Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, [and] the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.
Ver. 11. Thy pomp is brought down to the grave.] Ipsaque iusta sepulta iacent, funeral rites, those dues of the dead, are wanting to thee. This was fulfilled in Belshazzar, slain at his impious feast, while he profaned the vessels of God's house to quaff in to the honour of Shac, his drunken god, and had no doubt variety of music. a See Jeremiah 51:39; Jeremiah 51:41; Jer 51:47 Daniel 5:1; Daniel 5:30 .
The worm is spread under thee, and worms cover thee.] Pro linteamine tinea sternitur: pro lodice vermes superimponuntur. For sheets thou hast maggots, and for a coverlet, worms; and this the rather because, whereas the Assyrian kings, as Strabo b testifieth, and the Babylonian kings, as Herodotus, c were wont to be embalmed after their death, that they might keep sweet, Belshazzar was not so Isa 14:19-20
a These feast days were called σακεαι ημηραι, like the Roman saturnalia.
b Lib. xv.
c Lib. i.