Review of Roman Verse Satire Lucilius to Juvenal

Persius

Persius : "o curas hominum! o quantum est in rebus inane!"
Adversarius: "quis leget haec?" Persius: "min tu istud ais?
nemo hercule." Adversarius: "nemo?"
Persius: "Oh the cares of human beings! O how much emptiness there is in things!"
Adversary: "Who shall read these things?" Persius: "You ask me that?
By Hercules, nobody?"
Persius Satire 1 1-3

Since Aulus Persius Flaccus (34-62 A.D.) wrote difficult, ambiguous Latin, students -- whether of Latin or in-translation -- will appreciate the literal translation here. The first selection is Persius' program satire with an opening line direct from Lucilius (see above). The satire continues with a critical look at Roman literary taste and tradition.

Juvenal

semper ego auditor tantum? numquamne reponam
vexatus totiens rauci Theseide Cordi?
impune ergo mihi recitaverit ille togatas,
his elegos?
...
difficile est saturam non scribere.
Am I always a listener only? Shall I never strike back,
so often annoyed by the Theseid of rasping Cordus?
With impunity therefore shall that one have recited to me dramas,
this one his elegiacs?
...
it is difficult not to write satire.
Satire 1 1-4, 30

Decimus Iunius Juvenalis was born some time between A.D.

55 and 67 and probably died somewhat after after 127. We lack details on his life because he wasn't well known in contemporary literary circles.

Like Persius' first satire, Juvenal's first satire is programmatic, suggesting why the poet will lash out in the next fifteen satires. Much of the first satire is mythological allusion for which the authors provide explanatory notes. Satire 3 complains about the eternal problems of city life. The final satire in the book is the infamous one in which Juvenal advises against marriage by obscene railing against women.

Roman Verse Satire is an excellent short introduction to satire and the Roman poets who developed it. Using the painstakingly literal English as a pony for the selected satires should accustom the Latin student to the satirist's style and syntax; it should then be relatively painless to make the transition to the remaining poems. For in-translation students, it provides a taste of the heady meat on satire's platter.