The Roman Poets of the Republic Part 21

[Footnote 34: De Senec. 14.]

[Footnote 35: E.g. graphicus, doulice, euscheme, morus, logos, techinae, prothyme, basilicus, etc., etc.]

[Footnote 36: Truculentus, 55-57. Weise condemns the pa.s.sage as spurious. But whether written by Plautus or not it is in the spirit of the Plautine comedy. In a pa.s.sage of the Poenulus (Act iii. 1. 21) another reference is made to the sense of security enjoyed since their victory:--

Praesertim in re populi placida, atque interfectis hostibus, Non decet tumultuari.]

[Footnote 37: Cp. the remark of the parasite in the Persa, 75, 76:--

Set sumne ego stultus, qui rem curo publicam, Ubi sint magistratus, quos curare oporteat?

and that of the parasite in the Captivi, 'that only those who were unable to procure invitations to luncheon should be expected to attend public meetings and elections'; and such jokes as 'Plebiscitum non est scitius.']

[Footnote 38: The Comedy of Terence, which represents that of Menander, is completely non-political.]

[Footnote 39: Cf. Epidicus, 30, etc., and Captivi, 262.]

[Footnote 40: The advocati in the Poenulus, who are evidently clients, show a certain spirit of independence. Cf. Act iii.

6. 13:--

Et tu vale.

Iniuriam illic insignite postulat: Nostro sibi servire nos censet cibo.

Verum ita sunt omnes isti nostri divites: Si quid bene facias, levior pluma est gratia; Si quid peccatum est, plumbeas iras gerunt.]

[Footnote 41: Livy, x.x.xix. 9, etc.]

[Footnote 42:

Quom mi ipsum nomen eius Archidemides Clamaret dempturum esse si quid crederem.--Bacchid. 285.

Propterea huic urbi nomen Epid.a.m.no inditumst Quia nemo ferme sine d.a.m.no huc devort.i.tur.--Menaech. 264.

Cf. also the play on Chrysalus and Crucisalus; and the following may serve as a specimen of his perpetual puns:--

Non enim es in senticeto, eo non sentis.--Captivi, 857.]

[Footnote 43: Alliterations and a.s.sonances:--Vi veneris vinctus. Cottabi crebri crepent. Laetus, lubens, laudes ago.

Collus collari caret.

Atque mores hominum moros et morosos efficit, etc., etc.

Asyndeta:--

Laudem, lucrum, ludum, ioc.u.m, festivitatem, ferias.

Vorsa, sparsa, tersa, strata, lauta, structaque omnia ut sint, etc., etc.

These are not occasional, but constantly recurring characteristics of his style. The thought and matter they express must, in a great measure, be due to his own invention.]

[Footnote 44: Roman formulae:--Quae res bene vortat. Conceptis verbis. Quod bonum, felix, faustum, fortunatumque sit. Ut gesserit rempublicam ductu, imperio, auspicio suo, etc., etc.]

[Footnote 45: Proverbs:--Sarta tecta. Sine sacris haereditas.

Inter saxum et sacra. Vae victis. Ad incitas redactust, etc., etc.]

[Footnote 46: Expressions of courtesy:--Tam gratiast. Benigne.

Num quid vis? etc.]

[Footnote 47: E.g. Pistoria, Placentia, Praeneste, Sutrium, Sarsina, etc.]

[Footnote 48: E.g. Vicus Tuscus, Velabrum, Macellum, Porta Trigemina, Porta Metia; and compare the long pa.s.sage in the Curculio (462), which directly refers to Rome.]

[Footnote 49:

Quid ego cesso Pseudolum Facere ut det nomen ad Molas coloniam.--Pseud. 1082.]

[Footnote 50: Mancupio dare, stipulatio, antestatio, sponsio, ubi res prolatae sunt.]

[Footnote 51: Bacchid. 120.]

[Footnote 52: Captivi, 888.]

[Footnote 53: Trinummus, 545-6.]

[Footnote 54: Non omnes possunt olere unguenta exotica.--Mostell. 42.]

[Footnote 55: Cf. Bacch. 1072;--

Set, spectatores, vos nunc ne miremini Quod non triumpho: pervolgatumst, nil moror.

Verum tamen accipientur mulso milites.]

[Footnote 56: Mil. Glor. 164, 6. Cf. Hor. Od. iii. 24. 58: Seu malis vet.i.ta legibus alea.]

[Footnote 57: Casina, iii. 3. 22.]

[Footnote 58: Livy, xxiv. 2.]

[Footnote 59: 'Do you see that the enemy is close upon you, and that your back will soon be invested? Quick! seize some help and succour: it must be done speedily, not quietly. Get before them somehow; lead round your forces by some pa.s.s or other. Invest the enemy; bring relief to our own troops; cut off the enemy's supplies; make a road for yourself, by which provisions or supplies may reach yourself or your legions safely: give your whole heart to the business--it is a sudden emergency.'--Mil. Glor. 219-225.

This is the 'patriotic pa.s.sage' which Mr. West discusses in the paper previously referred to. He holds that 'The pa.s.sage, keeping steadily within the limits so rigidly imposed by Roman Stage-censorship, is written from the stand-point of sympathy with the _plebs_ in favour of Scipio's a.s.suming command against Hannibal, and reflects very brightly and completely those features of the Second Punic War which were prominent and recent in 205 B.C.'

The end of many of the prologues also shows that they were addressed to a people constantly engaged in war.]

[Footnote 60: Menaech. 590.]

[Footnote 61: Cf. such expressions and lines as:--Salva sumes indidem (Mil. Glor. 234); locare argentum; fenerato.

Mihi quod credideris, sumes ubi posiueris.--Trinum. 145.

Nequaquam argenti ratio comparet tamen.--Ib. 418.

Bene igitur ratio accepti atque expensi inter nos convenit.--Mostel. 292.]