Juvenal XI. 193-202

This fragment of a scroll contains lines 193-202 of Juvenal's Satire 11. In this poem, Juvenal satirizes the extravagance of the rich and invites his friend to a simple dinner which will be appropriate to the poet's limited means. The following reference to the Circus indicates the time of year and continues the theme of mocking all forms of excess. Click on the highlighted words for vocabulary and commentary, or read this translation.

     Interea Megalesiacae spectacula mappae
     Idaeum sollemne colunt, similisque triumpho,
195  praeda caballorum praetor sedet ac, mihi pace
     immensae nimiaeque licet si dicere plebis,
     totam hodie Romam circus capit; et fragor aurem
     percutit, eventum viridis quo colligo panni
     Nam si deficeret, maestam attonitamque videres
200  hanc urbem veluti Cannarum in pulvere victis
     consulibus. Spectent iuvenes, quos clamor et audax
     sponsio, quos cultae decet adsedisse puellae.