The satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis translated into English verse by Mr. Dryden and several other eminent hands ; together with the satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus, made English by Mr. Dryden ; with explanatory notes at the end of each satire ; to which is prefix'd a discourse concerning the original and progress of satire ... by Mr. Dryden.

EXPLANATORY NOTES ON THE SIXTH SATYR.

IN the Golden Age: when Saturn Reign'd.

Fat with Acorns: Acorns were the Bread of Mankind, before Corn was found.

Ʋnder Jove: When Iove had driven his Father into Banishment, the Silver Age began, according to the Poets.

Vneasie Iustice, &c. The Poet makes Justice and Chastity Si∣sters; and says that they ••••ed to Heaven together; and left Earth for ever.

Ceres Feast. When the Roman Women were forbidden to bed with their Husbands.

Iove and Mars. Of whom more Fornicating Stories are told, than any of the other Gods.

Wondring Pharos. She fled to Egypt; which wonder'd at the E∣normity of her Crime.

He tells the Famous Story of Messalina, Wife to the Emperor Claudius.

Wealth has the Priviledge, &c. His meaning is, that a Wife who brings a large Dowry may do what she pleases, and has all the Pri∣viledges of a Widow.

Berenice's Ring. A Ring of great Price, which Herod Agrippa gave to his Sister Berenice. He was King of the Iews, but Tributary to the Romans.

Cornelia. Mother to the Gracchi, of the Family of the Cornelit; from whence Scipio the Affrican was descended, who Triumph'd over Hannibal.

O Paean, &c. He alludes to the known Fable of Ni••be in Ovid. Amphion was her Husband: Paean is Apollo, who with his Arrows kill'd her Children, because she boasted that she was more fruitful than Latona, Apollo's Mother.

The thirty Pigs, &c. He alludes to the white Sow in Virgil, who farrow'd thirty Pigs.

The Grecian Cant. Women then learnt Greek, as ours speak French.

All the Romans, even the most Inferiour, and most Infamous sort of them, had the Power of making Wills.

Go drag that Slave, &c. These are the words of the Wife.

Your Reason why, &c. The Answer of the Husband.

Call'st thou that Slave a Man? The Wife again.

Hannibal. A Famous Carthaginian Captain; who was upon the point of Conquering the Romans.

The good Goddess. At whose Feasts no Men were to be present.

Nestor. Who lived three hundred Years.

What Singer, &c. He alludes to the Story of P. Clodius, who, disguis'd in the Habit of a Singing Woman, went into the House of Caesar, where the Feast of the Good Goddess was Celebrated; to find an opportunity with Caesar's Wife Pompeia.

He taxes Women with their loving Eunuchs, who can get no Children; but adds that they only love such Eunuchs, as are g••elded when they are already at the Age of Manhood.

Priapus. The God of Lust.

Pollio. A Famous Singing Boy.

That such an Actor whom they love might obtain the Prize.

Th' Auruspex. He who inspects the Entrails of the Sacrifice, and from thence, foretels the Successor.

Vulcan. The God of Smiths.

Tabours and Trumpets, &c. The Ancients thought that with such sounds, they cou'd bring the Moon out of her Eclipse.

A Mood and Figure-Bride. A Woman who has learn'd Lo∣gick.

A Woman-Grammarian, who corrects her Husband for speaking false Latin, which is call'd breaking Priscian's Head.

A Train of these. That is, of she Asses.

Sicilian Tyrants. Are grown to a Proverb in Latin, for their Cruelty.

This dressing up the Head so high, which we call a Tow'r, was an Ancient way amongst the Romans.

Bellona's Priests were a sort of Fortune-tellers; and the High-Priest an Eunuch.

And add beside, &c. A Garment was given to the Priest, which he threw into the River; and that, they thought, bore all the Sins of the People, which were drown'd with it.

Chaldaeans are thought to have been the first Astrologers.

Otho succeeded Galba in the Empire; which was foretold him by an Astrologer.

Mars and Saturn are the two Unfortunate Planets; Iupiter and Venus, the two Fortunate.

Ptolomy. A Famous Astrologer, an Egyptian.

The Brachmans are Indian Philosophers, who remain to this day; and hold, after Pythagoras, the Translation of Souls from one bo∣dy to another.

To an Aethiop's Son. His meaning is, help her to any kind of Slops, which may cause her to miscarry; for fear she may be brought to Bed of a Black-moor, which thou, being her Husband, art bound to Father; and that Bastard may by Law, Inherit thy Estate.

His Omen, &c. The Romans thought it ominous to see a Black∣moor in the Morning, if he were the first Man they met.

Caesonia, Wife to Caius Caligula, the great Tyrant: 'Tis said she gave him a Love-Potion, which flying up into his Head, distracted him; and was the occasion of his committing so many Acts of Cru∣elty.

The Thunderer, &c. The Story is in Homer; where Iuno bor∣row'd the Girdle of Venus, call'd Cestos; to make Iupiter in love with her, while the Grecians and Trojans were fighting, that he might not help the latter.

Agrippina was the Mother of the Tyrant Nero, who Poyson'd her Husband Claudius, that Nero might Succeed, who was her Son, and not Britannicus, who was the Son of Claudius, by a former Wife.

The Widow of Drymon Poison'd her Sons, that she might Suc∣ceed to their Estate: This was done either in the Poet's time, or just before it.

Medea, out of Revenge to Iason who had forsaken her, kill'd the Children which she had by him.

The Belides. Who were fifty Sisters, Marry'd to fifty young Men, their Cousin-Germans; and kill'd them all on their Wedding-Night, excepting Hipermnestra, who sav'd her Husband Linus.

Clytemnestra. The Wife of Agamemnon, who, in favour to her Adul∣terer Estgyhus, was consenting to his Murther.