ears. Note XIV. King Midas has a snout, and asses ears.---P. 215. The story is vulgar, that Midas, king of Phrygia, was made judge betwixt Apollo and Pan, who was the best musician: he gave the prize to Pan; and Apollo, in revenge, gave him asses He wore his hair long to hide them; but his barber discovering them, and not daring to divulge the secret, dug a hole in the ground, and whispered into it: the place was marshy; and, when the reeds grew up, they repeated the words which were spoken by the barber. By Midas, the poet meant Nero. Eupolis and Cratinus, as also Aristophanes, mentioned afterwards, were all Athenian poets; who wrote that sort of comedy which was called the Old Comedy, where the people were named who were satirized by those authors. Note XVI. Who fortune's fault upon the poor can throw.---P. 216. The people of Rome, in the time of Persius, were apt to scorn the Grecian philosophers, particularly the Cynics and Stoics, who were the poorest of them. Note XVII. Who counts geometry, and numbers toys, And with his foot the sacred dust destroys.---P. 216. Arithmetic and geometry were taught on floors, which were strewed with dust, or sand; in which the numbers and diagrams were made and drawn, which they might strike out at pleasure. THE SECOND SATIRE OF PERSIUS. DEDICATED TO HIS FRIEND PLOTIUS MACRINUS, ON HIS BIRTH-DAY. THE ARGUMENT. This Satire contains a most grave and philosophical argument, concerning prayers and wishes. Undoubtedly it gave occasion to Juvenal's tenth satire; and both of them had their original from one of Plato's dialogues, called the " Second Alcibiades." Our author has induced it with great mystery of art, by taking his rise from the birth-day of his friend; on which occasions, prayers were made, and sacrifices offered by the native. Persius, commending, first, the purity of his friend's vows, descends to the impious and immoral requests of others. The satire is divided into three parts. The first is the exordium to Macrinus, which the poet confines within the compass of four verses: the second relates to the matter of the prayers and rows, and an enumeration of those things, wherein men commonly sinned against right reason, and offended in their requests: the third part consists in showing the repugnances of those prayers and wishes, to those of other men, and inconsistencies with themselves. He shows the original of these vows, and sharply inveighs against them; and, lastly, not only corrects the false opinion of mankind concerning them, but gives the true doctrine of all addresses made to heaven, and how they may be made acceptable to the powers above, in excellent precepts, and more worthy of a Christian than a Heathen. LET this auspicious morning be exprest With a white stone,* distinguished from the rest, What from each other they, for shame, conceal. *Note I. † Note II. 5 This is my neighbour Nerius his third spouse, Of whom in happy time he rids his house; But my eternal wife!-Grant, heaven, I may Survive to see the fellow of this day! Thus, that thou may'st the better bring about Or, put it thus:-Unfold to Staius, straight, And think'st thou Jove himself with patience then The obscene old grandam, or the next of kin, * Note III. + Note IV. Note V. The new-born infant from the cradle takes, Then dandles him with Which to ensure, she adds a length of navel-string. To compass wealth, and bribe the god of gain Should I present them with rare figured plate, |