What kinds of things go on in the city of Rome that Juvenal is ‘against’?
Juvenal complains about the challenges that Rome citizens face in their daily lives. People are deprived of sleep because the streets are crowded and noisy at night, “The sick die here because they can’t sleep” (Juvenal et al., 2008, p. 8). Citizens suffer from the food and decide not to eat, which brings them discomfort and pain, “Though most people complain about the food / Rotting undigested in their burning guts” (Juvenal et al., 2008, p. 8). Citizens are in constant danger of fires or falling houses; they can be hit by items thrown from windows. Life in the city of Rome is not safe as brownies and burglars are not penalized for their misdeeds and, therefore, are free to do whatever they want with the citizens. Everyone is unhappy with their lives since they are incredibly challenging, and it appears that they exist only to please the wealthy, “When duty demands it, crowds fall back to allow / The wealthy to pass, who sail past the crowds” (Juvenal et al., 2008, p. 8). The herds do not care about citizens and mistreat them, hitting them with sticks on elbows, legs, and heads. Juvenal is furious, considering that ordinary citizens suffer while the wealthy can behave in any way they please.
What are some of the daily struggles Juvenal mentions for the average citizen of Rome?
The citizens of Rome suffer from facing unfairness, injustice, and inequity in every aspect of their lives. People are afraid of leaving their house as the streets are dangerous and full of criminals, “Don’t forget the drunkard who likes to fight: / If he hasn’t killed anyone yet, he suffers” (Juvenal et al., 2008, p. 9). The fights with maniacs usually end with the victim going to the court to defend themselves while the rowdies are never penalized, “You’re going to get pounded and taken to court / The next day because you bothered him” (Juvenal et al., 2008, p. 9). By and whole, residents are not protected, and their lives do not matter to anyone on the top, “After being beaten and punched you have the right / To ask that a few teeth be left in your mouth” (Juvenal et al., 2008, p. 9). Furthermore, the usual crowd seems uninteresting to the wealthy, who use Rome citizens in every way possible for their own benefits and happiness. No matter how hard people try to survive, there is always someone who can rob them, hit them, and even take their lives.
How do the things Juvenal describes compare to a ‘modern’ city? Similarities/differences?
The life of citizens described by Juvenal was challenging and unhappy, considering that people were basically forced to survive in horrible conditions. Residents could not sleep properly and were constantly endangered by the possibility of meeting the rowdy or a maniac who could quickly kill them. By and whole, Rome citizens were living a dull life full of danger and injustice; whereas now, the city has flourished and is the place that inspires everyone with its beauty. In other words, Italians are now protected by law and police, and, additionally, the feasibility of meeting criminals is low in the modern city. Rome is a safe place for the person to focus on self-development as there is almost no gap between the poor and the wealthy; everybody has opportunities to pursue one’s dreams. Overall, it can be concluded that life in the modern city is incredibly different from what it used to be according to Juvenal’s satires; nowadays, people are not focused on survival and can live their lives as they wish.
Reference
Juvenal, J., Rudd, N., & Barr, W. (2008). Against the City of Rome. In The Satires (1st ed., pp. 8-11). Oxford University Press.