Translation Notes
Sermonum Liber Alter
by Quintus Horatius Flaccus (Horace)
Satire IV |
| 1. unde et quo
Catius: a common form of salutation; cf. I.9.62 and 63. tempus: i.e.
to stop and talk. 2. ponere signa: a formal expression for consignare literis, commit to writing, set down, record. There is no certain reference to the mnemonic art, though such a reference is possible. praeceptis: the regular word for philosophical doctrines. 3. Anyti, the accuser of Socrates. 4. laevo, unfavorable; from the language of augury. 5. bonus, kindly. 6. quod si, and (as to that) if. repetes, will recall. 7. sive, etc.: i.e. so good is your memory, either naturally, or from practice in the art. 8. quin id, etc.: why, that was my anxiety, etc.; in allusion to Horace' supposition of his forgetting something, especially as the matters are so subtle and so subtly expressed. The doctrines are treated like the profoundest discoveries in philosophy. 10. hominis: the author. 11. ipsa: the name is purposely concealed, most probably because he is a man of too much consequence to be ridiculed. memor: i.e. exactly, with a good memory. 12. longa, etc.: the precious doctrines begin at once with further preamble, and in a rambling style, as they happen to come up in his mind. 13. suci, taste. 14. ponere, to serve; the regular word. Cf. posito, II.2.23. namque: the reason of the better taste. callosa, of firm texture. 15. cole: the popular form of caule. suburbano: i.e. grown in the well-watered market-gardens around the city. siccis: the farms in the country. 16. elutius, more insipid; of course referring to the productions of the garden, but with an allusion to the constant watering. 17. si vespertinus, etc.: i.e. in case it is necessary to serve a fowl freshly killed, on account of the sudden arrival of an unexpected guest. 18. malum: the neuter adverbial accusative. responset, suit, as answering the demands of the palate. dura, tough. 19. doctus eris, you will be wise to, etc.; lit. you will be taught to. mixto: with water, diluted. 20. pratensibus, of the meadows, as opposed to the woods. 21. male creditur, are not to be trusted, as likely to be poisonous. 22. prandia, déjeuner, or lunch, the first real meal of the day, taken about noon. 24. Aufidius, an unknown epicure. miscebat: i.e. for mulsum, which was taken at the beginning of a meal for an appetizer, hence vacuis. 29. brevis, small-leaved. albo. . .Coo, wine of Cos mixed with sea water (Gr. leukókoon), in which apparently the shell-fish and sorrel were boiled. 30. lubrica: on account of their slipping down the throat easily. nascentes, etc.: the new moon is the best time for taking shell-fish, and the different localities vary in the excellence of the fish. 31. generosae, the choicest; used regularly of fine breeds of animals. 32. murice, a turbinate shellfish or cockle, of which many kinds are eaten in Italy. peloris, a bivalve. 33. Miseno, on the promontory of Misenum; cf. Virg. Æn. VI. 234. 34. pectinibus, the long comb-like bivalve, "razor-blade(?)" patulis, gaping, i.e. bivalve. 35. quivis, everybody. temere, ignorantly, without a thorough understanding of the nicer points of cookery. artem: i.e. of preparing; used of the cook. 36. non prius, etc., without having, etc. exacta, weighed; c.f. examen. tenui, subtle, as in v. 9. saporum, of flavoring and sauces. ratione, art. The mere choice of viands such as he has described is not enough, without the art of preparing them. 37. cara, costly. averrere, sweep off, i.e. monopolize the whole stock of dainties. mensa: in the market. 38. ignarum: taking the place of the indefinite subject of averrere. ius: i.e. in which they are boiled. assis, roasted. 39. in cubitum: in reference to the reclining position in which the ancients took their meals, meaning, of course, to beguile the guest to begin again. 41. curvat, bends (with its weight). aper: cf. II.8.6. vitantis, i.e. if one wishes to avoid, or prefers the opposite. inertem, tasteless, insipid. 42. malus, poor, worthless. 43. submittit, supplies. non semper: i.e. those in the woods are to be preferred. 44. fecundae: the main idea, these in preference to any others. armos: specified merely because that is the part eaten. sapiens, the connoisseur. 45. natura: i.e. what kind in each case was best for the table. aetas: the age at which they should be served. 46. meum: to be referred to the unknown epicure. quaesita: i.e. though much studied. 47. crustula, sweets, cakes and the like. promit, invents; i.e. they content themselves with inventing dainties for dessert. 48. nequaquam satis: i.e. this is a very narrow scope for the true artist, to devote himself to one branch alone. 50. securus, careless, not caring. 51. supponas: i.e. expose to the night air under a clear sky. 52. si quid crassi, if it is at all thick or muddy. tenuabitur, will be refined. 53. odor, the bouquet. 54. integrum, pure; opposed to perdunt. lino: i.e. they are spoiled by straining or filtering. 55. faece: the deposit, or lees, of wine was burnt, and used to flavor wine, and for other flavors; cf. II.8.9. 56. limum colligit, i.e. clarifies the wine. 57. quatenus, since; cf. I.1.64. volvens, gathering. aliena, all foreign matters. 58. marcentem, i.e. who has lost his appetite from excess of wine. squillis, probably a shell-fish. Afra: these seem to have been famous as the best. 59. innatat, does not digest, swims in the full stomach. 60. perna: means of immorsus. magis, rather. 61. immorsus, stimulated, properly gnawed. omnia: i.e. rather than lettuce. 62. popinis, the low taverns or restaurants. allata, served; i.e. the rich strong food of the common people in their low resorts. 63. est operae pretium: a purposely chosen epic phrase from Ennius, to give pomposity to the style. duplicis: a technical name, no doubt, for this sauce made of the ordinary sauce treated as described. 65. muria, fish-brine, or the pickle in which fish has been preserved, was a favorite in the sauces or relishes of the ancients. 66. Byzantia: referring to the tunny fish of Byzantium, which was a great article of export; see Plin. H. N. IX.20. putuit: a not unnatural expression for the raw material, whatever the product. 67. hoc: the ius simplex. inferbuit, has been boiled. 68. stetit, has been left to cool. 69. remisit: i.e. the "pomace" of the olive after the oil has been extracted. 71. nam, i.e. I say this, because, etc. venucula: sc. uva. convenit ollis, is suitable for packing, storing away to eat fresh, as opposed to the raisins mentioned in the next verse. Cf. Plin. H. N. XIV.16. 73. hanc: i.e. grapes; the discovery consists in the combination, like "nuts and raisins." ego faecem, etc.: the novelty apparently consisted in serving these relishes in a separate dish, and in precisely this mixture. faecem: cf. II.8.9. allec, a sauce prepared from various marine animals, like anchovy sauce, or caviare. 74. invenior: a poetic extension of the construction of dicor and the like. piper, etc.: another combination of condiments. sale nigro: made of wood ashes, like "pearlash." 75. puris: i.e. in separate clean plates, without any other viands. 76. immane, etc.: the mention of the setting things on the table suggests to the man the importance of the style of service, etc. dare, etc.: i.e. spend an enormous sum for the fish, and then spoil the effect in the serving. 77. angustoque, etc.: the fault consists in having too small a plate. This, however, the connoisseur speaks of as confining the fish, which are accustomed to freedom, in too narrow limits. 78. magna, etc.: other details of the service. 79. furta, stolen dainties; the slave is represented as hastily snatching something from the dish with his fingers, and greasing the cups while handling them, in consequence. 80. gravis, etc.: the sediment remaining in the mixing-jar from long use and neglect in cleansing. 81. vilibus, etc.: i.e. what a fault is uncleanliness, when the means of cleansing are so cheap. 83. ten: the short colloquial form for te-ne. varios, variegated, and so costly. lutulenta: indicating carelessness in attending to the costly pavement so that the effect is lost. radere: with ten in the infinitive of exclamation, the idea that, to think that. 84. Tyrias: the most costly coverings of the couches. toralia, the "valance," around the feet of the couch. vestis, after circum. 86. haec: these details of service, depending merely on cleanliness. illis: the splendid pavements and couch-coverings. 87. divitibus, i.e. of the rich. 88. docte, etc.: Horace, as if impressed with the importance of the doctrines, begs Catius to take him with him whenever he goes to hear such valuable truths. 91. interpres, a reporter, giving the things at second hand. adde, consider also, i.e. think what an advantage there would be to me in seeing the man's face and bearing when giving these great truths. 95. vitae praecepta beatae: i.e. in a double sense: on the one hand, of moral precepts such as secured a happy life, the aim of all the later philosophies: and on the other, of the advantages that come from attention to the rules of good living in the epicure's sense. The whole close is probably parodied from Lucr. I.927, invat integros accedere fontis, atque haurire, etc. |
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