Horace largely supplied himself with characters by means of names, whether adopted or fictitious, whose derivation at once denoted their meaning.  This practice, which is common in all literature, both ancient and modern, Horace afterwards adopted for artistic reasons in the Odes, where Pyrrha, Chloe, Lyce, Lalage, Phidyle, and others are chosen with regard to their etymology.  In the Satires he employs this device with greater freedom.  Thus Balbinus, the childish lover; Pantilius, the backbiter; Pantolabus, the borrower; Cupiennius, the lecher; Sectanus, the intriguer; Philodemus, the man of low tastes; Opimius, the rich skin-flint; Arellius, the dry old Croesus; Avidienus, the miser; Canidia, the grey-head; Sagana, the witch; Maltinus, the effeminate fop; Porcius, who ate like a pig; Novius, the parvenu; these expressive names served Horace's purpose better than living embodiments of the vices they represent...(Sermones: the Satires of Horace, Palmer, 1899)