Martial Book XII: a commentary

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ABSTRACT MARTIAL BOOKXII - A COMMENTARY MICHAEL N. R. BOWIE CORPUSCHRISTI COLLEGE D.PHIL. TRINITYTERM1988 The commentary consists of an introduction and individual line by line commentaries on the prose preface and the 98 epigrams, The introduction comprises a brief discussion of the dating of book 12, its distinctively Spanish elements, and the arrangement of the poems, and a more detailed treatment of the textual tradition of Martial. The commentary addresses matters of textual, literary and social-historical interest as they arise, and provides a large quantity of parallels on points of usage. It attempts in particular to identify and explain the point of the comic poems 1 both as jokes and as liter3ry works. It also examines poems in their relation to the rest of book 12 and to the whole of Martial's opus. A select bibliography is appended.

M/IRTIAL BOOK XII - A GOMIIE!ITJ\RY

MIGIIAEL BOWIE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I owe a special debt of thanks to Dr Patricia Watson, of the Latin Department, University of Sydney, Australia, under whose supervision this thesis was begun, and to Professor R.G.M. Nisbet who supervised me in Oxford and was extremely generous with his time, his ideas and his books: their patience and thoughtful help has been invaluable to me, I am also very grateful to Mr L.D. Reynolds and Dr M, Winterbottom, who supervised me for a term each and were unfailingly thorough and helpful in their My wife Anne devoted much time and patience to proofreading the criticism. thesis. Dr David Cooper and Mrs M.C. Butler of Corpus Christi College Library have also been helpful beyond the call of duty. All imperfections which remain are, of course, my own responsibility, I was enabled to come to Oxford by the generous financial aid of the Cooper Graduate Scholarship and the University of Sydney.

- 1 INTRODUCTION

Such has been the interest the need

for

a detailed

pressing

as it

publication

focused

introduction

upon Martial to his

life

and works

would have been even two decades

of Mario

in 1980 by that

De Spectaculis

Citroni's

of Peter

edition

Howell.

and Nigel Kay's

with

in the recent

ago,

commentary

In 1985, Ugo Carratello's

on~.

1

Sullivan

has in preparation

the

scale

study

Edgar Siedschlag structure the subject Struktur

superfluous

Bailey

Bibliography.

of J. Kruuse

that

(see

also

incisive 273ff.).

Because

and rarely Other

works

of this,

will

will

relevant

to Book 12 - its

Spanish

been thought

A more general useful,

treatment

and forms

of

zur

Kay pp.6-9),

on textual

noted

supply

itself

elements

the fourth

and

form and

discussion

(1980);

notes

rich,

of the

248-300)

on the

general

1 •

to Housman's

be found

confine

of M. in English

(1977),

und Martial

comparatively

date,

of the

J.P.

Untersuchungen

misguided

on M., my introduction

epigrams.

Burnikel,

addition

material

its

any further

bei Lukillios

and Professor

(C&M4 (1941)

Epigrammen

Walter

has made a valuable

characteristically ; artibus

illud

I ad

- 22 libros

Ars 386 id

et ad haec Musarum dona vocaresj

mens (with

Brink's

TLL (7 2 .615. 76ff.)

note).

in a literary-critical

xpt't~p\.oV

on iudex

sense;

Nisbet

iudiciwu

est,

that.

iudtcium

translates

see Anderson,

JRS 69 (1979)

papyrus)

- 'such a person might read poems for his friends, and give moral support.'

ea

"' Kpt't1,c;.1 'litt::,rary

critic',

improvements,

Parsons,

note~.

t~bt

147 (on the Gallus

suggest

Cf. H.Ars 438ff.

Quintilio si quid recitares, 'corrige sodes hoe' aiebat 'et hoe': melius te posse negares, bis terque expertum frustra, delere iubebat et male tornatos incudi reddere versus. (with Brink's

= 'essential,

ingenium

therefore

notes),

refer

to the quality

Rome which facilitates subject'

is misleading,

Cf. Tertullian,

inherent

facis

of the subject

i.e.

pro qualitate

Juv.1.151

ingenium

par materiae;

locum materia Pont.2.5.26;

opposed to ingenium inventiveness',

general

stimulation, congregated

'the

subjects, M.8.0.6f.

Am.3.1.25;

specific

and a meeting in the library

place

of the

'inspiration'. habuit

below,

the raw materials':

the phrase

ingenio

examples

for fellow

can

cf. laborandum

show (and cf,

materia is

often

'ability,

to be arresting.

of the Urban environment

Theatres

et

tu

in which my talent

As these

in

adeo ut et ruala

is used in the sense

he has mentioned.

by life

M.12.3(4),5

Plin.~.6.23.5),

features

must

operari

minus itaque

successerat.

so M. may intend

advantages

also

the conditions

when the latter

M. then adds three

enim rei

fecerit;

'you provide are simply

Ov.Tr.2.335f.;

to poetic

non secundum suum arbitrium,

materiae

in cuius

'inspiration

is no reference

operate'.

fuit,

Ker's

as there

non sua sed substantiae

ingenium,

provided

of poetry:

Adv.Hermog.17.2

materiae

matter

the writing

secundum 1nsen1um materiae, pro natura

ingenium

quality':

and libraries

to the

would provide

literary

men - poets

of the temple of Apollo

Ccf. M.5.20.6;

- 23 -

library

s 1 10 38) and Gellius on H•-· • ·

Scho, 1

Juv.11.3f.;

and conversing

convictus,

(l ,2O.1>. 3

include

recitations:

1.13.2

someone's

likewise

RE

5

,v,

a friend

about

as more generel

Ov.Tr.4,

the

books

social

to a public

they

read

gatherings,

might

10.47f.,

recitationes

shows that

ruptae

Frontonis

columnae;

435ff.;

Carcopino

see Mayor's 193ff.;

summary of social

life

cf.

in

ad lac.

marmora clamant extensive

SG.3,39ff,

note

)j

I semper

on Juv.3.9i

= 2.223ff.

us facilis,

et quotidiano

occasions

Sherwin-White

convulsaque

convict us only here and at 10. 47. 8 convict in convictibus

be private

(see

platani

lectore

recitatio,

could

by invitation

attended

Juv. 1. 12f.

Q.Inst.6.3.28

of going

heroo, Bassus quoque clarus iambis convictus membra fuere mihi,

house,

et adsiduo

with

as well

cf.

Ponticus dulda Plin.~.

there

talks

sine

arte

M. uses

mensaj

cf.

For the tripartite

sermone.

7.76

quad te diripiunt potentlores per convivia, porticus, theatra, et tecum, quotiens ita incidisti, 5estari iuvat et iuvat lavari: noli to nimium tibi placere, delectas, Philomuse, non amari.s.

Also Juv, 11.3-5

omnis / convictus,

thermae,

stationes,

omne theatrum

/ de

Rutilo. studere

renders

and voluptates

successfully:

Plin.~.3.

1.9

are linked

'where

pleasure

ut voluptates

with illa)

is attractively

su.mmamand sim, see Courtney delicati

reliquimus

marked alliteration,

which Ker

without

knowing it'.

suggestion

Cf.

condiantur.

doubt about

simple

expression

is a student

quoque studiis

There is much well-founded summam omniunr. Friedl~nder's

in a novel

whether

M. would have written

of emending

and should

to omnia (taken

be accepted.

ad

closely

On the idiom

ad

on Juv.3. 79 Un sum.ma).

desideramus

highlighting

quasi

destituti

the chiasmus

is a particularly

at the end of this

sentence.

- 24 -

delicatus

= 'fussy,

Petr.45.3

faciti

delicate

least,

I rides

nomina;

of M's motivation unlikely,

for

especially

a lack of material

comfort and financial

introduced suggests

phrases

destitutus

like

pertimuit

.!4ff.

for

security

the rustic

life

all

an

as,

at

of his homeland.

desti tuti,

hyperbole:

ab omnibus

destitutus

et conturbatus

est

of which put

at Rome to the fore,

quaero at . 8, as it

(quoted above).

is another

by quasi,

is

the reader

12.57 and 12.68,

up and strengthens

w.6. 2. I

simply in Plin.

rAliquimus

when compared with some of the more such as 12.18,

with a nostalgia

tam rustica,

haec

Rome which strikes

pieces

desideramus picks

delJcnti

12.57.19,

leaving

nos de1icatos

M,4. 1-''i,2"/f,

essej

•autobiographical'

together

praesentia

Sen.~.55.9

non debemus delicati

lector,

account

fastidious':

does more

apologetically

used thus,

absolutely,

(Cic.Att.1.18.l)j

it subito

solus

(Ver.2.2.74),

ACClillITHIS MUNICIPALIUM ROBIGODENTIUM ET IUDICI LOCOLIVOR, ET UNUSAUTALTERMALI, IN FUSILLOLOCOMULTI; ADVERSUS QUOD DIFFICILE EST HABERECOTIDIEBONUM STOMACHUM: NE MIRERIS IGITUR ABIECTAAB INDIGNANTE QUAEA GESTIENTEFIERI SOLEBANT:

Bilbilis

was a municipium

specifically

(see on 12, 21.

the derogatory

4.66. 1 egisti

vitam

connotations

semper,

Line,

but municipal

1),

of English

'provincial':

Juv.3.34i

municipalemj

is has also

cf.

8,238

(with Mayor,

Courtney). M. takes

the familiar

it of some tartar rubigine

dentes

to make it

for all

satiram

rubigine.

the occur.rences iudici

what Bilbilis

of envy'

even less

- which illustrates

BBmer ad loc. nigra

'tooth

three Otto

of the motif;

loco livor

offers

words).

- Met.2,776

the provenance

of livor

Cf. also

also

addition

as well

of the Urban literary

i M.5.28. 7i

critic.

application

by insisting

and his Priscus'

on the closeness

esset

Hirtiwr1.,,qui

of

of

illi

familiarissimus.

is unusual:

adventorius adventicia

cena,

a fratrej

Petr,90.5

hac me adventicia

sua,

excipere

such cenae,

Blessings

in the second person, on your rare character;

in panegyric: such might

a Numa or a cheerful

Cato have possessed. (9-12)

Now 1 t is proper

and possible

to be generous,

to give

the gods, when indulgent, have scarcely given be good even under the tyranny of Dami tian. The structural ,, couplets caesura

at

variation lOf.

and the

in .11 are

See above,

,lf.

change

the

up of

poem by the

the

last

for

another

the

elegiac

of subject

at

couplet

of longer

reasons

enjambment

for

in the

of the name until but also

opening the

at

the

epigrams

keeping

poem of 6 couplets,

implicit

suggest,

= successit,

dative.

The suggestion

unexpectedly,

optes,

tibi

in, nor is

amplius

blessing

cf.

strong

in elegiacs.

6a and 6b there

change

horse':

obvious

is

beginning

This

cannot,

attained' which

I

a

quod satis

Syme,

Tacitus

the

with

and Stone a following

497 quodcumque

quantum iam

cul contingit Nerva

comes

th e pr i nceps

d urus,

1-12.

second

suddenly,

tantUI1J-otii, est

note

postponement

as Paley

happens'•

Orat.1.164-

to Rome a ft er

of

correct

TLL 4 .717.75ff.

see

by the

the

1. 99, 17f. i Pl.Cist.

Cic.de

Mayor on Juv.8.28;

th1 some ng of a 'dark

'has

H.E.p..1.2,46

and a welcome

at

contigit.

Ker's

etc:

velim contin9erej

optetj

position

of something

fortunately,

dfo nobis non contigltj

made most

e.g. is

to

. 6f.

couplet,

striking

even

of

CONTIGIT AUSONIAE PROCERUM OOITISSIMUS AULAE NERVA: LICETTOTONUNCHELICONE FRUI: There is a deliberate

of surprise

line,

end of

of M's handling

to 12.3(4),

in 12. 96,

comparable

the

breaking

typical

intro.

together;

at

what

- but you dared

He was of

nihil as

a

He was a 1 so a modestly

- 62 -

distinguished

senatorial

,

(i,e,

habere in the next

line,

Caes.Gal.5.9.6;

5.16.4;

Numa, the second

and morals, priestly

to read

1

habet

rarus

Wi;;\..tld be consonant

which

can be used thus,

with possit

which must be

habuit

adverbially:

see K-5 2.1

236i

5. 17.1.

king

the

of as an exemplar of character

of Rome, thought

was traditionally

colleges,

,i.rgued

and with the suppressed

with Numa. rarus

understood

ss Schryver

associated

reformation

with

of the

the reorganization

calendar

and the

of the

building

of the

regia. Friedlander 'type'

is mistaken

in regarding

than the historical

rather

potential

nature

of the

Uticensis

is meant.

statement

The reference

this

person:

there

(possit

habere>

to Cato

has

exemplar of moral steadfast.1ess

in the

frequently

of ridiculous

used by M. as a type

1.0.15),

which is

the

point

which Nerva adds

to a Catonian

hilaris

Clementi a above,

and its

insisted,

But Cato

also

the

model

in the same poem which

on , 3 above),

Caesarianus helps

is

that

erit

to show that

Nerva

is

such

DICOCALEAIIT SPECTACULA SOLE, VELAREDUCUHTUR CUMVENITHERMOGENES: The thefts ,i

them) now move into

the

spectacula often Cic,Har,22i

= 'the

of comic seats

Tac.Ann.14,13,

in t~e

theatre':

to

the

praetor's

cf.

in theatro

Most interesting,

1nterea Megalesiacae spectacula Idaeum sollemne colunt i been

Vitr.10.pr.3i

by Q,

introduced

first

Capitol

...

in 78 B.C.

IPlin,NH. 19.23), , ! 7f,

FESflNANTTREPIDI SUIJSTRIIIGERE CJ\RDASA NAUTAE, festinare AD PORTUM QUOTIENSPARUITHERMOGENES:

suggests a comic swiftness

substr1.ngere = 'furl', tubenti vela substringi, carbasus

(=

Torr 1 Ancient

of action

- cf.

of sails,

only

armaments

x6:pnauoc;)

is

Ships

96 f. n.

vela1 al though

its

accustomed

it is intended

to be comic

V.A_.4.417. Servius

abusive plerumque

paradoxical, cf. e.g.

in M. Cf.

of terms

appears

in

elevated

for

partly

'sail•

for

contexts

Enn.Ann.573V; at

6.15. 6

511.1.689.

It

word

Sen.~-

(see

variation probably

C,

after means

that

Catul.64.227i

genus

t,3,357

lini

est,

at

least

quad

ponitur.

may also

in view

here

demitt1i

e.g.

on the

pro velo

trepidi."nautae

use

here:

comments

12.75,1.

one of a range 207).

probably

be intended

of the

common poetic

to be comical, topos

of

the

or

danger

of sailing:

H,0d.1.3.9ff.

illi robur et aes triplex circa pectus erat qui fragilem commisit pelago ratem primusNote again Sen.~,457;

the

in portum-parui

alliteration,

Stat.Silv.2.2.

truci

pareo

ti

can = appareo

-

76.

· 19f. LINIGERI FUGIUNTCALVI SISTRATAQUETURBA,

INTERADORAIITES CUJ/1STETIT HERl'IOGENES: The priests of Isis

wore 11 nen and shaved

all

their

body hair

according

and devotees to their

-146-

beliefs about purity osiriS

and cleanliness

4; Courtney

- see J.G.

on Plut,Isis

Gr"..ffi1)13

et

on Juv.6.533.

~

The attention this picture

to detail, adorantes

of the

course inherently to the festal

comical

with

is

of the

cre:\cr-cpa, metal

brandished:

Ov.Met. 9. 784i

is of a child's

rattle,

turba in this 1.20.1;

also

1.73.4;

6.48.li

For adorans used Qulnt.I.!1§.i.11,3,

. 2 If.

rattles

in Western

and chanting. (see

tQn1., 1. 1. 38.

is

of

RE 3.370.3ff.>, The only

who

use

in

were of

the

noun

in M.

sistratus.

coined

clearly

cities,

In processions

derogatory:

cf.

Howell

on

Juv.1.96,

absolutely

as a subst,

cf.

V.Max.1. 1.7j

Plin,Pan,3.5i

115 .

AD CEIIAMHERMOGENES MAPPAM NON ATTULIT UMQUAM,

A CENASEMPERRETTULITHERMOGENES: attulit, attulerat

(. 11)

a picture

of Hermogenes

1

is

one of the primary The final

that

cal vi are

climax.

of Krishna

bells

of context

suggest

One might compare modern attitudes

and he may have

sort

fugio,

verb

as a comic

devotees

tambourines,

honour of Isis, cf.

intended

- see on 12.7.

processions

also make a noise

and the colourful

couplet

now capped carrying

satisfyingly

cena; non umquam I semper;

which

a napkin

of referre

uses is

rettulit,

with

off

parallel leaves

in triumph

the after

is

of bringing

back

exact

in its

anti thesis:

attulit

with

spoils

reader

with

every

cena -

from battle.

ad cenam I a

I rettulit.

29, 1906. 58ff.

to the cliens'

start

the ea ly morning:

for

the

typically

early

day.

kissing

On social

4. 8. I tor

see TLL

(the basiatores),

and its

Cf.

problems

see on 12,59 below,

et mane sudas

8.44.5

urbis

and Kay on 11,98

osculis

udusj

7,95.2ff.

audes tu tamen osculo nivali omnes obvius hinc et hinc tenere et totam, Here. as at 8.44.5

domum is

refero

something

of 12,28(29)

Romaro.

an added

hazard

deliberately brought

Fordyce

basia

demonstrates,

Catullus wanted For lassus

of the previous an additional . 5f.

himself. is

but,

(or

suggests,

rettulit

cf.

mille.

at

the

intended

Catullus

in any case,

Donatus

end

sunt,

Citroni

to recall

only

may have

Petronius

(ad Ter. Eun. 456)

officiorum

See also

12.18,6.

comic

cf.

contexts

basia borne

the

and

made the

pudicorum,

out

on 1.3.7.

by usage.

M.

As 12,59. lff.

number of kisses

Juv. 1. 132 vestibulis

lasso-gratulatori

10.74.lf.

line,

SEO TU,

shops

vel amorum - which is not

mille

in such

at

cliens

the

from Les bi a at 5. 7.

lassique clientesj and fatigant

extent.

- oscula

libidinum basiator

may have coined

it

of kisses:

da mi basia

Latin,

up to any great

savia

the

on Catul,5.7

following famous distinction affectuum,

that

mappa>.

the word to literary

then M. took it

salutatio,

of the

incongruous

home from

- Hermogenes'

On basium see introduced

is

it

1

basiare,

pa tronus.

is kissed by the

perhaps,

Line,

While the

it

enclosure

is

/ lasso

a logical of this

abeunt cltentij

consequence adj,

veteres also

of the

by referam ...basia

3.7,2

activity

mille

is

touch .

PORPUREIS UT DES NOVA KOMIHA FASTIS

AUT HOMADUlilGENTES CAPPADOCIIMVE PETAS: purpureis

= consulari

bus -

-149-

either from the broad ll8f ·

purple

for the colour),

fasti consulares nomina f as t is· lettering

stripe

or possibly

themselves:

from the colour

cf.

I J-ane, refers

Nervae- with Friedl~nder

RomanRP-public 23 end pl. 4i Stat.

I Caesaris;

saJutatio,

him,

for

is

92,2, Here the

dare

phrase

might

Toga

lettering

on the

iam tertia

- certainly

laeta

4. 1. 1f,

Silv.

nomina

coloured

accedi t

octonis

The

support.

see

fastis

of the

purpurissatos.

political

a novus

suggest

bis

recolas

of gathering

nova

Wilson,

- see A.K. Michels The Calendar

Sid. f&_.8. 8. 3 fastis

a means

For the expression

of the

et qui purpureis

11.4.5f.

wa5 employed on the Fasti

purpura fastis

toga (see

on a senator's

Lucan

5. 5i

cf.

homo, successfully

Plin.

Pan.

ingratiating

himself. The emphatic next couplet

tu is

sed

to underline

the

this is not a possible acc. of voµcii

17.192.

NEC VENIT ABLATIS CLAMATIJSVERNA LACERIUS,

ACCEDIT GEI.IDAM SERVUSAD AURICULAM: Not only has M. inadequate footwear for

the sudden

cloak, and so his

rain-storm,

toga will

On the proverbial shown to them, see

get

clamare can = voco

with

his

l save

h as gone

o ff

with

hi s

a soaking.

cheekiness 1.41.2

but

of home-born Citroni,

,

cloak

away

ablative

inherent

absolute

in it

works

impossible).

a verna. n55 and 86i E Sen.=• introduction

villas,

whether

which

other

and 2.2;

more direct

relation

may be observed

people's

or one's

Plin.ful.1.3,

2.17

in

own: see

and 5.6;

to 12, 50 below.

the essential

the

opening

elements

tree (or several

(Curt! us 195 i cf.

1

~p'ta:'tov

C > (!)c; e:v

something

more

are

, 10 .

are of the same Maecenates as

types

was executed also

ill"

in oxymoron

PISONESSENECASQUE MEMM!OSQUE ET CRISPOSMIHI REDDE,SED PRIORES: FIES PROTIMUS ULTil!IJSBONORUM: The plurals

Piso

On the

a

est.

Mv e:~{114'~p,:cnov,

kind

ergo is

he 1s no longer

so the

quid ergo at

conversational

principally

Calpurnius

conspiring

at':

up from

describes

like Ker 1 s 'best introduced

quid

(§114),

judgement.

verum fatendum

For the conceit,

is

bonorum opposition,

ut verum loquar_ picks

E ~,

of s.l. memini at

which is perhaps

Pisa

means

;; • good

bonus

if

as e.g.

malus never

Also,

it were a serious

129, ll

LU 126

Citroni

the patron

presumably

optimus malorum I ultimus

line,

Hofmann

'good at giving,'

bonus

Juv. 5, 108ff.,

beneficent.

to that

Form 73f,

Ker translates

bonus (.109).

- see

quid ergo es - see

for

, 6 see Siedschlag

blunt: cf,

in

colloquial

at

8.55.5,

C.

of generosity

in 65 A.D.

for

recorded

at

15.48;

being

forced

same conspiracy

Tac.Ann,

to commit

-186(Tac.Ann, 15.61ff.)

FriedlSnder

- M. speaks

assumes

that

the consul of 63 A.O., it seems more likely

addressee

of

Regulus is not

because

this

to be Gaius

anywhere

will

to his

Crispus appears

and Cinna travelled

mentioned

as a 11 terary

neutral

G&R.16 (1969) eloquence

habitually replied

suggest

that,

'Juvenal

any such

and,

1

ambience,

but

Lucretius'

in Bithynia:

Memmius

whereas

M, would

and especially

Catullus,

139f.).

that if

- fairly

Establishment,'

He was a man of great

Crispo).

It

being

known

(Domitian

anyone

His career

under

Quint.Inst.10.1,119

and the Flavian

pp.

story

a delator

Juv. 4,81-93

CM.4. 54. 7 di vi tior

(Dom,3.1).

was with

the

flourished

is

of this

emperor,

under

he

Vespasian,

Nero either. adds

an edge

in the

63 B.C.)

Crispus,

to him;

when asked

bonorum,

to

another

decadent

competition

for

surripere

age

(when literary must remain

volgi

of abuse, (also

reversing

Labullus

Juv.8.44

phrase,

the

of Labullus,

as neatly

present

in an expression

conversational

the criticism

as well

Liv,26,6.17i

cessas ...captllamenta ,Jiff.

ascribed

the

sed priores

uJtimus

ultimusthuscf. 6,593£.)

tells

flies),

adding

Memmius Regulus,

a Neronian

him a bad press;

on Crispus

ne musca quidem

qualification

decline),

134ff.;

to kill

roihi redde,

insists

etc.

Griffith,

Suetonius

so he need not

fies

giving

(Tac. Dial. 8) and wealth

Crispus that

is

patron,

to be Q. Vibius

etc,

J.G.

pp.

here

with Lucretius,

most likely

iucunditas

(see also

4.40. lf.

:-,at.t,·,ns at

readers,

Nero: see Tac.Hist.4,41.3 - a good press,

maintain

Memmius