Difficile est proprie communia dicere; tuque Non circa vilem patulumque moraberis orbem, 130 135 140 Antiphaten Scyllamque et cum Cyclope Charybdin : 145 Nec reditum Diomedis ab interitu Meleagri, treacherously killed his father-in-law Eioneus. Io's sad story is well known, as also that of Orestes.-128. Proprie dicere is to represent so that each character retains its peculiarities.' Communia are general characters, which any poet may represent; for instance, an avaricious, angry, or cruel man, and the like. To represent these well is difficult. 131. Publica materies is a subject which so many tragedians have handled, that it has become public property. This may be made a poet's own if he leaves the beaten track (patulum orbem), and does not translate merely. If he translates, he will bring himself into a position where he cannot take a single step for himself-exhibit his own talents.-136. From this line to line 152 we have a slight digression in regard to the excellence of Homer's poems. Scriptor cyclicus. Cyclic was the name given by the Alexandrian grammarians to those epic poets who took their subjects from the circle' of traditions regarding the Trojan war, describing either the occurrences before the opening of the Iliad, or those after the death of Hector. What particular cyclic poet is here alluded to is uncertain.-140. Hic; Homer. There follows a translation of the first two lines of the Odyssey. Compare Epist. i. 2, 19.-145. As to Antiphates, see Odyssey x. 100; as to Scylla and Charybdis, Odyssey xii. 85; and as to the Cyclops, Odyssey ix. 187.-146. The scholiasts observe that this alludes to the Thebais of Antimachus, a contemporary of Plato, who celebrated the return of Diomedes to Aetolia after the conquest of Thebes by the Epigoni. Meleager, the son of King Oeneus of Calydon, died when his mother Althaea, angry at the slaughter of her brothers after the Calydonian hunt, threw into the fire a piece of wood on which his life depended. Nec gemino bellum Trojanum orditur ab ovo; 150 155 160 Gaudet equis canibusque et aprici gramine Campi, Sublimis cupidusque et amata relinquere pernix. 165 Conversis studiis aetas animusque virilis Quaerit opes et amicitias, inservit honori, Multa senem circumveniunt incommoda, vel quod 170 175 147. Gemino ab ovo. The story of Leda is well known.-151. Mentitur, invents.'-153. From this line to line 192 we have precepts regarding dramatic poetry, referring particularly to the observance of the different ages of the characters.-154. Aulaea. See Epist. ii. 1, 189.-155. Cantor, here the player.' When he had concluded the piece, he called out plaudite, thus soliciting applause.-157. Mobiles et maturi anni are youth and age. Decor, suitable words and actions.'-158. That is, a child who has just learned to speak and walk.-159. Paribus = aequalibus, his equals in age.'-163. Cereus facilis.-164. Utilium, money. -168. Commisisse for committere. Gram. § 371, note 2.-172. Spe longus: it is long before he begins to hope.-174. Minorum = juniorum.-175. The scholiasts tell us that the expression anni veniunt was used till the = Semper in adjunctis aevoque morabimur aptis. Aut humana palam coquat exta nefarius Atreus, 6 180 185 190 195 200 age of forty-six, after that anni abeunt.-180. Demissa, scil. in animum. 182. Intus digna geri; such as cruel deeds and metamorphoses. Intus, within the house.'-184. Facundia praesens, the eloquent speech of those who have seen them.'-187. Procne. See Carm. iv. 12, 6. The history of Cadmus was a favourite subject with Euripides. -189. The Greeks divided every drama into góλoyos, odos, and three isódia, and the Alexandrian grammarians applied this division universally. Hence the Romans, too, required five acts in every tragedy. -190. Construe thus: quae spectata vult posci et reponi, which, once exhibited, means to be called for again and repeated.' As to reponi, compare line 120.-192. In the ancient drama only three persons used to be on the stage speaking. A fourth might appear, but only to receive commands in silence, or to perform some act.-193. From this line to line 219 Horace speaks of the chorus and the lyric parts of a tragedy. Virile for pro virili parte. Partes defendat partes tueatur, act the part.' 197. Tumentes superbos. 199. Otia portis apertis. Compare Carm. iii. 5, 23.-202. The flute in the most ancient times was simple, and had but three finger-holes. In time, however, a mouthpiece of brass (orichalcum) was put upon it, which made its tones as loud as those of a trumpet, and the number of holes was increased, so that Aemula, sed tenuis simplexque foramine pauco Accessit numerisque modisque licentia major. Sic priscae motumque et luxuriem addidit arti 6 205 210 215 220 it could bring forth more notes, and execute pieces alone, for formerly it had been used merely as an accompaniment to the choral singing (adspirare et adesse.)-205. Spissa sedilia. Compare Epist. i. 19, 41, and line 381 of this book.-208. Victor. Perhaps Athens, too, after the Persian wars, is meant, but principally the Roman people.-209. Diurno, beginning during the day, before evening.-211. Modis, measures.'-212. Quid saperet, how could he have any taste?' See Gram. § 349.-214. Motus seems to refer to the quicker time, the numeri of line 211.-215. Vagus. The flute-player now marched up and down the stage, blowing by himself, whereas he had formerly but accompanied.-216. The sense is: the style of the choral odes had to be raised as well as the instrumental music; they rose to a kind of sublime obscurity, like the Delphic oracles. These remarks on the chorus seem to apply only to the Greek tragedy, for we have reason to believe that it never played an important part in the Roman.-220. From this line to line 250 Horace speaks of the drama satyricum, a kind of poetry peculiar to the Greeks, among whom it was exhibited in connection with tragedies as a comic afterpiece. Vilem ob hircum. Tragedies at Athens were always put in competition with others, and the author of the victorious play received a goat, which was then sacrificed to Dionysus, in whose honour dramatic exhibitions were held. The Greek word for a goat is Teάyos, whence the name Tragedy.-221. In the satyric drama satyrs were represented, who were almost naked, having only an apron of goat-skin. Hence nudavit = nudos induxit. -222. Incolumi gravitate, without injuring the severe dignity of Spectator functusque sacris et potus et exlex. 225 Ne, quicunque deus, quicunque adhibebitur heros, Aut dum vitat humum, nubes et inania captet. 230 235 240 245 250 tragedy.'-225. Commendare, to make them please the spectators.' Risores, the players, who laugh to cause laughter.-226. Seria, 'tragic subjects.'-231. Indigna: quae non debet.232. Moveri saltare. Although to be a dancer was disrespectable, still at certain festivals the rules of religion required women of rank to dance in public, just as the Salii, who were men of distinction, used to celebrate a solemn dance in honour of their god Mars.-233. Paullum, somewhat.'-234. Dominantia vulgaria.-237. Davusne. See line 114.-238. Pythias, the name of a cunning female slave in a comedy of Lucilius, who cheated her master out of some money.-239. Dei; namely, Bacchus. 240. Ex noto fictum, formed of well-known materials and well-known words and phrases.' This the writer must so arrange that it shall be interesting and beyond imitation.-244. Fauni, who were also characters in the satyric drama.-246. Juvenari, 'to speak and act as a juvenis, is an ara sósvov, formed by Horace on the analogy of the Greek VERVIEσ0-248. Quibus est equus equites Romani; see Epist. ii. 1, 185. Quibus est pater ingenui; for libertini were considered by Roman law |