LIBER VI.

Hic mensis habet dubias in nomine causas: Quae placeant, positis omnibus, ipse leges. Facta canam; sed erunt, qui me finxisse loquantur: Nullaque mortali numina visa putent. Est Deus in nobis: agitante calescimus illo. 5 Impetus hic sacrae semina mentis habet. Fas mihi praecipue vultus vidisse Deorum: Vel quia sum vates; vel quia sacra cano. Est nemus arboribus densum, secretus ab omni Voce locus, si non obstreperetur aquis. 10 Hic ego quaerebam, coepti quae mensis origo Esset, et in cura nominis hujus eram. Ecce deas vidi: non quas praeceptor arandi Viderat, Ascraeas quum sequeretur oves; Nec quas Priamides in aquosae vallibus Idae 15 Contulit; ex illis sed tamen una fuit. Ex illis fuit una, sui germana mariti. Haec erat,—agnovi,—quae stat in arce Jovis. Horrueram tacitoque animum pallore fatebar; Quum dea, quos fecit, sustulit ipsa metus: 20 Namque, ait, O vates, Romani conditor anni, Ause per exiguos magna referre modos, Jus tibi fecisti numen coeleste videndi, Quum placuit numeris condere festa tuis. Ne tamen ignores, vulgique errore traharis, 25 Junius a nostro nomine nomen habet. Est aliquid nupsisse Jovi, Jovis esse sororem. Fratre magis, dubito, glorier, anne viro. Si genus adspicitur, Saturnum prima parentem Feci; Saturni sors ego prima fui. 30 A patre dicta meo quondam Saturnia Roma est: Haec illi a coelo proxima terra fuit. Si torus in pretio est, dicor matrona Tonantis, Junctaque Tarpeio sunt mea templa Jovi. An potuit Maio pellex dare nomina mensi, 35 Hic honor in nobis invidiosus erit? Cur igitur regina vocor, princepsque dearum? Aurea cur dextrae sceptra dedere meae? An faciant mensem luces, Lucinaque ab illis Dicar, et a nullo nomina mense traham? 40 Tum me poeniteat posuisse fideliter iras In genus Electrae Dardaniamque domum. Causa duplex irae. Rapto Ganymede dolebam: Forma quoque Idaeo judice victa mea est. Poeniteat, quod non foveo Carthaginis arces, 45 Quum mea sint illo currus et arma loco. Poeniteat Sparten, Argosque, measque Mycenas, Et veterem Latio supposuisse Samon. Adde senem Tatium, Junonicolasque Faliscos, Quos ego Romanis succubuisse tuli. 50 Sed neque poeniteat, nec gens mihi carior ulla est. Hic colar, hic teneam cum Jove templa meo. Ipse mihi Mavors, Commendo maenia, dixit, Haec tibi: tu pollens urbe nepotis eris. Dicta fides sequitur. Centum celebramur in aris: 55 Nec levior quovis est mihi mensis honor. Nec tamen hunc nobis tantummodo praestat honorem Roma: suburbani dant mihi munus idem. Inspice, quos habeat nemoralis Aricia fastos, Et populus Laurens, Lanuviumque meum: 60 Est illic mensis Junonius. Inspice Tibur, Et Praenestinae moenia sacra deae; Junonale leges tempus. Nec Romulus illas Condidit: at nostri Roma nepotis erat. Finierat Juno. Respeximus. Herculis uxor 65 Stabat, et in vultu signa dolentis erant. Non ego, si toto mater me cedere coelo Jusserit, invita matre morabor, ait. Nunc quoque non luctor de nomine temporis hujus: Blandior, et partes paene rogantis ago; 70 Remque mei juris malim tenuisse precando; Et faveas causae forsitan ipse meae. Aurea possedit posito Capitolia templo Mater, et ut debet, cum Jove summa tenet. At decus omne mihi contingit origine mensis. 75 Unicus est, de quo sollicitamur, honor. Quid grave, si titulum mensis, Romane dedisti, Herculis uxori, posteritasque memor? Haec quoque terra aliquid debet mihi nomine magni Conjugis. Huc captas appulit ille boves, 80 Hic male defensus flammis et dote paterna Cacus Aventinam sanguine tinxit humum. Ad propiora vocor. Populum digessit ab annis Romulus, in partes distribuitque duas. Haec dare consilium, pugnare paratior illa est: 85 Haec aetas bellum suadet, at illa gerit. Sic statuit, mensesque nota secrevit eadem. Junius est juvenum; qui fuit ante, senum. Dixit: et in litem studio certaminis issent, Atque ira pietas dissimulata foret; 90 Venit Apollinea longas Concordia lauro Nexa comas, placidi numen opusque ducis. Haec ubi narravit Tatium, fortemque Quirinum, Binaque cum populis regna coisse suis, Et Lare communi soceros generosque receptos; 95 His nomen junctis Junius, inquit, habet. Dicta triplex causa est. At vos ignoscite, divae: Res est arbitrio non dirimenda meo. Ite pares a me. Perierunt judice formae Pergama: plus laedunt, quam juvet una, duae. 100

Prima dies tibi, Carna, datur. Dea cardinis haec est; Numine clausa aperit, claudit aperta suo. Unde datas habeat vires, obscurior aevo Fama; sed e nostro carmine certus eris. Adjacet antiquus Tiberino lucus Helerni: 105 Pontifices illuc nunc quoque sacra ferunt. Inde sata est Nymphe,—Cranen dixere priores,— Nequidquam multis saepe petita procis. Rura sequi jaculisque feras agitare solebat, Nodosasque cava tendere valle plagas. 110 Non habuit pharetram: Phoebi tamen esse sororem Credebant; nec erat, Phoebe, pudenda tibi. Huic aliquis juvenum dixisset amantia verba, Reddebat tales protinus illa sonos: Haec loca lucis habent nimis, et cum luce pudoris. 115 Si secreta magis ducis in antra, sequor. Credulus ante subit. Frutices haec nacta resistit, Et latet, et nullo est invenienda loco. Viderat hanc Janus, visseque cupidine captus Ad duram verbis mollibus usus erat: 120 Nympha jubet quaeri de more remotius antrum: Utque comes sequitur, destituitque ducem. Stulta! videt Janus, quae post sua terga gerantur; Nil agis, en! latebras respicit ille tuas. Nil agis, en! dixi. Nam te sub rupe latentem 125 Occupat amplexu; speque potitus ait: Jus pro concubitu nostro tibi cardinis esto; Hoc pretium positae virginitatis habe. Sic fatus, virgam, qua tristes pellere posset A foribus noxas,—haec erat alba—dedit. 130 Sunt avidae volucres; non quae Phineïa mensis Guttura fraudabant: sed genus inde trahunt. Grande caput: stantes oculi: rostra apta rapinae; Canities pennis, unguibus hamus inest. Nocte volant, puerosque petunt nutricis egentes, 135 Et vitiant cunis corpora rapta suis. Carpere dicuntur lactentia viscera rostris; Et plenum poto sanguine guttur habent. Est illis strigibus nomen: sed nominis hujus Causa, quod horrenda stridere nocte solent. 140 Sive igitur nascuntur aves, seu carmine fiunt, Neniaque in volucres Marsa figurat anus; In thalamos venere Procae. Proca natus in illis Praeda recens avium quinque diebus erat; Pectoraque exsorbent avidis infantia linguis. 145 At puer infelix vagit opemque petit. Territa voce sui nutrix accurrit alumni, Et rigido sectas invenit ungue genas. Quid faceret? color oris erat, qui frondibus olim Esse solet seris, quas nova laesit hiems. 150 Pervenit ad Cranen, et rem docet. Illa, Timorem Pone! tuus sospes, dixit, alumnus erit. Venerat ad cunas: flebant materque paterque: Sistite vos lacrimas! ipsa medebor, ait. Protinus arbutea postes ter in ordine tangit 155 Fronde: ter arbutea limina fronde notat. Spargit aquis aditus, et quae medicamen habebant: Extaque de porca cruda bimestre tenet. Atque ita, Noctis aves, extis puerilibus, inquit, Parcite! pro parvo victima parva cadit. 160 Cor pro corde, precor, pro fibris sumite fibras. Hanc animam vobis pro meliore damus. Sic ubi libavit, prosecta sub aethere ponit: Quique sacris adsunt, respicere illa vetat. Virgaque Janalis de spina ponitur alba, 165 Qua lumen thalamis parva fenestra dabat. Post illud nec aves cunas violasse feruntur, Et rediit puero, qui fuit ante, color. Pinguia cur illis gustentur larda Kalendis, Mixtaque cum calido sit faba farre, rogas. 170 Prisca dea est, aliturque cibis, quibus ante solebat, Nec petit adscitas luxuriosa dapes. Piscis adhuc illi populo sine fraude natabat; Ostreaque in conchis tuta fuere suis: Nec Latium norat, quam praebet Ionia dives, 175 Nec, quae Pygmaeo sanguine gaudet, avem; Et praeter pennas nihil in pavone placebat: Nec tellus captas miserat ante feras. Sus erat in pretio: caesa sue festa colebant. Terra fabas tantum duraque farra dabat. 180 Quae duo mixta simul sextis quicumque Kalendis Ederit, huic laedi viscera posse negant. Arce quoque in summa Junoni templa Monetae Ex voto memorant facta, Camille, tuo. Ante domus Manli fuerant, qui Gallica quondam 185 A Capitolino reppulit arma Jove. Quam bene—Di magni!—pugna cecidisset in illa Defensor solii, Jupiter alte, tui! Vixit, ut occideret damnatus crimine regni. Hunc illi titulum longa senecta dabat. 190 Lux eadem Marti festa est; quem prospicit extra Appositum Tectae porta Capena viae. Te quoque, Tempestas, meritam delubra fatemur; Quum paene est Corsis obruta classis aquis. Haec hominum monumenta patent. Si quaeritis astra, 195 Tunc oritur magni praepes adunca Jovis.

Postera lux Hyades, Taurinae cornua frontis, Evocat: et multa terra madescit aqua.

Mane ubi bis fuerit, Phoebusque iteraverit ortus, Factaque erit posito rore bis uda seges; 200 Hac sacrata die Tusco Bellona duello Dicitur: et Latio prospera semper adest. Appius est auctor: Pyrrho qui pace negata Multum animo vidit; lumine captus erat. Prospicit a templo summum brevis area Circum. 205 Est ibi non parvae parva columna notae. Hinc solet hasta manu, belli praenuntia, mitti, In regem et gentes quum placet arma capi.

Altera pars Circi custode sub Hercule tuta est: Quod deus Euboico carmine munus habet. 210 Muneris est tempus, qui Nonas Lucifer ante est. Si titulos quaeris, Sulla probavit opus.

Quaerebam, Nonas Sanco Fidione referrem, An tibi, Semo pater: quum mihi Sancus ait: Cuicumque ex illis dederis, ego munus habebo. 215 Nomina trina fero: sic voluere Cures. Hunc igitur veteres donarunt aede Sabini: Inque Quirinali constituere jugo.

Est mihi, sitque, precor, nostris diuturnior annis, Filia, qua felix sospite semper ero. 220 Hanc ego quum vellem genero dare, tempora taedis Apta requirebam, quaeque cavenda forent. Tum mihi post sacras monstratur Junius Idus Utilis et nuptis, utilis esse viris; Primaque pars hujus thalamis aliena reperta est, 225 Nam mihi, sic conjux sancta Dialis ait: Donec ab Iliaca placidus purgamina Vesta Detulerit flavis in mare Tibris aquis, Non mihi detonsos crines depectere buxo, Non ungues ferro subsecuisse licet: 230 Non tetigisse virum; quamvis Jovis ille sacerdos, Quamvis perpetua sit mihi lege datus. Tu quoque ne propera: melius tua filia nubet, Ignea quum pura Vesta nitebit humo.

Tertia post Nonas removere Lycaona Phoebe 235 Fertur: et a tergo non habet Ursa metum. Tunc ego me memini Ludos in gramine Campi Adspicere, et didici, lubrice Tibri, tuos. Festa dies illis, qui lina madentia ducunt, Quique tegunt parvis aera recurva cibis. 240

Mens quoque numen habet. Menti delubra videmus Vota metu belli, perfide Poene, tui. Poene, rebellaras: et leto Consulis omnes Attoniti Mauras pertimuere manus. Spem metus expulerat, quum Menti vota Senatus 245 Suscipit; et melior protinus illa venit. Adspicit instantes mediis sex lucibus Idus Illa dies, qua sunt vota soluta deae.

Vesta, fave! tibi nunc operata resolvimus ora, Ad tua si nobis sacra venire licet. 250 In prece totus eram; coelestia numina sensi, Laetaque purpurea luce refulsit humus. Non equidem vidi—valeant mendacia vatum— Te, dea; nec fueras adspicienda viro. Sed quae nescieram, quorumque errore tenebar, 255 Cognita sunt nullo praecipiente mihi. Dena quater memorant habuisse Palilia Romam, Quum flammae custos aede recepta sua est. Regis opus placidi, quo non metuentius ullum Numinis ingenium terra Sabina tulit. 260 Quae nunc aere vides, stipula tunc tecta videres, Et paries lento vimine textus erat. Hic locus exiguus, qui sustinet atria Vestae, Tunc erat intonsi regia magna Numae. Forma tamen templi, quae nunc manet, ante fuisse 265 Dicitur: et formae causa probanda subest. Vesta eadem est, et Terra: subest vigil ignis utrique, Significant sedem terra focusque suam. Terra pilae similis, nullo fulcimine nixa, Aëre subjecto tam grave pendet onus. 270 [Ipsa volubilitas libratum sustinet orbem: Quique premat partes, angulus omnis abest. Quumque sit in media rerum regione locata, Et tangat nullum plusve minusve latus; Ni convexa foret, parti vicinior esset, 275 Nec medium terram mundus haberet onus.] Arce Syracosia suspensus in aëre clauso Stat globus, immensi parva figura poli; Et quantum a summis, tantum secessit ab imis Terra. Quod ut fiat, forma rotunda facit. 280 Par facies templi: nullus procurrit in illo Angulus. A pluvio vindicat imbre tholus. Cur sit virgineis, quaeris, dea culta ministris. Inveniam causas hac quoque parte suas. Ex Ope Junonem memorant Cereremque creatas 285 Semine Saturni: tertia Vesta fuit. Utraqe nupserunt: ambae peperisse feruntur: De tribus impatiens restitit una viri. Quid mirum, virgo si virgine laeta ministra Admittet castas in sua sacra manus? 290 Nec tu aliud Vestam, quam vivam intellige flammam; Nataque de flamma corpora nulla vides. Jure igitur virgo est, quae semina nulla remittit, Nec capit: et comites virginitatis habet. Esse diu stultus Vestae simulacra putavi: 295 Mox didici curvo nulla subesse tholo. Ignis inexstinctus templo celatur in illo; Effigiem nullam Vesta, nec ignis, habent. Stat vi terra sua: vi stando Vesta vocatur; Causaque par Graii nominis esse potest. 300 At focus a flammis, et quod fovet omnia, dictus: Qui tamen in primis aedibus ante fuit. Hinc quoque vestibulum dici reor: inde precando Affamur Vestam, Quae loca prima tenes. Ante focos olim longis considere scamnis 305 Mos erat, et mensae credere adesse deos. Nunc quoque, quum fiunt antiquae sacra Vacunae, Ante Vacunales stantque sedentque focos. Venit in hos annos aliquid de more vetusto: Fert missos Vestae pura patella cibos. 310 Ecce, coronatis panis dependet asellis, Et velant scabras florea serta molas. Sola prius furnis torrebant farra coloni; Et Fornacali sunt sua sacra deae. Suppositum cineri panem focus ipse parabat, 315 Strataque erat tepido tegula quassa solo. Inde focum servat pistor, dominamque focorum, Et quea pumiceas versat asella molas. Praeteream, referamne tuum, rubicunde Priape, Dedecus? est multi fabula parva joci. 320 Turrigera frontem Cybele redimita corona Convocat aeternos ad sua festa deos. Convocat et Satyros, et, rustica numina, Nymphas. Silenus, quamvis nemo vocarat, adest. Nec licet, et longum est epulas narrare deorum: 325 In multo nox est pervigilata mero. Hi temere errabant in opacae vallibus Idae: Pars jacet, et molli gramine membra levat. Hi ludunt, hos somnus habet; pars brachia nectit, Et viridem celeri ter pede pulsat humum. 330 Vesta jacet, placidamque capit secura quietem, Sicut erat positum cespite fulta caput. At ruber hortorum custos Nymphasque deasque Captat, et errantes fertque refertque pedes. Adspicit et Vestam; dubium, Nymphamne putarit, 335 An scierit Vestam: scisse sed ipse negat. Spem capit obscenam, furtimque accedere tentat, Et fert suspensos, corde micante, gradus. Forte senex, quo vectus erat, Silenus asellum Liquerat ad ripas lene sonantis aquae. 340 Ibat, ut inciperet, longi deus Hellesponti, Intempestivo quum rudit ille sono. Territa voce gravi surgit dea. Convolat omnis Turba; per infestas effugit ille manus. [Lampsacos hoc animal solita est mactare Priapo: 345 Apta asini flammis indicis exta damus.] Quem tu, diva memor, de pane monilibus ornas. Cessat opus: vacuae conticuere molae. Nomine, quam pretio celebratior, arce Tonantis, Dicam, Pistoris quid velit ara Jovis. 350 Cincta premebantur trucibus Capitolia Gallis: Fecerat obsidio jam diuturna famem. Jupiter, ad solium Superis regale vocatis, Incipe, ait Marti. Protinus ille refert: Scilicet, ignotum est, quae sit fortuna meorum; 355 Et dolor hic animi voce querentis eget? Si tamen, ut referam breviter mala juncta pudori, Exigis: Alpino Roma sub hoste jacet. Haec est, cui fuerat promissa potentia rerum, Jupiter? hanc terris impositurus eras? 360 Jamque suburbanos Etruscaque contudit arma. Spes erat in cursu; nunc Lare pulsa suo est. Vidimus ornatos serata per atria picta Veste triumphales occubuisse senes; Vidimus Iliacae transferri pignora Vestae 365 Sede. Putant aliquos scilicet esse deos. At si respicerent, qua vos habitatis in arce, Totque domos vestras obsidione premi: Nil opis in cura scirent superesse deorum, Et data sollicita tura perire manu. 370 Atque utinam pugnae pateat locus! arma capessant; Et, si non poterunt exsuperare, cadant. Nunc inopes victus, ignavaque fata timentes, Monte suo clauses barbara turba premit. Tum Venus, et lituo pulcher trabeaque Quirinus, 375 Vestaque pro Latio multa locuta suo. Publica, respondit, cura est pro moenibus istis, Jupiter, et poenas Gallia victa dabit. Tu modo, quae desunt fruges, superesse putentur, Effice, nec sedes desere Vesta, tuas. 380 Quodcumque est Cereris solidae cava machina frangat, Mollitamque manu duret in igne focus. Jusserat: et fratris virgo Saturnia jussis Annuit: et mediae tempora noctis erant. Jam ducibus somnum dederat labor. Increpat illos 385 Jupiter, et sacro, quid velit, ore docet: Surgite, et in medios de summis arcibus hostes Mittite, quam minime tradere vultis, opem. Somnus abit, quaeruntque novis ambagibus acti, Tradere quam nolint et jubeantur, opem. 390 Ecce, Ceres visa est. Jaciunt Cerealia dona. Jacta super galeas scutaque longa sonant. Posse fame vinci spes excidit. Hoste repulso Candida Pistori ponitur ara Jovi.— Forte revertebar festis Vestalibus illac, 395 Qua Nova Romano nunc via juncta Foro est. Huc pede matronam vidi descendere nudo: Obstupui, tacitus sustinuique gradum. Sensit anus vicina loci, jussumque sedere Alloquitur, quatiens voce tremente caput. 400 Hoc, ubi nunc fora sunt, udae tenuere paludes: Amno redundatis fossa madebat aquis. Curtius ille lacus, siccas qui sustinet aras, Nunc solida est tellus, sed lacus ante fuit. Qua Velabra solent in Circum ducere pompas, 405 Nil praeter salices crassaque canna fuit. Saepe suburbanas rediens conviva per undas Cantat, et ad nautas ebria verba jacit. Nondum conveniens diversis iste figuris Nomen ab averso ceperat amne deus. 410 Hic quoque lucus erat juncis et arundine densus, Et pede velato non adeunda palus. Stagna recesserunt, et aquas sua ripa coërcet: Siccaque nunc tellus. Mos tamen ille manet. Reddiderat causam; Valeas, anus optima! dixi: 415 Quod superest aevi, molle sit omne, tui! Cetera jam pridem didici puerilibus annis; Non tamen idcirco praetereunda mihi. Moenia Dardanides nuper nova fecerat Ilus: Ilus adhuc Asiae dives habebat opes. 420 Creditur armiferae signum coeleste Minervae Urbis in Iliacae desiluisse juga. Cura videre fuit: vidi templumque locumque. Hoc superest illi: Pallada Roma tenet. Consulitur Smintheus: lucoque obscurus opaco 425 Hos non mentito reddidit ore sonos: Aetheriam servate deam: servabitis urbem: Imperium secum transferet illa loci. Servat et inclusam summa tenet Ilus in arce: Curaque ad heredem Laomedonta venit. 430 Sub Priamo servata parum. Sic ipsa volebat, Ex quo judicio forma revicta sua est. Seu genus Adrasti, seu furtis aptus Ulixes, Seu pius aeneas eripuisse datur; Auctor in incerto. Res est Romana: tuetur 435 Vesta, quod assiduo lumine cuncta videt. Heu quantum timuere Patres, quo tempore Vesta Arsit, et est tectis obruta paene suis! Flagrabant sancti sceleratis ignibus ignes, Mixtaque erat flamniae flammae profana piae. 440 Attonitae flebant, demisso crine, ministra: Abstulerat vires corporis ipse timor. Provolat in medium, et magna, Succurrite! voce, Non est auxilium flere, Metellus ait. Pignora virgineis fatalia tollite palmis! 445 Non ea sunt voto, sed rapienda manu. Me miserum! dubitatis? ait—Dubitare videbat, Et pavidas posito procubuisse genu.— Haurit aquas, tollensque manus, Ignoscite, dixit, Sacra! vir intrabo non adeunda viro. 450 Si scelus est, in me commissi poena redundet; Sit capitis damno Roma soluta mei. Dixit et irrupit. Factum dea rapta probavit, Pontificisque sui munere tuta fuit. Nunc bene lucetis sacrae sub Caesare flammae: 455 Ignis in Iliacis nunc erit, estque, focis; Nullaque dicetur vittas temerasse sacerdos Hoc duce, nec viva defodietur humo. Sic incesta perit: quia, quam violavit, in illam Conditur: et Tellus Vestaque numen idem est. 460 Tum sibi Callaïco Brutus cognomen ab hoste Fecit, et Hispanam sanguine tinxit humum. Scilicit, interdum miscentur tristia laetis, Ne populum toto pectore festa juvent. Crassus ad Euphraten aquilas, natumque, suosque 465 Perdidit, et leto est ultimus ipse datus. Parthe, quid exsultas? dixit dea. Signa remittes: Quique necem Crassi vindicet, ultor erit. At simul auritis violae demuntur asellis, Et Cereris fruges aspera saxa terunt; 470 Navita puppe sedens, Delphina videbimus, inquit, Humida quum pulso nox erit orta die.

Jam, Phryx, a nupta quereris, Tithone, relinqui, Et vigil Eois Lucifer exit aquis. Ite, bonae matres,—vestrum Matralia festum— 475 Flavaque Thebanae reddite liba deae. Pontibus et magno juncta est celeberrima Circo Area, quae posito de bove nomen habet. Hac ibi luce ferunt Matutae sacra parenti Sceptriferas Servi templa dedisse manus. 480 Quae dea sit: quare famulas a limine templi Arceat,—arcet enim—libaque tosta petat; Bacche, racemiferos hedera redimite capillos, Si domus illa tua est, dirige vatis opus. Arserat obsequio Semele Jovis: accipit Ino 485 Te, puer, et summa sedula nutrit ope. Intumuit Juno, raptum quod pellice natum Educet. At sanguis ille sororis erat. Hinc agitur furiis Athamas, et imagine falsa: Tuque cadis patria, parve Learche, manu. 490 Maesta Learcheas mater tumulaverat umbras, Et dederat miseris omnia justa rogis: Haec quoque, funestos ut erat laniata capillos, Prosilit, et cunis te, Melicerta, rapit. Est spatio contracta brevi, freta bina repellit, 495 Unaque pulsatur terra duabus aquis. Huc venit insanis natum complexa lacertis, Et secum e celso mittit in alta jugo. Excipit illaesos Panope centumque sorores, Et placido lapsu per sua regna ferunt. 500 Nondum Lencotheë, nondum puer ille Palaemon Vorticibus densis Tibridis ora tenent. Lucus erat: dubium Semelae Stimulaene vocetur; Maenadas Ausonias incoluisse ferunt. Quaerit ab his Ino, quae gens foret. Arcadas esse 505 Audit, et Evandrum sceptra tenere loci. Dissimulata deam Latias Saturnia Bacchas Instimulat fictis insidiosa sonis: O nimium faciles! O toto pectore captae! Non venit haec nostris hospes amica choris. 510 Fraude petit, sacrique parat cognoscere ritum; Quo possit poenas pendere, pignus habet. Vix bene desierat; complent ululatibus auras Thyades effusis per sua colla comis: Iniiciuntque manus, puerumque revellere pugnant. 515 Quos ignorat adhuc, invocat illa deos: Dique, virique loci, miserae succurrite matri. Clamor Aventini saxa propinqua ferit. Appulerat ripae vaccas Oetaeus Iberas: Audit, et ad vocem concitus urget iter. 520 Herculis adventu, quae vim modo ferre parabant, Turpia femineae terga dedere fugae. Quid petis hinc,—cognorat enim—matertera Bacchi? An numen, quod me, te quoque vexat, ait? Illa docet partim, partim praesentia nati 525 Continet, et Furiis in scelus isse pudet. Rumor—ut est velox—agitatis pervolat alis: Estque frequens, Ino, nomen in ore tuum. Hospita Carmentis fidos intrasse penates Diceris, et longam deposuisse famem. 530 Liba sua properata manu Tegeaea sacerdos Traditur in subito cocta dedisse foco. Nunc quoque liba juvant festis Matralibus illam; Rustica sedulitas gratior arte fuit. Nunc, ait, O vates, venientia fata resigna, 535 Qua licet: hospitiis hoc, precor, adde meis. Parva mora est: coelum vates ac numina sumit, Fitque sui toto pectore plena dei. Vix illam subito posses cognoscere; tanto Sanctior, et tanto, quam modo, major erat. 540 Laeta canam; gaude, defuncta laboribus, Ino! Dixit, et huic populo prospera semper ades! Numen eris pelagi: natum quoque pontus habebit. In nostris aliud sumite nomen aquis. Leucotheë Graiis, Matuta vocabere nostris; 545 In portus nato jus erit omne tuo. Quem nos Portunum, sua lingua Palaemona dicet. Ite, precor, nostris aequus uterque locis! Annuerant: promissa fides: posuere labores; Nomina mutarunt: hic deus, illa dea est. 550 Cur vetet ancillas accedere, quaeritis. Odit, Principiumque odii, si sinat ipsa, canam. Una ministrarum solita est, Cadmeï, tuarum Saepe sub amplexus coujugis ire tui. Improbus hanc Athamas furtim dilexit: ab illa 555 Comperit agricolis semina tosta dari. Ipsa quidem fecisse negat, sed fama recepit. Hoc est, cur odio sit tibi serva manus. Non tamen hanc pro stirpe sua pia mater adoret: Ipsa parum felix visa fuisse parens. 560 Alterius prolem melius mandabitis illi; Utilior Baccho quam fuit ipsa suis. Hanc tibi, Quo properas, memorant dixisso, Rutili? Luce mea Marso Consul ab hoste cades. Exitus accessit verbis: flumenque Toleni 565 Purpureum mixtis sanguine fluxit aquis. Proximus annus erat: Pallantide caesus eadem Didius hostiles ingeminavit opes. Lux eadem, Fortuna, tua est, auctorque, locusque. Sed superinjectis quis latet aede togis? 570 Servius est: hoc constat enim. Sed causa latendi Discrepat, et dubium me quoque mentis habet. Dum dea furtivos timide profitetur amores, Coelestemque homini concubuisse pudet; —Arsit enim magna correpta cupidine regis, 575 Caecaque in hoc uno non fuit illa viro— Nocte domum parva solita est intrare fenestra: Unde Fenestellae nomina porta tenet. Nunc pudet, et vultus velamine celat amatos, Oraque sunt multa regia tecta toga. 580 An magis est verum, post Tulli funera plebem Confusam placidi morte fuisse ducis? Nec modus ullus erat: crescebat imagine luctus, Donec eam positis occuluere togis. Tertia causa mihi spatio majore canenda est: 585 Nos tamen adductos intus agemus equos. Tullia, conjugio sceleris mercede peracto, His solita est dictis exstimulare virum: Quid juvat esse pares, te nostrae caede sororis, Meque tui fratris, si pia vita placet? 590 Vivere debuerant et vir meus, et tua conjux, Si nullum ausuri majus eramus opus. Et caput et regnum facio dotale parentis. Si vir es, i, dictas exige dotis opes! Regia res scelus est. Socero cape regna necato, 595 Et nostras patrio sanguine tinge manus. Talibus instinctus solio privatus in alto Sederat: attonitum vulgus ad arma ruit. Hinc cruor, hinc caedes: infirmaque vincitur aetas. Sceptra gener socero rapta Superbus habet. 600 Ipse sub Esquiliis, ubi erat sua regia, caesus Concidit in dura sanguinolentus humo. Filia carpento patrios initura Penates Ibat per medias alta feroxque vias. Corpus ut adspexit, lacrimis auriga profusis 605 Restitit. Hunc tali corripit illa sono: Vadis? an exspectas pretium pietatis amarum? Duc, inquam, invitas ipsa per ora rotas! Certa fides facti, dictus Sceleratus ab illa Vicus, et aeterna res ea pressa nota. 610 Post tamen hoc ausa est templum, monumenta parentis, Tangere: mira quidem, sed tamen acta loquar. Signum erat in solio residens sub imagine Tulli: Dicitur hoc oculis opposuisse manum. Et vox audita est, Vultus abscondite nostros, 615 Ne natae videant ora nefanda meae. Veste data tegitur: vetat hanc Fortuna moveri: Et sic e templo est ipsa locuta suo: Ore revelato qua primum luce patebit Servius haec positi prima pudoris erit. 620 Parcite, matronae, vetitas attingere vestes: Sollemni satis est voce movere preces: Sitque caput semper Romano tectus amictu, Qui rex in nostra septimus urbe fuit. Arserat hoc templum: signo tamen ille pepercit 625 Ignis: opem nato Mulciber ipse tulit. Namque pater Tulli Vulcanus, Ocresia mater, Praesignis facie, Corniculana fuit. Hanc secum Tanaquil, sacris de more peractis, Jussit in ornatum fundere vina focum. 630 Hic inter cineres obsceni forma virilis Aut fuit, aut visa est: sed fuit illa magis. Jussa loco captiva fovet, Conceptus ab illa Servius a coelo semina gentis habet. Signa dedit genitor, tum quum caput igne corusco 635 Contigit, inque coma flammeus arsit apex.

Te quoque magnifica, Concordia, dedicat aede Livia, quam caro praestitit illa viro. Disce tamen, veniens aetas, ubi Livia nunc est Porticus, immensae tecta fuisse domus. 640 Urbis opus domus una fuit: spatimque tenebat, Quo brevius muris oppida multa tenent. Haec aequata solo est, nullo sub crimine regni, Sed quia luxuria visa nocere sua. Sustinuit tantas operum subvertere moles 645

645 Totque suas heres perdere Caesar opes. Sic agitur censura, et sic exempla parantur; Quum vindex, alios quod monet, ipse facit.

Nulla nota est veniente die, quam dicere possim. Idibus Invicto sunt data templa Jovi. 650 Et jam Quinquatrus jubeor narrare minores. Nunc ades o coeptis, flava Minerva, meis. Cur vagus incedit tota tibicen in urbe? Quid sibi personae, quid stola longa, volant? Sic ego. Sic posita Tritonia cuspide dixit: 655 —Possem utinam doctae verba referre deae!— Temporibus veterum tibicinis usus avorum Magnus et in magno semper honore fuit. Cantabat fanis, cantabat tibia ludis: Cantabat maestis tibia funeribus. 660 Dulcis erat mercede labor: tempusque secutum, Quod subito Graiae frangeret artis opus. Adde quod aedilis, pompam qui funeris irent, Artifices solos jusserat esse decem. Exilio mutant urbem, Tiburque recedunt: 665 —Exilium quodam tempore Tibur erat.— Quaeritur in scena cava tibia, quaeritur aris, Ducit supremos nenia nulla toros. Servierat quidam, quantolibet ordine dignus, Tiburo, sed longo tempore liber erat. 670 Rure dapes parat ille suo, turbamque canoram Convocat. Ad festas convenit illa dapes. Nox erat, et vinis oculique animique natabant, Quum praecomposito nuntius ore venit: Atque ita, Quid cessas convivia solvere? dixit: 675 Auctor vindictae jam venit, ecce, tuae! Nec mora; convivae valido titubantia vino Membra movent: dubii stantque labantque pedes. At dominus, Discedite, ait; plaustroque morantes Sustulit. In plaustro sirpea lata fuit. 680 Alliciunt somnos tempus, motusque, merumque, Potaque se Tibur turba redire putat. Jamque per Esquilias Romanam intraverat urbem; Et mane in medio plaustra fuere foro. Plautius, ut posset specie numeroque Senatum 685 Fallere, personis imperat ora tegi. Admiscetque alios, et, ut hunc tibicina coetum Augeat, in longis vestibus ire jubet. Sic reduces bene posse tegi, ne forte notentur Contra collegae jussa redisse sui. 690 Res placuit: cultuque novo licet Idibus uti, Et canere ad veteres verba jocosa modos. Haec ubi perdocuit, Superest mihi discere, dixi, Cur sit Quinquatrus illa vocata dies. Martius, inquit, agit tali mea nomine festa, 695 Estque sub inventis haec quoque turba meis. Prima terebrato per rara foramina buxo, Ut daret, effeci, tibia longa sonos. Vox placuit: liquidis faciem referentibus undis Vidi virgineas intumuisse genas. 700 Ars mihi non tanti est; valeas, mea tibia! dixi. Excipit abjectam cespite ripa suo. Inventam Satyrus primum miratur, et usum Nescit; at inflatam sentit habere sonum; Et modo dimittit digitis, modo concipit auras. 705 Jamque inter Nymphas arte superbus erat: Provocat et Phoebum; Phoebo superante pependit: Caesa recesserunt a cute membra sua. Sum tamen inventrix auctorque ego carminis hujus. Hoc est, cur nostros ars colat ista dies. 710 Tertia lux veniet, qua tu, Dodoni Thyene, Stabis Agenorei fronte videnda bovis. Haec est illa dies, qua tu purgamina Vestae, Tibri, per Etruscas in mare mittis aquas.

Si qua fides ventis, Zephyro date carbasa, nautae: 715 Cras veniet vestris ille secundus aquis.

At pater Heliadum radios ubi tinxerit undis, Et cinget geminos stella serena polos; Tollet humo validos proles Hyriea lacertos. Continua Delphin nocte videndus erit. 720 Scilicet hic olim Volscos Aequosque fugatos Viderat in campis, Algida terra, tuis. Unde suburban o clarus, Tuberte, triumpho Vectus es in niveis, Postume, victor equis.

Jam sex et totidem luces de mense supersunt: 725 Huic unum numero tu tamen adde diem; Sol abit e Geminis, et Cancri signa rubescunt: Coepit Aventina Pallas in arce coli.

Jam tua, Laomedon, oritur nurus, ortaque noctem Pellit, et e pratis uda pruina fugit; 730 Reddita, quisquis is est, Summano templa feruntur, Tum, quum Romanis, Pyrrhe, timendus eras.

Hanc quoque quuin patriis Galatea receperit undis, Plenaque securae terra quietis erit; Surgit humo juvenis, telis afflatus avitis; 735 Et gemino nexas porrigit angue manus. Notus amor Phaedrae, nota est injuria Thesei: Devovit natum credulus ille suum. Non impune plus juvenis Troezena petebat: Dividit obstantes pectore taurus aquas. 740 Solliciti terrentur equi, frustraque retenti Per scopulos dominum duraque saxa trahunt. Exciderat curru, lorisque morantibus artus Hippolytus lacero corpore raptus erat: Reddideratque animam, multum indignante Diana. 745 Nulla, Coronides, causa doloris, ait, Namque pio juveni vitam sine vulnere reddam; Et cedent arti tristia fata meae. Gramina continuo loculis depromit eburnis: Profuerant Glauci Manibus illa prius: 750 Tunc, quum observatas augur descendit in herbas, Usus et auxilio est anguis ab angue dato. Pectora ter tetigit, ter verba salubria dixit: Depositum terra sustulit ille caput. Lucus eum, nemorisque sui Dictynna recessu 755 Celat: Aricino Virbius ille lacu. At Clymenus Clothoque dolent, haec, fila reneri, Hic, fieri regni jura minora sui. Jupiter exemplum veritus direxit in ilium Fulmina, qui nimiae moverat artis opem. 760 Phoebe, querebaris. Deus est; placare parenti; Propter te, fieri quod vetat, ipse facit.

Non ego te, quamvis properabis vincere Caesar, Si vetet auspicium, signa movere velim. Sint tibi Flaminius Thrasimenaque litora testes, 765 Per volucres aequos multa monere deos. Tempora si veteris quaeris temeraria damni, Quartus ab extremo mense bis ille dies.

Postera lux melior. Superat Masinissa Syphacem; Et cecidit telis Hasdrubal ipse suis. 770

Tempora labuntur, tacitisque senescimus annis, Et fugiunt, freno non remorante, dies. Quam cito venerunt Fortunae Fortis honores! Post septem luces Junius actus erit. Ite, deam laeti Fortem celebrate. Quirites: 775 In Tiberis ripa munera regis habet.

Pars pede, pars etiam celeri decurrite cymba; Nec pudeat potos inde redire domum. Ferte coronatae juvenum convivia lintres, Multaque per medias vina bibantur aquas. 780 Plebs colit hanc, quia, qui posuit, de plebe fuisse Fertur, et ex humili sceptra tulisse loco. Convenit et servis, serva quia Tullius ortus Constituit dubiae templa propinqua deae.

Ecce suburbana rediens male sobrius aede 785 Ad stellas aliquis talia verba jacit: Zona latet tua nunc, et eras fortasse latebit. Dehinc erit, Orion, adspicienda mihi. At si non esset potus, dixisset eadem Venturum tempus solstitiale die. 790 Lucifero subeunte Lares delubra tulerunt, Hic, ubi fit docta multa corona manu. Tempus idem Stator aedis habet, quara Romulus olim Ante Palatini condidit ora jugi.

Tot restant de mense dies, quot nomina Parcis, 795 Quum data sunt trabeae templa, Quirine, tuae.

Tempus Iuleis cras est natale Kalendis: Pierides, coeptis addite summa meis. Dicite, Pierides, quis vos adjunxerit isti, Cui dedit invitas victa noverca manus. 800 Sic ego. Sic Clio, Clari monumenta Philippi Adspicis, unde trahit Marcia casta genus; Marcia, sacrifico deductum nomen ab Anco, In qua par facies nobilitate sua. Par animo quoque forma suo respondet in illa; 805 Et genus, et facies ingeniumque simul. Nec, quod laudamus formam, tam turpe putaris; Laudamus magnas hac quoque parte deas. Nupta fuit quondam matertera Caesaris illi. O decus, o sacra femina digna domo! 810 Sic cecinit Clio: doctae assensere sorores. Annuit Alcides, increpuitque lyram.

NOTES:

1-100. The poet, as he had done in the preceding months, commences June, by a discussion of its name. The gods, as usual, appear on the scene, and, as there were three etymons of the name of the month, three deities are introduced.

2. Quae placeant, etc. You shall chuse for yourself.

3, 4. Alluding, perhaps, to the Epicurean spirit of the age.

5. Est Deus, etc. He expresses the same sentiment elsewhere. See A. A. III. 549. Pont. Ill, 4, 93. [Greek: Kouphon chraema poiaetaes esti kai ptaenon kai ieron, kai ou proteron oios te poiein prin an entheos te genaetai, kai ekphron kai ho nous maeketi en auto enae]. Plato Ion. Ego non puto poetam grave plenumque carmen sine coelesti aliquo mentis instinctu fundere. Cicero, Tusc. I. 26. Poeta quasi divino quodam spiritu inflatur. Id. Arch. 8.—What is rare is the subject of admiration, and nothing is rarer than poetic genius in a high degree; hence the ancients looked on it as something divine, or, as proceeding from the favour, and even the immediate inspiration of the gods. Nothing is more true than poeta nascitur non fit, but it is equally true of other things, the musician and the painter, nay, I might add, the carpenter and the tailor, are born, not made. But of some species, the supply is much larger than of others.

6. Impetus hic, the _furor poeticus 13. Praeceptor arandi. Hesiod, the author of the oldest agricultural poem, his Works and Days. He lived at Ascra, a village of Boeotia, at the foot of Mt. Helicon. In v. 22, of his Theogony, it is said of the Muses, [Greek: ai nu pot' Haesiodon kalaen edidaxan aoidaen Arnas poimainonth' Elikonos upo zatheoio]. See A. A. I. 27. Propert II. 10. 25, 34. 79. Virg. Ec. II. 70. G. II. 176.

15. The well-known fatal Judgment of Paris—_Aquosae, [Greek: polypidax], Homer.

17. See v. 27. Virg. aen. I. 46.

18. See v. 34.

22. Exlg. mod. The pentameter measure. See II. 3, 4.

26. Junius, aut ex parte populi nominatus, aut, ut Cincius arbitratur, quod Junonius apud Latinos olim vocitatus, diuque apud Aricinos, Praenestinosque hoc appellatione in fastos relatus sit; adeo ut, sicut Nisus in commentariis fastorum dicit, apud majores quoque nostros haec appellatio mensis diu manserit, sed post, detritis quibusdam litteris, ex Junonio Junius dictus sit; nam et aedes Junoni Monetae Cal. Jun. dedicata est. Macrob. Sat. I. 12. This leaves, I think, little doubt respecting the true origin of the name.

29. See Hom. II. iv. 59. According to Hesiod, Th. 454, and the Homeridian hymn to Venus, v. 22, Hestia (Vesta) was the first-born of Kronus and Rhea. Ovid evidently followed Homer, without perfectly understanding him.

31. Hunc (Capitolinum) antea montem Saturnium appellatum prodiderunt, et ab eo late Saturniam terram. Antiquum oppidum in hoc fuisse Saturniam scribitur. Ejus vestigia etiam nunc manent tria; quod Saturni fanum in faucibus: quod Saturnia, porta quam nunc vacant Pandanam: quod post aedem Saturni in aedificiorum legibus parietes postici muri sunt scripti_. Varro, L. L. IV.

32. See I. 233. A Caesare proximus Caesar. Ep. ex Pont. II. 8, 37. Proximus a domina—sedeto, A. A. I. 139. Tu nunc eris alter ab illo. Virg. Ec. v. 49.

34. In the Capitoline temple, Juno and Minerva had chapels on each side of that of Jupiter. The left-hand one was Juno's. The custom of uniting these three deities was derived from the Etruscans. See Mythology, p. 453.

35. Pellex, the Pleias Maia, see V. 85. Compare Virg. aen. i. 39.

37. Regina. The Juno Regina of the Romans, was the Queen Kupra of the Etruscans, whose statue was brought to Rome by Camillus, when Veii was taken A.U.C. 359. Liv. v. 21.

39. For the origin of the name Lucina, see on II. 449. For faciant mensem luces, one of the best MSS. reads faciam pueris lucem, alluding to another cause of the name.

40. This is aukwardly expressed, for she wants to shew that the month was named from her, and not she from the month. Taubner supposes a hypallage. It is possible that nomina may be used here in the sense of fame, renown. See III. 66.

41. Tum me poeniteat, then shall I repent.

42. See IV. 31. Virg. aen i. 26.

43. See Hom. Il. xx. 232.

45. See Virg. aen. i. 15.

47. See Hom. Il. iv. 51.

49. [Greek: En apasais tais kourias Haera trapezas etheto] (Tatius) [Greek: Kouritia legomenae, ai kai eis tode chronou keintai]. Dion. Hal. II. 50.—Junon. Fal. See IV. 73.

55. Centum, numerous,—a definite for an indefinite. Compare Virg. aen. I. 415. iv. 199.

55. Quovis, scil. altero honore.—Honor mensis IV. 85. like honor coeli, honor templorum.

58. Suburbani. See on III. 688. Places which were not very remote from Rome, were called suburban. A triumph over the Volscians is (v. 723) named a suburban triumph. All the following towns were in Latium.

59. Nemoral. Aric. See III. 263. Met. xv. 488. Aricia lay at the foot of the Alban Mount, on the Appian Way, 13 miles from Rome.

60. Pop. Laurens. Laurentum, near the Tiber, between Rome and the sea, was said to have been the residence of king Latinus.—Lanuvium meum. This was another town of the Latins, in which there was a grove and temple of Juno Sospita, common to them and the Romans. Liv. viii. 14. For Lanuvium, most MSS. read Lavinium, but this offends the metre.

61. Tibur Argeo positum colono. Hor. Car. II. 6, 5. See on IV. 71. Tibur, now Tivoli, was on the Anien.

62. Praenest. deae, scil. Fortunae. Fortunae apud Praenesten aedem pulcherrimam ferunt fuisse. Schol. Juven. xiv. 90.

65. Hebe, called by the Romans Juventas, advances as the advocate of a second opinion. Fulvius Nobilior in Fastis Romulum dicit, postquam populum in majores minoresque divisit, ut altera armit rempublicam tueretur, in honorem utriusque partis hunc Maium, sequentem Junium vocasse. Macrob. Sat. I. 12. For the marriage of Hebe, the daughter of Jupiter and Juno, with Hercules, see Homer, Od. xi. 604. Hes. Th. 950.

75. Origine mensis. There is the same kind of ambiguity here, and in v. 77, as above, v. 40. It is plainly (see v. 88,) the intention of the poet to shew that the month derived its name from the juvenes, and not from the goddess Juventas.

77. Titulum, the honour. See IV. 115.

79. Nomine, on account of.

80. See I. 543, et seq.

83. Ab annis, i. e. ab aetate.

90. Dissimulata, concealed, hidden, it would have been no longer visible.

91, 92. Concordia, the advocate of a third opinion, from jungo, is here introduced in a very timely and appropriate manner. For the reparation of the temple of Concord by Tiberius, see I. 637.—Apol. lauro. See III. 139, The laurel is mentioned on account of the victories of Tiberius.— Placidi, etc. Concordia, he means, was the inspiring deity of the peace-loving prince, and concord was his work.

99. Ite pares. As I give not the preference to any, having the fate of Paris before my eyes.

101-182. On the Kalends of June was the festival of an ancient Roman deity, named by our poet and Macrobius, Carna or Carnea; by Tertullian, Cyprian, and Augustine, Carda or Cardea. Non-nulli putaverunt, Junium mensem a Junio Bruto, qui primus Romae consul factus est, nominatum, quod hoc mense id est Kal. Jun. pulso Tarquinio sacrum Carnae deae in Coelio monte voti reus fecerit. Hanc deam vitalibus humanis praeesse credunt, ab ea denique petitur ut jecinora et corda, quaeque sunt intrinsecus viscera conservet. Et quia, cordis beneficio, cujus dissimulatione Brutus habebatur, idoneus emendationi publici status exstitit, hanc deam, quae vitalibus praeest, templo sacravit. Cui pulte fabacia, et larido sacrificatur, quod his maxime rebus vires corporis roborentur; nam et Calendae Juniae fabariae vulgo vocantur, quod hoc mense adultae fabae divinis rebus adhibentur. Macrob. Sat. I. 12. The name is here evidently derived a carne. The Fathers of the Church, on the other hand, as they join their Cardea or Carda with deities, named Forculus and Limininus, (from fores and limen) deduced her name from Cardo, to which origin Ovid also plainly alludes.

103, 104. This confirms what I have said above on V. 229, respecting the Roman origin, and the late date of several legends. Though the personages in this are Italian, the manners are Grecian.—Vires, her power.

105. Antiques. Three of the best MSS. read antiqui. They are followed by Heinsius and Gierig. I think it the better reading. Compare Hom. II. xi. 166. Virg. aen. xi. 851.—Tiberino. See IV. 291. One MS. reads Tiberini, three Tiberinae Hilernae.—Helerni, Hilerni and Hylerni, are various readings. Who or what Helernus was is totally unknown. Heinsius thinks that the lucus Helerni might have been the same with the lucus Asyli, (II. 67,) but this last was on the Capitoline hill, and Ovid evidently assigns some place a little way from Rome as the situation of the former.

106. Sacra ferunt. Both the offerer (Virg. aen. III, 19,) and the priest (Id. G. III, 446,) are said sacra ferre. For ferunt, one MS. reads canunt.

107. Cranen. Two MSS. read Granen, which has been received into the text by Heinsius and Gierig. Two have Gramen, one Grangen.— Priores, the ancients. See I. 329, IV. 329.

113. Dixisset. Si. is understood. The copyists stumbled at this ellipse, for four MSS. read Huic si quis, one si dixit, another quum dixit. There are, however, examples of it. Dedisses huic animo par corpus. Plin. Ep. I. 2, 8. Dares hanc vim M. Crasso; in foro, crede mihi, saltaret, Cic. Off. III. 19. Compare Hor. Sat. I. 3, 15.

117. Resistit, stops. II. 86.

126. Occupat amplexu, embraces, seizes in his arms. See on I. 575. De Jano non mihi facile quidquam occurrit, quod ad probrum pertinent; et forte talis fuit ut innocentius vixerit et a facinoribus et flagitiis remotius. Augustinus de Civ. Dei. vii. This tale must have escaped the knowledge or the memory of the zealous Father. But does not what he here says of this ancient Italian deity offer a strong confirmation of what has been already observed respecting the purity of the old Italian religion?

129. Virgam. Heinsius, without having the authority of any MS. reads spinam.

130. Alba, scil. spina. See v. 165. The same power is ascribed to the [Greek: ramnos], which is the same as the Alba Spina (whitethorn), by Dioscorydes, I. 119. [Greek: Legetai de kai klonas autaes thurais prostethentas apokrouein tas ton pharmakon kakourgias]. The same is said of the aquifolium by Pliny.

131. Quae, etc. the Harpies. See Apoll. Rh. Arg. II. 187. Virg. aen. III. 212. Mythology, pp. 225, 422.

139. Est illis, etc. [Greek: Strix a strizein] stridere, the night-owl, Strix aluco of Linnaeus. Fabulosum arbitror de strigibus, ubera eas infantium labris immulgere. Esse in maledictis jam antiquis strigem convenit; sed quae sit avium constare non arbitror. Plin. H. N. xi. 39, 95. A very different account of this bird is given by Isidore, (Orig. xii. 7.) _Strix nocturna avis, habens nomen de sono vocis; quando enim elumat stridet. Vulgo Amma dicitur ub amando parvulos, unde et lac praebere dicitur nascentibus.

141, 142. Ovid says elsewhere, (Am. I. 8. 13.) Hanc ego nocturnas vivam volitare per umbras Suspicor et pluma corpus anile tegi. And Festus says, Striges maleficis mulieribus nomen inditum est, quas volaticas etiam vacant, alluding to the same opinion. The belief of the power of witches to transform themselves into animals, is not yet totally extinct among the vulgar in our own country. For the power of magic-verses, carmina, see Virg. Ec. viii. 69.—Nenia, i. e. carmen magicum. Hor. Epod. 17, 28. The Marsians were famous for their magic skill. The construction here is Nen. Mars. fig. anus.

143. Proca. See IV. 52.

155. We do not read anywhere else of the Arbutus being used for this purpose. Perhaps, it was on account of its being ever green like the laurel. Diogenes Laertius (iv. 7, 10,) tells us, that when Bion was sick, [Greek: grai doken eumaros trachaelon eis epodaen, ramnon te kai kladon daphnaes uper thuraen ethaeken].

167. Garlic was also thought to be efficacious for this purpose; it was also good to fasten to each arm of the child an eye taken out of a live hyaena. Ignorant people always love cruel and barbarous remedies; we have instances enough among ourselves.

169. See above on v. 101.

173. Compare Hor. Epod. 2. 48. Sat. II. 2. 49.

175. Scil, the Attagen.

176. The Crane. See Hom. Il. III. 5.

181 Sextis Kalendis, scil. Junii, the sixth month.

183. See I. 638. Liv. vii. 28.

185. See Liv. v. 47.

187-190. Compare Juv. Sat. x. 276, et seq. Read carefully the admirable account of this transaction in Niebuhr's Roman History, II. 602. et seq.

191. See Liv. vii. 23. x. 23.

192. Tectae viae. The commentators confess their inability to explain this. Donatus conjectures, that it may have been arched over, or have had porticos along it. Some MSS. read rectae, one dextrae. The Appian road began at the Capene gate, and it is uncertain, whether this temple of Mars was on it, or had a separate road leading to it.

193. This temple was built A.U.C. 495, by L. Scipio the son of Barbatus, who conquered Corsica. It was outside of the Capene gate, where a stone was dug up, bearing the inscription, which may be seen in Reines. Inscr. vi. 34. p. 410, or in Niebuhr, Rom. Hist. I. 254.

196. Aquila rises in the evening.

197. On the IV. Non. the Hyades rise heliacally, accompanied by rain.

199. The temple of Bellona vowed by Appius Claudius, in the midst of a battle, in the Etruscan war, A.U.C. 458, (Liv. x. 19.) was dedicated on the III. Non. Jun. Pliny, (H. N. xxxv. 2. 3.) says, App. Claudius posuit in Bellonae aede majores suos placuitque in excelso spectari et titulos honorum legi. Just what one might expect from one of the proud Claudii!

201. Duello the same as bello. Duellum is a word of frequent occurrence in Livy.

203. Pyrrho, etc. This was A.U.C. 474. Val. Max. viii. 12. Ad App. Claudii senectutem accedebat etiam ut caecus esset; tamen is quum sententia senatus inclinaret ad pacem et foedus faciendum cum Pyrrho non dubitavit dicere illa, quae versibus persecutus est Ennius: Quo vobis mentes recte quae stare solebant Antehac, dementes sese flexere viai?

204. "Captus qui uti aliqua re non potest, Liv. ii. 36: omnibus membris captus. xxii. 2: captus oculis, ubi vid. Duker," Gierig. Upwards of Twenty MSS. read caecus, two cassus, compare Virg. aen. II. 85.

205. Before the temple of Bellona was a small area, or open place, which reached to the upper part of the Circus Flaminius. In the area before the temple, stood the celebrated pillar. It was in the temple of Bellona that the senate gave audience to such foreign ambassadors as they would not admit into the city, here also they received the generals who were returned from war. See Livy, passim. Bellona dicitur dea bellorum; ante cujus templum erat columella, quae bellica vocabatur, supra quam hastam jaciebant quum bellum indicebatur. Festus. Circus Flaminius.— Aedes Bellonae versus portam Carmentalem. Ante hanc aedem columna index belli inferendi. P. Victor de region, urb. Reg. ix. Livy (I. 32.) describes the ceremony of throwing the spear. Originally, when the Roman territory was small, and the hostile states were close at hand, the Fetial used to cast the spear into the enemy's country; afterwards the practice of merely casting it over the pillar of Bellona was introduced. —Templo is the reading of two MSS. of high character, all the rest read tergo.

209. At the other end of the Circus Flaminius was the temple of Hercules Custos. Neapolis thinks there were two temples of Hercules in this Circus, one built by order of the Senate in compliance with the directions of the Sibyllian verses; the other erected by Fulvius Nobilior, and repaired by Philippus. See v. 802.—Eub. car. See IV. 257.—Titulos, scil. the inscription.—Probavit. "Censorum proprie est probare_." Heinsius. [Greek: Apothuon de taes ousias apasaes ho Sullas to Haeraklei dekataen]. Plut. Sulla, 35.

213—218. On the Nones was the anniversary of the dedication of the temple of the ancient Sabine deity, named Sancus, Dius (Deus) Fidius and Semo. Of these names, we may observe, that Sancus is also written Sangus and Sanctus, which last is manifestly a corruption; that from the second was formed an ordinary oath of the Romans, Medius fidius, equivalent to Mehercle (The Greeks who rendered Fidius by [Greek: pistios], made him the same with Hercules); that Semo, which is, perhaps, a contraction of Semihomo, is equivalent to Indiges, and, therefore, corresponds pretty exactly with the [Greek: haeros] of the Greeks, in its later sense. (Mythology, p. 273). For Pater Semo, see on III. 775. Most MSS. read Semi-pater, some Semicaper, but inscriptions prove the correctness of the present reading.—Aelius Gallus Dius Fidius dicebat Diovis (Jovis) filius, ut Graeci [Greek: Dioskouron] Castorem, et putabat hunc esse Sanctum ab Sabina lingua, et Herculem ab Graeca. Varro, L. L. IV. Saint Augustine, (De Civ. Dei. xviii.) in accordance with the system which represented the gods of ancient Greece and Italy, as having been nothing but deified mortals, says, Sabini regem suum primum Sancum, seu, ut alii, Sanctum, retulerunt in Deos. Cato, in his Origines, says, Nomen (scil. Sabinorum) esse impositum ex Sabo Divi Sanci Gentilis filio. And Silius Italicus (viii. 422,) says, Ibant et laeti; pars Sanctum voce canebant Auctorem gentis; pars laudes ore ferebant, Sabe, tuas; qui de patrio cognomine primus Dixisti populos magna ditione Sabinos. The pater Sabinus of Virgil (aen. vii. 178,) would appear to be the same with Sabus. Before I quit this deity, I must notice the curious mistake into which Justin Martyr and Tertullian fell, in consequence of the resemblance between Semoni and Simoni. They gravely assert, that, seduced by his magic arts, the Romans erected a statue to Simon Magus, and adored him as a god!

217. I think Ovid intimates very plainly here his belief that the Sabines, when they settled at Rome, raised a temple on the Quirinal to their ancient god, Sancus. History, however, makes no mention of it, and Sancus is not among the deities to whom, according to Varro, L. L. IV. Tatius erected temples. Dionysius, (iv. 58,) speaking of the treaty made by Tarquinius Superbus, with the Gabines, says, [Greek: touton esti ton orkion mnaemeion en Pomae keimenon en hiero Dios Pistiou on Romaioi Sankton kalousin]; which temple, he tells us (ix. 60,) stood on the Quirinal ([Greek: epi tou Henualiou lophou,]) was begun by Tarquinius, and dedicated by the consul, Spurius Postumius, on the Nones of June, A.U.C. 288.

219. Est mihi, etc. Ovid speaks of his daughter also in his Tristia (iv. 10, 75,) Filia me mea bis prima fecunda juventa, Sed non ex uno conjuge fecit avum. Her name is not known, but it would appear that she was married to a senator, for Seneca (de Con. Sap. 17,) says, In senatu flentem vidimus Fidum Cornelium, Nasonis generum.

225. Hujus, scil, mensis. It was not lucky to marry in June before the Ides; all the rest of the month was favourable to matrimony. See II. 557, III. 393.

227. Stercus ex aede Vestae XVII. Kal. Jul. defertur in angiportum medium fere clivi Capitolini, qui locus clauditur porta stercoraria. Tantae sanctitatis majores nostri esse judicaverunt. Festus. _Dies qui vocatur, Quando stercus delatum, fas: ab eo appellatus, quod eo die ex aede Vestae stercus everritur et per Capitolinum clivum in locum defertur certum. Varro L. L. V. Ovid, we may observe differs from these writers. Their testimony is, I think, to be preferred.

228. Flav. aq. Compare Virg, aen. vii. 30. Hor. Car. I. 2. 13.

229—231. See III. 398.—Detonsos. The readings of the MSS. differ greatly, some have detonso, two detenso, three detonsum, one detonsa, another dentoso, two give the present reading. Detonsi crines does not signify hair that is cut close, but what is merely clipt at the ends, which we are to suppose was the case with that of the Flaminia.—Buxo. The Roman combs, like some of our own, were made of box-wood.—Depectere. See III. 465.

232. Matrimonium Flaminis nisi morte dirimi non jus. Gellius, N. A. x. 15. Certe Flaminica non nisi univira est, quae et Flaminis lex est. Tertull. Ex. ad Cast. 13.

234. Ignea Vesta, "templum Vestae in quo ignis alitur perpetuus," Gierig. Veste nitebit humus is the reading of all the MSS. but two, which have humo. The present reading, of the correctness of which no one can doubt, was formed by Scaliger.

235. On the VII. Id. Arctophylax or Boötes, sets in the morning.— Lycaona, Areas, the grandson of Lycaon, II. 153. et seq. If this is not an oversight of the poet, Lycaon is put for Lycaonides, just as it is supposed, that even Homer uses Hyperion for Hyperionides. See above I. 385. "Ita [Greek: Amphitryon] pro [Greek: Amphitryonidaes], Pindar Nem. IV. 32. ubi vid. Schol. et Olymp. x. 42. [Greek: Moliones] pro [Greek: Molionidai] ubi vid. Schmid." Burmann.—Phoebe. One would rather have expected Phoebus. He probably meant an allusion to Diana, who had transformed Callisto. Phoebe seems to be put for night.

237. Gram. Campi. Compare Hor. Car III. 7. 26. iv. 1. 39. A. P. 162.

239. Piscatorii ludi vocantur, qui quotannis mense Junio trans Tiberim fieri solent a Praetore urbano pro piscatoribus Tiberinis: quorum quaestus non in macellum pervenit sed fere in aream Volcani; quod id genus pisciculorwm vivorum datur ei deo pro animis humanis. Festus.

241-248. After the defeat of the Roman army by Hannibal at the Trasimene lake, in which the consul C. Flaminius was slain, A.U.C. 537, the Sibylline books were consulted, according to custom, and by their direction, Ludi magni were vowed to Jupiter, and temples to Venus Erycina, and to Mars. Liv. xxii. 9. Does not this tend to confirm what I have observed above (see on IV. 874.) respecting the Phoenician origin of Venus Erycina? Every one knows the Roman custom of endeavouring to gain over the deities of their enemies.

247. Adspicit, etc. "Inter illam diem, qua vota soluta sunt, et Idus interjacent sex luces. Falso Neap. putabat Ovidiam hoc disticho, VI. Id. exprimere voluisse." Gierig. I think however Neapolis is right, for the setting of Arctophylax was on the VII. Id. unless we suppose that the temple of Mens was dedicated on that day, and in that case, where was the necessity for vv. 247, 248?

249-460. On the V. Id. were the Vestalia. The poet goes at great length into this subject. See I. 528. III. 417, et seq. 697. et seq. IV. 949.

253. Non vidi. Perhaps he means to intimate, that Vesta as the principle of fire, had no visible anthropomorphic form, like the other deities. Compare v. 298.—Valeant, etc. away with, adieu to. Compare Hor. Ep. II. 1. 80. Ter. Andr. iv. 2. 13. The Greeks used their [Greek: chairo], in the same sense.-Mendacia, fictions. See Hor. A. P. 151.

257. Dena quater, etc. The temple of Vesta was built by Numa, [Greek: Autos protos hieron idrusamenos Romaiois Hestias, kai parthenous apodeixas autae Ouaepolous]. Dionys. II. 65. See also Plut. Num. 9 and 11. Liv. I. 20.—Palilia. See on IV. 721.

258. Flammae custos, scil. Vesta, Vell. Paterc. II. 131. The deities were called the guardians (custodes) of the objects over which they presided. Compare II. 277.

259. Meluentius, etc. Compare Met. I. 322.

261. Quae nunc, etc. Compare I. 199, et seq. III. 183, A. A. III. 118.

263. Hic locus, etc. [Greek: Edeimato plaesion tou taes Hestias hierou taen kaloumenaen Rhaegian oion te basileion oikaema]. Plut. Num. 14. Habitabat propter aedem Vestae. Solin. 2. As Lipsius justly observed, Ovid confounds the Regia and the Atrium Vestae. The Vestals dwelt in the Atrium. Virgines quum vi morbi Atrio Vestae coguntur excedere, matronarum curae custodiaeque mandantur. Plin. Ep. vii. 19, 2. Correct by this the note on II. 69.

264. Intonsi. See on II. 30.—Magna, scil, for those times.

265. The temple of Vesta was round, [Greek: hieron enkuklion— apomimoumenos to schaema tou sympantos kosmou] Plut. Num. 14. Rotundam aedem Vestae Numa consecravit, quod eandem esse terram credebat, eamque pilae forma esse, ut sui simili templo dea coleretur. Festus. "Neque Noster sibi constat; namque hic et vs. 460, Vestam facit terram, vs. 291, vivam flammam." Gierig.

267. [Greek: Kai Gaia maeter Hestian de s' oi sophoi Broton kalousin, haemenaen en aitheri]. Eurip. Frag. 178.—Et Terra. Three MSS. read quae Terra.

268. Focus, ignis.

269. 270. Compare Met. I. 12.

271-276. These six verses are wanting in all the MSS. but seven, only one of which is of the first order. In one they come after v. 280. "Videntur mihi spurii esse, namque l. quo referes vs. 273, locata? Ad terram, vs. 269? At alia subjecta interposita sunt, volubilitas et angulus. Non ita negligenter Ovidius scribit. 2. Sententia inest inepta; cum in medio mundo sit, non esset in medio, nisi convexa foret. 3. Eadem sententia sed melius expressa legitur, vs. 279, et seq." Gierig. I think he is right, and that these lines should be rejected.—Ipsa volubilitas, etc. The orbis rotundus is evidently the world, (mundus) and not the earth. Mundi volubilitas, quae nisi in globosa forma esse non potest. Cic. N. D. II. 19. Yet, from the connexion, it is of the volubility of the earth that the poet speaks, and he would thus appear to inculcate the Pythagorean or Copernican system, which he surely did not hold.—Qui, etc. it (scil. the earth) has no saliant angles to press the matter (partes) external to it, i. e. the air.

277. The celebrated sphere of Archimedes, which represented the motions of the sun, moon, and five planets around the earth. It was enclosed in a glass-case, hence he says, aëre clauso, and it appears from this passage of Ovid, and from Cicero, Rep. I. 14, and Athen. v. 11, that it was preserved at Syracuse in their time. See Cic. Tusc. I. 25, Claudian. Epigr. 68.—Arce, is the reading of three MSS. all the rest have arte.—Syracosio. All the MSS. read Syracusio, which is repugnant to the metre. Heinsius corrected it. The Greeks used [Greek: Syrakosios], as well as [Greek: Syrakousios]. Compare Virg. Ec. vi. 1.

282. Tholus, a dome, round roof. "Tholi forma est [Greek: ouranoeides]." Neapolis.

285. [Greek: Reia—Krono teke phaidima tekna, Istiaen, Daemaetra kai Haeraen chrosopedilon]. Hes. Th. 453. Observe how all the names are changed into Latin ones!

288. Impatiens viri, unmarried. Compare Met. I. 478. See Mythology, p. 72. Ovid assigns two reasons for her having virgin-priestesses. 1. Because she was a virgin herself. 2. Because she was the principle of fire, which produces nothing. Cicero (Leg. II. 12.) gives two more. Vestae colendae virgines praesunt, ut advigiletur facilius ad custodiam ignis, et sentiant mulieres in natura feminarum omnem castitatem pati.

299, 300. Vesta a vi stando! Well might Gierig say, "mira est haec etymologia." The Greeks derived [Greek: Hestia] from [Greek: histaemi]. Terram nonnulli Vestam esse pronuntiant, quod in mundo stet sola, caeteris ejus partibus mobilitate perpetua constitutis. Arnob. adv. Gen. III. p. 119. [Greek: Menei Hestia en theon oiko monae]. Plat. Phaedrus.

301. Quod fovet. Focus a fovendo id est calefaciendo. Festus—another equally sound piece of etymology!

302. Prim. aed. the porch or entrance of the house.

303. Vestibulum. "De etymo hujus voculae aliud sentit Nonius, aliud Varro, hoc Ovidianum nemo. Servius: Vestibulum ut Varro docet, etymologiae non habet proprietatem, sed fit pro captu ingenii." Neapolis.

304. Affamur, etc. We say O Vesta! who etc. Vestae nomen a Graecis est; ea est enim quae ab illis [Greek: Hestia] dicitur. Vis autem ejus ad aras et focos pertinet. Itaque in ea dea, quae est verum custos intimarum, omnis et praecatio et sacrificatio extrema, est. Cic. N. D. II. 27. [Greek: Tais thusiais oi Hellaenes apo taes protaes te autaes (Hestias) haerchonto kai es eschataen autaen katepauon]. Cornut. N. D. 28. See the Homeridian hymn to Hestia, or Mythology, p. 73. The reading of this line is very different in the MSS. some have Quae famur Vesta, others Quae famur vestra est, or Quae f. Vestam; one Quaeramus Vestam, another Quaeramur, another Dicimus O Vesta, which Ciofanus and Neapolis preferred; the present reading is that of three MSS. and was adopted by Heinsius.

305. Ante focos. before the altars. Compare Virg. aen. vii. 175.

306. Mensae credere, etc. See Hom. Od. vii. 201.

307, 308. Nunc quoque, etc. These verses are parenthetic. He shews, by instancing one case of its use at the present day, the antiquity of the custom of sitting at the sacrifical feast.—Vacunae. See Hor. Ep. I. 10. 49. Vacuna ap. Sabinos plurimum colitur. Quidam Dianam, nonnulli Cererem esse dixerunt, alii Venerem, alii Victoriam, deam vacationis, quod faciat vacare a curis. Sed Varro primo rer. divin. Minervam dicit, quod ea maxime hi gaudent qui sapientiae vacant. Schol. Cruq. in loc.

309. More vetusto, scil, of offering to Vesta at the sacrifices to the other gods. Gierig, I think is wrong, in understanding it of the custom of sitting before the altars.

310. Missos cibos. Some portion of the sacred food was sent on a clean plate to the temple of Vesta. Was it from the sacrifices in general, or only from those to Vacuna?

311. Ecce, etc. It was usual on festivals and holidays, to put garlands on such animals as had a share in them, or were in any way sacred to the deity, in whose honour they were held. See I. 663. V. 52. Tibull II. 1. 8. Wernsdorf. Exc. VII. to Grat. Cyneg. in the Poetae Minores, Tom. I. p. 261. At the Vestalia, the mills stopped working, the mill-stones were wreathed with garlands, and the asses were likewise crowned, and had bread hung about their necks. See on v. 347. Vesta coronatis pauper gaudebat asellis, says Propertius (iv. l. 21.) speaking of ancient times.

313. See II. 525.

315-316. Panem primo cinis calidus et fervens testa percoxit; deinde furni paullatim reperti sunt et alia genera. Seneca Ep. 90. Panem testicium sic facito.—Ubi bene subegeris defingito coquitoque sub testa. Cato R. R. 74. Testuatium, quod in testu caldo coquebatur. Varro L. L. IV. The poet's description agrees rather with that of Seneca, and is nearly the common mode of baking cakes at the present day.

317. This is the true reason, why the millers and bakers kept the Vestalia. There was no reason, but his inability to resist the temptation, for telling the following story.

320. Compare I. 391 et seq.

320. Quamvis, etc. "Silenus creditus musca dialium eonviviorum." Neapolis.

325. Nec licet. "Respicit Tantali fabulam, qui epulis admotus, cum ibi acta narrasset, poenam sensit." Burmann.

327. Vallibus. Most MSS. read collibus.

329. Brachia nectit, scil. in the dance. Compare Hor. Car. II. 12. 17. In both these places brachia is, I should think, equivalent to manus. They did not waltz in those days.

330. Compare Hor. Car. I. 37, 1, III. 18. iv. 1, 27.

338. See I. 433.

345, 346. Heinsius, and, after him, Krebs, regarded this distich as an interpolation. But, if we take away these two verses, the relative to quem (v. 347,) is ille, (v. 344) which, though Krebs asks, "Asinus an Priapus?" is, beyond question, the latter; unless, with Neapolis, we read illa, and then the antecedent would be the ille of v. 342. I can see no objection to v. 345; there is a difficulty, and, I should suspect, a corruption, in the following verse. It would seem from it that, as Neapolis observes, "hujus (asini) exta quotannis oblata arae Vestali," a practice, of the existence of which we have no other proof, and which would be at variance with the whole of the poet's narrative, the object of which is, to give a reason for Vesta's favour to the ass. "An unquam a Romanis asinus Priapo mactatus sit, dubito; nec umquam Vestae asini exta oblata sunt." Krebs. The whole difficulty might be removed if we were to read jacit, or some such word, governed of Lampsacos, for damus. It is evident that these verses were in the copy of Ovid's Fasti, used by Lactantius, for he manifestly (Inst. I. 21,) takes the story from him. Lampsaceni asellum Priapo quasi in ultionem mactare consueverunt; cum enim hic deus Vestae dormienti vim inferre conaretur, asinus intempestivo clamore eam excitavit. Hinc libido insidiatoris detecta. Apud Romanos eundem asellum Vestalibus sacris in honorem pudicitiae corservatae panibus coronant.

347. Diva memor. See end of preceding note. The zealous Father adds, Quid turpius? quid flagitiosius quam si Vesta beneficio asini virgo est?—De pan. monil. "Quod attinet ad formam panis—in modum coronas fuisse existimo. Hae coronae sunt quae Valentinianus et Valens in Lege De annonis civicis et pane gradili vocant buccellas. Soli Siculi hanc vocem hodie retinent qui materna lingua hujusmodi panes dicunt buccellatos; Castellani vocant rosquillas." Neapolis. I imagine these are nothing more than those cakes or loaves made in the shape of a ring, which are so commonly to be met with even in France. It is probable that a number of these were strung together, and hung about the necks of the mill-asses. Perhaps, as Neapolis observes, this will be illustrated by the following passage in the Plutus of Aristophanes, [Greek: Kago g' anadaesai boulomai Euangelia s' en kribanoton ormatho Toiaut apangeilanta].

349. He makes a digression here, as he is on the subject of bread, to relate the origin of the altar on the Capitol to Jupiter Pistor.—Nom. quam pret. celeb. The altar was small, and of little account. "Jovem Pistorem nemo novit praeter Nostrum et Lactantium Inst. I. 20, qui sua ex Ovidio omnia deprompsit." Krebs.

350. Dicam Pistoris. Some MSS. read Discant, or Dicant Pistores.

351. For the account of the capture of Rome by the Gauls, A.U.C. 364, see Liv. v. 32, et seq. Plutarch, Camillas, and study Niebuhr's masterly examination of the whole story. Hom. Hist. II. 528, et seq.

359. Compare Virg. aen. I. 257.

361. Suburbanos. See on III. 668.

363, 364. So the matter is related by Livy and Florus; according to Plutarch, they were slain in the Forum.—_aerata atria. "In quibus statuae aeneae; dispositae." Gierig. I do not recollect to have read anywhere that the statues of their ancestors in the Atria of the Roman nobles, in the olden time, were of bronze. In our poets' days, there were even golden figures in them, but of a different kind. See Lucret. II. 24. aerata, like aurata, which is the reading of two MSS. may mean simply adorned with brass. Lipsius proposed cerata; Heinsius reserata, which agrees with the patentia atria of Livy, the patentes domos of Florus, and the _apertas januas of Val. Max. III. ll7.—Picta Veste. The triumphal robe of purple and gold.

365. The Eternal Fire, and other sacred things, were conveyed from Rome to Caere.

366. Putant, etc. It is plain they believe the gods to have some power. In the editions, prior to that of Gierig, there was a note of interrogation after deos, which gave a wrong sense.

367. Qua vos, etc. The Capitol. Jupiter, Junoque Regina ac Minerva, ceterique Dii Deaeque qui Capitolium arcemque incolitis. Liv. VI. 16.

375. Lituo. The lituus was the staff with a curved top, used by the augurs, its form has been retained in the bishops' crosier. Compare Virg. aen. vii. 187.

377. Publica cura. It is a public matter, it concerns us all. He transfers to the gods the phraseology of the Roman republic. Liv. II, 41. III. 48.

381. Cereris. Ceres is frequently used for bread. Compare Virg. aen. I. 177.

383. Sat. virgo. Vesta. See on v. 285.

391. Ceres. See on v. 381.

395. The poet was, or feigns he was, once during the Vestalia, coming along the street, named the Via Nova, which led into the Forum, when he saw a lady (matrona) coming down it barefoot. An old woman of the neighbourhood observing his surprise, gave him, as he says, the following explanation. As Vesta had a temple near the Via Nova, (Liv. v. 32.) it was probably thither that the lady was going to worship.

401. Before the Cloacae were constructed, the valleys between the hills of Rome were little better than marshes, in consequence of the frequent inundations of the Tiber. Locus palustris tum fuit Lacus Curtius, in foro, antequam cloacae sunt factae. Varro, L. L. IV.

403. Curtius Lacus. For the supposed origin of this name, see Liv. I. 13. vii. 6. It retained its name, like so many places in London, and other cities, after its nature had been totally changed.—Siccas aras, as the place was now drained. Forum Romanum. Ara Saturni in lacu Curtio. P. Victor, Reg. VIII. Ovid may have meant this altar alone, or it and others which were in that place.

405-408. At qua Velabri regio patet ire solebat Exiguus pulsa per vada linter aqua. Tibull. II. 6, 33. Qua Velabra suo stagnabant flumine, quaque Nauta per urbanas velificabat aquas. Propert. iv. 9, 5. Aventinum montem maxime puto dictum ab advectu; nam olim paludibus mons erat ab reliquis disclusus. Itaque eo ex urbe qui advehebantur ratibus quadrantem solvebant; cujus vestigia, quod ea, qua tum itur, Velabrum, et unde adscendebant ad Rumam, Nova Via: lucus et sacellum Larum. Velabrum dicitur a vehendo; velaturam facere etiam nunc dicuntur, qui id mercede faciunt. Varro, L. L. IV.—Pampas, scil. Circenses.—Cantat, etc. In this place, the present tense must be used for the past, as she is speaking of the state of the Velabrum in former times.

409, 410. The Tuscan street, in which there stood a statue of Vertumnus, was here. In vico Tusco Vortumnus stat deus Etruriae. Varro, L. L. IV. Tuscus ego (Vertumnus) et Tuscis orior.—Romanum satis est posse videre forum. Hac quondam Tiberinus iter faciebat, et aiunt Remorum auditos per vada pulsa sonos. At postquam ille suis tantum concessit alumnis, Vertumnus verso dicor ab amne deus. Propert, iv. 2. For Vertumnus, see Mythology, p. 474.

411. Hic, in this place i. e. the Via Nova.—Lucus, a sacred grove, as the word scarcely ever occurs in any other sense. It may have been undergrown with reeds and rushes.

412. Pede velato, with a shod foot—an unusual employment of velo.

415. Causam. "Causam positi calcei censet ex antiqua necessitate in eos annos perdurasse, non ex numinis reverentia: ad quem respexit etiam apud antiquos nudipedis incessus." Neapolis. The rejected cause is however much more likely to be the true one. Etiam in this note contains an allusion to the barefoot processions in Catholic countries.

417. Cetera, etc. All that remains to be told about Vesta, he had heard when a boy, perhaps been taught at school, and he supposes the case may have been the same with others.

419. For this account of the Palladium, see, Apollodorus, III. 12. or Mythology, p. 437.

423. Cura, etc. From Trist. I. 2. 77. and Ep. ex Pont. II. 10. 21. it appears that Ovid had at one time travelled for pleasure and information through Greece, Asia Minor, and Sicily.

427. Aetheriam deam, the [Greek: Diopetes], the heaven-fallen Palladium.

432. See v. 15.

433. Genus Adrasti, Diomedes the son of Tydeus by Deipyle, the daughter of Adrastus, king of Argos.

434. Datur. This is the reading of only one MS. all the rest have ferunt.

436. The reason why the Palladium was kept in the temple of Vesta.

437. This conflagration took place in the time of the second Punic war. L. Caecilius Metellus, a consular, was Pontifex Maximus. See Dion. Hal. II. 66. Liv. Epit. 19. Val. Max. I. 4, Plin. H. N. vii. 43.

454. Metellus lost his eyes in the flames. To compensate him, in some measure, the senate made a decree, allowing him to come to the senate-house in a chariot, an honour never before bestowed on any one.

457-460. See on III. 30.

461. On the day of the Vestalia, A.U.C. 619. D. Junius Brutus acquired the title of Callaïcus, by a victory over the Callaeci or Gallaeci, the people of that part of Spain still called Gallicia.

465. On the same day Crassus was defeated and slain. See V. 580, et seq.

469-472. On the IV. Id. the Dolphin rises in the evening.—Viola, the garlands of flowers, v. 311, with which the mill-asses were decorated.

473-562. On the III. Id, as tradition related, the temple of Mater Matuta was dedicated, and the festival of the Matralia instituted in her honour, by Servius Tullius. For an account of this goddess, see below on v. 550.

474. Equis. This is the reading of sixteen MSS. three of which are of the best quality, all the rest read aquis, which is the reading of Heinsius and Gierig, and which, though less picturesque, is more probably the right one. In favour of equis, may be quoted Met. xv. 189, quumque albo Lucifer exit Clarus equo; for aquis: Qualis ab Eois Lucifer ortus (or exit) aquis. Ep. ex Pont. II. 5, 50.

476. Theb. deae. Mater Matuta was identified with Ino, the daughter of Cadmus, made a goddess under the name of Leucothea. Hom. Od. v. 333.— Liba. See v. 537.

478. Area, etc. The Forum Boarium, in which stood a brazen image of a bull, which had been brought from Greece. Tacit. An. xii. 24. Plin. H. N. xxxiv. 2. Livy also (xxxiii. 27.) mentions the temple of Matuta in this forum.

480. This temple was repaired by Camillus after the capture of Veii, A.U.C. 359. Liv. v. 19, Plut. Camill. 5.

481. See on v. 551.

484. Vatis opus. Two of the best MSS. read navis iter, which Heinsius and Gierig have received; one has vatis iter. Ovid, no doubt, frequently employs this metaphor, (see on IV. 729,) but it does not please me in this place.

485. Sec III. 715, 769. Met. III. 313.

490. See Met. iv. 516.

491. Compare V. 451. Animamgue sepulcro Condimus. Virg. aen. III. 67; on which Servius says, Insepultorum animae vagae sunt; rite reddita legitima sepultura, redit anima ad quietem. See also Hor. Car. I. 28, 23.

495. The Isthmus of Corinth.

498. In alta, scil. maria.

499. Panope, etc. the Nereïdes.

501. Nond, Leuc. etc. See v. 545.

502. The Nereïdes conveyed them to the mouth of the Tiber.

503. Semelae Stimulae. The latter, or something like it, was, I have no doubt, the original name, and its resemblance to Semele, gave occasion to the change. Saera Bacchanalia condemnata sunt, quum probatum esset Senatui, honestissimas feminas ad Stimulae lucum faede adulterari. Schol. Juven. II. 3. Augustine also mentions a goddess, Stimula. In Liv. xxxix. 12, it is lucus Similae. Neapolis and Heinsius think that it is the grove of Fauna Fatua, or the Bona Dea, which Ovid means, as Macrobius (I. 12,) when speaking of Maia, or the Bona Dea, says, _Boeoti Semelam credunt, nec non eandem Fauni filiam dicunt.

507. Dissim. deam, by assuming the form of some particular woman.— Saturnia, Juno.

508. Instimulat, alluding, perhaps, to the Stimula of v. 503.

509. Captae. See on v. 204.

511. The ancients were very solicitous to keep the knowledge of their sacred rites from strangers, fearing that their gods might be induced to withdraw their protection from them. See Mythology, p. 142.

512. Pignus, scil. her child.

518. Oetaeus, proleptically. Hercules burned himself on Mt. Oeta.

524. Numen. Juno.

526. Continet, restrains, prevents her from telling.—In scelus, by attempting to destroy herself and her child. See v. 497.

528. Compare Virg. aen. iv. 174.

532-534. The cause of cakes being offered at the Matralia. Libum, quod libaretur, ut erat, priusquam esset coctum. Testuatium quod in testu caldo coquelatur, ut etiam nunc Matralibus id faciunt matronae. Varro, L. L. IV.

537-540. Compare Virg. aen. vi. 47.

547. Ut Portunus a portu, sic Neptunus a nando, Cic. N. D. II. 26.

549. Annuerant. They granted her request.—Promissa, i. e. promissa est.—Fides, Faithful performance.

550. _Hic deus, etc. We may now enquire who Mater Matuta and Portunus were, and how they came to be identified with the Leucothea and Palaemon of the Greeks. Mater Matuta was worshiped, as we see, at Rome by the matrons: she was also adored at Satricum, a town of the Volscians (Liv. vi. 33. vii. 27. xxviii. 2.) perhaps the goddess, whose rich temple near Caere was, according to Diodorus (xv. 14.), plundered by Dionysius of Syracuse, was Mater Matuta. From all that we can learn of her, there appears no reason whatever for regarding her as a marine deity. On the other hand, Lucretius, (v. 655.) says, Tempore item certo roseam Matuta per oras Aetheris Auroram defert et lumina pandit; and I think those critics are right who take Aurora in this place, like aura, Virg. aen. vi. 204, for a common substantive, the dawning light, and Matuta for the goddess who brings it forth, and spreads it over heaven. Matuta would then exactly correspond with the [Greek: Haeos] of the Greeks. Her name, also, leads to this conclusion. Manum dixere clarum, unde etiam mane post tenebras diei prima pars; inde Matuta quae Graecis Leucothea. Nonius. Matuta significat Auroram. Matutinum tempus inde dici vix monendum est. Priscian, II. p. 591. IF Matuta is thus the Clara Dea, how easy was the identification of her with the Leucothea (White Goddess) of the Greeks, at a time when the Romans had lost the true sense of their ancient religion, and wished to derive all their manners and institutions from Greece! The worship by the Roman matrons of Mater Matuta, the dispenser of light, was as natural as that of Juno Lucina; and it is probable, (see on v. 559,) that originally they prayed to her for the preservation of their children. A slight resemblance of name, and a similarity of office, may also have produced the identification of Palaemon and Portunus or Portumnus. I need hardly repeat that the old Italian religion did not recognise the marriages and births of deities, or the deification of mortals. Before I quit this subject, I will attempt to elucidate a passage of Milton's Paradise Lost. In B. xi. v. 133, we read, "Meanwhile, To resalute the world with sacred light Leucothea wakes." As Eos is never called by this name, I was long of opinion that this was a slip of the poet's memory; but I now think that he may have derived it from the passage of Nonius quoted above, or have deduced it from those verses of Lucretius.

551. He here gives a trifling explanation of the custom of not admitting female slaves into the temple of Matuta. Plutarch however tells us, (Q. R. 16.) that one was always brought in and well cuffed by the matrons. As according to the same writer, the same kind of exclusion was practised at the temple of Leucothea in Chaeronea, the custom may have come from Greece to Rome.

559. Plutarch (Q. R. 17.) asks [Greek: Dia ti pura tae theo tautae tois men idiois teknois houk euchontai t' agatha, tois de ton adelphon]; He gives the same reason with Ovid. I rather think they did originally pray for their own children, but a change was made when Matuta became Leucothea.

563. On the day of the Matralia, A.U.C. 664, in the Marsian or Social war, the consul P. Rutilius Lupus fell in battle. Tradition, it would seem, related that the voice of the goddess Matuta had predicted to him his fate.

565. Flumen Toleni, like amnis Eridani, amnis Cocyti. The Tolenus, now the Turano, flows from the Marsian into the Sabine country, and enters the Velinus near Reate.

566. Purpureum. This is the reading of all the MSS. but one, which has purpureo, the reading of all the editions since that of Heinsius, who introduced it into the text. Krebs, has, I think, shewn his taste, by bringing back purpureum, and joining it with the verb, and not with flumen. The verse thus strikingly reminds one of these lines of Milton: "While smooth Adonis from his native rock Ran purple to the sea, supposed with blood Of Thammuz yearly wounded."

567. According to Appian, T. Didius was one of the Praetors in the Marsian war, but we have no account of his death. We learn from the epitome of Livy 75, and from Velleius, that Porcius was slain the following year, and the Fasti inform us, that he was consul for that year. Burmann would therefore read Porcius, but there is no necessity for a change. Ovid had access to authorities which are lost to us, and none that we have contradict him.—Pallantide. Pallantis, like Pallantias is a name of Aurora, See IV. 373.

569-636. On the same day with the temple of Mater Matuta; by the same person (Servius Tullius); in the same place (the Forum Boarium) the temple of Fortune was dedicated. Servius raised two temples to this goddess, viz. that of which Ovid now speaks, and another on the banks of the Tiber. The former, as it would appear to Bona or Virgo Fortuna, the latter to Fors Fortuna, or Fortuna Virilis. Dionys. IV. 27. See below on v, 776.

570. Auctor est M. Varro factam a Tanaquile togam regiam undulatam in aede Fortunae, qua, Servius Tullius fuerat usus.—Servii praetextae, quibus signum Fortunae ab eo dicatae coopertum erat, duravere ad Sejani exitum. Plin. H. N. viii. 48. 74. Varro himself, (de Vit. Pop. Rom. apud Nonium) says, evidently speaking of this statue, Et a quibusdam dicitur esse Virginis Fortunae, ab eo quod duabus undulatis togis est opertum, proinde ut tum reges nostri undulatas et praetextatas togas soliti sunt habere. Varro, therefore, regarded the covered statue as that of the goddess. Ovid asserts that it was Servius. This statue was of gilt wood.

575. This amour of Fortuna with Servius Tullius, is also noticed by Plutarch de Fort. Rom. 10. Qu. Rom. 26. It is one of the many adaptations of Grecian ideas to Roman story.

577, 578. Plutarch (de Fort. Rom. 10) says, [Greek: oste kai suneinai dokein auto taen Tychaen dia tinos thuridos katabainousa eis to domation, ho nun phenestellan pulaen kalousi]. I have not met with any thing more respecting the Porta Fenestellae. Onuph. Panvinius (De Rep. Rom. p. 60.) thinks it was a gate of the Palatium not of the city. Some MSS. read Fenestratae, others Fenestrile, Fenestrale, Fenestralis, etc.

581. A second reason for the statue being covered.

585. A third cause. See Liv. I. 46, 47. For the history of Servius Tullius, and a critical examination of it, see Niebuhr, Rom. Hist. 358— 365, 373—377.

590. Pia vita, scil. erga Servium.

593. Caput, scil, parentis. How much superior here, as in the Regifugium, is the historian to the poet!

609. Sceleratus. [Greek: Ootos o stenopos, Olbios kaloumenos proteron, ex ekeinou tou deinou kai musarou pathous Asebaes hypo Romaion kaleitai]. Dionys. iv. 39. In Livy, it is called the Virbius Clivus; by Solinus, the Clivus Olbius; and Festus mentions the Vicus Orbius. Were it not for these Latin testimonies, one might almost suspect that Dionysius meant to intimate that it was at first called the Vicus Felix.

612. Sub. imag. Tul. which represented Tullius.

619. Ore, etc. "Pudor intel, quo tenebantur Romani propter Servium impie et nefarie interfectum, qui retinebat eos, ne os ejus revelarent. Si revelassent, patuisset pudorem illum ab iis esse positum." Gierig. The address to the matronae, in the following line, would lead me rather to think that the meaning is: Female modesty (with an allusion to Tullia,) will begin to be departed from at Rome, the day that the face of Tullius is uncovered.

624. Rex septimus. That is reckoning Titus Tatius. Several MSS. read sextus in.

625. This is also related by Dionysius, (iv. 40,) and by Valerius Maximus (I. 8. 11).

627. Dionysius (iv. 2.) relates this legend also, and says, that he had found it in several of the Roman histories. See Liv. I. 39.

629. Peractis. Two MSS. of the first order read paratis, which Heinsius and Gierig have received, Of the common reading, Heinsius says, "Quomodo peracta sacra si vinum foco post affunderetur?" and Gierig, "Vulgo peractis quod ferri non potest." In its defence, Krebs says, "Hostia mactata in epulis sacris iterum libabatur."

630. Ornatum focum. The sacred hearth or altar was adorned and dressed, preparatory to a sacrifice.

633. Loco fovet. The old reading was foco sedet. Burmann gave the present one from six MSS. "Locus pars illa dici solet, quae feminae sexum indicat." Gierig.

636. Contigit, he (Vulcan) touched. See Liv. I, 39, Compare Virg. aen. II. 682.

637. See I. 639.—Dedicat. "Dedicantur non modo templa, sed Dii quoque, qui inter deos recipiuntur, positis in eorum honore templis, aut, quibus jam receptis nova tantum appellatione nova aedes instituitur. V. Mitscherl ad Hor. I. Od. 31. I." Gierig.

640. Vedius Pollio, a man of great luxury, left, by will, to Augustus, his house, which covered a great extent of ground. Augustus, under pretext of its being too large, threw it down, and built the Porticus Liviae on its site.

641, Compare Sall. Cat. I2.

643. Sub crim. reg. Alluding perhaps to the case of Valerius Poplicola, (Liv. II. 7.) or of Sp. Cassius, or M. Manlius.

650. On the Ides of June a temple had been dedicated to Jupiter, and the Lesser Quinquatrus were celebrated.—Invicto. As no temple of Jupiter Invictus is spoken of by any ancient writer, Neapolis properly considered invicto here to be an epithet, and not a cognomen. He therefore, following an ancient MS. printed it as a common adjective. Heinsius and Burmann did the same. Gierig and Krebs print it as an epithet.

651. For the Quinquatrus Majores see III. 809. Of these Varro, L. L. V. says, Quinquatrus minusculae dictae Juniae Eidus ab similititdine majorum, quod tibicines tum feriati per urbem vagantur et conveniunt ad aedem Minervae. The notice in Festus is to the same effect. See also below on v. 657.

653-692. This story is told also in the same way by Plutarch, Quaest. Rom. 55. and somewhat differently by Livy ix. 30. and by Valer. Max. II. 5.

654. Stola, This is the reading of six MSS. all the rest have toga, but it is manifest from Plutarch, that the present is the right reading, for he says of the musicians, [Greek: en esthaesin anthinais kai gynaikeiais ontes].

656. Possem utinam. One MS. reads pace velim, which is the reading given by Heinsius and Gierig.

657. Musica nisi grata esset diis, profecto ludi scenici placandor. deor. causa instituti non essent, nec tibicen omnibus supplicationibus in sacris aedibus adhiberetur, nec cum tibicine triumphus ageretur; non Apolline cithara, non Musis tibiae ceteraque id genus essent attributa; non tibicinibus, per quos numina placantur esset permissum aut ludos publice facere, aut vesci in Capitolio, aut Quinquat. minusc. id est Eidibus Juniis urbem vestitu, quo velint, personatis temulentisque pervagari. Censorinus de Die Natali, 12.

661, 662. The labour was sweetened by the reward, i.e. the honour of eating in the temple of Jupiter, but (so que must be understood,) a time came which broke the work of Grecian art, i. e. pipe-music, as the invention of the pipe was ascribed (see v. 697) to the Grecian goddess Pallas Athena.—Graiae. This is the reading of four of the best MSS. and of some others. The rest have gratae, which I should prefer, if I were sure that Ovid knew that the cithara was the ancient and national instrument of Greece, in opposition to the tibia of Asia and Italy. The time of which the poet speaks here, was according to Livy, A.U.C. 442, when they were prohibited by the censors Ap. Claudius and C. Plautius, from eating in the Capitoline temple.

663. aedilis. It is uncertain who this aedile was. Pighius conjectures Ap. Claudius who he says was Curule aedile, A.U.C. 440. In the xii. Tables (A.U.C. 305.) was the following law respecting funerals, Tria si volet ricinia et vincula purpurae at decem tibicines adhibito. Hoc plus ne facito. It would appear that this law which had fallen into neglect, was put in force by the aedile, of whom the poet speaks.

665. Exilium was not banishment; it was, to use the words of Niebuhr, "nothing but the act, whereby a man renounced the freedom of his own city, by taking up his municipal franchise—in a city which had a sworn treaty of isopolity with Rome." See on IV. 791. I am not however sure that Ovid uses it here in its proper sense. See on v. 685.

666. Compare Ep. ex Pont. I. 3. 81.

669. Servierat, He was a freedman. According to Livy it was the government of Tibur who had recourse to the following stratagem, when envoys had been sent to them from Rome.

671. Dapes, probably a sacrifice. See on IV. 745.

671. Auctor vindictae, your patron or former master. The vindicta used here for liberty, was the rod which the lictor laid on the head of the slave who was about to be manumitted.

680. Sirpea lata. Several MSS. read scirpea "Lego sirpea lata fuit. Sirpare veteribus pro colligare, Graecis [Greek: plekein]. Ergo sirpea, colligatum, [Greek: to plegma]. Tegiticula igitur quaedam e vimine contexta circa plaustrum erat, sudibus munita ut expanderetur ne aliquid decideret." Neapolis. Quae jumenta ducunt sirpea (Al. scirpea), quae virgis sirpatur_ (scirpatur), id est colligando implicatur, in qua stercus aliudve quid evehitur. Varro, L. L. IV. The same writer makes the difference between a plaustrum and a scirpea, tragula, vehiculum or arcerra, as it was variously called, to consist in this, that the former was open, the latter closed. Plutarch, on this occasion, calls them [Greek: amaxas derrhesi kuklo perikaluptomenas]. The simple meaning is, they were sent in covered carts to Rome.

685. Plaudits. This is the conjecture of Pighius; almost all the MSS. read Callidus, two of the best give Claudius, as a various reading, some have cautius. There must be a proper name, and, if we are to follow Livy, it can be no other than Plautius. This is confirmed by a medal of the Plautian family (Eckhel, Vol. v.) bearing on one side a female mask, with the inscription L. Plautius: on the other, a winged Aurora driving four horses, with Plancus inscribed. This medal evidently commemorates the act and the time of day. Ovid, perhaps, followed a peculiar version of the story, and it would not in the least surprise me, if in it the musicians had been ordered by the senate to quit Rome, and go to Tibur, for, if this trick had been played by the desire of the senate, why seek thus to deceive them? If the musicians had not been ordered to leave Rome, what is the meaning of vv. 689, 690? In this case, Ovid will have used exilium, v. 665, in its later sense of banishment to a certain place, He was himself relegated to Tomi, and, in his Tristia, he frequently calls himself an exul.

687. Tibicina, a sing. for a plural.

696. Haec turba, the tibicines. For the following story of Marsyas, see Met. vi. 383. Mythology, pp. 95, 123.

711. On the XVII. Kal. Jul. the Hyades rise acronychally.—Dodoni Thyene. Some MSS. read Dodoni Dione, and Dione was worshiped at Dodona (Mythology, p. 105.); but Pherecydes says that the seven Hyades who nursed Bacchus, were also called Dodonides, and Thyene is, in him, one of them. See Hygin. Astr. Il. 21.

712. Agen. bov. See on III. 658. IV. 717.

713. Purg. Vestae. Sec v. 227.

715. On the XVI. Kal. Favonius begins to blow.

717. On the same day (XVI. Kal.) the upper part of Orion rises acronychally. How Neapolis blunders here! "Eadem luce cum Sole Orion simul emergit; nec est cur ambigas an agat de ortu cosmico."

718. None of the commentators makes any remark on this line, which is not devoid of difficulty. Is stella serena the sun, which, when in the horizon, is on the verge of the two hemispheres? Is it Orion, of which Hyginus (Astr. III. 33.) says, Orionem a zona et reliquo corpore aequinoctialis circulus dividit? Or, finally, is stella for stellae, as IV. 390? But what then is meant by geminos polos? After this line most MSS. insert III. vv. 401, 402.

719. Prol. Hyr. See V. 493, et seq.

720. The following night (XV. Kal.) the Dolphin rises.—Continua. See V. 734.

721. A.U.C. 323, the dictator, A. Postumius Tubertus, triumphed after his defeat of the Volscians and Aequians, on the Algidus. For the importance of this victory, see Niebuhr, (II. 449—452.) who, referring to this place of Ovid, says, that it was gained A. D. XIII. Kal. Quinctil. or 18th June, the day of Collin and Waterloo.

723. Suburb. triump. As the Algidus was between Tusculum and the Alban Mount. See on III. 667.

725. On the XIII. Kal. Jul. the sun enters Cancer. Columella (R. R. xi. 2.49.) gives the same day. A temple was dedicated on this day to Minerva on the Aventine.

729. On the XII. Kal. Jul. in the time of Pyrrhus, a temple was dedicated to a god named Summanus. Pyrrhus entered Italy A.U.C. 473.—Nurus. Aurora, who was married to his son, Tithonus.

731. Summano. The poet, we may observe, is not certain who this god is. The following passages may help to remove the doubt: Pluto qui etiam Summanus dicitur, quasi Summus Manium. Mart. Capella, II. p. 40. Pluto Summanus, appears in Inscriptions. Romani fulmina diurna attribuunt Jovi, nocturna Summano. Plin. H. N. II. 52. Quum Summanus in fastigio Jovis Opt. Max.—e coelo ictus esset. Cic. Div. I. 10. P. Victor (Reg. XI.) places in the Circus Maximus the Aedes Ditis patris, and a fragment of an old Calendar has on this day Summan. ad. Circ. Max. Varro, (L. L. IV.) joins Summanus with Vulcan, and says, that Tatius built a temple to him. It is thus, I think, tolerably certain, that this god was the same with Dis and Orcus, and with the Hades or Pluto of the Greeks. See Mythology, p. 468.

733-762. On the evening of the same day, Ophiuchus rises.—Patriis, Galatea was one of the Nereïdes.

733. Juvenis, Aesculapius.—Avitis, of his grandfather Jupiter.

736. As being Ophiuchus, i.e. the Serpent-holder.

737. See the Hippolytus of Euripides. Mythology, p. 356.

746. Coronides. Aesculapius, the son of Coronis.

750. See Hygin. Ast. II. 14. Mythology, pp. 385, 411.

751, 752. Heinsius, I think justly, suspected these lines.

755. Sec III. 203. Virg. aen. vii. 774.

757. Clymenus, Pluto. Thus Lasus (ap. Athen. x.) [Greek Daemaetra melpo, Korante Klumenoio alochon].

762. Quod vetat, seil, to raise the dead.

763-768. On the IX. Kal. Jul. A.U.C. 537, the consul, C. Flaminius, in opposition to the auspices, gave battle to Hannibal at the Trasimene lake.—Vincere. To fight and to conquer were with Germanicus the same, according to the poet.

769. On the VIII. Kal. Jul. A.U.C. 551, Syphax was overcome by the Roman and Masinissa. Liv. xxx. 3-13.

770. Hasdrubal. It is uncertain what Hasdrubal is meant. Perhaps he who was overcome and slain at the Metaurus, A.U.C. 547. Liv. xxvii. 49.

771. Tacitis annis. Compare I. 65.

773. Honores, the festival.

776-784. The same day was the anniversary of the dedication of the temple of Fors Fortuna. Dies Fortis Fortunae appellatus ab Servio Tullio rege, quod is fanum Fortis Fortunae secundum Tiberim extra urbem Romam dedicavit Junio mense. Varro, L. L. V. There was another temple of this goddess in the same place, built A.U.C. 459. Carvilius consul de reliquo aere aedem Fortis Fortunae de manubiis faciendam locavit prope aedem ejus dece ab rege Serv. Tullio dedicatam. Liv. x. 46 Fors Fortuna is evidently the same with the Fortuna Virilis of IV. 145, and this last name appears to have originated in a mistake, for the true name of the goddess is Fors, not Fortis, Fortuna. Fors Fortuna, in quo incerti casus significantur magis. Cic. Leg. II. 11. 28. Aliud Fortuna est, aliud Fors Fortuna; nam Fors Fortuna est cujus diem festum colunt qui sine arte aliqua vivunt: hujus aedes trans Tiberim est. Donat. Ter. Phorm. v. 6. 1. Dionysius (iv. 27.) and Plutarch (De Fort. Rom.) render it in Greek, [Greek: Tuchae andreia], or [Greek: ischura] or [Greek: aristeutikae]. Ovid in this place agrees with them, but Cicero could hardly, I think, have made a mistake.