Page:Juvenal and Persius by G. G. Ramsay.djvu/60

 tears of love. If she herself be caught in a delinquency, she brazens it out; "We agreed," says she, "that you should go your way and I mine." (268–285.)

Whence came all these monstrosities among us? When Latian homes were poor and humble, when hands were hard with toil, when Hannibal was thundering at our gates, our homes were pure; Roman virtue perished along with Roman poverty. Long peace and enervating riches have been our ruin, pouring all the corruptions of Rhodes, Miletus, and Tarentum into our city. Little wonder that Ave have deserted the simple rites of Numa and adopted the foul practices of the Good Goddess! (286–351.)

Ogulnia wishes to make a show at the games she hires a gown, a litter and followers, with a maid to run her messages; she presents to some smooth-skinned athlete the last remnants of the family plate. Such women never think what their pleasures cost them; men sometimes have an eye to economy, women never. (352–365.)

If your wife have a taste for music, she will abandon herself to the musicians; her bejewelled fingers will for ever be strumming on their instruments; she offers wine and meal to Janus and to Vesta that her Pollio may win a crown of oak-leaves. You Gods must have much time upon your hands if you can listen to prayers like these! (379–397.)

Better that, however, than that your wife should lvi