[1]
The Sacred Way, leading to the Capitol, a favourite lounge.

[2]
When a slave was being scourged, under the orders of the
Triumviri Capitales, a public crier stood by, and proclaimed the
nature of his crime.

Modern critics may differ as to whom this bitter infective was aimed
at, but there could have been no doubt on that subject in Rome at the
time. And if, as there is every reason to conclude, it was levelled at
Sextus Menas, the lines, when first shown about among Horace's
friends, must have told with great effect, and they were likely to be
remembered long after the infamous career of this double-dyed traitor
had come to a close. Menas was a freedman of Pompey the Great, and a
trusted officer of his son Sextus. [Footnote: Shakespeare has
introduced him in "Antony and Cleopatra," along with Menecrates and
Varrius, as "friends to Sextus Pompeius."] He had recently (B.C. 38)
carried over with him to Augustus a portion of Pompey's fleet which
was under his command, and betrayed into his hands the islands of
Corsica and Sardinia. For this act of treachery he was loaded with
wealth and honours; and when Augustus, next year, fitted out a naval
expedition against Sextus Pompeius, Menas received a command. It was
probably lucky for Horace that this swaggering upstart, who was not
likely to be scrupulous as to his means of revenge, went over the very
next year to his former master, whom he again abandoned within a year
to sell himself once more to Augustus. That astute politician put it
out of his power to play further tricks with the fleet, by giving him
a command in Pannonia, where he was killed, B.C. 36, at the siege of