﻿THE AGE OF PETROXIUS ARBITER. 47 



gards the author of the work, finds in the character of Trimalchio as described by 

 Petronius a representation of that of Nero, and supports his opinion by such aro-u- 

 ments as the following. Trimalchio, an ostentatious upstart, disdains to use a^ain 

 balls which had once touched the earth (c. 27. 2) ; he is, therefore, the representative 

 of Xero, because of the latter Suetonius (Nero, 30) says : " Nullam vestem bis induit " ; 

 and because Lampridius tells of Heliogabalus, who affected to imitate Nero : " Calcea- 

 mentum nunquam iteravit, annulos etiam negatur iterasse — linteamen lotum nunquam 

 attigit, mendicos dicens, qui linteis lotis uterentur. — Idem mulieres nunquam iteravit 

 praeter uxorera." Are circumstances like these to prove the identity of Nero and Tri- 

 malchio 1 



The door-keeper of Trimalchio being dressed in a green dress (c. 28. 8), De Salas 

 says : " Notum et hinc jam in Neronem satyricum scomma. Ego autem magis adhuc 

 confirmo. Nam Cajum principem, quem penitus aemulari gloriosum duxit inprimis 

 ipsus Nero (ut alibi dicimus), Suetonius testatur nimis factioni Prasinae fuisse addictum ; 

 inquit ergo in Caligula 55 : Prasinae factioni ita addictus et deditus, ut coenaret in 

 stabulo assidue et maneret." Because Caligula favored the " factio Prasina," and Nero 

 imitated Caligula, therefore Trimalchio, havmg a door-keeper dressed in green, is a 

 satire on Nero. There is another instance of this kind of argument concerning the 

 expression (c. 29. 3), " Et ipse Trimalchio capillatus caducum tenebat," when De Salas 

 says : " Nosce jam simiam Caligulae, quem typum sibi proposuit Nero penitus imitan- 

 dmn, ut alibi dicimus ; inquit ergo de eodem Cajo Philo Judaeus legatione ad ipsum : 

 ToaavTT) Se rt? Trept avTov rjv XvTTa Kat 7rapa<f)opo'; kuc 'rrapaKoiro'; fiavia SxTTe Koi tov<; rjfiiOiovi 

 vTrep^a<; eTravjjei, Kai eiraTreBveTO rots T&jv fiei^ovav Kai aiicpidaXwv elvai, cre^aafio'i^, 'Epfiov Kal 

 AttoWoivo^ kuc Apeo<i. Epp,ov to Trpcorov KijpvKeioi's xai, TreSiXot? koc •^Xa/j.vcriv €VcrKeva^dfi€VO<;." 

 Because Caligula, whom Nero imitated, affected the attributes and distinctions of gods, 

 therefore Trimalchio, doing something similar, is a satire on Nero. 



The statement (c. 29. 7), " Notavi etiam in portion gregem cursorum cum magistro 

 se exercentem," is, by De Salas, considered another allusion to Nero, whose fondness 

 for charioteering is well known. But what circumstance is mentioned wlxich forces 

 upon the reader the conviction that Nero is meant ] None whatever. It is well known 

 that Nero was not the only person who indulged in this amusement, but that it was 

 a fashion prevailing to such an extent among the wealthy and fashionable that many 

 squandered large estates in gratifying their passion. But what condemns this hunting 

 after allusions to Nero stUl more, is that the above passage does not at all speak of 

 charioteers, but of runners. De Salas, however, has an excuse for this ; he finds in the 

 substitution of "cursores" for "aurigae" an attempt to screen, in some measure, the 

 attack upon Nero. 



