omnemque terrarum orbem domitum, excepto Catonis animo invicto. Juno, aliique Dii Afri

25

at modò victorum posteros Jugurthæ immolârunt inferias. Quis ager pinguior Latinorum

Italiæ fragorem Medis auditum?

noverunt pugnas funestas?

Et

runt Italicæ strages? Quæ re

dishonourable dust. The Pompeian leaders were brave, though defeated.

23. Cuneta terrarum, &c.] The world subdued by the triumphs of Cæsar (Julius).

24. Præter atrocem, &c.] Except the stern soul of Cato. Sooner than submit to Cæsar, the destroyer of the, liberties of his country, Cato chose to die; and fell upon his own sword at Utica, in Africa, where the forces he commanded had been finally beaten. Pollio's history extended beyond the concluding victories of Cæsar, to the battle of Philippi at least. See Tacitus, Ann. iv. 34. where Brutus and Cassius are enumerated among those whose characters Pollio had described.

25. Juno, &c.] The name of Cato leads to the ultimate cause of his defeat-Juno's desire, and that of the other tutelary deities of Africa to make some compensation for their former desertion.

Et Deorum quisquis, &c.] And whoever of the Gods, besides, was favourable to Africa. 26. Inultâ cesserat.] Had abandoned the land, without avenging it—without being able to avenge it.

Impotens.] Impotent against the decrees

of fate.

28. Retulit, &c.] She (Juno), or some other deity, before defeated, made the de

30

35

40

scendants of the conquering Romans expiate the wrongs done to Jugurtha. The troops of Cato were sacrificed to the manes of Jugurtha.

Jugurtha.] The details of the Roman war with Jugurtha, are described by Sallust.

29. Quis non, &c.] What country-not Africa alone-does not attest, &c.

31. Auditumque, &c.] Heard even by the Parthians, Rome's worst enemies, who of course exulted at the event. What part of the world heard not the crash of the falling empire? Florus iv. 2. 6.

34. Dauniæ.] Apulia-put for Italy.

37. Procax.] Heedless-singing of what you know nothing, and neglecting what alone you are fit for.

38. Cea Nania.] The elegies of Simonides, a native of Cea or Ceos in the Ægean, of the sixth century, B. C.

Munera.] The subjects or topics of the Cean elegy-fit only for Simonides. Simonideas lacrimas. Cat. 38. 8.

39. Dionæo.] In a grotto dedicated to Venus, whose mother was Dione. Hom. II. v. 40. Quære.] Seek for measures of a gayer cast of the amatory kind-strike with a lighter bow (plectro).

ODE II. METRE VI.

The beauty of riches is the good use of them. A passion for wealth is insatiable, nor will the possession of it secure happiness. The poem is addressed to Sallustius, the nephew of the historian, and indirectly compliments him on his wise employment of the riches inherited from his rapacious uncle. Compare Theocritus xvi. 22.

1. Nullus argento color, &c.] It is deprived of its beauty and value.

Avaris abdito terris.] Buried in the ground by misers. Avaris is a dative, and used instead of ab avaris. The poet's purpose is not to speak of the earth as guarding, like a miser, its treasures, but to contrast the hoarders, who bury their money, with Sallust, who makes a generous use of it.

2. Lamna.] Instead of lamina. Silver or gold run into plates or bars-used here contemptuously for money.

3. Crispe Sall.] He enjoyed the confidence, or at least was honoured with the familiar society, of both Augustus and Tiberius, and died at an advanced age, 21 A. D. Tacitus describes him as a man of great taste and elegance, studying his personal indulgence, and keeping aloof from office; not from want of talents for public business, but from love of ease and enjoyment. Ann. iii. 30.

Nisi temperato, &c.] The clause depends not upon nullus argento, &c. but inimice lamnæ. Sallust, the enemy of money-you who have no regard for it, unless it shines with a wellregulated use. There is no beauty in money buried-none, unless it is well employed.

Nisi splendeat, &c.] Unless its colour is made conspicuous, &c.

Temperato.] A regulated—a right use. 5. Proculeius, &c.] Proculeius is one who has made a generous use of his wealth, and will live in an age extended beyond his own, or for ever in the memory of men. He will be eternally celebrated. Proculeius was a Roman knight, a friend of Augustus-present at the battle of Actium, and accompanied him to Egypt. His two brothers had lost their property in the civil wars, and he nobly shared his own with them.

7. Metuente solvi.] To mark the eternity of fame, or rather that of Proculeius's generosity. Fame is represented as a winged Goddess. The wing fears, and so is more careful, and does not relax. Metuere, like øvλárTEOα with the Greeks, is used as a periphrasis for non or nunquam.

8. Superstes.] The word strictly belongs to Proculeius; it is here employed with Fama, but the sense is obvious.

9. Latius regnes, &c.] You may be freer, more independent, more able to act as you please, by checking a grasping spirit, than if, &c. For the more you acquire, the more you desire, and thus come under the complete dominion of your passions.

11. Uterque Poenus, &c.] The two Carthages, one in Africa, the other in Spain-or rather, the poet couples Africa and Spain.

13. Crescit, &c.] Avarice is like the dropsy-indulgence does not quench thirst till the cause of the disease, or the disease itself has left the veins. This is said under a misapprehension.

The dropsical are not