SATIRE II
Set the whitest of white stones, Macrinus, to mark this bright day that places the gliding years to your account! Pour out libations to your Genius! You are not the man to utter a huckster's prayer, such as you could only entrust to the gods in privacy. Most of our great men offer their libations from censers that divulge no secrets; it is not every man that is ready to make away with mutterings and whisperings from the temples, and to offer prayers such as all men may hear.[1] "A sound mind," "a fair name," "good credit"—such prayers a man utters aloud, and in a stranger's hearing—the rest he mutters to himself, under his breath; "O if only my uncle would go off![2] what a fine funeral I would give him!" or "if only favouring Hercules[3] would cause a crock of silver to grate against my harrow!" or "if only I could wipe out that ward of mine who stands next before me in the succession; for indeed he is scrofulous, and full of acrid humours." "There's Nerius[4] (lucky dog!) burying his third wife." Is it that you may put up prayers like these with all due piety[5] that you dip your head every morning twice and three times in the Tiber, washing off in his waters all the pollutions of the night?
- ↑ Lines 8-11 are a close imitation of Hor. Epp. I. xvi. 59-62.
- ↑ Apparently a slang expression like "going off the hooks" or "kicking the bucket."
- ↑ Hercules is the god of windfalls or unexpected gain.
- ↑ Perhaps the usurer mentioned by Horace, Sat. II. iii. 69.
- ↑ Sancte is emphatic. However unholy his prayers, he hopes to keep on the right side of the gods, and so neglects none of the proper religious observances. See Hor. Sat. II. iii. 290-2, and Juv. vi. 523.
