TO THE READER.

IVdicious Reader (for to Thee as to a Iust Patrone, I make my De∣dication) with the true stingenui∣ty I submit these my endeavours, the not vnprofitable recreations only of severer studies. To ex∣site thy attention, I may without ambition say it •s a New thing, Persius Vnderstood. When first entertained the attempt, I was opposed by see∣•ing-insuperable difficulties: The labouring to •pprehend, to Expresse the sense of my Author: •he reconciling of contrarie exposition•: the fin∣•ng out the order of his passages, grounded on a •aturall, but much concealed dependancy of his •ecedent and subsequent matter: the endeavo∣•ng to render him with brevity, perspicuity and •s Owne Strength: Lastly the amputation of •necessarie Criticismes of some Interpreters, •om whom on just reason I sometimes depart.

And that in this point I may stand cleare from ••e private surmise of some tacite censurer: I will Page  [unnumbered] shew vnto thee, among many, two only of their curiosities, and those in the front of the worke.

The first is about the word Prolui, which some would haue to be heere vsed, to signifie that the Poet had modestly wet his lippes in Hippocrene, but never endrench'd them, or dranke deep ther∣of. I graunt that the word in the originall Can beare that sense; but that it doth in This place, I confidently denie. And stand confirmed by this reason: because the Poet satirically Derideth those, that attributed the faculty of poetric to so insufficient and vaine a cause, as the drinking of that Well was. (He himselfe afterwards confes∣sing, ironically, his Owne skill to be Constrai∣ned: howsoever, not proceeding from so Fond a cause;) and therefore in the like sort presently af∣ter, he saith (if the Critiques had observed it) tha• he never slept on Parnassus: which was also held as another cause of the poetique faculty. Where with reason, as good as theirs, one might say, H• never slept Soundly or Snorted on that hill, bu• had lightly taken a gentle nap. The parts of th• similitude hold an equall proportion: and then referre the ridiculous curiosity to the secret smile of the Iudicious.

The second is about the next word Caballino with which, according to Their exposition, th• Page  [unnumbered] epithet which in my translation I giue to Pega∣sus, may seeme somewhat to straine curtesie: inas∣much as it implyeth the swiftnesse (and so by cō∣sequent the praise) of the horse, to which it is (iustly) applyed: when as They would haue it to be vsed in the disgrace of the vaine Poets, which are heere derided. Deriving so the ignominie of the word Caballus from the Well to the per∣sons: implying Them to be base packe-horse po∣ets. A pretty, but imposed meaning, if farther en∣quired into. For if the poet vse this word especi∣ally for that reason, it might seeme (me thinkes) that he did forget what horse he himselfe meant: there being as great difference betweene Pegasus a winged horse, and Caballus a packe-horse, as well-nigh could bee betweene two creatures of one kind. But if they once come to Coniectures, I may assume the like libertie to interpose Mine also; And then I Could thinke (which, I wonder, the Critiques did not see) that the Poet vsed this word before others, for a most naturall & strong reason drawne from the Etymologie of the word Caballus; which, as Isidore in his Originals hath it, Lib. 12. cap. 1. is deriued, à cavando: propter quòd gradiens vngulâ impressâ terram concavet, quod re∣liqua animalia non habent; And then who seeth not how excellently the history of Pegasus is in∣timated Page  [unnumbered] in this word? This Etymologie is much strengthened by the letter v changed into b. For in the Moderne languages which haue drawne their originall from the Latine, we see the v still retained, as in the Italian and Spanish Cavallo, and in the French Cheval; and which may be ob∣serued, These words in none of these Moderne languages imply any disgrace, but are generally attributed to all horses; Nay, from these words are drawne Titles of dignity, as Cavaliero, in the Italian, Chevalier in the French, and Cavallero in the Spanish.

But (that I may follow thē no farther in these their wandring speculations) to speake freely: I thinke the Poet neither thought as They thinke, nor as I shew how I Could thinke, and thinke as well as They. I am perswaded that more is pic∣ked out of these Poets, then they themselues ever meant. For indeed when a Satirist, through the heat of his loue to vertue, is set on fire to see the desperate securitie of prophanesse: the fury of his passion doth so transport him: that there is no time left for the placing or displacing, choosing or reiecting of some particular word: but as most commonly their passions are vneven, rough, and furious: so is that also which they write being in this poeticall perturbation.

Page  [unnumbered]The difficulties which I haue heere set downe, were by my peculiar affection to This Author, at last all ouercome. I haue not herein bound my selfe with a ferulary superstition to the letter: but with the ancient libertie of a Translator, haue v∣sed a moderate paraphrase, where the obscuritie did more require it: yet so, that with all conve∣nient possibilitie, I sticke vnto his Words. To haue added Large annotations, had beene but to transcribe a Commentarie or a Dictionary. Such briefe ones notwithstanding, as without which, the sense could not be sufficiently explicate, yet could not bee well inserted into the text; with all compendious perspicuitie I haue adiected in the margin: prefixing Arguments to euery Satire.

From the affected obscuritie, wherewith this Author hath hitherto laboured, I cannot altoge∣ther quitte him, yet doubtlesse, it in part, procee∣ded from the want of Libertie, which in his de∣sperate times, was altogether lost; though, I con∣fesse, He durst say Somewhat.

As for My labours: I much abhorre so sickly an impotencie, as to ouerweane my selfe with a conceit of mine owne worke; though, if my best friends tell me truth, It may beare a Iudge. But howsoeuer; If the truly Iudicious (who are al∣waies Page  [unnumbered] attended with Perspicacitie, & a milde cē∣sure that true exciter of promising ingenuities) shall courteously accept it: I am Crown'd: and hauing thus finished this worke of an Others in∣vention, I may be excited to a second and more liberall attempt of mine owne.

But if any Left-handed Pythagorians (who enforce Writers now adaies as the Ancients did their Comoedians, to vse insteed of Prologues expressing their arguments, Apologies against the malicious) shal sinisterly accept, what is cour∣teously offered: I only wish them the other good qualitie of the Pythagorians, Silēce. For the over∣sights which I may bee perchance convinced of (as the purest eie seeth not its owne blemishes, but by reflection) I wil, being shewed them, with free ingenuity confesse: & doubt not of pardon; hauing two so good solliciters in the eie of any, but moderately courteous; Mine Owne Infancy (in respect of any Maturity of iudgement) & the vnacquainted Difficulty of my attempt. To haue committed No faults in my Translation, had bin to Translate My Selfe, and put off Man.

What other faults Detracters woulde Make (by their Owne Reading, or Interpretation) let them knowe, they are committed not out of Ignorance, but Election, after a iust consulta∣tion Page  [unnumbered] with more then a * Dozen Ex∣positers. But why doe I in the In∣discretion of Too-much humilitie prostrate my endeavors to the Ty∣ranny of the Ignorant: who stand Herein so Many degrees below the faculty of Iudging cēsurers? If any in the procacity of baser ma∣lice (raised commonly from a des∣paire of Imitation) shall proceede farther vnto contumelies: I shall not need, as some doe (though I approue Their course also) to arme my selfe with a confidence of Reli∣gion; I will not put it to the stresse: nor against the stroake of so leaden a sword, vse the protection of so golden a shield. A little as∣sum'd Stoicisme shall serue the turne; and with a Secure Contempt, I'le let them Scoule alowd Vnheard. Farewell.