Orazio, Persio e lo stoico cenare (Pers. 5, 42)

The common exegesis of Persius 5, 42 is not persuasive: both the language (i. e. the usual construction of decerpo, as well as the meaning of epulae) and Persius’ technique of Horatian imitation suggest that we should take epulis as neither a final dative nor an instrumental ablative; it is better to regard it as a separative ablative. This interpretation is much more consistent with the form and content of Satire 5 (a strong encomium of Stoicism), and with the way in which Persius usually imitates Horace and addresses his most important satiric predecessor.