Et pugilem victorem et equum certamine primum Non satis est pulchra esse poëmata; dulcia sunto 85 90 95 100 105 110 over the various kinds of lyric poetry, hymns, paeans, songs of victory, love-songs (juvenum curas), and drinking-songs.-86. Descriptas vices; that is, the various kinds of verse assigned by the Greeks, whose rule is founded on nature, to certain kinds of poetry. Operum colores, both the styles and metres suitable to each kind of poetry. Compare line 92. -90. Indignatur, like non vult in the preceding line, = non debet. Privatis vulgaribus. -91. The feast at which the sons of Thyestes, killed by Atreus, were served up before their father, was a subject that demanded the expression of the highest passion, and was therefore a favourite with the ancient tragedians. 96. Tele-94. See Satires i. 10, 40.-95. Plerumque persaepe. phus, the son of Hercules by Auga; Peleus, father of Achilles, who killed his half-brother Phocus. Both were banished, and lived long in exile.-97. Ampulla is figuratively used like the Greek ComAnкvos, of an ornate and ambitious style of language. pare Epist. i. 3, 14. -98. Curat tetigisse. Gram. 371, note 2.99. From this line to line 113, Horace speaks of the expression of Laedent, will touch.' the passions. - 103. Tunc, in that case.' = -104. Male, etc. If the words which the poet has put into thy mouth (has, as it were, committed to thee to give to the public) are bad, and not suitable to the character. - 108. Language, being the expression of the inward passion, should correspond with it. -110. Post effert animi motus interprete lingua. 115 120 125 130 Non circa vilem patulumque moraberis orbem, Unde pedem proferre pudor vetet aut operis lex. 135 Ad humum deducit = humiles reddit, affligit.—113. Equites peditesque, the whole Roman people. 114. From this line to line 135, Horace speaks of the characters, and the consistent representation of them. Davus. See Satires i. 10, 40.-118. In the war of the Seven against Thebes- - a favourite subject with the ancient tragedians-the Argives were opposed to the Thebans.-119. Either follow tradition, or, if you invent a story, make one quite consistent in all its parts. -120. Examples. Honoratum clarum. Reponis, bringest again upon the stage,' Achilles having been a character in many tragedies. 122. Jura neget sibi nata, he must declare that laws were not made for him.' Armis, dative.-123. Ino was wife of Athamas, and mother of Learchus and Melicertes. Athamas, being driven mad by the gods, killed Learchus; whereupon Ino, with her other son Melicertes, threw herself into the sea, and was changed into a sea-goddess.-124. Ixion 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. Nec sic incipies, ut scriptor cyclicus olim : 'Dic mihi Musa virum, captae post tempora Trojae 140 145 150 155 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. 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 Reddere qui voces jam scit puer et pede certo 160 165 Sublimis cupidusque et amata relinquere pernix. Multa senem circumveniunt incommoda, vel quod - 170 175 180 185 actions. 158. That is, a child who has just learned to speak and - 182. Intus digna geri; such as cruel deeds and metamorphoses. Fabula, quae posci vult et spectata reponi. Accessit numerisque modisque licentia major. mentes = = 190 195 200 205 210 215 acts in every tragedy. -190. Construe thus: quae spectata vult posc 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. Tusuperbos. 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 it could bring forth more notes, and execute pieces alone, for formerly 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 6 |