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Transcript of Selections From Latin Poets/ - Forgotten Books
COPYR IGHT, 1897BY HARVARD UN IVERSITY
E ighth Thousand
PRINTED AT THE HARVARD UN IVERSITY PRES SCAMBRIDGE , MASS U . S . A .
PREFATORY NOTE
THI S book is prepared for the use of Freshmen in Harvard
College by their instructors in Latin . T he brief notes on the
various selections , intended to help and stimulate the student in
his private study, will be supplemented by general lectures and
by the usual instruction of the class - room . The chapter on Logaoedic Verse and the note s to Ennius and Horace were written byDr . M . H. M ORGAN ; the notes to Phaedrus , M artial, and Seneca,by Dr . A . A . HOWARD ; to Ovid , by Dr . R . C . MANN I NG ; and to
Catullus and T ibullus , by Dr . M . W . MATHER .
CAMBRIDGE, October, 1 897.
ABBREVIATIONS AND SIGNS USED I N THE NOTES
Allen and Greenough ’s La tin Grammar.
History of Roman Litera ture. By C. T. Cruttwell.
Gildersleeve’s Latin Gramma r.
I ntroduction to the Verse of Terence. By H . W. Hayley.La tin Literature . By J . W . Mackail.
Horace and the E legia c P oets. By W . Y. Sellar . 3d edition.
The Roman P oets of the Rep ublic . ByW . Y. Sellar . 2d edition.
Smith ’s Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities . 3d edition.
An asterisk signifies that a passage so marked is required to be
read by the student. When two or more passages are pre
ceded by a brace,the student may choose between them.
E N N I U S.
ANNALS .
1 . I lia’
s Dream.
Excita cum tremulis anus attulit artubus lumen,talia tum memorat lacrumans, exterrita somno
Eurydica prognata,
“pater quam noster amavit,
vires Vitaq ue corpus meum nunc deserit omne.
5 N am me visu s h omo pulch er per amoena salicta
et ripas raptare locosque novos . I ta sola
postilla, germana Soror,errare Videbar
tardaque vestigare et quaerere te neque posse
corde capessere semita nulla pedem stabilibat.
Exim compellare pater me voce Videtur
h is verbis : o gnata, tibi sunt ante ferendae
aerumnae, post ex fluvio fortuna resistet
Haec ecfatus pater, germana , repente recessitnec sese dedit in conspectum corde cupitus ,quamquam multa manus ad caeli caerula templatendebam lacrumans et blanda voce vocabam .
Vix aegro cum corde meo me somnus reliquit
2. Romu lus and Remus taking the Au sp ices.
Curantes magna cum cura tum cupientes
regn i dant operam simul auspicio augurioque.
Hinc Remus auspicio se devovet atque secundam
ENNIUS.
solus avem servat. At Romulus pulcher in alto5 quaerit Aventino, spectat genus altivolantum .
Certabant, urbem‘
Romam Remoramne vocarent.
Omnibus cura Viris , uter esset induperator .
Exspectant vela ti, consul cum mittere signumvolt, omnes avidi spectant ad carceris oras,quam mox emittat pictis e faucibus currus
sic exspectabat populus atque ora tenebatrebus , utri magni Victoria sit data regni .I nterea sol albu s recessit in infera noctis .Exin candida se radiis dedit iota foras lux ;et simul ex alto longe pulcherruma praepeslaeva volavit avis
,simul aureus exoritur sol.
Oedunt de caelo ter quattuor corpora sancta
avium, praepetibu s sese pulchrisque locis dant .
Conspicit inde sibi data Romulus esse propritim
auspicio regni stabilita scamna solumque.
3. An Ambiguous Oracle.
Aio te,Aeacida, Romanos vincere posse .
4 . Woodcu tting
I ncedunt arbusta per alta, securibu s caedunt,percellunt magnas quercus , exciditur ilex,fraxinus frangitur atque abies consternitur alta,pinus proceras pervortunt : omne sonabat
5 arbustum fremitu silvai frondosai.
5. Pyr rhus to the Roman Enuoys.
Nec mi aurum posco nec mi pretium dederitis
non cauponantes bellum ,sed belligerantes
ferro,non auro
,Vitam cernamu s utrique !
Vosne velit an me regnare era quidve ferat Fors
ENNIUS .
5 virtute experiamur .
,
Et hoc simul accipe dictumquorum Virtuti belli fortuna pepercit,eorundem libertati me parcere certu
’
mst.
Dono, ducite, doque volentibus cum magnis dis.
6 . Janus Reop ened.
postquam Discordia taetra
Belli ferratos postes portasque refregit.
7. Fabius Maximu s.
Unus h omo nobis cunctando restituit rem .
Noenum rumores ponebat ante salutem .
Ergo postque magisque Viri nunc gloria claret.
8 . Poor but Trusty.
I lle vir haud magna cum re , sed plenus fidei.
9. The Strength of Rome.
Moribus antiquis res stat Romana virisque.
1 0 . The Tr ibune at Bag.
Undique conveniunt velut imber tela tribuno
configunt parmam , tinnit hastilibus umbo,aerato sonitu galeae : sed nec pote qu isquamundique nitendo corpus discerpere ferro .
5 Semper adundantes hastas frangitque quatitque.
Totum sudor habet corpus multumque laborat,
nec respirandi fit copia : praepete ferro
Histri tela manu iacientes sollicitabant.
1 1 . The Young Warr ior .
Et tum sicut equos, qui de praesaepibus fartus
vincla suis magnis animis abrupit et inde
ENNIUS .
fert sese campi per caerule laetaque prata
celso pectore , saepe iubam quassat simul altam,
5 spiritus ex anima calida spumes agit albas.
1 2. The Veteran .
Sicut fortis equos, spatio qui saepe supremo
vicit Olympia, nunc senio confectus quiescit.
EPI GRAMS .
13. On a Likeness of Ennius.
Aspicite, o cives, senis Enni imaginis formam
hic vestrum panxit maxima facta patrum .
14. The Poet’
s Wish.
Nemo me dacrumis decoret nec fumera fletu
faxit . Cur ? Volito vivos per ora virum .
1 5. Ep itaph of Scip io Af rieanus.
Hic est ille situs , cui nemo civis neque h ostis
quivit pro factis reddere opis pretium .
SELECT ION S I N TROCHA I C VERSE.
1 6 . N e t’
a ttends gu’
d, toi seu l.
HOc crit tibi argumentum semper in promptii situm,
néquid expectes amicos, quod tute agere possies .
1 7. A N oble Father .
Ego cum genui, trim morituros scivi et ci re sustuli.
Praéterea ad Troiam cum misi ob défendendam Graéciam,
scibam me in mortiferum bellum,min in epulas mittere .
CATULLUS
1S. Ep icurean Doctrine.
Ego deum genus esse semper dixi et dicam caélitum ,
séd eos non curare opinor, quid agat h umanum genusnam Si cureut, béne bonis sit, ma le malis ; quod nunc abest.
1 9. Charla tans.
Sed superstitiési vates inpudentesque arioli,ant inertes aut insani aut quibus egestas iniperat,qui sibi semitam non sapiunt, alteri monstrant viam
quibus divitias pOllicentur, ab eis drachumam ipsi petunt.
CATULLUS.
1 . A Dedica tory Poem.
Quoi dono lepidum novom libellum
arido modo pumice expolitum
Cornell, tibi : namque tu solebas
meas esse aliquid putare nugas ,5 iam tum cum ansus es unus I talorumomne aevom tribus explicare ch artis
doctis, I uppiter , et laboriosis .
Quare habe tibi quidquid h oc libelli ,qualecumque , quod , o patrona Virgo ,plus uno maneat perenne sacclo.
CARMEN L
2. Lesbia’
s Sp a rrow .
Passer, deliciae meae puellae ,
quicum lndere , quem in s inu tenere,
CATULLUS .
quoi primum digitum dare adpetentiet acris solet incitare morsus,
5 cum desiderio meo nitenti
carum nescio quid lubet iocariut solaciolum sui doloris
,
credo,ut tum gravis acquiescat ardor
tecum ludere sicut ipsa possem
et tristis animi levare curasCARMEN 2.
3. T he Dead Sparrow.
Lugete , o Veneres Cupidinesque,et quantumst hominum v enustiorum.
Passer mortuos est meae puellae,
passer , deliciae meas puellae,5 quem plus illa ocu lis suis amabatnam mellitus erat suamque norat
ipsam tam bene'
quam puella matrem
nec sese a gremio illins movebat,
sed circumsiliens modo huc modo illucad solam dominam usque pipiabat.
Qui nunc it per iter tenebricosum
illuc,unde negant redire quemquam.
At vobis male sit,malae tenebrae
Orci,quae omnia bella devoratis
tam bellum mih i passerem abstulistis.
O factum male ! io miselle passer !
tua nunc opera meae puellae
fiendo turgiduli rubent ocelli .CARMEN 3.
4 . The Ya cht.
Phasellus ille,quem Videtis
,hospites,
ait fuisse nav ium celerrimus,
CATULLUS .
neque ullins natantis impetum trabis
nequisse praeter ire , sive palmulis
5 opus foret volare sive linteo .
Et h oc negat minacis Hadriatici
negare litus insulasve CycladasRhodumque nobilem horridamque Th raciam
Propontida trucemve Ponticum sinum,
1 0 ubi iste post ph asellus antea fuit
comata Silva nam Cytorio in iugo
loquente saepe sibilum edidit coma.
Amastri Pontica et Cytore buxifer ,
tibi haec fuisse et esse cognitissima
15 ait phasellu s : ultima ex or iginetuo stetisse dicit in cacumine,
tuo imbuisse palmulas in aequore,
et inde tot per impotentia freta
erum tulisse,laeva sive dextera
20 vocaret aura, s ive u trumque I uppiter
simul secundus incidisset in pedem ;neque ulla vota litoralibus deissibi esse facta
,cum v eniret a marei
novissimo h unc ad usque limpidum lacum.
25 Sed h aec prius fuere nunc recondita
senet quiete seque dedicat tibi,gemelle Castor et gemelle Castoris.
CARMEN 4 .
5 . The Lovers.
Vivainus, mea Lesbia,atque amemus,
rumoresque seuum severiorum
omnes unius aestimemus assis .
Soles occidere et redire possunt5 nobis cum semcl occidit brevis lux ,nox est perpetua una dormienda.
CATULLUS .
Da mi basia mille, deinde centum ,
dein mille altera, dein secunda centum ,
deinde usque altera mille,deinde centum.
Dein,cum milia multa fecerimu s
,
conturbabimus illa, me sciamus ,
aut ne quis malus invidere possit,cum tantum sciat esse basiorum .
CARMEN 5 .
6. Countless K isses.
Quaeris, quot mih i basiationes
tuae, Lesbia, sint satis superque.
Quam magnus numerus Libyssae harenaelasarpiciferis iacet Cyrenis,
oraclum Iovis inter aestuosiet Batti v eteris sacrum sepulcrum ,
aut quam sidera multa, cum tacet nox,
furtivos hominum vident amores,
tam te basiamulta basiarev esano satis et super Catullost
,
quae nec pernumerare curiosi
possint nec mala fascinare lingua.
CARMEN 7.
7. Fie,Fond Lover I
M iser Catulle, desines ineptire ,
et quod Vides perisse perditum ducas .
Fulsere quondam candidi tibi soles,
cum v entitabas quo puella ducebatamata nobis quantum amabitur nulla.
Ibi illa multa tum iocosa fiebant,
quae tu volchas nec pa ella nolebat.
Fulsere vere candidi tibi soles .
Nunc iam illa non volt : tu quoque, impotens,
CATULLUS.
nec quae fugit sectare, nec miser vive,sed obstinata mente perier, obdura.
Vale , puslla, iam Catullus obdurat,nec te requiret nec rogabit invitam
at tu dolebis,cum rogaberis nulla.
Scelesta, vae te quae tibi manet vita !quis nunc te adibit ? quoi videberis bella ?quem nunc amabis quoins esse diceris ?quem basiabis quoi labella mordebis
At tu , Catulle, destinatus obdura.
CARMEN 8.
8. Welcome Home !
Verani, omnibus e meis amicis
antistans mih i milibus trecentis,v enistine domum ad tuos penates
fratresque unanimos anumque matrem ?
5 Venisti. O mih i nuntii beati !
Visam te incolumem audiamque Hiberum
narrantem loca, facta, nationes,ut mos est tuos, adplicansque collumiucundum os oculosque saviabor .
O quantumst hominum beatiorum ,
quid me laetius est beatiusveCARMEN 9.
9. The Thief
Marrucine A sini, manu sinistra
non belle uteris in ioco atque Vinotollis lintea neglegentiorum .
Hoc salsum esse putas ? Fugit te, inepte5 quamvis sordida res et invenustast.
Non credis mih i ? Crede Pollioni
fratri, qui tua furta vel talento
1 0 CATULLUS.
mutari velit : est enim leporumdisertus puer ac facetiarum .
Quare aut liendecasyllabos trecentos
expecta aut mih i linteum remitte,
quod me non movet aestimatione,
v erumst mnemosynum mei sodalis.
N am sudaria Saetaba ex Hibereismiserunt m ih i muneri Fabullus
et Veranius : haec amem necessest
u t Veraniolum meum et Fabullum.
CARMEN 1 2.
1 0. A n I nvita tion to Dinner .
ééCenabis bene , mi Fabulle, apud mepaucis
,Si tibi di favent, diebus,
Si tecum attuleris bonam atque magnam
oenam,non sine candida puella
5 et Vino et sale et omnibus cach innis.
Haec si, inquam,attuleris
,venuste noster,
cenabis bene : nam tui Catulli
plenu s sacculus est aranearum .
Sed contra accipies meros amores
lo seu qu id suav ius elegantiusvest :
nam unguentum dabo, quod'
meae puellae
donarunt Veneres Cupidinesque,quod tu cum olfacies, deos rogabis,totum ut te faciant, Fabulle, nasum .
CARMEN 13.
1 1 . A Chr istmas Present.
Nei te plus oculis meis amarem,
iucundissime Calve, munere isto
odissem te odio Vatiniano
nam quid feci ego quidve sum locutus,
CATULLUS .
5 our me tot male perderes poetis
Isti di mala multa dent clienti,
qui tantum tibi misit impiorum .
Quod Si, ut su spicor , hoc novom ac repertum
munus dat tibi Sulla litterator,
non est mi male , sed bene ac beate ,quod non dispereunt tui labores .
Di magni , h orribilem et sacrum libellum
quem tu scilicet ad tuom Catullum
misti,contin uo u t die periret,
Saturnalibu s, optimo dicrum
Non non h oc tibi,salse
,s ic abibit
nam, Si luxerit, ad librariorum
curram scrin ia, Caesios, Aquinos,
Suffenum ,omnia colligam v enena,
ac te his suppliciis remunerabor .
Vos h inc interea valete, abite
illuc,unde malum pedem attulistis
,
saccli incommoda, pessimi poetas .
CARMEN 14.
1 2. A Conceited Poet.
Sufl'
enus iste , Vare , quem probe nosti,homost venustus et dicax et urbanus
,
idemque longe plurimos facit versus .
Puto esse ego illi milia aut decem au t plura
perscripta, nec Sic ut fit in palimpsesto
relata : chartae regiae , novi libri ,novi umbilici
,lora, rubra membrana,
derccta plumbo et pumice omnia aequata.
Haec cum legas tu , bellus ille et urbanusSuffenus unus caprimulgus aut fossorrursus videtur : tantum abhorret ac mutat .
Hoc quid putemus esse Qui modo scurra
l l
12 CATULLUS
aut Si quid hac re tritius v idebatur,
idem infacetost infacetior rure,simul poeniata attigit, neque idem umquam
acquest beatus ac poema cum scribit
tam gaudet in se tamque se ipse miratur .
N imirum idem omnes fallimur, nequest quisquam,
quem non in aliqua re videre Sufi'
enum
possis. Suos quoique attributu s est errorsed non Videmu s, manticae quod in tergost.
CARMEN 22.
1 3. The Mortgaged Villa .
Furi, Villula nostra non ad Austri
flatus Oppositast neque ad Favoni
nec saev i Boreas aut Apeliotae,
verum ad milia quindecim et ducentos.
O ventum horribilem atque pestilentemCARMEN
A t Home Aga in !
Paene insularum , Sirmio, insularumque
ocelle, quascumque in liquentibus stagnis
marique vasto fert uterque N eptunu s,quam te libenter quamque laetus inviso,
5 Vix mi ipse credens Thyniam atque Bithynos
liqu isse campos et'
videre te in tuto l
O quid solutis est beatiu s curis,cum mens onus reponit , ac peregr inolabore fessi venimu s larem ad nostrum
desideratoque acquiescimus lecto ?
Hoc est, quod unumst pro laboribu s tantis.
Salve,o venusta Sirmio, atque ero gaude :
gaudete vosque , o Lydiae laons undaeridete
, quidquid est domi cach innorum .
CARMEN 3 1 .
14 CATULLUS.
1 7. Sep tumius and A cme.
Aomen Septumius suos amores
tenens in gremio Mea’
inqu it‘Acme,
ui te perdite amo atque amare porro
omnes sum adsidue paratus annosquantum qui pote plurimum perire
,
solus in Libya I ndiaque tosta
caesio veniam obvins leoni . ’
Hoc ut dixit, Amor , sinistra ut ante,
dextra sternu it adprobationem .
At Acme leviter caput reflectenset dulcis pueri ebrios ocellosillo purpureo ore sav iataSic ’
inquit mea Vita, Septumille,
huic uni domino usque serviamus,
ut multo mih i maior acriorque
ignis mollibus ardet in medullis.
’
Hoc ut dixit; Amor, sinistra ut ante,
dextra sternuit adprobationem .
Nunc ab auspicio bono profecti
mutuis animis amant amantur .
Unam Septumiu s misellus Aomen
mavolt quam Syrias Britanniasqueuno in Septumio fidelis Acme
facit delicias libidinesque.
Quis ullos h omines beatiores
vidit, quis Venerem auspicatiorem ?
CARMEN 45 .
18. Longing for Home.
Iam ver egelidos refert tepores,
iam caeli furor aequinoctialisiucundis Zephyri Silescit aureis.
CATULLUS.
Linquantur Phrygn , Catulle, campi5 N icaeaeque ager uber aestuosaead claras A siae volemus urbes.
I am mens praetrepidans avet vagari,iam laeti studio pedes Vigescunt.
O dulces comitum valete coetus,
longe quos simul a domo profectosdiversae variae Viae reportant.
CARMEN 46 .
1 9. To Cicero.
Disertissime Romuli nepotum ,
quot sunt quotque fuere , Marce Tulli ,quotque post aliis erunt in annis,gratias tibi maximas Catullusagit pessimus omnium poeta
,
tanto pessimu s omnium poeta
quanto tu optimus omnium patronus.
CARMEN
20 . To Licinius Ca lvus.
Hesterno,Licini
,die otiosi
multum lusimus in meis tabellis,ut convenerat esse delicatos .
Scribens versiculos uterque nostrum
ludebat numero modo hoc modo illoc,
reddens mutua per iocum atque vinum .
Atque illinc abii tuo leporeincensus, Licini, facetiisque,
u t nec me miserum cibus iuvaret,
o nec somnus tegeret quiete ocellos,sed toto indomitus furore lectoversarer cupiens videre lucem,
ut tecum loquerer, simulque ut essom.
1 5
1 6 CATULLUS.
At defessa labore membra postquamsemimortua lectulo iacebant,
hoc,iucunde
,tibi poema feci
,
ex quo perspiceres meum dolorem .
Nunc audax cave Sis, precesque nostras,oramus, cave despuas, ocelle,ne poenas Nemesis reposcat a te .
Est vemens dea : laedere hanc caveto .
CARMEN
21 . To Lesbia .
I lle mi par esse deo Videtur,ille
,Si fas est
,superare divos
,
qui sedens adversus identidem te
spectat et audit5 dulce ridentem ,
misero quod omnis
eripit sensus mih i : nam simul te,
Lesbia, aspexi, nih il est super mi
Lingua sed torpet , tenuis sub artus
10 flamma demanat, sonitu suopte
tintinant aures, gemina tegunturlumina nocte .
CARMEN 51.
22. An Eloquent Orator .
Risi nescio quem modo e corona,qui
,cum mirifice Vatiniana
meus crimina Calvos explicasset,admirans ait haec manu sque tollens,
5 Di magni, salaputium disertum
CARMEN 53.
CATULLUS .
23. Woman’
s Vows.
Nulli se dicit mulier mea nubere mallequam mih i, non Si se I uppiter ipse petat.
Dicit : sed mulier cupido quod dicit amanti,
in vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua.
CARMEN 70 .
24 . Afiecta tion in the Use of h .
Chommoda dicebat, Si quando commoda vellet
dicere,et insidias Arrius hinsidias
, .
e t tum mirifice sperabat se esse locutum ,
cum quantum poterat dixerat h insidias.
5 Credo,Sic mater, sic liber avonculus eius,
sic maternu s avos dixerat atqu e avia.
Hoc misso in Syriam requierant omnibus aure s
audibant eadem haec leniter et leviter,
nec sibi postilla metuebant ta'
lia verba,
cum subito adfertur nuntius horribilis,
I onios fluctus , postquam illuc Arrius isset,
iam non I onios esse , sed Hionios.
CARMEN 84
25. True Beau ty.
Quintia formosast multis , mih i candida, longa,
re'
ctast. Haec ego Sic singula confiteor ,
totum illud formosa nego nam nulla venustas,
nulla in tam magnost corpore mica salis .5 Lesbia formosast, quae cum pulcherrima totast
,
tum omnibus una omnes surripuit Veneres .
CARMEN
26 . Ca tu llu s a t his Brother’
s Crave.
Multas per gentes et multa per aequora vectus
advenio has miseras, frater , ad inferias,2
1 7
1 8 TIBULLUS .
u t te postremo donarem munere mortis
et ma tam nequiquam adloquerer cinerem ,
5 quandoquidem fortuna mih i tete abstulit ipsum,
h eu miser indigne frater adempte mih i .Nunc tamen interea h aec prisco quae more parentumtradita sunt tristes munera ad inferias
,
accipe fraterno multum manantia fletu,
atque in perpetuom,frater
,ave atque vale .
CARMEN 10 1 .
TIBULLUS.
Rever ies of a Poet.
I bitis Aegaeas Sine me, M essalla, per undas ,
o utinam memores ipse cohorsque mei
me tenet ignotis aegrum Phaeacia terris
abstineas avidas,Mors precor atra
,manus .
5 Abstineas, Mors atra, precor : non h ic mih i mater
quae legat in maestos ossa perusta Sinus,
non soror , Assyrios cineri quae dedat odores
et fleat effu sis ante sepulcra comis ,Delia non u squam ; quae me quam mitteret urbe ,dicitur an te omnes consu luisse deos .
Illa sacras pueri sortes ter sustulit : illi
rettulit e trim s om lna certa puer.
Cuneta dabant reditus : tamen est deterrita numquam
quin fleret nostras respu eretqu e v ia-s .
Ipse ego solator , cum iam mandata dedissem ,
quaerebam tardas anxius usque moras.
Au t ego sum causatu s aves aut om ina dira,
T IBULLUS.
Saturnive sacram me tenuisse diem .
O quotiens ingressus iter mih i tristia dixi
offensum in porta signa dedisse pedem !Audeat invito ne quis discedere Amore ,
aut sciat egressum se proh ibente deo .
Quid tua nunc Isis mih i, Delia, quid mihi prosunt
illa tua totiens aera repulsa manu ,
quidve, pie dum sacra colis, pureque lavari
te (memini) et puro secubuisse toro
Nunc,dea
,nunc succurre mih i (nam posse mederi
picta docet templis multa tabella tuis),ut mea votivas persolvens Delia voces
ante sacras lino tecta fores sedeat
bisque die resoluta comas tibi dicere laudesinsignis turba debeat in Pharia.
A t mih i contingat patrios celebrare penatesreddereque antiquo menstrua tura lari.
Quam bene Saturno vivebant rege, priusquamtellus in longas est patefacta vias
Nondum caeru leas pinus contempserat undas,efi
’
usum v entis praebueratque sinum ,
nec vagus ignotis repetens compendia terrispresserat externa navita merce ratem .
I llo non validus suhu t iuga tempore taurus,non domito frenos ore momordit equus
,
non domus ulla fores h abuit,non fixus in agris
,
qui regeret certis finibus arva,lapis .
I psae mella debant quercus, ultroque ferebantobvia securis ubera lactis oves .
Non acies,non ira fuit
,non bella
,nec ensem
immiti saevus duxerat arte faber.
Nunc Iove sub domino caedes et vulnera semper,
nunc mare, nunc leti mille repente viae .
Parce , pater. Timidum non me periuria terrent,
1 9
20 TIBULLUS.
non dicta in sanctos impia verba deos .Quod Si fatales iam nunc explevimus annos,
fac lapis inscriptis stet super ossa notisHic iacet immiti consumptu s morte Tibullus ,Messallam terra dum sequiturque mari. ’
Sed me, quod facilis tenero sum semper Amori,
ipsa Venus campos duoet in Elysios.
Hic ch oreae cantusque Vigent, passimque vagantesdulce sonant tenui gutture carmen aves
,
fert casiam non culta seges, totosque per agrosfioret odoratis terra benigna rosis
at iuvenum ser ies teneris immixta puellis
ludit,et adsidue proelia miscet Amor .
Illio est , cuicumque rapax mors venit amanti,et gerit Insigni myrtea serta coma.
At scelerata iacet sedes in nocte profundaabdita
,quam circum fiumina nigra sonant
Tisiphoneque impexa feros'
pro crinibu s anguessaev it, et huc illuc impia turba fugit
tunc niger in porta serpentum Cerberus ore
stridet et aeratas excubat ante fores .
Illio I unonem temptare I xionis ausi
versantur celer i noxia membra rota,
porrectusque novem Tityos per iugera terrae
adsiduas atro viscere pascit aves .
Tantalus est illio, et circum stagna : sed aerem
iam iam poturi deserit unda Sitim
et Danai proles, Veneris quod numina laesit,
in cava Leth aeas dolia portat aquas .
Illio sit, quicumqu e meos v iolavit amores ,
optav it lentas et mih i militias .
At tu casta precor maneas,sanctique pudoris
adsideat custos sedula semper anus .
Haec t ibi fabellas referat positaque lucerna
22 HORACE
luctantem Icarus fluctibus A fricummercator metuens otium et oppidi
laudat rura sui : mox reficit ratis
quasse s,indocilis pauperiem pati .
Est qui nec veteris pocula Massici
nec partem solido demere de die
Spernit, nunc viridi membra sub arbuto
stratus , nunc ad aquae lene caput sacrae .
Multos castra iuvant et lituo tubae
permixtus sonitus bellaque matribus
detestata. Manet sub Iove frigidovenator tenerae coniugis immemor,
seu visa est catulis cerva fidelibus,
seu rupit teretis Marsus aper plagas .
Me doctarum hederae praemia frontiumdis miscent superis me gelidum nemus
Nympharumque leves cum Satyris ch ori
secernunt populo, Si neque tibiasEuterpe cohibet nec Polyhymnia
Lesboum refugit tendere barbiton .
Quod Si me lyricis vatibus inseris,sublimi feriam Sidera vertice
2. To a Coquette.
Quis multa gracilis te puer in rosaperfusu s liquidis urget odoribus
grato,Pyrrh a, sub antro
Cui flavam religas comam,
5 Simplex rnunditns Heu quotiens fidemmutatosque deos flebit et aspera
nigris aequora ventisemirabitur insolens,
HORACE .
qui nunc te fru itur credulus aurea,qui semper vacuam
,semper amabilem
sperat, nescius aurae
fallaciS. Miseri,quibus
intemptata nites me tabula sacervotiva paries indicat uv ida
suspendissel
potenti
vestimenta maris deo .
ODE S I . 5 .
3. Winter .
Vides ut alta stet nive candidum
Soracte nec iam sustinean’
t onus
Silvae laborantes geluque
flumina constiterint acuto .
5 D issolve frigus ligna super focolarge reponen s atque benigniusdeprome quadrimum Sabina,o Thaliarche
,merum diota .
Permitte divis cetera qui simul10 stravere ventos aequore fervido
deproeliantis, nec cupreSSinec vetereS agitantur orni.
Quid sit futurum oras,fuge quaerere , et
quem fors dierum cumque dah it, lucroadpone, nec dulcis amores
Sperne puer neque tu ch oreas ,
donec virenti canitie s ehest
morosa. Nunc et campus et areaelenesque sub noctem susurri
composita repetantur h ora,
23
24
1 0
1 5
HORACE .
nunc et latentis proditor intimo
gratus puellae risus ab angulopignu sque dereptuni lacertis
aut digito male pertinaci .ODE s I . 9 .
O navis, referent in mare te novi
fluctu s O quid agis Fortiter occupa
portum Nonne Vides ut
nudum remigio latus
et malus celeri saucius Africo
antemnaeque gemant ac Sine funibus
v ix durare carinae
possint imperiosius
aequor 2 Non tibi sunt integra lintea,non di
,quos iterum pressa voces malo.
Quamv isJ
Pontica pinus,Silvae filia nobilis,
iactes et genus et nomen inutile,nil pictis timidus navita puppibus
fidit. Tu nisi ventisdebes ludibrium , cave .
N uper sollicitum quae mih i taedium ,
nunc desiderium curaque non lev1s ,
interfusa nitentis
vites aequora Cycladas.
ODES I . 14.
5 . I nteger Vitae.
Integer Vitae scelerisque purusnon eget Mauris iaculis neque arcu
HORACE .
nec venenatis gravida sagittis,
Fusce, pharetra,
5 sive per Syrtis iter aestuosassive facturus per inhospitalem
Caucasum vel quae loca fabulosuslambit Hydaspes.
N amque me Silva lupus in Sabina,dum meam canto Lalagen et ultra
terminam curis vagor expeditis,fugit inermem
,
quale portentum neque militarisDaunias latis alit aesculetisnec Iubac tellus generat, leonum
arida nu trix.
Pone me, pigris ubi nulla campisarbor aestiva recreatur aura
,
quod latus mundi nebulae malusque
I uppiter urget
pone sub curru nimium proplnqui
solis,in terra domibus negata
dulce ridentem Lalagen amabo ,dulce loquentem .
ODES I ‘
. 22.
6 . A Funera l Elegy.
Quis desiderio Sit pudor aut modus
tam cari capitis Praecipe lugubris
cantus,Melpomene
,cui liquidam pater
vocem cum cithara dedit.
5 Ergo Quintilium perpetuus soporu rget ? Cui Pudor et I ustitiae soror,
26 HORACE.
incorrupta Fides , nudaque Veritas
quando ullum inveniet parem 7
Multis ille bonis fiebilis oocidit,
nulli fiebilior quam tibi, Vergilitu frustra pius heu non ita creditum
poseis Quintilium deos .
Quid Si Th reicio blandins Orpheoauditam moderere arboribus fidem 7
Num vanae redeat sanguis imagini,
quam virga semel h orrida,
non lenis precibus fata recl'
udere,nigro compulerit Mercurius gregi 2Durum sed levins fit patientia
quicquid corrigere est nefas .
ODES I . 24.
7. To Venus.
O Venu s regina Cnidi Paph ique,sperne dilectam Cypron et vocantis
ture te multo Glycerae decoramtransfer in aedem .
Fervidus tecum puer et solutis
Gratiae zonis properentque Nymph ae
et parum comis sine te InventasM ercuriusque .
ODE S I . 30 .
8 . To his Lyre.
Poscimur. Si quid vacui sub umbralusimus tecum ,
quod et hunc in annum
vivat et pluris, age dic Latinum,
barbite,carmen
,
HORACE .
5 Lesbio primum modulate ClVl ,qui ferox bello tamen inter arma,sive iactatam religarat udo
litore navem,
Liberum et Musas Veneremque et illi10 semper haerentem puerum canebat
et Lycum nigris oculiS nigroquecrine decorum .
O decus Phoebi et dapibus supremi
grata testudo I ovis, o laborum1 5 dulce lenimen ,
mih i cumque salverite vocanti l
ODE S I . 32.
9. To his Cup bearer .
Persicos odi, puer, apparatus,displicent nexae ph ilyra coronaemitte sectari
,rosa quo locorum
sera moretur .
5 Simplici myrto nih il adlaboressedulus curo : neque te ministrumdedecet myrtus neque me sub arta
Vite bibentem .
ODE S I . 38 .
10 . The Golden Mean .
Re ctius Vives,Licini, neque altum
semper urgendo neque,dum procellas
cautus horrescis,nimium premendo
litus iniquum .
5 Auream quisquis mediocritatemdiligit, tutus caret obsoleti
28 HORACE .
sordibus tecti , caret invidendasobrius aula.
Saepius ventis agitatur ingenspinus et celsae graviore casu
decidunt turres feriuntque summos
fulgura montis.
Sperat infestis, metuit secundis
alteram sortem bene praeparatumpectus . I nformis h iemeS reducit
I uppiter, idem
submovet. Non , Si male nunc, et olim
Sic crit z quondam cithara tacentemsuscitat musam neque semper aroum
tendit Apollo.
Rebu S augustis animosus atque
fortis appare sapienter idem
contraheS vento nimium secundo
turgida vela.
ODE S I I . 1 0 .
1 1 . Death . .
Eh eu fugaces, Postume, Postume,labuntur anni nec pietas moram
rugis et instanti senectaeadferet indomitaeque morti
5 non, Si trecenis, quotquot eunt dies,
amice,places inlacrimabilem
Plutona tauris, qui ter amplum
Geryonen Tityonque tristi
compescit unda, scilicet omnibus,
quicumque terrae munere v escimu r ,
30 HORACE .
mentis et curas laqueata circum
tecta volantis .
Vivitur parvo bene cui paternum
splendet in mensa tenui salinum15 nec levis somnos timor aut cupido
sordidus aufert.
Quid brevi fortes iaculamur aevo
multa ? Quid terras alio calentissole mutamus Patriae quis exul
se quoque fugit
Scandit aeratas Vitiosa navis
Cura nec turmas equitum relinquit,
ocior cervis et agente nimbosocmr Euro .
Laetus in praesens animus quod ultraoderit curare
,et amara lento
temperet risu nih il est ab omni
parte beatum.
Abstulit clarum cita mors Achillem,
longa Tith onum minuit senectus,et mih i forsan tibi quod negarit
porriget hora.
Te greges centum Siculaeque circum
mugiunt vaccae , tibi tollit h innitum
apta quadrigis equa, te bis Afro
murice tinctae
vestiunt lanae mih i parva rura et
Spiritum Graiae tenuem Camenae
Parca non mendax dedit et malignum
sper'
nere volgus.
ODE S I I ; 1 6 .
HORACE .
1 3. Virtus et Fides Romana .
Angustam amice pauperiem pati
robustus acri militia puer
condiscat,et Parthos ferocis
vexet eques metuendus hasta,
5 vitamque sub divo et trepidis agatin rebus illum ex moenibus hosticis
matrona bellantis tyranni
prospiciens et adulta Virgo
suspiret, eh eu , ne rudis agminum1 0 sponsus lacessat regius asperum
tactu leonem ,quem cruenta
per medias rapit ira caedes .
Dulce et decorum est pro patria morimors et fugacem persequ itur Virum
nec parcit imbellis iuventae
poplitibus timidove tergo .
Virtus repulsae nescia sordidaeintaminatis fulget honoribus,
nec sumit aut ponit securis
arbitrio popularis aurae .
Virtus recludens immeritis mori
caelum negata temptat iter via,coetusque volgaris et udam
Spernit humum fugiente penna .
25 Est et fideli tuta Silentio
merces vetabo, qui Cereris sacrum
v olgarit arcanae, sub isdem
sit trabibus fragilemque mecum
31
32 HORACE .
solvat phaselon saepe Diespiter
so neglectus incesto addidit integrumraro antecedentem Scelestum
deseruit pede Poena olando .
ODES I I I . 2 .
14 . The Just Man .
I ustum et tenacem propositi Virum
non civium ardor prava iubentium,
non voltus instantis tyranni
mente quatit solida, neque Auster,
5 dux inquieti turbidus Hadrias ,nec fulminantis magna manu S I ovis
si fractus inlabatur orbis,
impavidum ferient ruinae .
ODE S I I I . 3,1—8.
1 5. Amantium irae amoris integra tio est.
Donec gratu s eram tibinec quisquam potior bracchia candidas
cervici iuvenis dabat,Persarum Vigui rege beatior.
5 Donec non alia magisarsisti neque erat Lydia post Ghloen,
multi Lydia nominis,Romana Vigui clarior Ilia.
Me nunc Thressa Ch loe regit,dulcis docta modos et citharae sciens,
pro qua non metuam mori,Si parcent animae fata superstiti.
Me torret face mutuaThurini Calais filius Ornyti,
pro quo bis patiar mori ,Si parcent puero fata superstiti.
HORACE .
Quid Si prisca redit Venus,
diductosque iugo cogit aeneo,Si flava excu titur Ch loe
,
reiectaeque patet ianua Lydiae 7
Quamquam Sidere pulch rior
ille est,tu leVior cortice et improbo
iracundior Hadria,tecum Vivere amem, tecum obeam libens.
ODE S I I I . 9 .
1 6 . The Bandu sian Sp ring.
O fons Bandusiae, Splendidior Vitro,dulci digne mero non Sine floribu s
,
cras donaberis haedo,cui frons turgida cornibus
5 primis et venerem et proelia destinat
frustra nam gelidos inficiet tibi
rubro sanguine rivoslascivi suboles gregis .
Te flagrantis atrox h ora Caniculas
mescit tangere,tu frigus amabile
fessis vomere tauris
praebes et pecori vago.
Fies nobilium tu quoque fontium,
me dicente cavis impositam ilicem
saxis,unde loquaces
lymphae desiliunt tuae .
ODES III . 13 .
1 7. Contentement p a sse Richesse.
I nclusam Danaen turris aenea
robustaeque fores et vigilum canum
tristes excubiae munierant satis
noctu rnis ab adultcris,
33
34 HORACE .
5 Si non Acrisium , Virginis abditaecustodem pav idum,
I uppiter et Venus
risissent : fore enim ta tum iter et patens
converso in pretium deo.
Aurum per medios ire satellites10 et perrumpere amat saxa potentiusictu fulmineo concidit auguris
Argivi domus,ob lucrum
demersa exitio difiidit urbium
portas vir Macedo et subruit aemulos
15 reges muneribus munera navium
saevos inlaqueant duces .
Crescentem sequitur cura pecuniammaiorumque fames iure perhorruilate conspicuum tollere verticem
,
Maecenas, equitum decus .
Quanto quisque sibi plura negav erit,
ab dis plura feret : nil cupientium
nudus castra peto et transfuga div itumpartis linquere gestio,
contemptae dominus splendidior rei,quam Si quicquid arat impiger Apulusoccultare meis dicerer h orreis,
magnas I nter opeS m ops .
Purae r ivus aquae Silvaque iugerum
paucorum et segetis certa fideS meas
fulgentem imperio fertilis Africas
fallit sorte beatior .
Quamquam nec Oalabrae mella ferunt apes,nec Laestrygonia Bacchus in amph ora
HORACE .
35 languescit mih i, nec pinguia Galliciscrescunt vellera pascuis,
importuna tamem pauperies abest,nec
,Si plura velim,
tu dare deneges.
Contracto melius parva cupidine
vectigalia porrigam ,
quam Si Mygdoniis regnum Alyatteicampis continuem . Multa petentibusdesunt multa bene est
,cui deus obtulit
parca quod satis est manu .
ODE S I I I . 1 6 .
1 8. Pure Religion .
Caclo supinas Si tuleris manus
nascente luna,rustica Phidyle,
Si ture placaris et horna
fruge Lares avidaque porca,
5 nec pestilentem sentiet Africum
fecunda Vitis nec sterilem seges
rob iginem aut dulces alumni
pomifero grave tempus anno.
Nam quae nivali pascitur A lgidodevota quercus inter et ilices
aut crescit Albanis in herbisVictima pontificum securis
cervice tinguet : te nih il attinet
temptare multa caede hidentium
parvos coronantem marino
rore deos fragilique myrto.
Immunis aram Si tetigit manus,
non sumptuosa blandior h ostia,
35
HORACE .
mollivit aversos Penatis
farre pio et saliente mica.
ODE S I I I . 23 .
1 9 . To his Muse.
Quem tu,Melpomene
,semel
nascentem placido lumine videris,
illum non labor I sthmiusclarabit pugilem ,
non e quus impiger5 curru ducet Achaico
v ictorem,neque res bellica Delus
ornatum foliis ducem,
quod regum tum IdaS contuderit minas ,ostendet Capitolio
sed quae Tibur aquae fertile praefluuntet spissae nemorum comae
fingent Aeolio carmine nobilem .
Romae , principis urbium,
dignatur suboles inter amabilisvatum ponere me ch oros
,
et iam dente minus mordeor invido.
O testudinis aureae
dulcem quae strepitum ,Pieri
,temperas,
o mutis quoque pisci-bus
donatura cycni, Si libeat, sonum,
totum muneris h oc tui est,quod monstror d igito praetereuntium
Romanae fidicen lyrae
quod spiro et placeo, Si placeo, tuum est.ODE S IV 3 .
38 OVID .
Verque novum stabat cinctum florente corona,stabat nuda Aestas et spicea serta gerebat,stabat et Au tumnu s, calcatis sordidus uv is,
30 et glacialis Hiems , canos h irsuta capillos .ME T . I I . 1—30 .
2. N a rcissus and Echo.
Adspicit h unc trepidos agitantem in retia cervos
vocalis nymph e, quae nec reticere loquenti,nec prior ipsa loqui didicit, resonabilis Ech o.
Corpus adhuc Echo, non vox erat, et tamen usum
5 garrula non alium,quam nunc h abet
,oris habebat
,
reddere de multis u t verba novissima posset.
Fecerat hoc I uno, quia, cum deprendere posset
cum Iove saspe suo nymphas in monte iacentes,illa deam longo prudens sermone tenebat,dum fugerent nymphae . Postquam Saturnia sensit,
huius ait linguae , qua sum delusa, potestasparva tibi dabitur
,vocisque brevissimus usus
reque minas firmat : tamem haec in fine loquendiingeminat voces au
’
ditaque verba reportat.
Ergo ubi N arcissum per devia rura vagantem
Vidit et incaluit, sequitur vestigia furtim ,
quoque magis sequitur , fiamma propiore calescit,
non aliter,quam cum summis circumlita taedis
admotas rapiunt Vivacia sulphura flammas.
O quotiens vola it blandis accedere dictis
et molles adh ibere preces : natura repugnat
nec sinit,incipiat. Sed
,quod sinit
,illa parata est
expectare sonos , ad quos sua verba remittat.
Forte puer, comitum seductus ab agmine fido,
dixerat ecquis adest 7 et adest responderat Ech o.
Hic stupet utque aciem partes dimittit in omnes,
°0 ’voce veni t magna clamat : vocat illa vocantem.
OVID . 39
Respicit et rursus nullo veniente quid inquit
me fugis 7 ’
et totidem,quot dixit, verba recepit.
Perstat et, alternae deceptu s imagine v ocis,‘huc co
'
e’
amu s ait : nullique libentius umquam
responsura sono coeamu s rettulit Ech o
et verbis favet ipsa suis egressaque Silva
ibat, ut iniceret Sperato bracch ia collo .
Ille fugit fugiensque manus complexibus aufer
ante ait emoriar,quam sit tibi copia nostri. ’
Rettulit illa nih il nisi Sit tibi 0 0 pia nostri."
Spreta latet Silvis pudibundaque frondibus oraprotegit et solis ex illo v iv it in antris .
Sed tamen haeret amor crescitque dolore repulsae.
Extenuant Vigiles corpus miserabile curac,adducitque cutem macies
,et in a
‘
e’
ra sucus
corporis omnis abit. Vox tan tum atque ossa supersunt.
Vox manet ; ossa iernut lapidis traxisse figuram .
MET . 111 . 356—399 .
3. The Doom of Pelias.
Neve doli cessent,odium cum coniuge falsum
Phasias adsimulat Peliaeque ad limina supplex
confugit. A tque illam , quoniam gravis ipse senectaexcipiunt natae . Quas tempore callida parvo
Colch is amicitiae mendacis imagine cepit ;dumque refert inter meritorum maxima
,demptos
Aesonis esse Situs , atque h ac in parte moratur ,spes est VirginibuS Pelia subiecta creatis
arte suum parili rev irescere posse parentem.
q ue petunt pretiumque iubent Sine fine pacisci.I lla brevi spatio Silet et dubitare Videtursuspenditque animos ficta gravitate rogantes .Mox ubi pollicita est, quo sit fiducia maiormuneris huius
,
’
ait qui vestras maximus aevo est
40 OVID .
O
dux gregis inter oves , agnus medicamine fiet.’
Protinus innumeris effetus lamiger annis
attrah itur flexo circum cava tempora cornu .
Cuius u t Haemon io marcentia guttura cultro
fodit et exiguo maculav it sanguine ferrum,
membra simul pecudiS validosque venefica sucosmergit in aere cavo ; minuunt en corporis artuscornuaque exurunt nec non cum cornibus annos
,
et tener auditur medio balatus a ’
e‘
no
nec mora, balatum mirantibus exilit agnuslasciv itque fuga lactantiaque ubera quaerit.
Obstipuere satae Pelia : pro missaque postquamexh ibuere fidem
, tum vero impensius instant .Ter iuga
'
PhoebuS equis in Hibero fiumine mersiS
dempserat, et quarta radiantia nocte micabantSidera
,cum rapido fallax Aeetias igni
imponit purum laticem et Sine Viribus h erbas .
I amq ue neci Similis resoluto corpore regemet cum rege suo custodes somnus habebat,quem dederant can tus magicaeque potentia linguaeintrarant iussae cum Colob ide limina natae
ambierantque torum . Quid nunc dubitatis inertes 7stringite ait gladios veteremque haurite cruorem,
u t repleam vacuas iuv enali sanguine venas .
In manibu s vestris Vita est aetasque paren tis.
S i pietas ulla est,nec spes agitatis inanes,
officium praestate patri telisque senectam
exigite et saniem coniecto emittite ferro .
’
His, ut quaeque pia est, h ortatibu s impia prima est
et, ne sit scelerata, facit soclus . Haud tamen ictus
ulla suos spectare potest, oculosque reflectunt
caecaque dant saev is av ersae vulnera dextris.
Ille,cruore fluens, cubito tamen adlevat artus
semilacerque toro temptat consurgere et inter
OVID .
tot medius gladios pallentia bracch ia tendens
quid facitiS,natae ? quid VOS in fata parentis
armat ?’
ait. Occidere illis animiq ue manusque.
Plura locuturo cum verbis gu ttura Colch is
abstulit et calidis laniatum mersit in undis .
ME T . V I I . 297—349 .
4 . The Flight of I ca rus.
Daedalus interea Creten longumque perosus
exilium tactusque loci nataliS amore
clausus erat pelago . Terras licet ’
inqu it‘et undas
obstruat, at caelum certe patet : ibimu s illac .
5 Omnia possideat, non possidet a'
e’
ra Minos .
’
D ixit, et ignotas animum dimittit in artes
naturamque novat. N am ponit in ordine pennas,
a minima coeptas , longam breviore sequenti,
u t clivo crev isse putes . Sic rustica quondamfistula disparibus paulatim surgit avenis.
Tum lino medias et ceris alligat imas,
atque ita compositas parvo curvamine fiectit,ut veras imitetur aves , Puer Icarus unastabat et
,ignara s sua se tractare pericla,
ore renidenti modo,quas vaga moverat aura,
captabat plumas,flavam modo pollice ceram
mollibat lusuque suo mirabile patrisimpediebat opus . Postquam manus ultima coeptis
imposita est, geminas opifex libravit in alas
ipse suum corpus motaque pependit in aura .
Instruit et natum medio que ‘ut limite curras,
I care ait moneo,ne, Si demissior ibis,
unda gravet pennas , si celsior , ignis adurat.
Inter u trumque vola. Nec te spectare Bootenaut Helicen iubeo strictumque Orionis ensem
me duce carpe viam .
’
Pariter praecepta volandi
41
42 OV I D .
tradit et ignotas umeriS accommodat alas .Inter Opus mon itu sque genae maduere seniles
,
et patriae tremuere manus . Dedit oscula nato
non iterum repetenda suo, pennisque levatusante volat comitique timet, v elu t ales, ab alto
quae teneram prolem produxit in ae'ra nido
,
h ortaturque sequi damnosasque erudit artes
et movet ipse suas et nati respicit alas .
Hos aliquis , tremula. dum captat harundine pisces,aut pastor baculo stivave innixus arator
Vidit et obstipu it, quique aeth era carpers possent,credidit esse deos . Et iam I unonia laeva
parte Samos,fuerant Delosque Parosque relictae,
dextra Lebinthus erat fecundaque melle Calymne,cum puer audaci coepit gaudere volatudeseruitque ducem caelique cupidine tractus
altius egit iter. Rapidi Vicinia solis
mollit odoratas, pennarum vincula,ceraS .
Tabuerant oerae : nudos quatit ille lacertos
remigioque carens non ullas percipit auras ;oraque caerulea patrium clamantia nomen
excipiuntur aqua : quae nomen traxit ab 1110 .
At pater infelix ,nec iam pater, I care
’
, dixit,I care dixit ‘ubi es ? qua te regione requiram 7
’
Ieare dicebat : pennas adspexit in undiS
devovitque suas artes corpu sque sepulcrocondidit. Et tellus a nomine dicta sepulti.
M E T . VIII. 1 83- 235 .
5 . Perdia’
.
Hunc miseri tumulo ponentem corpora nati
garrula limoso prospexit ab elice perdixet plausit pennis testataque gaudia cantu estunica tunc volucris nec
'
visa prioribus annis ,
OVID .
5 factaque nuper avis, longum tibi, Daedale , crimen .
Namque huic tradiderat, fatorum ignara, docendam
progeniem germana suam,natalibuS actis
bis puerum senis,animi ad praecepta capacis.
Ille etiam medio Spinas in pisce notatas
traxit in e'
xemplum ferroque incidit acuto
perpetuos dentes et serrae repperit usum .
Primus et ex uno duo ferrea bracch ia nodo
vinxit, ut aequali spatio distantibus illisaltera pars staret, pars altera duceret orhem.
Daedalus invidit sacraque ex arce M inervae
praecipitem misit, lapsum mentitus. At illum,
quae favet ingeniis , excepit Pallas avemque
reddidit et medio velav it in a'
elre pennis .
Sed vigor ingenii quondam velocis in alas
inque pedes abiit : nomen , quod et ante,remansit.
Non tamsu haec alte volucris sua corpora tollit,
nec facit in ramis altoque cacumine nidos
propter humum volitat ponitque in saepibus ova
antiquique memor metuit sublimia casus .
MET . VIII . 236 - 259 .
6 . The Cave of Sleep .
Est prope Cimmerios longo spelunca recessu ,
mons cavus, ignavi domus et penetralia Somniquo numquam radiis oriens mediusve cadensve
Phoebus adire potest . Nebulae caligine mixtas5 exhalantur h umo dubiaeque crepuscula lucis .Non V igil ales ibi‘
cristati cantibus oris
evocat auroram , nec voce Silentia rumpunt
sollicitive canes canibusve sagacior anser.Non fera, non pecudes , non moti flamine ramihumauaeve sonum reddunt conv icia linguae .
Muta quice habitat. Saxo tamen exit ab imo
OVID .
rivus aquae Leth es , per quem cum murmure labensinvitat somnos crepitantibus unda lapillis .
Ante foreS an tri fecunda papavera fiorentinnumeraeque h erbae, quarum de lacte soporemNox legit et spargit per opacas umida terras.[anua nec verso stridores cardine redditnulla domo tota
,custos in limine nullus .
At medio torus est ebeno sublimis in antro,
plumeus, unicolor , pullo velamine tectusquo cubat ipse deus membris languore solutis.
Hunc circa passim varias imitantia formas
Somnia vana iacent totidem,quot messis aristas
,
Silva gerit frondes,eiectas litus harenas.
Mm . XI . 592—6 1 5 .
7. The House of Fame.
Orbe locus medio est inter terrasque fretumquecaelestesque plagas, triplicis confinia mundi ,unde quod est u squam , quamViS regionibus absit,inspicitprl penw
etfagtque cavas vox omnis
uadag es.
5 Fama tenet summaque domum sibi legit in arce,innumerosque aditus ac mille foramina tectiS
addidit et na llis inclusit limina portis .
Nocte dieque patet . Tota est ex aere sonanti,tota fremit vocesque refert iteratque quod audit.
Nulla quies intu S nullaque Silentia parte.
Ncc tamem est clamor,sed parvae murmura voeis,
qualia de pelagi,Siqu iS procul audiat, undis
esse solent, qualemve sonum ,
cum I uppiter atras
increpuit nubes , extrema tonitrua reddunt.
Atria turba tenet v eniunt, leve vulgus , euntquemixtaque cum veris passim commen ta vagantur
milia rumorum confusaque verba volutant.
E quibus h i vacuas implent sermonibu s aures,
46 OVID .
Flebat ut amissum coniunx, cum regia I uno
Irin ad Hersiliam descendere limite curvo
imperat et vacuae sua Sic mandata referre
o et de Latia, o et de gente Sabinapraecipuum , matrona, decus , dignissima tanti
ante. fuisse Viri , coniunx nunc esse Quirini,siste ta os fietu s et, Si tibi cura videndi
coniugis est, duce me lacum pete , colle Quiriniqui Viret et templum Romani regis obumbrat.
’
Paret s t in terram pictos delapsa per arcus
Hersiliam iuSSis compellat vocibus Iris .Illa verecundo Vix tollens lumina vultu
o,dea, namque mih i nec, quae S I S, dicere promptum est,
et liquet esse deam , due , 0 duo inquit et offer
coniugis ora mih i. Quae Si modo posse videre
fata semel dederint, caelum eccepisse Videbor.
’
Nec mora,Romuleos cum Virgine Thaumantea
ingreditur colles . Ibi Sidus ab aeth ere lapsum
decidit in terras ; a cuius lumine flagrans
Hersilia a‘e‘rias cum Sidere cessit in auras .
Hanc manibus notis Romanas conditor urbis
excipit, et priscum pariter cum corpore nomen
mutatHoramque vocat, quae nunc dea iuncta Quirino est.ME T . X IV . 805—851 .
9 . Ep ilogu e.
I amque opus exegi, quod nec I ovis ira nec ignisnec poterit ferrum nec edax abolere vetustas .
Cum volet, illa dies , quae nil nisi corporis huius
ius habet, incerti Spatium mih i finiat aevi
parte tamen meliore mei super alta perennis
astra ferar nomenque crit indelebile nostrum .
Quaque patet domitis Romana potentia terris,
ore legar populi perque omnia saecula fama,siquid h abent veri vatum praesagia, Vivam .
ME T . X V . 871 - 879 .
OVID.
F A S T I .
1 0 . The Feast of Terminus.
Nox ubi transierit, solito celebretur honore
separat indicio qui deus arva suo .
Termine,sive lapis , sive es defossus in agro
stipes,ab antiquis tu quoque numen babes.
5 Te duo diversa domini de parte coronantbinaque serta tibi binaque liba ferunt.
Ara fit : huc ignem curto fert rustica testu
sumptum de tepidis ipsa colona focis .Ligna senex minuit concisaque construit arteet solida ramos figere pugnat humo .
Tum Sicco primas inritat cortice flammas
stat puer et manibus lata canistra tenet .Inde ubi ter fruges medios immiSit in ignes
,
porrigit incisos filia'
parva faves.
Vina tenent alii . Libantur Singula flammis.
Spectant, et linguis candida turba favet.
Spargitur et caeso communis Terminus agno,nec queritur, lactanS cum sibi porca datur .
Conveniunt celebrantque dapes vrcm ia Simplex
et
'
cantant laudes,Termine sancte , tuas
tu populos urbesque et regua ingentia finisomnis crit sine te litigiosus ager.
Nulla tibi ambitio est,nullo conrumperis auro
legitima servas credita rura fide .
Si tu Signasses olim Thyreatida terram ,
corpora non leto missa trecenta forent,
nec foret Othryades congestis leotus in armis .
48 OVID .
O quantum patriae sanguinis ille dedit !Quid
,nova cum fierent Capitolia ? nempe deorum
cuneta Iovi cessit t-urba locumque dedit
Terminus,ut veteres memorant
,tum lentus in aeds
restitit et magno cum Iove temple. tenet.Nunc quoque
,se supra ne quid nisi Sidera cernat
,
exiguum templi tecta foramen habent.
Termine,post illud levitas tibi libera non est
qua positus fueris in stations , mane,nec tu vicino quicquam concede roganti,
ne v ideare h ominem praeposuisse Iovi ,et seu vomeribus seu tu pulsabere rastris,
clamato tuns est h ic ager,ille suns ! ”
Est v ia, quae populum Laurentes ducit in agros,
quondam Dardanio regna petita duci .Illa ‘lanigeri pecoris tibi, Termine, fibrissacra Videt fieri sextus ab urbe lapis.
Gentibus est aliis tellus data limite certo
Romanas spatium est urbis et orbis idem .
FA S . I I . 639 - 684.
1 1 . Qu inqua trus.
Una dies media est, et fiunt sacra M inervae,nominaque a iunctis quinque diebuS habent.
Sanguine prima vacat, nec fas concurrere ferro
causa,quod est illa nata M inerva die .
Altera tresque super rasa celebrantur h arena.
Ensibu s exsertis bellica laeta dea est .
Fallada nunc pueri teneraeque orate puellae
qui bene placarit Fallada, doctus erit.
Pallade placata lanam mollire puellae
discan t et plenas exonerare colos .
Illa etiam stan tes radio percurrere telas
erudit et rarum pectine denset Opus.
OVID . 49
Hanc cole, qui maculas laesis de v estibus aufers,hanc cole, velleribus quisquis ae
‘na paras .
Nec quisquam invita faciet bene Vincula plantae
Pallade,Sit Tych io doctior ille licet .
Et licet antiquo manibus conlatus Epeo
Sit prior, irata Pallade maucus erit.
Vos quoque,Phoebea morbos qui pellitis arte,
munera de v estris pauca referte deae .
Nec vos,turba fere censu fraudata,
magistri,
spernite : discipulos attrahit illa novos .
Quique moves caelum tabulamque coloribus uris,
quique faciS docta mollia saxa manu
mille dea est operum . Certe dea carminis I lla est.
Si mereor, studiis adsit amica meis .
FAS . 111 . 80 9- 834.
1 2. Mars Ultor .
Sed quid et Orion et cetera Sidera mundo
cedere festinant, noxque coartat iter ?
Quid solito citiu s liquido iubar aequore tollitcandida, Lucifero praeveniente , dies 7
5 Pallor, an arma sonant ? Non fallimur,arma sonabant
Mars venit et veniens bellica signa dedit.Ultor ad ipse suos caclo descendit h onores
templaque in Augusto conspicienda foro.
Et deus est ingens et opus : debebat in urbe
non aliter nati M ars h abitare sui .Digna Gigau te ls haec sunt delubra tropaeish inc fera Gradivum bella movere decet
,
seu quis ab Eoo nos impius orbe lacesset,seu quis ab occiduo sole domandus erit.
Prospicit armipotens operis fastigia summi
et probat invictos summa tenere deos .4
50 OVID .
Prospicit in foribus diversas tela figuraearmaque terrarum milite Viota suo .
Hinc Videt Aenean oneratum pondere sacro
20 et tot I uleae nobilitatiS avos
h ino Videt I liaden umeris ducis arma ferentem,
claraque dispositis acta subesse Viris .
Spectat et Augusto praetextum nomine templum,
et visum,lecto Caesare, maius opus .
25 Voverat hoc iuvenis tunc, cum pia sustulit armaa tantis princeps incipiendus erat.
Ille manus tendens, h inc stanti milite iusto,hinc coniuratis, talia dicta dedit
Si mih i bellandi pater est Vestaeque sacerdos30 7 auctor et ulcisci numen u trumque paro
Mars , ades et satia scelerato sanguine ferrum,
stet'
que favor causa pro meliore tuus.
Templa feres et,me v ictore
,vocaberis Ultor.
Voverat et fuso laetus ab h oste redit.
35 Nec satis est meruisse semel cognomina Marti
persequitur Parth i signa retenta manu .
Gens fuit et campis et equis et tuta sagittis
et circumfusis invia fluminibus.
Addiderant animos Crassorum funera genti,
cum periit miles Signaque duxque simul.
Signa,decus belli
,ParthuS Romana tenebat,
Romanaeque aquilae Signifer h ostis erat 'Isque pudor In ansisset adhuc, nisi fortibus armis
Caesaris Ausoniae protegerentur opes .
45 Ille notaS v eteres et longi dedecu s aevi
sustulit : agnorunt Signa recepta suos .
Quid tibi nunc solitae m itti post terga Sagittae,quid loca
,quid rapidi profuit usus equi 7
Parth e,refers aquilas , v ictos quoque porrigis arcus,
50 pignora iam nostr i nulla pudoris habes .
OVID. 51
Rite deo templumque datum nomenque bis ulto,et meritus voti debita solvit h onor.
Sollemnes ludos circo celebrate,Quirites
Non Visa est fortem scaena decere deum .
FAB. V. 545- 598.
AM O R E S .
13. The P oet of Love.
Arma gravi numero Violentaque bella parabamedere
,materia conveniente modis
par erat inferior versus : risisse Cupido
dicitur atque unum surripuisse pedem .
5 Quis tibi,saeve puer, dedit hoc in carmina iuris 7
Pieridum vates , non tua turba sumus.
Quid,Si praeripiat flavae Venus arma Minervae,
v entilet accensas flava M inerva faces 7
Quis probet in Silvis Cererem regnare iugosis,lege pharetratae Virginis arva coli 7
Crinibus insignem quis acuta cuspide Phoebum
instruat, Aoniam Marte movente lyram 7Sunt tibi magna, puer, nimiumque potentia regnacur opus adfectas , ambitiose, novum 7
An ,quod ubique , tuumst 7 Tua sunt Heliconia tempo 7
Vix etiam Phoebo iam lyra tuta snast 7Cum bene surrexit versu nova pagina primo,
attenuat nervos proximus ille meos ;nec mih i materiast numeris levioribus apta,
20 aut puer aut longas compta puella comas .
’
Questue eram , pharetra cum protinus ille solutalegit in exitium spicula facta meum
52 OVID .
lunav itque genu sinuosum fortiter aroum
quod que canas , vates , accipe dixit Opus
Me miserum ! certas h abuit puer ille sagittasuror, et in vacuo pectore regnat Amor.
Sex mih i surgat opus numeris, in quinque residatferrea cum vestris bella valete modi s.
Cingere litorea fiaventia tempora myrto,Musa
,per undenos emodulanda pedes .
AM . I . 1 .
14. The I mmortality of Song.
Quid mih i,Livor edax
,Ignavos obiciS annos,
ingeniique v ocas carmen inertis opus
non me more patrum,dum strenua sustinet aetas,
praemia militiae pulverulenta sequi
5 nec me verbosas leges ediscere nec meingrato ‘
vocem prostituisse foro 7
Mortale est , quod quaeris, opus ;‘mih i fama perennis
quaeritur,in toto semper u t orbe canar.
Vivet M aeonides, Tenedos dum s tabit et Ide ,dum rapidas S imoi s In mare volvet aquas ;
Vivet et A scraeus, dum mustis uva t’
umebit,‘dum cadet incurva falce resecta Ceres ;
Battiades semper toto cantabitur orbe
quam vis ingenio non valet, arte valet ;nulla Soph ocleo Veniet iactura cothurno ;
c um sole et luna semper Aratus critdum fallax s ervus
,duru S pater, improba lena
Vivent et meretrix blanda, Menandros crit ;Ennius arte carens animosique A ccius oris
casurum nullo tempore n omen habent.
Varronem primamque ratem quae nesciet aetas,aureaque Aesonio terga petita duci 7
Carmina sublimis tunc sunt peritura Lucreti,
54 OVID .
E X P ON T O.
1 6 . To Macer .
Ecquid ab impressae cognoscis imagine oeraehaec tibi N asonem scribere verba
,Macer ?
Auctorisque sui Si non est anulus index,cognitane est nostra littera facta manu ?
5 An tibi notitiam mora temporis eripit horum ,
nec repetunt oculi signa vetusta tui 7Sis licet oblitus pariter gemmaeque manusque,
exciderit tantum ne tibi cura mei.Quam tu vel longi debes conVI ctibuS nevi
,
vel mea quod coniunx non aliena tibi,
vel studiis, quibus es , quam nos, sapientius usus ,utque decet, nulla factus es Arte nocens .
Tu canis,aeterno quicquid restabat Homero,
ne careant summa Troica bella manu
Naso parum prudens , artem dum tradit amandi,
doctrinae pretium triste magister habet .Sun t tamen inter se communia sacra poetis ,diversum quamVI S qui sque sequamur iter .
Quorum te memorem ,quamquam procul absumus, esse
suspicor et casus velle levare meos .
Te duce magnificas A sias perspeXimuS urbes,Trinacris est oculiS te duce nota meis,
vidimus Aetnaea caelum -
splendescere fiamma,
suppositus monti quam vomit Ore gigans .
Hennaeosque laons et olentia stagna Palici .quaque suis Cyanen miscet Anapus aqu is.
Nec procul hinc nympha est, quae, dum fugit Elidisamuem
,
tecta sub aequOrea nunc quoque currit aqua.
OVID .
Hic mih i labentis pars anni magna peracta est.Eh eu , quam dispar est locu s ille Getis
Et quota pars haec sunt reru rn ,quas vidimus ambo.
te mih i iu cundas efiicierite vias
Seu rate caeruleas picta sulcav imus undas,
esseda nos agili Sive tulere rotasaepe brevis nobis v icibu s Via visa loquendi,
pluraque , Si numeres , verba fuere gradusaspe dies sermone minor fuit, inque loquendumtarda per aestivos defuit h ora dies .
Est aliquid casuS pariter timuisse marinos
iunctaque ad aequoreos vota tulisse deos
et modo res egisse simul, modo rursus ab illis ,quorum non pudeat, posse referre iocos .
Haec tibi cum subeant, ahsim licet, omnibus annis
ante tuos oculos,ut modo Vi sus , ero.
Ipse quidem arctoo cum Sim sub cardine mundi,
qui semper liquidis altior extat aquis,te tamen intueor quo solo pectore possum
et tecum gelido saepe sub axe loquor .
Hic es , et ignoras et ades celeberrimu s absens
inque Getas media iussuS ab urbe v eniS .
Redde Vicem , et, quoniam regio felicior ista est,istic me memori pectore semper h abe .
Ex PONTO, I I . 10 .
1 7. To Tu ticanus.
Quo minus in nostris ponaris, amice, libellis,nominis efficitur condicione tui.
Ast ego non alium priuS h oc dignarer h onore
est aliqu is nostrum Si modo carmen h onor.5 Lex .pedis
°
officio fortunaque nominis obstant,
quaque meos edeas , est Via nulla, modos .Nam pudet in geminos ita nomen scindere versus,
55
56 OVID .
desinat ut prior h oc incipiatque minor .
Et pudeat, Si te, qua syllaba parte moratur,artiuS adpellem Tuticanumque vocem
nec potes in versum Tuticani more venire,
fiat u t e longa syllaba prima brevisaut producatur , quae nunc correptius exit,
et Sit porrecta longa secunda mora.
His ego Si VitiiS ausim corrumpere nomen ,
ridear et merito pectus habere neger.
Haec mih i causa fuit dilati muneris huius,
quod meus adiecto faenore reddet amor
teque canam quacumque nota, tibi carmina mittam,
pacue mih i puero cognite paene puer,perque tot annorum seriem
,quot h abemus u terque,
non mih i, quam fratri frater,amate minus .
Tu bonus h ortator,tu duxque comesque fuisti,
cum regerem tenera frena novella manu .
Saspe ego correxi sub te censore libellos,saepe tibi admonitu facta litura meo est,
dignam Maeoniis Phaeacida condere ch artis
cum te Pieriae perdocuere deae .
Ex PONTO , IV . 12, 1- 28.
1 8. To Ca rus .
O mih i non dubios inter memorande sodales,
quique,quod es vere, Care , vocaris, ave .
Unde saluteris, color h ic tibi protinus index
et structura mei carminis esse potest.5 Non quia mirifica est
,sed quod non publica certe est
qualis enim cumque est, non latet esse meam .
I pse quoque, u t titu lum chartae de fronte revellas,quod Sit opus , Videor dicere posse, tuum .
Quamlibet in multis positu s noscere libellis,
perque observatas inv en iere notaS .
OVID .
Prodent auctorem vires, quas Hercule dignas
novimu s atque illi,quem can is ip se
,pares.
Et mea Musa potest,proprio deprensa colore .
insignis VitiiS forsitan esse suis .
Tam mala Thersiten proh ibebat forma latere,
quam pulchra Nireus conspiciendus erat .
Nec te mirari,Si sint Vitiosa, decebit
carmina,quae faciam pacue poeta Getes.
A ! pudet, et Getico scripsi sermone libellum ,
structaque sunt nostris barbara verba modis
et placui, gratare mih i coepique poetae
inter inhumanos nomen h abere Getas .Materiam quaeriS 7 Laudes de Caesare dixi
,
adiuta est nov itas numine nostra dei.
Nam patris Augusti dooui mortale fuissecorpus
,in aetherias numen abisse domos
esse parem Virtute patri,qui frena coactuS
saepe recusati ceperit imperii
es se pudicarum te Vestam ,Livia , matrum
,
ambiguum,nato dignior anne Viro
esse duos iuveneS, firma adiumenta parentis,
qui dederint animi pignora certa sui.Haec ubi non patria perlegi scripta camena,venit et ad digitos ultima charta meos
,
et caput et plenas omnes movere ph aretra
et longum Getico murmur in ore fuit .Atque aliquis scribas haec cum de Caesare dixit
Caesaris imperio restituendus eras .’
Ille quidem dixit : sed me iam, Care, nivali
40 sexta relegatum bruma sub axe Videt .
Carmina nil prosunt. N oouerunt carmina quondam
primaque tam Iniserae causa fuere fugae .
At tu , per studii communia foedera sacri,per non vile tibi nomen amicitiae ,
57
58 PHAEDRUS .
Sic capto Latu s Germanicus h oste oatenismateriam vestris adferat ingeniis
Sic valeant pueri votum commune deorum ,
quos laus formandos est tibi magna datosquanta potes, praebe nostrae momenta saluti
,
quae nisi mutato nulla futura loco est.Ex PONTO , IV. 13.
PHAEDRUS.
1 . The F rog’
s Comp la int.
Vicini furiS celebres Vidit nuptias
Aesopu s et continuo narrare incipit
Uxorem quondam Sol cum vellet ducere,clamorem ranae su stulere ad Sidera .
5 Convitio permotus quaerit I uppiter
causam querelae . Quaedam tum stagni incolanunc
,inquit, omnes unuS exurit laons
cogitque miseras arida sede emori.
Quidnam futurum est,Si crearit liberos 7
I . 6 .
2. The Cobbler turned Doctor .
Malus cum sutor inopia deperditu s
medicinam ignoto facere coepisset loco
et v enditaret falso antidotum nomine,
v erbosis adquisivit sibi famam strophis.
5 Hic cum iaceret morbo confectus gravi ,rex urbis
, eiuS experiendi gratiascyphum poposcit : fusa dein Simulans aqua
miscere antidoto sese illins toxicum ,
PHAEDRUS.
ebibere iuSSit ipsum posito praemio.
T imore mortis ille tum confessus est
non artis ulla medicae se prudentia,verum stupore vulgi factum nobilem .
Rex advocata contione haec edidit :
quantas putatis esse VOS dementiae ,qui capita vestra non dubitatis credere
,
cui calceandos nemo commisit pedes 7
Hoc pertinere vere ad illos dixerim ,
quorum stultitia quaestus impudentiae est.I . 14 .
3. The Wolf and the Dog .
Quam dulcis Sit libertas,breviter proloquar .
Cani perpasto macie confectus lupusforte occucurrit. Dein salu tatum inv icem
ut restiterunt : unde Sic, quaeso, nites ?aut quo cibo fecisti tantum corporis ?Ego, qui sum longe fortior, pereo fame .
Canis Simpliciter : eadem est condicio tibi,
praestare domino Si par officium potes .
Quod 7 inquit ille . Custos ut Sis liminiS,a furibus tuearis et noctu domum .
Ego vero sum paratus nunc patior n ives
imbresque in Silvis asperam Vitam trabens
quanto est facilius mih i sub tecto Vivere,
et otiosum largo satiar i cibo 7Veni ergo mecum . Dum procedunt, aspicit
lupus a catena collum detritum cani .Unde hoc, amice 7 Nih il est. Dic
, quaeso, tamen .
Quia Videor acer, alligant me interdiu ,
luce ut qu iescam et vigilem,nox cum venerit
crepusculo solutus , qua Visum est, vagor .
Adfertur ultro panis ; de mensa sua
59
60 PHAEDRUS.
dat ossa dominu s ; frusta iactant familiaet, quod fastidit quisque, pulmentarium .
Sic sine labore venter impletur meus.Age , abire siquo est animus, est licentia ?
Non plane est, inquit. Fruere, quae laudas,regnare nolo , liber ut non Sim mih i.
I I I . 7.
4. The Shipwreck of Simonides.
Homo doctus in se semper divitias h abet.Simonides
,qui scripsit egregium melos
,
quo paupertatem sustineret facilius,
circum ire coepit urbes Asiae nobiles,5 mercede accepta laudem Victorum canens.
Hoc genere quaestus postquam locuples factus est,redire in patriam voluit cursu pelagioerat autem ,
ut aiunt, natus in Cia insula
ascendit navem , quam tempestas h orrida
1 0 simul et vetustas medio dissolvit mari.
Hi zonaS, illi res pretiosas colligunt,subsidium Vitae . Quidam curiosior
Simonide,tu ex opibus nil sumis tuis 7
Mecum ,inquit, mea sunt cuncta. Tune pauci enatant
,
1 5 quia plureS onere degravati perierant .
Praedones adsunt, rapiunt quod quisque extulit,nudos relinquunt. Forte Clazomenae prope
antiqua fuit urbs, quam petierunt naufragi.Hic litterarum quidam studio deditus
,
20 Simonidis qui saepe versus legerat
eratque absen tis admirator maximus,
sermone ab ipso cognitum cupidissime
ad se recepit ; veste, nummis, familia
h ominem exornavit. Ceteri tabulam suam
25 portant rogantes Victum . Quos casu obvios
62 PHAEDRUS .
30 use ulli iuvenes sunt reperti ad ianuam .
Ut est vulgatus ordo narratae rei,
omnes scierunt numinum praesentiam
vati dedisse vit-am mercedis 10 0 0 .
IV . 25 .
6 . N a ture versus A r t.
Pravo favore labi mortales solent
et, . pro iudicio dum stant erroriS sui,ad paenitendum rebus manifestis agi.
Facturus ludos quidam dives nobilis5 proposito cunctos inv itavit praemio,quam quisque posset u t novitatem ostenderet.
Venere -artifices landis ad certamina ;
quos inter scurra, notus urbane sale,habere dixit se genus spectaculi,quod in theatro numquam prolatum foret.
D ispersas rumor civ itatem concitat.
Paulo ante vacua turbam deficiunt loca.
In scaena vero postquam solus constititSine adparatu ,
nullis adiutoribus,
Silentium ipsa fecit expectatio.
I lle in Sinum repente demisit caput
et Sic porcelli vocem est imitatus sua,verum ut subesse pallio contenderentet excuti iuberent. Quo facto simul
nih il est repertum , multis onerant laudibush ominemque plau su prosecuntur maximo.
Hoc Vidit fieri rusticus . -N on mehercule
me Vincet, inqu it : et statim professus estidem facturam melius se postridie .
Fit turba maior. I am favor mentes tenet
et derisuri, non spectaturi, sedent .
Uterque prodit. Scurra degrunnit prior
PHAEDRUS .
movetque plausus et clamores suscitat.
Tunc Simulans sese vestimentis rusticus
porcellum obtegere, (quod faciebat scilicet,sed
,in priore quia nil compererant, latens)
pervellit aurem vero, quem celaverat,
et cum dolore vocem naturae exprimit.
Adclamat populus scurram multo Similiusimitatum ,
et cogit rusticum trudi foras .
At ille profert ipsum porcellum e Sinu,
turpemque aperto pignore errorem probans
en h ic decla'
rat, quales SitiS iudices
V . 5.
7. Prince the Piper .
Ubi vanuS animus aura captus frivolaadripuit in solentem sibi fiduciam ,
facile ad derisum stulta levitas ducitur.
Princeps tibicen notior paulo fuit,
operam Bathyllo solitus in scaena dare .
I S forte ludis (non satis memini quibus)dum pegma rapitur, concidit casu gravinec opinans, et Sinistram fregit tibiam
,
duas cum dextras maluisset perdere.
Inter manus sublatus et multum gemens
domum refertur . A liquot menses transeunt .
ad sanitatem dum venit curatio.
Ut Spectatorum mos est, id lepidum genusdesiderari coepit, cuius fiatibus
solebat excitari saltantis Vigor .
Erat facturus ludos quidam nobilis .Ut incipiebat ingredi Princeps , eum
adducit pretio precibus , u t tantummodo
ipso ludorum ostenderet sese die.
Qui simul advenit, rumor de tibicine
63
64 SENECA.
fremit in theatro. Quidam adfirmant mortuum,
quidam in conspectum proditurum Sine mora.
Aulaeo misso , devolutis tonitribusdi sunt locuti more translaticio.
Tunc chorus ignotum modo reducto canticuminsonuit, cuius haec fuit sententia :
Laetare,incolumis Roma
,salvo Principe !
I n plausus consurrectum est. I actat basia
tibicen gratulari fautores putat.
Equester ordo stultum errorem intellegit
magnoque risa canticum repeti inhet .
I teratur illud. Homo meus se in pulpitototum prosternit. Plaudit inludens eques.Rogare populus hunc coronam existimat.
Ut vero cuneis notuit res omnibus,Princeps , ligato crure nivea fascia,niveisque tuniciS, uiveis etiam calceis
,
superbiens honore divinas domus ,ab universis capite est protrusus foras .
SENECA.
1 . Death Ends A ll.
Verum est 7 an timidos fabula decipit,umbras corporibu s Vivere conditis,cum coniunx oculiS imposuit manum
supremusque dies solibuS obstitit
5 et tristis cinereS urna coercuit ?
Non prodest animam tradere funeri,
SENECA.
sed restat miseris Vivere longius ?An toti morimur nullaque pars manetnostri
,
'
cum profugo spiritus h alituImmixtus nebulis cessit in aera
et nudum t etigit subdita fax latuS 7
Quidquid sol oriens, quidquid et occidens
novit,caeruleis Oceanus fretis
qu idquid bis veniens et fugiens lavat,aetas Pegaseo corripiet gradu.
Quo bis sena volant Sidera turbine,
quo cursu properat volvere saeculaastrorum dominus , quo properat modo
obliquis Hecate currere flexibush oc omnes petimus fata : nec amplius,iuratos superis qui tetigit lacus,usquam est ; u t calidis fumu S ab ignibusvanescit, spatium per breve sordidus,ut nubes, gravidas quas modo vidimus,arctoi Boreae dissicit impetus
Sic h ic, quo regimur, spiritus effluet.
Post mortem nih il est ipsaque mors nih il,velocis spatii meta novissima ;spem ponant avidi
,solliciti metum
tempus nos av idum devorat et chaos .
Mors individua est,moxia corpori
nec paroens animae Taenara et aspero
regnum sub domino,limen et obsidens
custos non facili Cerberus ostio,rumores vacui verbaque inania
et par sollicito fabula somnio.
Quaeris quo iaceas post obitum loco ?Quo non nata iacent.
TROADES,371 - 408.
65
66 SENECA .
2. OHymen Hymenaee
Ad regum thalamos numine prospero
qui caelum superi quique regunt fretumadsint cum populis rite faventibus.
Primum sceptriferis colla Tonantibus5 taurus celsa terat tergore candido ;Lucinam nivei femina corporis
intemptata iugo placet, et asperi
Martis sanguineas quae cohibet manus,quae dat belligeris foedera gentibuset cornu retinet divite copiam
,
donetur tenera mitior hostia.
Et tu , qui facibus legitimis ades,noctem discutiens auspice dextera
,
huc incede gradu marcidus ebri o,
praecingens roseo tempora Vinculo.
Et tu , quae ge'
mini praevia temporis
tarde,stella
,redis semper amantibus
te matres,avide te cupiunt nurus
quamprimum radios spargere lucidos.
Vincit virgineus decor
longe Cecropias nurus,et quas Taygeti ingisexercet iuvenum modo
muris quod caret oppidum,
et quas Aonius latex
Alph eosque sacer lavat.
Si forma v elit aspici,
cedent Aesonio duci
proles fulminis improbi
aptat qui iuga tigribus,nec non
,qui tripodas movet,
SENECA.
frater Virginis asperae,cedet Castore cum suo
Pollux caestibus aptior.
Sic, Sic ,
caelicolae, precor,
Vincat femina coniuges,v ir longe superet viros.
Haec cum femineo constitit in ch oro,
unius facies praenitet omnibus .
Sic cum sole perit Sidereu s decor,
et densi latitant Pleiadum gregescum Ph oebe solidum lumine non suo
orhem circuitiS cornibus alligat.
Ostro SI c n iveuS puniceo color
perfusu s rubuit, Sic nitidum iubarpastor luce nova roscidus aspicit.
Ereptus th alamis Phasidis horridi,
effrenae solitus pectora coniugis
invita trepidus prendere dextera,felix Aeoliam corripe v irginem
nunc primum soceris, sponse, volentibus.
Concesso, iuvenes, ludite iurgio,
h inc illinc, iuvenes, mittite carmina
rara est in dominos insta licentia.
Candida thyrsigeri proles generosa Lyaei,multifidam iam tempus erat succendere pinam
excute sollemn‘
em digitis marcentibus ignem .
Festa dicax fundat convicia fescenninus ,solvat turba iocos tacitis eat illa tenebris,Si qua peregrino unbit fugitiva marito .
MEDEA, 56
—1 15 .
68 SENECA .
3.
“Heaven has no rage like love to ha tred turned,
Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned.
”
Q
Nulla Vis flammae tumidive venti
tanta; nec teli metuenda torti,
quanta cum coniunx Viduata taedis
ardet et odit ;
5 non ubi h ibernos nebulosus imbres
Auster advexit properatque torrens
Hister et iunctos vetat esse pontesac vagus errat
non ubi impellit Rh odanus profundum,
10 aut ubi in rivos niv ibus solutis
sole iam forti medioque vere
tabuit Haemus.
Caecus est ignis stimulatus ira
nec regi curat patiturve frenos15 aut timet mortem cupit ire in ipsos
obvius enses.
Parcite, o divi, veniam precamur,
vivat ut tutus mare qui subegit.
Sed furit vinci dominus profundiregna s ecunda.
Ansus aeternos agitare currusimmemor metae iuvenis paternae
quos polo sparsit furiosus ignesipse recepit.
Constitit nulli Via nota magii ovade qua tu tum populo priori ,rumpe nec sacro , Violente, sancta
foedera mundi.
70 SENECA.
vivus ardenti recubans in Oeta
praebuit saevis sua membra fiammis,tabe consumptus gemini cruoris
munere nuptae.
Strav it Ancaeum violentus iotu
saetiger ; fratrem ,Meleagre, matris
impius maotas morerisque dextra
matris iratae. Meruere cuncti
morte. Quod crimen tener expiavitHerculi magno puer inrepertus,raptus
,h eu ,
tutas puer inter undas ?Ite nunc
,fortes
, perarate pontum
fonte timendo.
I dmonem, quamv is bene fata nosset,
condidit serpens Libycis harenis ;omnibus Verax
,sibi falsuS uni
concidit Mopsus caruitque Thebis .
Ille Si vere cecinit futura,igne fallaci nociturus ArgisNauplius praeceps cadet in profundum,
patrioque pendet
crimine poemas
fulmine et ponto moriens Oileus,
coniugis fatum'
redimens Pheraei
uxor , impendens animam marito .
Ipse qui praedam spoliumque iussit
aureum prima rev ehi carina,
ustus accenso Pelias aenoarsit angustas vagus inter undas.Iam satis, divi, mare Vindicastis
parcite iusso.
MEDEA,579—6 69.
MARTIAL.
MARTIAL.
1 . Maronilla’
s Charm.
Petit Gemellus nuptias M aronillae
et cupit et instat et precatur et donat.
Adeone pu lch ra est 7 Immo foedI uS ml e st.Quid ergo in illa petitur et placet 7 TuSSit.
I . 10 .
2. Forced to Dine a t Home.
Quod fronte Selium nubila Vides,Rufe,
quod ambulator porticum terit scram ,
lugubre quiddam quod tacet piger vultus,
quod'
paene terram nasus indecens tangit,5 quod dextra pectus pulSat et comam Vellit ‘
non ille amici fata luget aut fratriS,
uterque natus viv it et precor Vivat,salva est et uxor sarcinaeque serv ique,
nih il colonus vilicusque decoxit.
Maeroris igitur causa quae 7 Domi cenat.I I . 1 1 .
3. The Sham Farm.
Capena grandi porta qua pluit guttaP hrygiumque Matris A lmo qua lavat ferr
’
um,
Horatiorum qua Viret sacer campus
et qua pusilli - fervet Herculis fanum ,
5 Faustine , plena Bassus ihat in raeda,
omnes beati copias trahens ruris .
I llio v ideres frutice nobili cauleset utrumque porrum sessilesque lactucas
71
MARTIAL .
pigroque ventri non inu tiles betas .Illio coronam pinguibus gravem turdis
leporemque laesum Gallici cariis dente
nondumque Victa lacteum faba porcum.
Nec feriatus ibat ante carrucam ,
sed tuta faeno cursor ova portabat.
Urbem petebat Bassus ? Immo rus ihat.I I I . 47.
4 . A Plea for Vaca tion .
Ludi magister , parce Simplici turbae.
Sic te frequentes audiant capillatiet delicatae diligat ch orus mensae ,nec calculator, nec notarius velox
5 maiore qu isquam circulo coronetur .
A lbae leone flammeo calent lucestostamque fervens I uliuS coqu it messem.
Cirrata loris h orridis Scythae pellis,qua v apulav it Marsyas Celaenaeus,ferulaeque tristes, sceptra paedagogorum,
cessent et Idus dormiant in Octobresaestate pusri Si valent
,satis discunt.
X. 62 .
5 . The Kissing Nu isance.
Effugere non est, Flacce , basiatores.
Instant, morantur, persecuntur , occurrunt,
et h inc et illimo, usquequaque , quacunque.
Non ulcus acre pu stulaeve lucentes,5 nec triste mentum sordidique lich enes ,nep labra pingui delibu ta cerato,nec congelati gutta proderit nasi.Et aestuantem basiant et algentem ,
MARTIA L .
et nuptiale basium reservantem .
Non t e cucullis asseret caput te‘
ctum,
lectica nec te tuta pelle veloque ,nec v indicabit sella saepius clusa
rimas per omnes basiator intrabit.
Non consulatus ipse, non tribunatus
senive fasces, nec superba clamosi
lictoriS abiget virga basiatorem .
Sedeas in alto tu licet tribunali
et e curuli iura gentibus reddas,ascendet illa basiator atque illa.
Febricitan tem basiabit et fientem,
dabit oscitanti basium natantique,
dahit et cacanti . Remedium mali solumfacias amicum basiare quem nolis .
XI . 98 .
6 . So N ear and yet so Far.
Vicinus meus est manuque tangide nostris Novins potest fenestris.
Quis non inv ideat mih i putetque
h oris omnibus esse me beatum ,
5 iuncto cui liceat frui sodale 7
Tam longe est mih i quam Terentianus,
qui nunc N iliacam regit Syenen .
Non convivere,nec v idere saltim ,
non audire licet, nec urbe tota
quisquam est tam prope tam proculque nobis .
Migrandum est mih i longius v el illi .
Vicinus Novio vel inqu ilinussit
,Si quis Novium v idere non volt.
I . 86 .
73
MARTIAL.
7. I n the Wrong Seat.
Edictum domini deique nostri ,quo subsellia certiora fiunt
et puros eques ordines recepit,dum laudat modo Phasis in th eatro,
5 Phasis purpureis ruber lacerniS ,et iactat tumido superbus ore
Tandem commodius licet sedere ,nunc est reddita dignitas equestristurba non premimur , nec inquinamur
haec et talia dum refert supinuS,
illaS p urpureas et arrogantesiussit surgere Le’
i'
tus lacernas .V. 8.
8. An Op tical I llusion.
Vidissem modo forte cum sedentem
solum te,Labiene
,tres putav i.
Calvae me numerus tuae fefellit
sunt illinc tibi,sunt et h inc capilli,
5 quales vel puerum decere possint.
Nudum est in medio caput,neo nllus
in longa pilus area notatur .
Hic error tibi profuit Decembri,tum
,cum prandia misit Imperator
cum panariolis tribus redisti .
Talem Geryonem fuisse credo .
Vites,censeo, porticum Ph ilippi
s i te Viderit Hercules , peristi.V. 49.
MARTIAL .
9 . Wh a t to do with the Boy .
Cui tradas, Lupe , filium magistro,
quaeriS sollicitus diu rogasque .
Omnes grammaticosque rhetorasque
devites, moneo : nih il Sit illi
cum libris Ciceronis au t Maronis.
Famae Tutilium suae relinquaS .
Si versus facit,abdices poetam .
Artes discere vult pecuniosas 7
Fac discat citharoedus aut choraulesSi duri puer ingeni Videtur,
praeconem facias vel architectum .
V. 56.
1 0 . The Secret of Happ iness.
Vitam quae faciant beatiorem,
iucundissime Martialis,h aec sunt
res non parta labore,sed relicta
non ingratus ager , focus perennis ;5 lis nunquam ,
toga rara,mens quieta ;
vires ingenuae, salubre corpus ;prudens simplicitas, pares amici ;convictus facilis, Sine arte mensa ;nox non ebria
,sed soluta curis ;
non tristis torus , et tamempudicu s ;somnus
,qui faciat breves tenebras ;
quod Sis, esse velis nihilque malis ;summum nec metuaS diem ,
nec optes.X . 47.
1 1 . Ep itaph of an Actor .
Quisquis Flaminiam teris,Viator
,
noli nobile praeterire marmor.
75
76 MARTIAL.
Urbis deliciae salesque Nili,ars et gratia, lusus et voluptas ,
5 Romani decus et dolor theatri
atque omnes Veneres Cupidinesquehoc sunt condita
,quo Paris
,sepulcro .
XI . 13.
1 2. An Unaccep table Gift.
Donasti, Lupe , rus sub urbe nobis ;sed rus est mih i mains in fenestra.
RuS h oc dicere, rus potes vocare 7in quo ruta facit nemus D ianae
,
5 argu tae tegit ala quod cicadae ,quod formica die comedit uno
,
clusac cui folium rosae corona est ;in quo non magis invenitur h erba
,
quam Cosmi folium piperve crudum
in quo nec cucumis iacere rectus ,nec serpens h abitare tota possit,erucam male pascit hortu s unam ,
consumpto moritur culix salicto,
et talpa est mih i fossor atque arator.
Non boletus h iare, non mariscae
ridere aut violae patere possunt.
Fines mus populatur et colono
tanquam sus Calydonius timetur,et sublata volantis ungue Prognesin nido seges est h irundinino
et cum stet Sine falce mentulaque,non est dimidio locus Pr iapo .
Vix implet cocleam peracta messis
et mustum nuce condimus picata.
Errasti, Lupe, littera sed una .
LOGAOEDIC VERSE .
(Only the general principles needed for the poetry in this book are here stated.
Exceptional cases are treated, as they occur , in th e notes . )
1 . Logaoedic is the name of a form of rhythm in wh ich a great body of Greekand Roman lyric poetry was written . Logaoedic verse is made up of trochees(or their metrical equivalents see p . 13) and dactvls . But the dactyls hadnot the same value in this v erse as in the Heroic Hexameter ; for in that verseeach dactyl had the time u u
dhdh )’ equ ivalent to J
I), and
the Spondee could be substituted for the dactyl. But in logaoedic verse t e dac
tyls must have had the time of the trochee , u J hence we cannotindicate them by u u or Speak of them as ordinary dactyls . They are calledcyclic da ctyls, and are indicated by —
v u (2 ‘iT‘R‘P 0 1
' by u u (2
I n Latin poetry such a dactyl is generally preceded by an irrational Spondee,
2 . Syncope. Sometimes a Single syllable serves as an entire foot ; i. s .
, in
sin
ging
,the syllable was held during three beats (the equivalent of u
JJ This is called syncop e, and is indicated by the Sign L .
3 . P ause . Catalexis. Syncope never occurs at the very end of a verse .When
a single long syllable seems to stand there for a whole foot, we are to understand
that a pause followed equ ivalent to the time of the omitted u . Such a pause isindicated by the Sign A . T he foot at th e end of the verse is then incomplete ,and the verse is called cata lectic . A complete verse is called acata lectic .4 . Syllaba ancep s . The last syllable of a logaoedic verse may be long or short
indifferently . I t is considered and marked long in metrical schemes when themetre requ ires it to be long ; or short when the metre requ ires it to be Short .
5 . Ana crzisis . Not every song begins w ith emphasis or accent on the first wordand note . F or example, in Fa ir Ha rva rd we do not reach the sw ing of the songuntil we come to the syllable Har and there are two unaccented notes for
'
theword Fa ir . Similarly , not every logaoedic verse begins with a syllable that hasthe ictus . An unaccented syllable at the beginning of a logaoedic verse is calledanacrfis is (dvdk pova ts , upward bea t) . I t may be Short or irrational (u or
that is, it has the time of the arsis of a trochee . I t is set off from the rest of the
metrical scheme by a perpendicular series of dots , thus : u _L V l _L V .
6 . Rhythmica l S entence . A long verse in any metre or any language is apt tofall into two or more separate groups of feet. Thus, in the trochaic tetrametersor septenarii,
Once to every man or nation comes the moment to decideIn the strife of Truth with Falsehood II for the good or evil side
2 NOTES.
each verse drops naturally into two parts . Each part forms a rhythmical sentenceor ser ies (in C reek a Eamon) . I n English verse a rhythmical sentence ends withthe end of a word, not within a word
,and th is is true
,generally , in a Latin verse .
7 . Forms of rhythmical sentences. I n logaoedic verse the shortest rhythmicalsentence consists of two feet, and is called a dipody. We find also tripodies, tetra
podies , p entapodies , and (though not in this volume) hexapodies . The followingare the principal logaoedic rhythmical sentences occurring in this hook . Most of
them contain each a Single dactyl.
D I PODY.
8 . The dipody called Adonic, and writtenI
Example sera moretur.
TRI P ODY .
9 . The commonest kind of tripody, and the only kind occurring in this book, is
called P herecra tic ._I t is termed fi rst or second Pherecratic
,according as the
dactyl stands in the first or second foot,thus
Lu o lx u u o
Example Lydia,dic per omnes .
l . 3 l -
u u L uExample grato Pyrrha sub antro.
1 0 . T he second and first Pherecratic may be united and thus form a singleverse of two rhythmical sentences
,called the Lesser A sclep iaa
’éan verse
,thus :
Lu u | LL | |
Examples Quis mul ta gracilis te puer in rosa
perfusus liqu idis urget odoribus .
Nec quisquam potior bracch ia candidae .
Observe that in this combination there is syncope 2 ) at the end of the firstsentence
,and that the second sentence is catalectic
TETRAPODIES .Three forms of tetrapody occur in this book .
1 1 . The commonest kind of logaoedic tetrapody is called Glyconic, andfi rst
second,or third Glyconic, according to the foot in which the dactyl is found . I n
this book we have only the second Glyconic , and it is found catalectic thus
A m i -
O V I A O I A AExamples Cui flavam religas comam .
Donec gratus eram tibi.
1 2 . Another form of tetrapody, containing two dactyls, is called the Lesser
Alca tcI—u u u u l i u iL u
flumina constiterint acuto.
LOGAOEDIC VERSE . 3
1 3 . A third form of tetrapody, trochaic, not logaoedic, Since it is without a
dactyl, may be mentioned here for conven ience . I t has anacrusis and is
called the N inesyllable A lca ic (or E nneasz/llabic)
Example S ilvae laborantes geluque .
PENTAPODIE S .
Three forms of pentapody occur in this book . Each has a single dactyl.1 4 . Th e Phala ecéan or Hendecasyllabic has the dactyl in the second foot, thus
Example : passer , deliciae mcae puellae .
Observe, however , that in Catullus, as in Greek poets, the first syllable of theverse may be an iambus, giving the scheme
I
Example E t acris solet incitare morsus .
1 5 . The Grea ter Alca ic has the dactyl in the third foot, and the verse begins
with anacrusis 5) and is ca talectic thus
e sx u | 1 > |Examples Vides ut alta stet nive candidum
Soracte nec iam sustineant onus.
1 6 . Th e Lesser Sapphic or Sapphic hendeca syllabic has the dactyl in the thirdfoot
,thus
A u lx a li u o u o lx u
Example otium Catulle tibi molestumst.
But in Horace we always find an irrational syllable before the dactyl, and generally there is caesura after the first syllable of the dactyl
,so that for h is poetry
the usual scheme is'
u i _Example Persicos odi, puer , apparatus .
STROPHES .
1 7 . Ancient poetry was sometimes written ,like our blank verse , by the line, as
in the Hexameter , when verses in the same metre follow one another throughoutthe poem . The Phalaecean 14) and the Lesser A sclepiadean 1 0) were oftenthus employed. But sometimes a poem was divided
,like much of our modern
poetry , into stanzas or SlT0 17’t6 8 . An example of the Shortest form of strophe isthe Elegiac D istich (see p . I n this we observe that the two v erses are in
different me tres which repeat in alternation throughout.
1 8 . Another two - lined strophe is obtained by combining a Second Glyconicverse 1 1 ) w ith a Lesser A sclepiadean thus :
Donec gratus eram tibi
nec quisquam potior bracchia candidae .
1 9 . The famous four- lined stanza called the S apphic S trophe is composed of
three Lesser Sapph ics 1 6 ) and an Adonic thus
u I I 1 . Hw I L
'O O | A O
Example Persicos odi, puer , apparatus,displicent nexae philyra coronaem itte sectari rosa quo locorum
sera moretur .
20 . Equally famous is the Alca ic S trophe, also in four verses,composed of
two G reater A lcaics l 5 ) , a Nine- syllable A lcaic and a Lesser Alcaicthus
_f
u
L u l . v | L v
IL O O I I O | I
Example Vides u t alta stet nive candidumSoracte nec iam sustineant onus
Silvae laborantes geluqueflumina constiterint acuto.
21 . A nother four - lined strophe consists of three Lesser A sclepiads 10 ) and
a Second Glyconic thus :I > LA A A M LA A A I O IA A
f >wi u u uuu w u | A o LI A
—u u lL u l L A
Example Qu is desiderio sit pudor aut modus
tam cari capitis ’
.
Z Praecipe lugubriscantus Melpomene, cu i liqu idam pater
vocem cum cithara dedit .
22 . A fourth form of four o lined strophe consists of two Lesser Asclepiadsa second Pherecratic and a second Glyconic thus
J
-Lu u
’ > l
Example Qu is multa gracilis te puer in rosa
perfusus liquidis urget odoribu s
grato ,Pyrrha
,sub antro 7
Cu i flavam religas comam .
Many scholars w rite the third verse of this strophe as a logaoedic tetrapodywith syncope in the third foot, thus
LOGAOEDIC VERSE . 5
23 . The few other lyric strophes found in this book will be treated, as theyoccur
,in the notes.
24 . Few of the metres of the ancients can be adequately reproduced in English verse . For the latter is written according to the a ccent of syllables or theemphasis placed on important words , but in ancient poetry th e quantity of syllableS was the determining factor . English versification does not depend on quantity in the ancient understanding of the term . Since quantity in this sense is
foreign to English,attempts to .
write . EngliSh verse in ancient metres usuallyresult in a wholly foreign product ; and most of the more difficult metres
,when
reproduced in E nglish,are intelligible only to classical scholars
,and rarely
satisfactory even to them .
1 I n the simpler metres, however, some more or less
successful imitations have been made .
25 . The Trochaic Septenarius (p . 13) may be imitated in English more
easily than any other ancient metre . Longfellow ’s P salm of L ife, Lowell
’
s P res
e nt Crisis (see above , p . and Tennyson ’
s Locksley Hall2 are well knownexamples of it .
26 . Longfellow’s E vangeline is an instance of an English poem written after
the pattern of Dactylic Hexameter . But quantity, real or supposed, receivesscarcely any attention in it. D r . Hawtrey
’
s version of a passage in the Iliad(3. 234 H. ) is more satis factory in this respect
Clearly the rest I behold of the dark- eyed sons of A chaiaKnown to me well are the faces of all their names I remember ;Two
,two only remain whom I see not among the commanders ,
Kastor fleet in the car,
Polydeukes brave with the cestus,
’etc.
27 . The best modern imitation of the Elegiac Distich 1 7) is Schiller ’scouplet
Im Hexameter steigt des Springquells flussige Saule,Im Pentameter drauf fallt Sie melodisch herab
,
’
which is'
thus rendered by Coleridge
I n the hexameter rises the fountain ’
s silvery column,
I n the pentameter aye falling in melody back .
’
28 . The Iambic Senarius , called in English poetry the Alexandrine, is represented in the second verse of the following (from Pope
’
s E ssay on Criticism)A needless Alexandrine ends the song ,That like a wounded snake drags its slow length along .
’
But in Alexandrines a word regularly ends with the third foot. Such a
diaeresis was avoided in the Senarius .
1 For an account of th e Elizabeth an w rite rs wh o endeavored to restore th e ancient metres,see F . E . Sch elling
’s P oetic and Ver se Cr iticism of the R eign of Elizabeth , Ph iladelph ia, 1891 .
7 A verse from Tennyson’s Locksley 11 all S ixty Years Af ter illustrate s the difference between
the ancient and th e modern systems . I n
Very woman of very woman , nurse of ailing body and mind,
the same word woman would have fi rst the q uantity u u and next V , if we could speak
of quantity in English verse .
6 NOTES.
29 . Among imitations of logaoedic metre,Tennyson’
s verses in Phalaecean14) or Hendecasyllables are the most su ccessful 1
0 you chorus of indolent reviewers,Irresponsible, indolent reviewers ,Look
,I come to the test, a tiny poem
A ll composed in a metre of Catullus,
’etc .
30 . Tennyson ’
s experiment in the A lcaic S trophe 20 ) betrays its foreignorigin still more clearly . I t begin
O mighty-mouth’
d inventor of harmonies,
O Skill’
d to sing of Time or Eternity,
God-gifted organ- voice of England,Milton, a name to resound for ages.
’
3 1 . The following example of the Sapphic Strophe 19 ) shows, still morethan Tennyson ’
s A lcaics, how unsuited such metres are to our language . I t
is a translation, by J . A ddington Symonds,of Sappho
’
s Second Ode (cf. Cutullus
,2 1 )
Peer of gods he seemeth to me,the blissful
Man who Sits and gazes at thee before h im,
Close beside thee Sits, and in Silence hears theeSilverly Speaking,
Laughing love ’s low laughter . Oh th is , this onlyStirs the troubled heart in my b reast to tremble !For should I but see thee a little moment
,
Straight is my voice hushed, ’ etc.
32 . The Greek metres, which the Romans merely adapted, were intimatelyconnected with music , and th e poet was or iginally composer of the tune as well
as of th e words of h is song . For each syllable there was ordinarily a Single notecorresponding to the quantity of th e syllable . The original m usic of the greatsongs of antiqu ity is of course lost. But it is possible by means of modern musicto gain an idea of th e correspondence of the quantity of syllables w ith musical
time . Thus, if we imagine that c verse was written in three - eighthsN
time, w ith a trochee equ ivalent to a cycli c dactyl to tunes may
be composed to fit any of the ancient strophes . To illustrate this point, the edi
tors are kindly permitted by Professor F . Allen ,to publish h is music composed
for the Alcaic and Sapphic 2 strophes, as follows
1 Both h ere and in Tennyson’s Alcaics, th e ancient rules are pretty strictly followed, even to
th e length ening of syllables by position before two consonants.
0
2 I n th e well known music to I nteger Vitae , th e composer, F lemming, did not attempt to
mak e th e notes correspond to th e quantity of the syllables.
Mackail, Chap . 1 .
Cruttwell, pp . 68 - 74 .
Sellar, P . R ., Chap . 4 .
Lucretius,i. 1 17,
Ennius ut noster cecinit qui primus amoeno
detulit ex Helicone perenni fronde coronam,
per gentis Italas hominum quae clara clueret.
Quintilian,1 0 . I . 88
,
Ennium sicut sacros vetustate lacos adoremus , in quibus grandia antiquatobora iam non tantam habent speciem quantam relig ionem .
FROM THE ANNALS.
Metre : Dactylic Hexameter .
& G . 362.
784 .
Sche lneU U i—L U U I —I - U V -L V V
1 . Ilia,who was to become the mother of Romulus and Remus
,relates her
prophetic dream to h er stepsister . A ccording to Ennius,Ilia (the Rea
Silvia of Livy l . 3 . 1 1 ) was the daughter of A eneas and Lav inia.
- P rose translation in Sellar , P . R . p . 1 09 .
I anu s : Ilia’
s Sister , a much older woman,has come to the bedside w ith a
light. Sh e was perhaps aroused by Ilia’s cries in he r Sleep — artub u s : final
3 does not always help to make position’. in early Latin ; cf. verses 4, 13, 1 7, and
A . G . 347, 5 , e .— 2 . m em orat ' the subject is Ilia —
3 . E u ry dica : She was,
according to the Cyprian Lays , a former w ife of Aeneas .- 6 . n ov os : strange .
7. p ostilla . note the quantity of the ultima,as in intered and p ra etered .
— g er
m ana own .
— Sor 6 r : the original long quantity is retained . Of. A . G . 359 ,f ,and footnote . With this and the following two verses cf. Vergil’s imitation inDido
’
s dream A en. 4 . 46 6,semperque relinqui sola sibi
,semper longam incomita ta
videtur ire v iam,et Tyrios deserta quaerere term .
— 8 . v estig are : track, sea rch .
—9 . cord e cap esser e : atta in (to thee ) , rea ch. 1 2 . fl uv io : She became th e w ife
Of the god Of the river .— r e siste t : rise again restituetur , cf . 7. a very rare
sense ; cf. Cic . M ar . 84, nihil est iam unde nos reficiamus a ut ubi laps i resistamus .
1 5 . m u lta : nom . sing. , many a time .— tem p 1a : tract, circuit. - Note the al
literations in this verse, and cf. verses l , 2 , 3 , 4, 6 , 9 , 12, 13, 14 .
ENNIUS . 9
2 . With this account of the auspices taken by Romulus and Remus, cf. Livy1 . 6 f .
I . cu rante s cu ra : such a pleonasm is not uncommon in ancient writerscf. Plaut . Al en. 895
,magna
’
cum cura ego illum curari volo, and St . Luke 22 . 1 5,
with desire I ha ve desired to eat this P assover w ith you. Note also the alliteration
in the verse .- 2 . r egn i : on the case , A . G . 21 8 , b.
— au sp icio augu rioq u e'
angariam is the more general word, but here again we have pleonasm and allit
cration .—3. h inc R emus : according to Livy, Romulus stood on the Palatine
,
Remus on the A ventine . Where Ennius put Remus is matter for conjecture .
4 . Serv at : wa tchesfi r,
observa t,but archaic Latin is apt to prefer Simple to
compound verbs . On the quantity , cf . essét, 7, and see the note on soror,I . 7.
5 . q u ae rit : used absolutely,looks for omens .
— 6 .-ne : or
,the interrogative par
tiele being omitted in the first member of the double question ; A . G . 21 1 , a .
Remora : even at a late period there was a Spot on the Aventine called Remoria,where Remus was said to have watched for the birds —
7. cura : anxiety .
indup erator : archaic for impera tor , indu being an older form of in . 8 . mittere
letfa /l. A t the Ludi C ircenses the presiding magistrate gave the S ignal for thestart by throw ing down a mappa or napkin . On these races, Smith , D . A . s . v .
Circus, p . 432 ff . — 9 . v olt : is about to. 1 0 . qu am : how.— p ictis fau cibus
the decorated doors of th e ca rceres,for which see Smith . I I . p op ulus : note the
dia stole , A . G . 359,f . ; G . 721 . ora ten eb at : cf . Verg . Aen. 2 . 1
,intentique ora
tenebant. 1 2 . r eb u s : the result,a curious dative
,cf . A . G . 235 . They set the ir
faces for the sight .
’
I 4 . I t may be that Cicero, who quotes this passage and thuspreserves it for uS, has omitted a verse or two about the night which may havepreceded this line . Some editors place verse 13 after verse 2 .
— candida : used of
a brilliant whiteness, and hence more natural here than seems albus in 13,although
Ennius elsewhere uses a lbus of the sun — iota : struck,shot. — foras : modifies dedit.
1 5 . p raep e s : the exact meaning of th is adjective (fl ying forwa rd ’
! cf . 1 0 . 7)was obscure even to the ancients , but, as it was often applied to a bird of goodomen
,it may be rendered a usp icious . I 7. ter q u attuor : A ugustus had the same
augury of twelve vultures in the Comitia on the occasion of his first election to theconsulship , 43 B . C .
,cf. Dio Cassius So ,
too, Venus augurs from twelve swans
in A en . 1 . 393 . q u attu or : if the text is r ight, th is must be scanned as a dissyl
lable,but the synizesis is S trange . Most editors write qua ttor , wh ich , however, is
found only in late inscriptions . 1 8 . av ium : this,too, is a case of synizesis
,
a vyum ; cf. A . G . 347, d , remark . 1 9 . con sp icit intellegit.- data e sse : the
subject is regni scamna solumque , wh ich is modified by ausp icio stabilita , whileprop ritim belongs to da ta esse and means exclusively, as his own. Note that
,al
though the final vowel oi sta bilita is naturally Short, the word being a neuter plu ral,yet the sylla ble , though w ithout ictus, is long by position before the two consonants at the beginning of the next word . Th is would not occur in classicalpoe try ; cf. G . 703 , Rem . 1 . 2 0 . seam u s solum q u e : throne and soil.
3 . Ennius’
s story that th is Delphic oracle was given to K ing Pyrrhus is doubtless based Upon the well known tale of C roesus (Hdt. 1 . who was
told by the oracle that if he invaded Pe rsia he should destroy a greatkingdom . Pyrrhus is called Aeacia’es because he claimed descent fromA eacus and A ch illes .
1 0 NOTES .
4 . A description of the cutting of the wood for the funeral pyre which Pyrrhusreared for h is own and the Roman soldiers who fell in the battle of Heraclea
,
B . c . 280 . The passage is an imitation of Homer ’s account of the woodcutting for the pyre of Patroclus, I t. 23 . 1 14 ff
0 ? 8’
loan! bAor duovs u eAe'k ea s év xe
’
paw gxov'r es
a etpds 1"
ebu h e’
xr ous u pb 8’
tip’obpfies KfOV abr é
‘
w
woAAa6’
tit/aur a Kdr avr a u dpaur d r e bdxuta'. 7
"
dAOov.
dAA’87 6 bi; min/Toby 1rpoo
'
e'
Bav q mrlaarcos”18175,
abr lfc’
tipa bpiis bit/ induc t) : r ava'hne
'
i xamta‘i7 of
,t1 r shrewd/t erm r at bi y eydh a armre
'ovaa t
1ri1r'rov
and it is in its turn imitated by Vergil, Aen . 6 . 1 79 ff
I tur in antiquam Silvam,stabula alta ferarum
procumbunt piceae souat ieta securibus ilex,
fraxineaeque trabes : cuneis et fissile robur
scinditur : advolvont ingentis montibus ornos .
I . arbu sta alta : note the characteristic alliteration here and inf raxinusf ranq itur , ables alta ; in p inus proceras pervortunt h e goes a step too far for real
beauty .
“
The onomatopoeia in f raxinus f rangitur is admirable, and the selectionof epithets for the trees is very appropriate .
—5 . silvai frondosé i : on the
forms, A . G . 36,a . Note the homoeoteleuton .
5 . I n 280 B . C .
,Fabricius and other envoys were sent to negotiate with Pyrrhus
for the ransom of the Roman prisoners . Of the king’s Speech as given byEnnius
,Cicero savs (Ofi
'
. l . rega lis sane et digna A eacicla rum genere
sententia . The Roman writers regularly treated him as a chivalrous foe .
Prose translation in Sellar , P . R . p . 99 .
r . d ed er itis : perf . subjunctive in a prohibition . Short i is never found inthis form of the tense .
— 2 . u s e cau p onantes b ellum : caupo is a petty retail
dealer . Hence , not turning wa r into petty trafi c . The phrase looks like an imita
tion of Aeschylus, S ept. 545 , ob nar nk eba ew udxnv, which , however, means fightby wholesa le
—3 . ce rnamu s : decide , determine. The usage of the verb in this
sense w ith an accusative seems to be Old legal Latin. Putting our lives to the
issue .
’—4 . v elit : see on servt
'
it,2 . 4 .
— era F ors : Dame Fartane .—5 . aecip e
hea r,addressed to Fabriciu s
,w hile dacite
,8,is addressed to all the -
envoys .
7. eorund em : scanned as a trisyllable certum st : I am resolved .— 8 . d ono
d oqu e : pleonastic , like our‘give and grant.
’— v olentib u s d is : 3. common
polite formula . Note the spondaic verse . Vergil ends two v erses w ith the samewords: A en . 3 . 12 ; 8 . 679 .
6 . I n 235 B . c . the temple of Janus was closed for the second time in the h istoryof Rome ; cf . Livy l . 1 9 . 3 . But war soon broke out again ,
and the temple
was not shut for a third time until after the battle of A ctium,B . c . 29 .
Horace,in preserving this passage of Ennius (Sa t. 60 notes that it
is true poetry, for even the indiv idual words , if you dismember the sentence ,
are , as it were , the disiecti membra poetae. I n fact, w e have here poeticpersonification (Discordia and Belli), two words which smack of epic diction(ta etra andf erratos ), and th e alliteration and pleonasm pastes portasgue .
ENN IUS . 1 1
1 . Discordia : Ennius appropriately makes the goddess Strife (the Greek”Epis,
whose apple led to the Trojan war) break open the gates. Vergil is not' so happyin the selection Of Juno in h is imitation (A en . 7 . Belliferra tos rump it S a turnia pastes
— 2 . ferratos : ironshod ,ironclad — Vergil in another imitation has
(Aen. 1 . 293) dira eferro ci compagibus artis lclaudentur B elli portae, prophesyingthe closing by Augustus .
7 . From this famous descr iption of th e Cunctator , ’ Vergil takes (Aen. 6 . 846 )h is Tu Maximus ille es I unus qui nobis canelando restituis rem.
1 . rem as Often,rem publicam. 2 . noenum ne
,not
,oinom or oenum,
old forms of unum. rumores z famam, what men said of him .
’
pon ebat
see on serva'
t,2 . 4 .
8 . An oft- quoted characterization, applied by Ennius to a poor Shepherd who
showed the consul Flamininu s a pass which led into the Macedonian camp .
The story is told in Livy 32 . 1 1 .
r e : wealth.
- fi d é i : note the quantity of the penult, which is found thus onlyonce or twice elsewhere .
9 . Of this verse,Cicero (Rep . 5 . 1 ) says : vel brevitate vel verita te tamquam ex ora
culo mihi quodam esse efi a tus videtur .
stat : stands fast. The ablatives are instrumental.
1 0 . The brave stand made by a tribune in a battle during the war with theIstrians, 178 B . c . Imitated from Homer’s description of A jax ,
I I. 1 6
1 02 ff.I
Ala s 5’
c imer’
{a ga ve BtéCE’TO yap Beh e’
eaa t
boti wa aw a is r e vo'os, Ka l Tpc
’
bes dyavoi
BdAAOI/ ‘r es den/ inf 85 wept xpo'raicbow t gba ew i;
MkngBak k oue’
un Kauaxnv 3X 6 , BdAAer o b'
aiel
xdrr (poiAap’einroind
’
b 5’
dpta r epbu dp ov gnaw/ ell,
fun eboy a iév é’
xwv a ci
k os a ido obbé Stir/aur a
dug)’
a irrcii“
trek s/Alga l , épeibow es Bek éea aw .
a id 8’
dp‘
yak e'cp E
'
xer’da fip ar t nhb be
’
of idpc’os
mil/7 0 96 1! e’lc ueAe'wV woh bs 0 085 v ii eixev
hum/ 6 00 m 8b nanbv Kat“; éar ‘hpmr o.
Cf. Vergil, A en. 9, 806 fi .
,of Turnus :
E rgo nec clipeo iuvenis subsistere tantumnec dextra valet : iniectis Sic undique telis
obruitur . Strepit adsiduo cava tempora circumtinnita galea ,
et saxis solida aera fatiscunt,
discussaeque inbae capiti, nec sufiicit umboictibus ; ingeminant bastis et Troes et ipsefulmineus Mnestheus . T um toto corpore sudor
liqu itur ; et piceum (nec respirare potestas)fiumen agit : fessos quatit aeger anhelitus artus .
1 . conv en iun t : come all together .~— tr ib uno : A . G . 235 N .
— 2 . see
on w ait,2 . 4 .
—3. galeae : se. tinniunt. C f. Vergil’s imitation in Aen. 9 . 6 6 6
,
tum scuta cavaeque dant sonitumfl ictu galeae. nec : for the usual non. p ote :
12 NOTES .
se . est. The form pote, like potis , is of all genders . 5 . ad undantes h astae : the
swelling tide of lances . 7 . p raep ete : see on 2 . 1 5 and cf . Verg . Aen . 4 . 71,vola
tileferrum.— 8 . Histr i : a tribe dwelling in the d istrict still called Istria.
1 1 . Here again Ennius forms a connecting link between Homer and Vergil. I n
the Iliad, 6 . 50 6 E , Paris going to battle is compared to a stalled horse atlarge
(51 8’
fir e “H S a r a'rbs
‘
lm ros, duoar rj aas érrl (pai
n /y,
Seaubv dr opbfiia s Help r ebioto npoaiuwr ,
eiwficbs Aoéeodat 617675670 : n ar ancio,
Kubttiww 65 ndpn 5X “ , (imp) bi xair at9
diaaovr a t 6 8’
a'
yAaipq) ; n eu oifia’
w,
pimpa é y oiiua (pe'
pet ner d 7’
56m Ital 11 0b lrrrrwv.
And SO Turnus in the A eneid,1 1 . 492 ff
Qualis, ubi abruptis fugit praesaepia vinclis
tandem liber equus campoque potitus aperto ;
aut ille in pastus armentaque tendit equarum
aut adsuetus aquae perfundi flumine noto
emicat, arrectisque fremit cervicibus alteluxurians
,luduntque iubae per colla , per armos.
Ennius (who probably also applied this Simile to some enemy of the
Romans) has omitted a part of Homer ’
s comparison and added a new
thought in the last verse . Vergil in this case is evidently drawing directlyfrom Homer , and takes little , if anything , from Ennius .
1 . eq uOs : nominative . A . G . 38 N .— far tu s : cf. Jeremiah 5 . 8
,They were
asfed horses in the morning .— 2 . v in cla : tether . magnis an im is : high spirits .
3 . caeru la : we find this adj . applied to the color of trees in Ovid, M . 1 1 . 158,
A . A . 2. 5 1 8 ; in Propertius to a cucumber, 4 . 2 . 43 ; and in Manilius to leaves ,
5 . 260 . I n these passages and h ere it would seem that we must render it green .
Ennius used the word much more happily in another passage, pouti caerula prata .
5 . sp ir itus : brea thing .— anima : brea th.
1 2 . Cicero in quoting this passage (Ca to WI . 14) tells us that in it Ennius wascomparing his own old age to that of a v ictorious racehorse .
1 . e q u os : nominative . sp atio : used here for the racecourse . At the veryend of the course .
’ — 2 . v icit Olym p ia : imitated from the Greek’
OA15
p. 1rI a vmt'
iv .
—confectus : foredone.
EPIGRAMS .
Metre : Elegiac Distich or Stanza . See p . 3,
17, and cf . 27.
A . G . 363 .
G. 785.
S cheme of the second verse
’V U I .L U
1 3 . These two verses are in many editions prefixed to the two which followand the four are called the Epitaph of Ennius.
’ There is, however, no
ENNIUS. 1 3
real evidence that they belong together . Some scholars hold that the firsttwo were written by an unknown poet after the death of Ennius .
Prose translation in Sellar , P . R . p . 76 .
1 . Enni im ag inis : scan thus u u u u . Note that the final i inEnni is onlv half elided . Ennius is here following Homer , in whose poetry halfelision is common .
- 2 . p anxit : madefast, composed .
1 4 . Compare with this the wish of Solonunbe
’
[4 0 1 dk k a ua r os d ar os p dk ot, dAN’
z (piAow'w
KaM eirrouu Gavdw dk ‘
yea Ital a r ovaxdswhich Cicero thus translated (Tusc . 1 . 1 1 7)
Mors mea ne careat lacrimis : linquamus amicismaerorem
,ut celebrent fumera cum gemitu .
1 . dacrum is : older form of lacrumis,cf . dingua and lingua . We are told that
Pompey preferred the old spelling and pronunciation kadamita tes instead of ca lamita tes . Note the alliteration w ith decoret
,and cf . volito vivos in the next verse .
— d ecoret : pay (me ) honor .
— 2 . fax it,on the form
, G . 1 3 1 , 4 , b.— v olito : fl it.
Sellar, P . R . p . 76,translates : I still live as I sp eed to andf ro through the mouths
qf men. Vergil imitates this in G . 3. 8 f.,temptanda via est
, qua me quoque p ossimtollere humo victorque virum volita re per ora .
1 5 . Cicero (Legg . 2 . 57) says that this was written by Ennius on Scipio. The
latter died some fifteen years before his friend.
P rose translation in Sellar , P . R . p . 75 .
1 . situs z a very common word on tombstones ; hence the abbreviation H E Sor H S E .
— 2 . q uiv it : from queo. Op is p re tium : reward for his service.
IN TROCHAIC VERSE .
Metre Trochaic Tetrameter or Septenarius . See p . 5 , 25 .
as G . 770
Hayley, § 40 .
Scheme’
u |> II
v u l u v q | u u ”u u | u u | u u
Ins tead of w u or cyclic ’ dactyl, many scholars indicate the dactyl of tro
chaic verse by W . See p . 1,
1 .
1 6 . Moral of the Aesopean fable of the Lark and the Reapers . I t was wr ittenin the Septenarius throughout
,but only a few phrases and the moral
remain to us of Ennius’
s poem. Cf. La Fontaine, 4 . 22.
14 NOTE S .
1 . argmnentum : sign, wa rning . 2 . tu te : A . G . 99,j I - p ossies . A . G .
137,b,note .
1 7 . Courageous words of Telamon (in the tragedy of that name) on receivingnews that both h is sons had been killed in battle . So Xenophon , on learn
ing that h is son Gryllus had fallen nobly at Mantinea,said : fibew Ounr by
y e’
yew nxdvs .
1 . re : dative,A . G . 74 , a . su stu li : reared.
1 8 . Telamon is the speaker here also. I t was a fundamental Epicurean doctrine that the gods dwelt in a state of divine repose, without interferingin the affairs of this w orld for good or ill.
1 . esse : exist. — cae litum : agreeing w ith the gen . plural deum— 2 . ab est
it isfa r f rom so.
1 9 . This , too, is from the Telamon. A sh rewd exposure of the pretensions of
soothsayers and fortune - tellers,applicable to any age and country . Prose
translation in Sellar , P . R . p . 1 1 5 .
1 . v ate s : this word, th e oldest Latin term for poet, had in Ennius’
s time falleninto contempt on account of its application to soothsayers . The Greek word
poeta was substituted . Va tes was revived in the A ugustan age by Vergil andHorace, who used it of an inspired hard, in a higher sense than poeta .
— ar ioli
spelled also harioli. — 3 . al teri : dative —4 . ab e is : scan thus : v u and so
the next foot. d rach um am : note the contrast between this small coin and the
meaning of divitia s .
CATULLUS.
(Probably 87- 54 B. c . )
M ackail, pp . 52— 6 1 .
Cruttwell, pp . 232—238.
Sellar, P . R .,Chap . 1 5 .
r Martial, 1 4 . 1 95,
Tantum magna suo debet Verona Catullo,quantum parva suo Mantua Vergilio
Metrical translations of Catullus’
S poems by Sir Theodore Martin,Robinson
Ellis, George Lamb , and others .
1
1 . Dedication of a volume of poems to Cornelius Nepos .
M etre : Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3,
14,cf.
1 . Q u oi, cui,was the early form ,
and did not give way to cui until the firstcentury A . D . The first volume of inscriptions (to Caesar ’s death ) has only quoi.
1 Martin ’s translations are th e best. He does not preserv e th e traditional order of th e poems,
but h e k eeps th e u sual numbering , so that any poem can be easily found by consulting th e table
of contents. Ellis reproduces th e original metres.
1 6“
NOTES.
3 . Lament for Lesbia’
s Sparrow .
Metre : Phalaecean or Hendecasyllab ic (p . 3 , Translated by Byron,
Tra nsla tionf rom Ca tullus .
1 . C u p id in es : the plural often in A lexandrian poets . Catullus introducesthe idea to Latin poetry and is followed by later writers . I n art
,too
,many Cu
pids are often represented in attendance upon Venus, or sometimes upon Bacchus .
Veneres is plural here for symm etry with Cup idines . C l . 1 0 . 12 (plural just ashere) w ith Carmen 3 6 . 3 , Veneri Cupidinique.
— 2 . q u an tum st quantum est)h om inum : all the men there a re . On case of hominum see note on 1 . 8 . v enu s
tiorum : possessed of all charms and graces of m ind and body . The personifica
tion of all these qualities is Venus , and to Catullus’
s m ind Lesbia is not far he
hind ; cf. 25 . 5 f.—5 . This idea recurs frequently in the Alexandrian poets .
Terence first used it in Latin literature : cf . Ad . 70 1,magis te quam conlos
,nunc
ego amo meos. Catullus has it elsewhere ; see e . g . 1 1 . 1 . Cf. also Deut. 32. 1 0 ,
he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye . Once Catullus addresses an
intimate friend as ocelle ; cf . also 1 4 . 2 .-
7. ip sam : mistress . Cf . the Pythago
rean a‘
b'rbs é'cpa , ipse dix it the ma ster sa id so
,it is gospel truth. Cf. 2 . 9 .
ill ius : Catullus has but one case of a long penult in genitiv es of this class,illius
, Carmen 67. 23 . Cf. A . G . 347,a,Ex . 1 G . 70 6 , Ex . 4 . 1 0 . ad solam
dom inam : cf. Carmen 6 1 . r idea t ad patrem. 1 2 . A similar thought is tobe found in a fragment of Ph iletas , the teacher of Theocritus (frg . 4 Sch . Stob .
Flor . iv . p‘
. 94 M eineke ), b’t'rparrov eis’
A'
i‘
bew I huva’
a,r ip ! ob
'rrw 7 1s évavr iov 52196 11
bbir ns. Vergil’s r ipam irremeabilis unda e (Aen. 6 . 425 ) and Shakspere’
s The
undiscovered country f rom whose bourn N o tra veller returns (Hamlet 3 . l . 79 f . ) w illoccur to all . 1 5 . m ihi : what is Lesbia ’
s loss is Catullus’
s too. For syntax cf.A . G . 229 ; G . 345
,R . 1 . 1 6 . miselle p asser : poor little sp a rrow . 1 7. tua
op era : the metre Shows the case . 1 8 . Juvenal alludes to this line in 6 . 7 f .,
cuius turba vit nitidos exstinctus passer ocellos . Cf. Mart . 7. 14 . 3 f. , ploravit amicaCa talli Lesbia
,nequitiis passeris orba sui Herrick in 256
,Upon the Death of his
Sp arrow
Had Lesbia ,too too kind, but known
Th is sparrow ,she had scorn
’
d her own ,
A nd for this dead ,which under lies,
Wept out h er heart as well as eyes.
’
4 . An Oldyacht, lying on the Shore of a lake,boasts of its early seaworthiness .
Of many parodies on this poem ,the earliest, ascribed to Vergil (Cat.
begins,S abinas ille quem v idetis
,hospites , a itf uisse mulio celerrimus .
M etre Iambic Trimeter or Senarius.
A . G . 365,and a , b.
Hayley, 21—24 .
1 . Ph asellu s : it has generally been held, in spite of many difficulties, thatCatullus is here writing of his own yacht in which he returned from Bithynia toItaly in 56 B . c . I t is much Simpler , as P rofessor C . L . Smith has Shown (Har
va rd S tudies in Cla ssica l Philology ,iii. pp . 75 to assume that Catullus had
no personal interest in the boat . I t was built on the shore of th e Euxine,whence
it bore its owner in safety to some Italian lake — perhaps Lake Garda (Lacus
CATULLUS . 1 7
Benacus) , for Catullus had a v illa upon the shore of this lake . A beautifulvessel, bu ilt abroad , of proved sea - faring qualities
,it had for many years been
the pride of the lake ; but now at last it lies on the beach , a reminder, to all
who know its history , of th e goodness of the tw in deities who long ago, w ithou tso mu ch as demanding a vow for their service
,had brought it safely through
its dangerous jou rney . The phasellus was a light sw ift sail boat,sometimes
‘
but not always, supplied w ith oars . Cf . v ss . 2—5 ; also Hor . 1 3 . 28 f ., f ragilem
phaselon (cf . ¢danAos) ; C ic . a d A tt. 14 . 1 6 . l,in pha selum ep icopum. T he name
was not confined ,however
,to small craft ; cf . Sail . ap ud N onium
, p . 534,cahors
una grandi pha se/o vecta . Appian (de Bell. Civ. 5 . 95) mentiO'
s (puf
o'
nAOt r pmper zKai
,which may perhaps have been su itable for fighting
, like triremes . See Torr ,Ancient Ships , p . 120 .
— 2 . fu isse : has been (in its day ) . celer rim u s for case,
cf . A . G . 272 . I) ; G . 527. N .-2 ; for gender , G . 2 1 1 . R . 2 (cf. A . G . 187, e) .
3 . u lliu s : see on 3 . 8 .— trab is : cf . A en . 3 . 1 9 1 , va stum ca va trabe currimus
aequor . SO d v in Greek , as Eur . Hel. 1 6 1 1 , dvafi e’
s‘
EAAdB'
elrreu 6 130611 6 t 86pm
5 . foret : era t of dir . disc . On secondary sequence , cf . A . G . 336,B . N . 2
G . 5 18 .4— 6—9 . The course of the yacht from the Pontus (Euxine ) to Italy is
here traced backwards — h oe : object of nega re .— Had r iatici : adjective u sed
for Hadriae . The Adriatic was a stormy sea ; cf . Hor . Ca r in . l . 33 . 15,f retis
acrior Hadriae ; Taming of the Shrew ,l . 2, rough a s are the swelling Adria tic sea s .
—7. Cy cladas : also a dangerous ne ighborhood : cf . Hor . 4 . 20 .
— 8 . R h od um
nob ilem : Rhodes was famous as a maritime power for several centuries . I n
Catullus’
s time the island was especiallv resor ted to by students of oratory andrhetoric . Cicero and Caesar studied there under Me lon . Th raciam adjectivelimiting P rop ontida .
—g . P r ep on tida : the final short syllable is lengthened in
thesis before the follow ing mute and r . So impotentia in v s . 1 8 and ultima'
Br itan
nia in Carmen 29 . 4 . Cf . G . 70 4 (end) and 703, R . 1 , and see on Ennius 2 . 20 .
1 0 . p ost : adverb w ith phasellus . A Grecism not common in Latin until the
A ugustan age, A . G . 1 88,e 4 ; G . 439 N . 4 .
— 1 1 . com ata silv a :“a leaf};
wood,
”M unro . From the time of Homer s xii/ m {Acting ( 0 d. 23 . 1 95 ) the poets
often compared foliage to hair . 1 2 . sib ilum ed id it : cf. Longfellow ’
s the mur
mur ing pines, Baya rd Tavlor’
s pine fi lled w ith a whisper ing gush (Metempsychosisof the P ine ), and Tenny son
’
s (P r incess)A s in a p0 plar grove when a light w ind wakesA lisping of the innum erous leaf and dies
,
Each hissing in h is neighbour ’s ear .
’
— loq u ente com a : Vergil is less artificial Eel. 8 . 22, pinos loquentes. Cf. Ten
nyson s The Ta lking Oak, stanzas 5 and 6
For‘
oft I talked w ith him apart,A nd told h im of my choice ,
Until he plagiarised a heart,
And answer’
d with a voice .
T ho’ what he whisper
’
d under HeavenNone else could understand
I found him garrulously given,A babbler in the land.
’
1 8 NOTES .
1 3 . A m astri : Greek vocative . Amastr is was a town on the coast of Paphla
gonia,Cytorus a neighboring mountain . 1 4 . t ib i : singular (so tuo in vss . 16
and 17) because the town and the mounta in are thought of as one locality .
1 8 . im p oten tia : see on v s . 9 for the metre . 1 9 . I n alternative conditions the
poets sometimes om it sive w ith the first membe r,as here w ith laeva . G . 496 ,
N . l,end — 20 . v ocar et au r a : cf. A en . 3 . 356 ,
a urae vela vacant, but ib. 4 . 4 1 7,
voca t iam ca rbasus a uras — u trum q u e : with p edem.— I up p iter : aura ; cf .
Ennius in Varro ’
s L . L . 5 . 65,I upp iter qui ventas est et nubes
,imber postea ,
a tque ex iwhre f rigus , ventas post fi t, a er denuo. I le is often used of the sky,
as in Hor . I . 25,manet sub [ or e f rig ido r:ena t0 r .
— 2 1 . p ed em : p edes (1 660 )were the sheets which fastened the lower corners of the sail when it was set. A
breeze dead astern (secundus ) would exert th e same tension on both sheets ; cf.Ov . F ast. 3 . 565 , nancta ra tem pede labitur aeguo.
— 2 2 . Such a “ goodly ves
sel cou ld “ laugh at all disaster,
”and had found no need to invoke the gods to
bring her safely to her destination . The gods of the sea are poetically calledshore gods , because offerings we re made to them upon coming safe to land . Cf.
Verg . Geor .
’
1 . 436,votaque ser va ti solvent in litore nautae Gla uco
,etc. I n Horace ’
s
prayer for a safe voyage for Vergil to Athens (Ca rm. 1 . Venus , the Dioscu riand A eolus are invoked — 23. sib i : agent
,A . G . 232
,a ; G . 354 .
— m arei
mar ifi From about the time of the Gracch i ei was often used in writing torepresent a long i. There was at this time no difference in sound between i and
ei ; cf. Allen , E a rlg La tin, 9 ,— 24 . nov issim o : most distant ; cf . C v . Tr ist.
3 . 1 3 . 27,terrarum pa rs pa ene novissima , P ontus .
- 1im p id um : E llis testifies tothe “
transparent and exquisite blue of th e Lago di Garda to- day . We cannotbe certain,
how ever,that Lake Garda is meant here ; see on vs . 1 .
— 2 6 . sen et
is p a ss ing its old age .— tib i : singular , not as in vs . 14
,but m eaning Castor
alone . then Pollux (gemelle Ca stor is) is added as an afterthought.— 27.
“ The
Great Tw in Brethren ”w ere so constantly though t of together, that the name
of either one would suffice for both . So th e temple of Castor (Liv . 2 . 42 . 5 )at Rome was th e seat of worsh ip of both brothers . With the expression herecf . Hor . Epod. 1 7 . 42 f .
,Castor f ratergue magni Castoris ; Carm. 3 . 29 . 64 ,
geminus Pollux. The D ioscu r i were protectors of sailors ; cf . Hymn. Hem. 33
6 f.,aw'
r'fipa s c
’
oxvvrépwv r e p eé‘
w ; Hor . Ca rm. 1 . 3 . 2,see on vs. 22 ; N . T .
,
A cts , 28 . 1 1 , dut nuev év nAoiqo n apaah/up A too tcohpow (seeon Hor . 4 .
5 . Live and Love .
I t was a lover and his lass,
This carol they began that hour ,
With a hey and a ho and a hey nonino !
How that life was but a flower :
And therefore take the present time
With a hey and a ho and a hey nonino
Shakspere, As You Like I t,5. 3.
What is love 22 ’t is not hereafter ;
Present mirth hath present laughter ;
20 New s.
compte’
s,le loup les mange. That the Jews had a similar feeling is seen from
2 Samuel 24 . 1—10 . Cf.,too
,1 Chron . 21 . 1 - 8 and 1 7.
6 . A reply to Lesbia . She appears to have asked,upon hearing the preceding
poem how many kisses would be necessary to satisfy Catullus .
M etre : P halaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3 ,
2 . tu ae : subjective ; cf . 5 . 7 and 7. 1 8 . Notice the alliteration in this verse .
3 . quam : the correlative tam is in 9 .— h ar enae : cf . Hor . Carm. 1
,numero
ca rentis ha renae ; J udges 7. 12, a s the sand by the seasidefor multitude. 4 . Cyr e
nis : plural is u sual in Latin , although the Greek Kuphx/n. The city is named
here for the district, Cyrenaica, a word which was not admissible for metricalreasons . This district was famous before the Christian era for its productionand export of asafetida . 5 . oraclum I ovi s : the temple and oracle of Ammonor Hammon
,situated in an oasis of the Libyan desert 400 m iles from Cyrene .
Ammon was identified by the Romans w ith Jupiter .— aestu osi : seething , as
having h is abode in the desert . 6 . B atti Eth e founder of Cyrene in the seventhcentury B . 0 . He was worshipped after death
,as Romulus was by the Romans .
Hence sa crum sepulerum . The tom b was at Cyrene . The last three lines are an
e cho of the learned allusions w ith '
which the Alexandrian poets, whom Catullus
directly imitated in some of his poems,delighted to fill their w ritings . One of
the greatest of these poets , Callimachus , was a native of Cyrene .
-
7. sid e ra
m u lta : cf. Hebrews,1 1 . 12
,so many a s the sta rs of the sky in multitude . g . te
subject of basiare . 1 1 . p ernum e r ar e : see on 5 . 1 2 there it was the w itchcraftof the ev il eye which was feared,
here it is the ev il or malicious tongue . One
way for the ev il tongue to injure a man was by uttering extravagant praises ofh im
,thereby exciting the envy of the gods ; cf . Verg . E el. 7. 28 , ne va tl noceat
mala lingua f uturo. 1 2 . m ala : case is shown by the metre .
7 . Soliloquy after a quarrel w ith Lesbia . Catullus had evidently met w ith a
rebuff from Lesbia,and w ith this poem was trying to persuade himself that
he did not mu ch care after all. Yet the very first line, M iser Ca tulle , desina s ineptire, shows that he did care , and th e verses addressed to Lesbia(12— 1 8) breathe not so mu ch a farewell as th e h 0 pe of drawing h er back toh is embraces again . Landor —said of this poem ,
No poet, utter ing his ownsentiments in a soliloquy, h as evinced such power in the expression of pas
sion , in its sudden throbs and changes,as Catullus has done here ”
(seeMartin
, p . and Macau lay w rote that this poem w ith two others of
Catullus ( 1 5 and Carmen 76 ) always moved him to tears (see Trevelyan’
s
Life of M aca ulay , ii. chap .
Metre : Choliambic .A. a G . 365
,c.
G . 764 .
1 . C atu lle : Catullus is fond of addressing himself in h is poems,and also of
speaking of himself in the third person ,as in vs . . 1 2 . d esin as A . G . 26 6
,a ;
G . 263 ,2 (a ) . — 3 . can di d i : see on Ennius 2 14 .
— 6 . ib i tum : sometimes
found w ith th e force of an emphasized tum.— i]la iocosa : those lovef rolics which
we remember so well. — g . im p oten s : helpless lover .— 1 0 . n ec : equivalent to
neve (neu) , introducing a second prohibition (noli is a prohibition in itself noli
CATULLUS . 21
velle) G . 270 , N .— sectare : A . G . 269
,N . : G . 270 .
— 1 1 . p erfer , ob dura
bear up ,ha rden your heart.
— 1 2 . Cf. G . Wither,The Af anly Hea rt (Golden
Treasury, No. 1 03 )Great or good, or k ind or fa ir,I will ne ’
er the more despair
If she love me,this believe ,
I will die ere she shall grieve ;If she slight me when I woo,I can scorn and let her go ;
For if sh e be not for me ,
What care I for whom she be
— 1 3. r ogab it : make requests of t— 1 4 . nu lla : used in colloquial or familiarlanguage for a sweeping negative
,G . 3 17, 2 , N . 2 1 5 . te : A . G . 240 , d ;
G . 343,1 . 1 6 . qu oi : see on 1 . 1 . 1 7. qu oins cuius , as quoi cui
,A . G .
1 04, 6 ; G . 10 5,N . 2 . 1 8 . lab ella m ord eb is : cf . Hor . Ca rm. 1 . 13 . 1 1 f .
, p uer
f urens imp ressit memorem dente labris notam.
8 . This poem is an affectionate greeting from Catullus to h is friend Veranius,
who had been in Spain . Nothing,” says Landor (Martin,20 1 was ever
livelier or more cordial than the welcome here given to Veranius on h is
return from Spain . I t is comprised in eleven verses . Our poets on su chan occasion would have spread out a larger table - cloth, with a less ex quisitedessert upon it.
”
Metre : Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3,
2 . m ih i : in my afi ctions . A . G . 235 .— m ilib u s tr e centi s : ind . obj . of
antistans , se . amicorum. Cicero said of a friend (Att. 2 . 5 . unus est p ro centum
milibus . Cf. Tennyson ,To the Rev . F. D . llI aur ice Should eighty
- thousa nd collegecouncils Thunder a t you.
—4 . anum : an adjective here , but
cf. Enn .
’
1 . 1 . 5 . o m ih i nun tii b eati : 0 tidings of j oy f or me. For mihi, cf.vs. 2. 6 . Hib erum : gen . pl. 8 . u t m os e st tuos : Veranius appears to havebeen a good story- teller .
— tu os : on the form cf . novom,1 . 1 and see note .
ad p licansq ue co11um : i. e . putting my arm round your neck and draw ing younearer . 1 0 . q uan tum st h om inum : cf . 3 . 2
,and see note .
9 . A sinius had stolen from Catullus at a dinner -
party a handkerchief belongingto a set which had been sent h im from Spain by two friends , Fabullus andVeranius . The poet threatens to lampoon him if he does not return the
keepsake .
Metre : Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3 ,
1 . M arru c in e : probably the cognomen of A sinius,derived from h is national
ity ; cf. Ga llus , lll a rsus , etc . The Marrucini were a people on the Adriaticcoast almost due east from Rome .
— m anu sin i stra : the left hand is elsewherespoken of as the th ieving h and ; cf. Ov . llI et. 13 . 1 1 1 , na tae a d f urta s inistrae .
I t was the right hand w ith which pledges of fidelity and honesty were sealed .
2 . in ioco atqu e v ino : i. e . after the dinner proper , du ring the jolly conversationover the w ine . 3 . tollis lin tea : cf. Martial
’s napkin- thie f
,1 2 . 29 . 3 f.
,tu licet ob
serves dextram teneasque s inistram, I inveniet, mappam qua ra tione trahat. — 4 . fu git
te you a re mistaken. inep te vocative . 5 . q u amv is : extremely . inv enu staat
22 NOTES .
cf. quantumst, 3 . 2 ,— 6 . P ollion i : probably C . A sinius Pollio (76 B . c .
- 5 A .
who was consul 40 B . c . but afterwards w ithdrew to private life ,and won dis tinc
tion as an orator,trag 1e poet , h istor ian and cr itic . He was a fr iend of Vergil
and Horace . T he different cognomina of the two brothers may he explained byassuming that ,
the A sinii,who were Marrucinian plebeians, had no cognomen .
When the father of these two brothers came to Rome , he adopted the Romancustom of cognomina for h is sons, but for special reasons gave them different
names . For M a rr ucinus see on vs . 1 the significance of P ollio is not known .
8 . m u tari : to be commuted ; he would gladly pay a large sum to w ipe out yourbad account.
— v e11'
t : A . St G . 3 1 1 .—g . lep or um d isertu s : clever a t plea sau
tries ; he knows w hat real fun is, hence you may trust h is judgment of your
conduct. For the genitive , A . G . 2 1 8 . c . 1 6 : h en d e casy llab os : the ordi
nary metre for invective was iambic (cf . Carmen 36 . 5,truces vibra re iambos ), but
Catullu s here and once again (Carmen 42. 1 ) employs hendeeasyllables for thatpurpose
— tr ecen tos : of an indefinite large num ber ; cf . 8 . 2 .— 1 2 . aestim a
tione : actual value. 1 4 . S aetab a : Saetabis was a town of Eastern Spain famous for its linen manufactures . Hib er e is : see 0 11 ma rei, 4 . 23 . 1 5 . mun eri :
A . 85 G . 233 b. 1 6 . V eran iu s : the friend of 8 . am em : as usual coordinate ,not subordinate w ith necesse est
, cf . G . 553 , 4 . R . 1 .
1 0 . This humorous poem is an inv itation to dinner addressed to Fabullus , the
friend of Veran ius (cf. 9 end ) . Fabullus is assured of a good dinner prov ided he brings it w ith h im . A ll that Catullus can agree to furnish issome of Lesbia ’
s exqu isite perfume . With th is poem cf . Martial, 3 . 12 ,
which seems to have been suggested by itUnguentum
,fateor . bonum dedisti
conv ivis here,sed nihil scidisti.
Res salsa est bene olere et esurire .
Qui non cenat et unguitur , Fabulle ,hie vere m ih i mortu us v idetur .
’
This is translated by M artin , p . 20 4 . I t was a very different invitationwhich Tennyson sent to a friend ; of. To the Rev. F. D . M aurice
Should all our churchm en foam in spite
A t you ,so careful Of the r ight
,
Ye t one lay- hearth would give you w elcome
(Take it and come ) to the Isle of Wight.
You’
11 have no scandal while you dine,But honest talk and wholesome w ine
,
A nd only hear the magpie gossipGarrulous under a roof of pine .
’
Metre : Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3 ,
4 . can d id a : cf . 2 5 . 1, and see note . 5 . sale : wit,
‘A ttic salt.' — omnib us
cachinnis : all kinds of laughter ; bounteous m irth .— 8 . p lenu s aran ear um :
Furius was even poorer than this cf. Carmen 23 . l f .,Fure i quoi neque servos est
neque a rea nec cimex neque a raneus neque ignis . g m e r os am or e s : the real es
sence of love ,meaning the unguentum of vs . 1 1 , w hich was a gift from the gods
24 NOTES .
box which would hold a number of rolls, volumina . Cae sios : poets like Ca esius .
1 9. Su fi’
enum : he is the subject of 1 2 . omn ia v en en a : i. e . all poets who
are as bad as poison .— 2 1 . The punishment of Calvus must wait till morning
,
but in the meantime (interea ) h is gift is disposed of with the following impreca~tion .
— v alete : for a similar indignant dism issal cf . Ter . A d . 622,calea s
,habeas
illam quae pla cet away with you, keep the girl you like— ab ite illu c
,etc . : a
variation of a bi in malam rem,with a play upon the double meaning of p edem as
a physical and a metrical foot.1 2 . A satire upon Suffenus, a polished w it, who had the conceit to believe h im
self a poet. T he poem is addressed to Quintilius Varus of Cremona , who
was later a distinguished literary critic and the friend of Vergil and
Horace . Cf. Horace 6 .
Metre : Choliambic.A . G . 365
,c .
G . 764 .
1 . Su ffenus : mentioned as a bad poet in 1 1 . 1 9 . 3 . id em : of. A . G . 195, e .
— long e p lur imos : he is th e most voluminous of all poets—5 . u t fi t : a s is
usually done— in p alim p se sto : a palimpsest is a manuscr ipt from which one
writing ‘
has been erased to make place for another . Suffenus does not deign,as most poets did, to intrust even the first draft of h is p oems to second - handmaterial
,bu t has everything brand- new and of the best quality — 6 . r elata :
noted down. ch artae : see on 1 . 6 . The best paper was called reg ia . cf . royalIrish linen .
’— 1ib r i : rolls . Cf . Smith
,D . A . ,
s . v . 7. um b ilic i : the rods round
which the rolls were tightly wound, so called from their position in the roll.
lor a : the straps for tying up the roll when it had been tightly wound round the
umbilicus . m em b ran a : the parchment covering in which the roll was kept, oftencolored red .
— 8 . d er ecta : lined,belongs w ith omnia
,
‘the whole .
’ —p um ice
aequ ata : pumice is Often mentioned as used for smoothing off the ends (frontes) ofthe roll ; cf . 1 . 2
,and see note . g . cum leg as : cf . A . G . 3 1 6
,a,l . T he tu is
general and w ithout emphasis .
— b e11u s : agreeable . 1 0 . u nu s : a veritable.
1 1 . tantum,etc . : he is so difierent and so changed.
— 1 3 . s i qu id : se . est, the
whole being quidvis ; cf . 1 0 . 1 0,and see note.
— tritiu s : more clever,i. e . prac
tised in W it ; cf . C ic . ad F am . 9,1 6
,4 , quod trita s a ures haberet consuetudine
legendi.— 1 5 . s imu l : simul a c ,
cf . 2 1 . 6 . 1 6 . ac : cf . A . G . 1 56 , a end.
17. in se : of. A . G . 254 , b and Rem . With th e idea in the last two lines,
cf. Boileau , Satire 2, adfi n :
Um sot,en écrivant, fait tout avec plaisir
II n ’
a point dans ses vers l’
embarras de choisirE t
,toujours amou reux de cc qu ’
il vient d’
écrire,
Ravi d’
e’
tonnement,en soi-meme il s
’
admire .
’
1 8 . idem fallim u r : we are under the same delusion . A . G . 240,a .— 20 . p ossis
A . G . 320 . su os : A . 85 G . 1 96 , 0 . When forms of s uos and quisque are used
together , s uos regularly precedes . On suos suus , cf . novom 1 ,1, and on quoique
cf . quoi,ih . 2 1 . m an ticae qu od : see on libelli 1 . 8 . T he mantica was a dou
ble bag slung over the shoulder so that one part hung before , the other part
CATULLUS . 25
behind. The reference is to th e familiar fable of JEsop, for the Latin form of
which cf . Phaedr . 4 . 1 0
P eras jnposu it I uppiter nobis duas
propriis repletam vitiis post tergum dedit,alienis ante pectus suspendit gravem .
Hac re v idere nostra mala non possumus ;
alii simul delinquunt, censores samus .
1 3 . I t would appear that Catullus had been asked by a certain Furius to loan himsesterces (cf . Carmen 23 . 26 f .
, et sestertia qua e soles preca ri centumdesine ), and, upon excusing himself because of his lack of means
,had been
taunted with h is possession of an excellent country - seat . He retor ts withthis joking poem .
M etre Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3 ,
2 . Op positast : for the form see on quantumst 3 . 2 .— T he joke turns on the dou
ble meaning of opponere, to expose and to mortgage . F or the latter cf . Ter . P hor .
6 6 1 f.,ager oppositus pignori ob decem minas est. — 3 . A p eliotae : a Greek word
for Latin s ubsolanus east w ind . Declined like A nchises , cf . A . G . 37.
4 . ducentos : se . sestertios . The sesterce was worth from four to fi ve cents .
1 4 . During the year 57 B . C . Catullus was in the province of Bithvnia on the staffof the propraetor Memmius . This poem was written upon his return to his
villa on the southern shore of Lago di Garda (Lacus Benacus) in the next
year . I t breathes the same joyous spirit as 1 8 ,which was written just before
he left Bithynia . The ru in of an ancient villa upon the peninsula of Sir
mione was for centuries known as Catullus’
s villa,but archaeologists in
recent years have assigned it to the time of the Emperor Constantine
(30 6—337 A . Teunvson’
s‘Fra ter A ve a tque Va le ’
is as charming inits way as are the two poems by Catullus (1 4 and 2 6 ) of which it is a
reminiscenceRow us out from Desenzano, to your S irmione row !
SO they row’
d,and there we landed O venusta Sirm io
There to me thro ’all the groves of olive in the summer glow
,
There beneath the Roman ruin where the pu rple flowers grow,
Came that A ve atque Vale of the Poet’
s hopeless woe ,Tenderest Of Roman poets nineteen - hundred years ago,
Frater A ve atque Vale - as we wander’
d to and froGazing at the Lyd ian laughter of th e Garda Lake belowSweet Catullus ’s all- but- island
,olive - Silvery Sirmio
Metre : Choliambic .
A . G . 365,c .
G . 764 .
Metrical translations bv Thomas Moore , Leigh Hunt , and others .
1 . paene : see on 4 . 10 .
‘Sirmione appears as an island ,so low and so narrow
is the break that unites it to the mainland .
’- 2 . ocelle : see 0 11 3 . 5 . Cf. Aesch .
Eum . 10 25 , 5mmndans x60 wisn—3 . u te r q u e : i. e . as god of lakes (stagna ) and
of the sea .—4 . lae tu s : w ith force of an adverb ,
cf . A . G . 19 1 .-
5 . ip se : as
26 NOTES
usual, w ith the subject, contrary to the English idiom A . G . 1 95, l. Th yniam
the northwestern part of Bithynia . 6 . liq uis se : poets are fond of using uncompounded forms of verbs ; cf . 1 8 . 4 .
—7. solu tis cu ris : relea se f rom ca res .
g . larem ad nostr um : cf . 8 . 3,domum ad tuos pena tes ; L iv . 4 , 1arem ac
penates tectaque relinquentes . 1 1 . 11 0 0 est , qu od unum st : this it is whichof itself compensa tes . 1 2 . v en u sta :
‘the epithet,
’
says Ellis , ‘ like our“ lovelv
,
falls short, at least to a modern e y e,of the actual beauty of Sirmio
,w ith its high
cliffs descending into th e transparently blue water,and the exqu isite colour of
the surrounding land and Sky .
’— ero g aud e : i. e . return my sa lve w ith a glad
welcome — 1 3. L y d iae : see on 2 1 . 1 1 . The Etruscans on ce inhabited thisregion , and they were believed
,ow ing to a confusion of names
,to have come
from Lydia . This learned allusion in the A lexandrian manner strikes us as
incongruous in su ch a simple poem ,but it becomes less unnatu ral if we remem~
her that Catullus had just returned from A sia M inor, where he had doubtlessv isited Lydia and her famous cities . Cf . 1 8 . 6 .
- 1 4 . cachinnorum : cf. 1 0 . 5 ,
and for construction see on libelli,1 . 8 .
1 5 . Cornificius, a friend and brother -
poet, is reproached for neglecting to send a
few lines of consolation to Catullus in h is illness .
’ Some commentatorshave imagined that this was Catullus ’s last sickness . T he pathos Of thislittle poem always moved Macaulay to tears ; see on 7, introductory note,adfi n
M etre : Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3,
1 . m al est tuo C atu llo : your Ca tullus is ill. For the dative cf . A . G . 235
and Note . Cf. 1 1 . 1 0 . 2 . lab oriose : C icero.(P hil. says that persons
suffering from disease are properly called not m iseri, but laboriosi .— 6 . m eos
amore s the verb is Often omitted in colloqu ial or familiar Latin if the sense is
clear without it. Amores love,but cf. 1 0 . 9 and 1 7. 1 .
—7. p au lum qu id lu b et
j ust one little word ; quid lubet (cf . quidvis ) is obj . Of a verb implied, as da or
mitte .— 8 . Sim on id e is : of S imonides ; the poet Of CeOS (556—4 68 B . c . ) is meant.
He w as especially famed for h is dirges With his dirge on the Greeksw ho fell at Marathon h e won a v ictory over A eschylus .
1 6 . Sestius had inv ited Catullus to dinner, and at the same time sent h im a copy
of h is latest Speech . Catullus was unable to attend the dinner , owing -
to
an attack of influenza . which , h e humorously asserts , was occasioned bythe ch illing e ffects of th e speech . Th is poem is addressed to h is farm on
the borde r of the Sabine and Tiburtine territory, whither he had fled torecuperate .
Metre Choliambic .A . G . 365, c .G . 764 .
3 .cordi : A . G . 233 , a .
— Catnllus’s preference for Tibur may have been due
to its fertility , beautiful landscape , and reputation as a resort Of wealthy Romans .
The Sabine territory , on the other hand ,was mountainous and rocky, and ocen
pied by frugal farmers . Horace h ad a v illa there not far from Tibur .—4 . p ig
nore : wager . A . G . 248 .
— 6 . lib en ter : cf. 1 4 . 4 .
— sub u rb an a : Tibur , themodern Tivoli, was visible from Rome , and only about eighteen m iles distant.
28 NOTE S .
— sinistra u t ante , dextra sternu it adp rob ationem : sneezing was considered a
good omen among both Greeks and Romans . A familiar passage is X en . A na b. 3 .
2 . 9,7 0 177 0 6kAe
’
yovr os abr oii n r dpuur a i r ts dk obaaur e s 6'
oi a‘
r pa r tcbr a t n at
ur es tu t}(Spli ff npoa enbunaav r bu Gear . Then Xenophon declared that it was a good omen .
Before our poem Opens , Love had sneezed on the left to th e love protestations of
Septum ius ; he now sneezes on the r ight. As the left was the luckv Side to theRomans, while the Greeks considered the r ight to be lucky , he has now
,by
sneezing on both sides,made the good omen complete . Cf. Tennyson ,
Edwin
llf orris
Shall not Love to me ,
A s in the Latin song I learnt at school ,Sneeze out a full God- bleSs-
you r ight and left ”.l
1 1 . p ueri : cf . puella in 2 and 3 ; Hor . 2 . 1, gracilis p uer of Pyrrhu’
s lover .
ocellos sav iata : cf. 8 . 9 . 1 2 . illo : cf. illa, 7 . 6 . p u rp ureo roseo cf . Car
men 64 , 49 , tincta roseo conchyli p urpura f uco. sic u t z so surelya s .
— vi ta : frequently used as a term of endearment .
— Sep tumille : cf . Veraniolum
, g . 1 7. 1 6 . m e d u llis : cf. Verg . Aen. 4 . 6 6,est mollis fl amma .,
medulla s .
— 1 7 f . Love impartially grants h is good omen (bonum a usp iciam) to A cme’
s
declaration as he had done before to Septumius’
S .— 2o. am ant am an tu r : cf .
T heoc .
’
12 . 1 6,dur e¢lAno
’
6 ¢ ¢An6eis .— 2 1 . m isellu s : enamored — 2 2 . Syrias
Britanniasq u e : your Syr ia s and your Br ita ins . This referen ce enables us w ithprobability to assign th e poem to 55 B . O. ; for in this year Crassus assumed
command in Syria and Caesar crossed into Br itain , and thus both countries w ereprominent in the minds of young Romans desirous Of seeking their fortunes .
Syria was proverbiallv a seat of oriental luxury,and Britain was thought to
possess boundless treasures until the second expedition of Caesar in th e next
year . I n 54 B . C . Cicero wrote to a fr iend (ad F am. 7. 7. in B ritannia nihil
esse audio neque aur i neque a rgenti. 24 . facit : centres . d elicias : in a different
meaning from that Of 2 and 3 . 25 . With this interrogative ending of . 8 .
1 8 . See the introductory note on 1 4 . T he poem,as Ellis says , ‘
expresses th e
natu ral gladness of an eager temperament escaping from Official dutiesneither remunerative nor
,as regards M emmius ,
congenial. ’Metre : Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3 ,
3 . Zep h yr i : F a vonius, of. — au re is : see on ma rei
, 4 23 .—4 . linqu an
tu r : see on liquisse, 14 . 6 .— P h ry g 11 camp i : cf . Bithynos campos, 1 4 . 5 .
5 . aestu osae : cf . 6 . 5 . Strabo, the geographer , describes the plain about Nicaeaas unhealthy in summer . 6 . claras u rb es : i. e . Smyrna ,
Ephesus, M iletus , etccities which Ovid (1 6 . 21 ) called magnifi ca s Asia e urbes .
—7 . p raetr ep id an s
excited with a nticipa tion — 8 . Stu dio v ig e scunt : are keen with eagerness—g ,
com itum : the colleagues of Catullus on M emmius’
s staff — 1 1 . div er sae
separate.
1 9 . Cicero has apparently rendered Catullus som e serv ice as a lawyer (patronus ,v s . 7), for which Catullus here expresses thanks in a manner characteristicof h is ardent nature . Cicero was considerably Older than the young men
of the literary circle to which Catullus belonged , a company of poets,
politicians , statesmen, and critics, including Cornifieius Licinius Cal
CATULLUS . 29
vus ( 1 1 , 2 0 , and A sinius Pollio Quintilius Varus ( 1 2 . 1 ) and
others ; bu t he may be considered as an adviser and protector of all thisbrilliant society of youth, which was proud of his genius and renown
,and
which saluted in h im,according to th e expression of Catullus, the most
eloquent of the sons of Romulus’
(cf . Gaston Boissier,Cicero and his
Friends, p . 1
M etre Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3,
1 . R omu li n ep otum : cf . Carmen 58 . 5,Remi nepotes .
— 2 . M ar ce T u lli : moreformal than a Single name would be . Cf. Cic . Ca t. 1 . 27, si mecum p atrialoqua tur,
‘M . Tulli,quid agis ?
’
5 . p essimus p oeta : w ith this exaggerationcompare the more temperate modesty Of 1 . 4 and 1 0 .
20 . Catullus and h is friend Licinius Calvus ,one evening after dinner at Calvus ’s
or a friend ’
s house, engaged in a friendly contest of verse - making . Catul
lus’
s excitable nature was so stimulated by this intellectual exercise that,upon returning home, he was unable to Sleep . A fter tossing on h is bed
for hou rs, he at last composed himself sufficiently to write this poem .
For Calvus, see on 1 1 . 2 and cf . introdu ctory note .
M etre : Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3,
2 . lu sim u s : we wrote Sportive verses . The word is frequently used of the com
position of light poetry , especially of love - songs . See on He r . 8 . 2 .- tab ellis
tablets of wood, coated on one side w ith wax and having a raised border like themodern slate, were used for letters
,first drafts of literary productions, school
exercises , and ordinary scr ibbling ; cf . Guhl and Koner , Lif e of the Greeks a nd
Romans, p . 530 — 3 . u t d elicatos as we had agreed to be devotees of p lea sure( leliea tos is predicate adj . agreeing with the easily implied subject of esse .
6 . r edden s m utu a : with interchange of verse .- p er iocum atqu e v inum : cf. 9 .
2, in ioco atque vino. 7. lep ore facetiisq u e cf . 9 . 8 f . 1 1 . indom itu s fu rore
uncontrolled in myf rantic desire to see you again . 1 5 . iaceb ant : for the force of
the impf . after postquam, a construction not used again by Catullus, cf . A . G .
324 , a . 1 6 . iu cunde : in 1 1 . 2 he was addressed iucundissime Calve , 1 7. d olo
rem : longing cf . 2 . 7. 1 8 . cav e s is : A . G . 269,a,3 . On the short ultima
of ca ve cf . A . G . 375 , b. 1 g . ocelle : see on 3 . 5 . 2 0 . N em esis : the goddesswho avenges overweening or immoderate action of all sorts . 2 1 . v em en s con
tracted form of vehemens .
— 1aed ere cav eto : a rarer construction than that of
vss . 18 and 1 9 ; cf . G . 548 ,N . 3 .
This poem may have been the fi rst which Catullus addressed to Lesbia . Hehad not as yet , perhaps , sufficient confidence in h imself to send an originalpoem to h is love
,but preferred to translate a famous poem of Sappho
’
s ,
wh ich may well have been a favorite w ith Lesbia . Sappho’
s poem (frag.
2 : p . 19 1, H ille r- Bergk
’
s A nthologia ) is preserved by Long inus,de S ublim.
10 . 2,where it is cited as an example Of the sublime in poetry . Catullus
’
s
translation,wh ich , so far as we know ,
was the earliest attempt at Sapph icsin Latin , preserves only the fi rst th ree stanzas of the above possiblyCatullus never translated any more . A famous English translation of
the Greek is by Ambrose Ph illips .
30 NOTES .
M etre : Sapphic Strophe . See p . 3,
19,and of. 3 1 .
M etrical translation by Gladstone in Martin , p . 1 6 4, and by others . See
alsoMartin , pp . 1 6 5 f .
,for the expression Of similar emotions by Racine ,
Tennyson,and Shelley .
2 . S i fas e st : cf. L iv. 23 . 42 . 4 , ne deos quidem ira tos, sif ts es’
t dic i,timeremus.
The poem of Sappho has noth ing corresponding to th is v erse, nor to identidem
and specia l. On the othe r hand Catullus om its nAaa iov dbl) (pan/ e tiam . 6 . m ih i :
A . G . 229 .- sim u l : s imul a c
,A . G . 324 . ( If. 1 2 . 1 5 .
—7. M sb ia : th is
gives a tou ch o f o rig inality to the poem . Pe rhaps this was the fi rst time thename was applied to Catullus
’
s swee theart, whose real name was Clodia . I t is
possible that the name suggested itself to Catullus from the circumstance thath is Greek original was addressed to a Lesbian girl . e st su p e r : superest.
8 . T he Adonic translating Sappho ’
s (pan/as 0 13821; Zr’
ei’
nei is not preserved . Rit
ter’
s vocis in ore is as simple as any of the guesses w hich have been made .
9 . ling u a torp et : cf . Liv . 4,torp eba t vox sp iritusque .
- tenu is : subtle .
1 0 . son itu su op te : not in the Greek . The order of the a ures and lumina clausesis the reverse in the original
,and the gemina teguntur lamina nod e is a paraph rase ,
rather than a translation , of bm rclr eam 8’
obbe‘
sy b’
pnu’
. 1 1 . g em ina : transferredfrom lamina , w ith w hich it logically belongs
,to nocte ; G ladstone renders
,twin
clouds of night. (l
f. 1 4 . 13,Lydia e lac
-
us undae — I t is to be r egretted that(‘
atullus’
s translation ends here . The next stanza of Sappho’
s poem continuesthe remarkable delineation of the symptoms of pass ion , th e sweat
,trembling ,
pallor , faintness as Of death , — a delineation in which,as Longinus says , th e
incidents ar e all accurately ch osen and skilfully united . P lutarch (Demetr . 38 )tells the story of a physician
’
s discovering the lady w ith whom a youthful patientwas in love
,by observing in h im all of Sappho
’
s famous symptoms whenever Sh e
came near .
22 . This short poem is at once acompliment to Calvus’
s ability as an orator and
a joke upon h is Short stature . The occasion referred to was probably thesecond prosecution of Vatinius by Calvus (see on 1 1 . as w e know froma statement in Tac itus (Dial. 2 1 ) that the second speech was the most
adm ired .
M etre : Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3.
1 . n escio qu em : A . G . 334,e . coron a the r ing of spectators , especially
about th e praetor’
s tribunal ; cf . Cic . p ro M il. 2, non enim corona consessus
body) vester cinctus est, ut soleba t. — 2 . V atin ian a c r im in a : cf . 1 1 . 3
,odio
Va tiniano. A . G . 2 17, a,for Va tiniana .
—5 . salap u tium d isertum :
‘a n
eloquent tom- tit (Martin ) .
23 . A t lovers’
perj ur ies ,
They say ,Jove laughs .
’
Metre Elegiac D istich or Stanza . See p . 12.
1 . m ulier m ea : a var iation on men puella (cf . 2 and and undoubtedlymeaning Lesbia .
— 2 . Cf . Carmen 72 . 1 f .
,diceba s quondam solum te nosse Ca tul
lum, Lesbia,nec p ra e me velle tenere I ovem.
—4 . Cf . Soph . frag . 74 1 N . ,
bpk ovs Mb
7 1111 11 1k els {i
bwp 7pci<pw ; Byron ,To Woman
32 NOTE S .
2 . adv enio : I am come,equ ivalent to adveni (hence donarem in 3) et adsum.
h a s m iseras ad in fe rias for these p itif ul f unera l ofi’
erings .
-
3 . m unere m ortis
same as inferias .—4 . n eq u iq u am : though va inly , because no answer would be
received —5 . m ih i : A . G . 229 .
— ip sum : emphasiz ing tcte as Opposed to
einerem.— 6 . in d ig n e : unj ustly, as being still in the prime of young manhood .
Cf . Carmen 68 . 1 9 ffSed totum hoe studium luetu fraterna m ihi mors
abstulit. O m isero frater adempte m ihi,tu mea tu moriens freg isti commoda , frater,tecum una totast nostra sepulta domus ,
omnia tecum una pe rierunt gaudia nostra,
quae tuos in v ita dulcis alebat amor .
Cuius ego inter itu tota de mente fugav ihaec studia atque omnis delicias animi.
7. nun c : a s it is . t am en in ter ea : however,interea merely re- enforcing tamen
cf . German indessen . 8 . trad ita sunt : ha ve been handed down. ad : f or or as .
The Offerings consisted of w ine,milk , oil
,honey , and sometimes flowers .
9 . m anantia : wa tered. 1 0 . av e atqu e v ale ; this and similar formulas w ere
spoken at funerals by the mourners as they took leave of the dead. Cf.
A eneas’
s farewell to the dead Pallas, Aen. 1 1 . 97, salve aeternum mihi, maxime
P alla ,aeternumque va le .
T IBULLUS .
(About 544 9 B. c. )
Mackail, pp . 1 30 - 1 31 .
Sellar,E . P .
, pp . 223—249 .
Dom itius Marsus’
s epigram ,
T e quoque Vergilio com item non aequa , Tibullo,mors iuvenem campos m isit ad Elvsios,
ne foret, aut eleg is molles qu i fleret amores
aut caneret forti regia bella pede .
9“ Quintilian ,1 0 . 1 . 93
,
Elegia quoque Graecos provocamus, cuius m ihi tersus atque elegans maximeVidetur auctor Tibullus .
The best metrical translation of Tibullus is by James Cranstoun . The Old
translations of Dart and Grainger possess considerable merit.
1 .Tibullus addressed this poem to h is patron Messalla . The latter was ap
pointed byOctavian ,
soon after th e battle of A ctium ,to settle the affairs of
Egypt, Syria, and Cilicia. When h e set out on this mission in 3 1 or earlv
TIBULLUS . 33
in 30 B . C . , Tibullus went w ith him as a member of his suite ; but at
Corcyra ,owing to illness
,the gentle poet had to abandon the expedition ,
a necessity which did not, we may suppose , cause h im much grief ; for , ashe Shows in th is v e ry poem (35 long journeys were not to h is taste .
An equally strong influence draw ing h im back to Rome was his love forDelia
,w ho
,although all the omens prom ised h is safe return
,had constantly
refused to be comforted a t the thought Of h is leav ing her . T he poem represents a soliloquy of Tibullus at the time of Messalla
’
s departure fromCorcyra .
M etre : Elegiac Distich (see p . 3,
1 . ib itis : plural, of Messalla and his su ite (cohors), although M essalla,as the
leader,is alone addressed by name — M essalla : M . Valeriu s M essalla (inscrip
tions give the name both with one 1 and w ith two) Corvinus was a republicanwho fought with -Brutus and Cassius at Philippi bu t after the republican defeathe joined Mark A ntony
,to whom he remained faithful until 36 B . C .
,when
,
disgusted with the conduct of Antony and Cleopatra, he offered h is services toOctav ian. A t th e battle of A ctium
,in Septem ber , 3 1 B . C .
,he commanded
the centre of the fleet,hav ing been chosen consul in place of Antony . Like
Maecenas,he was a patron of literar y men, and gathered a compan y Of poets
about him,chief of whom was Tibullus . He also won distinction himself as a
poet, grammarian,orator , and historian — 2 . o u tin am : se . sitis
,cf. A . G .
20 6, c, 2 . Hiatus commonly occurs after the interjection o A . G . 359 , e . Cf .
Hor . 1 . 2 .—3 . Ph aeacia : Homer ’s Phaeacia w as identified by the later Greeks
with Corcyra .
—4 . ab stin eas hortatory ; A . G . 26 6
,a . T ibullus shudders at
the idea of dy ing in a strange land w ith no friends near to perform the usual
funeral rites . 6 . qu ae legat ossa : the nearest friends of the dead gathered hisbones, a fter cremation,
in the fold of th e dress , sprinkled them w ith w ine
and m ilk , dried them in linen cloths, and then placed them in the urn .
7. A ssyr ios : z Syr ios as Often . Arabian perfumes , Indian ivory,and all
sorts of merchandise from the E ast were frequently called Syr ian ,because
they were ’
sh ipped to Rome from Syrian ports , su ch as A ntioch and Gaza .
odore s perfumes were put on the ashes after they had been placed in th e urn
cf. C v . Trist. 3 . 3 . 6 5 and 69 , ossa tamen f a cito pa rva referantur in urna
a tque ea cumfolus cl amomi p ulvere misce . g . qu am only rarely precedes ante ;
cf . Carmen 4 . 7. 8 , ne legu t id nemo quam meus ante .— 1 1 . p u er i sorte s : among
the superstitious Romans fortune - tellers plied a brisk trade . Oracle -mongers,soothsayers , astrologe rs could be consulted at all times in the forum and othe rfreq uented places ; cf . Hor . Sa t . 1 . 6 . 1 13 f.
,fa lla eem circum vespertinumque pererro Isa epe f orum ; ads isto divinis . Delia learned the judgment of the gods on her
lover’
s journey by draw ing‘
lots (sortes sustulit) from an urn . The answer drawn
was interpreted by the boy in charge . 1 2 . e trin is : se . sortibus . The distribu
tive for cardinal is poetic : A . G . 95,d . T he omens w ere certa only after
the third favorable drawing. Cf . Verg . E el. 8 . 75,numero deus impure gaudet.
1 5 . m an data : pa rting instructions .
— 1 8 . S aturni d iem : subject of tenuisse .
T he week of seven days was an institution of the Jews and the Egyptians,wh ich was brought into common use at Rome about the beginning of the
empire . T he seventh day, the Jewish Sabbath , was called by the Romans
34 NOTES .
Sa turni dies (whence our S aturday) . Doubtless the Jews’ observance of the
day did not appeal to Tibullus at all,but he found it convenient to put such
observance forward as a pretext for deferring h is journey. Cf. Ov . A . A .
1 . 4 1 5 f .
,rebus minus ap ta gerendis culta P alaestino septima f esta Syra
2 0 . ofi‘
en sum in p or ta p ed em : stumbling on the threshold was an ill omen .
A bride upon first entering her new home was consequently lifted over the
threshold . 2 1 f . T he practical lesson which Tibullus draws from h is illness is
that , though the other gods favor an undertaking,if Love be against it
,it should
be abandoned — 23 . I sis the worship of th is Egyptian goddess was introducedat Rome in the time of Sulla
,and though for a long time strenuously Opposed
by the religious authorities because of the licentious and orgiastic featuresconnected w ith it, it steadily grew in popular favor, and in the early empire
gained recognition by the state . A temple of Isis was built in the Campus
Martins . The application of Tibullus ’s lines lies in the fact that as patroness
Of navigation She had been besought by Delia to give Tibullus a prosperous
voyage , and to bring h im safely home again — 2 4. illa aera : for illa cf . Cat.
7. 6 , illa iocosa . The aera were the metal rattles, s istra ,used in the worship
of Isis . See Smith , D . A .,S . v . S istrum.
— 25 f . lav ari et secub u isse : bathingand chastity for ten days and nights were requ ired of th e devotees of the goddessat her festivals in the spring and fall. The infinitives are additional subjects ofprosunt, united by que and et
,which et et
,or poetic que que ; G . 476
,
N . 5 . See on Cat. 1 6 . 1 5 .- 28 . p icta tab ella : a person upon escaping from any
danger , such as Sickness or shipwreck , h ung a picture , commemorating the event,
in the temple of the divinity to whom be attributed his deliverance . Cf. Hor . 2 .
13 ff. — 2 g . v otiv as v oces : Delia had prom ised to pay Isis prayers of gratitudeand praise if Tibullus should be restored to h er in safety .
—3o . lino te cta
linen robes were worn by the priests and votaries of Isis, and were so characteristic of her worship that she was herself sometimes called linigera .
—3 1 . b is
d ie : at sunrise and sunset —32 . in sign is : because of her beauty .
— Ph arisi. e .
,Egyptian ,
from the island Opposite Alexandria . The lighthouse of Pharos,
bu ilt by Ptolemy Philadelphus , was one of the wonders of the world —33 f .
Equ ivalent to a prayer that he may reach h is hearth and home in Saf ety . T he
penates and lar are mentioned together by Livy, 1 . 29 . 4,la rem a c pena tes
tectaque relinquentes . Cf . Cat . 8 . 3 and 1 4 . 9 .—34. m enstru a tura : on the
kalends a Special offering was made to the lar ; cf . Prop . 5 . 3 . 53 f .,rar isque
a dsueta ka lendis vix aperit cla uses una paella lures—35 ff. Tibullus ’
s longingfor home
,together w ith the possibility that h e may not live to return
,lead h im
to compare w ith the present degenerate times the good Old days of the goldenage under Saturn ’
s reign . 37. One of th e happy features of the restored
golden age , foretold by Vergil in the fourth . Eclogue , is that men shall no longergo down to the sea in sh ips ; cf. v s . 38 f . ,
cedet et ip se ma ri vector,nee na utica
pinus I mutabit merces : omnis f eret omnia tellus .—43 . n on d om u s ulla fores
h ab u it : an especial advantage to a lover’
s mind . Tibullus,in Carmen 1 . 2 . 7fl .
,
addresses the door w hich Shuts h im out from h is D elia, ianna difiicilis domina e ,te verberet imber te I ovis imperio f ulmina missa petant. — 44 . q u i reg e r et arv a
cf . Ov . 1 0 . 21 f. 45 . ip sae m ella dab an t qu er cu s : cf. Verg . E el. 4 . 30 , et
durae quercus sudabunt roscida mella .— u1troq u e ov es : cf . ib . 21
,ipsae lacte
36 NOTES .
HORACE .
(65- 8 B. c . )
9“ Cruttwell, pp . 280—292 .
Mackail, pp . 1 0 6 - 1 1 9 .
Sellar , E . P .,Chaps . 1 and 6 .
Metrical translations innum erable . See especially those by Francis, Martin,
Lytton ,Conington ,
D e Vere , Gladstone, E ugene and Roswell Field (in E choesfrom the S abine Farm), and Hague .
1 . I n th is prologue to the Odes , Horace , after paying a brief tribute to Maecenas,
sketches the various objects to which men devote themselves . A thletics(3 politics (7 r iches (9 farming (l l commerce (1 5comfort and leisure (1 9 w ar (23 hunting (25 each havetheir devotees . Horace himself cares for none of these so mu ch as for
literary fame and the society of the Muses (29 To be called a lyricpoet is the height of h is ambition (35M etre : Lesser A sclepiadean (see p . 2
,
M etrical version by Conington .
r . M ae cen as a Roman kn ight of Etruscan lineage,one of the counsellors of
Augustus , and th e friend a nd benefactor of Horace,V ergil
,and other writers .
His name has,therefore , becom e a synonym for a patron of literary men .
2 . p rae s idium stay . d ecu s : cf . Verg . Georg . 2 . 40 , 0 decus, ofamae merito pa rsmaxima nostrae , M aecenas —
3 . cu rricu lo : instr . abl. — 4 . m eta : i. e ., guosque
meta,se . z
'
uva t. 5 . ev itata : j ust clea red . I t was an art to wh irl th e chariotround th e turning-
post as closely as possible . On th e racecourse, see on Ennius,
2 . 8 .
—p a1m a : an oliv e w reath and a palm branch w ere .g iven to the v ictors in
the Olympic race . T he Romans borrow ed th e latter as the symbol of v ictory,and it h as passed as su ch into modern literature .
- 6 . d om inos : in apposition to
deos . 8 . terg em inis h onorib u s : threefold ofiices ,i. e .
,th e curule offices of curule
aedile . praetor , and consul. ro . L ib y c is : A frica was one of the chief countriesto wh ich th e Romans looked for grain . u . fi nd e r e : clea ve . The picture is of
a m an content to toil hard to m ake h is ancestral farm support h im .— 1 2 . A t
talicis cond icion ib u s : the afi ers of a, Croesus . The rich A ttali, kings of Pergamus,
w ere famou s for m unificence,like th e more fam iliar Lydian monarch who has
given us our r ich as Croesus .
” — r3 . d em ov eas : poten tial, A . G . a .
trab e : ba rk ; by s ynecdoche (A . G . timber standing for the w hole ship ,as often in poetry ; see on Cat . 4 . 3 . So we use boa rd for table and roof for
house . Cy p r ia : ship timber came from oth er places than Cyprus, and any one
of them m ight have been named here . Bv naming a particular one the poet
makes h is picture more v ivid . For th e same reason h e names a particular sea in
th e next verse,a special w ine region in 1 9 ,
a famou s breed of boar in 28,etc .
1 4. secet m ar e : cf . the Homer ic T eal/ en! wéAa'
yos . 1 6 . op p id i rura : here rura
HORACE . 37
is used for the customary ager , wh ich denotes the country about a town and
under its jurisdiction . 1 8 . p ati : w ith indocilis , A . G . 273,d . 1 9 . M assici :
Mt . Massions was on th e border between Latium and Campania .
— 20 . solido
entire, uninterrup ted, a day which might otherwise have been devoted to business .
— 2 1 . m em b r a : for the case , A . G . 240 , c, or 240 , c, note — 25 . I ov e : fre
quently used by the poe ts in the sense of the op en sky or the heavens — 28 .
teretis : well wrought, strong— 2 9 . m e : note its position at the head of the
sentence, to bring out the contrast — d octarum h ed erae : the ivy was
sacred to Bacchus, one of the patron gods of poets . Hence it is here calledthe
‘guerdon of the“
scholar’
s brow .
’ —3o. m iscen t : make one with.
—33 .
E u terp e : in Horace the different Muses are not assigned to set departments
of literature and art —34 . L esb oum b arb iton : Sappho and A lcaeus were
Lesbians .— tend ere tune .
—35 . quod si : on this use of quod
,A . G . 1 56 , b, and
240,b.
— in seris : on the tense,see on 1 5. 1 7.
—36 . fe r iam sid era : cf . Hom .
0 d. 9 . 20 , y ev l e'
os obpaubv Ynez, Sappho 37, tpabnu 5’
ob boxiuoqu’
bpa'J/w 8150 1
waf
xeow .
2 . Addressed to Pyrrha, a lovely coquette .
‘Who is the latest v ictim of thycharms ? He will soon find thee changeful as the sea . Witness my own
case ; I barely escaped alive .
’
The phrase simplex munditiis (5 ) may well be applied to this whole ode,
wh ich for simplicity and naturalness of thought,as well as for elegant
neatness of expression, is scarcely surpassed by any of the poems of
I I orace .
M etre : see p . 4,
22 .
M etrical version by M ilton . An amusing paraphrase, beginning , SweetPyrrha ,
ma id of Ha rva rd S qua re,in the Crimson, 1880 , vol. 1 6 , p . 5 1 .
r . g racilis : slender,da inty
— mul ta. in rosa : either wearing many a rose,or
lying on them . Either explanation is defensible — 2 . u rget : p resses, courts .
3. Pyrr h a : a fictitious name , from the Greek Hop/5d (cf . 1ri3p), well applied tothis auburn - haired girl (cf . —
4 . r elig as : i. e .,in a plain knot at the back of
her head. 5 . sim p lex mund itfi s :‘so trim
,so s imple ,
’
Conington ; ‘
p la in in thynea tness,
’
M ilton . The word munditia here signifies a natural elegance which isnot dependent on the aids of th e toilet . T he idea of the phrase is expressedby Ben Jonson, S ilent lVoman, l . l
,Give me a look
, give me a f ace I That makessimplicity a grace.
’fi d em here perfidiam, as the context shows . 7. nig ris
th is epithet, natu rally belonging to acquera , which are darkened by the wind , is
here ,by a common practice in poetry , shifted to ventis .
— aeq uora : Semonides
of Amorgus compares the capricious woman to the sea, 7. 37
,£60 1e OdAaooa
n oAAcims “by d'rpeu'hs' drr'lmwu, xdpua uabr paw us
’
ya , Oe'
peos év dapp,
n oAAdms 83 p a ir/ er a t Bapvx'r b‘
rrom'
t xbuaaw (bopw ue'
un— B. em ir ab itu r : endan
mtg“ . T he w ord occurs only here in class ical Latin .— in solens : in its original
sense of unwanted,i. e .
, poor innocent —g . cred u lu s aur ea : note the result of
the juxtaposition of these two words . He is confi ding , thou art perf ection,he
,in h is simplic ity , believes thee perfection — aur ea : this adjective is used
in many languages to signify the supreme idea of beauty or excellence . Henceit is constantly applied to Aphrodite , cf . Home r, I t. 3 . 64 . So we say , golden
38 NOTES.
deeds , the golden rule,silence is golden, and Shakspere has (Cymbeline, 4 . 2)
Golden lads and g irls all must, I As chimneysweep ers , come to dust. I O. vacu am :
fancyf ree . n . aurae : a return to the metaphor Of v . 7. Fickle a s t he wind
is an Old Greek comparison . 1 3 . nite s of the glitter of outward beauty, like a
shining untried sea — tab u la,etc. : sailors who had escaped from a shipwreck
Often dedicated a picture (ta bula ), vowed (votiva ) in the hour Of danger , to some
god, and hung up their garments (symbolical of all that remained to them ) onthe same temple wall (pa ries ) cf . T ib. 28 .
- 1 6 . mar is : depends on p atenti,
A . G . 218,a .
3 . This Ode, at least in its first two strophes, seems to be modelled upon
Alcaeus 34fie: air 6 Zebs, 3K 8
’
Opal/ ii) p e’
yas
xetp af
w,n endyaaw 8
’
bbdr wv boat.
d BaAAe 7 2W xet/xabu'
,én l uh! r idels
m'
ip, iv 5% Kept/d is olvov d¢etbéws
uek txptiv, abrap dugbl Kbpa qt_
y dAGaKOV duptBaAc‘ou 7 V6¢ah 7tom
But Horace has supplied an Italian background for the scene , and the
last three strophes are probably h is own,not taken from A lcaeus .
I t is w inter ; all Nature is the thrall of snow and ice . File on the logs,
then ; bring forth t he wine . Spr ing w ill return when the gods choose.
Enjoy the present hour . You are young , but old age is com ing . This isthe time to love , to dance, and to make merry .
’
Metre : A lcaic (p . 4 ,
Metrical paraphrase in the Crimson, 1 879, vol . 14, p . 1 1 6 .
r . stet : stands, referring to . the towering height (over 200 0 feet) of the
mountain against the sky . 5 . dissolv e melt away .- 1ign a faggots , sup er
on,u sed here colloquially w ith the abl. instead Of the usual accusative . Generally
sup er with th e abl . : de .—7. Sab in a : not an expensive wine — 8 . Th aliar
ch u s : the Greek OaAlapxos , though not found in the authors, would possibly bea synonym for o vun oe iapxos, magister coneivii. I t occurs , as a name , in Greek
inscriptions, but here ,in Horace , it signifies a mere creature of the poet
’
s
fancy .- diota i. e . , the amphora ,
wine j a r , cf . th e Greek Blwr os, two- eared, or of
jars,two-handled.
—g . p ermitte div is
,etc . : cf . A rchilochus 56 , 7 0 75 06 02
‘
s r ieeiv
swam , x. m ic — cetera : a ll else,i . e .
,all but the pleasure Of the moment.
1 0 . strav ere : ha ve la id — ae q u or e : poetic abl. of place .— ferv ido : boiling .
I I . d ep roe liantis : warr ing , i. e .
,w ith each other . 1 2 . ag itantu r : toss . 1 3.
quid sit , etc . : wha tfa te the morrow br ings,forbea r to ask . Epicurean doctrine ; cf .Plut. De Tranquillita te Animi 1 6 , b r iis ab
’
pzov ijmo r a deduct/ox, iibia r a. npda ew z
1rpb$ fl‘
w ab’
ptov. 1 4 . qu em : separated from cumque, as Often in Horace .
dierum : partitive gen .with quemcu-mque, instead of quemcumque diem of prose .
lu cro adpone : set down to ga in, i. e . , on the credit side of the ledger one of the
many commercial metaphors found in Latin . Cf. Ter . Phorm. 246, quidquid
praeter sp em eve’
niat, omne id de’
puta re esse in lucro . x5 . am ores : love aff a irs.
1 6 . p u er : i. e .,while you are young . 1 7. virenti : used like our fl ower of youth
40 NOTES .
the timbers firm under the strain Of the numerous oars, or when the Sh ip waslaboring in a storm
,or strengthening her , when in action
,against the shock of
ramm ing . See Torr , Ancient Ship s , p . 4 l .—7 . carinae : see on trabe
, r . 13 .
8 . im p er iosiu s : the too imperious , or in his sterner mood,aequor being per
sonified — I o . d i : the ship has lost the image of her protecting divinity(tutela ). This was carried at the stern (cf . Verg . A en. 1 0 . 1 71
,au ra ta j ulgebat
Apolline pupp is ), while at the how was an image,sometimes a figurehead, repro
senting the divinity or object after wh ich the ship was named (insigne, n apoi
ennov
or érrio'maov ) ; cf Verg . A en . 1 0 . 1 56 , A eneia pupp is Ip rima tenet, rastro P hrygiassubiuncta leones imminet I da sup er , p rafug is gra tissima Teucris, and see end of
note on Cat. 4 . 27.— I O. v oce s : final clause, A . G . 3 17
,2 ,
— 1 1 . Pon ticaexcellent ship timber came from the forests of Pontus .
— I 3. iacte s : boast.
1 4 . tim idu s : note the position , before na vita when he is f rightened, the sa ilor .
1 6 . d eb es : art bound ,a rt doomed
,to be the sport of the w inds . 1 7. nu p er , etc
but lately (naper ) during the storm,the Ship was the Object of pa inful heart
sickness (sollicitum taedium), now of fond yearning and no little care (desider iumcurague non levis) . I n the same way , the poet, when defeated w ith Brutus in therepublican army , was hopeless of the State ; now he is full of affectionate zeal
for h er future .
-
ao. Cy clad as : Object of z
'
nterfusa ,cf . Caes . B . C . 3 . 26 . 1 ,
Apalla'
nium p raetervehuntur . The sea in this quarter , dotted (interfusa ) as it
was with so many islands,was naturally subject to dangerous squalls ; cf.
Cat . 4 . 7.
One who is pure of heart and sinless , my Fuscus, needs no other protectionthan h is own v irtue . He can go anywhere and be safe . Take my own
case . I was strolling in the forest,singing about my sweetheart, when I
met a wolf . T he creature ran away from me , although I had not a
w eapon in my hands . Henceforth,wherever I am
,I w ill sing of my
sweetheart ’s charms .
’
This famous Ode begins in a solemn fashion,and the reader naturally
takes the poet in earnest,and looks for a sermon on purity of heart as the
surest safeguard ; cf . M ilton (Camus ) on chastity :She that has that , is clad in complete steel ;
A nd,like a qu iver
’
d nymph with arrows keen,Mav trace huge forests , and unharbour
’
d heaths,
Infamous hills,and sandy perilous w ilds .
’
But with the third strophe w e begin to see that the highly moral tone
of the prelude is not to be m aintained,and th e lightness of the last two
strophes makes it evident that w e have here a poem in a serio—comic veinof mock solemnity . The episode of th e wolf probably really occurred to
Horace,and he tells the story of h is adventure in a manner which F uscus
(who w as , as we know from other poems,a congenial Spirit and fond of a
joke ) would highly appreciate . To take the Ode in earnest is wholly tom isunderstand the character Of Horace , who was not the man to pu t forthseriously the high - flown sentiment of the opening verses nor to pose as an
ensample Of lofty virtue .
Metre : Sapphic (see p . 3,
HORACE . 41
I . in teg er v itae,etc . : unspotted in his life and clean of sin. The genitives are
Of reference, A . G . 21 8 , c and a .— 2 . M au r i s : see on Cypr ia , r . 13 .
— 8 .
Hydasp es : a river in India,which suggests all the legends Of tha t storied land
hence fa bulosas . 9 . m e Silva. lup u s : note how these words paint the scene(see on la tentis , and how the poet, after enlarging a bit on h is own
unconsciousness of his danger , says but a word (f ug it) about what the wolf did— it came and went in a flash — then points in wonder to his own unarmed
hands, and finally in the next strophe show s that it was only after the creaturewas gone that he appreciated its terrors . The whole arrangement is
,therefore
,
h ighly artistic and dramatic . ro. L alag en : a fictitious name,from the Greek
p ra ttle ; cf . dulce laguentem, vs . 24 .— I I . term inum : the confines of
his little farm .— r3 . qu ale p orten tum : z ta le portentum quale, referring of
course to lup us , with which tale portentum would have been in apposition .
m ilitaris : warlike — I 4 . Daunias : a name for A pulia ,from its mythical king
Daunus .— r5 . I ub ac tellu s : Mauretania (in the northwestern part of A frica)
was given as a kingdom to the younger Juba by A ugustus in 25 B . C . 1 7.
p igris cam p is : ba rren wastes . The adjective really means dull,torp i .d — 1 9 .
qu od latu s id la tus (quarter) quad , see on 13 .— n eb ulae : mists .
— m alu s
raclement. — 2 o. I u p p ite r : see on r . 25 .— urg et : closes over
,broads o
’er
,cf .
6 . 6 .— 2 r . n im ium p rop in q ui z
'
when a ll too nea r 1 . e, ,in the extreme south .
2 2 . d omib u s : man’
s dwellings— 23 . du lce : equ 1valent to an adverb ; for the
case,A . G . 238 , a . For the whole phrase cf. Cat. 2 1 . 5 ,
— Cowper , in his
Table Talk, 294 ,imitates th e last two strophes in this spirited manner
:
Place me where w inter breathes h is keenest air,
A nd I will Sing,if Liberty be there ;
A nd I will sing at Liberty ’s dear feetI n A fr ic ’s torrid clime or India ’
s fiercest heat. ’
6 . Quintilius Varus, on whose death (in 24 B . C . ) Horace addressed these versesto Vergil, was a distinguished critic and friend of literary men (cf. Cat .
St . Paul, w riting from Rome to the Ephesians (2 . less than a hundredyears later, calls the pagans ‘
strangers from the covenants Of promise ,hav ing no hope .
’A nd so
,through all the exquisite phrasing of this
beautiful Ode,there sounds that note of hopeless melancholy which we
hear whenever the Latin poets touch 0 11 death . All that Horace can
suggest , by way of consolation to h is friend , is resignation , for‘
patiencelighteneth what Heaven forbids us to amend.
’
I n thus recomm ending patience, Horace would please V ergil, who(according to Donatus
,Life of Verg il, 1 8 ) was in the habit of commending
it as the most useful of v irtues . Cf. A en. 5 . 71 0, quidquid erit
,supera nda
omnis fortuna ferendo est,and Campbell
’
s To hear is to conquer our fate .
’
M etre : see p . 4 , 2 1 .
I . d es id erio : mourning . Th is dative strictly belongs to modus, since w ith
pudor (shame ) the genitive case is used . 2 . cari cap itis : our dea r one. Caput,
like xdpa and mauve/1, is frequently thus used ; cf. Ve rg . Aen . 4 . 354 , puer
A scanius,cap itisgue iniuria ca r i, and Hom . 0 d. 1 . 343
,r ainy yap xecbak iw n ode
'w .
— p raecipe : teach me, lead ofi —3 . M elp omene : see on x. 33 .
—p ater : Zeus
42 NOTES .
was themythical father of the Muses . 5 . erg o : so or and so,uttered with a sigh
of resignation . p e rp etu u s sop or : in an inscription on a tomb we read (C . I L .
3 . suppl. AETERN O DEV I NCTVS MEMBRA ~ SOP ORE . Cf. also Cat. 5 . 6 .
6 . u rg et : enfolds, see on 5 . 20 .— Pu dor : not shame here as in verse 1
,but
denoting (as frequently the Greek a lbai
s) a feeling of respect and sensitiveness
towards the judgments of others . I t may be rendered modesty , though this termis not an exact equivalent.
—7. incorr u p ta unsp otted .
—g . fleb ilis : to be wep t,
bewa iled . 1 2 . p oscis : in an ordinary case,a Roman felt that piety gave him a
just demand or cla im on the gods but when the Object of the demand was dead,
piety was of course fru itless — non ita : not on such terms that the godsshould not give h im up ) bad Vergil in his prayers entrusted h is friend to the
care of the gods — 1 3 . qu id si,etc . : a common elliptical phrase, translatable
literally into idiomatic English . Cf. Verg . A en . 4 . 3 1 1 , quid si nan a rva aliena
domosque ignotas p eteres , sed Traia antiqua maneret. — b landins : more seduc
tively . I 4. m od er er e shouldst sweep . arb orib u s : dative denoting agent w itha uditam. A ccording to the myth
, even trees,rocks, and wild beasts followed
Orpheus , charmed by the music of his lyre — 1 5 . v enae imag ini : the void
phantom. Cf . Homer ’
s va cuum eidwk a and vetcbwv duet/771th d m/a for the ideawhich Horace had inmind also Verg . Aen. 6 . 292, tenuis s ine corpore r itasvalitare
'
ca ua sub imagine formae. T he dative imagini is that of th e ‘
person
interested,’used w ith verbs of motion in poetry to denote the end of motion cf.
Verg . A en . 2 . 398,multos B anaum demittimus Oreo
, and 5 . 45 1,it clamor caelo.
sangu is : the blood is Of course th e symbol of life . SO in the eleventh book of
the Odyssey the shades of the dead cannot speak to Odysseus until they havedrunk of the blood of h is sacrifice — 1 7. non lenis : inexorable — r eclu d ere
unsea l. 1 8 . nigro gr egi : gloomy fl ock — M e r curius : here as dioxa'
yw‘
yds, the
conductor of souls to Hades . 2 0 . nefas : used of things forbidden by the law of
God or Nature .
7 . This Ode is modelled upon the Greek {favor Mun-moi, many of which were
w ritten by Sappho, Alcman ,Anacreon
,and others, invocations or appeals
to divinities to favor the poet or some other mortal. Here Horace calls onVenus
,in behalf Of Glycera .
Metre : Sapphic (see p . 3,
r. Cnidi : Cnidus, in th e southw estern part of Caria, and Paphos, on the
island of Cyprus, were noted seats of th e worship of Venus . I n one of the
temples of Cnidus was th e famous statue by Praxiteles (see the Journa l ofHellenic S tud ies , 1 887, and plate — 2 . sp ern e forsake. The old meaning of
th e verb was separa te . For the thought,cf . A lcman 21
,Kbnpou inepr av Am o
'
iaa
xal Hoi
qbov n epippbr cw. 4 . aed em : shrine . The girl had probably fitted up and
dedicated a sa cra r ium in h er own house —5 . solu tis zonis : with zones unbound,
i. e . , in graceful negligence . 7 . p arum com is : as Saradon remarked, the poet
means,in general
,that Youth is savage and rude if it be not softened by Love .
’
For the use Of pa rum,see on ma le, 3 . 24 .
— 8 M er cu riu s : as the god of wittyand clever speech . 8 0 n e iea
’; was a constant attendant Of Aphrodite .
8 . Horace represents himself as invited to compose an ode upon a subjectof somewhat unusual dignity — a La tin poem ,
not one Of those Greek
44 NOTES .
w ith which he began ) a cautious course when the breezes Of prosperityblow.
M etre : Sapphic (see p . 3,
Translation in verse by Cowper .
r . rectiu s : the tone of the ode shows that this word is used in a practicalrather than a moral sense . I t conveys the idea of correctness
,apprOpriateness .
or suitability .- a1tum u rg endo : driving out to sea .
—3 . n im ium : too closely.
-
5 . auream : see on 2 . 9 ,— m ediocr itatem : cf . ne’r pros and usodm s, also Cic .
017. 1 . 89 , mediocr ita tem itiam quae est inter nimium et pa rum— 6 . ob sole ti
sordid .—7. sord ib u s : squa lor .
- caret : the repetition of th is word is not for
emphasis . In its second occurrence it serves only as a connective . 8 . sob riu s
cf. adppwv and awcppoabun,the virtue of moderation or temperance . g . saep ius
v entis , etc . : cf . Shakspere , Richa rd I I I ,1 . 3
,They tha t sta nd high ha re many
blasts to shake them,And, if they fall, they dash themselves to p ieces . T he under
lying thought in this strophe is the old Greek idea of the jealousy which thegods were supposed to feel against towering greatness ; cf. Hdt . 7. 1 0 . 5 , bpc
'
gis 6b
dis is oitcima'ra r a us
’t
yia r a a iel Kal be'vbpea r c
’
t r ozafir a drroaxhrr'r e t r c’
t Be’
Aea'
(piAe'et yap 6 debs 7 a bn epe
'
xou'ra mix/r at q obew .
— I 3 . inf e stis : dative of in
terest, like secundis — 14. alte ram : the other , i. e ., the apposite . 1 5 . in form is :
because w inter makes the fields look ugly ; cf . the use Of nigr is , 2 . 7.— r7. et
a lso. olim : referring to the future , as in Verg . Aen . 1 . 203, f orsan et haec olim
meminisse iuvabit. 1 8 . qu on dam : sometimes,cf. Verg . A en. 2 . 367, quondam
etiam victis redit in p raecordia virtus . 1 9 . su scitat : awakes .— ar cum : used by
the god in sending pestilence — 2 1 . r eb u s ang u stis : stra its of ffartune .
animosu s : sp irited— 23. nim ium : modifies secunda.
1 1 . The subject Of this Ode is the dread necessity Of death,so awful to the pagan
who was without faith in immortality see introduction to The
theme is a favorite with Horace , but be generally employs it to point themoral that while we live we should employ life to good advantage . Here
,
however , the main theme is unrelieved by any such moral,unless it be that
in the last strophe he suggests that the person whom he addresses did not
know how to make the best use Of the brief space of life . Yet there is abitterness in the ending of the poem ,
reminding one of E cclesia stes 2 . 1 8
f .,Yea
,[ ha ted all my labour which I had taken under the sun : because I
should lea ve it unto the man tha t shall be af ter me. And whoknoweth whether
he sha ll be a wise man or a foal’
.
Z
Metre : Alcaic (see p . 4 ,
I . Postum e : it is not known whether the name Postumus,immortalized in
this ode,was that of a friend of Horace or whether the poet used it merely as
one convenient to his metre .— 2 . p ietas : such , for instance, as is exemplified in
verses 5—7. 3 . Note the climax in r u gis , sen ectae , m orti. 5 . non : refersback to adferet. — trecenis belongs to taur is , and the phrase the round num
ber of three hecatombs . Observe that the numeral is a distributive .— 6 . p laces
note th e quantity— inl acrim ab ilem : active in sense
,incapable of tears , i. e l
pitiless .—7. ter am p lum : threefold huge . Geryon was a giant with three
bodies, slain by Hercules. Cf. Verg . A en. 6 . 289, f orma tricorporis umbrae.
HORACE . 45
8 . T ity on : Tityus was another giant , slain by Apollo and D iana for insultingtheir mother . A eneas saw h im also in th e lower world ; cf. Verg . A en . 6 . 595 ,
Tityon,Terrae omnipa rentis a lumnum cernere erat
, per tota novem cui iugera
corpus | parrigitur, rostroque immanis raltur obunco immortale iecur tandem .
g . un da : th e river Styx .— ro . q uicum q u e v e scim u r : suggested by
Homer’
s paraphrases for “all mankind ”
: 0 d . 8 . b'a am VUV Bpor oi eiaw e
’rrl
xdoul a'
i'rou é’
bour es, or I l. 6 . 142, Bpa'ré
‘
w,of dpobpns Kaprrbv ebovaw . f 1 2 . e rimus
i. e .,when w e shall come to die .
— coloni : tillers of the soil (cf . cola) , Opposed toreges which stands here , as Often , for divites .
— I 3 . careb im u s : hold a loof f rom,
of. I O . 6 ,
— 1 4 . Hadriae : see on Catullus 4 . 6 .— r5 . au tum nos : August and
September , when hot south winds (cf . Austrum,1 6 ) prevailed , were unhealthy
months in Rome . 1 6 . corp orib u s : the dativ e belongs by the construction calleddu b icon/oi} both to nocentem (A . G . 227) and to metuemus (see on 1 0 .
1 8 . Cocy tos the river Of wailing (cf . xwxbw) , a mythical tributary of the Styx .
Danai g enu s : for th e fifty daughters of D anaus and their fate,as well as for
the myth of S isyphus , see any dictionary Of mythology .— 1 9 . damnatu s long i
labor is : condemned top enance long . For th e genitive, A . G . 220 .
— 2 r . p lacen s :
beloved, dean— 2 2 . colis : nurse — 23 . cu p re ssos : the cypress, sacred to Pluto,
was Often planted near graves, and a branch of it was hung at a Roman housein which there was a dead body — 24 . b re v em : i. e . shortlived ; cf . Shakspere ,
tlf a cbeth 5 . 5 , Out, out,brief candle . 2 5 . h e r es : thine heir .
— Caecub a : plural,
se . vina , object Of absumet. Caecuban was one Of the finest Italian wines .
dign ior : a worthier (than thou ), suggesting that th e heir knows how to use
what Postumus merely stored away — 2 6 . serv ata : gua rded— 2 8 . p ontifi cum ,
etc. : richer than (the w ine at) pontifis’
feasts, a compressed expression ,not com
mon in Latin ,modelled after the Greek . The luxury Of the Official banquets Of
various priesthoods was proverb ial.
1 2 . This ode consists, in the main , of a number of gnom es upon the blessingsof a contented Spirit . Peace Of m ind is what all m en pray for ; but theyseek for it in w ealth , rank , magnificence of living
,travel — in short,
everywhere save within themselves , where alone it is to be found. The
poem is addressed to Pompeius Grosphus, a rich Roman knight who hadestates in Sicily.
Metre : Sapph ic (p . 3,
I . otium : p ea ce, in a wide sense,illustrated by the calm for which the sailor
in a - storm prays, the rest of body for wh ich the warrior in battle sighs,the
repose wh ich ambitious men can never find in th e hu rry of life — 2 . p ren su s
ca ught. —3 . cer ta sid era : e . g , such w ell known constellations as the Bears .
5 . Th race : the Thracians were types Of men'
who loved war for war’
s sake .
— 6 . p har etra d e cori : their very equ ipment, like the Thracian ’
s natu re
(bella fur iosa ) , is in contrast w ith their prayer . 7 . p u rp u r a : the color suggeststhe stripe on the toga of mag istrates ,
the royal robe of kings , etc .— v en a1e
observe that the last two verses of the strophe are continuous in scansion .
x0 . submov et : it was the lictor ’s duty to clear the way before magistrates ; cf.Liv . 8 . 48 . 3 , i, lictor , submave turbam (cf . tumultus ) . — m ise ros tumultus m en tis :
the tumults of a mind distressed . I r . laq u eata : panelled, cf. Verg . A en. l . 726.
46 NOTES
dep endent lychni laqueuribus oureis incensi. I 3. Viv itu r : se . ab ea and translate
he lives .— parv o : abl. of price — b en e : happ ily 1 4 . tenui : modest. — sali
num : the man is poor but not poverty—stricken (cf . 1 0 . His table boasts theone silver piece for human use found on the board in the good Old times ; cf . Val.Max . 4 . 4 . 3 , in C . Fa bricii et Q . Aemilii P ap i, principum saeculi sui
,domibus
a rgentum f uisse confi tea r oportet : uterque enim pa tellam deorum et sa linum habuit.
1 7. b revi aev o : in our brief life .— iacu 1amu r : a figure borrowed from the
hunt — 1 8 . m u lta : note the emphasis lent by the position .— qu id m u ta
mu s : why change (se . terra nostra,our own) for lands wa rmed by a f oreign sun ?
T he verb muto with the abl . usually denotes the thing received,but sometimes
,
especially in Horace , it denotes the thing parted w ith . Here,though the abla
tive is omitted, there can be no dou bt of the meaning on account of a lio sole
ca lentis . 1 9 . p atr iae f rom his country . 2 0 . se qu oqu e fug it : note the tense ,sometimes called the gnomic perfect ” ; cf . A . G . 279
,c and note . For the
thought, of. He r . Epp . 1 . 1 1 . 27, caelum,nan animam muta nt
, qui trans mare
currunt,and 1 . 14 . 13
,in culpa est animus
, qui se nonWayit unquam also Milton ,
P a radise Lost,4 . 20
, for within him hell He brings, a nd round about him, norf romhell One step ,
no more than.from himself , ca nfl y Bychange of p lace . 2 1 . scandit
etc . : the images of the ship and the horseman are a natu ral amplification of the
thought in verse 20, yet thev are not so happily expressed as in 3 . 1 . 37 ff.
,
sed Timor et M inaescandunt eadem quo dominus, neque
decedit aerata triremi et
post equ item sedet atra Cura .
Vitiosa : morbid — 2 2 . relinq u it : quits — 2 6 . oder it : subjunctive — lento : easy.
— 27. temp eret : correct — 29 . ab stu lit,etc . : illustrative of the gnome in 27 f .
— clarum : br illiant. 30 . T ith onum beloved by Aurora at whose request Zeusgave h im immortality. But sh e forgot to ask for everlasting youth . Cf. Mim
h ermu s 4,T iOwuéi néu {Owner é
’
xew KaKbV d¢9tr ov 6 Zebs yfipas, b tcal Gaudr ov
ply iov dpyak cf
ov,
and Tennyson ’
s poem T ithonus .— m in u it : minishe
’
d . Heshrivelled up into a grasshopper .
—34 . hinnitum : note the elision at th e end
Of this verse . 35 . b is tin ctae : suggested by the Greek adjective biBacpos , twicedipp ed, a technical term in dyeing.
— A fro the shellfish came from an island Off
th e coast — 38 . tenuem : refi ned — Cam enae : th e early Latin name is hereidentified with the Greek Masc ot — 3g . non m endax : unerring .
—4o . sp ern ere
disda infor, used as one of the objects of dedit.
1 3 . This ode is intended for th e young men of Rome . They should learn to
bear privations cheerfully, to fight manfully,to die
,if need be
,for their
country (1 But they need, besides, that dignity which comes froma consciousness Of v irtue and which , independent of popular fav or ,looks for higher rewards than the world can give while man lives (1 7Finally
,they must nev er be guilty of the betrayal of trust ; punishment
may come slowly, but it comes surely.
Metre : A lcaic (see p . 4,
x. amice : adverb .— p au p eriem : privation, cf . 1 . 1 8. Note the alliteration in
this verse — 2 . rob u stu s : hardened, = corroboratus ; the abl. of means militia
48‘
NOTES .
.
2 . civ1um ardor : f ury of the populace . Cf . the steadfastness of Socrates,
described in Plato,Apol. 32B .
—p rav a iu b entium : w icked behests . 3 . tyrann i
cf . Juv . 8 . 8 1,
P hala ris licet imperet ut sis
f alsas et admoto dietel p er laria ta uro,summum crede nef a s animam praeferre pudoriet p rop ter vitani vivendi p erdere causa s .
4 . solid a : suggesting th e solid rock cf . Sen . De Cons . Sap . 3 . 5, quemadmodum
praiecti in altum scop uli mare f rangunt, ita sap ientis animus solidus est.
5 . inquieti : restless .— 8 . imp av id um : undismayed, unda unted .
1 5 . This Ode, often entitled The Reconcilia tion, illustrates the w ell- knownsaying about
‘ lovers’ quarrels ’
(cf. Terence , Andria 555,quoted at the
head Of the Ode and often imitated by later w riters ; see Bartlett’
s
Familiar Quota tions, p . I t is an exquisite little idyl or duet in the
amoebean style (cf . Verg . E clogues 3 and the law of which requ iredthat the person responding should answer in the same number of v erses
,
and should contradict or improve upon what was said by the first Speaker .
Lydia and h er lover are estranged . I n the first two strophes they expressregretful reproach ; in the second pair , devotion to their new sweethearts ;in the third th e lover suggests a reconciliation
,to which Lydia gladly
consents .
There is a beautiful English version by Ben Jonson.
Metre : see p . 3,
18 .
1 . g ratu s : in favor with — 2 . p otior : p ref erred —3 . d ab at : the compound
circumda ba t was regularly used in prose—4 . v igu i : throve. 5 . alia : abl. of
cause with arsisti. This verb denotes a much stronger feeling than gratus
see introdu ction to the Ode .— 6 . p ost : second to.
—7. m u lti nom inis : of
wide renown, gen . of quality w ith Lydia — 8 . R om ana I li-a : Horace
, as the
adj . shows, follows the same legend as Ennius cf . introduction to Enn . 1 .
1 0 . d octa : versed — m odos : the accusative of the thing retained with the
passive docta .— cith arae : Objective genitive w ith sciens ; cf . agminum,
1 3, 9 .
1 2 . anim ae : my lif e, referring to Chloe .— su p e r stiti : to survive me
, proleptic .1 4 . Th urini Ornyti the lov er had praised a Thracian music girl
,doubt
less a freedwoman ; L ydia outbids him with this Greek ,whose father ’s name is
known , and who comes from the city of Thurii in Magna Graecia,noted for its
wealth and luxury . This detailed description Of her new lover makes h is rivalrymore real than that of Chloe . I t brings the Old lover to terms at once — 1 6 .
p u ero : quite as strong, if not stronger , than animae (1 2) which is a poeticconventionality .
— 1 7. redit : the present here and below is used loosely and
colloquially instead of the future .- 1 8 . d iductos : severed as we ha ve been.
cog it : in its literal sense .— aen eo : as a type of strength — 2 0 . r eie ctae : of
cast. This term shows that Lydiae is dative , not genitive . 2 1 f. : before con
senting,Lydia allow s herself to make a comparison not very favorable to her old
lover — 24 . lib ens : cheerfully .
Wh ether the spring addressed in this Ode was near Venusia, Horace ’s birth~place, or on his Sabine farm,
or whether it existed nowhere except in h is
HORACE . 49
fancy, are questions which need not hinder our understanding nor interfere w ith our en joyment Of a beautiful poem . The f ans Bandusia e
, as
Horace promises (vs . is here made as immortal as are th e poeticfountains Of Castalia, Hippocrene , and Pirene .
Metre : see p . 4 , 22 .
x. sp len d idior vitro : as glittering as glass . English commonly uses as insteadof than in such comparisons . 2 . m ero : the poet intends to pour a libation of
wine into th e water and to offer a Chaplet of flowers,as well as to sacrifice the
kid.Offerings were regularly made to springs on the festival called Fonta na lia ,
October 1 3 . 4 . tu rg ida budding . 5 . d estinat foretokens . 6 . in fi ciet
sha ll dye .—g . te and 1 0 . tu : note the anaphora, the effect of which is increased
by the rhythm ical positions .— h ora : sea son . C an icu lae the Roman name for
Sirius,the Dogstar . Cf. our
‘dog days .
’ — 1 o . n escit : i. e . , cannot ; cf . nescia,
1 3. 17 1 3 . nob ilium : famous . fon tium partitive genitive in the predicate .
1 4. dicen te for th e meaning see on 8 . 3 . imp ositam : that crowns .
1 5 . loqu aces : vocal, babbling .
1 7 . The blessing of Contentment is a favorite theme with Horace,who could
have said with Iago (Othello, 3 .
‘Poor and content is rich and r ichenough .
’In this Ode he begins
,as frequently, far away from what is to
be his real subject, and dwells upon th e power of gold. He pictures it asall accomplish ing , illustrating the point not only by generalities but alsoby particular instances, two drawn from mythology and one from history.
I n them all, however , we are made to feel that its power was used forev il.Not until the sixteenth verse does he strike the main chord :
‘Withincrease of wealth comes thirst for even more
, and growth Of cares ;therefore , Maecenas, I have avoided the dread eminence which richeslend. I am happier w ith my sufficiency on my little farm than I shouldbe if I were the lord of vast possessions . Blessed is he to whom God hathgiven a moderate competence .
’
Metre : see p . 4 , 21 .
x. in clusam Danaen : prisoned Danae . The arrangement of words in the firsttwo strophes is very picturesque ‘
a prisoned maid,in iron tower
,doors of oak
,
watchdogs, warder , yet all these preventives vain before the power of gold.
’
aenea : see on 1 5. 1 8 . 2 . r ob u stae of oak.—3 . triste s : surly
— munic
rant : in such an apodosis, the pluperfect indicative paints the picture muchmore vividly than could the pluperfect subjunctive . So in English , cf. Burns
Had we never loved sae kindly ,Had we never loved sae blindly,N ever met or never parted,
We had ne’
er been broken - hearted l
4. nocturnis ab adulte r is : f rom night a tta cks of paramours .-
5 . A crisium
the father Of Danaé , for w hose story see any work on mythology.—7 . fore
the infinitive expresses indirectly the thought of the two gods .
— 8 . conv erso
transformed himself. — p r etium : bribe , given ,of course ,
to the guards (cf.satellites, Horace here , in amusing fashion , rationalizes the myth thatJupiter trans
formed himself into a shower of gold, and came down in this form
50 NOTES.
directly to Danae — d eo : dative ; cf. 1 5 . 20 .—9 . aurum : the emphasis of a
word in su ch a position may Often be brought out in translation by repetition
of it . 1 0 . saxa : the thought may be of very strong ba rr iers, or of the walls of
a city or fortress — 1 1 . con cidit : dawn f ell : note the emphasis lent by rhyth
mical position , and cf . difiid it, 13, and subruit,1 4 .
— aug ur is : Amphiaraus, theA rgive seer , owed his end to the treachery Of h is wife , who had been bribed witha golden necklace — 1 4 . v ir M acedo : king Philip, father of Alexander the
Great, owed many of his conquests to bribery of h is enemies — 1 5 . munera
note the emphasis due to repetition of the word, and also to its rhythm icalposition ; bribes , br ibes , I say, ensnare .
— 1 7. cr e scentem : w ith this word , aptlyplaced at the head of the strophe, comes the transition . For the thought , cf.Juv . 1 4 . 139
,crescit amar nummi quantum ip sa p ecunia crevit
,and Spenser , Faery
Queen,6 . 9 . 21 , And store af ca res doth follow riches ’ slare . 2 0 . e q u itum : a neat
allusion to Maecenas ’s refusal of rank higher than that of a knight . 2 1 . p lura
here means the things which ambitious men count desirable ; in the next verse it
means the blessings which come from moderation and contentment — 22 . nil
cu p ientium : of those who covet nothing , i. e . ,of the contented. Th e genitive
depends on castra — 23. nu du s : i. e .,stripped of all that mere Fortune can
give — 24 . p artis : acc. plural.— 25. contem p tae : se . by the wealthy .
’
d om in us sp lendidior : grander a s the master .— 2 6 . arat : for the quantity, see
on Enn . 2 . 4 .— imp ig e r : tireless
, cf . 1 9 . 4 .— 28 . m agn as inop s : for the
thought cf . P roverbs 13. 7, There is tha t maketh himself rich, yet ha th nothing there
is that maketh himself poor , yet ha th grea t'
r iches . 30 . seg etis : possessive genitive : my sure and confi dent crap .
— fulg entem im p e rio : one who is clothed in the
glittering sway.Horace is probably thinking of a proconsul of the province of
A frica . 32 . fallit sorte b eatior happ ier though unknown to ; an imitation Of theGreek construction w ith Aaveduw ,
literally escapes h is notice being happier inlot
,
’where beatior (agreeing severally w ith rivus
,silva
,and fides ) takes the place
of the Greek participle u sed with Aaued .
—34 . Lae str y g om
’
a : the Laestry
goniansOf the Odyssey (1 0 . 80 ff . ) w ere supposed to have founded F ormiae in
Latium . The Formian was one Of the choicest wines . 36 . p ascu is : poetic useof the ablative to denote place —
40 . v ectigalia : income .—
p orrig am : enla rge .
4 1 , M y g don iis : i. e .,P hrygian . A ly atte i : Alyattes was king of Lydia and
father of th e r ich Croesus .—42 : con tinu em : annex.
—43 . b ene est : sc. ei
,
blessed is th e man .
1 8 . The country dame,to whom this ode professes to be addressed
,seems to
have feared that su ch small Offerings as she could make would not be
acceptable to th e gods . Horace consoles her , and all like her, with thethought that genuine piety and simple gifts, offered by hands undefiled
,
are as acceptable to the gods as the richest sacrifices Of the hierarchy .
The same thought is found in th e seventeenth stanza of Buras’
s Cotter’
s
S aturday N ight, and in P salms 26 . 6,I will wash mine hands in innocency
so will I compass thine altar , OLord .
M etre Alcaic (see p . 4 ,
1 . caelo : for th e case , see on imagini, 6 . 1 5 .— sup inas : upturned , supp liant.
The word was regularly used of the position of the hands in prayer ; the arms
were raised, the palms of the hands turned upward, and their backs were bent
52 NOTE S.
OVID.
(43 B. c . to 17 or 18 A. D. )
Mackail, pp . 1 32- 144.
Sellar, E . P ., pp . 324 - 362 .
E ncyclopaedia B ritann ica , article Ovid (by Sellar).M iddleton and M ills, pp . 200 - 2 13 .
FROM THE METAMORPHOSE S .Metre : Dactylic I lexameter (see p
Translations of the M etamorphoses by Sandys, 1 628 (written in Virginia), byDryden , A ddison ,
and others (edited by Garth ), by King , 1 871 .
1 . Phaethon has been told by his mother, Clymene
,that hisfather is the Sun-
god,
Phoebus. He comes to the palace of the Sun,here described
,to have the
story of h is origin attested by h is father .
I . r eg ia : here a substantive, A . G . 1 88,c . 2 . p e po : amixture of gold
and bronze , reddish in colon —3 . cuiu s : limits fastigia .
—4 . v alvae : the
leaves of the folding doors . 5 . op u s : workmanship .— M u lcib er : Vulcan ; cf .
Macr . S a t. 6 . 5 . 2, ill ulciber est Vulcanus, quod ignis sit et omnia mulceat ac domet.
— 8 . caeru leos : the sea -gods have the color of the sea — canorum : of. di et
1 . 333 ff .
,
Caeruleum Tritona vocat conchaeque sonanti
inspirare inhet fluctusque et flumina signoiam revocare dato. Cava bu cina sumitur illi
,
tortilis , in latum quae turbine crescit ab imo,
bucina , quae medio concepit ubi aera ponto,
litora voce replet sub utroqu e iacentia Phoebo.
g . amb ig uum : Proteus , the old man of the sea, had the power of assumingevery possible shape : cf . M et. 8 . 720 ff.
,
Sunt,quibus in plures ius est transire figuras,
ut tibi,complex i terram maris incola ,
Proteu .
Nam modo te iu venem , modo te videre leonem
nunc v iolentus aper , nunc , quem tetig isse timerent,anguis eras
,modo te faciebant cornua tau rum .
Saepe lapis poteras , arbor quoque saepe v ideri
interdum , faciem liquidarum imitatus aquarum ,
flumen eras,interdum undis contrarius ignis .
— balaenarum : dependent on terga— I o . A e g aeon a : cf . l l. 1 . 402 E
, exam-67
X GLPOV lby Bpwi
pewu KaAe'
ova t 9eoi, t‘
ix/bpes 56’
r e writ/ r es Ai'yalwu’
. I I .
D orida : w ife of Nereus .— v id en tu r : a collective noun not infrequently takes a
plural verb . 1 2 . m ole : a massive rock .—v ir id es : cf . Hor . C . 3 . 28 . 1 0
,vir idis
N ereidum comas — I 4 . q u alem : se. tatzs est. 1 7 . sup er : preposition governing
ovu) . 53
ha ec .— 1 8 . signa : the signs of the zodiac . —rg . q uo : adverb — simul : con
junction,A . G . 324 .
— adcliv o : for form see A . G . 87, f , l . C lym eneia
p role s : see introductory note . 2 2 . fereb at : could bea r . 24 . lu cente sm a
r ag d is : for scansion see on Enn . 2 . 19 . 2g . calcatis : trodden under foot in thewine- vat.
2 . The nymph Echo is consumed with unrequ ited love for the beautiful youthNarcissus, son of the river -
god Ceph isus and the nymph Liriope . Com
pare Lewis Morris’
s N a rc issus,in h is Ep ic of Hades
,and The S tory of
E cho, by J . G . Saxe .
I . h unc : N a rcissus .- retia : hunting
- nets .— 2 . loq u enti : when anyone speaks .
—4 . n on : z not merely.
— 6 . m u ltis : sc . verbis .— nov is sim a : last.
—7. d ep ren
d e r e p osse t might ha ve ca ught. Were this clause an independent sentence , theimperfect indicative would have been used
, A . G . 3 1 1,c .
—g . p rud en s
purposely— I 3 . r e fi rm at : p uts into ef ect. — tam em : the thought is : though
in g reat pa rt dep r ived of the g if t of speech, yet, e tc .- in fi n e loq u end i : a s one
stops speaking . I 7. qu oqu e . p rop iore : cf . Ov . Her . 1 8 . 1 77, quo p rop ias nunc
es, flamma p rop iore calesco. 2 1 . n atu r a : her power of speech , as restricted byJuno . 2 2 . in cip iat : hortatory subjunctive dependent on s init, — qu od : z id
quod .— 24 . sed u ctus : ha ving strayed away .
— 2 6 . aciem : glance.—3o . im ag in e
v oc is : the echo,as in Verg . G . 4 . 49 f. , conca va pulsu saxa sonant vocisque
ofi ensa resulta t imago.
—33 . fav et : lends a willing ea r to. Silva.
—34 . inicer et
the first syllable is long b y position. There is reason to believe that until afterthe Christian e ra compounds of ia cio had the form iniecio, abiecio, etc . 36 . s it
the dependent subjunctive here conveys indistinctly the same Optative force thatcomes out clearly in the independent sit of the following line . 39 . solis
lonely .— ex illo : ex illo tempore ; cf . Verg . A . 2 . 1 6 9 f .
,ex illo fluere ac retro
sublap sa referri spes Banaum.—4o. rep u lsae : not the participle —
42 . ad
d u cit : shrivels . 43. tan tum : adverb . 44 . ferun t : they say . traxisse
assumed. a meaning of the verb frequent in Ovid.
3 . M edea,having by her magic restored th e youth of A eson , Jason
’
s aged father ,treacherously persuades the daughters of Pelias , who is Jason
’
s uncle andenemy, to allow h er to perform a similar m iracle upon their father . William Morr is tells th is story in the fifteenth book of his Ja son.
1 . n ev e doli ce ssent : Medea,by her craft, had already assisted Jason to
escape from Colchis w ith the Golden Fleece . n ev e : equivalent to et ne ; it
se rves at the same time to introduce the final clause and to connect the storyw ith w hat has pre (
-
eded .—7 0 0 n iu g e : Jas on — 2 . P h asias : Medea
,so called
from the l’has is, a river of Colch is .— P e liae Pelias , desiring to compass Jason ’
s
dea th , had sent h im in quest of the Golden Fleece .
—5 . Colchis : the Colchian, of
course Medea, cf . below W . 35 , 52 .
- im ag ine : pr etence .
— 6 . refert : adduces .
7 . s itue z the decay consequent upon old age ; cf. M et. 7. 290 , where Oviddescribes the re juvenation of Aeson pulsa fi tg it ma cies , abeunt pa llorque s itusque .
— hae in p arte m oratu r : lingers over this pa rt of her story .— 8 . v irg in ib u s
dative .— P e1ia : ablative o f sou rce .
-
9 . su um : virginibus is the logical thoughnot the grammatical subiect of the sentence, A . 81 G . 196 , C .
— I O. sine fi ne '
54 NOTES .
instead of an adjective in agreement w ith p retium. n . sp atio : for case see
A . G . 256 , b, and N . 1 2 . su sp end it : holds in suspense .— fi cta g r av itate : to
be connected with suspendit. 1 4 . q u i : the antecedent is dux . x7. fl exo
cornu : cf . Ov . Am. 3 . 13 . 1 7, dur que greg is cornu p er tempora dura recurvocav a a standing epithet of tempora ,
cf . lkl et. 2 624 f. , lactentis vituli dextra libratus
ab aure tempora discussit cla ro ca va malleus ictu 1 8 . Haem oni o : T hessalian.
Thessaly was notorious for magic, cf. Hor C. l . 27. 21 f.,quae saga , quis te solvere
Thessalis magus venenis, quis poterit deus rg . fod it : the metre indicates thetense . exigu o : because of the age of the ram cf . Al et. fi .
,[ lion ardebat
,
neque adhuc consederat ig nis , exiguumque senis P r iami I ovis ara cruorem combi
bera t. 20 . v en efi ca subject. 2 1 . m inu unt : the subject is va lidi suci a rtus
is the object. — 23. a'
é no : caldron. 2 6 . Pelia : see on v . 8 .— 27. exh ib uere
fi d em : weref ound to hold true.— 2 8 . Hib ero fl umin e : the Ocean
,which washes
the western coast Of the Spanish peninsula cf . Verg . A . 1 1 . 9 12 if ,
Continuoque ineant pugnas et proelia temptent,ui roseus fessos iam gurgite Phoebus Hiberotinguat equos noctemque die labente reducat.
— 29 . d empserat : to give them their nightly rest —30 . rap ido : consuming , often
so u sed , cf . 4 . 43 .— A eetias : feminine patronymic ; da ughter of A eetes
,i. e .
,
Medea —3 1 . vi r ib u s : magic power . 33 . su o : see on suum, v . 9 .
—38 . v acuas
proleptic . — 40 . ag itatis : cherish —42 . saniem : the disea sed blood of Old age.
—43 . h is u t q u aeq u e p ia, etc. : the promptness w ith w hich they are severally
persuaded to adopt (seem ingly) unfilial measures toward their father is proportionate to the measure of their real devotion to h im . 50 . in fata : in w ith theaccusative not infrequently denotes purpose . 52 . locu turo : dative . 53. calidis undi s : cf. W . 30
,3 1 .
4 . Daedalus,the builder of the Labyrinth
, being confined in Crete by Minos,contrives to escape, together with his son Icarus, by means of wings of hisown manufacture . Cf. Verg . A . 6 . 14 ff.
,
Daedalus,ut fama est
,fugiens M in0 1a regna
,
praepetibus pennis ausus se credere caclo,insuetum per iter gelidas enavit ad A rctos .
Compare also Bayard Taylor’
s version Of the myth in his I carus.
I . Cr eten : direct Object Of the deponent participle perosus .- 2 . loci natalis
Athens ; cf . Juv . 3 . 79 f.,in summa non hdaurus era t negue Sarma ta nec Thrax
, qui
Sumpsz'
t pennas, mediis sed na tus A thenis . 4 . ob str u at : se . Minos for mood see
A . G .,3 13
,b.— i11ac : adverb. Cf . Ov . A . A . 2. 35 ff. ,
Possidet et terras et possidet aequora M inos
nee tellus nostrae nee patet unda fugaerestat iter caeli caelo temptabimus ire .
5 . p ossideat : A . G . 266,c . 7 . natu ram nov at : by the acquisition of the
power of flight he becomes,as it w ere
,a new creature . Ovid uses this expres
sion in the same connection in the A rs Amatoria,2 . 42 : sunt mihi naturae iura
56 NOTES .
— 2 . ignav i : cf . S tat . Theb. desidis A tria Somni. 6 . cristati or is :
cf . Ov . F as . 1 . 455 f .,nocte deae N octi crista tus caeditur a les
,quod tep idum vigili
provocet ore diem.
—8 . sag acior an ser : the goose was thought by the ancientsto have a particularly keen sense of hearing . Compare Livy
’
s story (5 . 47) ofthe sacred geese w ho by their cries saved the Capitol of Rome . ro . lin gu ae
genitive , dependent on convicta . 1 2 . L eth e s M1077, goddess Of Forgetfulness .
1 3. inv itat somnos : cf . Hood ’
s Little brooks that run I On pebbles glancing inthe sun, I Singing in soothing tones .
’ — r4. p ap av era : cf . Verg . G . 1 . 78 , Le
thaeo p erfusa pap a vera somno. 1 8 . nulla : sc. ianna . 1 9 . torus : cushion.
eb eno : here used by metonymy for the bedstead made of ebony . 24 . eiectas
thrown up by the waves .
7 . Ovid obv iously writes this passage in emulation of Vergil’s descr iption of
Fama, A en. 4 . 1 73—1 97. With these should be compared the grandpassage on Rumour , in the Induction to Henry I V, P a rt 2 . Dryden hastranslated the twelfth book of the hl etamorphoses entire .
2 . trip licis : made up of land and sea and sky . 3 . ab sit : for mood see A .
G . 3 1 3 , a , N .-
5 . ten et : se . locum.—7. p ortis : ablative — 8 . nocte d iequ e :
cf. Verg . A . 6 . 1 27, noctes atque dies p a tet a tri ianna D itis —p ate t : se . domus .
I O. T he scansion gives the construction — m . au d iat : the subjunctive used
of the ideal case : if any one were to hea r ; cf . G . 567,N . 1 6 . m ixtaq u e cum
v eris , etc. : cf . Verg . A . 4 . 1 88, tam fi cti pravique tenax quam nautia veri. — x7.
v erb a : accusative — 1 8 . qu ib u s : referring to rumorum — h i h i : used dis
tributively . 1 9 . al io : adverb . 2 0 . au ditis : dative .— adicit : for scansion
see on 2 . 34 . Cf. M et. 9 . 138 ff ., Fama quae veris adderefa lsa gaudet et e
minimo sua per mendacia crescit. 24. rerum : dependent on quid.
8 . r . Tatiu s : Titus Tatius, as king of Rome,the colleague of Romulus. Cf. Liv .
1 . 13 . 4,nec pa cem modo sed civitatem unam ex duabus fa ciant, regnum consociant,
imperium omne conf erunt Romam . I ta geminata urbe, ut S abinis tamen aliquid
daretur Quirites a Curibus appellati.— 2 . p osita
- cassid e : as a Sign of h is
unwarlike intentions . 5 . p raesid e ab uno : th e state is now SO firmlyestablished that its existence no longer depends on th e presence Of its founder .
6 . n epoti : Romulus,son of Mars
, and so grandson of Jupiter . 7. ab latum : se .
nepotem.—g . m emoro : recall them to your memory . I O. The v erse is quoted
from the A nnales of Ennius . I I . summ a substance . I 4 . sensit : the subjectis deferred until v . 1 6 .
— r ata sig na : th e accomplishment of the signs that gaveM ars liberty to effect the translation of Romulus according to Jove ’s promise .
r5. h astae cf . 4 . 36, where the ablative is used with innitor . tem on e strictly
speaking , the yoke attached to th e pole presses th e horses . 1 6 . conscend it
eq u os : an inexact expression for mounting a chariot .— G rad ivu s : Mars .
1 8 . n emorosi : cf. Ov . F a s . 4 . 81 5 , nemorosi saxa P a la ti. Ovid is,of course ,
speaking of the pristine state of the Palatine it was far from being wooded inhis own day . 1 9 . Q u ir iti : used collectively — 2 0 . I liad en : Romulus
,son of
Ilia (otherwise called Rea Silvia) : see introduction to Run . 1 , and note on Hor .
1 5 . 8 ; cf . Ov . Am . 3 . 4 . 40 , Romulus I liades I liadesgue Remus — 2 1 . dilap sum
se. est. — 2 2 . in tab e scere : cf . M et. 2 . 727 ff .
,non secus exarsit, quam cum Balea
rica plumbum I f unda iacit volat illud et incandescit eundo. I et, quos non habuit, sub
OVID . 57
nubibus invenit ignes— 23 . sub it : in its place comes — p u lv inarib u s : the cush
ioned couches on which the images of the gods were placed at the lectisternium.
_ 24 . trab eati : cf . Serv. ad A en . 7. 6 1 2,S uetonius dicit tria genera esse
tra bearum,unum dis sacra tum
,quod est tantum de purp ura , eta
— Q u irini : the
Sabine god of war,who was confounded w ith th e deified Romulus — 25 . u t
adverb , a s .— eon iunx : Hersilia, the Sabine wife of Romulus — 2 6 . lim ite
cu rv o cf . V . 34 below, and M et. 1 1 . 589 ff. , induitur velamina mille colorum I ris
et a rcua to ca elum curvamine signans tecta petit regis— 27. vacuae :
viduae .— 28 . O e t for the hiatus see on T ib . r . 2 .
- L atia : for the hiatus at thecaesura see G . 784
,N . 6 . 32 . colle Q u ir in i : cf . Varro, L . L . 5 . 5 1
,col/is
Quir inalis ob Quir inifanum sunt qui a Quiritibus qui cum Ta tio Car ibas venerunt
Roma in,quod ibi habuerint castra . 38 . esse d eam : se. te . 3g . posse object
of deder int. -
4r . Virgin e Th aum an tea : Thaumas is the father of Iris and theHarpies —
43 . fl ag ran s : blaz ing—47. Horam : cf . Enn . Ann. 1 13, teque, Qui
rine pater, veneror bene Horamque Quirini.
‘Poets by death are conquered, but the witOf poets triumphs over‘it .
’
COW LEY.
I . op u s exegi : cf . Hor . 0 . 3 . 30 . 1 ff. ,
Exeg i monumentum aere perennius
regalique situ pyramidum altius,
quod non imber edax,non Aqu ilo impotens
possit diruere aut innumerabilis
annorum series et fuga temporum .
I ovis ira : cf . Verg . G. 1 . 328 f ., ip se P a ter media nimborum in nocte corusca
f ulmina molitar dextra —3. corp oris : dependent on ius .
—4 . finiat : hortatory
subjunctive —5 . p arte m ei : cf . 1 4 . 42 ; Hor . C. 6 ff.
,
Non omnis moriar , multaque pars mei
v itabit L ibitinam usque ego postera
crescam laude recens dum Capitolium
scandet cum tacita Virgine pontifex ,
dicar .
Also Ov . Tr . 3 . 7. 49 if ,
Qu ilibet hanc saevo v itam m ihi finiat ense,me tame h exstincto fama superstes erit
dumque suis v ictrix omnem de montibus orhemprospiciet dom itum Martia Roma, legar .
8 . fama .
FROM THE FAST I .
Metre : E legiac D istich (see p .
1 0 . The Terminalia were celebrated on February 23 .
3 . lap is stip e s : cf . T ib . 1 . 1 . 1 1 f., N am veneror, seu stipes habet desertas in
agris I seu vetus in trivio fl orea serta lapis . On Roman boundary - stones cf. Smith,
58 NOTES
D . A ., s . v . Terminalia . 5 . d uo dom in i Of the two estates of which you formthe boundary-mark .
-
g . m in u it : cuts sma ll. I O . fi g ere : for the support of the
pile that he is building up .
— u . in r itat cortic e fi ammas : cf . M et. 8 . 63 1 ff.
,
ignes suscita t hesternos j bli isque et cortice sicco nutrit cl ad fl ammas a nima
producit a nili. 1 2 . p u er : not a slave - boy, but the farmer’
s son — lata : the
canistrum was a flat and open basket . I 4. Cf. Tib . l . 1 0 . 23 f .,a tque a liquis voti
comp os liba ip se fereba t postque comes p urum fi lia pa rva f a vum. 1 6 . lin gu is
cf . T ib . 2. 2 . 1 f. ,dicamus bona verba venit nata lis — ad a ras : quisquis ades
,
lingua ,vir muliergue , j a va — 2 1 . fi n is : verb .
— 23 . amb itio : pa rtisanship .— 25 .
T h yr eatida : Greek form Of the accusative singular . Thyrea was a town lyingin disputed territory between Lacedaemon and A rgolis . The story here referredto is told by Herodotus, 1 . 82. The Lacedaemonians and A rgives h ad made an
ag reement that three hundred warr iors from each side Should fight for the
possession of the disputed land . Of the A rgives all but two were killed on the
Spartan side Othryades alone survived . Wh ile the A rgives ran Off to announcetheir v ictory to their countrymen , Oth ryades remained on the field, despoiled h isenemies of their armor , and erected a trophy, on which , as v ictor
, he w rote h is
name in blood. And so,since both pebples claimed to have won, strife broke out
afresh , and there was a fierce battle in which the Spartans conqu ered — 2 7.
lectu s”
: the champion had inscribed his name on h is trophies for posterity toread. Cf. Stat . Theb. 4 . 48
,et Lacedaemonium Thyrea lectura cruorem.
— 28 .
p atr iae : dative — d ed it : caused — 2g . nov a : contrasted with its antiquity inOvid ’
s time .
—30
—32 . Cf . Liv . 1 . 55 . 2 ff.
,Ut libera a ceteris relig ionibus a rea esset
tota I ovis temp lique eius quod inaedij icaretur, exaugura re fana sa cellague sta tuit
[Ta rquinius Sup erbus] , quae aliquot ibi,a T . Tatio rege pr imum in ipso discrimine
adversus Romulum pugna e vota , consecra ta ina ugura taque p ostea fuerant. I nter p r in
cipia condendi huius op er is mouisse numen ad indicandam tanti imperii molem traditur
deos nam cum omnium sacellorum exaugurationes admitterent a ves , in Termini fanonon addixere. I dque omen auguriumgue ita accep tum est
,non motam Termini sedem
anumque eam deorum non evoca tum sacratis sibi finibus firma stabiliaque cuncta
portendere . 31 . lentu s : immovable .-
33. sup ra : preposition governing se .
34 . foram en : cf . Festus, S . v . Terminus . Terminus quo loco coleba tur,super eum
foramen pateba t in tecto, quod nefa s esse putarent Termtnum intra tectum consistere.-
35. lev itas : unsteadfastness .—36 . fu eris : here future perfect , though the
long vowel seems to have belonged originally to the perfect subjunctive ; see on
Cat . 5 . 1 0 .
—37. con ced e : G . 270
,N .
—4o . su u s : ha s its own ma ster .
—4 I .
Lauren tes ag ros : on the Latian coast,south of the Tiber .
—42 . du ci
dative of agent .
—43. illa : se. via .
1 1 . T he festival of Quinqua trus was originally celebrated on one day only,
March 1 9 . I ts position in the calendar,on the fif th day afte r the Ides
(according to the Roman method of counting both first and last ), gave itits name . Later
,however
,in consequence of a false explanation of the
name,th e time of the celebration was extended to fi ve days, of which th e
first was March 1 9 . This was the day of the foundation of the temple of
M inerva on th e Aventine,and to her , as patroness of all arts and all knowl
edge , artificers of ev ery kind ,as w ell as poets, schoolmasters, and especially
schoolchildren , on this day did homage .
NOTES .
sage of Suetonius quoted in the introductory note . 1 5 . fast ig ia : adorned w ithstatues of the gods . 1 8 . terr ar um : of the whole world . 1 9
- 2 2 . Cf. Suet. A ug .
3 1,P rox imum a dis inunorta libus honorem memor ia e ducum p ra estitit, qui imp erium
pop uli Romani ex min imo maximum reddidissent . I taque et op era cuiusque manen
tibas titulis restituit et sta tuas omnium triumphali efi ig ie in atraque f ori sui portiondedicavit, prof essas edicto commentum id se
,ut a d illorum velut er emp lar et ip se, dum
viveret,et insequentium aetatium p rincip es exigerentur a civibus . I g . p ond e r e
sacro : cf. F as . 4 . 37 f . ,A eneas , p ieta s specta ta , p er ignes sa cra p atremque umer is ,
altera sacra , tulit. — 2o. I u leae cf . Verg . A . 1 . 286 ff . ,
Nascetur pulchra Troianus orig ine Caesar ,imperium Oceano, famam qu i terminet astris,I ulius, a magno demissum nomen Iulo.
— 2 r . I liaden : see on 8 . 20 .
— du cis arm a : the arms of A cron, king Of Caenina,
dedicated as spolia op ima by Romulus to Jupiter FeretriuS .— 2 2 . v ir is : dative .
acta : cf . Suet . l. c .— 23 . A u gu sto : adjective —
p raetextum : bordered,
’
as
it were,by the dedicatory inscription of th e founder of the temple . 24 . v isum :
se . est. — lecto C aesare : cf . 1 0 . 27 25 . v ov erat : cf . introductory note — 2 6 .
a tantis , etc . in such a glorious beginning was it right tha t the ca reer of the P rincepsshould take its start.
—p r in cep s : the specific designation of the emperor .
— 27.
mi lite in sto Of the triumvirs . 28 . con iuratis of Brutus and Cassius .
2g. b elland i : dependent on auctor . p ater sacerdos : Julius Caesar,at the
same time the (adoptive ) father of Octav ian and,as pontifex maximas
, priest of
Vesta —36 . p er seq u itu r : Sc . Augustus ; cf. Hor . G. 4 . 1 5 . 6 ff. , et s igna nostro
restituit I ovi derepta P a rthorum superbis l postibus ; also M on. Anc. 29,P ar/hos
triam exercitam Roman[o]rum spolia et signa re[ddere] mihi supp licesque amicitiam
populi Romani petere coegi. E a autem si[gn]a in p enetrali, quod e[s] t tn temp lo
Martis Ultoris, reposa i. 38 . inv ia : ina ccessible. 40 . cum p eriit : at the
fatal battle of Carrhae, B . C . 53 .
—47. p ost terg a : the favorite stratagem of the
Parthians was to turn w hen in pretended fl ight and pour their arrow s upon the
oncoming enemy ; cf . Verg . G . 3 . 31, fidentemque f uga P arthum versisque sagittis .
—5 1 . b is : of. v . 35 .
— u1to : w ith active meaning—52 . v oti d eb ita : the debt
incurred by the vow.—54. d eum : A . G . 237
,6 .
FROM THE AMORES .
Metre : Elegiac Distich (see p .
The Amores have been translated by Christopher Marlowe,and in part
by Dryden .
1 3 . I . arm a : the first word in itself is suggestive of heroic poetry ; comparethe opening verse of the A eneid . 2 . m ater ia conv eniente m od is cf . Hor . A .
P . 73 f.,res gestae regumque ducumque et tristia bella quo scribi possent numero,
monstra vit Homerus .—3 . p ar : equal in length — in fer ior : the second verse of
the couplet.—4 . un um su r r ip u isse p ed em thus making of th e hexameter the
(so- called) pentameter . Cf. A . G . 363 , footnote 1 . 5 . iu r is : dependent on
hoc .— 6 . Pierid um the M uses
,see on Hor . 1 9 . 1 8 . 7 . qu id si : see on Hor . 6 .
13 .— fl av ae of. Fa s . 6 . 652, nunc ades o coeptis , fl a va tidinerva
, meis . 8 . v en
tilet : parallel in constru ction to p raerip iat the unexpressed verb implied in quid
OVID . 6 1
would form the apodosis Of the condition — faces : the marriage- torch.—g . in
Silv is Ce re rem : taking upon herself the part of the huntress D iana — n . cri
n ib u s in sign em : cf . ‘
Tib . 1 . 4 . 37 f .,solis aeternast Phoebo Bacchoque iuventa :
nam decet intonsus crinis utrumque deum— 1 2 . A on iam : A on ia was the part of
Boeotia in w hich lay Mount Helicon,the abode Of the Muses . r5 . an qu od
, etc
wha t,wha t ! is the universe thine qu od : se . est. — He1iconia : see on Aoniam
,
v . 1 2.— tem p e : used only in this form (nom . and ace . Greek 7 a T e
’
u-
iru.
Originally the valley in Thessaly between Olympus and Ossa, but later used in
general of any beautiful valley . Cf . F as . 4 . 477,hinc Camer inan adit Thap sonque
et Helor ia temp e .— I 7. b en e surr exit
,etc . : the fi rst verse of my new page rose
with maj estic swell. - 1 8 . p roximu s ille : se . versus . 1 9 . numer is lev iorib u s
of. Fas . 2 3 fi .
,
Nunc primum velis,elegi, maioribus itis
exiguum ,memini, naper eratis opus .
Ipse ego vos habu i faciles in amore ministros,
cum lusit numeris prima iuventa suis .
— 2 r . ille : Cupido.— 2 2 . legit : chose ; for the whole description of. M et.
5 . 379 E ,
ille [Cupido] pharetramsolvit et arbitr io matris de m ille sag ittis
unam seposuit, sed qua nec acutior ulla
nec minus incerta est nec quae magis audiat arcus,
oppositoque genu cu rvav it flexile cornum
inque cor hamata percussit harundine Ditem .
— 24 . quod can as : that shall be a fitting subj ect f or thy song . 2 6 . u ror .
a stock expression with the Roman poets for the consum ing flames Of love .
v acu o : i. e .,which had up to this time been free from pangs of love — 2 7.
su rg at : cf. surrexil, v . 1 7,and Schiller ’s famous couplet I m Hexameter, ’ quoted
on p . 5 . _ 2 8 . v e str is : cf . vv . 1—2 .— 29 . Cing er e : the reflexive use of the
passive , corresponding to the Greek m iddle — litorea : cf . M art . 4 . l 3 . 6,litora
myrtus ama t. m y r to : the myrtle was sacred to Venus . 30 . und enos : hexameter plus pentameter .
1 4 . The illustrious names of Greek and Roman literature show that the poet livesforever in h is song , while the petty jealousies of h is lifetime die with him .
I . quid : why'
.
Z edax : devouring . ob icis : for scansion see on 2 . 34 . 2 .
carm en : my verses . 3 . m e seq u i, etc. the infinitives are in the constructionOf indirect discourse , dependent on obicis .
— 6 . foro : dative —7. m ortale
per enn is : the position of th e contrasted words,one at the beginning and the
other at the end of th e line ; serves to make the contrast more striking— m ihi
dative of agent . g . M ae onid es Home r,who was , according to some traditions
,
born in Lydia,wh ich was anc iently also called M aeonia .
— T enedos : cf. Verg .
A . 2 . 2 1 f.,
Est in conspectu Tenedos , notissima famainsula , dives Opum,
P riami dum regna manebent.
— I d e : the principal mountain~range of the Troad .
— ro . Simois : one of the
rivers of the'
1‘
road . u . A scraeus : Hesiod, who was born at Ascra in Boeotia.
62 NOTES .
His didactic poem ,
“
Ep-
ya Ital ‘
Hue’
pa z, treats of agriculture — 1 3 . Battiad es
Callimachus (about 3 1 0 —235 15 . who traced h is descent from the Battiadae,
the ruling fam ily of h is native city , Cyrene . He was one of the most prominent
of the A lexandr ine poets , w ho were , as a whole , noted for their learning and
technical skill. See on Cat . 6 . 6 . 1 5 . coth u rno ; the high Shoe worn by tragicactors ; hence tragedy itself . — 1 6 . A ratu s : (about 270 B . author of an
extant poem on astronomy . 1 7 . fallax serv u s , d u ru s p ate r , etc . : the stockcharacters of the New Comedy . 1 8 . M en and ros : M enander (342—29 1 B .
the greatest poet of the New A ttic Comedy . 1 9 . A cciu s : (born 1 70 B. c . ) thelast of the great Roman tragic w riters . 2 1 . V arron em : P . Terentius VarroA tacinus (born 82 B . O. ) w rote an epic on the A rgonautic Expedition . 2 2 . aurea
ter g a : the golden fl eece — A esonio d u ci : i. e .
,Jason, son of A eson ;
for case see A . G . 232,a .— 23 . L ucre ti : T . Lucretius Carus (97- 53 B . c . )
wrote the extant philosophical poem De Rerum N a tura . 24. exitio,etc. Ovid
alludes to the words of Lucretius , 5 . 92 ii .,
pr incipio maria ac terras caelumque tuere
quorum naturam triplicem ,tria corpora ,
Mommi,
tris species tam dissim ilis , tria talia texta,
un-a dies dahit exitio,multosque per annos
sustentata ruet moles et machina mundi.- 25 . T ityru s , etc. : Ov id enumerates the three g reat works of Vergil by
suggesting their Opening lines ; cf . Verg . E cl. 1 . l , T ityre tu pa tulae recubans sub
tegmine fagi ; G . Qu id f a cia t laetas segetes, quo sidere terram ; A .
Arma virumque cano, Traia e qui primas ab orts .— 2g . G allu s : Cornelius Gallus
(70 - 27 B . the elegiac poet, celebrated in the last of Vergil ’s E clogues . 30 .
su a : A . G . 1 96 , c.— Lc ris : the fictitious name of the mistress Of Gallus ;
cf . Ov . A . A . 3 . 537, Vesper et a e nocere Lycorida terrae . 31 . cum concessive .
— p atientis : unyielding ; cf . Prop . 1 . 1 6 . 29,
Sit licet et saxo patientior illa Sicano,sit licet et ferro durior et chalybe .
—34 . Tagi : a river of Spain,
now the Tajo, famous in ancient times for itsrichness in gold —
36 . Castalia : the spring Castalia, on Parnassus, was sacredto Apollo and th e Muses —
37. m y rtum see on 1 3 . 29 . 38 . m u ltu s : an
adverb or adverbial phrase would be the ordinary‘
classic prose . am an te hereused as a substantive .
—3g . fata dea th. 4 1 . ign is : of the funeral-
pyre . 42 .
p arsq u e m e i m u lta cf . 9 . 5 f., and Hor . C. 3 . 30 . 6 ff .
,quoted in note on g . 5 .
1 5 . r . tenerorum m ater Amorum : Venus — 2 . rad itu r m eta : see on Hor .
I . 5,and cf . Am. 3 . 2. 1 2 , nunc stringam meta s inter iore rota .
—3. qu os : the antece
dent is eleyis .— P ae lign i : Ovid was born at Sulmo (now Solmona) in the
country of the Paeligni. 5 . id : referring forward .— ord in is : se . equestris .
6 . m od o : adverb of time . Many men of low birth had,during the Civ il Wars ,
on acquiring the requisite amount of property, entered the ranks of the equites ;cf. Am. 3 . 8 . 9 f .
,
Ecce recens dives parto per vulnera censupraefertur nobis sanguine pastas eques.
7. M antu a : Vergil was born at Andes near Mantua .
64 NOTES .
were to reckon them, (you would fi nd tha t) our words were , etc .
—37. in : much
commoner in the sam e meaning is ad with the accusative Of the gerund.—38 .
tarda : as the Roman hour was one - twelfth of the time between sunrise and
sunset, the hours Of a m idsummer day at Rome w ere,according to our method of
reckoning , an hour and a quarter long —41 . r es : the serious things of life .
42 . qu orum : the antecedent is iocos .—44 . u t z as ifi — visu s : participle .
45 . card ine : the P ole —46 . ex stat aq u is : cf. Verg . G. A rctos Oceani
metuentes aequore tingui.—47. p e ctor e : the antecedent of quo. 50 . u rb e : of
course Rome .
1 7 . To his friend T iitic'
anus, whose name cannot be made to fit the metre . Cf.
Lucil. 6 . 38 f .,servorumst f estus dies hic, quem plane hexametro versa non
dicere possis ; also Hor . S a t. 1 . 5 . 86 f., qua ttuor hinc rapimur vig inti et
milia redis mansuri oppidulo quod versu dicere non est ; and M art . 9 .
1 0 ii . ,nomen nobile
,molle
,delicatum versa dicere non rudi volebam ; sed
tu syllaba contumax repugnas.
3. h onor e : dignar , like dignus , governs the ablative . 5 . Ofii cio : thef ulfilmentof my duty .
—for tuna : has the same force as has'
cond icione in v . 2 .— 6 . q u a
the antecedent is -
via .— 8 . d esinat : Tilli —
p r ior : the hexameter .— h oc : sc.
nomine.— incip iat : - cdnus .
— m inor : the pentameter .—g . m oratu r : is long .
1 0 . Tutican um .— 1 1 . T utican i — 1 3. p rodu catu r : loosely dependent on ut
in the preceding verse . 1 4 . lon ga se cunda : Tuncanus .— m ora. 1 5. au sim
for form see A . G .
'
1 28,e,3 .— 1 6 . p e ctu s : intelligence .
- 1 9 . n ota : means
of recognition .
— 24. nov ella : untr ied .
— 2 7. M aeon iis : Homer ic ; see on
P h aeacid a : a word formed on the same analogy as Aeneis,Theba is
, etc
a poem on the adventures of Odysseus in the land Of the Phaeacians .
— 2 8 .
P ieriae : see on Hor . 1 9 . 1 8 .
1 8 . To Carus . The poem is one of Ovid’
s latest, written after he had heard of
the death of Augustus (A . D .
2 . qu od id quod . v ocaris : present indicative passive .—3 . unde a
quo. salu teris : indirect question . color : style, cf . v . 13 . 5 . p ub lica : of an
every- day chara cter . q ualis cum q u e : see on Hor . 3 . 14 .
—7 . u t z con
cessive .
— 8 . qu od : interrogative .—g . noscer e : the scansion indicates tha
form . 1 2 . qu em can is Carus had written a poem w hose hero was Hercules .
p are s : like digna s , in agreement with quas . 1 5 . tam m ala,etc . : a shorthand
way Of saying : quae forma Thersiten prohibeba t la tere tam mala erat quam era t
pulchra ea qua N ireus conspiciendus era t. T h e rsiten : cf . 1 1. 2 . 21 6 ff.,
aiaxw'
r os at di :/hp bu b -
”M imi 5737x66 11
qboN cbs 571V, w bs gr epou u dba 7 d) 86’
of thaw
e’
rri 0 7 5390 9 a vuoxwtcd'r e abrap iirrepflev
¢o£bs 577V neqbak rfiv, theBz/i; 8’
én ev‘huode Adxw) .
1 6 . p u lchr a : the metre reveals the case .
— N ire u s : cf. I I . 2 . 673 f.,N ipebs, by
KdAAtO'T OS cit/hp inrba'I )\ tou hh flev I 7 63i! t mv A avacbu uer
’
duhuoua I'
InAefwva . 24 .
nov itas : novel a ttempt.— d e i : the deified Augustus (see introductor y note ) .
27. q u i : Tibe rius, the adopted son (and stepson) of Augustus .— coactu s : cf .
Suet. Tib. 24, Tandem quasi coactus, et querens miseram et onerosam iniungi sibi
PHAEDRUS 65
servitutem,recepit imperium nec tamen a liter
,quam ut depositaram se quandoque
spem f aceret. I psius verba sunt : D um veniam ad id tempus , quo vobis aequum
possit vider i da re vos a liquam senectuti meae requiem — 2 9 . V estam : as the
goddess who watches over the pur ity of family life .-
30 . amb ig u um : se . esse.
— n ato : Tiberius .— v ir o : A ugustus .
—3 1 . duos iu v en e s : Germanicus and
Drusus ; the former was by birth the nephew of Tiberius , his son only by adoption Drusus was the emperor
’
s own son . 33 . non p atria : cf . vv . 1 9— 20 . 34 .
e t : connecting perlegi and venit —35 . m ov ere : note the quantity Of the first
syllable . 38 . re sti tu en du s eras : A . G . 30 8,c .—40 . sexta b rum a : evi
dently the winter of 1 4- 15 A . D .
— su b axe cf . 1 6 . 45,sub ca rdine .
—4 1 . n ocu e
runt carmina : see on 1 6 . 12 .—43. tu : construed w ith the imperative p ra ebe,
v . 49 . stu di i comm un ia foede ra sacri : cf . 1 6 . 1 7,sunt tamen inter se communia
sa cra poetis .—45. sic : on condition that you heed my p rayer .
—47. p u eri : Carus
is tutor of the sons of Germanicus —48 . form and os : the passive form Of the
construction described in A . G . 294,d . d atos : se . esse the infinitive is the
subject of est. 50 . nu lla : used as a strong negative ; see on Cat. 7. 14 .
PHAEDRUS.
(First half of First Century A . D.)
Mackail, pp . 1 60
,16 1 .
Cruttwell, pp . 349, 350 .
1‘ Bk . II . Prologue vss . 2 and 3 .
Nee aliud quicquam per fabellas quaeriturquam corrigatur error ut mortal ium .
Metre : Iambic Trimeter or Senarius.
A . G . 365 .
G . 760 and 76 1 .
Hayley 21—24 .
Th ere are several metrical translations of Phaedrus into English . Those of
Christopher Smart, London, 1 83 1 , and of 'Toller, London, 1 854 , are worthyOf mention .
1 . Three Greek vers ions of this fable have been preserved ,all, however , later
than the Latin version by Phaedrus : c f . Babrius 24,Halm
,Fabulas
A esop icae, 77 and 77 b . Verses l and 2 are omitted in the Greek versions .
I t is known from the introduction to Bk . 3 that Phaedrus had incurredthe enm ity of Sejanus
, the virtual ruler of Rome for a time in the re ignof Tiberius. and it has therefore been conjectured that the poet refe rs
66 NOTES .
in this fable to the proposed marriage of Sejanus with Livia, the daugh terof Germanicus, cf . Tacitus , A nn . 4 . chaps . 3 and 39 . Phaedrus
,howeve r
,
in the introduction to Bk . 3 vs . 49 seq .
,says that it is not h is purpose to
attack individuals ver um ipsum vitam et mores hominum ostendere .
This fable occurs in La Fontaine 6 . 12 .
1 . celeb r e s : well a ttended .—5 . p erm otu s : Observe the tendency to exaggera
tion of statement which characterizes the language of fable : cf . vs . 7. exu r it,
8 . emori, 9 . q uidnam .
2 . Although there w ere many excellent physicians at Rome,nowhere could
the charlatan and quack find a richer field of profit. This state Of affairswas caused by the extreme credulity of the Romans and by the lack Oflaws to regulate the practice of medicine . Cf. Plinv H. N . xx ix . 1 7,
I n hac a rtium sola evenit ut cuicumque medicam se prof esso statim credatur
,cum sit p ericulurn in nullo mendacio ma ins . N ulla p ra eterea lex
qua e punia t inscitiam eam. D iscunt p ericulis nostris et experimenta per
mortes agunt medicoque tantum hominem Occidisse inpunitas summa est. The
physicians were almost exclusively foreigners,for the most part Greeks,
whose versatility Juvenal has well described : S a t. 3 . 76 fg ., Gramma ticus ,
rhetor , geometres , pictor , a lip tes, augur , schoenoba tes, medicus , magus ; omnia
novit Graeculus esur iens . SO lucrative was the practice of m edicine that,
according to Galen,D e M eth . llI ed . i. 1
,cobblers , carpenters, wool- dye rs,
and blacksmiths Often left their trades to become physicians . I t is a phy
sician Of this class who is described in this fable , h is entire stock- in - trade
consisting of a glib tongue and a harmless drug warranted to cure all
ills . Cf. the famous Dr . Know - all, with h is A B C book,in Grimm
’
s
Fa iry Tales .
1 . m alus : refers to lack of skill ; cf. ma lus poeta de populo, Cic . Archia s25 .
— 2 . ignoto loco : a place where he wa s not known.—4 . strop h is : this word
in the plural regularly means trickery . I t refers here to th e long technicalexplanations used by the quack to inspire awe in his patients . With verbosis
strophis compare exaggera ta verborum volubilita te , Petronius, Sa tyr . 1 24 . 1 2 .
nob ilem : f amous . 1 5 . cap ita : lives ; u sed here to emphasize p ed es in the nextverse — 1 8 . imp u d entiae : the abstract idea for the concrete impudentibus
unprincip led men .
3 . Cic . ,De Lege Agr . 1 1 . 9
,Quid tam popula re quam libertas ? quam non solum ab
hominibus,verum etiam a bestiis erpeti a tque omnibus rebus a nteponi videtis .
This fable clearly alludes to the changed condition of th e Romans under
th e empire . T he public distributions of grain and food (the dainties
from the master’
s table vss . 21 fgg .) were but poor compensation for
th e absolute loss of polit i cal freedom . Th e fable is doubtless mu ch olderthan the time of Phaedrus
,though h is is the earliest v ersion known to
us . I t is found in Babrius 99 , and was the source of La Fontaine 1 . 5 .
2 . p erp asto : the word occurs only in this place . Observe the tendency toexaggeration here , and throughout th e poem . 5 . ant q u o cibo , etc . : cf. Shakspere , Jul. Caesa r , vs . 148 fg . ,
Upon wha t mea t doth this our Caesar f eed ,Tha t
he is grown so grea t ?— 1 0 . noctu : the more common form of th e adverb
68 NOTES .
Valerius Maximus 1 . 8 . ext. 7, and by A ristides , Orat. iv . p . 584. I t was
the source Of La Fontaine 1 . 14 , S imonide p reserve pa r les dieux .
2 . sup er iu s : in the preceding fable —5 . p y ctae : n hnrns, a boxer . 6 . se cre
tum p etit : there are manv references in ancient writers to the necessity of quietand privacy for literary work, e. g . Quintilian x . 3 . 22, Denique ut semel quod est
potentissimum dicam, secretum ! a tque liberum a rbitris locum et quam a ltissimum
S ilentium scribentibus maxime convenire nemo dubita verit ; cf. 27, for the best
form of pr ivacy : est tamen lucubra tio (night work ), quotiens ad eam integri a c
rej ecti venimus , optimum secreti genus — 8 . poetae m or e : the regular practice Ofpoets who w rote ém ulma was to insert some legend containing , if poss ible,an account of similar victories won by gods or heroes —
g , g em ina L edae
p ign era : Ca stor a nd P ollux,the latter famous as a boxer
,cf. Hor . 1 . 12 . 26 ,
sup era re pugnis nobilem, and therefore introduced here w ith especial appropri
ateness . I O. au ctoritatem , etc. adding the weight of their like deeds of f ame.
1 1 . ter tiam p artem : note that Cicero says : the half — 1 3. d u ae : se . pa rtes .
1 8 . gr atiam cor rum p er et : forfeit his f riendship , cf . Ovid, I bis , 40 , where gra tiarupta is used w ith the same meaning
— 1 g. r ecu bu it : the ancients reclined on
couches at their meals — 24 . h um an am su p ra form am : the ancients alwaysrepresented gods and heroes as being taller than ordinary men ; servulo is
perhaps used to make the contrast more prominent.— 2 8 . tr iclini o : the Latin
name for dining- room,from the three couches which were the conspicuous
furniture Of the room .
6 . This fable is an Old Greek tale explaining the origin of a proverb , ei’i uév,
dAA’
obbév npbs 7‘l’)V Happ e
'
vovr os 51A Cf . Plutarch,Sympos . V. 1 (Goodwin
’
s
transla tion), I t is reported, that Parmeno, being very famous for imitatingthe grunting of a pig , some endeavored to rival and outdo him . A nd
when the hearers,being - prejudiced, cried out
,
‘Very w ell indeed,but
nothing comparable to Parmeno ’
s sow,
’
one took a pig under h is arm and
came upon the stage . And when ,though they heard the very pig ,
theystill continued
,This is nothing comparable to Parmeno’
s sow,
’he threw
h is pig amongst them,to Show that they judged according to Opinion and
not truth .
”As another version of the story makes Parmeno an artist
who painted a famous picture of a pig , we are evidently dealing with sucha popular tale as formed th e basis Of 4 .
1 . p ravo fav ore : prepossession, p rej udice .— 1ab i d um stant : a curious
mixture of metaphor , so apparent, however, that it must have been intentional.2 . p ro iu d icio , etc : while they a re contendingfor their f a lse op inion . 3 . reb u s
m an ifestis : the disclosure of the truth. 4 . lu dos : here means an entertainment
given by a private citizen — 8 . s curra : a wag , j ester .
— u rb ano sale : polished
wit ; the ancients Often distingu ish between th e refinement of the city and thatof the country, always to th e disadvantage of the latter ;
i
of . Quintilian v i. 3,1 7,
qua (urbanita te ) quidem s ignificari video sermonem p ra eferentem in verbis et sono et
usu propr ium quendam gastam urbis et sump tam ex conversa tione doctorum tacitam
eruditionem,denique cui contraria sit rustici/as .
— 1 2 . loca : th e seats in the
theatre — 1 8 . p allio : this word,mean ing or ig inally a Greek mantle
,had now
become thoroughly romanized. 1 9 . sim u1 : : simul a c. 26 . d erisur i n on sp e c
PHAEDRUS . 69
taturi : A . G . 293 b.— 27. d eg ru nnit : the d e implies that he puts forth his
best efforts —31 . latens : unnoticed —
32 . qu em : the antecedent is not a urem,
cf. A . G . 1 99 . b. 37. ap erto p ig nor e : showing the proof .
7 . This story of a conceited v irtuoso is doubtless based upon an actual occu rrence at Rome . A pipe
-
player named P rince,on first appearing in the
theatre after recovery from a broken leg ,hears the chorus sing , Hail to
the P rince , and imagines that the greeting, really intended for the
emperor , is meant for h im . T he pipe-
players, from very early times,
seem to have formed a gu ild at Rome , and as early as 31 1 B . C .,On
account Of a slight encroachment by the censors on their privileges, theyquit work and went to Tibur , leaving the city w ith no musicians to assist
at the public sacrifices . A fter being brought back to Rome by trickery,they were g ranted especial privileges by the state , and from that time onmust have regarded themselves as persons of considerable importance .
Cf. Livy ix . 30 , 5 fg .
1 . au r a : pop ula r ity , more commonly,a ura popular is or aura favoris .
-
4 .
notior p aullo : ra ther famous . 5 . Bath y llo : a celebrated pantomime, the freedman and favorite Of Maecenas
,see Smith
,D iet. of Biog . s . v .
—7. p egma : see
Smith,D . A . s . v .
—8 - 9 . s in istram tib iam d uas d ex tras : a pun on the
double meaning of tibia,shin- bone and p ipe, one variety Of the latter, consisting
of two straight pipes of equal length , being called a’uae dextrae. 1 7. ing r edi :
to go about,take the a ir .
— 23. aulaeo m isso : the curtain in the Roman theatrewas not raised as in the modern theatre, but was lowered into an opening at
the front of the stage — 24 . more trans laticio : in the stock fashion. T he
subjects of the pantom imes (ba llets ) were largely taken from Mythology,and
th e introductory words of th e gods and heroes which preceded the dancingwere probably set phrases, mu ch the same for all pieces . Cf. Dickens
,N icholas
N ickleby ,chap. 24 .
— 25 . ignotum m odo r edu cto : the canticum had been produced w hile Pr inceps was confined at home
,and therefore was unknown to h im .
27. laetar e , e tc . , probably the Opening words Of a song written to celebrate therecovery of the emperor from some illness . Suetonius
,Cal. 6 , says that, when a
false report Of the recovery of Germanicus was Spread abroad,the streets were
filled w ith people singing, Salva Roma
,sa lva patr ia ,
salvus est Germanicus .
32 . p ulp ito : the stage .—35 . cun e is : lit . the wedge- shaped sections of seats in
the theatre , the firs t fourteen rows of which were reserved for the equites . The
word is here used to denote the common people who sat in the cunei,but behind
the equites .—38 . divinae d om u s : the imperia l house, divinas being Often used
in this sense —39 . cap ite : abl. of manner
,. p raeceps .
70 NOTES .
SENECA .
(About 4 B . c . 65 A. n . )
Mackail, pp . 1 71— 1 75 .
Cruttwell, pp . 374—385.
Metrical translation of all the Tragedies in the publications of the SpenserSociety, Nos. 43- 44 , a reprint (facs imile ) of th e edition of 158 1 .
1 . A ccording to the version of the story followed by Seneca , after the fall ofTroy
,and while the Greeks were prevented by unfavorable w inds from set
ting sail,A chilles appearing, in a dream,
to Talthybius demands that Polyxena ,
daughter of Priam ,be sacrificed upon h is tomb . Ag amemnon Opposes
the sacrifice ; Pyrrhus , son of A chilles , insists upon its performance “ Cal~
chas, called upon to settle the dispute , decides that not only must Polyxena be sacrificed, but that Astyanax,son Of Hector , must be hurled downfrom th e battlements . This decision leads the chorus of Trojan women toreflect on the nature of death , their conclusion being that it is the end of all
things . Cf. v s . 27, post mortem nihil est ip saque mors nihil.
M etre : Lesser A sclepiadean (see p . 2,
2 . cond itis : buried,la id to rest. — 3 . ocu lis im p osui t manum : it was custom.
ary , both in Greece and at Rome,for the nearest relative present to close the eyes
Of the dying . For the Roman custom,cf. Pliny
,H. N . 1 1 . 1 50
,mor ientibus illos
(oculos ) operire rursusque in rogo pa tefa eere Quiritium magno r itu sa crum est. - 6 .
anim am trad ere fu n eri : it was the ancient belief that,unless the prescribed
funeral r ites were performed, the soul of the deceased could not be admitted to
Hades . Cf . Verg . A en. 6 . 325 f .Haec omnis
,quam cernis
,inops inhumataque turba est ;
portitor ille Charon ; hi, quos vehit unda, sepulti.
N ec ripas datur horrendas et rauca fluentatransportare prius, quam sedibus ossa quierunt.
Centum errant anuos volitantque haec litora circum ;tum demam admissi stagna ex 0 ptata revisunt .
— 8 . toti : body and soul. — 9 . nostr i : themore common form of the part. genitive is nostrum
,cf . A . 85 G . 99 . b and c . 1 1 . fax : the torch used to light the
funeral pyre . 1 4 . b is v en ien s e t fug ien s : a reference to the tides . 1 5 . P e
g aseo zz veloei,cf . Catullus 55 . 24
,non si P ega seo f era r vola ta .
— 1 6 . b is sena
sid era : th e signs of the zodiac,a poetic expression meaning years . 1 8 . astro
r um dominu s : th e sun,cf . Sen . Thyestes , 835 f . non a eterna e | facis exorta
dux astrorum j saeeu.
’a dueens dabit aesta tis Ebrumaeque notas . 1 9 . He cate : the
moon,cf. Sen . P ha edra ,
40 9 f . 0 magna silva s inter et lucos dea cla rumque caelisidus et noctis decus , cuius relucet mundus a lterna vice, IHeca te triformis .
— 2o .
h oc : sc. turbine, cursu, modo ; antecedent of quo in vss. 1 6— 1 8 .- 2 1 . . iu ratos
72 NOTES .
story of his mother Semele in any book on mythology .—31 . q ui tr ipodas mov et
Apollo. 34 . Pollux cae stib us ap tior : cf . note on Phaedrus, 5 . 9 .
—38 . choro
the group of maidens waiting to escort her to her new home .—42 . solid um
orb em cir cu itis cornib u s allig at : description of the full moon —45 . ni tid um
iub ar : the sun .
-
47. P h asid is : the name of the chief river of Colchis,used by
metonymy for the country itself. — 50 . A eoliam v ir gin em : Creusa,who was
descended from A eolus , according to one account. 52 . con cesso iur g io : whileescorting the newly married pair to their home ,
the attendants were allowed
considerable freedom in jest and song. The verses sung on such occasions wereknown as versusf escennini, and were filled with coarse j ests and indecencies . A t
times, as is seen from vs . 53,the company divided itself into two groups, and each
in turn sang a stanza . 55 . the reference is to Hymenaeus, cf. note on vs . 12 .
56 . mul tifi d am p inum : the torch , split at the end to make it burn more freely.
58 . the verse is spondaic . 59—60 . tacitis eat illa
,etc. a side- thrust at
Medea, who fled from home (f ugitiva ) with Jason . M ay she go to her husband’
s
house in silence and da rkness .
3 . Medea has just ordered the nurse to prepare the fatal gifts which are to besent to Jason ’
s new w ife . The chorus breaks in with a song describing theterrible anger
-
Of woman when divorced and w ronged . There follows a prayerfor the preservation Of Jason ,
who has incurred the anger of the gods, andparticularly of the sea
,by sailing s
’
afely on the A rgonautic expedition . The
chorus recounts at length the fate Of those who took part in the expedition ,
and ends with a second prayer that the gods may regard th e sea as havingbeen sufficiently avenged and may spare Jason,
who sailed to Colchis onlybecause h e was ordered to do so.
Metre : Sapphic (p . 3 , There are seven stanzas, each composed of fourverses
, followed by seven stanzas,each composed of eight Lesser Sapphics
and an Adonic .3 . V id uata taed is : robbed of her wedded r ights ; taedis is used here likefacibus in
2 . 12 . 4 . n eb u losu s A u ster : the south w ind,cf. Gellius 2 . 22. 14 , I s Latine
“ou
ster, Graeee uo
'r os nomina tur
, quoniam est nebulosus a tque umectus ; vor is enimGraece umor nomina tur .
—g . p rofun d um : the sea . 1 8 . su b eg it : Jason bv cross
ing the sea conquered it . 1 9 . fu r it v in ci regn a secun da N eptune raqesv
to ha vehis kingdom,
inferior only to Jove’
s, conquered . se cu n da cf. Sen .Herc . Fur . 599
,et
tu,secundamaria qui seep tro regis .
— 2 1 - 24 . the stor y of Phaethon,cf . any book on
mythology .— 2 2 . m etae : literally, goal, but here equ ivalent to course
,route .
2 5. constitit nu lli v ia n ota m agn o : f ollowing the bea ten pa th has cost no one dea r
constare magno is a mercantile expression ,magno the abl. Of price — 28 . sacro
san cta : an instance of tmesis, of. A . G . 385 .
— 29 . This and the followingverses are a free adaptation of the thought in Eurip. hf edea 1—6 .
Eld’
t’
hcpeh’ ’Ap
'
yo§s p i) bianrdo'Oa t a ndnfios
t xwu é‘s ala” leva r e
/
a s v rrhn'
ydba s ,
pnb’
(311 Vdn a io': HnAi’
ov n eo ei‘
v n o'r e
Tundeiaa“treble”, und
’
iper p d o a t xe'
pa s
dubpcbu dpia r éwu of 7 b nd'yxpva ou béposHeAiap er ijk fiou.
SENECA . 73
- 32. scop u los v ag ante s : the Symplegades . 34 . relig avit ora : moored f romthe shore ; ora is ablative , cf . Verg . A en. 7. 1 0 6
,religavit ab aggere classem. 3g .
domitor p rofundi : T iphys was helmsman of the A rgo. During the expedition
he died of the plague, and A ncaeus,vs . 6 5 , succeeded to h is duties . 44 . A u lis
amissi m em or reg is : T iphys was by birth a Boeotian ,and Seneca here repre
sents that Boeotia ’
s seaport , Aulis , delayed th e departure of the Greeks on the
Trojan expedition as a mark of respect to h is memory . 46 . v ocali g enitu sCam ena : Orpheus was the son of the Muse Calliope . 52 . T h racios sp arsu s,
etc . : according to the tradition, Orpheus was torn in pieces by the Thracian
women, his head was thrown into the Hebrus and borne down to the sea . 54.
notam : because of his former v isit in search of Eurydice . 56 . A qu ilone natos
Calais and Zetes,who according to tradition were slain by Hercules, for whose
anger several reasons are assigned ; ( 1 ) the young men had Opposed the projectof returning to seek for Hercules w hen he had been left behind by the A rgo ; (2)they had beaten h im in an athletic contest ; (3 ) they had disputed with him about
the distribution Of spoils—57. p atr e N ep tun o g en itum : Periclymenus, who
was , however, the son of Neleus, and so grandson of N eptune . 58 . innum eras
if this word is retained in the text, both the second and third feet of the verse aredactylic . — 60 . B itis p atefacta regn a : Hercules had visited Hades to bring upCerberus . 63 . tab e g em ini cruoris the poison of the centaur
’s blood ; gemini be
cause of the nature of the centaur,half horse and half man .
- 65. Ancaeum : cf.on vs . 39 . 66 . saetig e r ; boa r.
— 67. m orer isq u e d extra m atr is iratae : cf. thestory of M eleager in any book of mythology. Meleager is said to die by the handof h is mother because she throws into the fi re the brand on which h is life depends.
70 . puer inr ep ertu s : H ylas, who went to the spring for water and was drownedby the nymphs . I t was while searching for Hylas that Hercules was left behindby the A rgonauts ; cf . note on vs . 56 .
—73. fonte tim endo : u hen even a sp ring
must be dreaded .—75 . se rp ens : Seneca alone attributes the death of Idmon to a
snake bite . The general Opinion seems to have been that he was killed by a boar .
Mopsus, vs . 77,is supposed to have died Of a snake bite .
—7g . ign e fallaci
Nauplius , angry because h is son Palamedes had been put to death by the Greeksbefore Troy
,set false beacons on the rocky coast, so that the returning Greeks
m ight be wrecked,but on learning that Ulysses had escaped, he flung himself
into the sea and was drowned . 80 - 8 1 . cad et p end et : the future, becauseat the time when the action of the play is supposed to take place , these events
had not occurred . A t the beginning of verse 8 1 some words are lost. Leo
supplies oecidet p roles ,— 82 . fu lmin e et pon to moriens Oileus : cf . Verg . Aen.
1 . 39,f .
,
Pallasne exurere classem
A rg ivom atque ipsos potuit submergere ponto,unius ob noxam e t furias A iacis Oilei’!Ipsa ,
I ovis rapidum iaculata e nub ibus ignem,
dis iecitque rates evcrtitque aequora ventis ;
illum,exspirantem transfixo pectore flammas,
turbine corripuit, scopuloque infixit acuto.
- 84 . Ph e ra e i uxor : Alcestis .— 88 . natu s accenso Pelias aeno : a reference to
the story told in the th ird selection from Ovid in this book —9 1 . iusso : Jason
was ordered by Pelias to go in search of the golden fleece .
74 NOTES
MART IAL.
(Birth , 38- 41 A . Death , 102- 104
Mackail, pp . 192 - 1 95 .
Cruttwell, pp . 429- 433 .
Pliny, Ep . 3 . 2 1,
A udio Valer ium Martialem decessisse et moleste fero. E rat homo ingeniosusacutus acer, et qui plurimum in scribendo et salis haberet e t fellis nec candoris
m inus . A t non erunt aeterna quae scripsit : non erunt fortasse,ille tamea
scripsit tamquam essent futura .
There are good metrical translations of most Of the epigrams. The tran slations
of Hay and Fletcher are particu larly good. On one attempt at a metrical translation Burns wrote the following epigram
O thou whom Poetry abhors,
W hom Prose had turned out Of doors,
Heard’st thou yon g roan’
.
Z —proceed no further ,
"P was laurel
’
d Mar tial calling mu rther .
1 . Martial explains why Gemellus, the fortune - hunter,is infatuated with the rich
Maronilla . T he names are , of course , fictitious .
Metre : Choliambic . G . 764 .
Schem e : a i i u L— a l L u
’
l — u lLL I -L ao
M etrical translations by Fletcher, Hay, and others .
3 . foediu s : more disgusting—4 . tussit : the point of th e satire is , in this
metre,Often expressed by a dissyllabic word at the end of the poem .
2 . Selius, who has passed the day in trying to secure an inv itation to dinner,is
,
to h is great sorrow,forced to dine at home .
’
The name is fictitious ; thecharacter a common one at Rome .
M etre : Choliambic .M etrical translation by Hay.
2 . p orticum : the porticos w ere the regular promenades of the Romans , and
therefore the most favorable places for meeting fr iends who would invite one to
dinner .— 6 . fata : poetic for mortem. 8 . sar cin ae : a disparaging designation of
h is property, trap s . Juvenal 6 . 1 46 , parodies the formula for divorcing one’
s
wife , tua s res tibi habeto, by mak ing the husband say ,col/ige sa rcinula s .
—g .
colonu s : tena nt.
- d e coxit : squandered, cf. rustici deeoctores, Cic . Ca t. 2 . 5 .
3 . The Roman country- seat was Often more ornamental than useful,being pro
v ided only w ith shade - trees and flow er - beds . Bassus,the owner of such a
v illa ,is here held up to the ridicu le of Faustinus
,whose bona fi de farm Mar
tial describes at length in 3 . 58 . Bassu s and Faustinus are real names.
Metre C holiambic .
76 NOTE S .
4—5. a list of unwholesome eruptions on the face and lips. 6 . p in gu i cerato
lip- salve , made of wax .
—9 . nu p tiale equ ivalent to the dative uxori. I O. a sse
ret f rees . The technical legal expression for free ing a slave,a liquem manu ad
serere liberali causa ,was eventually shortened to adserere alone, and under the
empire the verb is used in the sense , tof ree , w ith apparently no trace of its forme rtechnical meaning
— xx. le ctica : a litter , cf . Smith , l) . A . s . v .— 1 2 . se lla : a
sedan cha in — saep iu s clu sa : refers to the closing of the curtains after they hadbeen pulled open by importunate friends who recognized the attendants and
insisted upon a greeting . I 5 . seniv e fasces : the p raeter , who was accompaniedby six lictors bearing the fasces . 1 8 . curu li : se . sella , the curule chair was used
as a judgment seat .— 24. facias am icum
, etc . : the real friend did not need to
make this public display of affection ; the basz’
atores were all sycophants .
6 . Martial complains of the reserve of his nearest neighbor .
Metre : Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p .
Metrical translations by Swift and Hay .
2 . N ov ius : perhaps the famous chess -
player mentioned by Martial,7. 72 . 7.
7. Sy en en : a military post on the extreme southern boundary of the Roman
Emp ire — 1 2 . inq uilinu s : f ellow—lodger, cf. Festus _p . 10 7,is qui eundem calit
7 . About 89 A . D . the emperor Domitian issued an edict,insisting upon the rigid
enforcement of the [ex Roscia,which reserved for the equates the first four
teen rows of seats in the theatre immediately behind the orchestra . A s the
law had been for some time practically a dead letter , its enforcement re
sulted in many amusing scenes in the theatres .
M etre Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3,
I . domini d eig n e nostr i : not satirical Domitian had ordained that he shouldbe always thus addressed
,cf. Suet. Dom. l 3 . 3. p u ros f ree , from unauthor
ized persons—4 . Ph asis : a fictitious name , typical, however , of the class of
people who were affected by the new regulation,v iz . upstart Greeks
— I o . su
p inu s : lolling ba ck. x2 . L e‘
itu s : one of the ushers or police of the theatre .
8 . Martial took particular delight in making fun of bald- heads, a remarkable
fact when it is remembered that D omitian himself was bald, and so sen
sitive on the subject that he regarded as a personal insult any allusion to
baldness, whether serious or in jest cf . Suet. Dom . 1 8.
M etre : Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3 ,
M etrical translation by Fletcher .
8-
9 . I n December 88 A . D . , at the festival of the S eptimontium (cf. Sm ith ,D . A .
2. Domitian distr ibuted baskets of bread to the senators and equites , cf.Suet. Dom. 4 . xx. G eryon : th e Spanish giant with three bodies slain by Hereules
,who carried off h is famous oxen , cf . Vergil, A en. 8 . 202, Tergemz
'
ni neceGeryona e spoliisque superbus, A lcides adera t
,taurosque ha c victor agebat l ingentis .
1 2 . p orticum Ph ilip p i : this portico surrounded th e temple of Hercu les , andMartial implies that Labienus, if seen there
,may be mistaken for the triple
Geryon .
MARTIAL. 77
9 . Lupus, a friend of Martial,asks the advice of the poet in choosing a profession
for h is son . Martial advises against literary pu rsu its .
M etre : Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3,
Metr ical translations by Tom Brown and Hay.
4. d ev ite s the subjunctive does not depend on moneo, cf. A . G . p 1 64 , para
taxis .—5 . M aronis : Vergil — 6 . T u tiliu s : a w ell known author and rheto
r ieian of the time —7 . Martial knew
,from experience, how little money could
be made by writing poetry — 8 . si is omitted because the form of the sentenceshows that it is conditional. — g . cith ar oedus au t ch oraul e s : in apposition withthe subject of discat. The profession of music was proverbially lucrative in
ancient times . 1 1 . p rae con em , ar chite ctum : the two most lucrative employments in ancient Rome . I n Martial 6 . 8
,two auctioneers, four tribunes, seven
lawyers,and ten poets are suitors for the hand of a girl. The father
,without a
moment’
s hesitation, gives her to one of the auctioneers .
1 0 . This epigram,recounting the things necessary to make life happy, is ad
dressed to Julius Martialis , for more than thirty- four years the dearestfriend of the poet . In spite of the similarity of names , they were not relatives . Julius was rich
,the owner of a beautiful estate , containing a choice
library, on the Janiculum . He seems,however , to have been a typical
business man who never permitted h imself a moment'
s rest, for Martial,
who constantly u rges h im to enjoy life, says that
,although sixty years
old,he has lived only a few days . Cf. Mart. l . 1 5 . 3 . The doctrine of the
poem is Epicurean .
Metre : Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3,
Metrical translations are numerous : Fletcher, Hay, Henry Howard, SirRichard Fanshawe , and others .
3 . res : property . 5 . lis nunquam : in 2 . 90 . 10,Martial expresses the same
dislike of lawsu its , sit sine lite d ies — tog a rara : the use of the toga seems to
have been as irksome to the Romans as that of the dress - suit is to the ordinaryman of to—day . Clients making their morning call, and citizens transacting business in the forum ,
w ere compelled to appear in the toga . The garb at home was
the tunic , cf . 1 0 . 5 1 6 , 0 tunicata quies 7 . p ru d en s simp licitas : j udicious j i‘
ank
ness . 8 . sin e ar te m ensa : the extravagance of Roman dinners was proverbial .
—g . nox non eb ria : Martial is not preaching total abstinence . I O. torus : by
metonymy for uxor . 1 2— 1 3 . contentment.
— summ um diem mortem.
1 1 . Martial’
s tribute to the memory of Paris, a celebrated pantomime , murdered
by order of Domitian on account of an intrigue with Domitia, the emperor’
s
wife .
M etre : Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3 ,
Metrical translation by Fletcher .
I . F lam iniam : se . viam. The roads leading from the city were for manym iles lined , on both sides , w ith tombs and monuments , burials with in the citybe ing forb idden by the law of the twelve tables . 3. N ote in th is and the threefollow ing verses the arrangement by pairs ,
deliciae salesque ; a rs ef. gra tia ,lusus
et vo’up tas ; etc . , a favorite rhetorical figure .
— N ili : the Alexandrians were
78 NOTES.
famed for their wit, cf. Mart. 4 . nequitz’
a s tellus scz’
t dare nulla magis . 6 .
V enere s Cup idin esq u e : a reminiscence of Catullus 3 . 1 .
1 2 . Martial complains that the se - called farm presented to him by Lupus (perhaps the man mentioned in 9 . l ) is too small to be put to any practicaluse . T he poem was probably not intended to be taken too se riously . T he
general idea was apparently suggested by the following poem of Lucillius,
a Greek w riter of epigrams in the time of Nero . Cf. Jacobs,Ant/wt. Graeca
3 . p . 42.
’
A7pbv a ocpai
uns dwfiaar o, ital as Mudv(3x 8pubs dAAor pt
’
a s a br ov da n'
yxo'ma e .
P131! 8’
aur a? 7 6 911 6 6137 1 BaAeTV aim é’
axou duo-196V,dAA
’
é'rdammode l? npds T i l/a 7 66V dudpwv .
E28’
{ y r/w 7 6V olyp r owMnuo<paiuovs
’
Em’
rcovpos
mix/7 a y e’
uew o’
cypo’
iu sla w av, at’
m dr dyuwv.
Metre : Phalaecean or Hendecasyllabic (p . 3 ,
Metrical translation in the English Journ , of Education , Jan . 1856 .
2 . ru s in fen estra : window gardens were in general use at Rome , as is shownby Pliny, H. N . 1 9 . 59 .
—4 . nem u s Dian ae there were many extensive groves
in Italy sacred to Diana ; the chief one was at A ricia . The reference here issimply to the lack of woodland , as there is nothing to show that a n emu s Dianae
was an essential or even a common feature of a country - seat .—7. corona : the
technical meaning as applied to a plot of ground , ra ised boundary, makes no
sense . Friedl'ander and Gilbert '
suggest that it may mean a round flower—bed. 9 .
C osm i a celebrated perfumer at Rome . folium refers to some leaf from whichperfume was extracted . 1 3. cu lix Pliny
,
-I . N . 1 7. 23 1,says that certain kinds
of culzces were destructive to trees . 1 6 . r id er e : poetic expression conveyingthe same idea as hia re and pa tere . 1 8 . su s Calydon iu s : the famous boar whichw rough t
'
havoc in the Calydonian fields until it was finally slain by Meleager .
1 9 . Progn e s : swa llow,cf . any book on mythology . 24. p icata : all vessels
which w ere intended to contain wine were given an inner coating of pitch wine
barrels are still treated in the same way .
1 3 . This epitaph , composed by Martial for a little slave~
g irl, commending her tothe protection of h is parents, is one of the daintiest poems in any language.
There is no adequate m etrical translation of it .
M etre : Elegiac D istich or Stanza . See p . 1 2 .
I . F ronto , F laccilla : now generally regarded as the parents of Martial. 2 .
oscu la : a term of endearment .—4 . canis : Cerberus . 5 . im p letura fu it : A .
G . 30 8 . d .— 8 . b laeso : lisp ing .
—g—I o . a charming circumlocution for the reg
ular S T T L,sit tibi terra levis
,of the ordinary tombstone .