Page:Monsieur Bossu's Treatise of the epick poem - Le Bossu (1695).djvu/313

 carmen refertum est, because these Poems are full of a great many different Things, as Porphyrius says, which is partly true. But it must not be thought it is immediately from thence; for this Name had been used before for other Things, which bore a nearer Resemblance to the Satyrs of Horace; in Explanation of which, a Method is to be follow'd, which Casaubon himself never thought of, and which will put Things in so clear a Light, that there can be no place left for Doubt.

The Romans having been almost four hundred Years without any Scenical Plays, Chance and Debauchery made them find in one of their Feasts, the Saturnian and Fescennine Verses, which for six score Years they had instead of Dramatick Pieces. But these Verses were rude, and almost without any Numbers, as being made Extempore, and by a People as yet but barbarous, who had little other skill, than what flow'd from their Joy, and the Fumes of Wine. They were filled with the grossest sort of Raileries, and attended with Gestures and Dances. To have a livelier Idea of this, you need but reflect upon the honest Peasants, whose clownish Dances are attended with Extempore Verses; in which, in a wretched manner, they jeer one another with all they know. To this Horace refers in the first Epistle of his Second Book;

Fescennina per hunc inventa licentia morem, Versibus alternis opprobria rustica fudit.

This Licentious and Irregular Verse, was succeeded by a sort more correct, filled with a pleasant Raillery, without the Mixture of any thing scurrillous; and these obtain'd the Name of Satyrs, by reason of their Variety, and had regulated Forms, that is, regular Dances and Musick; but undecent Postures were banish'd. Titus Livius has it in his Seventh Book. Vernaculis artificibus, quia Hister Tusco verbo Ludio vocabatur, nomen Histrionibus inditum, qui non sicut ante Fescennino versu similem compositum temere, ac rudem alternis faciebant; sed impletas modis Satyras, descripto jam ad Tibicinem cantu, motuque congruents peragebant. These Satyrs were properly honest Farces, in which the Spectators and Actors were rallied without Distinction.

Livius Andronicus found things in this Posture when he first undertook to make Comedies and Tragedies in Imitation of the Grecians. This Diversion appearing more noble and perfect, they run to it in Multitudes, neglecting the Satyrs for some time, tho they receiv'd them a little after; and some modell'd them into a purpos'd Form, to Act at the End of their Comedies, as the French Act their Farces now. And then they alter'd their Name of Satyrs for that of Exodia, which they preserve to this day. This was the first and most ancient kind of Roman Satyr. There are