thus secured, they unbound him by putting the wheel in motion in the opposite direction; hence retro citum solve turbinem = revoluto turbine me solve. See another of these symbolical practices, n. 73.8. Achilles, the grandson of Nereus (father of Thetis), had wounded Telephus, king of the Mysians, who had attacked the Greeks on their way to Troy; but he healed the wound at his entreaty by scrapings from the spear that had inflicted it.-11-14. Achilles, at Priam's entreaty, gave up to him the dead body of Hector, which was thus duly anointed for burial (= duly buried), tho' destined at first by his conqueror to be cast out to the dogs, & c.-12. Homicidam = Hom. ἀνδροφόνον. 15 &c. Setosa membra, their swine-bodies. Ulysses obliged Circe to restore his companions to their original form, she having changed them into swine.-16. See Ep. 12. 1. 58.— 18. Notus honor &c., the noble expression of the human face divine.' -21. Verecundus color = rubor, the blush-colour.-23. Odoribus; i. e. the odours of the potent herbs used in the charms.-24. Reclinat = puts to rest, refreshes.-25. Est = licet; so Gr. ¿ori = ëžεori.—26. Spiritu, by breathing.-27. Ergo negatum, (I am forced to believe) what I have denied; i. e. what I have looked upon as impossible.-28. Sabella &c.; Sabine and Marsian women passed for successful sorcerers. Increpare dirumpere, to crack open.-29. Dissilire, to split asunder. Nania; any low, melancholy, spirit-lowering strain; here for a spell-song. The splitting open the heads of serpents by such songs was one of the sorcerer's powers.-31. See Ep. 3. n. 17, and C. D. NESSUS. 35. 'You keep burning on against me (cales)—a very laboratory (officina) of infernal mischief with your Colchian drugs (employing one after another upon me)-till I shall be carried away, mere dust and ashes, the sport &c.'-36. Stipendium (lit. the pay of soldiers), payment for what I have done = punishment; the ponce of the next line.-39. Mendaci lyra, on my lyre that belies thee; understand (and is certainly lying now').-40. Voles sonari: “ Tu pudica" &c., shalt wish to be sung of thus: Thou all modest, all spotless in reputation &c."-42. Infamis infamata (a Stesichoro). Helence vice, for Helen, in her behalf. Stesichorus of Himera, who lived from B.C. 630 to B.C. 555, in a poem on the fall of Troy, represented Helen as the guilty cause of all the evils consequent upon the Trojan Soon afterwards he lost his sight. Looking upon this as a punishment for his invectives against her, he composed a palinode, or ode of retractation; and in it addressed himself to the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux, Helen's brothers), for the recovery of his eyesight, who granted his prayer. 46. O thou, who art certainly not at all debased by a mean birth!' Every thing in the lines following, to the end of Horace's speech, is to be understood in the exact contrary sense.-48. Norendiales pulveres; the sorcerers made use of the ashes of the dead in their arts; these they used to steal from the graves of the poor; for the tombs of the rich were watched, (hence prudens). By nocendiales p. are meant ashes just buried; which was done the ninth day after death. And the ninth day after death might be supposed to have a special magical power in it.— 50. Here Canidia's reply begins. · 51. Nudis; having lost every

war.

=

thing by shipwreck.-53. 'What! shalt thou divulge our Cotyttia, and mock at them with impunity?' "The idea! The insolent hope' that &c. A particular elliptic use of ut in indignant interrogative sentences. Cotys, or Cotytto, was the goddess of impure love. Her worship came into Greece from Thrace; and its mysteries, called Cotyttia, were of a very licentious kind (liberi Cupidinis).—54, Sacrum sacra.-55. Pontifex; in derision of Horace's interfering with her rites. Esquilini venefici; why Esquilini, is explained, Ep. 5. n. 100.-56. Ut impleris; see n. 53.-57. Quid proderat ditasse &c. = What good to me would it have been to have spent my money upon &c.' The Peligni bordered upon the Marsi, and were equally famous sorcerers.-59. Votis (meis).-60. In hoc (acc.) ut &c., to this end that &c.-62. Infidi; because of his faithless violation of his promise to Myrtilus, the charioteer of Enomaus, by whose aid he won Hippodamia. C. D.-64. Obligatus: = bound and exposed.-68. Norico; see O. i. 16. n. 9.-70. Fastidiosa &c., afflicted with a wretchedness that loathes life.-71. Vectabor eques, I shall ride; кaðıññálεolaí Tivos, with the Greeks, signified the infliction of the greatest possible humiliation. 72. Mecque terra cedet &c.; i. e. as I spring from it upon your shoulders, in my pride of triumph.-73. An (ego), quæ &c... plorem (ego) (1.78)? The magicians used to make wax figures of the persons against whom their spells were directed; and on these figures they practised after their way, pricking them, melting them in the fire, &c., and thus pretending to produce certain effects upon the persons themselves. These practices reached a late day in the history of the world. See Shakespeare's Henry VI.-77. Desideri pocula, love-potions.-78. Plorem &c., shall I have to lament the (unsuccessful) result of my art (as) working no effect upon thee?

THE SECULAR HYMN.

METRE VI.

THE Sibylline books had connected the welfare of the Roman empire with the continuance of periodical games, known as the Ludi Sæculares. These games had been celebrated A. u. 605, or 608; but there had been no observance of them during the civil wars. And as the neglect of this national festival might seem to be of evil augury, Augustus determined, A. U. 737, upon the re-establishment of the games; the more so probably, as he was enabled to connect the re-establishment of them with a belief calculated to increase the importance of such a step in a political view. According to Etruscan teaching on such subjects, the close of one great period, or cycle of years, and the commencement of another, was supposed to be announced by the appearance of some great prodigy. Just such a

prodigy was the appearance of the great comet, after the death of Cæsar; and it was generally received as announcing the close of the ninth (Etruscan) age, and as the harbinger of a new era of prosperity and peace. By the celebration of the games this year, Augustus thus connected his own name with the return of a great national solemnity, significant of the continued prosperity of Rome; and at the same time identified the commencement of his reign with that of the new era, and its promises. But the Ludi Sæculares of Augustus were, in fact, very different games from those which they were supposed to represent. They were a new institution under an old name, and were continued in their new form under succeeding emperors. According to accounts, connected with these games, they took place at intervals of nominally 100 years, and were dedicated exclusively to the infernal deities, Dis and Proserpine, in deprecation of possible calamities; and the victims consequently were of a dark colour. But in the games of Augustus, Apollo and Diana appear as the special deities of the festival, a festival of hope and joy; and sacrifices are offered (bubus albis). to the Dî Majores, to Hercules, Latona, the Parcæ ; tho' Dîs and Proserpine were not altogether excluded. "The festival took place in summer, and lasted three days and three nights. On the third day, Greek and Latin choruses were sung in the sanctuary of Apollo by three times nine boys and maidens of great beauty, children of noble families, whose parents were still alive. The object of those hymns was to implore the protection of the gods for all cities, towns, and officers of the empire. One of these hymns was the Carmen Sæculare before us. It was composed by Horace at Augustus' especial request, for the celebration, A. U. 737; and was to be set to music; it is an excellent specimen of the poet's lyrical powers." See S. C. D. LUDI SECULARES.

1. Silvarum potens; so (O. iii. 19. 1) montium custos; and Virg. nemorum custos. Note the cæsura at the end of the sixth semifoot here, and in many lines throughout the Ode, and see O. i. 10. n. I.— 2. Decus; refers to both Phoebus and Diana.-4. Tempore sacro, on this solemn occasion.-5. Sibyllini &c. This is mentioned because Augustus professed to be directed in the whole matter by the S. Versus. It was expressly required that those who sung the hymn should be patrimi and matrimi, both their parents, i. e. alive at the time.-10. Aliusque et idem, (each day) another, and yet the same.→ 13. Lenis aperire &c. of gentle power to bring to birth the full-timed fruit of the womb.-14. The deity to whom prayer was made was often carefully addressed by his several names in succession; the suppliant fearing to offend by omitting that name in which the god

=

most delighted. Ilithyia = Eiλɛílvia one coming with help (to women in childbirth).–15. Lucina (one who brings into the light of day) Genitalis (one who is concerned in the bringing forth of children) are respectively Greek and Latin names of the goddess presiding over child-birth; an office shared apparently by Diana and Juno. -16 &c. The long duration of the civil wars had diminished the population, and what was worse, encouraged the neglect of the marriage tie. Augustus, anxious to remedy these evils, had for this purpose, as early as A. U. 726, unsuccessfully proposed the adoption of Lex Julia de maritandis ordinibus. He was equally unsuccessful with it, a second time, in the very year of the Secular Games; and it was not till A. U. 762, that it was finally carried, under the name of Lex Papia Poppaa, from the consuls of that year.-17. Producas sobolem &c., bring forth for us (abundant) offspring = bless us with offspring.-20. Lex marita, the marriage law; maritus used adj. so Propertius, faces marita, for nuptiales.-21. That a sure cycle of (thro') 110 years may bring us back these games &c.' This cycle of 110 years, in the recurrence of the games, has no foundation in fact; but it suited Augustus' purpose to have it so stated by the keepers of the Sibylline books at this time.-22. Referatque ludos ludosque referat.-24. Frequentes, attended by numbers, for three days and nights.-25. Veraces cecinisse (= canere) quod semel &c.; truthful in predicting that which has once and for ever been decreed, and which the immoveable bourn of all things keeps sure.-27. Constr.: Jungite bona fata (fatis Roma) jam peractis. The poet, in the address to the Parcæ in this stanza, alludes to the belief, that the Sibylline books contained the fates of Rome.-30. When harvest was over, a crown of ears of corn was offered to Ceres.-31. Aquæ salubres, refreshing rains.-32. Et Jovis &c. It was to Jupiter, as lord of heaven, that all changes of weather were attributed.-33. Condito = reposito (in pharetra); i. e. not in hostile attitude, as the god of pestilence (Hom. Il. i. 43-53), but propitious to us. -37. Ilia for Ilienses Trojana.-39. Jussa pars (Trojanorum); those who followed Æneas. Jussa; by the oracle of Apollo, Virg. Æn. iv. 343. -40. Cursus; is used of a sea-voyage, as Angl. course.'-41. Cui (parti) sine fraude sine noxa, without hurt (from the conflagration); see O. ii. 18. n. 20. 42. Castus Eneas pius Eneas. Virg. Castus integer, upright, irreproachable; see O. iii. 2. 30, where incestus is opp. to integer.-44. Plura relictis; more than they had left behind. -45. Di = Apollo and Diana.-47. Romulo Romulea see O. v. 4. n. 1. Rem opes, wealth and power. Prolemque; see O. ii. 15. n. 7.-49. Quæque &c., and whatever he asks of you. Deos venerari aliquid is said also in prose for rogare, precari. White oxen were to be offered in these games by special direction of the Sibylline books.-50. Clarus &c. = Augustus.-51. Prior = potior, superior to, victor of-52. Lenis in &c., merciful to. Such was the injunction of Anchises to the Roman people : "Parcere subjectis, et debellare superbos." Virg. Æn. vi. 853.-54. Medus = the Parthian. Albanas = Romanas; Rome being a colony from Alba Longa. Secures; the axe in the bundle of rods, the Roman insignia of official

=

power.-55. Responsa petunt; from Augustus, to whom they had sent ambassadors; see O. iv. 13. n. 22, where the 'Edicta Julia,' or Augustus' edicts for the government of the subject nations, are mentioned.-57. Indications of the new era of peace and prosperity upon which they had entered, of the golden age returning.-61. In this stanza, Apollo is addressed under all his attributes; as the god of oracles, the god of the bow, the god of the lyre, the god of the art of healing.- 65. Palatinas arces; the noble temple of Apollo on the Palatine Hill, which Augustus had recently built, and dedicated to him; and in which part of the ceremonies of this Secular Feast were performed.-66. Constr.: Proroget rem R. Latiumque felix (= felicitatem Latii) alterum in lustrum, et (in) ærum semper melius = and (onward from that lustrum) into an age growing ever better and better.-69. The principal temple of Diana at Rome stood upon the Aventine Hill. For that on Mount Algidus, see O. i. 21. n. 6.-70. The Quindecim viri had the custody of the Sibylline books; out of which they had announced that the time had recurred for the celebration of the games; they had also the superintendence of the games under direction from the books, which were never consulted by them, but after solemn prayer (preces).—71. Puerorum = of her young choir.-73 &c. The hymn ends at the 72nd line. The lines that follow are the epilogue of the hymn, so to speak; in which the chorus expresses its confident hope that the prayer of it will be granted. 73. Constr.: (Ego) chorus doctus-taught &c. (see O. iv. 6. n. 43) domum reporto, &c.-carry home with me a confident, happy hope-hæc Jovem sentire &c.—that Jove &c. consents (to our prayer).

END

OF

NOTES ON ODES, EPODES, &c.