Here begins the main part of X, as J. picks up line 54 and begins to provide the ‘proof’ that humans pray for things that are supervacua (‘pointless’ and ‘excessive’) and perniciosa (‘destructive’). In this section, he highlights the latter element in petitions for power; but, as he nowhere allows that potentia (‘power’) serves any useful purpose, they are also intended to seem meaningless, and the notion of excess comes out too, at 90ff., 104f. and 110. To smooth the transition, the gloomy and derisive mood of the questions at 54f. continues here, and some motifs from the introduction are taken up – destructiveness in line 54 (cf. praecipitat [‘brings down’] in line 56, mergit [‘overwhelms’] in line 57 and the demolition at 58ff.), statues in line 55 (cf. 58ff.) and the chariot in lines 36 and 42 (cf. 59f.). J. has already handled potentia and a potentate at 34ff. by way of a preliminary skirmish, and here he returns to them, treating them at greater length, and presenting a new (more ominous) take, as this time he adds and stresses invective (on top of mockery) and the pernicious aspect of power.

The satirist here mounts his attack in a long, densely packed and consistently pointed section, which makes effective use of enargeia (vividness), telling details (e.g. at 62–4), epigrams (at 81, 96f. and 112f.) and suggestive imagery (especially in lines 82 and 105–7). This is a wide-ranging assault on potentia from its highest to its lowest form, in the past and present, throughout the world (and in heaven and the Underworld), and various criticisms of it are made (it is limited, paltry, vulnerable, ephemeral and in particular it brings problems, degradation and death for its holder and those connected to him), while its possessors are shown as unattractive, and its trappings and perks are undermined.

With regard to structure, there is an artful progression: at 56ff. J. begins by observing that eminence is harmful for some (evident in the downfall of the unnamed quosdam [‘some people’]); at 61ff. he puts across the idea that it was really harmful for one person (seen in the downfall and death of the named and famous Sejanus); then at 108ff.