Invitation of Petronius to Glycon

T RYPHOENA says that you must come
To dine with us at Tusculum.
She has invited few to share
Her delicate but frugal fare.
Contrive the dinner to make out
With venison, ortolans, and trout;
These may come after haunch of boar,
Or neck, which wise men relish more;
And, Glycon, 'twould not be unpleasant
To see among them spring a pheasant.
I voted we should have but two
At dinner, these are quite enow.
One of them, worth half Rome, will meet us,
Low-station'd high-soul'd Epictetus.
He told his mind the other day
To ruby-finger'd Seneca,
Who, rich and proud as Nero, teaches
The vanity of pomp or riches.
Just Epictetus can assure us
How continent was Epicurus,
How gorged and staggering Romans claim
With hiccups that immortal name.
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