[1] Quae sit: Interrogative adjective (A&G 148) introducing the first of many indirect questions (A&G 573) and modifying hiems. These are technically dependent on scribere in line 25. Horace spends his winters on the shore, if we can believe Ep. 1.7.10.
caelum: Recalls Ep. 1.11.27 and indicates the climate more generally (OLD 7).
Veliae… Salerni: Both coastal towns around the bay of Naples which today still bear their ancient names (Velia and Salerno). Velia was the home of the Eleatic school of philosophy and one wonders if such philosophical associations would still be on Horace’s mind. Just as modern tourists seeking leisure today, Horace is asking for recommendations as to which beach town is the most relaxing. (Check Pelagios for more geographical information or Orbis)
[2] quorum: genitive of quality (A&G 345)
qualis via: Supply sit. He wonders what the roads are like - the Via Popilia connected these towns to Naples.
[3-5] Construct the Latin as: nam Antonius Musa facit Baias supervacuas mihi et tamen illis (facit) me invisum cum perluor gelida unda per medium frigus.
[3] Musa… Antonius: Antonius Musa was Augustus’ doctor, who saved Augustus in 23 BCE from illness (Suet. Aug. 59, 81) using a revolutionary cold-water cure. Does Horace name-drop him to brag about his social circle and to excuse his shunning of traditional Baiae? Mentioning Musa certainly indicates that Horace has been treated by the pre-eminent doctor of the day and suggests that he must follow his advice.
illis: referring to the people of Baiae who are miffed that Horace is spending his winter elsewhere.
supervacuas: “superfluous” (OLD 1) in as much as Baiae specializes in warm mineral baths and steam rooms. This word has a medical connotation, used by Celsus at least a dozen times in de Medicina.
et tamen: “and yet”. Horace gets the blame even though he’s only following the doctor’s orders.
[4] facit: Take with Baias supervacuas and me invisum. Musa is the subject.
cum: “since, seeing that” (OLD 6) - it explains why he is hated.
gelida… unda: Ablative of Means (A&G 409). Ancient medicine from the time of Hippocrates believed that the human body was a balance of fire and water, two elements which could each also be hot or cold. Maintaining the balance in these elements was believed to keep men healthy. Horace needing a cold bath suggests that whatever ailment he suffered from was due to his body being too full of fire and warm, a condition not suited for an older man, whose body should be colder and wetter. For more see Cătălin 2011. For more on illness in Horace’s Epistles, including this letter, see McCarter 2015: 43-66.
[5] per medium frigus: i.e. through the winter (OLD 2b, cf. Hor. C. 4.7.9: frigora mitescunt Zephyris.
sane: used to add force to the following statement “certainly, really, truly” (OLD 3).
murteta: Acc. plural. The myrtle groves around Baiae were renowned for the sulphur vents in the area (and may stand for the Aquae Cumanae, see Celsus 2.17). In spite of their momentary eclipse, they were still known to Martial (3.58.1-2). For more, see D’Arms 2003: 138.
[6] dicta: agreeing with sulpura and taking the complementary infinitive elidere.
elidere: Medical language meaning “to eliminate” (esp. a disease from the system, OLD 4a). It takes the accusative cessantem morbum (a “lingering sickness”, possibly rheumatism) and nervis as the Dative of Separation (A&G 381).
nervis: indicating muscles/nerves. For more on the cure at Baiae, see Yegül 1996.
[7] contemni: Present Passive Infinitive in Indirect Discourse (A&G 580) with sulpura the accusative subject.
gemit: Baiae is personified as not just sighing, but groaning in complaint.
vicus: = Baiae
invidus modifies vicus and takes the dative aegris “jealous/envious of the sick…”. Baiae is jealous of other sites that are gaining in popularity as health spas.
[8] qui: the antecedent is aegris.
caput et stomachum: The cold water cure would appear to involve submersion in cold waters (hence unda on line 4) and, possibly, drinking cold mineral water as well. Horace mentions that his own farm has ample water for a sick head and belly (Ep. 1.16.14).
fontibus...Clusinis: Clusium is an Etruscan site (where Lars Porsenna was king), probably to be identified with modern Chiusi. The springs mentioned may refer to a relatively recent archaeological dig in Chianciano Terme where the remains of an odd bathing complex was found.
[9] Gabios: Gabii was located on the bank of a crater lake a little over 10 miles east of Rome. At this time it was relatively desolate (cf. the frigida rura nearby and Ep. 1.11.7), although Strabo mentions its springs (5.3.11) and Juvenal its baths (Juv. 7.4: balneolum Gabiis).
frigida rura: for the phrase, see Verg. G. 3.324. The wintry environment is part of the treatment, although Horace could get good water and a cool countryside at his Sabine estate (see Ep. 1.16.4-16).
[10] deversoria nota: “known inns”. The direct object of praeteragendus [est] (“to drive [an animal] past”). For the passive periphrastic and its sense of necessity, see A&G 196 (a.k.a. The Second Periphrastic).
[11] quo tendis?: Horace, or the rider (eques, 13), is addressing his horse, which tries to take the customary path to Baiae. Greenough 1887: ad loc. notes “addressed to the horse, which, as we all know by experience, turns in habitual directions; here towards Cumae and Baiae” (our emphasis - we wonder how many contemporary readers know this by experience).
mihi: Dative of Possession with iter.
Cumas: Accusative of Motion Towards (A&G 427). Cumae was very prosperous at this time, benefiting from its proximity to Puteoli and Misenum, and was the site for many luxury villas.
[12] levia...habena: Instrumental Ablative (A&G 409) indicating his pulling the horse to the left with the reins (and to a different path, i.e. Velia or Salernum).
stomachosus: His angry demeanor with his horse may indicate that he is the sort of individual who needs to “cool down” (cf. stomachum in line 8).
[13] equis: Dative of Possession with auris (nom. “ear”, not a form of aura or aurum), i.e. a horse only listens to the reins.
frenato...in ore: Possibly recalling the fable of the horse vs. stag at Ep. 1.10.34.
[14] Horace wonders what the food is like in this area, continuing the opening questions. His focus on bread and water can be paralleled at S. 1.5.7, 88-91 (another travel poem).
maior...frumenti copia: “A greater supply of grain” for making bread.
utrum populum: populus in the sense of “town”.
[15] collectosne...puteosne…: -ne…-ne to indicate a double indirect question.
collectos...imbres: Rainwater was often stored in cisterns, but this was less desirable than well-water or springs because it could become stagnant. See Vitr. 8 for more on water collection in general.
puteosne perennes / iugis aquae: iugis is an adjective “ever-flowing” (cf. S. 2.6.2: iugis aquae fons) and agrees with aquae. Especially in the southern Italy, wells drying up can still be a problem today. For more on Roman wells, see Hodge 2000.
[16] nam: Explaining why he asks about the water. Not only does he not like the wine in this area, but, at first, it may lead the reader to think about the difference between water/wine drinkers vis-a-vis poetry-writing (see Ep. 1.19). If part of the cure was to drink water in an attempt to cleanse the body, we may think that Horace wants to find the best source for such therapy. For more on wine in Horace, see Putnam 1969 and Commager 1957.
nihil moror: “I don’t much like/care for” (OLD 4b)
illius orae: “of that shore/region”. That being said, many of the finest wine were said to come from Campania including Falernian and Caecuban.
[17] rure meo: At his Sabine farm he makes do with the local wine (see C. 1.20). For rus as “country estate” (OLD 2), cf. Ep. 1.14.5.
quidvis: “anything” - any type of wine suffices at his villa.
perferre patique: Mayer 1994: ad loc. Mentions the duplication of alliterative synonyms as a feature of colloquial style, cf. Ep. 1.16.74, Mart. 7.39.3, and Lucr. 5.314 for a repetition of perferre patique.
[18] cum veni: cum here = “whenever” (A&G 548). Horace seems to visit the shore annually during the winter (cf. Ep. 1.7.10-12 with an intratextual repetition of ad mare).
generosum et lene: Supply vinum, “choice and mellow wine”. For generosus of wine, see Ov. Rem. 567, Met. 13.818. It would appear Horace lives it up a little wine-wise during his winter retreat. This leads to a larger encomium of wine, which is out-of-place in this letter with its discussion of water cures, but suits the larger “sickness” of Horace, namely his inconstancy: “doing anything and everything rather than confront the malformed desire that drives him to look for sanity where it can’t be found” (Johnson 1993: 137).
[19] quod: These are Relative Clauses of Characteristic (A&G 535) with a possible hint of purpose. The anaphora catalogues the almost magical properties of wine (a good parallel from the Odes is 3.21).
curas abigat: While wine is often said to alleviate cares (see C. 1.7.31: nunc vino pellite curas), the larger letter implies that philosophy or Musa’s hydrotherapy should do this.
cum spe divite: See Ep. 1.5.16-18 for more on the effects of wine, including spes iubet esse ratas (17).
manet: Note that this is from mano-are (“to flow, pour”), not maneo-ere.
[20] ministret: ministrare = “to serve, supply”. Wine becomes a Muse in some way, cf. Tib. 1.10.57: at lascivus Amor rixae verba mala ministret.
[21] me...iuvenem: Take iuvenem as a predicate “makes me young again in the eyes of a Lucanian girlfriend”.
Lucanae...amicae: Velia is located in Lucania. Is Horace backsliding into the sort of troubles that led him to Musa? Earlier in the collection he recognized non eadem est aetas, non mens (Ep. 1.1.4), but now he would he would return to his youth (cf. Ep. 1.7.25-28).
commendet: Oliensis 1998 makes the nice point "Horace's use of the verb commendare here is slightly and wittily improper; 'recommendations' are usually delivered by men, not bottles of wine, and they typically target VIPs".
[22-24] More about food options in the area- the concern with food and drink will suggest the later exemplum of the parasite, Maenius.
uter tractus...uter: “which region...which”, more indirect questions like those above on line 14 - all ultimately dependent on line 25 below.
educet: The lands are said to “raise, bring up” (educare) the game that is hunted there.
apros: Lucanian boars are mentioned by Horace at S. 2.8.6. Distribute plures with apros.
[23] utra...aequora: aequor is often used for the surface of the sea.
echinos: At S. 2.4.33 Horace mentions the sea-urchins of nearby Misenum. See Epod. 5.27-28 and S. 1.6.117 for further mentions.
[24] ut: Purpose clause with possim (A&G 531).
pinguis: Nom. - take with Phaeax. He will return to his Sabine estate like one of the sleek Phaeacian youths of the Odyssey. There is some self-deprecation and irony here, but also a sense of Horace’s Epicurean tendencies. See the note on Ep. 1.4.15.
reverti: From the deponent revertor so active in meaning.
domum: Acc. to indicate motion towards (A&G 427).
[25] scribere…adcredere: Complementary infinitives with par est. The give-and-take of epistolary contact (scribere) and a trust in a local’s opinion (adcredere).
te nobis, tibi nos: The proximity of the pronouns and their chiastic cases (acc. dat. / dat. acc.) stresses the strong relationship of Horace and Vala.
par est: “it is reasonable”. Cf. aequum est (S. 1.3.74).
[26] Maenius: exemplum of a parasite, who was notorious in the time of Lucilius (according to Serv. ad Aen. 11.602, cf. S. 1.3.21-23). Horace, however, writes how Maenius would adjust his needs according to the dining habits of his patron and thus he comes close to the Aristippean philosophy mentioned at Ep. 1.1.18-19, Ep. 1.17.13-32. For more on Aristippus as the philosophical foundation of Horace’s Epistles, see Traina 2009.
ut: temporal “when” + indicative (coepit), see A&G 543.
rebus...absumptis: A long Ablative Absolute (A&G 419). The wasting of a legacy on both sides would be particularly appalling to the Roman mindset.
[27] fortiter: A sarcastic application of this adverb (“bravely”, “gallantly”) for Maenius’ wastrel lifestyle.
urbanus: “witty, smart” (OLD 4). Not uncommon of parasites, who would win their meals because of their conversational skill, cf. S. 1.4.90, Cat. 22.2, Phaed. 5.5.8: scurra, notus urbano sale.
haberi: “to be considered” i.e. by the patrons that invite him to dinner.
[28] scurra: “parasite” - professional sycophant, stock character of Roman comedy and not uncommon in Horace’s Satires (see S. 1.5.52, 1.8.11, 2.7.15, Damon 1997: 105-44). The scurra, as a character from Roman comedy, highlights some of the role-playing that occurs and connects to satire where, "the stock types of Roman satire are descended from the varied characters of the stage...and have been adapted to the more private settings in which one would enjoy Horace's poems" (Hanses 2020: 207). The English word scurrilous indicates that often their talk was invective directed at others (see below). For the distance between a true friend and a parasite, see Ep. 1.18.104. We wonder how much Horace’s relationship with Maecenas lurks behind any patron/client relationship.
vagus: take with scurra. He is not connected to any one house, but maintains some independence, as the Relative Clause of Characteristic elaborates.
praesepe: Neut. Acc. Sing. with certum. The “stable” of a horse (OLD 1a) or, by extension, “feeding trough”. The parasite is like an animal only out for food, cf. Pl. Cur. 228.
[29] impransus: “if hungry/unfed”. A word from comedy, e.g. Pl. Rud. 144, Sti. 533.
civem dinosceret hoste: Proverbial contrast of “friend / foe (civem / hostem)”, but it is meant to show how far he would go to get a meal (i.e. “he’d even eat with Hannibal, if he was hungry enough”).. dinoscere = “to distinguish x from y (Abl. Of Separation)”.
[30] quaelibet in quemvis opprobria: opprobrium = “insult, taunt” agrees with quaelibet. The addition of in quemvis shows he will aim his insults at anyone to suit the situation
fingere saevus: fingere is a Complementary Infinitive with saevus. fingere not only picks up on the possible “fictionality” of these insults, but also the craft involved - see C. 4.2.32: carmina fingo, for fingere as the craft of poetry.
[31] Metaphor of the parasite as the bane or storm or bottomless pit (barathrum) of the market (macelli). The genitive, macelli, goes with all three nominatives (pernicies, tempestas, barathrum).
[32] ventri...avaro: His belly becomes the recipient of any gift or food that he sought. For parasites being led by their belly, see S. 2.7.38: duci ventre.
[33] For the wandering parasite, some tables are richer than others and Maenius adjusts his desires accordingly.
nequitiae fautoribus et timidis: Those who are fans or fearful of his insults (nequitiae = “villainy, roguery”). fautoribus and timidis are Datives of Separation with abstulerat.
nil / aut paullum: The direct objects of abstulerat.
[34] cenabat: The imperfect showing habitual action in the past.
patinas...omasi / vilis et agninae: The plural patinas indicates “plate after plate” of this humble cuisine = he is still a pig even with less desirable food, and eats all his profits no matter what. omasum = “tripe”, take vilis only with agninae (“lamb”), since et is postponed (a rarity in the Epistles, see Mayer 1994: 20-21).
[35] quod satis esset: “enough to satisfy” (esset is subjunctive in the Relative Clause of Characteristic, A&G 535).
[36] scilicet ut: The scilicet indicates the expected shock of the upcoming statement “so that he actually would say” (OLD 4, cf. Ep. 1.9.3). The point is that when he is dining on poor fare, Maenius would go so far as to denounce luxury and even suggest torturing those who indulge their stomachs. Such language of torture was often employed in comedy (see Richlin 2014).
ventres...nepotum...urendos: Punishment to be doled out to those who wasted their money on gluttony - the part of the body (ventres) is punished for the crime. ventres is Acc. subject of the indirect statement. Supply esse with urendos.
lamna candente: White-hot (candente) sheets of metal were applied to the body (cf. Cic. Ver. 5.63). Ablative of Means (A&G 409).
[37] correctus Bestius: In apposition with Maenius. “Like a reformed Bestius”. Bestius may have been a character in Lucilius (Wickham 1903: ad loc.) and was reformed glutton, now particularly ferocious in his attacks on luxury.
idem: i.e. Maenius. The use of idem and its position will link up with Horace himself at 44.
[38] quidquid...praedae maioris: “whatever of greater booty” with praedae maioris a Partitive Genitive (A&G 346), i.e. if he scored richer fare.
erat nactus: from nanciscor “to acquire, get”.
[39] in fumum et cinerem: Like he sacked a city, cf. C. 3.3.20-21: “A foreign woman [Helen] has turned Troy to dust” (mulier peregrina vertit / in pulverem). Horace is cleverly making Maenius into an ironic type of hero who can act fortiter (27), has a heroic nickname (“storm of the market”), and engages in “heroic” activity such as winning “booty” and sacking “cities”.
non...miror: His ability to live it up leads to his quick change in direct speech (vs. the indirect speech of his reformed viewpoint).
Hercule: A common oath, cf. S. 2.7.72.
[40] si qui: For miror si see the note on Ep. 1.12.12. qui stands for aliqui.
comedunt - This verb “to eat up, consume” sonically evokes comoedia, part of the generic background for the figure of the scurra.
cum: causal (A&G 549) with sit.
[41] turdo: Ablative of Comparison (A&G 406) with the adjective obeso on the previous line. Thrush and other songbirds were a delicacy. See Mynott 2018 for more about birds in Ancient Greece and Rome.
volva: sow’s womb was another expensive delicacy, Apicius 7 gives some recipes.
[42] nimirum: “without a doubt”. Horace admits this behavior applies to him as well, although he recognizes his own limitations and tendencies.
tuta et parvula laudo: e.g. C. 2.16.13, 37, Ep. 1.7.44, 1.10.41.
[43] satis recalling 35 above.
[44] idem: like Maenius in line 37 and showing the quick change that Horace is trying to combat by both this book of poetry and, ostensibly, the cold water cure of Musa. Horace’s inconsistency was also highlighted at S. 2.7.29-32. Horace’s presentation as a flawed philosopher allows us to trust him more. He is somewhat less hypocritical because he admits his hypocrisy (and the generic framework of the letter allows him to make such a frank confession).
[45] vos: Does Horace insinuate that Vala himself might indulge in such delicacies and dwell in an estate capable of supplying them? vos evokes the epistolary convention of speaking to the addressee directly at the close of a letter.
sapere: Originally sapere indicated taste and Horace plays with this original meaning with the food imagery of this poem. This clause implies that to be wise and to live well could be independent of one another, but may be united in certain individuals of means.
aio: This verb is found in the more colloquial works of Horace (Epistles twice, Satires once)
bene vivere: Cf. Ep. 1.6.56: si bene qui cenat bene vivit. The goal of the Epistles can be boiled down to living both bene and recte.
[46] conspicitur: The wealth of these people is conspicuously expressed in the size and opulence of their country homes. The developments of villas centered on otium, especially in the Bay of Naples, was on the rise during Horace’s time. See D’Arms 2003.
nitidis...villis: The adjective nitidus is often used of personal appearance and hygiene in Horace, so the villa stands for (or advertises) the individual in some tangible manner (Ep. 1.4.15, 1.7.83, 1.14.32).
fundata pecunia: Nominative subject of conspicitur. The wealth is “invested” (fundata) in the villas and expressed through the villas.
******
******
