Note 688 — Chapter VII · BIOGRAPHY OF MÆCENAS—HIS INTIMACY AND INFLUENCE WITH AUGUSTUS—HIS CHARACTER—VALGIUS RUFUS—VARIUS—CORNELIUS GALLUS—BIOGRAPHY OF TIBULLUS—HIS STYLE—CRITICISM OF MURETUS—PROPERTIUS—IMITATED THE ALEXANDRIAN POETS—ÆMILIUS MACER.

The three passages quoted by Quintilian show a wanton awkwardness in arrangement almost inconceivable:—

Sole et Aurora rubent plurima

Inter sacra movit aqua fraxinos:

Ne exequias quidem unus inter miserrimos

Viderem meas.

The last of these he considers especially offensive, because he seems to be trifling with a melancholy subject.