Note 1, 49 — A. PERSIUS FLACCUS (continued 3)
Reading edition
49. euge, belle: like decenter (v. 84), are current expressions of approbation at public readings. Euge, ‘bravo!’ belle, ‘well said!’ decenter, ‘pretty fair!’ Martial gives us a list of popular comments (2, 27, 3-4): Effecte! graviter! st! nequiter! euge! beate! | hoc volui!—excute: a favorite word with Persius as with Seneca, Ep., 13, 8; 16, 7; 22, 10; 26, 3; De Ira, 3, 36 (Jahn). The metaphor is taken from shaking clothes in order to get out any thing that may be concealed in them—Gr., ἐκσείειν. We should say ‘analyze.’