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 SECOND SATYR.

WHite Stone. The Romans were us'd to mark their Fortunate Days, or any thing that luckily befell 'em, with a White Stone which they had from the Island Creta; and their Unfortunate with a Coal.

Hercules was thought to have the Key and Power of bestowing all hidden Treasure.

The Antients thought themselves tainted and polluted by Night it self, as well as bad Dreams in the Night, and therefore purifi'd themselves by washing their Heads and Hands every Morning; which Cus∣tom the Turks observe to this day.

When any one was Thunderstruck, the Soothsayer (who is here call'd Ergenna) immediately repair'd to the place, to expiate the dis∣pleasure of the Gods, by sacrificing two Sheep.

The Poet laughs at the superstitious Ceremonies which the Old Women made use of in their Lustration of Purification Days, when they nam'd their Children, which was done on the Eighth day to Females, and on the Ninth to Males.

In Visions purg'd from Fleam, &c. It was the Opinion both of Gre∣cians and Romans, that the Gods, in Visions or Dreams, often reveal'd to their Favourites a Cure for their Diseases, and sometimes those of others. Thus Alexander dreamt of an Herb which cur'd Ptolomy. These Gods were principally Apollo and Esculapius; but, in after times, the same Virtue and Good-will was attributed to Isis and Osiris. Which brings to my remembrance an odd passage in Sir Tho. Brown's Religio Medici, or in his vulgar Errours; the sense whereof is, That we are beholding, for many of our Discoveries in Physick, to the courteous Revelation of Spirits. By the Expression of Visions purg'd from Phlegm, our Author means such Dreams or Visions, as proceed not from Natural Causes, or Humours of the Body; but such as are sent from Heaven; and are, therefore, certain Remedies.

For Saturn's Brass, &c. Brazen Vessels, in which the Publick Trea∣sures of the Romans was kept: It may be the Poet means only old Vessels, which were all call'd Κρόνια from the Greek Name of Saturn. Note also, that the Roman Treasury was in the Temple of Saturn.

Numa's Earthen-ware. Under Numa the second King of Rome, and for a long time after him, the Holy Vessels for Sacrifice were of Earthen Ware; according to the Superstitious Rites which were introduc'd by the same Numa: Tho afterwards, when Memmius had taken Corinth, and Paulus Emilius had conquer'd Macedonia, Luxury began amongst the Ro∣mans; and then their Utensils of Devotion were of Gold and Silver, &c.

And make Calabrian Wooll, &c. The Wooll of Calabria was of the f••••est sort in Italy; as Iuvenal also tells us. The Tyrian Stain, is the Purple Colour dy'd at Tyrus; and I suppose, but dare not positively af∣firm, that the richest of that Dye was nearest our Crimson; and not Scarlet, or that other Colour more approaching to the Blue. I have not room to justifie my Conjecture.

As Maids to Venus, &c. Those Baby-Toys were little Babies, or Poppets, as we call them; in Latin Pupae; which the Girls, when they came to the Age of puberty, or Child•• bearing, offer'd to Venus; as the Boys at Fourteen or Fifteen years of age offer'd their Bullae. or Bosses.

A Cake thus given, &c. A Cake of Barley, or course Wheat-Meal, with the Bran in it: The meaning is, that God is pleas'd with the pure and spotless heart of the Offerer; and not with the Riches of the Offer∣ing▪ Laberius in the Fragments of his Mimes, has a Verse like this; Pur as, Deus, non plenas a••picit manus. — What I had forgotten before, in its due place▪ I must here tell the Reader; That the first half of this Sa∣tyr was translated by one of my Sons, now in Italy: But I thought so well of it, that I let it pass without any Alteration.