singular, meta. The chariots, after starting from the carceres, or barriers, where their station had been determined by lot, ran seven times around the spina. The chief object, therefore, of the rival charioteers, was to get so near to the spina, as to graze (evitare) the meta in turning. This of course would give the shortest space to run, and, if effected each heat, would ensure the victory.

5. Palmaque nobilis. "And the ennobling palm." Besides the crown, a palm-branch was presented to the conqueror at the Grecian games, as a general token of victory: this he carried in his hand. 6. Terrarum dominos. "The rulers of the world," referring simply to the gods, and not, as some explain the phrase, to the Roman people.

7. Hunc. Understand juvat. Hunc in this line, illum in the 9th, and gaudentem in the 11th, denote, respectively, the ambitious aspirant after popular favours, the covetous man, and the agriculturist.-8. Certat tergeminis, &c. "Vie with each other in raising him to the highest offices in the state." Honoribus is here the dative, by a Græcism, for ad honores. The epithet tergeminis is equivalent merely to amplissimis. -9. Illum. Understand juvat.-10. Libycis. One of the principal granaries of Rome was the fertile region adjacent to the Syrtis Minor, and called Byzacium or Emporia. It formed part of Africa Propria. Horace uses the epithet Libycis for Africis, in imitation of the Greek writers, with whom Libya (A6ún) was a general appellation for the entire continent of Africa.

11. Sarculo. "With the hoe." Sarculum is for sarriculum, from sarrio.-12. Attalicis conditionibus. "For all the wealth of Attalus." Alluding to Attalus 3. the last king of Pergamus, famed for his riches, which he bequeathed, together with his kingdom, to the Roman people.

13. Trabe Cypria. The epithet "Cyprian" seems to allude here not so much to the commerce of the island, extensive as it was, as to the excellent quality of its naval timber. The poet, it will be perceived, uses the expressions Cypria, Myrtoum, Icariis, Africum, Massici, &c., kat' etoxhy, for any ship, any sea, any waves, &c.-14. Myrtoum. The Myrtoan sea was a part of the Ægean, lying, according to Strabo, between Crete, Argolis, and Attica.. - Pavidus nauta, "becoming a timid mariner."-15. Icariis fluctibus. The Icarian sea was part of the Ægean, near the islands of Icaria, Mycone, and Gyaros. It derived its name, not, as the ancient mythologists pretend, from Icarus, the son of Dædalus, who, according to them, fell into it and was drowned, but from the first of the islands just mentioned (Icaria, i. e. Icaure), the appellation of which denotes in the Phoenician language "the island of fish.” -Africum. The wind Africus, answering to the Aly of the Greeks, denotes, in strictness, the "West-South-West." In translating the text, it will be sufficient to render it by "South-West." It derived its name from the circumstance of its coming in the direction of Africa Propria.

16. Mercator. The Mercatores, among the Romans, were those who, remaining only a short time in any place, were almost constantly occupied with the exportation or importation of merchandise. The Negotiatores, on the other hand, generally continued for some length of time in a place. Metuens. "As long as he dreads."- Otium et oppidi, &c. "Praises a retired life, and the rural scenery around his native place.”— 18. Pauperiem. "The pressure of contracted means." Horace and the best Latin writers understand by pauperies and paupertas, not absolute poverty, which is properly expressed by egestas, but a state in which

we are deprived indeed of the comforts, and yet possess in some degree the necessaries of life.-19. Massici. Of the Roman wines, the best growths are styled indiscriminately Massicum and Falernum (vinum). The Massic wine derived its name from the vineyards of Mons Massicus, now Monte Massico, near the ancient Sinuessa. The choicest wines were produced on the southern declivities of the range of hills which commence in the neighbourhood of Sinuessa, and extend for a considerable distance inland. They may have taken their general name from the town or district of Falernus, but the most conspicuous seems to have been the Massic.

20. Partem solido, &c. Upon the increase of riches, the Romans deferred the cana, which used to be their mid-day meal, to the ninth hour (or three o'clock afternoon), in summer, and the tenth hour in winter, taking only a slight repast (prandium) at noon. Nearly the whole of the natural day was therefore devoted to business, and was called in consequence dies solidus. Hence the voluptuary, who begins to quaff the old Massic before the accustomed hour, is said "to take away a part from the solid day," or from the period devoted to more active pursuits, and expend it on his pleasures. This is what the poet, on another occasion (Od. 2. 7. 6.), calls "breaking the lingering day with wine," diem morantem frangere mero. — 21. Arbuto. The arbutus (or arbutum) is the arbute, or wild-strawberry tree, corresponding to the Kouapos of the Greeks, the unedo of Pliny, and the Arbutus Unedo of Linnæus, class 10. The fruit itself is called κόμαρον, μεμαίκυλον, οι μιμαίκυλον, and in Latin arbutum. It resembles our strawberry, except that it is larger, and has no seeds on the outside of the pulp. The arbute tree possesses medicinal qualities: its bark, leaves, and fruit are very astringent; and hence, according to Pliny, the origin of the Latin name unedo (unus and edo), because but one berry could be eaten at a time.

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22. Sacræ. The fountain-heads of streams were supposed to be the residence of the river-deity. Fountains generally were sacred to the nymphs and rural divinities. - -23. Et lituo tubæ, &c. "And the sound of the trumpet intermingled with the notes of the clarion." The tuba was straight, and used for infantry; the lituus was bent a little at the end, like the augur's staff, and was used for the cavalry: it had the harsher sound. 25. Manet. "Passes the night."- Sub Jove frigido. "Beneath the cold sky." Jupiter is here taken figuratively for the higher regions of the air, as in the Greek phrase und Aiós.—28. Teretes. "Well-wrought."-Marsus. For Marsicus. The mountainous country of the Marsi, in Italy, abounded with wild boars of the fiercest kind.

29. Me. Some editions have Te, referring to Mæcenas: an inferior reading, and, in fact, disproved by the reference Horace makes to the prose writings of Mæcenas. Od. 2. 12. 9.-Ederæ. "Ivy-crowns." The species of ivy here alluded to is the Edera nigra, sacred to Bacchus, and hence styled Aiovúσia by the Greeks. Servius says that poets were crowned with ivy, because the poetic fury resembled that of the Bacchanalians. Doctarum præmia frontium. Poets are called docti, "learned," in accordance with Grecian usage: àcidol σopoí. -30. Dis miscent superis. "Raise to the converse of the gods above."-31. Satyris chori. The Satyrs are almost invariably represented dancing. The ancients were persuaded that they had a profound universal knowledge, and that their very sports and jests had something mysterious in them. 33. Euterpe cohibet, &c. Euterpe and Polyhymnia are meant

to denote any of the Muses. -34. Lesboum refugit, &c.

"Refuses to touch the Lesbian lyre." The lyre is called "Lesbian" in allusion to Sappho and Alcæus, both natives of Lesbos, and famed for their lyric productions.

ODE II.

Octavianus assumed his new title of Augustus on the 17th of January (XVIII. Cal. Febr.), A. U. C. 727. On the following night Rome was visited by a severe tempest, and an inundation of the Tiber. The present ode was written in allusion to that event. The poet, regarding the visitation as a mark of divine displeasure, proceeds to inquire on what deity they are to call for succour. Who is to free the Romans from the pollution occasioned by their civil strife? Is it Apollo, god of prophecy? Or Venus, parent of Rome? Or Mars, founder of the Roman line? Or Mercury, messenger of the skies? - It is the last, the avenger of Cæsar, the deity who shrouds his godhead beneath the person of Augustus. He alone, if heaven spare him to the earth, can restore to us the favour of Jove, and national prosperity.

1. Terris. A Græcism for in terras. - Diræ grandinis. Every thing sent by the wrath of the gods (dei ira) was termed dirum. — 2. Pater. "The Father of gods and men." Jupiter. Harp àvdpŵv Te Deŵv TE. Rubente dextera. "With his red right hand." Red with the reflected glare of the thunderbolt; an idea very probably borrowed from some ancient painting. - 3. Sacras arces. "The sacred summits of the temples." The lightning struck the capitol, containing the temples of Jupiter, Minerva, and Juno. 4. Urbem. "The city," i. e. Rome. 5. Gentes. Understand timentes. "He has terrified the nations, fearing lest," &c. Analogous to the Greek idiom, ¿póɛnσe μn. — 6. Sæculum Pyrrha. Alluding to the deluge of Deucalion in Thessaly. Nova monstra. "Wonders before unseen."-7. Proteus. The fabled employment of this sea-god was to keep "the flocks" of Neptune, i. e. the phoca, or seals.

13. Flavum Tiberim. "The yellow Tiber." A recent traveller remarks, with regard to this epithet of the Tiber:-" Yellow is an exceedingly undescriptive translation of that tawny colour, that mixture of red, brown, grey and yellow, which should answer to flavus here; but I may not deviate from the established phrase, nor do I know a better." (Rome in the Nineteenth Century, vol. i. p. 84.) — 14 Litore Etrusco. The violence of the storm forced the waves of the Tiber from the upper or Tuscan shore, and caused an inundation on the lower bank, or left side, of the river, where Rome was situated. — 15. Monumenta Regis. "The memorial of king Numa." Alluding to the palace of Numa, which, according to Plutarch, stood in the immediate vicinity of the temple of Vesta, and was distinct from his other residence on the Quirinal hill. -16. Vestæ. What made the omen peculiarly alarming was, that the sacred fire was kept in this temple, on the preservation of which the safety of the empire was supposed in a great measure to depend. If a vestal virgin allowed the sacred fire to be extinguished, she was scourged by the Pontifex Maximus. Such an accident was always esteemed most unlucky, and expiated by offering extraordinary sacrifices. The fire was lighted up again, not from another fire, but from the rays of the sun; in which manner it was renewed every year on the 1st of March, that day being anciently the beginning of the year.

17. Ilia dum se, &c. "While the god of the stream, lending too ready an ear to the wishes of his spouse, proudly shows himself an intemperate avenger to the complaining Ilia." The allusion is to Ilia or Rhea Silvia, the mother of Romulus and Remus, and the ancestress of Julius Cæsar, whose assassination she is here represented as bewailing. According to the account given by Acron, in his scholia on the present passage, Ilia was buried on the banks of the Anio, and the river, having overflowed its borders, carried her remains down to the Tiber; hence she was said to have espoused the deity of the last-mentioned stream. Ancient authorities, however, differ in relation to her fate. Niebuhr observes, with respect to the name of this female: "The reading Rhea, is a corruption introduced by the editors, who very unseasonably bethought themselves of the goddess: rea seems only to have signified the culprit or the guilty woman: it reminds us of rea femina, which often occurs, particularly in Boccacio.” - - Nimium. Taken as an adjective, and referring to ultorem. It alludes to the violence of the inundation. Some commentators connect it as an adverb with querenti: "the toocomplaining." — -19. Jove non probante. Jupiter did not approve that the Tiber should undertake to avenge the death of Cæsar, a task which he had reserved for Augustus.

22. Graves Persa. "The formidable Parthians." Horace frequently uses the terms Medi and Perse to denote the Parthians. The Median preceded the Persian power, which, after the interval of the Grecian dominion, was succeeded by the Parthian empire. The epithet graves alludes to the defeat of Crassus, and the check of Marc Antony. Perirent. For perituri fuissent. · - 23. Vitio parentum rara juventus "Posterity thinned through the guilt of their fathers." Alluding to the excesses of the civil contest. - 25. Vocet. For invocet. Ruentis imperi rebus. "To the affairs of the falling empire." Rebus by a Græcism for ad res.- 26. Prece qua. "By what supplications." 27. Virgines sanctæ. Alluding to the vestal virgins. — Minus audientem carmina. 66 Turning a deaf ear to their solemn prayers." Carmen is frequently used to denote any set form of words either in prose or verse. As Julius Cæsar was Pontifex Maximus at the time of his death, he was also, by virtue of his office, priest of Vesta; it being particularly incumbent on the Pontifex Maximus to exercise a superintending controul over the rites of that goddess. Hence the anger of the goddess towards the Romans on account of Cæsar's death.

29. Scelus. "Our guilt." Alluding to the crimes of the civil war. -31. Nube candentes, &c. "Having thy bright shoulders shrouded with a cloud. " Our poet has here literally translated an expression of Homer,-vepéλn eiλvμévos wμovs. (Il. e, 186.) The gods, when manifested to mortal eye, were generally, in poetic imagery, clothed with clouds, in order to hide the excessive splendour of their presence.-32. Augur Apollo. "Apollo, god of prophecy.". 33. Erycina ridens. "Smiling goddess of Eryx." Venus; so called from her temple on Mount Eryx in Sicily. -34. Quam Jocus circumv., &c. "Around whom hover Mirth and Love."'-36. Respicis. "Thou again beholdest with a favouring eye." When the gods turned their eyes towards their worshippers, it was a sign of favour; when they averted them, of displeasure. Auctor. "Founder of the Roman line." Addressed to Mars, as the reputed father of Romulus and Remus. -39. Marsi. The common texts have Mauri. But the people of Mauritania were never remarkable for their valour,

and their cavalry besides were always decidedly superior to their infantry. The Marsi, on the other hand, were reputed to have been one of the most valiant nations of Italy. Cruentum. This epithet beautifully describes the foe, as transfixed by the weapon of the Marsian, and "weltering in his blood."

41. Sive mutata, &c. "Or if, winged son of the benign Maia, having changed thy form, thou assumest that of a youthful hero on the earth Mercury, the offspring of Jupiter and Maia, is here addressed. — Juvenem Augustus. 43. Patiens vocari, &c. "Suffering thyself to be called the avenger of Cæsar." An imitation of the Greek idiom, for te vocari Cæsaris ultorem. 46. Lætus. "Propitious."-47. Iniquum. "Offended at."— 48. Ocior aura. "An untimely blast." The poet prays that the departure of Augustus for the skies may not be accelerated by the crimes and vices of his people. -49. Magnos triumphos. Augustus, in the month of August, A. U. C. 725, triumphed for three days in succession: on the first day over the Pannonians, Dalmatians, Iapydæ, and their neighbours, together with some Gallic and Germanic tribes; on the second day, for the victory at Actium; on the third, for the reduction of Egypt. The successes over the Gauls and Germans had been obtained for him by his lieutenant C. Carinas. 50. Pater atque Princeps. Augustus is frequently styled on medals, Pater Patriæ, a title which the succeeding emperors adopted from him.-51. Medos. “The eastern nations." Alluding particularly to the Parthians. Compare note on line 22. of this Ode. — Equitare inultos. "To transgress their limits with impunity." To make unpunished inroads into the Roman territory.

ODE III.

Addressed to the ship which was about to convey Virgil to the shores of Greece. The poet prays that the voyage may be a propitious one: alarmed, however, by the idea of the dangers which threaten his friend, he declaims against the inventor of navigation, and the daring boldness of mankind in general. — According to Heyne (Virgilii Vita per Annos digesta), this ode would appear to have been written A. U. C. 735, when the bard of Mantua had determined to retire to Greece and Asia, and employ there the space of three years in correcting and completing the Æneid. Donatus, from whose Life of Virgil this anecdote is taken, states, that the poet meeting with Augustus, who was returning from the East, at Athens, determined to accompany him back to Rome; and that, falling ill on the voyage, he died a few days after his arrival at Brundusium.

1. Sic te Diva potens Cypri, &c. "O ship, that owest to the shores of Attica Virgil entrusted by us to thy care, so may the goddess who rules over Cyprus, so may the brothers of Helen, bright luminaries, and the father of the winds direct thy course, all others being confined except lapyx, that thou mayest give him up in safety to his destined haven, and preserve the one half of my soul." With reddas and serves, understand ut, which stands in opposition to sic. Virgil is here considered as a pledge entrusted to the ship, which idea is beautifully marked by the correspondence of the words creditum, debes, reddas, incolumem. Diva potens Cypri. Venus. From her power over the sea, she was invoked by the Cnidians, as Eurλola, the dispenser of favourable voyages. 2. Fratres Helena. Castor and Pollux. It was the particular