Note 54 — A. PERSIUS FLACCUS

comitem horridulum trita donare lacerna: This is the kind of patronage that galled Lucian (De Merced. Cond., 37), who mentions the paltry present of an ἐφεστρίδιον ἄθλιον ἢ χιτώνιον ὑπόσαθρον. On the word comitem, see 3, 7. Horridulum comitem, ‘shivering beggar of a companion,’ ‘poor devil in your suite.’ For the custom, comp. Hor., Ep., 1, 19, 37: Non ego ventosae plebis suffragia venor | impensis cenarum et tritae munere vestis.