Note 2, 3 — A. PERSIUS FLACCUS (continued 3)

3. genio: ‘The tutelary Deity, or “guardian angel,” who was supposed to attend on every individual from the cradle to the grave. Its cultus was strictly materialistic, and should be compared with the offerings of meat, drink, and clothes which were made to the manes of the dead. Comp. Censorin., De Die Nat., 3; Serv. ad Verg., Georg., 1, 302; Hor., Ep., 2, 2, 187: scit Genius, natale comes qui temperat astrum | naturae deus humanae, mortalis in unum | quodque caput, vultu mutabilis albus et ater. In character it was the reflex of the man (comp. Sat. 6, 48, where it represents the felicitas of the emperor); it might be humored and appeased by proper attention, more especially by sacrifice (comp. 5, 151), or irritated and made baneful by neglect (comp. 4, 27; Juv., 10, 129). From these latter passages it would appear to represent the alter homo, or second self.’ So Pretor. The genius is the divine element which is born with a man, and when he dies becomes a lar, if he is good; if he is wicked, a larva, or a lemur. Departed genii were called manes—‘good fellows’—doubtless with a view to propitiation.—non tu: Comp. 1, 45.—emaci: ‘chaffering, haggling.’ Prayer was often conceived as bargain and sale. See v. 29, and Plato, Euthyphro, 14E (Jahn). By the prece emaci is meant the votum, or vow, the εὐχή, and not the προσευχή, as Gregory of Nyssa puts it (De Orat., Ed. Paris. a. 1638, Tom. 1, p. 724D). Casaubon compares Hor., Od., 3, 29, 59: ad miseras preces | decurrere et votis pacisci.