Note 20 — A. PERSIUS FLACCUS

succinis: ‘sing to an instrument or second to a person,’ hence ‘to sing small’ (Conington), ‘come whimpering, whining with.’—ambages: ‘beating about the bush,’ ‘shuffling excuses.’ Quando pauperiem, missis ambagibus, horres, Hor., Sat., 2, 5, 9.—tibi luditur: Tua res agitur, ‘it is your game,’ ‘your stake,’ ‘your affair.’—effluis amens: with a sudden change of figure. The dissolute young man is compared to a cracked jar, from which all the noble ‘wine of life’ (Shaksp., Macbeth, 2, 3) is escaping. The passage in Ter., Eun., 1, 2, 25, which is often cited in this connection: Plenus rimarum sum; huc atque huc perfluo refers to ‘a leaky vessel,’ one who can not keep a secret.