JUVENAL,

SAT. IV.

THE

ARGUMENT.

The Poet in this fatire firft brings in Crifpinus, whom he had a lash at in his firft fatire, and whom he promifes here not to be forgetful of for the future. He exposes his monftrous prodigality and luxury, in giving the price of an eftate for a barbel: and from thence takes occafion to introduce the principal subject and true design of this fatire, which is grounded upon a ridiculous story of a turbot prefented to Domitian, of so vast a bigness, that all the Emperor's fcullery had not a dish large enough to hold it: Upon which the fenate in all hafte is fummoned, to confult in this exigency, what is fittest to be done. The Poet gives us a particular of the fenators' names, their diftinct characters, and fpeeches, and advice; and, after much and wife confultation, an expedient being found out and agreed upon, he difmiffes the fenate, and concludes the fatire.

ONCE more Crifpinus call'd upon the stage

(Nor fhall once more fuffice) provokes my rage: A monster, to whom every vice lays claim, Without one virtue to redeem his fame. Feeble and fick, yet strong in luft alone, The rank adulterer preys on all the town, `ll but the widows' naufeous charms go down.

What

She will herself, when you my tale repeat,
Smile, and approve the amorous deceit.

Marry, fhe 'll fay, whom heaven commends to thee,
He, who has pleas'd Diana, pleases me.
But should she ask from what defcent I came,
My country, and my parents, and my name;
Tell her, that none of these deserve my fhame.
Had you not fworn, you fuch a one might chufe;
But, were he worse, now sworn, you can't refuse,
This in my dreams Diana bade me write,
And when I wak'd, fent Cupid to indite.
Obey them both, for one has wounded me,
Which wound if you with eyes of pity fee,
She too will foon relent that wounded thee,
Then to our joys with eager hafte we'll move,
As full of beauty you, as I of love :
To the great temple we 'll in triumph go,
And with our offerings at the altar bow.
A golden image there I'll confecrate,
Of the falfe Apple's innocent deceit ;.
And write below the happy verse that came
The meffenger of my fuccefsful flame.

"Let all the world this from Acontius know,
Cydippe has been faithful to her vow."

66

More I could write! but, fince thy illness reigns, And wracks thy tender limbs with sharpest pains, My pen falls down for fear, left this might be, Although for me too little, yet too much for thee..

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That in her eafy chair in ftate does ride,
The glaffes all drawn up on every fide,
I'd praise his cunning; but expect not this.
For his own gut he bought the stately fish.
Now even Apicius * frugal seems, and poor,
Outvy'd in luxury unknown before.

Gave you, Crifpinus, you this mighty fum;
You that, for want of other rags, did come
In your own country paper wrapp'd, to Rome?
Do scales and fins bear price to this excess ?
You might have bought the fisherman for less.
For less fome provinces whole acres fell;
Nay, in Apulia †, if you bargain well,
A manor would coft lefs than fuch a meal.
What think we then of this luxurious lord ‡?
What banquets loaded that imperial board?
When, in one difh, that, taken from the reft,
His conftant table would have hardly miss'd,
So many fefterces were fwallow'd down,
To ftuff one fcarlet-coated court buffoon,
Whom Rome of all her knights now chiefest greets,
From crying ftinking fish about her streets.

Begin, Calliope, but not to fing:

Plain, honest truth we for our subject bring.

*Famous for gluttony, even to a proverb.

Dr. King's" Art of Cookery.”

+ Where land was remarkably cheap.

Domitian.

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See

Help

Help then, ye young Pierian maids, to tell
A downright narrative of what befell.

Afford me willingly your facred aids,

Me that have call'd you young, me that have styl'd you maids.

When he, with whom the Flavian race decay'd *,
The groaning world with iron fceptre sway'd,
When a bald Nero + reign'd, and fervile Rome obey'd,
Where Venus' fhrine does fair Ancona grace,
A turbot taken, of prodigious fpace,

Fill'd the extended net, not less than thofe
That dull Mæotis does with ice inclofe;
Till, conquer'd by the fun's prevailing ray,
It opens to the Pontic Sea their way;

And throws them out unweildy with their growth,
Fat with long cafe, and a whole winter's floth:
The wife commander of the boat and lines,
For our high-priest ‡ the stately prey designs;
For who that lordly fish durft fell or buy,
So many fpies and court-informers nigh?

No fhore but of this vermin fwarms does bear,
Searchers of mud and fea-weed! that would swear
The fish had long in Cæfar's ponds been fed,
And from its lord undutifully fled;

*Domitian was the laft and worft of that family. + Domitian, from his cruelty, was called a fecond Nero; and, from his baldness, Calvus.

A title often affumed by the Emperors.

So, juftly ought to be again reftor'd :

Nay, if you credit fage Palphurius' * word,
Or dare rely on Armillatus'

skill,

Whatever fish the vulgar fry excel

Belong to Cæfar, wherefoe'er they swim,
By their own worth confifcated to him.

The boatman then shall a wife prefent make,
And give the fish before the feizers take.

Now fickly Autumn to dry frofts gave way,
Cold Winter rag'd, and fresh preferv'd the prey ;
Yet with fuch hafte the bufy fishes flew,
As if a hot fouth-wind corruption blew :

And now he reach'd the lake, where what remains
Of Alba ftill her ancient rites retains,

Still worships Vefta, though an humbler way,
Nor lets the hallow'd Trojan fire decay.

The wondering crowd, that to ftrange fights refort,
And choak'd a while his paffage to the court,
At length gives way; ope flies the palace-gate,
The turbot enters in, without the Fathers + wait;
The boatman ftraight does to Atrides prefs,

And thus presents his fish, and his address :

Accept, dread Sir, this tribute from the main,

To great for private kitchens to contain.
To your glad genius facrifice this day,
Let common meats refpectfully give way.

* Both of confular degree, yet fpies and informers. The Senate, or Patres Confcripti.

Hafte