The Roman Novel

Juvenal fares rather better, but not much. After quoting the declaration of Umbricius, 'We propose to go to that place where Daedalus put off his tired wings' (Sat. 3. 24-5), Mr. Witke continues: This statement is pregnant with implications. He will escape from the city as if it were a labyrinth containing a monster. He, the fabulous artificer, must flee from an audience hostile to his workmanship' (p. 131). But there is nothing in the satire to suggest that Umbricius was a fabulous or any other kind of artificer. The book's most fundamental weakness, however, lies in the fact that Mr. Witke cannot translate the authors whom he claims to interpret. From dozens of mistakes I will cite only the following: Horace, Sat. ii. 6. 93 carpe viam, mihi crede, comes—'my friend, trust in me, take the initiative' (p. 74); Odes iii. 30. 3-4 imber edax, aquilo impotens . . . diruere [quoted thus] 'corrosive winter, and the gale powerless to destroy' (p. 84); Persius 5. 5-6 quantas robusti carminis offas / ingeris [quoted thus without a question mark] 'what great gobbets of strong song you bring' (p. 90); 5. 57-8 ille j in venerem putris—'the man who is rotten in love-making' (p. 95); Juvenal 3. 202 molles ubi reddunt ova columbae—'where gentle doves bring up their eggs' (p. 146); Lucilius (Warmington 179-81)