P A 
 
 6559 
 
 D69 
 
 1913 
 
 MAIN 
 
 UC-NRLF 
 
 B M 043 5T1 
 
 BRARIES 
 
 llillil 
 
 ETAPHORS AND WORD-PLAYS 
 
 IN 
 
 Petronius 
 
 SELECTIONS FROM THESIS 
 
 Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School 
 
 OF the University of Pennsylvania, in Partial 
 
 Fulfilment of the Requirements for the 
 
 Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 
 
 BY 
 
 James Walker Downer 
 
 Bailor University Press 
 
 Waco, Texas 
 
 1913 
 
Metaphors and Word-plays 
 
 IN 
 
 Petronius 
 
 SELECTIONS FROM THESIS 
 
 Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School 
 
 OF the University of Pennsylvania, in Partial 
 
 Fulfilment of the Requirements for the 
 
 Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 
 
 BY 
 
 James Walker Downer 
 
 Baylor University Press 
 
 Waco, Texas 
 
 1913 
 
263984 
 
 PA (.SSi 
 
 *:. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The text of the Satirae of Petronius used is that of F. Buecheler, 
 Fourth Edition, Berlin, 1904. The numbers refer to the chapter and 
 section. In the longer poems the second number refers to the line 
 of the poem. 
 
 While this study embraces the whole range of figurative language 
 in Petronius with some consideration of proverbs, slang terms, and 
 rare and droll expressions, it is deemed best to publish only selections 
 from the metaphorical usage, in which the most striking figures are 
 found. All other figures have been carefully listed and filed by the 
 writer. 
 
 Metaphor is used in the widest possible sense, to which are added 
 some word-plays closely akin to metaphors. In many cases other 
 figures may be seen as well as the metaphor. 
 
 An attempt has been made to group the metaphors with reference 
 to the spheres and activities from which they are taken. In cases 
 of uncertainty and of small number, the metaphors have been put 
 under the head of "Miscellaneous and Uncertain". Each group 
 has been arranged alphabetically. 
 
 Some word that suggests the figure stands first, and where it is 
 necessary, several words are placed first. Sufficient text is quoted in 
 each case to give the full force of the metaphor or word-play. Many 
 repetitions occur, as mixed metaphors are so common. This avoids 
 referring to previous passages to get the connection. 
 
 No bibliography is given, as few works on Petronius treat the 
 subject of the figurative language. The works most valuable to me 
 in my study of the subject have been those of Buecheler, Friedlaender, 
 Waters, Peck, Lowe, and Ryan, to all of whom I make general 
 acknowledgment of my indebtedness. 
 
 I wish further to express my appreciation of the helpful suggestions 
 and sympathetic encouragement which I have constantly received at 
 the hands of Professor J. C. Rolfe, Professor W. B. McDaniel, 
 Professor Roland G. Kent, and Professor G. D. Hadzsits, of the 
 department of Latin in the University of Pennsylvania. 
 
CONTENTS 
 I. 
 
 MAN. 
 
 A. Mental and Moral Nature page 
 
 1. Gods and Religion „ 1 1 
 
 2. Mind and Feelings 12 
 
 3. Character _ 1 4 
 
 4. Arts - - _ 14 
 
 5 . Music „ 1 5 
 
 B. Physical Conditions and Needs. 
 
 1 . Birth „ „ -. _._ _ ..15 
 
 2. Death 16 
 
 3. Sleep „ „ _ _.- _- 17 
 
 4. Relationship 1 7 
 
 5. Body and its Ailments 18 
 
 6. Food and Cooking. _ 20 
 
 7. Clothing „ 23 
 
 8. Utensils 23 
 
 C. Public Life. 
 
 1 . Law and Politics _ 24 
 
 2. War and Weapons 26 
 
 3. Punishment _ - 30 
 
 4. Slavery „ „ 31 
 
 D. Business Relations. 
 
 1 . Trade and Occupations 32 
 
 2. Money, Minerals, Etc „ 34 
 
 3. Commerce and Travel „ 36 
 
 4. Property 37 
 
 E. Amusements. 
 
 1. Circus and Horsemanship 38 
 
 2. Hunting ....„._ - 39 
 
 3. Games and Gaming _ „ 39 
 
 4. Stage _. 40 
 
 5. Gladiators 41 
 
F. The Senses. page 
 
 1. Sight „ 41 
 
 2. Hearing _ 42 
 
 3. Touch 42 
 
 4. Smell „ 43 
 
 5. Taste - - 43 
 
 11. 
 NATURE. 
 
 A. Animal Kingdom - _ 45 
 
 B. Soil and Vegetable Kingdom - 52 
 
 C. Heat and Cold _ _ - 54 
 
 D. Color, Light and Shadow _ _ 57 
 
 E. Elements and Seasons 58 
 
 F. Water and the Sea 60 
 
 HI. 
 EXPRESSIONS OF MOTION 64 
 
 IV. 
 PROPER NAMES 68 
 
 V. 
 MISCELLANEOUS AND UNCERTAIN 71 
 
 VI. 
 OBSERVATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS 75 
 
I. MAN 
 
 A. MENTAL AND MORAL NATURE. 
 1. Gods and Religion. 
 
 CAELO . . . INFERNOS. Transfer from heaven to the lower 
 regions. 
 Transfer from great pleasure to extreme wretchedness in 
 lust. 132.10: hoc de te merui, ut me in caelo positum ad in- 
 fernos traheres? 
 
 CULTORES. Worshipers. 
 
 Devotees in love, continued in religiosurn, adorari, and templum. 
 127.3: te rogo, ne fastidias hominem peregrinum inter cultores 
 admittere. invenies religiosum, si te adorari permiseris. et ne 
 me indices ad hoc templum Amoris gratis accedere, dono tibi 
 fratrum meum. 
 
 DEI. We are not gods. 
 
 Of men being liable to err. 75.1: nemo nostrum non peccat. 
 homines sumuSj non dei. 
 
 DEORUM BENEFiciA. Kindness of the gods. 
 
 Of memhrum virile and the other private parts. 140.13: 
 at ille primo exhorruit, deinde ut plurimum crederet, utraque 
 manu deorum beneficia tractat. 
 
 DiviNAM. Divine, a god-send. 
 
 Of the timely coming of an old woman, probably slang. 7.2 : 
 divinam ego putabam. 56.6: apes enim ego divinas bestias 
 puto quae mel vomunt (of bees). 
 
 HELICONEM. Coming to the home of Apollo and the Muses. 
 
 Of great success in writing a poem. 118.1 : putavit se continuo 
 in Heliconem venisse. 
 
 lovis. Occupying the throne of Jupiter. 
 
 Of attaining great success. 51.5: hoc facto putabat se soleum 
 lovis tenere. 
 
12 Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 
 
 lOVEM. Calling on Olympian Jupiter. 
 
 Of resorting to extreme measures for protection. 58.5 : nee 
 tibi parsero, licet mehercules lovem Olympium dames. 
 
 LiBERUM. Bacchus, noted for his freedom. 
 
 Of having a free father, continuing the word-play in Dionyse 
 and liber. 41.7 and 8: Dionyse, liber esto . . . turn Tri- 
 malchio rursus adiecit: "non negabitis me habere Liberum 
 pat rem. 
 
 MARS. Mars likes a fair deal. 
 
 Of each one's having a fair show at dinner. 34.5 : laudatus 
 propter elegantias dominus "aequum" inquit "Mars amat" . 
 
 MiNERVAE. A man of every Minerva. 
 
 Jack of all trades, of lowness in lust. 43.8 : immo etiam pullari- 
 us erat, omnis miner vae homo. 
 
 MUSAE. A slave of every muse. 
 
 Jack of all trades, of many attainments. 68.7: idem sutor est, 
 idem cocus, idem pistor, omnis musae mancipium. 
 
 MERCURius. Mercury watching one. 
 
 Of being prosperous. 77.4: interim dum Mercurius vigilat, 
 aedificavi hanc domum. 
 
 NUMEN. Hostile divinity. 
 
 Of lack of passion due to an unknown cause. 140.11: sed me 
 numen inimicum ibi quoque invenit. 
 
 PORTENTA. Wonders due to the gods. 
 
 Of the tricks of trained pigs. 47.9: putabam . . . porcos, 
 sicut in cir cults mos est, portenta aliqua facturos. 
 
 SACRA. Polluting sacred rites. 
 
 Of destroying friendship, continued in sacramentum (80.4), 
 80.3 : neve sanguine mutuo pollueremus familiaritatis clarissimae 
 sacra. 
 
 2. Mind and Feelings. 
 
 ARRiSERiT. The hour of fortune smiling. 
 
 Of becoming prosperous. 133.3: et quandoque mihi fortunae 
 arriserit hora, non sine honore tuum patiar decus (cf. Lucr. 2. 
 32; Cic. Att. 13.21; Hor. Sat. 1.10.89). 
 
Metaphors and Word-plai)s in Petronius 13 
 
 CALDiCEREBRius. Hot-brained. 
 
 Of a bad temper. 45.5 : et noster Titus magnum animum habet 
 
 et est caldicerebrius. 58.4: nee sum natura caldicerebrius (cf. 
 
 Hor. Sat. 1.9.11). 
 CEREBRUM. Wine going to the brain. 
 
 Of getting drunk. 41.12: vinus mihi in cerebrum abiit. 47.6: 
 
 credite mihi, anathy miosis in cerebrum it (vapor arising to the 
 
 brain, of the bad effects of constipation). 
 CONSOLATIO. Consolation for the mind. 
 
 Of the use to be made of doctors. 42.5 : medicus enim nihil aliud 
 
 est quam animi consolatio. 
 DELIRANTES. Crazy. 
 
 Of the artistic taste of the Greeks, good-humored ridicule. 
 
 88.10: noli ergo mirari, si pictura defecit, cum omnibus diis 
 
 homnibusque formosior videatur massa auri, quam quicquid Apel- 
 
 les Phidiasque, Graeculi delirantes, fecerunt. 
 FURERE. Acting the madman with the mad. 
 
 Of becoming adapted to the ideas of students. 3.2: nihil nimi- 
 
 rum in his exercitationibus doctores peccant, qui necesse habent 
 
 cum insanientibus furere. 
 IRASCITUR. Wind angry with the sea. 
 
 Of a stormy sea. 104.5 : audio enim nan licere cuiquam mortali- 
 
 um in nave neque ungues neque capillos deponere, nisi cum pelago 
 
 ventus irascitur. 
 
 PHANTASIA. A fancy of the mind. 
 
 In praise of a man, probably slang, "a dream". 38.15: plus 
 vini sub mensa effundebatur, quam aliquis in cella habet. phan- 
 tasia, non homo. 
 
 QUERULO. Complaining. 
 
 Of the rippling of water. 131.8: et querulo vexabat rore la- 
 pillos. 
 
 RESIPISCERENT. Returning to the senses. 
 
 Of regaining manly vigor. 138.7: forsitan rediret hoc corpus 
 ad vires et resipiscerent partes veneficio, credo, sopitae. 
 
14 Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 
 
 3. Character. 
 
 PUDICA. Chaste in character. 
 
 Of purity of style. 2.6: grandis et ut ita dicam pudica oratio 
 
 non est /naculosa nee turgida. 
 PUDOREM. Assuming modesty. 
 
 Of the stomach getting right again. 47.3 : spero tamen, iam 
 
 veterem pudorem sibi imponet. 
 
 4. Arts. 
 
 DELiNiRi. Smearing over in painting. 
 
 Of deceiving. 84.5 : vellem, tarn innocens esset frugalitatis 
 
 meae hostis, ut deliniri posset. 
 EMINEANT . . . EXPRESSAE. Terms of painting or sculpture. 
 
 Of ornament in speech. 118.5: praeterea curandum est, ne 
 
 sententiae emineant extra corpus orationis expressae. 
 LEVIOR. Smoothness of polished bronze. 
 
 Of a bald head. 109.10: et nunc levior aere vel rotundo horti 
 
 tubere quod creavit unda, ridentes fugis et times puellas. 
 LINUNT. Trying to paint two walls. 
 
 Of shiftless men born under the sign of the twins. 39.7: in 
 
 geminis nascuntur . . . et qui utrosque parietes linunt. 
 MANUM. Final touch of the hand in painting or sculpture. 
 
 Of finishing a piece of literary work. 118.6: tanquam si placet 
 
 hie impetus, etiam si nondufn recepit ultimam manum. 
 PICTAM. Painted. 
 
 Of embellished language. 118.3: controversiam sententiolis vi- 
 
 brantibus pictam. 
 POLIAT. Polishing stone. 
 
 Of improving morals. 5.3 : prius ?nores frugalitatis lege poliat 
 
 exacta. 
 
 QUADRATA. Squaring stones in building. 
 
 Of proper conditions to successful attainment. 43.7: facile est 
 autem, ubi omnia quadrata current. 39.8: nam cancer et hoc et 
 illoc quadrat (of living both on land and in water). 
 
Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 15 
 
 REGULA. Rule for lining in painting. 
 
 Of model in style. 2.7: semelque corrupta regula eloquentia 
 
 stetit et obmutuit. 
 TABULA. Taking the hand from a picture in finishing it. 
 
 Of completing one's efforts for success. 76.9: postquam coepi 
 
 plus habere, quam tota patria mea habet, manum de tabula. 
 
 5. Music. 
 
 BUCiNus. Trumpeter. 
 
 Of a cock that sounds forth an ill omen. 74.1 and 2: haec 
 dicente eo gallus gallinaceus cantavit. qua voce confusus Tri- 
 malchio vinum sub mensa iussit effundi lucernamque etiam mero 
 spargi. immo anulum traiecit in dexteram manum et "non sine 
 causa" inquit "hie bucinus signum dedit." 
 
 NENIAS. Trifling songs (originally funeral songs). 
 
 Of the whims of a boy, "changed his tune", probably slang. 
 46.4: invenit tamen alias nenias. 
 
 NUMERUM. Of every measure. 
 
 Of the many good qualities of a favorite slave. 63.3 : ipsimi 
 nostri delicatus decessit, mehercules margaritum caccitus et om- 
 nium numerum. 68.8 : duo tamen vitia habet, quae si non ha- 
 beret, esset omnium numerum. 
 
 TUBiciNES. Sending for the trumpeters. 
 
 Of the certain coming of death. 129.7: quod si idem frigus 
 genua manusque temptaverit tuas, licet ad tubicines mittas. 
 
 B. PHYSICAL CONDITIONS AND NEEDS. 
 
 1. Birth. 
 
 CONCIPERE . . . EDERE PARTUM. Conception and birth. 
 
 Of the mind thinking out a poem. 118.3: neque concipere aut 
 edere partum mens potest nisi ingenti flumine literarum inundata. 
 
16 Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 
 
 LABORAT ... IN FINE. Final effort in child-birth. 
 
 Of the struggle for the completion of a poem. 115.4: sinite me 
 sententiam explere; laborat carmen in fine. 
 
 NATUS EST. No one of us is born solid. 
 
 Of the necessity for every one to go to stool. 47.4: nemo nostrum 
 solide natus est. 
 
 PARIT. A snake does not give birth to a rope. 
 
 Like produces like, of children being like their parents. 45.9: 
 colubra restem non parit. 
 
 2. Death. 
 
 ANIMAM. Breathing out one's life. 
 
 Of great fright, continued in mortui. 62.10: ut larua intravi, 
 paene ani?nam ebullivi, sudor mihi per bifurcum volabat, oculi 
 mortui, vix unquam refectus sum. 
 
 EFFLAVERAT. Breathing one's last. 
 
 Of ending a talk. 49.1 : nondum efflaverat omnia cum reposi- 
 torium cum sue ingenti mensam occupavit. 
 
 EXPIRABO. Expiring in death. 
 
 Of the dread of a bath. 72.5 : ego enim si videro balneum, statim 
 expirabo. 
 
 FUNERATA. Manly parts buried. 
 
 Of the inactivity of membrum virile. 129.1 : funerata est ilia 
 pars corporis; qua quondam Achilles eram. 
 
 MORITUR. A trade never dies. 
 
 Of the certainty of making a living by a trade. 46.8: et arti- 
 ficium nunquam moritur. 
 
 MORI. Dying. 
 
 Of intense fright. 62.8: qui mori timore, nisi ego? 
 
 MORTUO. Scarcely ever dead. 
 
 Of a watchful eye. 68.8 : ideo nihil tacet, vix oculo mortuo un- 
 quam (cf. 62.10). 
 
Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 17 
 
 MORiENTiA. Dying. 
 
 Of subsiding waters. 122.133: nee vaga passim flumina per 
 notas ibant morientia ripas. 
 
 PARENTAT. No One makes this offering by sacrifice to the dead. 
 
 Of giving praise, since the dead do not know about it. 69.2 : 
 nihil sibi defraudit, et mehercules laudo ilium; hoc enim nemo 
 parent at. 
 
 PERIRE. Perishing by death. 
 
 Of extreme hunger. 69.7 : et haec quidem tolerabilia erant, si 
 non fericulum longe monstrosius effecisset, ut vel fame perire 
 mallemus. 79.8 : valete, curae mortalis. ego sic perire coepi 
 (of complete gratification in sexual intercourse). 
 
 ROGUM. Funeral pile. 
 
 Of a mass of metal statues to be melted. 50.5 : omnes statuas 
 aeneas et aureas et argenteas in unum rogum congessit et eas 
 incendit. 
 
 3. Sleep. 
 
 DORMiissE. Sleeping together. 
 
 Of having similar thoughts. 104.2: putes una nos dormiisse. 
 SOMNIORUM. Interpretation of dreams. 
 
 Of nonsensical opinions. 10.1: an videlicet audirem sententias, id 
 
 est vitrea fracta et somniorum interpretamentaf 
 SOMNO. Rome lying in sleep. 
 
 Of her indifference to her condition, continued in excita, line 60. 
 
 119.58: Romam somnoque iacentem. 
 SOPITAE. Lulled to sleep. 
 
 Of the lack of manly vigor in lust. 138.7: forsitan rediret hoc 
 
 corpus ad vires et resipiscerent partes veneficio, credo, sopitae. 
 
 4. Relationship. 
 
 FiLio. Son of the earth. 
 
 In derision of a man, "son of a gun". 43.5 : et ille stips, dum 
 fratri suo irascitur, nescio cui terrae filio patrimonium elegavit. 
 
18 Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 
 
 lUNGEREM. Uniting sleep with death in marriage. 
 
 Of killing two persons while asleep. 79.10: ego dubitavi, an 
 utrumque traicerem gladio somnumque morti iungerem. 
 
 NOVERCA. Stepmother. 
 
 Identified with Rome, held position of our mother-in-law, de- 
 ceitful promoter. 122.166: mercedibus emptae ac viles operae, 
 quorum est mea Roma noverca. 
 
 ORBATA. Bereft of children. 
 
 Of water being deprived of birds. 119.37: iarii Phasidos undo 
 orbata est avibus. 
 
 SOROR. Sister of a good mind. 
 
 Of poverty being favorable to mental development. 84.4: nescio 
 quo modo bonae mentis soror est paupertas. 
 
 5. Body and Ailments. 
 
 BiLEM. Bile of the stomach. 
 
 Of anger, has force in this droll connection. 90.6: immo si 
 eiuras hodiernam bilem, una cenabimus. 
 
 BUCCAE. Of hard cheek. 
 
 Full of wind^ bombastic, "he blows a lot". 43.3 : durae buccae 
 fuit, linguosus, discordia, non homo. 
 
 CANCER. A wasting disease. 
 
 Of love and its effects. 42.7: sed antiquus amor cancer est. 
 
 CORPUS. Weakening and decline of the body. 
 
 Of the lack of oratory. 2.2 : effecistis, ut corpus orationis ener- 
 varetur et caderet. 
 
 COLEOS. Manly parts. 
 
 Of courage, "spunk", probably slang. 44.14: sed si nos coleos 
 haberemus, non tantum sibi placeret. 
 
 CALVAE. Bald. 
 
 Of round nuts, only here as a noun. 66.4 : circa cicer et lupinutn, 
 calvae arbitratu et ?nala singula. 
 
Metaphors and Word-plai)s in Petronius 19 
 
 coNVALESCENTEM. Regaining health. 
 
 Of fire burning up more brightly. 136.2: ignemque modo con- 
 
 valescentem restinguit. 
 DETUMESCUNT. Vanishing of a swelling. 
 
 Of the subsiding of anger. 109.5: exhortantibus universis odia 
 
 detumescunt (cf. Amm. 15.8.7). 
 EXULCERATAE. Ulcerated sores. 
 
 Of troubled minds, continued in sanitatem. 111.8: quibus exul- 
 
 ceratae mentes ad sanitatem vocantur. 
 MORBOSUS. Having a disease. 
 
 Of a boy's craze for birds. 46.3 : ingeniosus est . . . etiani 
 
 si in aves morbosus est. 90.3 : rogo quid tibi vis cum isto morbo 
 
 (of the habit of writing poetry) ? 
 MANUS. Rubbing hands on bosom. 
 
 Of becoming intimate with a woman. 57.6: contubernalem 
 
 meam redemi, ne quis in sinu illius manus tergeret. 
 NASO. Life being in the nose. 
 
 Of great fear, "my heart was in my mouth". 62.5 : mihi anima 
 
 in naso esse. 
 
 NAUSEAM. Physical nausea. 
 
 Of mental disgust. 78.5: ibat res ad summam nauseam (cf. 
 
 Hor. Epod. 9.35; Mart. 4.37.9). 
 PARALYTICE. Paralytic. 
 
 Of the loss of manly vigor. 131.11 : quid est, paralyticef 
 RECORREXiT. Setting the ribs right again. 
 
 Of financial success after misfortune. 43.4: sed recorrexit castas 
 
 illius prima vindemia. 
 SCABITUDINEM. Cure of an irritating disease without a scar. 
 
 Of the complete loss of anger (magister refers to Aesculapius 
 
 and so harmonizes with the figure). 99.2: tantum omnem scabi- 
 
 tudinem animo tanquam bonarum artium magister deleret sine 
 
 cicatrice. 
 STRANGULARETUR. Choking. 
 
 Of smuggling or hiding. 15.5: ceterum apparebat nihil aliud 
 
 queri nisi ut semel deposita vestis inter praedones strangularetur. 
 
20 Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 
 
 SUPERCILIUM. Putting on the brow of. 
 
 Of assuming the air of. 113.10: nee domini supercilium induebat, 
 sed amici quaerebat obsequium. 
 
 TABES. Wasting disease. 
 
 Of the degeneracy at Rome. 119.54: sed veluti tabes tacitis con- 
 cepta meduUis intra membra furens curis latrantibus err at (cf. 
 on medullis 121.106). 
 
 TUMORE. Swelling on the body. 
 
 Of bombastic style and exaggeration of facts. 1.2: nunc et 
 rerum tumore et sententiarum strepitu hoc tantum proficiunt (cf. 
 Sen. Ben. 2.11.5; Quint. 12.10.73 and 2.10.7; Gell, 2.23.21). 
 
 TURGIDA. Swelling. 
 
 Of bombastic style. 2.6: oratio non est maculosa nee turgida 
 (cf. Hon Sat. 1.10.36). 
 
 VEXATA . . . iNHORRUi. Symptoms of disease. 
 
 Of anxiety for another, continued in medieinam . . . lenire, 
 also in remedio and laboro. 17.7 and 8: ipsa quidem ilia nocte 
 vexata tarn periculoso inhorrui frigore, ut terttanae etiam im- 
 petum timeam. et ideo medieinam somnio petii iussaque sum vos 
 perquirere atque impetum morbi monstrata subtilitate lenire. 
 sed de remedio non tam valde laboro. 
 
 VULTUM. Keeping the countenance. 
 
 Of the inner feelings. 80.9 : cum fortuna manet, vultum ser- 
 vatis, amici. 
 
 6. Food and Cooking. 
 
 ASELLUM. Fish and ordinary food. 
 
 Of the best and the inferior in sexual intercourse. 24.7: hodie 
 enim post asellum diaria non sumo. 
 
 ANATINAM. Duck's meat. 
 
 Of any light diet prescribed by doctors. 56.3 : etiat7i si illos 
 odi pessime, quod mihi iubent saepe onatinam parari. 
 
 CENARES. Getting a dinner on the front step?. 
 
 Of leceiving some small favor. 10.2: mulio ine turpior es tu 
 hereule, qui ut foris eenareSj poetam laudavisti. 
 
Metaphors and Word-pla^s in Petronius 21 
 
 CIBARIA. Food for ravens. 
 
 In abuse of a man. 58.2: quid faciat, crucis off la, corvorum 
 cibaria. 
 
 CiBO. Food, the necessity of life. 
 
 Of poetry which a man spouts on all occasions. 90.6: ceterum 
 ne tecum quoque habeam rixandum, toto die me ab hoc cibo 
 abstinebo (cf. 96.4, of revenge). 
 
 CONSUMIT. Eating food. 
 
 Of using words. 33.3 : interim dum ille omnium textorum dicta 
 inter lusum consumit, gustantibus adhuc nobis repositorium alla- 
 tum est. 
 
 COMEDi. Eating dog's tongue, a plant, metaphor and word play. 
 
 May mean here a Cynic's tongue (since Cynics were called dogs), 
 and so the eating of it makes one have a Cynic's love of truth. 
 43.3 : de re tamen ego verum dicam, qui linguam caninam comedi; 
 44.15^ iam pannos meos comedi (eating one's old clothes, of 
 being at the extremity in hunger and poverty). 
 
 CONCOQUAS. Boiling together. 
 
 Of considering in mind. 75.6: suadeo, bonum tuum concoquas. 
 
 82.5: omnia carnens qui timet et sicca concoquit ore famem (of 
 
 enduring hunger (cf. 105.5; Cic. Q. Fr. 3.9.5; Liv. 4.15.7). 
 ESURIT. Physical hunger. 
 
 Of longing desire. 119.32: praemia corruptis miles vagus esu- 
 
 rit armis. 
 EXEDERAT. Eating up. 
 
 Of destroying the people with excessive interest. 119.52: plebem 
 
 faenoris illuvies ususque exederat aeris. 
 
 FERMENTUM. YcaSt. 
 
 Of the cause of a rise in fortune. 76.7: hoc fuit peculii mei 
 fermentum. 
 HOLERA. Looking at the cabbage and picking up the lard. 
 
 Of men who do the unexpected, as in the case of a cross-eyed 
 man. 39.11: in sagittario strabones (nascuntur), qui holera 
 spectant, lardum tollunt. 
 
22 Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 
 
 lus. Sauce. 
 
 Of the best part of a dinner. 35.7 : suadeo . . cenemus; hoc 
 est ius cenae. 
 
 LACTE. Hen's milk. 
 
 Of any rarity. 38.1 : lacte gallinaceum si quaesierisj invenies. 
 71.1 : et servi homines sunt et aeque unum lactem biberunt, etiam 
 si illos malus fatus oppressit (drinking one and the same 
 milk, of having a common origin). 
 
 MELLiTos. Honeyed. 
 
 For the pleasing in language, in a contemptuous sense, 1.3: sed 
 inellitos verborum globulos. 
 
 OLLA. The pot of partners boils poorly. 
 
 Of having too many in any project, "too many cooks spoil the 
 broth", a proverb. 38.13: sociorum olla male fervet. 
 
 PANEM. Has bread in it. 
 
 Of a trade's being practical. 46.7 : habet haec res panem. 58.3 : 
 ita satur pane fiam, ut ego istud conliberto meo dono (being filled 
 v^^ith bread, of doing the most trivial thing in proportion to the 
 doing of the thing at hand ) . 69.3 : sed face, lingua, dabo panem 
 (giving bread, of treating kindly). 
 
 PASCUNT. Feed themselves. 
 
 Of taking care of themselves, "look out for No. 1", character- 
 istic of those born under the sign of the bull. 39.6: qui se ipsi 
 pascunt. 
 
 PIPER. Pepper. 
 
 Of a man, "hot stuff", "warm member". 44.6: tunc habitabat 
 ad arcum veterem, me puero, piper, non homo. 49.5 : putes ilium 
 piper et cuminum non coniecisse (had never dashed pepper and 
 spice, of never having had any experience). 
 
 PORCOS. Pigs already roasted walking around. 
 
 Of every thing needful being at hand. 45.4: tu si aliubi fueris, 
 dices hie porcos coctos ambulare. 
 
Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 23 
 
 7. Clothing. 
 
 FASCIAE. Of our girth or girdle. 
 
 Of our rank or circle. 46.1 : non es nostrae fasciae, et ideo 
 pauperorum verba derides. 
 
 INDUUNT. Putting clothes on. 
 
 Of teaching eloquence to boys while too young. 4.2 : et eloquen- 
 tiam, qua nihil esse mains confitentur, pueris induunt adhuc 
 nascentibus. 
 
 LANATOS. Feet of the gods clothed in wool. 
 
 Of the stealthy and unexpected visitation of the gods to ir- 
 reverent people. 44.18: itaque dii pedes lanatos habent, quia nos 
 religiosi non sumus. 
 
 MUNDUM. The dress of a woman. 
 
 The cold being the only dress, of being scantily clad. 41.11 : et 
 mundum frigus habuimus. vix me balneus calfecit. 
 
 SUCCINGE. Girding up the dress. 
 
 Of equipping the mind. 5.21 : his animum bonis succinge. 
 
 VESTiARius. Clothier. 
 
 Of the benefit of a hot drink. 41.11: vix me balneus calfecit. 
 tamen calda potio vestiarius est. 
 
 8. Utensils. 
 
 INSTRUMENTA. Implements of a workman, tools. 
 
 Of membrum virile, "tool", 130.4: illud unum memento, non 
 me sed instrumenta peccasse. 
 
 LUCERNA. Knights on a lamp. 
 
 Of gladiators of little value, "tin soldiers". 45.11 : iam meliores 
 bestiarios vidi. occidit de lucerna equites. 
 
 MATELLA. Chamber-pot. 
 
 In derision of a woman, "stink pot". 45.8: magis ilia matella 
 digna fuit quam taurus iactaret. 
 
24 Metaphors and Word-pla^s in Petronius 
 
 URCEATIM. By the pitcher full. 
 
 Of a bountiful rain. 44.18: antea stolatae ibant nudis pedibus 
 in clivunij passis capillis, mentibus puris, et lovem aquam exora- 
 bant. itaque statim urceatim plovebat: aut turn aut nunquam. 
 
 VASUS. Pot of clay. 
 
 Of a man in derision. 57.8: tu lacticulosus, nee mu nee ma 
 argutas, vasus fictilis. 
 
 C. PUBLIC LIFE. 
 
 1. Law and Politics. 
 
 ACCERSITO. Summoning a person to court. 
 
 Of far-fetched or forced talk. 139.3: cumque diu mecum esset 
 
 locuta et me accersito sermone lassasset, ultimo coepit dicere. 
 AMBiTiosus. Ambition of a candidate. 
 
 Of a designing rain-storm of tears. 1 7.3 : ut ergo tarn ambitiosus 
 
 detumuit imber, retexit superbum pallio caput. 
 CAUSAM. Pleading a case at law. 
 
 Of Caesar's accomplishing his purposes through his soldiers. 
 
 122.169: ite mei comites, et causam dicite ferro. 
 DIEM. Appearing on the appointed day in court. 
 
 Of making one's last appearance, dying. 61.9: huius contuber- 
 
 nalis ad villam supremum diem obiit. 
 FERIAS. Celebrating a legal holiday. 
 
 Of rest from sexual connection. 24.4: Ascyltos in hoc triclinio 
 
 solus ferias agit. 
 lUDiciUM. The court. 
 
 Money paid to the public officials, the only court. 14.2: ergo 
 
 iudicium nihil est nisi publico merces. 
 INDICEM. Informer. 
 
 Of a rooster that tells of some approaching evil by crowing. 
 
 74.3 : itaque quisquis hunc indicem attulerit, corollarium accipiet. 
 
Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 25 
 
 lUDici. Committing the case to the judge. 
 
 Of Giton choosing a master, continued in deliberavit, pronuntia- 
 tionCj damnatus, and manus (80.7). 80.6: nihil timui, immo 
 condicionem praecipiti festinatione rapui commisique iudici litem, 
 qui ne deliberavit quidein. 91.2: eripe me latroni cruento et 
 qualibet saevitia paenitentiam iudicis tui puni (Giton, the peni- 
 tent judge for having made a bad decision). 91.7: nee amoris 
 arbitrium ad iudicem detuli (of the same incident). 122. 
 174: iudice Fortuna cadat alea (Fortune as judge, continued in 
 causa, 1. 175). 
 
 INIURIAM. Enduring injustice at the law. 
 
 Of enduring sexual intercourse. 140.11 : accessi temptaturus, an 
 pater etur iniuriam. 
 
 LEGEM. Law in matters of state. 
 
 Of being unable to endure sexual intercourse. 25.3 : nee puellam 
 eius aetatis esse, ut muliebris patientiae legem posset aceipere. 
 (cf. 18.5). 
 
 LiTiGO. Having a suit with the winds. 
 
 Of giving one's self useless trouble, or of talking to one's self. 
 83.7 : eece autem, ego dum eum ventis litigo, intravit senex. 132. 
 13: non et Ulixes eum eorde litigat suof (Ulysses having a 
 lawsuit with his heart, cited to justify abuse heaped upon an in- 
 active membrum virile). 
 
 MANUM . . . POENAS. Putting hands on and suffering punish- 
 ment. 
 Law terms in an obscene sense. 8.4: iam ille mihi iniecerat 
 manum, et nisi valentior fuissem, dedissem poenas. 
 
 RE. Taking action for one's case. 
 
 Of going to stool. 47.4: itaque si quis vestrum voluerit sua re 
 faeere, non est quod ilium pudeatur. 66.3 : et eum mea re facio, 
 non ploro. 
 
 REUM. A criminal confessing his guilt. 
 
 Of a man acknowledging his lack of manly vigor. 130.2: habes 
 confitentem reum : quicquid iusserisj merui. 
 
26 Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 
 
 TESTIBUS. Witnesses in court. 
 
 Of adhering to truth in writing history. 118.6: ut potius furen- 
 tis animi vaticinatio apparent quam religiosae orationis sub testi- 
 bus fides. 
 
 2. War and Weapons. 
 
 ARMA. Soldier and his weapons. 
 
 Of a lustful man and his lustful desire. 130.4: paratus miles 
 arma non habui. 
 
 CALIGAS. Giving one soldier's shoes. 
 
 Of giving a slave promotion for his tricks, similar to "I dub you 
 knight". 69.5 : tanto melior Massa, dono tibi caligas. 
 
 CEPI. Capturing a stronghold. 
 
 Of taking the brain or fancy. 76.1 : dominus in domo factus 
 sum, et ecce cepi ipsirni cerebellum. 
 
 CICATRIX. Scar on the body. 
 
 Scar on the feelings. 91.6: et in hoc pectore, cum vulnus ingens 
 fueritj cicatrix non est. 99.2: scabitudinem . . . deleret 
 sine cicatrice. 113.8: veritus ne inter initio coeuntis gratiae re- 
 centem cicatricem rescinderet. 
 
 coNFOSSis. Pierced with wounds. 
 
 Of being torn up by trials. 26.7 : sed tot vulnerihus confossis fuga 
 magis placebat. 
 
 CONSIDIT . . . OBSIDET. Encamping before and laying siege to 
 a town. 
 Of encamping before and laying siege to a person's mind. 99.3 : 
 similiter in pectoribus ira considit: feras quidem mentes obsidet. 
 
 CONTUBERNALis. Tent Companion in war. 
 
 Companion in marriage. 61.9: huius contubernalis ad villam 
 supremum diem obiit. 
 
 EXARMAVERAT. Depriving of arms. 
 
 Of depriving of presence of mind. 105,7: iam Giton mirabili 
 forma exarmaverat nautas (cf. Plin. Ep. 3.9.29). 
 
Metaphors and Word-plaps in Petronius 27 
 
 EXPUGNARE. Taking by storm a town. 
 
 Of overcoming one's persistence. 111.10: deinde refecta potione 
 et cibo expugnare do/ninae pertinaciam coepit. 
 
 FORTITER FACERES. Acting bravely in war. 
 
 Of doing the bold act in passion. 9.10: qui ne turn quidem, cum 
 fortiter faceres, cum pura muliere pugnasti. 
 
 FRANGi. Breaking down the wall of a town. 
 
 Of breaking down one's resistance to the gratification of 
 passion. 111.13: itaque mulier aliquot dierum abstinentia sicca 
 passa est frangi pertinaciam suam. 
 
 GLADIUM. Sword. 
 
 Of membrum virile. 9.5 : cum ego proclamarem, gladium strin- 
 xit et "si Lucretia es" inquit "Tarquinium invenisti". 
 
 INDUTIAS. Truce in war. 
 
 Truce in quarrels. 18.5: descendentes ab aure capillos meos 
 lenta manu duxit et "facio" inquit "indutias vobiscum" . 
 
 INSIDIAS. Ambush in war. 
 
 Of tricks of speech. 3.3 : nee enim aliter imperabant quod petunt, 
 nisi quasdam insidias auribus fecerint. 
 
 INVASIT. Charging in battle. 
 
 Of caressing in passionate love. 20.8 : ac ne Giton quidem ultimo 
 risum tenuit, utique postquam virguncula cervicem eius invasit. 
 85.6: itaque aggressus simulantem aliquot basiolis invasi (making 
 an attack with kisses). 91.4: praeclusis deinde foribus invado 
 pectus amplexibus (attacking the breast with embraces). 
 
 lACTARE. Hurling weapons. 
 
 Of casting slurs. 110.6: ne siliret sine fabulis hilaritas, multa in 
 muliebrem levitatem coepit iactare. 114.1: dum haec taliaque 
 iactamus, inhorruit mare nubesque undique adductae obruere tene- 
 bris diem (of spouting out words). 
 
 lACULARi. Hurling weapons. 
 
 Of hurling words as weapons. 109.8: Eumolpus et ipse vino 
 solutus dicta voluit in calvos stigmososque iaculari. 
 
28 Metaphors and Word-plags in Petronius 
 
 MANUBiAS. Spoils in war. 
 
 Of spoils in general, property. 79.12: non repugnavit tile, sed 
 postquam optima fide partiti manubias sumus, "age" inquit "nunc 
 et puerum dividamus (continued in praeda, 80.1)." 
 
 MILES. Soldier in war. 
 
 A soldier in passionate love (s. v. arma). 
 
 MILITABAT. Doing service in war. 
 
 Of doing service in lustful love. 24.7 : haec belle eras in pro- 
 mulside libidinis nostrae militabat. 
 
 PRAECISA. Cutting off from safety in war. 
 
 Of cutting off from success in vengeance. 82.4: immo praecisa 
 ultione retro ad diversorium tendo (this whole chapter is a de- 
 scription of a man being defeated in battle, applied to a man 
 failing to get vengeance). 
 
 PRAEDA. Booty in war. 
 
 Of a slave boy whom two men claim, prize. 80.1 : iocari puta- 
 
 bam discedentetn. at ille parricidali manu strinxit et "non frue- 
 
 ris" inquit "hac praeda (s. v. manubias) ^ 
 PRAEDATOR. A pillager in war. 
 
 Of a ravisher in lust. 85.3 : ne quis praedator corporis admit- 
 
 teretur in domum. 
 PROELIANDUM. Battling in war. 
 
 Of making opposition to another. 80.2 : idem ego ex altera parte 
 
 feci et intorto circa brachium pallio composui ad proeliandufn 
 
 gradum. 
 PUGNAVISTI. Fighting in war. 
 
 Of fighting in lustful love. 9.10: qui ne turn quidem . . . 
 
 cum pura muliere pugnavisti (s. v. fortiter faceres). 
 
 QUATIAT. Brandishing arms. 
 
 Of employing the oratory of Demosthenes. 5.14: et ingentis 
 
 quatiat Demosthenis arma. 
 REBELLAT. Renewing war. 
 
 Of the renewed raging of anger. 121.105: nee enim minor ira 
 
 rebellai. 
 
Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 29 
 
 REPUGNANTi. Resisting in war. 
 
 Of resisting in lustful love. 20.8: et non repugnanti puero in- 
 numerabilia oscula dedit. 79.12: non repugnavit ille ( of oppos- 
 ing in general). 
 
 SAUCIAE. Wounded by weapons. 
 
 Wounded by wine, of its effects. 67.11: interim mulieres sau- 
 ciae inter se riserunt ebriaeque iunxerunt oscula. 
 
 SPOLIUM. Spoils won in war. 
 
 Spoils stolen by a beggar, of a cloak. 13.1 : et tanquam mendici 
 spolium etiam fastidiose venditabat. 14.6: nostra spolia esse 
 quae illi possiderent (referring to the same cloak as in 13.1). 
 
 VIBRARE. Brandishing of weapons. 
 
 Of the showy effect of fine opinions. 118.2: credentes facilius 
 poema extrui posse quam controversiam sententiolis vibrantibus 
 pictam. 
 
 VINCITUR VINCIT. He who is conquered conquers. 
 
 Of failure to show anger being the best way to win. 59.2 : semper 
 in hac re qui vincitur, vincit. 111.10: primum ipsa porrexit ad 
 humanitatem invitantis victam manum (a hand won over). 111. 
 13: nee minus avide replevit se cibo quam ancilla, quae prior 
 victa est (conquered, of being won over by the soldier to take 
 food). 
 
 VINCULUM. Chains binding a captive in war. 
 
 Of bonds binding friends in friendship. 114.12: potior ego vin- 
 culum extremuTU, et veluti lecto funebri aptatus expecto mortem 
 iam non molestam. 
 
 VULNERABANT. Inflicting wounds upon the body. 
 
 Of the effect of kissing on the feelings. 113.7: omnia me oscula 
 vulnerabant, omnes blanditiae , quascumque mulier libidinosa fin- 
 gebat. 
 
 VULNERIBUS. Wounds in the body. 
 
 Of wounds in the feelings due to many trials and hardships. 
 26.7: (s. V. confosis). 91.6: cum vulnus ingens fuerit (s. v. 
 cicatrix). 
 
30 Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 
 
 3. Punishment. 
 
 COMPEDES. Shackles of a prisoner. 
 
 The ornaments of women as shackles on men who buy them. 
 67.7 : notavit haec Trimalchio iussitque afferi omnia et "videtis" 
 inquit "mulieris compedes: sic nos barcalae despoliamur" . 
 
 CRUCis. Bit of a cross. 
 
 In abuse of a man, "troublesome piece". 58.2 : quid faciatj cru- 
 cis off la (cf. Plaut. Pers. 5.2.17). 126.9: nee hoc dii sinant, ut 
 amplexus meos in crucem mittam (sending to the cross, of stoop- 
 ing low with caresses). 
 
 DiSTORTA. Putting a slave to the rack. 
 
 Of putting the mind to the rack to produce a poem. 55.2: sta- 
 timque codicillos poposcit et non diu cogitatione distorta haec 
 recitavit (cf. Sen. Ep. 74). 
 
 FURCIFERAE. Gallows-bearer. 
 
 Of membrum virile, in abuse because of inactivity. 132.8: sed 
 furciferae mortifero timore lusus ad verba, magis quae poterant 
 nocere, fugi. 
 
 PUNGEBAT. Pricking or stinging of an insect. 
 
 Of the effect on the feelings. 113.12: me nihil magis pungebat, 
 quam ne Eumolpus sensisset, quicquid illud fuerat. 
 
 SUGGILLARE. Beating black and blue. 
 
 Of taunting one's wretchedness because of lack of manly vigor, 
 "rub it in on one." 128.2: quaeso, regina, noli suggillare mise- 
 rias. veneficio contactus sum. 
 
 TORMENTUM. Instrument of torture. 
 
 Of pain in the stomach due to constipation or holding in wind. 
 47.4: ego nullum puto tam magnum tormentum esse quam con- 
 tinere. 1 18.6: sed per ambages deorumque ministeria et fabulosum 
 sententiarum tormentum praecipitandus est liber spiritus (of put- 
 ting thoughts to the rack to get at the truth of history). 
 
 UNGUIBUS. Attacking with the nails. 
 
 Of getting angry at disappointment. 74.17: recte curabo, me 
 unguibus quaeras. et ut depraesentiarum intelligas, quid tibi 
 feceris: Habinna, nolo, statuam eius in monumento meo ponas. 
 
Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 31 
 
 VERBERABAT. Scourged With whips. 
 
 Of being scourged with kisses. 26.5 : et me tanquam furtivis 
 subinde osculis verberabat. 132.2: rnanifestis matrona contumeliis 
 verberata tandem ad ultionem decurrit (of being harrassed with 
 insults). 
 
 4. Slavery. 
 
 LIBEROS. Not even the hair free. 
 
 To show enslavement by debt. 38.12: sestertium suum vidit 
 decies, sed male vacillavit. non puto ilium capillos liberos habere. 
 
 MissiONEM. Giving freedom to a slave. 
 
 Of giving freedom to a dish, not partaken of at a former meal. 
 66.7: nam pernae missionem dedimus. 
 
 NOTAE. Brand on a slave. 
 
 Brand of character in men, in good sense. 116.5: sin autem ur- 
 banioris notae homines sustinetis semper mentiri, recta ad lucrum 
 curritis. 126.7: ex hac nota domina est mea (of a class of peo- 
 ple). 132.12: quam ne ad cognitionem quide?n admittere seve- 
 rioris notae homines solerent (men of a more serious nature). 
 
 PILLEATUS. Provided with a cap of freedom. 
 
 Of a wild boar not eaten at a former dinner, and so wearing the 
 cap of freedom. 40.3 : secutum est hos respositorium, in quo positus 
 erat primae magnitudinis aper, et quidem pilleatus (also in 41.1 ). 
 66.7 : ova pilleata (eggs with the cap of freedom on, eggs in shell, 
 part of a bill of fare at dinner). 
 
 STIGMAM. Brand on slaves. 
 
 Branded by disgrace. 45.9 : itaque quamdiu vixeritj habebit 
 stigmam, nee illam nisi Orcus delebit. 
 
 SERVULUM. A little slave. 
 
 Of a devotee to oratory. 46.3 : iam quattuor partis dicit; si vixerit, 
 habebis ad latus servulum. nam quicquid illi vacat, caput de 
 tabula non tollit. 
 
32 Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 
 
 viNDiCASSET. Claiming as one's slave. 
 
 Of the claim of the former dinner on the boar, with Ubertus and 
 dimissus, continues the figure in pilleatus (41.1). 41.4: hie aper, 
 cum heri summa cena eum vindicassetj a convivis dimissus est; 
 itaque hodie tanquam Ubertus in convivium revertitur. 
 
 D. BUSINESS RELATIONS. 
 
 1. Trade and Occupations. 
 
 ACIA ET ACU. Needle and thread. 
 
 Of minute detail. 76.11: hie rnihi dixit etiam ea, quae oblitus 
 eram; ab aeia et aeu mi omnia exposuit; intestinas meas noverat. 
 
 CONTEXTU. Weaving. 
 
 Of a succession of stories. 20.5 : Ascyltos iam defieiente fabu- 
 larum eontextu "quid? ego" inquit "non sum dignus qui bibamf" 
 
 CENTONARius. Maker of rag covers to put out fire. 
 
 Applied to Echion w^ho smothers the talk of Ganymedes. 45.1 : 
 "oro te" inquit Echion centonarius "melius loquere". 
 
 CLASSis. Fleet and crew^. 
 
 Of a number of slaves, another crew. 74.7 : "abite, ut alii veni- 
 ant ad offieium." subiit igitur alia classis. 
 
 EXONERATA. Unloading. 
 
 Of getting rid of Greek influence. 5.16: et modo Graio exo- 
 nerata sono mutet suffusa saporem. 103.5: qui acelinatus lateri 
 navis exonerabat stomachum nausea gravem (of vomiting). 107. 
 13: voluerunt enim antequam eonscenderent, exonerare capita 
 ?nolesto et supervacuo pondere (of shaving the head). 132.13: 
 quid autem ego mali feci, si dolorem meum naturali convicio ex- 
 oneravi (of getting rid of sorrow^) ? 
 
 FiLO. Of good thread. 
 
 Of the cleverness of a boy. 46.3 : ingeniosus est et bono filo. 
 
Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 33 
 
 FULLO. A fuller who wears away clothes. 
 
 Of a bath and its wearing effects on an infrequent bather. 42.2 : 
 ego non cotidie lavor; baliscus enim fullo est. 
 
 IMPUTEM. Charging up to an account. 
 
 Of charging up to heaven. 127.6: habebo tamen quod caelo 
 imputem, si nos fata coniunxerint. 
 
 INTEXUIT. Weaving by winding slender threads. 
 
 Of the construction of a poem. 118.1: nam ut quisque versurn 
 pedibus instruxit sensumque teneriorem verborum ambitu intexuit 
 118.5: ne . . . sed intexto vestibus colore niteant (inter- 
 weaving color into garments, of brilliant style). 
 
 LANIONES ET UNGUENTARii. Butchers and ointment dealers^ who 
 weigh their wares. 
 Of men born under the sign of the balance, a word-play. 39.1 1 : 
 in libra (nascuntur) laniones et unguentarii et quicunque ali- 
 quid expediunt. 
 
 MERCATOR. Selling and a buyer of merchandise. 
 
 Applied to sexual intercourse. 126.4: sive ergo nobis vendis 
 quod peto, mercator paratus est, sive quod humanius est, commo- 
 das, effice ut beneficium debeamus. 
 
 MiCARius. Crumb-gatherer. 
 
 Of being economical. 73,6: hodie servus ?neus barhatoriam fecit, 
 homo praefjscini frugi et micarius. 
 
 MODio. Measuring money by the peck. 
 
 Of having a large amount. 37.3: uxor Trimalchionis Fortunata 
 appellatur, quae nummos modio metitur. 
 
 NAVEM. Ship for carrying stone. 
 
 Of a man carrying a heavy burden. 117.12: quid vos iumen- 
 tum me putatis esse aut lapidariam navemf 
 
 NAVIGAT. Sailing with a favorable breeze. 
 
 Of being prosperous in business. 137.9: quisquis habet nummos. 
 secura navigat aura fortunamque suo temperat arbitrio. 
 
34 Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 
 
 NECTiT. Weaving. 
 
 Of making quarrels. 18.6: nam sane et sapiens contemptus 
 iurgia nectit (cf. Ov. Am. 2.2.35). 
 
 NEGOTio. Putting out of business. 
 
 Of getting the better of. 56.7: ia?n etiam philosophos de nego- 
 tio deiciebat. 
 
 ONERATAS. Loading. 
 
 Of overdressing. 32.2 : circaque oneratas veste cervices lati- 
 claviam immiserat mappam fimbriis hinc et illinc pendentibus 
 90.4: ego quoque sinum meum saxis onerabo, ut quotiescunque 
 coe peris a te exire, sanguinem tibi a capite mittam (of putting 
 stones in the pocket). 
 
 RATIONEM. Balancing an account. 
 
 Of making up a quarrel. 10.7: iam enim amoliri cupie- 
 bam custodem molestum, ut veterem cum Gitone meo rationem 
 reducerem. 
 
 STAMINATAS Weaving term, stamen without subtemen, warp only. 
 Of wine without water. 41.12: staminatas duxi, et plane matus 
 sum. 
 
 TEXTORUM. Fabric in weaving. 
 
 Of the kind of words used. 33.3 : interim dum ille omnium tex- 
 torum dicta inter lusum consumit. 
 
 VELis. With full sails. 
 
 Of outstripping another completely. 45.11: scias oportet plenis 
 velis vinciturum (cf. Plin. Ep. 6.33.10). 
 
 VENDIS. Selling merchandise. 
 
 Of a woman giving sexual privileges. 126 A: sive ergo nobis 
 vendis quod peto, mercator paratus est. (s. v. mercator). 
 
 2. Money, Minerals, Etc. 
 
 AURi. You see so much gold. 
 
 Of the value of a woman. 37.7: tantum auri vides. 
 
Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 35 
 
 ASSE. Bread bought for an as. 
 
 Of a large amount for a small sum. 44.10: asse panem quern 
 emisisses non potuisses cum altera devorare. 
 
 DUPUNDii. Of the value of two asses. 
 
 Of insignificant value. 58.4: sed cum coepi, matrem meam du- 
 pundii non facio (I do not care a cent for). 58.13: nemo du- 
 pondii evadit (no one of the two cent variety graduates). 74.15: 
 et ego homo dipundiarius, sestertium centies accipere potui (of a 
 man who has very little being able to marry money). 
 
 FLATURAE. Of som€ Coinage. 
 
 Of the physical strength and training oi a gladiator. 45.12: 
 unus alicuius flaturae Thraex. 
 
 MARGARiTUM. Pearl. 
 
 Of the value of a favorite slave. 63.3 : ipsimi nostri delicatus 
 decessit, ?nehercules margaritum. 
 
 PLUMBUM. Lead becoming gold. 
 
 Of becoming very prosperous. 43.7: plane Fortunae filius, in 
 manu illius plumbum aurum fiebat. 
 
 REDDiDissEM. Paying back money. 
 
 Of getting even in a quarrel, "settle with". 58.3 : alioquin iam 
 tibi depraesentiarum reddidissem. 
 
 REMUNERABAT. Paying back money. 
 
 Of making corresponding movements in sexual intercourse. 140. 
 8: ille lente parebat imperio puellaque artificium pari moto re- 
 munerabat. 
 
 RESPONDIT. Paying debts. 
 
 Of the belly performing its duties, "paying the sheriff". 47.2 : 
 ignoscite mihi, amici, multis iam diebus venter mihi non respondit. 
 
 SESTERTiARius, Worth a sesterce. 
 
 Of a sorry fellow. 45.8: Glyco autem, sestertiarius homOj dis- 
 pensatorem ad bestias dedit. 45.11: dedit gladiatores sesterti- 
 arios iam decrepitos, quos si suff lasses, cecidissent (of worthless 
 gladiators). 
 
36 Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 
 
 THESAURUM. A treasure. 
 
 Of the value of literature. 46.8: litterae thesaurum est. 
 
 VILITATE. Cheapness in price. 
 
 Of bad diction. 118.4: refugiendum est ab omni verborum, ut 
 ita dicam, vilitate. 
 
 3. Commerce and Travel. 
 
 ABUT. Going to the majority. 
 
 Of dying. 42.5 : tamen abiit ad plures. medici ilium perdide- 
 runt, immo magis malus fatus. 
 
 aberrante. Going astray. 
 
 Of the flying up of a woman's dress. 67.13: dumque sic cohae- 
 rent, Habinnas furtim consurrexit pedesque Fortunatae cor- 
 reptos super lectum immisit. "au au" ilia proclamavit aberrante 
 tunica super genua. 
 
 AMBAGES. Roundabout ways. 
 
 Of the details of writing history. 118.6: sed per ambages . 
 . . praecipitandus est liber spiritus. 
 
 CANALE ET PEDALE. Canal and footway. 
 
 Hare (canine food) and sole (fish) were brought, pun on 
 sound and sense. 56.9: canale et pedale: lepus et solea allata est. 
 
 DELATOS. Borne to another world. 
 
 Of being ill at ease in the forum. 1.2: tantum proficiunt, ut 
 cum in forum venerint, putent se in alium orbem terrarum de- 
 lates. 
 
 ERRANTis. Roaming about. 
 
 Of a wretched recitation of verses. 68.5 : na7?i praeter errantis 
 barbariae aut adiectum aut diminutum clamorem miscebat Atella- 
 nicos versus, ut tunc primum me etiam Vergilius offenderit. 79. 
 8 : haesimus calentes et transfudimus hinc et hinc labellis errantes 
 animas (of lives lost in lustful love). 119.55: tabes . . . 
 intra membra fur ens curis latrantibus errat (of disease passing 
 through the body). 
 
Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 37 
 
 viAM. Road. 
 
 Road to poetry, continued in iretur and calcare. 118.5: ceteri 
 enim aut non viderunt viam, qua iretur ad carmen, aut visam 
 timerunt calcare. 88.7: ubi sapientiae cultissima via? quis 
 unquam venit in templum et votum fecit, si ad eloquentiam 
 pervenissetf 
 
 4. Property. 
 
 BONA. Goods, property. 
 
 Of ineinhrum virile. 105.11: meruisse quidem contumeliam ali- 
 quam fugitivos, quibus in odium bona sua venissent. 134.8: narn 
 neque puero neque puellae bona sua vendere potest (of giving sat- 
 isfaction in sexual intercourse. 
 
 DOMiciLiUM. Habitation of the living. 
 
 Of the tomb of the dead. 111.8: omnium eundem esse exitum et 
 idem dojuicilium. 
 
 FORTUNA. Fortune. 
 
 Of membrum virile. 92.10: ac domum abduxit, credo, ut tarn 
 magna fortuna solus uteretur. 
 
 HABEBERis. Holding property. 
 
 Of being held in esteem, also a pun. 77.6: assem habeas, assem 
 valeas; habes, habeberis. 
 
 PECULio. Private property. 
 
 Of membrum virile. 8.3 : prolatoque peculio coepit rogare stu- 
 pru?n (cf. Plaut. Ps. 4.7.92; Most. 1.3.96). 
 
 PERA. Carrying time in a Cynic's wallet, as If a precious possession. 
 Of being sparing with time. 14.2: ipsi qui Cynica traducunt 
 tempora pera, non nunquam nummis vendere vera solent. 
 
 SARCINULAS. Little knapsacks. 
 
 Of scanty property. 10.4: itaque communes sarcinulas partia- 
 mur ac paupertatem nostram privatis quaestibus temptemus ex- 
 pellere. 
 
38 Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 
 
 E. AMUSEMENTS. 
 
 1. The Circus and Horsemanship. 
 
 ANTECESSIT. Runing ahead in a race. 
 
 Of the mind getting ahead of the manly vigor in sexual inter- 
 course. 130.5: forsitan animus antecessit corporis moram, for- 
 sitan dum omnia concupisco, voluntatem tempore consumpsi. 
 
 CONTINERE. Holding a horse in check. 
 
 Of holding in wind in the stomach. 47.4: ego nullum puto tam 
 magnum tormentum esse quam continere. 
 
 CURRITIS. Running a race with gain as the goal. 
 
 Of securing money. 116.5: sin autem urbanioris notae homines 
 sustinetis semper mentiri, recta ad lucrum curritis, 
 
 CURSUM. Race-course. 
 
 Of the advance in letters, continued in meatu. 5.17: inter dum 
 suhducta foro det pagina cursum et fortuna sonet celeri distincta 
 meatu. 
 
 EQUUM. Changing horses. 
 
 Of transfer to another in sexual intercourse. 24.4: ab hac voce 
 equum cinaedus mutavit transituque ad comitem meum facto 
 clunibus eum basiisque distrivit. 64.12: non moratus ille usus 
 est equo manuque plena scapulas eius subinde verberavit (of a 
 man in a game). 
 
 EQUES. Knight, or horseman. 
 
 Of a lustful man, "trooper". 92.10: nescio quis enim, eques 
 Romanus ut aiebant infamis, sua veste errantem circumdedit ac 
 domum abduxit. 
 
 HABENAS. Giving reins. 
 
 Of freedom in literature. 5.13: mox et Socratico plenus grege 
 mittat habenas liber. 124.258: quas inter Furor, abruptis ceu 
 liber habenis sanguineum late tollit caput (reins torn away; of 
 unrestrained devastation in war). 
 
Metaphors and Word-plags in Petronius 39 
 
 INDOMITI. Untamed, of a horse. 
 
 Unsurpassed in diction. 5.20: grandiaque indomtti Ciceronis 
 
 verba minetur. 
 META. Turning point in the race course. 
 
 Of dying. 94.8: cum reseratis foribus intrat Eumolpus cum 
 
 Gitone meaque a fatali iam meta revocat ad lucem. 
 PHALERis. Trappings of a horse. 
 
 Of the dress of people, continued in indomita. 55.6: an ut 
 
 matrona phaleris pelagiis tollat pedes indomita in strata extraneof 
 QUADRIGAE. Already my chariots have run their last race. 
 
 My sporting days are over. 64.3 : iam quadrigae meae decu- 
 
 currerunt, ex quo podagricus factus sum. 
 
 2. Hunting. 
 
 LEPOREM. Starting a hare for others. 
 
 Of arousing passion for others to get the benefit. 131.7: vides, 
 
 quod aliis leporem excitavi. 
 PERSEQUi. Dog chasing a hare. 
 
 Of the noise of witches. 63.4: subito strigae stridere coeperunt; 
 
 putares canem leporem persequi. 
 PLAGAS. Falling into snares for catching animals. 
 
 Of getting into trouble. 107.2: nisi forte putatis iuvenes casu 
 
 in has plagas incidisse. 
 
 3. Games and Gaming. 
 
 ALEA. Fall of the dice. 
 
 Of trusting to luck. 122.1 74 : iudice Fortuna alea cadat. 
 COLLUDUNT. Playing together, keeping up the game. 
 
 Of having a secret understanding for w^ronging others. 44.3 : 
 
 aediles male eveniat qui cum pistoribus colludunt "serva me, 
 
 servabo te". 
 CALCULUS. Draughtsman on the chess-board doing a moving business. 
 
 Of the changes that affect friendship. 80.9: calculus in tabula 
 
 mobile ducit opus. 
 
40 Metaphors and Word-plags in Petronius 
 
 LUDENTEM. Playing. 
 
 Of lustful pleasure. 11.2: invenit me cum fratre ludentem. 
 MICARE. Playing a guessing game with the fingers in the dark. 
 
 Of putting confidence in a reliable man. 44.7: sed rectus, sed 
 
 certus, amicus amico, cum quo audacter posses in tenebris micare 
 
 (cf. Cic. Ofif. 3.19.77). 
 POMPAM. Parade at the games. 
 
 Of a showy succession of courses at dinner, continued in ludorum. 
 
 60.5 : avidius ad pompatn inanus porreximus, et repente nova 
 
 ludorum remissio hilaritatem hie refecit. 
 Saturnalia. Celebrating the Saturnalia, when no business was done. 
 
 Of the jaws celebrating a holiday when there was little to eat; 
 
 maxillae (jaws) refer to the aediles, the grinds of the people, 
 
 a word-play. 44.3 : nam isti maiores juaxillae semper Saturnalia 
 
 agunt. 
 
 4. The Stage. 
 
 LUDITUR. Play on the stage. 
 
 Of the doings of lovers. 95.1 : dum haec fabula inter amantes 
 luditur, deversitor cum parte cenulae intervenit. 
 
 ORCHESTRA. Passing from the orchestra, the seats of the high, to 
 select one among the knights. 
 Of one's choice in lustful desire. 126.7: usque ah orchestra 
 quattuordecim transilit et in extrema plebe quaerit quod diligat. 
 
 PANTOMIMI. Chorus of a pantomine. 
 
 Of the songs and courses in a dining-room. 31.7: pantomimi 
 chorum, non patris familiae triclinium crederes. 
 
 PLAUSUM. Applause of the theatre. 
 
 Of self-approval. 90.1 : at ille, qui plausum ingenii sui noverat, 
 operuit caput extraque templum profugit. 
 
 SCAENAM. Scene on the stage. 
 
 Of an incident in a dinner. 33.5: convertit ad hanc scaenam 
 Trimalchio vultum. 80.9 : grex agit in scaena mimum : pater 
 ille vocatur, filius hie, nomen divitis ille tenet, mox ubi riden- 
 das inclusit pagina partes, vera redit fades, dum simulata perit 
 (a series of stage terms in a description of life). 
 
Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 41 
 
 TRAGOEDIAM. Completing the tragedy. 
 
 Of the mimic cutting off of memhrum virile. 108.11: auda- 
 cius tamen ille tragoediam implebat, quia sciebat se illam habere 
 novaculam, qua iam sibi cervicem praeciderat. 140.6: et si 
 non servasset integrant simulationem, periclitabatur totam paene 
 tragoediam evert ere (breaking up the whole tragedy; of disturb- 
 ing sexual intercourse). 
 
 5. Gladiators. 
 
 DEBATTUERE. Sparring in the contests. 
 
 Of a slave paying attention to his mistress, "beating around". 
 69.3 : sic me salvum habeatis, ut ego sic solebam ipsumam meam 
 debattuere, ut etiam dominus suspicaretur. 
 
 PRAECiNCTi. Girded up for gladiatorial contest. 
 
 Of getting ready for sexual intercourse, continued in paria, de- 
 pugnandum, and consisterem. 19.5: et praecincti certe altius 
 eramus. i?nmo ego sic iam composueram, ut si depugnandum 
 foret, ipse cum Quartilla consisterem. 
 
 SCUTUM. By shield and by legging. 
 
 By every possible way. 61.9: itaque per scutum per ocream egi 
 aginavi, quemadmodum ad illam pervenirem. 
 
 F. THE SENSES. 
 
 1 . Sight. 
 
 EXCAECO. Making blind. 
 
 Of making beauty uncomely. 128.3 : numquid ab aliquo naturali 
 vitio formam meam excaeco? 141.5: excaecabat pecuniae ingens 
 fama oculos animosque miserorum (making blind the minds as 
 well as the eyes). 
 
42 Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 
 
 ocuLis. Carrying in the eyes. 
 
 Of being a favorite, "the apple of the eye". 75.4: non est dignus 
 quern in oculis feram? 
 
 RESPiciAS. Looking behind one. 
 
 Of seeing one's faults, allusion to the fable of the two sacks. 
 57.7: tu autem tarn laboriosus es, ut post te non respicias (cf. 
 Ter. Heaut. 60; Hon Sat. 2.3.299). 
 
 2. Hearing. 
 
 STERTEIA. Snorer. 
 
 Of a crying woman, "snorter". 75.9: tu autem, sterteia, etiam- 
 num plorasf 
 
 STREPITU. Rattling noise. 
 
 Of opinions of no value. 1.2: et sententiarum vanissimo strepitu 
 hoc tantum proficiunt. 119.40: emptique Quirites ad praedam 
 strepitumque lucri suffragia vertunt (clink of money, of bribery 
 among voters). 
 
 soNis. Light and empty sounds. 
 
 Of poor oratory. 2.2 : levibus enim atque inanibus sonis ludi- 
 bria quaedam excitando effecistis, ut corpus orationis enervaretur 
 et caderet. 5.16: et modo Grata exonerata sono mutet suffusa 
 sapor em (a musical term used of style). 
 
 3. Touch. 
 
 ATTIGERIT. Touching. 
 
 Of undertaking the task of writing history. 118.6: ecce belli 
 civilis ingens opus quisquis attigerit, nisi plenus litteris, sub onere 
 labetur. 
 
 COMPREHENDENDAE. Laying hold of. 
 
 Of selecting material for history in verse. 118.6: non enim res 
 gestae versibus comprehendendae sunt, quod longe melius his- 
 torici faciunt. 
 
Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 43 
 
 PERFRiCATA. Rubbing the forehead to remove blushes. 
 
 Of putting on a bold front. 132.13: mox perfricata diutius 
 fronte "quid autem ego" inquam "mali feci, si dolorem meum 
 naturali convicio exoneravi" (cf. Cic. Tusc. 3.18.41; Quint. 11. 
 3.160; Mart. 11.27.7). 
 
 TETiGi. Touching one's self up. 
 
 Of eating honey. 66.3 : itaque de scriblita quidem non minimum 
 edi, de melle me usque tetigi. 76.8 : quicquid tangebam, cresce- 
 bat tanquam favus (touching, of turning one's attention to). 
 
 4. Smell. 
 
 OLFECERiT. Smelling. 
 
 Of detecting a poet. 93.3 : nam si aliquis ex is, qui in eodem 
 synoecio potant, nomen poetae olfecerit, totam concitabit viciniam. 
 
 OLENT. Smelling around. 
 
 Of looking out for, "nosing around". 105.3 : ad summam, adhuc 
 patrimonii met reliquias olent. 
 
 PUTiDissiML Offense to smell. 
 
 Of offense in general, "stinking". 34.5: obiter et putidissimi 
 servi minorem nobis aestum frequentia sua facient. 73.2 : ac ne 
 sic quidem putidissimam eius iactationem licuit effugere (dis- 
 gusting boasting). 
 
 suBOLFACio. Smelling. 
 
 Of having a suspicion (harmonizes with epulum). 45.10: sed 
 subolfacio, quod nobis epulu?n daturus est Mammea, binos dena- 
 rios mihi et meis. 
 
 5. Taste. 
 
 ACIDO. Sharp to the taste. 
 
 Of an unpleasant song. 31.6: paratissimus puer non minus me 
 acido cantico excepit. 56.6: ideo autem pungunt, quia ubicun- 
 que dulce est, ibi et acidum invenies (of bees w^hich produce 
 honey as well as sting). 68.5: nullus sonus unquam acidior per- 
 cussit aures meas (of reciting Vergil badly). 
 
44 Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 
 
 DULCE. (s. V. acido). 
 
 CUSTARE. Getting a taste. 
 
 Of acquiring law enough for home use. 46.7 : quia volo ilium 
 ad domusionetn aliquid de iure gustare. 71.1: tamen me salvo 
 cito aquam liberam gustabunt (tasting free water; of slaves se- 
 curing freedom (cf. Ov. Am. 1.6.26). 
 
 GUSTUM. A taste. 
 
 Of getting a little sleep. 22.2 : iam ego etiam tot malis fatigatus 
 minimum veluti gustum hauseram somni. 76.5 : non ?nehercules 
 mi haec iactura gusti fuit (the whet at Roman meals; of a great 
 loss of property being an inspiration to securing greater gain). 
 
 PROMULSIDE. Relish at the beginning of meals. 
 
 Of a beginning in sexual intercourse. 24.7 : haec belle eras in 
 
 promulside libidinis nostrae militabit. 
 SAPORis. Taste. 
 
 Of elegance of style. 3.1 : quoniam sermones habes non publici 
 saporis (cf. 5.16, Hearing, s. v. sonis). 
 SALIVAM. Making saliva in the mouth. 
 
 Of the effect of pleasing food, "making the mouth water". 48.2 : 
 deorem beneficio non emo, sed nunc quiquid ad salivam facit, in 
 suburbano nascitur. 
 
 sucossi. Juicy and appealing to the taste. 
 
 Of being very rich. 38.6: reliquos autem collibertos eius cave 
 contemnas. valde sucossi sunt. 
 
II. NATURE 
 
 1. Animal Kingdom. 
 
 ABIGERET. Driving away of an animal. 
 
 Of removing hunger. 46.8 : si non didicisset, hodie farnem a 
 labris non abigeret. 
 
 AERUMNOSI. Wretched, having a hard time. 
 
 Of those born under the sign of the Capricorn. 39.12: in capri- 
 corno aerumnosi, quibus prae mala sua cornua nascuntur (under 
 the Capricorn, with his hard horns, are born those who have a hard 
 time, whose hardiness (horns) develops in proportion to their 
 ills). 
 
 ARiETiLLi. Like a ram. 
 
 Of men being born under the sign of the ram, and showing the 
 qualities of a ram, "rambunctious". 39.5 : plurimi hoc signo 
 scholastici nascuntur et arieiilli (probably the point in referring 
 to the rhetoricians is that they use the qualities of a ram in 
 managing their schools). 
 
 ASINUM. Striking the saddle instead of the ass. 
 
 Of taking revenge on the wrong person when the one aimed at 
 cannot be reached for any reason, a proverb. 45.8 : sed qui asin- 
 um non potest, stratum caedit. 63.2 : na??i et ipse vobis rem hor- 
 ribilem narrabo; asinus in tegulis (an ass on a house-top, of 
 something unusual). 
 
 ATROCx. Attribute of a wild beast with stilo. 
 
 Of a rigid practice in composition. 4.3 : ut verba atroci stilo 
 effoderent. 
 
 BiGAE ET BOVES. Pairs of horses and yokes of oxen. 
 
 Of men born under the sign of the twins, true yoke-fellows. 
 39.7 : in geminis autem nascuntur bigae et boves. 
 
46 Metaphors and Word-vlags in Petronius 
 
 BALATUM. Bleating of a sheep. 
 
 Of a cry due to punishment, continuing figure in vervex (57.1). 
 
 57.2: ita tutelam huius loci habeam propitiam, ut ego si secundum 
 
 ilium discumberem, iam illi balatum duxissem. 
 BOVEM. Tossing an angry bull. 
 
 Of great strength in a man, proverb. 63.5 : poterat bovem 
 
 iratum tollere. 
 BUBULCi. Ploughmen who work oxen. 
 
 Of men born under the sign of the bull, bull-headed. 39.6 
 
 (s. V. calcitrosi). 
 CADAVERA. Ravens and carcasses tearing and being torn. 
 
 Of cheaters and the cheated. 116,9: adibitis oppidutn tanquam 
 
 in pestilentia compos, in quibus nihil aliud est nisi cadavera, 
 
 quae lacerantur, aut corvi, qui lacerant. 
 CALCEM. Leaving the impression of the heel. 
 
 Of completing Greek literature. 46.5 : ceterum iam Graeculis 
 
 c ale em impingit. 
 CALCITROSI. Kicking done by oxen when goaded. 
 
 Of stubborn men born under the sign of the bull, "kickers". 
 
 39.6: deinde totus caelus taurulus fit. itaque tunc calcitrosi 
 
 nascuntur et bubulci et qui se ipsi pascunt. 
 
 CANis. Dog. 
 
 Of a man in abuse. 74.9: ultimo etiam adiecit: "canis". 
 
 CAPO. Rooster. 
 
 Of a mannish young fellow, continued in cocococo. 59.2: et 
 tu cum esses capo, cocococo, atque cor non habebas. 
 
 CAPUT, A hard head. 
 
 Of obstinate men born under the sign of the ram. 39.5 : itaque 
 quisquis nascitur illo signo, multa pecora habet, multum lanae, 
 caput praeterea durum, frontem expudoratam, cornum acutum. 
 
 CAPERENTUR, Fish biting and being caught. 
 
 Of men being enticed and deceived. 140.15: sicut muta ani- 
 malia cibo inescantur, sic ho?nines non caperentur nisi spei ali- 
 quid morderent. 
 
Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 47 
 
 CARPIMUS. Browsing of cattle. 
 
 Of continuing a journey, browsing along. 116,1: hoc peracto 
 libenter officio destinaturn carpimus iter. 
 
 CATAPHAGAE. Gluttons. 
 
 Of men born under the lion which eats ravenously, a word 
 play. 39.9: in leone cataphagae nascuntur. 
 
 CORNUM. Sharp horn. 
 
 Courageous, of men born under the ram. 39.5 : et modo fit 
 aries. itaque quisquis nascitur illo signo . . . habet 
 . cornum acutum. 39.12: in capricorno aerumnosi, quibus 
 prae mala sua cornua nascuntur (horns; of hardiness in endur- 
 ance, s. V. aerumnosi). 
 
 CORNEOLUS. Hardness of a horn. 
 
 Of an old man's endurance, hardy. 43.7 : sed corneolus fuit, 
 aetatem bene ferebat. 
 
 CORVi. Ravens. 
 
 Of men who get all they can by deception. 116.9 (s. v. 
 caperentur) . 
 
 DENTES. Teeth of an animal. 
 
 Of the effects of a bath. 42.2: aqua denies habet. 58.6: recte, 
 venies sub dent em (coming under the teeth of an animal, of 
 getting at one for punishment). 
 
 DOMEFACTA. Taming of an animal. 
 
 Of getting land under cultivation. 99.3 : ast ubi aratro dome- 
 facta tellus nitet. 
 
 DEVOLAT. Flying. 
 
 Of great haste. 105.8: raptimque ad puerum devolat. 
 
 ERRAT. Roaming of an animal. 
 
 Of disease passing through the body. 119.55: tabes . . . 
 intra membra furens curis latrantibus errat. 
 
 FRONTEM. Shameless brow, characteristic of the ram. 
 
 Of shameless men born under that sign. 39.5 : itaque quisquis 
 nascitur illo signo . . . habet . . . frontem expudo- 
 ratam. 
 
48 Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 
 
 GALLOS. Barnyard cocks. 
 
 Of worthless gladiators. 45.11: putares eos gallos gallinaceos. 
 
 HAMIS. Hooks for fishing. 
 
 Of enticements for catching men. 140.15: unde plani autem, 
 unde levatores viverentj nisi aut locellos aut sonantes aere sacellos 
 pro hamis in turbam mitterentf 
 
 iMPERiosi. Characteristic of the lion, the king of beasts. 
 
 Of domineering men born under the lion, a word play. 39.9: 
 in leone . . . nascuntur et imperiosi. 
 
 lUMENTUM. Beast of burden. 
 
 Of a man complaining of his heavy load. 117.12: quid vos 
 iumentum me putatisf 
 
 LACERARA. Tearing to pieces by a wild beast. 
 
 Of singing a song poorly, "murdering". 73.3 : coepit Menecratis 
 cantica lacerare, sicut illi dicebant, qui Unguam eius intellege- 
 hant. 100.4: ceterum eadem indignatione mulier lacerata ulte- 
 rius excanduit (of the feelings being disturbed). 
 
 LATRANTiBUS. Barking of a dog. 
 
 Of annoying cares that make one bark. 119.55: tabes . . . 
 intra membra furens curis latrantibus errat. 
 
 LEONES. Lions. 
 
 Of leaders bold in securing the rights of the people. 44.4: o si 
 haberemus illos leones, quos ego hie inveni, cum primum ex Asia 
 veni. 44.14: nunc populus est domi leones, vulpes foras (of men 
 bold when at home and out of danger, sarcasm). 
 
 MARCENT. Becoming weak, of an animal. 
 
 Of the destruction of the walls of Rome. 55.6: luxuriae rictu 
 Martis marcent moenia. 
 
 MORDET. Biting of an animal. 
 
 Of the bad effect of the high price of grain upon the people. 44. 
 1: cum interim nemo curat quid annona mordet. 140.15: mor- 
 derent (s. v. caperentur) . 
 
Metaphors and Word-plags in Petronius 49 
 
 MUGIENTEM. Bellowing of an animal. 
 
 Of a man reading poetry. 115.5: iubeoque Gitona accedere et 
 in terram trahere poetam mugientem. 
 
 MiLViNUM. Kite-like. 
 
 Of a rapacious woman. 42.7 : sed mulier quae mulier milvinum 
 genus (cf. Plaut. Ps. 3.2.63). 75.6: suadeo, bonum tuum con- 
 coquas, milva (kite, of a woman in abuse). 
 
 MURAENA ET LiTTERA. Muraena, a fish, and a letter. 
 
 Names on which puns are made in giving out the presents. 56.9 : 
 muraena et littera: murem cum rana alligata fascemque betae 
 accepit (he receives a mouse with a frog tied on and a bundle of 
 beta's, the Greek letter, or beets, the vegetable ; the first is a pun 
 on sound, the second on sound and sense). 
 
 MUS. Mouse. 
 
 Of a man in abuse. 58.4: recte, videbo te in publicum, mus. 
 immo terrae tuber. 
 
 MUSCARIUM. A flytrap. 
 
 Used to make a pun. 56.9: (v. s. passeres). 
 
 OBSONATORES. Caterers, buyers of meats, fish, and the like. 
 
 Of those born under the sign of the fish. 39.12: in piscibus 
 obsonatores et rhetores (rhetoricians who cater to the ears of 
 their pupils). 
 
 PASSERES ET MUSCARIUM. Sparrows and a flytrap. 
 
 Used to make puns in giving out presents. 56.9: passeres et mus- 
 carium: uvam passam et mel Atticum accepit (dried grapes that 
 sparrows do not spare and Attic honey, the best of all flytraps ; the 
 first is a pun on sound, the second on sense). 
 
 PEDUCLUM. Louse and tick. 
 
 Of small and great faults, a crude form of the mote and beam 
 proverb. 57.7: in alio peduclum vides, in te ricinum non vides 
 
 PEDIBUS. Standing on many feet. 
 
 Having many interests, of a man born under the sign of the 
 crab. 39.8: in cancro natus sum. ideo multis pedibus sto, et 
 in mari et in terra multa possideo. 
 
50 Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 
 
 PERCUssoRES. Assassins. 
 
 Of those born under the scorpion. 39.11: (s. v. venenarii). 
 
 PICA. Magpie on a couch. 
 
 Of a woman with a bad tongue. 37.7: est tamen malae linguae, 
 pica pulvinaris. 
 
 PILAVIT. Plucking feathers from a barnyard owl, a bird of ill omen. 
 Of a man who has had hard luck. 43.4: et inter initia malam 
 parram pilavit. 44.8 : in curia autem quomodo singulos pilabat, 
 nee schemas loquebatur sed derectum (plucking the hair out, of 
 surpassing one's opponents in the senate house, "making the 
 fur fly"). 
 
 PISCES. Fish ought to have something to swim in. 
 
 Of drinking wine after a fish course at dinner, a word-play, 
 probably a proverb. 39.2 : hoc vinum vos oportet suave faciatis. 
 pisces natare oportet. 
 
 RANA. Frog and king. 
 
 Of a man who has been poor and insignificant, but is now rich 
 
 and powerful. 77.6 : sic amicus vester, qui fuit rana, nunc est rex. 
 RESILIERIT. Springing back from. 
 
 Of lack of application to study. 46.7 : nam litteris satis inquinatus 
 
 est. quod si resilierit, destinavi ilium artificii docere. 
 RHETORES. Rhetoricians. 
 
 A word-play. 39.12 (s. v. obsonatores) . 
 RICINUM. A tick. 
 
 Of a great fault in one's self. 57.7 (s. v. peduclum). 
 RiCTU. Jaws of an animal. 
 
 Of the power of luxury in weakening Rome. 55.6 (s. v. 
 
 ?narcent) . 
 RINGENTEM. Snarling of a dog. 
 
 Of anger in a man. 75.6: suadeo, bonutn tuum concoquas, milva, 
 
 et me non facias ringentem. 
 ROSTRUM. Beak of a bird. 
 
 Of the mouth and chin of a man. 75.10: et ut celerius rostrum 
 
 barbatum haberem, labra de lucerna ungebam. 
 
Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 51 
 
 STABULUM. Stall for an animal. 
 
 Of lodging for a man. 6.2: nee quod stabulum esset sciebam 
 (cf. 8.2). 
 
 STELio. Stellion, amphibian animal. 
 
 Of the crafty and shrewd Hannibal. 50.5 : Hannibal, homo 
 vafer et magnus stelio. 
 
 TAURUM. Bull and calf. 
 
 Of extremes in sexual intercourse, a proverb. 25.6: ut dicatur 
 posse taurum tollere, qui vitulum sustulerit. 
 
 TAURULUS. Little bull. 
 
 Of the heavens under the sign of the bull. 39.6; deinde totus 
 caelus taurulus fit. 
 
 TUBER. A swelling on an animal. 
 
 A mound of earth, a mole-hill, of a man in abuse. 58.4 (s. v. 
 mus) . 
 
 UNGUES. Cutting the claws from a flying kite. 
 
 Of being willing to do any thing to carry one's point. 45.9: 
 ille milvo volanti poterat ungues resecare. 
 
 UTRES. Inflated bags of skin. 
 
 Of vain and braggart persons. 42.4: heu, eheu. utres inflati 
 ambulamus. 
 
 VENENARii. Poisoners and assassins. 
 
 Of those born under the sign of the scorpion which is poisonous. 
 39.11: in scorpione venenarii et percussores nascuntur. 
 
 VERVEX. Wether. 
 
 Of a man in abuse, "muttonhead". 57.1 iquid rides, vervexf 
 
 viPERAM. Nourishing a viper under the armpit. 
 
 Of having a troublesome wife. 77.2: tu viperam sub ala nutri- 
 cas. 
 
 VITULUM. A calf. 
 
 Of beginning in the practice of sexual intercourse. 25.6 (s. v. 
 taurum). 
 
52 Metaphors and Word-plaps in Petronius 
 
 VOLITANT. Flit before the eyes. 
 
 Of passing through the mind in imagination. 123.216: arma 
 cruor, caedes, incendia totaque bella ante oculos volitant. 
 
 VOLPIS. A wet fox. 
 
 Of a man in derision. 58.11 : iam scies hoc ferruin fidem hahere 
 vah, bella res est vol pis uda. 
 
 VOLUCER . . . PENNis . . . voLAT. Flying of a bird. 
 
 Of the rapid movements of rumor. 123.210 and 211: dum 
 Caesar tumidas iratus deprimit arces, interea volucer motis con- 
 territa pinnis Fama volat suT?imique petit iuga celsa Palati. 
 
 VULPES. Foxes. 
 
 Of people who are sly and shy in public with regard to their 
 interests. 44.14 (s. v. leones). 
 
 2. Soil and Vegetable Kingdom. 
 
 ARATA. Plowing land. 
 
 Of searching the sea. 93.2: ultimis ah oris attractus scarus 
 atque arata Syrtis si quid naufragio dedit, probatur. 
 
 CAEPA. Curly onion. 
 
 Of a slave in derision. 58.2: tu autem, etiam tu rides, caepa 
 cirrata (cf. Pers. 1.29; Mart. 9.29.7). 
 
 CARICAE. Dried figs, a delicacy. 
 
 Of past accomplishments of a guest. 64.3 : et solebas suavius 
 esse, canturire belle diverbia, adicere melicam. heu heu, abis- 
 tis dulcis caricae. 
 
 CAUNIARUM. Worth three figs. 
 
 Of a worthless aedile who did not consider the people. 44.13: 
 sed quare nos habe?nus aedilem trium cauniarum, qui sibi ma- 
 vult assem quam vitam nostram? 
 
 CUCURBITAE. Gourds, which require much water in growth. 
 
 Of gourd-headed people born under aquarius, "simlin-heads" 
 (colloquial). 39.12: in aquario copones (inn-keepers, who water 
 the wine) et cucurbitae nascuntur. 
 
Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 53 
 
 EFFODERENT. Digging OUt. 
 
 Of selecting words in literature. 4.3 : ut verba atroci stilo 
 effoderent. 
 
 FRUGES. Fruits. 
 
 Of the results produced by shedding blood. 120.99: et horrida 
 tellus extulit in lucern nutritas sanguine fruges. 
 
 FLORis. Flower. 
 
 Of youth, mixed metaphor with extincti. 140.1 : turn anus et 
 floris extincti, fHium filiamque ingerebat orbis senibus. 
 
 IRRIGARENTUR. Irrigating. 
 
 Of strengthening the mind by reading. 4.3 : ut studiosi iuvenes 
 lectione severa irrigarentur. 
 
 LUTO. Grain as dirt. 
 
 Of the cheapness of grain, cheap as dirt. 44.10: itaque illo tem- 
 pore annona pro luto erat. 51.6: quia enim, si scitum esset, 
 aurum pro luto haberemus (of the value of gold). 67.10: muli- 
 eres si non essent, omnia pro luto haberemus (of the cheapness of 
 every thing, if it were not for the extravagance of women). 
 
 PERFODIT. Digging through. 
 
 Of picking the teeth. 33.1 : ut deinde pinna argentea denies per- 
 fodit. 
 
 POMUM. Fine sample of fruit. 
 
 Of a person in derision, "peach". 57.3 : bellum pomum, qui 
 rid eat ur alios (cf. Plaut. Ps. 1. 3. 143). 
 
 PORRi ET PERSICA. Slashed leeks and sliced peaches. 
 
 He receives a lash and a carving knife, pun on the sense. 56.9 : 
 porri et persica: flagellum et cultrum accepit. 
 
 RUTAE. Hurling one upon the leaf of a rue. 
 
 Of making one come to grief because of being excelled in prop- 
 erty. 37.10: ad summam, quemvis ex istis babaecalis in rutae 
 foliuTU coniciet. 58.5 : nee sursum nee deorsu?n non cresco, nisi 
 dominum tuum in rutae folium non conieci (of inflicting punish- 
 ment). 
 
54 Metaphors and Word-plai)s in Petronius 
 
 ROSA. The rose fears the cinnamon. 
 
 Of the wife fearing the mistress. 93.2: arnica vincit uxorem. 
 rosa cinnamum veretur. 
 
 SOLUM. Turning the soil. 
 
 Of promoting lustful desire. 81.5: qui postquam conturbavit et 
 libidinis suae solum vertit, reliquit veteris amicitiae nomen. 
 
 STIPS. Stock of a tree. 
 
 Of a man, blockhead. 43.5 : et ille stips, dum fratri suo irasci- 
 tur, nescio cui terrae filio patrimonium elegavit. 
 
 VASCULO. Seed-pod of plants. 
 
 Of membrum virile. 24.7 : ?nox manutn etiam demisit in sinum 
 et pertrectato vasculo tarn rudi, inquit. 
 
 viNUM. Wine. 
 
 Identified with life. 34.7 : quare tangomenas faciamus. vita 
 vinuni est. verum Opimianum praesto. 
 
 viRiDARio. Pleasure garden. 
 
 Of the sporting days of youth. 9.10: qui ne turn quidem, cum 
 fortiter faceres, cum pura muliere pugnasti, cuius eadem ratione 
 in viridario f rater fui. 
 
 3. Heat and Cold. 
 
 AESTUANTis. Burning of fire. 
 
 Of lustful love, in a series of such figures. 126.5: nam quod 
 servum te et humilem fateris, accendis desiderium aestuantis. 
 
 ACCENSis. Set on fire. 
 
 Of minds aroused. 124.283: sumite nunc gentes accensis men- 
 tibus arma. 126,5: accendis (of arousing passionate desire, v. s. 
 aestuantis). 126.6: harena alias accendit (arousing the fire of 
 passion ) . 
 
 ADUREBAT. Burning the earth. 
 
 Of a man's manner of walking, burned the earth brown. 44.7 : 
 is quacunque ibat, terram adurebat. 
 
p 
 
 Metaphors and Word-piaips in Petronius 55 
 
 CALENTES. Growing warm. 
 
 Of aroused passions. 79.8: haesimus calentes. 126.5: quaedam 
 enim feminae sordibus calent, nee libidinem concitant, nisi aut 
 servos viderint aut statores altius cinctos (of the passions again). 
 132.15: quis vetat in tepido membra calere toro (members 
 growing warm in lust) ? 
 
 CALOREM. Covering up fire. 
 
 Of suppressing the power of the mind with wine. 5.7: nee 
 perditis addietus obruat vino mentis ealorem. 126.18: tempta 
 modo tangere eorpus, iam tua flammifero membra ealore fluent 
 (of aroused passions). 
 
 COMBURAM. Burning alive. 
 
 Of very severe punishment. 78.2: alioquin te vivum eomburam. 
 
 EXCANDUIT. Glowing with fire. 
 
 Of excessive anger, "got hot". 53.8 : exeanduit Trimalchio 
 57.1 : unus ex eonlibertis Trimalehionis exeanduit (in the same 
 sense). 100.4: ceterum eadem indignatione mulier laeerata 
 ulterius exeanduit (burning with anger and also with passionate 
 love, a word-play). 
 
 EXTINXIT. Putting out of fire, or light. 
 
 Of killing, "putting one's light out". 88.5 : Lysippum statuae 
 unius lineamentis inhaerentem inopia extinxit. 94 A: itaque extra 
 eellam processitj tanquam aquam peteret, iramque meam pru- 
 denti absentia extinxit (of causing anger to pass away by ab- 
 sence). 122.130: parte alia plenos extinxit Cynthia vultus et 
 lueem seeleri subduxit (of the moon hiding her face, continued 
 in lueem). 126.18: Parium marmor extinxerat (of the fairness 
 of a woman surpassing Parian marble in whiteness). \A0.\: tum 
 anus et floris extineti, filiam fiUumque ingerebat orbis sensibus (of 
 the bloom of youth being gone and passion with it, mixed figure). 
 139.4: nunquam finies hune ignem, nisi sanguine extinxeris (put- 
 ting out the fire of passionate love). 
 
 FAX. Torch of fire. 
 
 Of lustful love, membrum virile may be in mind, to which idea 
 surgit corresponds. 127.7: semper inter haee nomina magna fax 
 surgit. 
 
56 Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 
 
 FERVERE. Boiling up of water. 
 
 Of excessive anger. 57.3: non mehercules soleo cito fervere. 
 59.1 : sanguen illi fervet, tu melior esto (blood boiling, of great 
 anger). 
 
 FLAGRANTI. Fire and its efifects. 
 
 Of the results of war, continued in incendia. 124.263 and 264: 
 atque flagranti stipite dextra minax terris incendia portat. 
 
 FLAMMA. Fire consuming the marrow of the bones. 
 
 Of the elifect of anger on the inner nature. 120.106: nee enitn 
 minor ira rebellat pectore in hoc leviorque exurit flamma medul- 
 las. 134.12: taurorum flamma quiescit virgineis extincta sacris 
 (putting out fire, of the passing of such anger as bulls exhibit). 
 
 FRiGiDiOR. Coldness of a Gallic winter. 
 
 Of the lack of manly vigor. 19.3: ego autem frigidior hieme 
 Gallica f actus nullum potui verbum emittere. 132.8: namque 
 ilia metu frigidior rigente bruma confugerat in viscera mille 
 operta rugis (terms of winter, of the inactivity of membrum 
 virile ) . 
 
 FRIGUS. Coldness. 
 
 Of the lack of passion. 129.7: quod si idem frigus genua manus- 
 que temptaverit tuas, licet ad tubicines mittas. 
 
 IGNEM. Fire. 
 
 Of wrath directed toward an inactive membrum virile. 132.7: 
 conditusque lectulo totum ignem furoris in earn converti, quae 
 mihi omnium malorum causa fuerat. 139.4 (s. v. extinxit). 
 
 INCENDIA. (s. V. flagranti). 
 
 INTEPESCENTE. Becoming luke-warm. 
 
 Of the waning of anger, continued from extinxit (s. v.). 94.5: 
 paululum ergo intepescente saevitia, inquam. 
 
 LAMPADAS. Torches. 
 
 Of minds aroused, continuing figure in accensis (s. v.). 124.284: 
 sumite et in ?nedias i?nmittite lampadas urbes. 
 
 PRUiNosis. Frosty. 
 
 Of garments that give no warmth. 83.10: sola pruinosis horret 
 facundia pannis. 
 
Metaphors and Word-plaps in Petronius 57 
 
 RUBORE. Redness of a flame. 
 
 Of blushing, with incensissimam. 67.13: incensissimam rubore 
 faciem sudario abscondit, 
 
 4. Color, Light, and Shadow. 
 
 coLORis. Color. 
 
 Of diction in a poem. 2.8: ac ne carmen quidem colons sani 
 enituit. 63.10: ceterum baro ille longus post hoc factum nun- 
 quam coloris sui fuit (of never becoming one's self again). 
 
 ENITUIT. Shining of light. 
 
 Of a poem becoming famous. 2.8 (s. v. coloris). 
 
 INQUINATUS. Stained by dyeing. 
 
 Of becoming imbued with literature. 46.7: nam litteris satis 
 inquinatus est. 
 
 LUCEM. Light. 
 
 Of life. 94.8: intrat Eumolpus cum Gitone meque a fatali iam 
 meta revocat ad lucem. 
 
 MACULOSA. Stained or spotted. 
 
 Of bad stjde. 2.6 : oratio non est maculosa. 
 
 MYRTEA. Myrtle-colored. 
 
 Of a garment in which a catamite was clothed to harmonize 
 with his lustful nature (since the myrtle was sacred to Venus). 
 21.2: ultimo cinaedus supervenit myrtea subornatus gausapa 
 cinguloque succinctus. 
 
 NITET. Shining of light. 
 
 Of the abundance of vegetation. 99.3 : ast ubi aratro domefacta 
 tellus nitet, dum loqueris, levis pruina dilabitur. 118.5: praete- 
 rea curandum est, ne sententiae emineant extra corpus orationis 
 expressae, sed intexto vestibus colore niteant (shining of em- 
 broidery on garments, of brilliancy in style). 
 
 OBUMBRARE. Casting a shadow over. 
 
 Of disguising. 101.8: poteris hanc simulationem et vultus con- 
 fusione et lacrimis obumbrare (cf. Ov. Pont. 3.3.75). 
 
58 Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 
 
 TENEBRAS. Believing it darkness at midday. 
 
 Of believing anything told by the wife. 37.5: ad summam, 
 mero meridie si dixerit illi tenebras esse, credet. 
 
 UMBRA. Shadow. 
 
 Of the hair on the temples. 109.9: nunc umbra nudata sua iam 
 tempora maerent . 129 A: in umbra voluptatis diutius lusi (in the 
 shadow of, of being near to gratification in sexual intercourse). 
 
 UMBRATicus. In one's shadow. 
 
 Of being secluded in life. 2.4: nondum umbraticus doctor in- 
 genia deleverat, cum Pindarus novemque lyrici Homericis versi- 
 bus canere timuerunt. 
 
 5. Elements and Seasons. 
 
 CAELUM. Mounting up to heaven. 
 
 Of having great influence. 37.4: nunc nee quid nee quare, in 
 caelum abiit et Trimalchionis topanta est. 44.1 : narratis quod 
 nee ad caelum nee ad terram pertinet (not pertaining to heaven 
 nor earth, of telling something not to the point). 45.3: non 
 debemus delicati esse, ubique medius caelus est (heaven every- 
 where equally distant, of blessings being equally distributed). 
 
 FULMEN. Thunderbolt. 
 
 Of an outburst of anger. 75.1 : post hoc fulmen Habinnas ro- 
 gare coepit. 101.1 : intremui post hoc fulmen attonitus (thunder- 
 struck after this thunderbolt, of great surprise and fear). 
 
 FULMiNATUS. Struck by a thunderbolt. 
 
 Of great astonishment. 80.7 : fulminatus hac pronuntiatione, sic 
 ut eram, sine gladio in lectulum decidi. 
 
 HiEMPS. Winter. 
 
 Of age as the destroyer of the hair. 109.9: quod solum formae 
 decus est, cecidere capilli, vernantesque comas tristis abegit 
 hiemps. 
 
 ICTUS. Struck by a thunderbolt. 
 
 Of being astonished. 100.5: uterque nostrum tam inexpectato 
 ictus sono amiserat sanguinem. 
 
Metaphors and Word-pla^s in Petronius 59 
 
 IMBER. Rain-storm. 
 
 Of excessive tears. 17.3: ut ergo tarn ambitiosus detumuit imber, 
 retexit superbum pallio caput. 
 
 INTONUIT. Thundering. 
 
 Of the loud noise made by a horn-player, "thundered away." 78.6 : 
 unus praecipue servus Ubitinarii illius, qui inter hos honestissimus 
 erat, tarn valde intonuit, ut totam concitaret viciniam. 
 
 LUNA. Moon coming from behind the clouds. 
 
 Of the brightness of the face of a woman. 127.1 : delectata ilia 
 risit tarn blandum, ut videretur mihi plenum os extra nubem luna 
 proferre. 
 
 NIMBO. Wall contending with a rain-cloud. 
 
 Of much chalk mingled with much sweat on the face. 23.5 : 
 inter rugas malarum tantum erat cretae, ut putares detectum 
 parietem nimbo laborare. 
 
 NUBE. Sooty cloud. 
 
 Of a black face. 108.2: et liquefactu?n per totum os atramentum 
 omnia scilicet lineamenta fuliginea nube confudit. 
 
 PROCELLAM. Storm. 
 
 Of a commotion at dinner. 26.8 : itaque cum maesti delibera- 
 remus quonam genere praesentem evitaremus procellamj unus 
 servus Agamemnonis interpellavit. 
 
 siDERE. Pestilential star. 
 
 Of some bad influence on literature. 2.7: nuper ventosa istaec 
 et enormis loquacitas Athenas ex Asia commigravit animosque 
 iuvenum ad magna surgentes veluti pestilenti quodam sidere 
 instituit. 
 
 TROPICA. Turning back of the sun. 
 
 Of change in artistic taste. 88.2 : pecuniae cupiditas haec tropica 
 instituit. 
 
 TONITRU. Thunder. 
 
 Of the startling news of Caesar's approach. 123.212: Fama 
 volat summique petit iuga celsa Palati atque hoc Romano toni- 
 tru ferit omnia signa. 
 
60 Metaphors and Word-plaj^s in Petronius 
 
 VENTOSA. Full of wind. 
 
 Of bombastic style, continued in afflavit (puffed up the minds). 
 2.7 (s. V. sidere) . 137.10: nee me fallebat inanes scilicet ac 
 sine medulla ventosas nuces in summo umore consistere (of light 
 and empty nuts). 
 
 VERNANTES. Springlike. 
 
 Of abundant hair. 109.9 (s. v. hiemps). 
 
 6. Water and the Sea. 
 
 AESTU. Surging of the sea. 
 
 Of an abundance of words in a poem. 6.1 : et dum in hoc dic- 
 torum aestu in hortis incedo, ingens scholasticorum turba in 
 porticum venit. 
 
 AQUAM. Dashing water into the mouth. 
 
 Of doing the most trivial thing. 67.2: nisi argentum composu- 
 erit, nisi reliquias pueris diviserit, aquam in os suum non coniciet 
 (cf. 42.5 in a literal sense). 
 
 BIBERINT. Drinking. 
 
 Of scratches on the face absorbing ink. 106.1 : o te feminam 
 simplicem, tanquam vulnera ferro praeparata litteras biberint. 
 120.98: ex quo Sullanus bibit ensis (sword drinking blood). 
 
 CALDUM. Making hot water (passing urine) and drinking cold water. 
 Of its being hard to make the income meet the expense account, 
 owing to the extravagance of women. 67.10: mulieres si non 
 essent, omnia pro luto; nunc hoc est caldum meiere et frigidum 
 potare. 
 
 DEFUNDES. Flooding with water. 
 
 Of improving diction. 5.21 and 22: sic flumine largo plenus 
 Pierio defundes pectore verba. 
 
 DEMERSI. Submerged with water. 
 
 Of being overcome with wine and lust. 88.6: at nos vino scor- 
 tisque demersi ne paratas quidem artes audemus cognoscere. 
 
Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 61 
 
 DiFFUSi. Pouring out in different directions. 
 
 Of excessive laughter. 10.3: itaque ex tutpissima lite in risum 
 diffusi pacatius ad reliqua secessimus. 
 
 EFFUSA. Pouring forth of confined water. 
 
 Of breaking out into laughter. 18.7: complosis deinde manibus 
 in tantum repente risum effusa est, ut timeremus. 58.1 : post hoc 
 dictum Giton, qui ad pedes stabat, risum iam diu compressum 
 etiam indecenter effudit. 
 
 ENATAVI. Swimming out. 
 
 Of getting out of a difficult situation. 57.10: tamen — genio 
 illius gratias — enatavi (cf. Cic. Tusc. 5.31.87). 
 
 FONTEM. Drinking of the fountain of Homer. 
 
 Of imbibing his spirit. 5.12: Maeoniumque bibat felici pectore 
 fontem. 88.7 : quis unquam venit in templum et votum fecit, si 
 ad eloquentiam pervenisset? quis, si philosphiae fontem attigissetf 
 (fountain of philosophy). 
 
 FLUMINE. River of water. 
 
 Of an abundance of the Homeric spirit. 5.21 (s. v. defundes 
 and inundamur). 
 
 FLUCTUM. Wave of the sea. 
 
 Of disorder of the whole body. 47.6 : credite mihi, anathymiasis 
 
 in cerebrum it et in toto corpore fluctum facit. 
 FLUENT. Flowing of water. 
 
 Of excess in lust, mixed metaphor. 126.18 : tempta modo tangere 
 
 corpus, iam tua flammifero membra colore fluent. 
 
 GURGITE. Whirlpool. 
 
 Of great misfortune. 119.51 and 52: praeterea gemino depren- 
 
 sam gurgite plebem faenoris illuvies ususque exederat aeris. 
 HAURIRET. Fire swallowing or drinking. 
 
 Of destroying a person. 98.9: utinam me solum inimicus ignis 
 
 hauriret. 
 ILLUVIES. Overflow of water. 
 
 Of excessive interest, mixed metaphor with exederat. 119.52 
 
 (s. V. gurgite). 
 
62 Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 
 
 INGURGITATA. Flooded with wine. 
 
 Of being drunk. 79.6: anus enim ipsa inter diversitores diutius 
 ingurgitata ne ignem quidem admotum sensisset. 86.3 : totoque 
 corpore citra summam voluptatem me ingurgitavi (flooding with 
 water, of excessive indulgence in lust). 
 
 INUNDAMUR. Deluge of water. 
 
 Of excesive drinking of wine. 21.6: et gustatione mirifica initi- 
 ati vino etiam Falerno inundamur. 101.3: inundatus hac Eu- 
 molpus invidia iurat per deos deasque se neque scire quid acci- 
 derit (of being overcome in mind). 113.9: inundavere pectus 
 lacrimae dolor e paratae (of copious tears). 118.3: neque con- 
 cipere aut edere partum mens potest nisi ingenti flumine litte- 
 rarum inundate (of filling the mind with literature). 
 
 LA VAT. Hand washes hand. 
 
 Help brings help. 45.13: computa, et tibi plus do quam accept, 
 manus manum lavat. 
 
 LiQUESCiT. Turning to a fluid. 
 
 Of the loss of courage at the idea of taking a bath. 42.2: aqua 
 dentes habet, et cor nostrurri cotidie liquescit (cf. Cic. Tusc. 
 2.22.52). 
 
 LOTIUM. Not worth his urine. 
 
 Of no account. 57.3 : larifuga nescio quis, nocturnus, qui non 
 valet lotium suum. 
 
 NATAT. Floating on the sea. 
 
 Of the uncertainty of life. \\5.\0: en homo quemadmodum natat. 
 
 NAUFRAGIUM. Shipwreck. 
 
 Of the trials of life. 115.17: si bene calculum ponas, ubique 
 naufragium est. 
 
 PERFUNDiMus. Pouring water on the face. 
 
 Of shedding blood, 120.96 and 97: iam pridem nullo perfundi- 
 mus ora cruore, nee mea Tisiphone sitientis perluit artus. 
 
 PERLUIT. Bathing thirsty limbs. 
 
 Of fury getting vengeance. 120.97 (s. v. perfundimus) . 
 
Metaphors and Word-plaj)s in Petronius 63 
 
 PONTUM. The sea. 
 
 Of anger, as well as literal meaning, continued in gurgitibus and 
 fluctus. 108,14: ne vincite pontum gurgitibusque feris alios 
 imponite fluctus (do not overcome the sea and then stir up other 
 waves in the cruel troubled waters). 
 
 PRAELABITUR. Gliding of a river. 
 
 Of anger's not affecting the learned, mixed metaphor with 
 obsidet. 99.3: {ira) feras quidem mentes obsidet, eruditas prae- 
 labitur. 
 
 PROFLUEBANT. Flowing of a brook. 
 
 Of profuse perspiration, also in rtvi. 23.5: profluebant per 
 frontem sudantis acaciae rivi. 
 
 TRANSFUDIMUS. Transferring water from one vessel to another. 
 Of absolute surrender of lustful lives in sexual intercourse. 79.8 : 
 haesimus calentes et transfudimus hinc et hinc labellis errantes 
 animas. 
 
III. EXPRESSIONS OF MOTION 
 
 ABiciET. Throwing away. 
 
 Of giving up life, dying. 74.2 : non sine causa hie bucinus 
 signum dedit; nam aut incendium oportet fiat, aut aliquis in 
 vicinia animam abiciet. 
 
 AMBULANTEM. Walking badly. 
 
 Of the poor preservation (fidem) of garments. 12.1: quarum 
 fidem male ambulantem obscuritas temporis facillime tegeret. 
 
 ARCESSENDOS. Summoning messengers. 
 
 Of collecting one's thoughts. 115.20: Eumolpus autem dum 
 epigramma mortuo facit, oculos ad arcessendos sensus longius 
 mitt it. 
 
 CIRCUITU. Roundabout journey. 
 
 Of a long procedure by law. 13.4: negavi circuitu agendum, 
 
 sed plane iure civili dimicandum, 
 CLivo LABORARE. Toiling up a hill. 
 
 Of approaching the climax of a dinner. 47.8: nee adhuc scie- 
 
 bamus nos in medio lautitiarum, quod aiunt, clivo laborare (cf. 
 
 Ov. Heroid. 20.41 ; Sen. Ep. 31.4). 
 COLLIDENT. Causing to strike together. 
 
 Of causing persons to quarrel. 10.5: alioqui mille eausae quoti- 
 
 die nos collident. 
 COMMIGRAVIT, Moving with one's effects. 
 
 Of the introduction of a new kind of oratory. 2.7: nuper ventosa 
 
 istaee et enormis loquacitas Athenas ex Asia commigravit ani- 
 
 mosque iuvenum ad magna surgentes veluti pestilenti sidere 
 
 afflavit. 
 coNFUGERAT. Taking flight. 
 
 Of the inactivity of membrum virile. 132.8: namque ilia 
 
 metu frigidior rigente bruma confugerat in viscera mille operta 
 
 rugis. 
 
Metaphors and Word-pla^s in Petronius 65 
 
 coNiciAS. Throwing in a well. 
 
 Of the uselessness of helping a woman. 42.7; neminem nihil 
 boni facere oportet; aeque est enim ac si in puteum concias. 
 
 CONVELLERET. Pulling one's side. 
 
 Of calling for lustful connection. 130.8: tanta erat placandi 
 cura, ut timerem, ne latus meum frater convelleret. 
 
 CORROTUNDAVI. Rounding off. 
 
 Of getting together a large sum of money, "a round sum". 
 76.8 : uno cursu centies sestertium corrotundavi. 
 
 DISCUSSIT. Shaking out in different directions. 
 
 Of causing laughter to spread in a crowd. 15.1 : hinc Ascyltos 
 bene risum discussit. 73.5 : ergo ebrietate discussa (of getting rid 
 of drunkenness). 
 
 DissiLio. Leaping apart. 
 
 Bursting open with good luck, of great prosperity. 75.9: felici- 
 tate dissilio. 
 
 EXCUTERE. Shaking out the folds of a garment to discover theft. 
 
 Of examining the cause. 88.1 : coepi aetates tahularum et quae- 
 dam argumenta mihi obscura siinulque causam desidiae praesentis 
 excutere. 
 
 EXIRE. Going out of one's self. 
 
 Of getting beside one's self. 90.4: ut quotiescumque coeperis 
 a te exire, sanguinem tibi a capite mittam. 
 
 EXSURGIT. Dignified rising. 
 
 Of rising to a climax in style. 2.6 : grandis et ut ita dictam pudica 
 oratio non est maculosa nee turgida^ sed naturali pulchritudine 
 exsurgit. 
 
 EXTENDiT. Spreading one's self against. 
 
 Of opposing successfully, "spread himself". 46.8: modo, modo 
 collo suo circumferebat onera venalia, nunc etiam adversus Nor- 
 banum se extendit. 
 
66 Metaphors and Word-plags in Petronius 
 
 EXTORQUERE. Wrenching something away. 
 
 Of violating chastity. 9.4: tuus iste f rater seu comes paulo ante 
 in conductum accucurrit coepitque milii velle pudorem extorquere. 
 87.3 : irrepsi tamen et male repugnanti gaudium extorsi (of violat- 
 ing chastity). 35.6: atque ipse etiam taeterrima voce de Laser- 
 piciario mimo canticum extorsit (of reciting a poem badly). 
 
 FUGI. Fleeing to. 
 
 Of using words. 132.8: ad verba, magis quae poterant nocere, 
 fugi. 
 
 LABEREMUR. Falling. 
 
 Of a person going *o sleep. 21 7: cum laberemur in somnum. 
 
 22.1 : cum Ascyltos gravatus tot malis in somnum laberetur (same 
 
 phrase ) . 
 LEVATUM. Lifted by the chin. 
 
 Of prosperity in business, holding a high head. 29.5 : in defi- 
 
 ciente vero iam porticu levatum mento in tribunal excelsum Mer- 
 
 curius rapiebat. 
 MOLUIT. Grinding of a mill. 
 
 Of intercourse of two men. 23.5 : super inguina mea diu multum- 
 
 que frustra moluit (ground away). 
 PERCUSSIT. Piercing. 
 
 Of the effect of sound upon the ears. 68.5 : nullus sonus unquam 
 
 acidior percussit aures meas. 
 
 PRAiiCiPiTANDUS. Hurling a body. 
 
 Of the movement of the mind in writing history. 118.6 (s. v. 
 ambages. Travel). 
 
 REFUGIENDUM. Fleeing from. 
 
 Of avoiding bad diction. 118.4: refugiendum est ab omni ver- 
 borum, ut ita dicam, vilitate et sumendae voces a plebe semotae. 
 
 SEMOTAE. Far removed. 
 
 Of being different from. 118.4 (s. v. refugiendum). 
 
 SPISSARET. Making thick. 
 
 Of moving more rapidly in sexual intercourse. 140.9: clara 
 Eumolpus voce exhortabatur Coraca, ut spissaret officium. 
 
Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 67 
 
 SURGENTES. Climbing a height. 
 
 Of the mind rising to great things. 2.7 (s. v. commigravit) . 
 
 SUSTULIT. Lifting the chin. 
 
 Of becoming prosperous after misfortune. 43.4: et quod illius 
 mentum sustuUtj hereditatem accepit. 91.7: postquam se amari 
 sensit, super cilium altius sustulit (lifting the brow, of assuming 
 a haughty air). 
 
 TRANSISSE. Crossing over. 
 
 Of changing friendship to a tie of blood. 80.6 : ego qui vetustis- 
 simam consuetudinem putabam in sanguinis pignus transisse, 
 nihil metui. 
 
 TRUDITUR. Pushing or driving. 
 
 Of the progress of life, life is trudged along. 45.2: quod hodie 
 non est, eras erit: sic vita truditur (cf. Hor. C. 2.18.15). 
 
 UNDE. Whence, as a noun. 
 
 Of having money, similar to our "wherevi^ithal". 45.6: et 
 habet unde. 
 
 viBRABANT. Vibrating of bodies. 
 
 Of the interchange of stories, moving around. 47.1 : eius modi 
 fabulae vibrabant, cum Trimalchio intravit. 
 
 VOLABANT. Flying. 
 
 Of passing M^ine around. 137.13: volabant inter haec poti- 
 ones meracae. 
 
IV. PROPER NAMES 
 
 AsiADis. Something of the Asiatic in him. 
 
 Of a man's flowery style of speech. 44.9: puto eum nescio 
 quid Asiadis habuisse. 
 
 Achilles. Achilles, the man of strength. 
 
 Of a man in the strength of his lust. 129.1 : funerata est ilia 
 pars corporis, qua quondam Achilles eram. 
 
 Bromium, etc. a series of names of Bacchus, the free god. 
 
 Of a slave who acts with great freedom. 41.6ff: puer speci- 
 osus, vitibus hederisque redimitus, modo Bromium, interdum 
 Lyaeum Euhiumque confessus, calathisco uvas circumtulit. 41.7: 
 Dionyse, liber esto. 41.8: non negabitis me habere Liberum 
 patrem. 
 
 Cappadocem. Recognizing the Cappadocian in one. 
 
 Of his good qualities, since the Cappadocians were strong and 
 trusty slaves. 69.2 : adcognosco Cappadocem : nihil sibi defrau- 
 dit, et mehercules laudo ilium (cf. 63.5 in a literal sense). 
 
 Cassandra. Booted Cassandra, the discredited prophetess. 
 
 As a term of abuse for a wife. 74.14: ita genium meum propi- 
 tium habeam, curabo, domata sit Cassandra caligaria. 
 
 Chiam. Living the Chian life. 
 
 Of being gay, since the Chians were fast livers. 63.3 : nam a 
 puero vitam Chiam gessi. 
 
 CoRiNTHiA. A waiter of Corinthian bronze. 
 
 Of one made by a man named Corinthus, a series of word plays 
 on the man and the city. 50. Iff: poculu7nque in lance accepit 
 Corinthia. 50.2: solus sum qui vera Corinthea habeam. 50.4: 
 et forsitan quaeris, quare solus Corinthea vera possidea?n : quia 
 scilicet aerarius, a quo emo, Corinthus vocatur. quid est autem 
 Corintheum, nisi quis Corinthum habetf 
 
Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 69 
 
 Cyclops. Cyclops and archpirate. 
 
 Of Lichas, the owner of the ship. 101.5: hie est Cyclops ille 
 et archipirata, cut vecturam debemus. 101.7: fingite nos antrum 
 Cyclopis intrasse (of getting into the power of Lichas, the cap- 
 tain). 
 
 Daedalus. The clever builder of the labyrinth of Crete. 
 
 Of a clever and talented slave. 70.2 : et ideo ingenio meo impo- 
 situm est illi nomen bellissimurn; nam Daedalus vacatur. 
 
 Danaen. Taking Danae as a wife. 
 
 Of securing a rich wife by the power of money, allusion to 
 Jupiter and the golden shower. 137.9: uxorem ducat Danaen 
 ipsumque licebit Acrisium iubeat credere quod Danaen. 
 
 Deliacl Cut by the hand of a Delian, castrated. 
 
 Of men with no manly vigor, since the Delians were famous 
 for capons. 23.3 : hue hue cito convenite nunc . . . molles, 
 veteres, Deliaci manu re cist. 
 
 Demosthenis. The weapons of Demosthenes. 
 
 Of the practice in oratory. 5. line 12ff: Maeoniumque bibat 
 felici pectore fontem. mox et Socratico plenus grege mittat 
 habenas liber et ingentis quatiat Demosthenis arma. 
 
 Ganymedem. Ganymedes, the cupbearer of Jupiter. 
 
 Of Giton, who serves a meal well. 92.3 : laudo Ganymedem. 
 
 Hannibal. Hannibal sailing with them. 
 
 Of some great danger, allusion to alarm caused by Hannibal's 
 invasion of Italy, 101.4: aut quis Hannibal nobiscum navigatf 
 
 LABYRINTHO. Labyrinth of Crete. 
 
 Of a difficult situation. 73.1 : quid faciarnus homines miserrimi 
 et novi generis labyrintho inclusif 
 
 Maecenatianus. The name that Trimalchio would take as a 
 freedman, if his owner had been named Maecenas. 
 A reference to the famous Maecenas to show the importance of 
 Trimalchio. 71.12: C. Pompeius Trimalchio Maecenatianus 
 hie requiescit. 
 
 Maeonium. Homeric. 
 
 For epic poetry. 5.12 (s. v. Demosthenis). 
 
70 Metaphors and Word-plai)s in Petronius 
 
 Menias. a coined word, based on the story told by Menenius of 
 the belly and limbs, a fable. 
 
 Of foolish things in general. 58.7: non did'ici geometrias, cri- 
 
 tica et alogias jnenias, sed lapidarias litteras scio. 
 PENTHIACUM. Coined word, based on the story of the tearing to 
 pieces of Pentheus by his mother and sisters. 
 
 Of meat cut to pieces, a country dish. 47.10: gallum 
 
 enim gallinaceum, penthiacum et eiusmodi nenias rustici faciunt: 
 
 met coci etiani vitulos aeno coctos solent facere. 
 SiRENUM. Home of the Sirens. 
 
 Of Italy. 5.11: Sirenumve domus (ridet), det primos versibus 
 
 annos. 
 SocRATico. Of Socrates. 
 
 Of philosophy in general. 5.13 (s. v. Demosthenis). 
 Spartana. Spartan. 
 
 Of enduring the lash with boldness, referring to the hardiness 
 
 of the Spartans. 105.5: et ego quidem tres plagas Spartana 
 
 nobilitate concoxi. 
 
 Thebanum, The Theban pair, Eteocles and Polynices. 
 
 Of the contest of Encolpius and Ascyltos over Giton. 80.3 : 
 petehatque suppliciter, ne Thebanum par humilis taberna spec- 
 taret. 
 
 Ulixes. Ulysses. 
 
 Of Trimalchio and his shrewdness. 39.3 : ine putatis ilia cena 
 esse contentum., quam in theca repositorii videratisf "sic notus 
 Vlixes?". 98.5 : remota etiam culcita videt JJlixem, cui vel 
 esuriens Cyclops par cere potuisset (escape of Ulysses from the 
 cave of the Cyclops, of Giton being tied under a bed to escape 
 the detection of Eumolpus). 105.10: miretur nunc aliquis Ulixis 
 nutricem post vicesimum annum cicatricem invenisse originis in- 
 dicem, cum homo prudentissimus confusis omnibus corporis oris' 
 que lineamentis ad unicum fugitivi argumentum (membrum 
 virile) tarn docte pervenerit (Eumolpus being recognized by his 
 membrum virile is cited as another case of Ulysses being recog- 
 nized by his scar). 
 
V. MISCELLANEOUS AND UNCERTAIN 
 
 ADULTi. Grown up. 
 
 Of the sun in his zenith. 122.148: non salts adulti mansuescit 
 radiis. 
 
 ASCIAM. Sticking an axe in the leg. 
 
 Of the trouble brought on by marriage. 74.16: ipse mihi asciam 
 in cms impegi. 
 
 .\UDACIAM. Boldness. 
 
 Of one's self. 102.6: quod an fieri possit, interrogate audaciam 
 tuam. 
 
 BARBAM AUREAM. Having golden beard like the gods. 
 
 Of having great power. 58.6: aut ego non me novi, aut non 
 deridebis, licet barbam auream habeas^ 
 
 CAENO. Rome sunk in the mud. 
 
 Of her degredation. 119.58: hoc mersam caeno Romam. 
 
 CARNARiUM. Slaughter-house. 
 
 Of the arena in a gladiatorial contest. 45.6: ferrum optimum 
 daturus est, sine fuga, carnarium in medio. 
 
 CLAVO. Secure fastening of a door. 
 
 Of fixedness of purpose. 75.7: quod semel destinavi, clavo ta- 
 bulari fixum est. 
 
 CODEX. Block of wood. 
 
 Of a woman, "blockhead". 74.13: at inflat se tanquam rana, 
 et in sinum suum non spuit, codex, non mulier. 
 
 CONARi. Make any attempt. 
 
 Of sexual intercourse, "try a little". 19.4: tres enim erant 
 mulierculae, si quid vellent conari, infirmissimae. 
 
 CONSPUIT. Spitting. 
 
 Of giving kisses. 23.4: immundissimo me basio conspuit. 
 
72 Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 
 
 coNTERo. Wearing away. 
 
 Of much kissing. 91.4: et perfusum os lacrimis vultu meo 
 contero. 
 
 CONTUMACEM. Stubborn. 
 
 Of inactive memhrum virile. 132.9: erectus igitur in cubitum 
 hac fere oratione contumacem vexavi. 
 
 CORONATUM. Crowned with a cup. 
 
 Of wine drunk after a meat course at dinner. 66.2: habuimus 
 tamen in primo porcum poculo coronatum. 
 
 DETERSIT. Wiping clean. 
 
 Of clearing up the mind. 88.4: ter elleboro animum detersit. 
 DiscoRDiA. Discord. 
 
 Of a contentious man. 43.3 : durae buccae fuit, linguosus, dis- 
 
 cordia, non homo. 
 EXPERTAM. Having tried a man. 
 
 Of sexual intercourse. 127.1 : si non fastidis feminam ornatam 
 
 et hoc primu7n anno virum expertam, concilia tibi, o iuvenis, soro- 
 
 rem. 
 FULCIPEDIA. Propfoot, or a high shoe. 
 
 Of Fortunata who has to lean on Trimalchio, or it may mean 
 
 a high stepper and so haughty. 75.5 : sed Fortuna vetat. ita tibi 
 
 videtur, fulcipedta? 
 INVENIUNT. The doctors do not find themselves. 
 
 Do not know their business, "do not know where they are at". 
 
 47.2 : nee medici se inveniunt. 
 LACINIAM. Corner of a membrum virile charm. 
 
 Of a man whose membrum virile was so large that one would 
 
 have thought that the man himself was only a corner of the 
 
 charm. 92.9 : habebat enim inguinum pondus tarn grande ut 
 
 ipsum hominem laciniam fascini crederes. 
 LORUM. Thong in water. 
 
 Of a man whose membrum virile is inactive. 134.9: nunquam 
 
 tu hominem tarn infelicem vidisti: lorum in aqua, non inguina 
 
 habet. 
 
Metaphors and Word-pla^s in Petronius 73 
 
 LATRO. Robber. 
 
 Of one who injures strangers. 107.11 : nam qui ignotos laedit, 
 latro appellatur, qui amicos, paulo minus quam parricida. 
 
 Manios. a praenomen related to "mane", morning, early risers. 
 Of clever men, "sooners". 45.7 : iam Manios aliquot habet. 
 
 OFFiciosAM, Hand ready for service. 
 
 In an obscene sense. 105.9: sed continuo ad inguina mea lumi- 
 nibus deflexis movit officiosam manum. 
 
 OPERAM ET suDOREM. Losing pains and sweat. 
 
 Of failing to accomplish one's purpose in sexual intercourse. 
 134.2: tanquam caballus in clivo, et operam et sudorem perdi- 
 disti. 
 
 PARRICIDA. Murderer. 
 
 Of one who injures his friends. 107.11 (s. v. latro). 
 
 PRAECEPTOR. Teacher. 
 
 Of the senate. 88.9 : ipse senatus, recti bonique praeceptor, mille 
 pondo auri Capitolio promittere solet. 
 
 PURGAMENTUM. Filth. 
 
 Of a man, "scum of the earth". 74.9: male dicere Trimalchioni 
 coepit et purgamentum dedecusque praedicare. 
 
 QUADRANTEM. Ready to pick up a quarter of an as from a dung 
 heap with the teeth. 
 Of doing any thing to get money. 43.1 : ab asse crevit et paratus 
 fuit quadrantem de stercore mordicus tollere. 
 
 ROBUSTAM. Strong. 
 
 Of real gratification in lust. 127.10: in hoc gramine pariter 
 compositi mille osculis lusimus, quaerentes voluptatem robustam. 
 
 SCOPULUS. Crag of the pirates. 
 
 Of Pompey who broke up their business. 123.240: et piratarum 
 scopuluSj modo quem ter ovantem luppiter horruerat. 
 
 SPUIT. Spitting upon one's own bosom. 
 
 Of attending to one's own business. 74.13 (s. v. codex). 
 
74 Metaphors and Word-plaps in Petronius 
 
 SUDAVIT . . . EXPUIT. Sweating and spitting. 
 
 Of making great effort in speaking when one has nothing to 
 say. 44.9 : cum ageret porro in foro, sic illius vox crescebat 
 tanquam tuba, nee sudavit unquam nee expuit. 
 
 TULISSE. Putting up with one's self. 
 
 Of a person's age. 43.7 : et quot putas ilium annos secum 
 tulisse? 
 
 VERMES. Maggots growing in decayed flesh. 
 
 Of certain conditions bringing about quarrels. 57.3: non meher- 
 cules soleo eito fervere, sed in molle earne vermes nascuntur. 
 
 viTREA. Broken glass. 
 
 Of worthless opinions. 10.1 : an videlicet audirem sententias, 
 id est vitrea fracta et somniorum interpretamentaf 
 
VI. OBSERVATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS 
 
 Whatever may be the origin of figurative language, it seems to 
 be universally true that the speech of persons in the lower walks of 
 life is richest in the use of figures. Figures with the cultured are 
 an ornament of speech and are often used with a view to securing 
 greater beauty^ elegance, and force of style; with the unlettered, 
 however^ figures spring forth naturally and spontaneously, and are 
 often unusual and telling in effect. Such persons realize that they 
 are speaking in language other than literal, but there is no apparent 
 effort on their part. Some unlettered persons speak almost entirely 
 in figures. This habit may well arise from lack of wide vocabulary, 
 and accordingly few words have to express many thoughts. The 
 figurative language of the old-time Southern negro is a good example 
 of the foregoing principles. Many of the negroes rarely employ 
 literal speech. Their expressions are so striking and unusual 
 that frequently even persons who have lived with them from child- 
 hood do not understand their meaning; and to persons who do not know 
 the negroes, their manner of speech is ridiculous and almost a foreign 
 language. On a summer day, a friend of the writer walked into a 
 field where negroes were at work. One of them remarked, "Boss, 
 we's sholy got a new ingineer today". My friend did not know 
 the meaning of the remark, although he had been with the race from 
 childhood. On asking, he found that the negro was referring to the 
 excessive heat of the sun and to the fact that a new engineer keeps 
 his engine hotter and burns more coal than an experienced one. A 
 negro in a Virginia town, who had lost his arm in a railroad accident, 
 went to the authorities in Richmond to ask for the position of watch- 
 man. Being unable to understand his figurative language and mis- 
 placed words, they told the gentleman who had come to intercede 
 for the negro to take that fool away from there and they would give 
 him anything he wanted. He was appointed. The negro always 
 seems surprised that his language is not understood, and after explain- 
 ing his meaning by another figure, it may be, he will add with a 
 smile, "White folks don't know much no how". Sailors, too, 
 
76 Metaphors and Word-plains in Petronius 
 
 speak largely in figures that pertain to the sea. Railroad men use 
 railroad terms to express their thoughts on other subjects, as in 
 Burdette's "Brakeman at Church", in which denominational beliefs 
 are put into railroad language. Often a man's sphere of labor may 
 be determined from the language which he employs. 
 
 Petronius well illustrates the frequent use of figures among the 
 humble people. While some of his characters are men of some edu- 
 cation, if we judge from the language which Petronius puts into 
 their mouths, yet for the most part they are men of lowly origin, 
 and many belong to the most vulgar element of that time. Accord- 
 ingly we find in Petronius many crude and original figures ; in some 
 passages there is a continuous stream of metaphors, at once the drollest 
 and the most striking in Roman literature. 
 
 In the study of metaphorical expressions, the question arises as 
 to what extent the common metaphors of Roman literature were felt 
 as figures by the Romans, since many in common use must have been 
 employed without any thought of the underlying figure. Especially 
 is this true, it seems to me, among the best Latin writers. But in 
 a work like that of Petronius, the conversational style and the char- 
 acter of the participants in the crude discussions, besides the subject 
 matter of their conversations, lead to the conclusion that many meta- 
 phors have their full force in Petronius, while with the writers on 
 more refined subjects, they would not be felt as figures by the writer 
 or reader. 
 
 Again many words seem to be used as slang terms, so common 
 among the lower classes everywhere. The influence of these droll 
 terms, most of which are metaphors or word plays, would in my 
 opinion bring to the mind of the reader the metaphorical meaning 
 of the common metaphors used in connection with them, although 
 they may have lost force in the best style. 
 
 In certain cases, a word that is very commonly used in the figura 
 tive sense, so that the metaphor would not be usually felt, has some 
 closely related word or words in connection with it that suggest 
 that the figure still has its original value. A few examples illustra- 
 tive of the point are: 5.21. defundes with flumine; 91.6. vulnus with 
 cicatrix; 99.3. considit with obsidet; 101.1. attonitus with fulmen; 
 
Metaphors and Word-plaps in Petronius TJ 
 
 103.5. exonerabat with gravem; 118.3. inundata with flumine; 
 119.32. esurit with gula; 121.106. exurit with flamma; 139.4. extin- 
 xeris with ignem; and many others. If these examples mean any- 
 thing at all, they show that some of the common metaphors had 
 such force, unintentionally, it may be, in the mind of the writer that 
 they demanded the additional word or words to give full expression 
 to the thought. We may fairly infer also from these examples that 
 many metaphors in common use were felt as figures, in Petronius at 
 least, though no additional word was used to suggest it. 
 
 Again if a common metaphor occurs among a group of figures 
 from several different spheres, it is very probable that it would be 
 felt along with the rest. There are many examples; two are given 
 to show what is meant: 57.1. excanduit; 58.1. effudit. Chapters 
 57 and 58 are made up of slang, bold figures, and abusive language, 
 all of which would tend to enliven any deadness in such common 
 metaphors as the two selected. 
 
 It must be noted that there is an air of pretence throughout the 
 Satires, men in the lower walks of life posing as those of higher 
 rank, and this fact leads one to expect much figurative language in 
 their conscious attempt to appear as people of quality. The negro 
 never uses so many figures as when he is putting on airs and posing 
 as "quality". This may account for the coinage by Petronius of so 
 many words, in which we find so many striking metaphors. Such an 
 atmosphere also tends to give old figures their full force. In all 
 of this the cleverness of Petronius is clearly seen. 
 
 Even in the Latin of the best writers, many of the ordinary figures 
 must have been felt as such by the Romans, if we may judge the 
 Latin by our own language. One illustration will show my meaning. 
 When we speak of "burning words", there seems to me to be a flashlight 
 picture, so to speak, of an actual "burning" before the transfer of the 
 idea to "words". We have of course many dead metaphors, but many 
 of the so-called dead ones are, in my opinion, very lively corpses. 
 While the figures may not be prominent in our minds, both the 
 speaker and the listener feel, in an obscure way, it may be, the orig- 
 inal force of the words, and the figure becomes prominent in our 
 minds the moment our attention is called to it in any way. May 
 
78 Metaphors and Word-pla^s in Petronius 
 
 we not with a degree of certainty class the ancients with ourselves 
 in this respect? Some of the most beautiful and striking passages in 
 Roman literature, and in the Greek as well, would lose much of their 
 force, if we supposed that the Greeks and Romans no longer had 
 an appreciation of a figurative expression as such, just because it 
 happened to be very commonly used. Can we imagine that a Greek 
 would often fail to feel the force of a figure referring to the sea, 
 the race-course or the athletic contests? With equal certainty we 
 may conclude that the Romans felt the figures referring to warfare, 
 the gladiatorial contests, and forensic proceedings. Petronius exempli- 
 fies this by many striking metaphors. Especially noticeable are those 
 of warfare and gladiatorial contests, used in an obscene sense. In 
 some cases the use of three or four words leaves no doubt that 
 Petroniuus had the figure in mind. 
 
 With the foregoing points in mind, some metaphors have been 
 enumerated which in other surroundings might not be felt as figures. 
 Most of them however are so forceful and striking that they leave 
 no doubt in the reader's mind that, while spoken with a naturalness 
 that is characteristic of the common folk, they have a force and a 
 drollness that only such people can give to such language. 
 
 Sometimes the language and figures of an author are of a nature 
 that we may judge of his surroundings and those of his characters 
 with some degree of accuracy. Such conclusions however are often 
 very treacherous. After careful study, the writer can see nothing 
 positive in the metaphors of Petronius that will strengthen the gen- 
 erally accepted view that the author of the romance is the Petronius 
 of Nero's time, or that will throw light on the mooted questions of 
 the time and place of the scenes depicted in the Satirae. Indeed 
 Petronius indentifies himself so completely with his characters that 
 one may hardly hope to reach any definite conclusions along this line. 
 
 The range of metaphorical usage in Petronius is quite wide. Other 
 figures are more limited in scope. Some of the most forceful meta- 
 phors are taken from warfare, the gladiatorial contests, and heat 
 and cold. Many of the metaphors are rare, and some are found only 
 in Petronius. 
 
 It is quite noticeable that the latter part of the romance is more 
 
Metaphors and Word-plays in Petronius 79 
 
 obscene than the first part, and that the figures, as a rule, are less 
 curious and striking. For this fact no definite explanation can be 
 offered by the writer. The lack of figures may be due to the absence 
 of Trimalchio and his crowd from this part of the work, for their 
 speech is richest in crude and unusual metaphors. But this portion 
 of Petronius is so fragmentary that it is difficult and unsatisfactory 
 to study from any point of view. 
 
 One can easily see in the foregoing pages close resemblances to 
 many of our English expressions. The vulgar way of putting ideas 
 which we call slang has a marked similarity to many of the terms in 
 Petronius. Many of these expressions do not occur outside of Petro- 
 nius. They may have been current among the lower classes in con- 
 versation, but they do not appear in literature; we have, however, 
 very little of the language of the vulgar element outside of the plays 
 of Plautus. If the lower classes of the Romans were like our lower 
 classes in the use of slang, we may conclude with a degree of cer- 
 tainty that there is much slang in the Satirae, and that Petronius, 
 as a student of human nature, purposely put such words into the 
 mouths of his characters. Because of this similarity of human nature, 
 we today recognize the crude and unexpected turns that many of 
 the slang terms take, and we laugh just as heartily at the rare and 
 racy jokes, as the readers of Petronius did in the days of long ago. 
 Many of the phrases have so modern a ring that one can hardly 
 believe that up-to-date slang terms were used by the Romans centuries 
 ago. 
 
 In conclusion, this medley of stories so cleverly told impresses one 
 as the adventures of a Baron Munchausen. Much of it is purposely 
 exaggerated for effect. A good story which no one is expected to 
 believe must be thus exaggerated, so that persons with a sense of 
 humor listen and smile and are entertained, knowing that there is no 
 truth in it. Much of the romance is obscene in the extreme, but not 
 more disgustingly so than many of the Canterbury Tales. 
 
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