140 Libertas emitur: coram licet innuat atque Rescribat, vidua est, locuples quæ nupsit avaro. "Cur desiderio Bibulæ Sertorius ardet?" Si verum excutias, facies non uxor amatur. Tres rugæ subeant et se cutis arida laxet, 145 Fiant obscuri dentes oculique minores; 66 "Collige sarcinulas" dicet libertus et exi Jam gravis es nobis et sæpe emungeris, exi Ocius et propera: sicco venit altera naso.” Interea calet et regnat poscitque maritum 150 Pastores et ovem Canusinam ulmosque Falernas. Inde is the same as a dote: SCH. from her having a thousand golden charms.' 140. Liberty to act as they please.' Uxorem accepi, dote imperium vendidi; Plaut. Asin. I.i. LU. sunt multæ in magnis dotibus incommoditates, sumtusque intolerabiles, nam quæ indotata est, ea in potestate est viri. dotata mactant et malo et damno viros; Aul. III. v. 58 sqq. PR. In the husband's presence: coram non sine conscio marito; Hor. III Od. vi. 29 sq. VS. cf. i. 56 sqq. PR. Tib. I. ii. 21. Ov. Am. I. iv. 17 sqq. II. iii. 23 sqq. R. G. 6 She may tip the wink to her gallant.' 141. And pen an answer to a billetdoux.' M. cf. 234. She is as good as a widow' i. e. quite as much her own mistress.' LU. cf. 509. R. 142. With the following lines compare Moore's ballad: "Believe me, if all those endearing young charms, &c." 143. Quippe forma nostra nos amatores colunt: hæc ubi immutata est, suum animum alio conferunt; Ter. Heaut. II. iii. 9 sqq. LU. ii. 138. R. Excutere is properly to search for something supposed to be concealed about the person.' ER. R. 144. Two or three.' Quam cito (me miserum!) laxantur corpora rugis, et perit, in nitido "qui fuit ore, color! Ov. A. A. iii. 73 sq. Plaut. M. Gl. III. i. 45 sq. R. 145. Her teeth.' cf. Ov. A. A. iii. 197. LU. and 279 sq. Hor. II Od. viii. 3. R. 146. " Pack up your baggage, and march.' This is a military phrase. The proper form of declaring a divorce was "Res tuas tibi habeto or agito." BR. Nullum divortium ratum est, nisi septem civibus Romanis prasentibus, præter libertum ejus, qui divortium faciet; Paulus de Div. IX. ff. R. Uxor, vade foras, aut moribus utere nostris; Mart. XI. civ. 1. SCH. It was not till the sixth or seventh century after the foundation of Rome that divorces became common. The facility with which the parties could repudiate each other, at last, led to the greatest abuses. R. Seneca complained nullam jam repudio erubescere, postquam illustres quædam ac nobiles feminæ non consulum numero, sed maritorum, annos suos computent, et exeant matrimonii causa, nubant repudii; de Ben. iii. 16. LU. 147. Emungeris, another of the infirmities of age, is opposed to sicco naso in the next line. minime sputator, screator sum, itidem minime mucidus; Plaut. M. Gl. III. i. 52. R. 148. Altera a younger wife.' LU. 149. Interea as long as her beauty lasts.' LU. 'She is fiery and imperious.' PR. 'And asks whatever she fancies, without fear of denial.' M. Plaut. Aul. III. v. 24-61. Prop. III. xiii. (and xi. 31.) Ov. Am. I. x. Tib. II. iv. R. 150. Canusium in Apulia was famous for its breed of sheep. LU. lana laudatissima Appula: oves circa Tarentum Canusiumque summam nobilitatem habent; Plin. viii. 48 s 73. velleribus primis Appulia, Parma secundis nobilis; Altinum tertia laudat ovis; Mart. XIV. clv. PR. Colum. vii. 2. R. The elms round which Falernian (iv. 138. PR. Sil. vii. 162–211. R.) Quantulum in hoc? pueros omnes, ergastula tota, Clausus et armatis obstat casa candida nautis, other) 155 Grandia tolluntur crystallina, maxima rursus Murrhina, deinde adamas notissimus et Beronices vines are trained:' Virg. G. i. 2. M. stratus humi palmes viduas desiderat ulmos; viii. 78. R. 151. "Trifles these!" G. Pueros, see note on iii. 264. Gangs of slaves;' ergastulum literally a work-house,' 'Bridewell:' quindecim liberi homines populus est, quindecim servi familia, quindecim vincti ergastulum; Apul. LI. cf. xiv. 24. R. 152. She is so covetous as to fancy fertilior seges est alienis semper in agris, vicinumque pecus grandius uber habet. SCH. 153. (1) The feast of the Saturnalia in December was succeeded by the Sigil laria, a fancy fair; where seals, and other little articles, which the Romans used to send each other as presents (Macr. S. i. 10 extr. Gell. ii. 3. v. 4. BO. pp. 217 sq. 236 sq.), were exposed for sale in white canvas booths' (casis candidis) erected both in other parts of the city and also against the walls in the portico of Neptune (D. Cass. liii. 27.) so as to hide the paintings with which it was adorned, and the subject of which was the Argonautic expedition. The handsome wife would not miss her opportunity of extorting valuable fairings from her complaisant spouse. VS. LZ. (2) Another interpretation is • When the winter detains on shore the merchant (thus Hyacinthus and Prometheus, in the note on 110.) and his crew, who are equipped for starting as soon as weather will allow, but cannot yet commence their voyage (Veget. iv. 39. Plin. ii. 47 pr. Hor. I Od. iv. 1.); since the cabin, white with snow or hoar-frost, shows that the reign of winter is not past.' PR 155. Are taken from the merchant's;' GR. or are wheedled out of the husband.' LZ. The word vasa is understood their being grandia and maxima would of course enhance their price. Non alibi crystallus reperitur, quam ubi maxime hibernæ nives rigent et glacies, unde et nomen Græci dedere (xgúoraλλos, GRÆ. on Flor. iv. in. 76); in deliciis feminarum aliquibus de causis præcipuum habent locum crystallina et murrhina, rigidi potûs utraque; Plin. xxxvii. 2 s 10, 11. Prop. II. xviii. 60. IV. iii. 52. PR. R. Mart. III. lxxxii. 25. 156. Pliny says that these vases were first introduced by Pompey after his victory over Mithridates: eadem victoria primum in urbem murrhina induxit; primusque Pompeius sex pocula ex eo triumpho Capitolino Jovi dicavit, quæ protenus ad hominum usum transiere; excrescitque indies ejus rei luxus; xxxvii. 2. 7 sq. Propertius, who had undoubtedly seen them, says murrheaque in Parthis pocula cocta focis; IV. v. 26. III. x. 22. This seems a very good description of what we call porcelain; JS. but Pliny, who could not be ignorant of it, adds Oriens murrhina mittit: inveniuntur enim ibi in pluribus locis, nec insignibus, maxime Parthici regni; præcipue tamen in Carmania. It is manifest that Pliny takes them for gems: and so he elsewhere terms them, xxxiii. 2. in which he is followed by Martial, XIV. cxiii. XIII. cvii. and others. The districts he mentions still afford a gem that answers, in some measure, to his description: it is a species of agate. G. FA. Suet. Aug. 71. R. The variety of conflicting accounts and opinions can hardly be reconciled without supposing two sorts of these vases; one artificial the porcelain,' the other a natural production. I have had in my possession a mineral, which bears the name of 'porcelain jasper,' (Chinesischer Speckstein; Veltheim.) but I do not know where it is chiefly found. Adamas; Plin. xxxvii. 4. PR. 7 This Beronice was the daughter of Herod (Acts xii.) Agrippa the elder (who was son of Aristobulus and another Beronice, and grandson of Herod the great); he had two other daughters, Mariamne, and Drusilla (the wife of Felix, Acts xxiv. 24.) and one son, the Agrippa here mentioned. Acts xxv. 13. 23. xxvi. The princess was more celebrated for her In digito factus pretiosior: hunc dedit olim Barbarus incestæ, dedit hunc Agrippa sorori, Observant ubi festa mero pede sabbata reges 160 Et vetus indulget senibus clementia porcis. "Nullane de tantis gregibus tibi digna videtur?" Sit formosa, decens, dives, fecunda, vetustos Porticibus disponat avos, intactior omni Crinibus effusis bellum dirimente Sabina: 165 (Rara avis in terris nigroque simillima cycno) Quis feret uxorem, cui constant omnia? Malo, Malo Venusinam, quam te, CORNELIA MATER beauty than for her virtue. Titus fell in love with her, and promised her marriage; but, being apprehensive of an insurrection, dimisit invitus invitam. The incidents which made this ring so valuable mark the capricious and profligate extravagance which characterized the ladies of Juvenal's time. G. R. PR. 158. Barbarus (iii. 66.) Agrippa dedit incestæ (iv. 9.) sorori. cf. Joseph. A. J. x. p. 673. PR. R. 159. Beronice presented herself at Jerusalem, barefoot and with her head shorn, to perform her vows on the restoration of her health. Jos. B. J. ii. 15. Hegesip. B. J. ii. FA. See Exod. iii. 5 sqq. PR. This custom is now practised in the Jewish synagogues on particular days. M. cf. 525. Suet. Aug. 100. CAS. Cf. Tac. H. v. init. Just. xxxvi. Pers. v. 184. PR. Juvenal, in his ignorance of the Jewish ritual, has confounded sabbaths' with fasts. Call. H. in Cer. 125. SP. xiv. 96. Æl. V. H. xii. 35. R. 160. Long established.' Levit. xi. 7. LU. Not that more indulgence was shown to 'old swine' than to young ones; but because all hogs, being spared, lived to be old. Hence Augustus said: "Melius est Herodis porcum esse quam filium."cf. xiv. 98. R. 161.' Herds' of women. He had just been talking of herds of swine. SCH. cf. 175. R. 162. All these excellencies will but generate pride: beauty, for instance, see Ov. F. i. 429. riches, v. 457 sqq. fruitfulness, 172 sqq. nobility and chastity, Beautiful, graceful:' pulcer et decens; Suet. Dom. 18. R. The latter is a frequent epithet of Venus and the 167 sqq. " Graces. Hor. I Od. iv. 9. xviii. 6. JN. Uxor tibi sit puella, qualem votis vix petat improbis maritus, dives, nobilis, erudita, casta; Mart. XII. xcviii. 1—3. 163. It was their custom to adorn the porticoes and galleries of their mansions with the statues of their ancestors. LU. viii. 1. PR. It may also allude to the pictures of triumphant generals in the public porticoes. VS. 'More chaste,' i. e. 'never approached by any but a husband:' uxor quæ mille procos intacta fugaret; Stat. S. III. v. 1 sqq. HK. intacta Sabine; Prop. II. vi. 21. cf. Hor. I Od. vii. 5. III Od. xi. 10. IS. ii. 54. Virg. Æ. i. 345. Calp. ii. 1. Eur. Hip. 1044. R. 164. Sabina mulieres, quarum ex injuria bellum ortum erat, crinibus passis, ... dirimere infestas acies, &c. Liv. i. 13. LU. Ov. F. iii. 201 sqq. PR. The war' between Romulus and Tatius. VS. 165. The Sabines were a people of uncorrupted morals. iii. 169. PŘ. x. 299. xiv. 180. Mart. I. lxiii. 1. IX. xli. 5. Liv. i. 18. Ov. M. xiv. 797. Am. I. viii. 39 sq. II. iv. 15. III. viii. 61. Hor. Ep. ii. 39 sqq. II Ep. i. 25. R. 66 Pers. i. 46. PR. cf. vii. 202. R. A faultless monster, which the world ne'er saw.' وو 166. Who will tolerate?' 30. Si qua voles apte nubere, nube pari; Ov. Her. ix. 32. κατὰ σαυτὸν ἔλα Suid. Plut. t. ii. F. Callim. Ep. xxxvii. GRACCHORUM, si cum magnis virtutibus affers Grande supercilium et numeras in dote triumphos. 170 Tolle tuum, precor, Hannibalem victumque Syphacem In castris et cum tota Carthagine migra. 66 Parce, precor, Pæan, et tu, Dea, pone sagittas ; Amphion clamat: sed Pæan contrahit arcum. This Cornelia was the daughter of P. Corn. Scipio Africanus, and the wife of Ti. Sempronius Gracchus, by whom she had twelve children. Plutarch (in his life of the Gracchi, cf. ii. 24.) says she was fond of boasting of her father's victories over Hannibal and Syphax. So great was her haughtiness, that when King Ptolemy made her an offer, after the death of her husband, she was seriously offended and rejected the alliance with the utmost scorn. A brazen statue was erected to her memory in the public portico of Metellus with the above inscription; Plin. xxxiv. 6. Gracchorum eloquentiæ multum contulisse accepimus Corneliam matrem, cujus doctissimus sermo in posteros quoque est epistolis traditus; Quint. i. 1. PR. V. Max. IV. iv. 1. vi. 1. Sen. Cons. ad Marc. 16. Cic. Brut. 27. She was not the only disdainful dame of the Cornelian house. Prop. IV. xi. R. 169. Supercilium; ii. 15. v. 62. R. 'If the triumphs of your house are to reckon as a dowry.' ef. libertas emitur, 140. LU. 170. Scipio, with the aid of Masinissa, routed Asdrubal and Syphax, (who was afterwards led by the Roman general in triumph,) and burnt both their camps in one night. Flor. ii. 6. PR. Liv. xxx. 5. 11. 13. 17. Sil. xvii. 88 sqq. R. 171. Carthage was destroyed by Scipio Æmilianus, (Liv. li. PR.) who married Cornelia's daughter Sempronia. R. Cf. 146. R." Prithee tramp!" Boileau has imitated this passage very happily: "Ainsi donc au plûtôt délogeant de ces lieux, Allez, princesse, allez avec tous vos aieux, Sur le pompeux débris des lances Espagnoles, Coucher, si vous voulez, aux champs de Cerizoles;" Sat. x. 479. G. 172. Niobe, the daughter of Tantalus, and wife of Amphion, the king of Thebes so celebrated for his minstrelsy, (Plin. vii. 56. Hor. A. P. 394. PR.) proud of her numerous progeny, insulted Latona; who was signally avenged by her divine offspring, for Apollo slew all the sons and Diana all the daughters of the Phrygian princess. Ov. M. vi. 146 sqq. LU. Čic. T. Q. iii. 63. Hor. IV Od. vi. 1 sqq. PR. Hom. Il. ♫ 602 sqq. Schol. Eur. Ph. 160 sqq. R. Apollod. III. v. 6. HY. Pæan from παίειν, οι παύειν τὰς ἀνίας, Macr. S. i. 17. PR. 173. No wrong.' GRÆ. crimine quo parvi cædem potuere mereri? Luc. ii. 108. VS. The mother, whose haughtiness I know, from sad experience, to be most insufferable; and in mitigation of whose punishment I have nothing to allege.' cf. 169. 181 sqq. DI. 174. "Apollo bends his bow." G. 175. She had to bury.' i. 72. PR. 'The herd.' 161. The exact number is very doubtful: Gell. xx. 7. PR. Æl.V. H. xii. 36. LU. Amphion destroyed himself. Ov. 271. SCH. 176." Mihi Tantalus auctor; .. Pleiadum soror est genetrix mihi; maximus Atlas est avus; .... Jupiter alter avus: nescio quoque audete satam Titanida Cao Latonam præferre mihi;" Ov. 172 &c. PR. } Quæ tanti gravitas, quæ forma, ut se tibi semper Imputet? Hujus enim rari summique voluptas 180 Nulla boni, quoties animo corrupta superbo Plus aloes, quam mellis habet. Quis deditus autem Quædam parva quidem; sed non toleranda maritis. 185 Nam quid rancidius, quam quod se non putat ulla Formosam, nisi quæ de Tusca Græcula facta est? De Sulmonensi mera Cecropis? Omnia Græce, + Quum sit turpe magis nostris nescire Latine.+ Hoc sermone pavent, hoc iram, gaudia, curas, 190 Hoc cuncta effundunt animi secreta. Quid ultra? Concumbunt Græce. Dones tamen ista puellis : Tune etiam, quam sextus et octogesimus annus Pulsat, adhuc Græce? Non est hic sermo pudicus In vetula. Quoties lascivum intervenit illud 181. More of bitterness than sweetness.' VS. Plin. xxvii. 4. PR. Amor et melle et felle est fecundissimus; Plaut. Cist. I. i. 71. R. Claud. Nupt. H. et M. 69 sq. K. 'So devotedly uxorious.' LU. 206. R. 183. Seven hours a day,' i. e. ' more than half his time.' LU. Pers. iii. 4. PR. 184. Understand vitia sunt. R. 185. More nauseous.' G. Pers. i. 33. LU. xi. 135. Plin. xxii. 22 extr. R. 186. The Roman ladies were guilty of copiously interlarding their vernacular tongue with Greek words: a piece of affectation similar to that with which the British fair have been charged, of introducing French phrases upon all occasions. M. 12-12 'A Greek demoiselle:' contemptuously. PR. iii. 58. R. 187. The inhabitants of Sulmo, a town of Pelignum, (the birthplace of Ovid, LU.) spoke a provincial Latin dialect: the Cecropians, (ii. 92.) or people of Athens, made use of the purest and most elegant Greek. R. 188. Our countrywomen would blush to betray ignorance of Greek: they ought rather to feel ashamed that they know so little of their native language.' ipsum Latine loqui est illud quidem in magna laude ponendum; sed non tam sua sponte, quam quod est a plerisque neglectum, non enim tam præclarum est scire Latine, quam turpe nescire: neque tam id mihi oratoris boni, quam civis Romani proprium videtur; Čic. Brut. 37. FA. The verse is probably spurious, and is omitted in some mss. B. 189. They express their fears.' FA. 191. You may excuse such fooleries in girls.' LU. 192. Senectus pulsat; Sidon. Ap. Ep. v. 9. Carm. ii. Stat. Th. iv. 477. R. What? thou too whom more than fourscore winters have buffeted and battered!' Compare also densis ictibus pulsat; Virg. Æ. v. 459 sq. Hor. I Od. iv. 13. |