person is wealthier or a better scholar than I am:  every individual has his proper place.”  “You tell me a marvelous thing, scarcely credible.”  “But it is even so.”  “You the more inflame my desires to be near his person.”  “You need only be inclined to it:  such is your merit, you will accomplish it:  and he is capable of being won; and on that account the first access to him he makes difficult.”  “I will not be wanting to myself:  I will corrupt his servants with presents; if I am excluded to-day, I will not desist; I will seek opportunities; I will meet him in the public streets; I will wait upon him home.  Life allows nothing to mortals without great labor.”  While he was running on at this rate, lo!  Fuscus Aristius comes up, a dear friend of mine, and one who knows the fellow well.  We make a stop.  “Whence come you? whither are you going?” he asks and answers.  I began to twitch him [by the elbow], and to take hold of his arms [that were affectedly] passive, nodding and distorting my eyes, that he might rescue me.  Cruelly arch he laughs, and pretends not to take the hint:  anger galled my liver.  “Certainly,” [said I, “Fuscus,] you said that you wanted to communicate something to me in private.”  “I remember it very well; but will tell it you at a better opportunity:  to-day is the thirtieth sabbath.  Would you affront the circumcised Jews?” I reply, “I have no scruple [on that account].”  “But I have:  I am something weaker, one of the multitude.  You must forgive me:  I will speak with you on another occasion.”  And has this sun arisen so disastrous upon me!  The wicked rogue runs away, and leaves me under the knife.  But by luck his adversary met him:  and, “Whither are you going, you infamous fellow?” roars he with a loud voice:  and, “Do you witness the arrest?” I assent.  He hurries him into court:  there is a great clamor on both sides, a mob from all parts.  Thus Apollo preserved me.

* * * * *

SATIRE X.

He supports the judgment which he had before given of Lucilius, and intersperses some excellent precepts for the writing of Satire.

To be sure I did say, that the verses of Lucilius did not run smoothly.  Who is so foolish an admirer of Lucilius, that he would not own this?  But the same writer is applauded in the same Satire, on account of his having lashed the town with great humor.  Nevertheless granting him this, I will not therefore give up the other [considerations]; for at that rate I might even admire the farces of Laberius, as fine poems.  Hence it is by no means sufficient to make an auditor grim with laughter:  and yet there is some degree of merit even in this.  There is need of conciseness that the sentence may run, and not embarrass itself with verbiage, that overloads the sated ear; and sometimes a grave, frequently jocose style is necessary, supporting the character one while of the orator and [at another] of the poet, now and