Persius, Satires
G.G.Ramsay, G. G. Ramsay, Ed.

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2

3

4 aegregius a: aegraecius P1: aegregios P2L.

5 senes P2L.

6 Housm. suggests mite tepet vernatque (t c. pp. 28-7).

7

8 turdarum P1Sch.: turdorum aP2L.

9 The name Bestius is taken from the corrector Bestius of Horace (Epp. I. xv. 37), and is used to represent the vulgar irrelevant critic, who connects all the evils of his day with the bringing in of new-fangled Greek learning along with foreign articles like pepper, dates, etc. ‘Your heir will snarl,’ says Persius, ‘and Bestius will talk drivel; but why should that trouble you in the grave?’ Sapere of course has a punning meaning, referring to Greek Philosophy as well as to the smack of dates and pepper.

10 The words maris expers are taken from Horace (Chium maris expers, Sat. II. viii. 15), but the context is quite different from the Horatian. They have been usually explained as meaning ‘destitute of salt,’ and therefore ‘tasteless,’ or foolish. But Professor Housman has shown that Casaubon's rendering, ‘destitute of virility,’ gives the true meaning (l.c. pp. 27-28). Bestius complains that modern Greek ideas

11 This obscure phrase has been variously explained. Exossatus means ‘cleared of bones.’ Some interpret ‘cleared of stones,’ i.e. good land prepared for a crop; others ‘land from which the bones, the strength and marrow of the soil, have been taken,’ and so ‘poor land.’ In line 51 Persius challenges his heir to reply. Conington takes adeo as a verb: ‘I decline the inheritance,’ says the heir; to which Persius replies, ‘Here is a field, now, cleared for ploughing,’ for which I can easily find an heir. Professor Housman follows an interpretation given by Hermann: Persius says to his heir, ‘Do you forbid my extravagance? Tell me plainly.’ ‘I would rather not,’ says the heir; ‘that field close by is far too full of stones’; i.e. he is afraid that the populace will stone him if he lifts his voice against the pro-

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13 repone L and old edd. Büch. has neu dicta ‘pone paterna ... sumptus.’ ‘quid reliqum est?’ Housm. suggests neu dic ita, ‘pone paterna ... reliqum est.’ reliqum? and explains, ‘Do not say ‘state what you inherited, add interest, subtract expenditure, and see how much is left.’ Left, quotha?’ (l.c. p. 31). ita then means ‘as follows.’ Büch. takes pone to mean ‘invest.’