since they destroy the manuscripts.
20, 21. ultimus cumulus: the last straw. 21. frusta: a mouthful of
food. 23. Asturici: type of a rich man. 24. differt vadimonia: puts off
the time at which the defendant had given security (vadimonium) to
appear. 26. Ardet: impersonal. 28. Euphranoris: a Greek sculptor of the
fourth century B.C. Polycliti: a Greek sculptor of the fifth century
B.C. He made a famous gold and ivory statue of Hera. 29. ornamenta
deorum: stolen from some temple. Roman conquerors and governors (like
Napoleon in modern times) freely robbed subject countries of works of
art. 30. forulos mediamque Minervam: bookcases and a Minerva among them.
A 'bust of Pallas,' the goddess of wisdom, is appropriate to a library.
32. Persicus: the same person as Asturicus. The name is given because of
the reputed wealth of the Orient. So our expression 'nabob' originally
meant a viceroy in India. Cf. Milton, _Paradise Lost_, 2. 3-4:

where the gorgeous East, with richest hand,
Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold.

orborum lautissimus: richest of childless men. It is on this account
that all assist him, hoping eventually to receive a legacy. Asturicus
understands their motive; hence Juvenal's humorous suspicion.

34 ff. avelli: middle. circensibus: the games consisted of many kinds of
entertainment, especially chariot racing. As with the opera to-day for
lovers of music, these games formed one of the chief attractions of life
in a great city. Sorae, Fabrateriae, Frusinone: these are country towns
of Latium. 36. tenebras: a dark hole. 37. brevis: shallow. 40.
Pythagoreis: Pythagoras, believing that the human soul might pass into
one of the lower animals after death, forbade animal food to his
disciples. 42. unius dominum lacertae: i.e. of the small area which
would be necessary to furnish food to one lizard.

43. Plurimus aeger: many sick men. aeger, though singular, is used for a
plural with the adjective of plural signification. vigilando: the final
o is short. 44. inperfeptus: undigested. 45. ardenti: inflamed.
meritoria: lodgings. 46. Magnis opibus: ablative of price. Martial says,
12. 57. 4, 'There is no place in Rome for a poor man to sleep.' Wagons
were not allowed under ordinary circumstances to pass through the
streets till the late afternoon, so that the heavy teaming was at night.
47. arto: the medium width of the principal living streets of Rome was
only from 16 to 20 feet. 48. stantis oonvicia man