neque servus: cf. Catul. 24.5. Even a poor man could own a slave, as, for instance, Horace, who, when representing the extreme simplicity of his life, yet speaks of his dinner as served by three slaves (Hor. S. 1.6.116).
neque arca: for Furius has no money to keep in it.
[2] nec cimex: for there is not a bed to conceal one.
[2] neque araneus: for there is not a roof under which he may spin his web.
[2] neque ignis: for there is no hearth on which to build one.
[3] verum: with strongly contrasting adversation; the things Furius has are precisely those most embarrassing to have in the absence of what he has not.
[3] noverca: proverbially an unpleasant relative; cf. Verg. Ecl. 3.33 “iniusta noverca” ; Hor. Epod. 5.9 “quid ut noverca me intueris ?”
[4] dentes: etc., their fangs are so sharpened by perpetual hunger.
[5] est pulchre tibi: cf. Catul. 23.15, and Catul. 14.10n.
[6] lignea: the meaning is probably like that of sicca (Catul. 23.12), dry, withered, and so forbidding; cf. Lucr. 4.116: nervosa et lignea Dorcas.
[7] nec mirum: cf. Catul. 57.3; Catul. 62.14; Catul. 69.7.
[9] non incendia: , etc. because there is no house to burn or collapse. On the dangers in Rome at a later date from such causes, cf. Juv. 3.6-8, Juv. 3.190-202.
[10] non furta impia: because there is nothing to steal: so Juvenal (Juv. 14.303-310) celebrates the happiness of those who need take no precaution against fire and thieves, while other writers mention the torments that accompany wealth; cf. Hor. S. 1.1.76 ff. “an vigilare metu exanimem, noctesque diesque formidare malos fures, incendia, servos, ne te compilent fugientes, hoc iuvat ?” Mart. 6.33.3 “furta, fugae, mortes, servorum, incendia, luctus adfligunt hominem.”
[11] casus alios periculorum: cf. Cic. Fam. 6.4.3 “ad omnes casus subitorum periculorum obiecti sumus.”
[12] atqui: not like Catul. 23.3 “verum” to introduce a counterbalancing affirmation, but to add a final particular that caps the climax; Furius and his family are happiest of all in their own bodily constitution, and not by reason of external circumstances: with this use of atqui cf. Cic. Sen. 19.66 “quae aut plane neglegenda est … aut etiam optanda … atqui tertium certe nihil inveniri potest”
[12] sicciora: cf Catul. 23.6 “lignea” but siccitas is sometimes an agreeable quality in a woman, cf Catul. 43.3, Pl. Mil. 787 “[puellam] siccam et sucidam”
[12] cornu: cf Catul. 1.2 where pumice-stone is mentioned as a typical dry substance.
[13] aut si quid: etc. cf. Catul. 13.10n.
[14] frigore: etc., cf. Mart. 12.32.7 “frigore et fame siccus.”
[15] bene ac beate: cf. Catul. 14.10
[25] nec: the negative is repeated as if noli speruere were ne sperne; cf. Pl. Poen. 1129 “mirari noli neque me contemplarier” , and elsewhere.
[25] putare parvi: cf. Catul. 5.3n.
[26] sestertia centum: somewhat less than $5000, no great sum for a young man at that time to borrow, when one remembers the fabulous amounts owed by such men as Caelius, Curio, and Caesar.
[26] precari: construed ἀπο κοινοῦ with soles and desine.
[27] satis beatu's: (for beatus es): cf. Hor. Carm. 2.18.14 “satis beatus unicis Sabinis.” See Crit. App.
