, immortality: He replied, How can you expect immortality from me that am mortal? Doe you know your self to be mortal, said they; why are you not then contented with your pa­trimonial Kingdome, but trouble mandkinde thus to bring the world into subjection? Cic. Tusc. quaest. lib. 5. Augustinus lib. 5. de Civ. Dei.

Verse 615. Patricians,] The Roman Nobility.

Verse 116. Heav'ns winged-fire.] The lightning, watched by certain old Priests appointed for that purpose; and where they imagined a thun­derbolt to fall, a hedge was made about the place, lest the people should come upon defiled ground, which they purified by sacrificing their Bi­dentes, a pair of young Heifers; and from them the place it self was called Bidental.

Vers. 617. Plebeian.] The Plebeians were the common people of Rome.

Verse 617. Circus,] the great Shew-place, described in the Comment upon Sat. 3.

Verse 618. Th' Ovall Tower.] A wooden Tower, of the form of an Egge, built by Agrippa for the Judges of the Circensian Games, to view [Page 217] the course. This Tower was supported with pillars carved like Dol­phines; before them upon a Mount stood a Courtesan, drest up as Ju­venal describes her, that told poor women their fortunes.

Verse 632. Before thou break'st thy fast.] The Romans held it omi­nous, and looked for a black day, if they saw a Negro next their hearts in a morning.

Verse 634. The foul Lake.] The Velabrian Lake, where fruitfull poor women exposed those children they were not able to maintain; and Midwives took them up for rich barren Ladies, that counterfeited lying-in, and trepand their Husbands with these Sons of the earth, that by this means inherited the greatest honours and fortunes in Rome, viz. ‘The Salian Priesthood and great Scauran name.’ Of both which I have spoken in the Comment upon Sat. 2.

Verse 643. Thessalian Philters.] Thessaly is a Country of Greece, ha­ving Boeotia upon the one hand, on the other Macedonia: it lies to the Sea between the River Peneus and the Mountains of Thermopylae: and was first called Aemonia of King Aemon: Plin. lib. 4. cap. 7. There are in Thessaly 24 Mountains, whereof the noblest is Olympus, Palace of the Gods; then Pierus, the Seat of the Muses; Peleus and Ossa, memorable for the Giants war; Pindus and Othrys, inhabited by the Lapiths: but neither the Mountains nor the many fair Rivers of this Region rendred it so famous, as it was made by the rare Simples that grew there, rare both for the use and destruction of men, for medicine and poison; so that not only Physitians, but also Witches came thither to furnish themselves of ingredients for Philters or Love-potions. It was in Thessaly where Medea gathered all those herbs which restored old Aeson to his youth: Apul. lib. 1. Flor.

[Page 218]Verse 649. Nero's Vncle.] Caesar Caligula, who had this surname à caligis, from his military Boots, which he wore set full of Pretious-stones. His Wife Caesonia wrought upon his affections with such powerfull love-potions, that in his dotage he would often (like to the Lydian King Can­daules) shew her naked to his friends: yet still when he kissed her neck, he would say, This fair neck, if I please, may be cut off. Once in a hu­mour he professed that he would send to be resolved, by what means he was brought to that excessive dotage: then Caesonia, fearing to be disco­vered, put into her Philter more of her powder of sympathy, which made Caligula stark mad, and turned him from a Prince to a Tyrant.

Verse 650. A Colt's whole front.] The Hippomenes, a caruncula or bunch of flesh growing upon the forehead of a Colt; some say the Mare eats it in her very foaling time, as grudging so great a benefit to man, in regard it makes him, that wears it, be beloved of all his acquaintance. This Hippomenes, snatched from the teeth of the foaling Mare and in­fused in wine, makes the drinker enamoured of the Cup-bearer; Caligu­la found it so.

Verse 653. Mushrome] Claudius Caesar, above all other Table-rarities, loved to eat Mushromes: Sat. 5.

Verse 669. Pontia.] Juvenal supposes that his Readers may questi­on the truth of some crimes charged upon Ladies, and take them to be stories fained for heightning of his Satyrs, in imitation of Sophocles when he writ his Greek Tragedies. Now my Author, to clear himself, quotes the Case of Pontia Daughter to P. Petronius, and VVife to Ve­ctius Bolanus, that after her Husbands death, poisoned the two Sonnes [Page 219] which she had by him, that she might come with a full fortune to him, that was her Servant before Nero put her Husband to bleed his last. Pontia, being arraigned, was convicted from her own mouth, con­fessing the fact, and her inclination, not only to poison her two Sons, but many more, if her first Husband had begot them; so the words import.

When sentence was passed upon her, after a great Supper and a Banquet, she called for Musick, danced a while, then made her veins be cut; and yet at the same time took a draught of poison for expedition: See Jan. Parrasius Papin. Stat. 5. Sylv.

Verse 673. Medea,] Daughter to Aeta King of Colchos by Queen Ipsea, or, as some call her, Ida. When Jason, with the rest of the Argo­nauts, arrived at Colchos, Medea won her Father to give them a reception in his Court: Then for fear of losing her beloved Jason (that attempted to carry her from many rival Princes, which daily lost their lives upon the same account) she taught him how to overcome all intervenient dangers, by taming and yoaking the brazen-footed Bulls, by charming into a dead sleep the ever-waking Dragon; then killing him and stealing the Gol­den Fleece, which he guarded. This done, Medea fled away with Jason, carrying along her little Brother Absyrtus. King Aeta pursued them; and when he drew so neer, that Medea and Jason gave themselves for lost: to retard his march, she cut in pieces the young Child her Brother; [Page 220] and whilst her father gathered up his scattered limbs, she and her Servant saved themselves by flight. At last, after a tedious voyage, they came to Thessaly, where Jason (that could not move her in vain) made it his suit, now they were in the Worlds great Physick-garden, that she would try her art upon his old decrepit Father; whom she restored to his strength and youth. Diogenes said that Medea was no Witch, but a wise wo­man, that by Gymnastick exercises, and sweating in Stoves, brought effe­minate persons, which had prejudiced their health by idleness, to as good a habit of body as at first. This made the Poets invent their Fable of her boiling of men till their old age was consumed. Trusting to this exam­ple of Aeson, the Daughters of his Brother Peleas were cozened into the murder of their Father, Medea making them believe she would restore their Father to his youth, as she had restored her Husbands Father: Ov. Met. lib. 7. Lastly Jason put her away, and married Creusa, Daughter to Creon King of Corinth. Medea (mad to be thus used) by the hand of her Servant presented to Creusa a rich Cabinet full of wild-fire, which she opening, burned her self and fired the whole Palace. Jason, resolving to kill Medea for this fact, broke open her Chamber-dore: just as if she had bewitched him thither, only to be an eye witness to the death of those Children which he had by her; for, as soon as ever he came in, she catcht them up and strangled them all, but saved her self by the power of Ma­gick. Her next appearance she made at Athens, where she married Ae­gaeus: and though he was then very aged, she had a Son by him, called after her own name, Medus, that gave name to the Country of the Medes: Justin. lib. 42. After all this (no body knows how) Jason and she were reconciled; probably it was for her own ends, because she forth­with carried him to Colchos, where he reestablished her old banished Fa­ther [Page 221] in his Kingdome: See Diodor. Sicul. and N. Comes that learnedly interprets the Fable of Medea.

Verse 673. Progne,] Daughter to Pandion King of Athens, Wife to Tereus King of Thrace, of all Thracians the most barbarous: for, under pretence of waiting upon Pandion's other Daughter, that made a visit to her Sister Progne at his Court by the way he ravished Philomela, cutting out her tongue, that she might not tel. But Philomela, being an excellent Work-woman, drew her sad story with her needle in such lively colours, that her Sister Progne knew the whole circumstance of the Rape: and to revenge her self of her cruel Husband, by the advice of the Maenades, she feasted him with the limbs of his and her Son Itys, which being known by the Childs head that was served-in for the second course; Tereus in his fu­ry would have killed his Wife; but whilst he was drawing out his Sword he saw her turned into a Swallow: Philomela was transformed into a Nightingale, Itys into a Pheasant: Tereus himself, admiring at their me­tamorphosis, was turned into a Lapwing, that still bears upon his head the creast of a fierce Thracian Souldier: See Ovid. Met. 6.

Verse 683. Alcestis,] Wife to Admetus King of Thessaly, whose Cattle-keeper Jove himself had been; and therefore, as it seems, when his old Master was sick to death, Jove was contented with an exchange; so that if any one would die for Admetus, he might live. But this being an office distastefull to his whole Court and Kingdome, all excused them­selves, only Queen Alcestis cheerfully embraced the offer, and served her Husband with her life. Her Tragedy you may read in the works of Euripides.

Verse 687. Belides.] The Belides or Danaides were fifty Daughters of Danaus Son to Belus. To these Ladies Aegyptus (Danaus his Brother) [Page 222] desired to marry his fifty Sons; but Danaus would not give way to the Treaty of a marriage with all or any of them, because the Oracle had fore-told him that he should die by the hand of a Son in Law: but Ae­gyptus moving it once again in the head of a strong Army (brought to force the consent of Danaus and his Daughters) the match was conclu­ded. Upon the wedding night the Brides were instructed by their Fa­ther to kill their Husbands when they saw their opportunity: In obedi­ence to him all these Ladies slew their Husbands, but only Hyperm­nestra, that preserved the life of her Husband Lyceus: He afterwards ve­rified the Oracle, and to secure himself slew his Father in Law Danaus, and succeeded him in the Kingdome of Argos. The sentence pro­nounced against these Sisters by Minos, the just Judge of Hell, was, to pour water into a Tub that was split, until they filled it, which could never be, and therefore their punishment must be endless. Some think this Fable signifies the Spring and Autumne, that every year pour out new varieties of flowers and fruits, yet never satisfie our expectations: See Lucret. lib. 5. Others take it to bear proportion to the whole life of man, and of all things in the world: which as they come in, go out, not leaving any long continued monument of what they were. There are that apply it to benefits conferred upon ingratefull persons, which va­nish in the doing. Plato compares the split Tubs of the Beleides to the minde of an intemperate man, which is insatiable. Terence hath one that saith he is very like them, plenus rimarum sum, I am full of Leaks: But whosoever he was that writ the following Epigram, he fixes Plato's sense, from an universal to a particular, exceeding well.

Verse 687. Eriphyle,] Daughter to Thelaon, Sister to Adrastus, and Wife to Amphiaraus. She was bribed with a Ring by Polynices to make discovery of her Husband, that lay hid for fear of being forced to march to the seige of Troy, where he and she knew that it was his fate to die. For this trechery of his Wife, Alcmaeon had in charge from his Father Amphiaraus, that as soon as ever the breath was out of his body, she that betrayed him to death should not live a minute: accordingly, when the news was brought, Alcmaeon slew his Mother.

Verse 689. Clytemnestra.] See the Comment upon Sat. 1. Hom. lib. 11. Odyss. Senec. in Agam. Eurip. in Orest. Sophocles in Elect.

Verse 695. The thrice foil'd Monarch.] Mithridates King of Pontus, that by the strength of his arme could rule six pair of horses in a Chariot: and by the strength of his brain two and twenty Nations, every one of them speaking a several tongue, and he all their languages. When the Romans were taken up with their civil wars, he beat Nicomedes out of Bithinia, and Ariobarzanes out of Cappadocia: possessing himself of Greece, and all the Greek Islands, only Rhodes excepted. The Merchants of [Page 224] Rome that traffick't in Asia, by his contrivance were slain in one night: the Proconsul Q. Oppius and his Legate Apuleius were his Prisoners. But Mithridates was thrice defeated by the Romans: First (as you have heard by Sylla at Dardanum: then by Lucullus at Cyzicum: from whence he fled for refuge to Tigranes King of Armenia, that suffered him to make new levies within his Dominions; but that vast Army was totally routed by Pompey. Finally, Pharnaces besieged him in his Palace, and Mithri­dates despairing, attempted to poison himself; but had brought his body to such a habit by long and constant use of Antidots to prevent impoiso­ning, that when poyson should have done him service, it would not work: Nor had he then lost the Majesty of his looks; for the man, sent to kill him, found Mithridates unwillingly alive, yet still so undaunted and like himself, that the Murderer shakt and trembled at his presence; nor was able to doe his office, till Mithridates guided the Executioners hand to his own heart. But first this King slew all his Royall Family: Laodice his Wife, his Sister, Mother, Brother, three young Sonnes, and as many Daughters.