Note 90 — A. PERSIUS FLACCUS

Masuri rubrica: ‘The canon of Masurius.’ ‘Masurius Sabinus, an eminent lawyer, lived in the reigns of Tiberius and Nero, and wrote a work in three books, entitled Ius Civile.’ Rubrica, ‘because the titles and first few words of the laws were commonly picked out with vermilion. Comp. perlege rubras | maiorum leges, Juv., 14, 192’ (Pretor, after Jahn). A low creature like Dama has a soul that is not above the statute-book; lofty spirits, like our Stoic, and believers in the higher law sneer at the canon and its maker. So Marc. Antonin., ap. Front., Ep., 2, 7 (p. 32 Naber), speaks of deliramenta Masuriana. Comp. Quint., 12, 3, 11.—vetavit: for vetuit, reminds us of the slip of another youthful genius, Kirke White, and his ‘rudely blow’d.’ There is no sufficient warrant for the form.