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.

ARGUMENT OF THE PROLOGUE TO THE FIRST SATYR.

The Design of the Authour was to con∣ceal his Name and Quality. He liv'd in the dangerous Times of the Tyrant Nero; and aims particularly at him, in most of his Satyrs▪ For which Reason, though he was a Roman Knight, and of a plentiful Fortune, he wou'd appear in this Prologue, but a Beggarly Poet, who ••rites for Bread. After this, he breaks into the Business of the first Satyr: which is, chiefly to decry the Poetry then in Fashion; and the Impudence of those, who were endeavouring to pass their Stuff upon the World.

PROLOGUE TO THE First Satyr.

I Never did on cleft 1 Pernassus dream; Nor taste the sacred Heliconian Stream: Nor can remember when my Brain inspir'd▪ Was, by the Muses, into madness fir'd. My share in Pale 2 Pyrene I resign: And claim no part in all the Mighty Nine. Statues 3 , with winding Ivy crown'd, belong To nobler Poets, for a nobler Song: H••edless of Verse, and hopeless of the Crown, Scarce half a Wit, and more than half a Clown, Before the 4 Shrine I lay my rugged Numbers down. Who taught the Parrot Human Notes to try, Or with a Voice endu'd the chatt'ring Pye? 'Twas witty Want, fierce Hunger to appease: Want taught their Masters, and their Masters these▪ Let Gain, that gilded Bait, be hung on high, The hungry Wirlings have it in their Eye: Pies, Crows, and Daws, Poetick Presents bring: You say they squeak; but they will swear they Sing.

ARGUMENT OF THE First Satyr.

I need not repeat, that the chief aim of the Authour is against bad Poets, in this Satyr. But I must add, that he includes also bad Orators, who began at that Time, (as Petronius in the beginning of his Book tells us,) to enervate Manly Eloquence, by Tropes and Figures, ill plac'd, and worse apply'd. Among••st the Poets, Persius Covertly strikes at Nero; some of whose Verses he recites with Scorn and In∣dignation. He also takes notice of the Noblemen and their abominable Poetry, who in the Luxury of their Fortune, set up for Wits, and Iudges. The Satyr is in Dialogue, betwixt the Authour and his Friend or Monitor; who dissuades him from this dangerous attempt of exposing Great Men. But Persius, who is of a free Spirit, and has not for∣gotten that Rome was once a Commonwealth, breaks through all those difficulties, and boldly Ar∣raigns the fulfe Iudgment of the Age in which he Lives. The Reader may observe that our Poet was a Stoick Philosopher; and that all his Moral Sen∣tences, both here, and in all the rest of his Satyrs, are drawn from the Dogma's of that Sect.

THE FIRST SATYR.

In Dialogue betwixt the Poet and his Friend, or Monitor.

PERSIUS.

HOW anxious are our Cares; and yet how vain The bent of our desires!

FRIEND.

Thy Spleen contain: For none will read thy Satyrs.

PERSIUS.

This to Me?

FRIEND.

None; or what's next to none; but two or three. 'Tis hard, I grant.

PERSIUS.

Tis nothing; I can bear That paltry Scriblers have the Publick Ear: That this vast universal Fool, the Town, Shou'd cry up 1 Labeo's Stuff, and cry me down.Line 10 They damn themselves; nor will my Muse descend To clap with such, who Fools and Knaves commend▪ Their Smiles and Censures are to me the same: I care not what they praise, or what they blame.

In full Assemblies let the Crowd prevail: I weigh no Merit by the common Scale. The Conscience is the Test of ev'ry Mind; Seek not thy self, without thy self, to find. But where's that Roman? — Somewhat I wou'd say, But Fear; — Let Fear, for once, to Truth give way.Line 20 Truth lends the Stoick Courage: when I look On Humane Acts, and Real in Nature's Book, From the first Pastimes of our Infant Age, To elder Cares, and Man's severer Page; When stern as Tutors, and as Uncles hard, We lash the Pupil, and defraud the Ward: Then, then I say — or wou'd say, if I durst — But thus provok'd, I must speak out, or burst.

FRIEND.

Once more forbear.

PERSIUS.

I cannot rule my Spleen;Line 30 My scorn Rebels, and tickles me within.

First, to begin at Home, our Authors write In lonely Rooms, secur'd from publick sight; Whether in Prose or Verse, 'tis all the same: The Prose is Fustian, and the Numbers lame. All Noise, and empty Pomp, a storm of words, Lab'ring with sound, that little Sence affords.

They 2 Comb, and then they order ev'ry Hair: A Gown, or White, or Scour'd to whiteness, wear: A Birth-day Jewel bobbing at their Ear▪Line 40 Next, gargle well their Throats; and thus prepar'd, They mount, a God's Name, to be seen and heard From their high Scaffold; with a Trumpet Cheek: And Ogling all their Audience e're they speak. The nauseous Nobles▪ ev'n the Chief of Rome, With gaping Mouths to these Rehearsals come, And pant with Pleasure, when some lusty line The Marrow pierces, and invades the Chine. At open fulsom Bawdry they rejoice; And slimy Jests applaud with broken Voice.Line 50 Base Prostitute, thus dost thou gain thy Bread? Thus dost thou feed their Ears, and thus art fed? At his own filthy stuff he grins, and brays: And gives the sign where he expects their praise.

Why have I Learn'd, say'st thou, if thus confin'd▪ I choak the Noble Vigour of my Mind? Know, my wild 3 Fig-Tree, which in Rocks is bred, Will split the Quarry, and shoot out the Head▪ Fine Fruits of Learning! Old Ambitious Fool, Dar'st thou apply that Adage of the School;Line 60 As if 'tis nothing worth that lies conceal'd▪ And Science is not Science till Reveal'd? Oh, but 'tis Brave to be Admir'd, to see The Crowd, with pointing Fingers, cry That's he:

That's he, whose wondrous Poem is become A Lecture for the Noble Youth of Rome! Who, by their Fathers, is at Feasts Renown'd: And often quoted, when the Bowls go round. Full gorg'd and flush'd, they wantonly Rehearse: And add to Wine the Luxury of Verse.Line 70 One, clad in Purple, not to lose his time, Eats, and recites some lamentable Rhime: Some Senceless Phyllis, in a broken Note; Snuffling at Nose, or croaking in his Throat: Then, Graciously, the mellow Audience Nod: Is not th' Immortal Authour made a God? Are not his Manes blest, such Praise to have? Lies not the Turf more lightly on his Grave? And Roses (while his lowd Applause they Sing,) Stand ready from his Sepulcher to spring?Line 80

All these, you cry, but light Objections are; Meer Malice, and you drive the Jest too far. For does there Breath a Man, who can reject A general Fame, and his own Lines neglect? In 4 C••dar Tablets worthy to appear; That need not Fish, or Franckincense to fear?

Thou, whom I make the adverse part to bear, Be answer'd thus: If I, by chance, succeed In what I Write, (and that's a chance indeed;)

Know, I am not so stupid, or so hard▪Line 90 Not to feel Praise, or Fames deserv'd Reward: But this I cannot grant, that thy Appl••use Is my Works ultimate, or only Cause▪ Prudence can ne're propose so mean a prize: For mark what Vanity within it lies. Like Labeo's Iliads; in whose Verse i•• found Nothing but trifling care, and empty sound▪ Such little Elegies as Nobles Write; Who wou'd be Poets, in Apollo's spight. Them and their woful Works the Muse defies:Line 100 Products of Citron Beds, and Golden Canopies▪ To give thee all thy due, thou hast the Heart To make a Supper, with a fine dessert; And, to thy threed-bare Friend, a cast old Sute impart.

Thus Brib'd, thou thus bespeak'st him, tell me Friend (For I love Truth, nor can plain Speech offend,) What says the World of me and of my Muse?

The Poor dare nothing tell, but flatt'ring News: But shall I speak? thy Verse is wretched Rhyme; And all thy Labours are but loss of time.Line 110 Thy strutting Belly swells; thy Pau••ch is high; Thou Writ'st not, but thou Pissest Poetry▪

All Authours, to their own defects, are blind; Hadst thou but, Ianus like, a Face behind,

To see the People, what sp••ay-Mouths they make; To mark their Finge••s, pointed at thy back; Their Tongues loll'd out, a foot beyond the pitch, When most a thirst, of an Apulian Bitch: But Noble Scriblers are with Flatt'ry fed; For none dare find their Faults, who Eat their Bread.Line 120

To pass the Poets of Patrician Blood, What is't the common Reader takes for good? The Verse in fashion, is, when Numbers flow; Soft without Sence, and without Spirit ••low: So smooth and equal, that no sight can ••ind The Rive••, where the polish'd piece was join'd. So even all, with such a steady view, As if he shut one Eye to level true. Whether the Vulgar Vice his Satyr stings. The Peoples Riots, or the Rage of Kings,Line 130 The gentle Poet is alike in all; His Reader hopes no rise, and fears no fall.

FRIEND.

Hourly we see, some Raw Pin-feather'd t••ing Attempt to mount, and Fights, and Heroes sing; Who, for false quantities, was whipt at School But t'other day, and breaking Grammar Rule. Whose trivial Art was never try'd, above The bare description of a Native Grove: 5

Who knows not how to praise the Country store▪ The Feasts, the Basket••▪ nor the fatted Bore;Line 140 Nor paint the flowry Fields, that pain•• themselves before▪ Where Romulus was Bred, and 6 Qui••••iu•• Born, Whose shining Plough-share was in Furrows worn▪ Met by his trembling Wife, returning Home, And Rustically Joy'd, as Chief of Rome: She wip'd the Sweat, from the Dictator's Brow; And, o're his Back, his Robe did rudely throw; The Lictors bore, in State, their Lord's Triumphant Plough.

Some, love to hear the Fustian Poet roar; And some on Antiquated Authours pore:Line 150 Rummage for Sense; and think those only good Who labour most, and least are understood. When thou shalt see the Blear-Ey'd Fa••hers Teach Their Sons, this harsh and mouldy sort of Speech; Or others new affected ways to try, Of wanton smoothness, Female Poetry; One wou'd enquire, from whence this mo••ley Stil•• Did first our Roman Purity defile: For our Old Dotards cannot keep their Seat; But leap and catch at all that's obsolete.Line 160

Others, by Foolish O••tentation fed, When call'd before the Bar, to save their Head, Bring trifling Tropes, instead of solid Sence: And mind their Figures more than their Defence.

Are pleas'd to hear their thick-scull'd Judges cry Well mov'd, oh finely said, and decently! Theft, (says th' Accuser) to thy Charge I lay O Pedius! What does gentle▪ 7 Pedius say? Studious to please the Genius of the Times, With Periods, Points, and Tropes; he slurs▪ his Crimes:Line 170 "He Robb'd not, but he Borrow'd from the Poor; "And took but with intention to restore. He lards with flourishes his long Harangue; 'Tis fine, say'st thou; what to be Prais'd and Hang? Effeminate Roman, shall such Stuff prevail To tickle thee, and make thee wag thy Tail? Say, shou'd a Shipwrack'd Saylor sing his woe, Woud'st▪ thou be mov'd to pity, or bestow An Alms? What's more prepost'rous than to see A Merry Beggar? Mirth in Misery?Line 180

PERSIUS.

He seems a Trap, for Charity, to lay: And cons by Night, his Lesson for the day.

FRIEND.

But to raw Numbers, and unfinish'd Verse, Sweet sound is added now, to make it Terse: "'Tis tagg'd with Rhyme, like 8 Berecynthian Atys, "The mid part chimes with Art, which never flat is. "The Dolphin brave, that cut the liquid Wave, "Or He who in his line, can chine the long-rib'd Apennine.

PERSIUS.

All this is Dogrel Stuff:

FRIEND.

What if I bringLine 190 A Nobler Verse? 9 Arms and the Man I sing.

PERSIUS.

Why name you Virgil with such Fops as these? He's truly great; and must for ever please. Not fierce, but awful is his Manly Page; Bold is his Strength, but sober is his Rage.

FRIEND.

What Poems think you soft? and to be read With languishing regards, and bending Head?

PERSIUS.

" 10 Their crooked Horns the Mimallonian Crew "With Blasts inspir'd: and Bassaris who slew "The scronful Calf, with Sword advanc'd on high,Line 200 "Made from his Neck his haughty Head to fly. "And Maenas, when with Ivy-bridles bound, "She led the spotted Lynx, then Evion rung around; "Evion from Woods and Floods repairing Ecchos sound.

Cou'd such rude Lines a Roman Mouth become, Were any Manly Greatness left in Rome? Maenas 11 and Arys in the Mouth were bred; And never hatch'd within the lab'ring Head. No Blood, from bitten Nails, those Poems drew: But churn'd, like Spettle, from the Lips they flew.Line 210

FRIEND.

'Tis Fustian all; 'tis execrably bad: But if they will be Fools, must you be mad? Your Satyrs, let me tell you, are too fierce; The Great will never bear so blunt a Verse. Their Doors are Barr'd against a bitter flout: Snarl, if you please, but you shall snarl without▪ Expect such Pay as railing Rhymes deserve, Y'are in a very hopeful way to sterve.

PERSIUS.

Rather than so, uncensur'd let 'em be: All, all is admirably well for me.Line 220 My harmless Rhyme shall scape the dire disgrace Of Common-shores, and ev'ry pissing place. Two 12 painted Serpents shall, on high, appear; 'Tis Holy Ground; you must not Urine here. This shall be writ to fright the Fry away, Who draw their little Bawbles, when they play.

13 Yet old Lucilius never fear'd the times; But lash'd the City, and di••••ected Crimes. Mutius and Lupus both by Name he brought; He mouth'd 'em, and betwixt his Grinders caught.Line 230 Unlike in method, with conceal'd design, Did crafty Horace his low Numbers joyn: And, with a ••ly insinuating Grace, Laugh'd at his Friend, and look'd him in the Face:

Wou'd raise a Blush, where secret Vice he found; And tickle, while he gently prob'd the Wound. With seeming Innocence the Crowd beguil'd; But made the desperate Passes, when he smil'd.

Cou'd he do this, and is my Muse controll'd By Servile Awe? Born free, and not be bold?Line 240 At least, I'll dig a hole within the Ground; And to the trusty Earth commit the sound: The Reeds shall tell you what the Poet fears, King 14 Midas has a Snout, and Asses Ears. This mean conceit, this darling Mystery, Which thou think'st nothing, Friend thou shalt not buy▪ Nor will I change, for all the flashy Wit, That flatt'ring Labeo in his Iliads writ.

15 Thou, if there be a thou, in this base Town, Who dares, with angry Eupolis, to frown;Line 250 He, who, with bold Cratinus, is inspir'd With Zeal, and equal Indignation fir'd; Who, at enormous Villany, turns pale, And steers against it with a full-blown Sail, Like Aristophanes; let him but smile On this my honest Work, tho writ in homely Stile: And if two Lines or three in all the Vein Appear less drossy, read those Lines again. May they perform their Author's just Intent; Glow in thy Ears, and in thy Breast ferment.Line 260

But, from the reading of my Book and me, Be far ye Foes of Virtuous Poverty: Who 16 Fortune's fault upon the Poor can throw; Point at the tatter'd Coat, and ragged Shooe; Lay Nature's failings to their Charge; and ••eer The dim weak Eye-sight, when the Mind is clear. When thou thy self, thus insolent in State, Art but, perhaps, some Country Magistrate; Whose Pow'r extends no farther than to speak Big on the Bench, and scanty Weights to break.Line 270

Him, also, for my Censor I disdain, Who thinks all Science, as all Virtue vain: Who counts Geometry, and Numbers, Toys: And 17 with his Foot, 18 the Sacred Dust destroys. Whose Pleasure is to see a Strumpet tear A Cynicks Beard, and lug him by the Hair. Such, all the Morning, to the Pleadings run; But, when the Bus'ness of the Day is done, On Dice, and Drink, and Drabs, they spend their Afternoon.

Notes

• 1

  PErnassus, and Helicon, were Hills Consecrated to the Muses; and the suppos'd place of their abode. Pernassus was forked on the top; and from Helicon ran a Stream; the Spring of which, was call'd the Muses Well.
• 2

  Pyrene, a Fountain in Corinth; Consecrated also to the Muses.
• 3

  The Statues of the Poets, were Crown'd with Ivy about their Brows.
• 4

  Before the Shrine; that is▪ before the Shrine of Apollo▪ in his Temple at Rome, call'd the Palati••e.
• 1

  Nothing is remaining of Atticus Labeo, (so he is call'd by the Learned Casaubon) Nor is the mention'd by any other Poet, besides Persius: Casaubon, from an old Commentator on Persius, says that he made a very Foolish Translation of Homer's Iliads.
• 2

  He describes a Poet preparing himself to Rehearse his Works in publick: which was commonly perform'd in August. A Room was hir'd, or lent by some Friend; a Scaffold was rais'd, and a Pulpit plac'd for him, who was to hold forth; who borrow'd a new Gown▪ or scour'd his old one; and Adorn'd his Ears with Jewels, &c.
• 3

  Trees of that kind, grow wild in many parts of Italy; and make their way through Rocks: Sometimes splitting the Tomb-stones.
• 4

  Ianus like, &c. Ianus was the first King of Italy; who refug'd Saturn, when he was expell'd by his Son Iupiter from Cr••et; (or as we now call it Candia.) From his Name, the first Month of the Year is call'd Ianuary. He was Pictur'd with two Faces, one before▪ and one behind: As regarding the past time, and the future. Some of the My∣thologists, thi••k he was No••h, for the Reason given above.
• 5

  The Romans wrote on Cedar, and Cypre•••• Tables, in regard of the duration of the Wood: III Verses might justly be afraid of Franckincense; for the Papers in which they were Written, were fit for nothing but to wrap it up.
• 6

  Products of Citron Beds, &c. Writings of Noblemen, whose Bed∣steds were of the Wood of Citron.
• 7

  Where Romulus &c.. He speaks of the Country in the foregoing Verses; the Praises of which, are the most easie Theme for Poets: but which a bad Poet cannot Naturally describe: Then he makes a digressi∣on▪ to Romulus, the first King of Rome, who had a Rustical Education; and enlarges upon Quintius Cincinnatus, a Roman Senator; who was call'd from the Plough, to be Dictator of Rome.
• 8

  In Periods, &c. Persius here names Antitheses, or seeming Contra∣diction; which in this place are meant for Rhetorical Flourishes, as I think, with Casaubon.
• 9

  Berecynthian Atys; or Attin, &c. Foolish Verses of Nero, which the Poet repeats; and which cannot be Translated properly into English.
• 10

  Arms and the Man, &c. The first line of Virgil's Aeneids.
• 11

  Their crooked Horns, &c. Other Verses of Nero, that were mee•• bombast. I only Note; that the Repetition of these and the former Verses of Ner••, might justly give the Poet a caution to conceal his Name.
• 12

  Maenas and Atys. Poems on the Maenad••s, who were Priestesses of Bacchus; and of Atys, who made himself an Eunuch, to attend on the Sacrifices of Cybele, call'd Berecynthia by the Poets; she was Mother of the Gods.
• 13

  Two painted Serpents, &c. Two Snakes twin'd with each other, were painted on the Walls, by the Ancients, to shew the place was Holy.
• 14

  Yet old Lucilius, &c. Lucilius wrote long before Horace; who imitates his manner of Satyr, but far excels him, in the design.
• 15

  King Midas, &c. 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 Ears▪ He wore his Hair long to hide them▪ but his ••arber disco∣vering them, and not daring to divulge the secret, dug a hole in the ground, and whisper'd into it: the place was marshy; and when the R••eds grew up, they repeated the words which were spoken by the Barber▪ By Midas▪ the Poet meant Nero.
• 16

  Eupolis and Cr••tinus, as also Aristophanes mention'd afterwards, were all Athenian Poets; who wrote that sort of Comedy, which was call••d the old Comedy, where the People were Nam'd, who were Satyriz'd by those Authors.
• 17

  Who Fortunes fault, &c. The People of Rome in the time of Per∣sius were apt to scorn the Grecia•• Philosophers, particularly the Cinicks and Stoicks, who were the poorest of them.
• 18

  And with his foot, &c. Arithmetick and Geometry were Taught, on floors which were strew'd with dust, or sand; in which the Numbers▪ and Diagrams were made and drawn, which they might strike out again at Pleasure.