Note 3, 67 — A. PERSIUS FLACCUS (continued 3)

67. quid sumus: The independent form with the Indicative is more lively; the regular dependent form with the Subjunctive comes in below, v. 71. G., 469, R. 1; A., 67, 2, d.—quidnam = quam vitam. G., 331, R. 2; A., 52, 3, a, N.—victuri: The use of the Participle in an interrogative clause is unnatural in English (G., 471). The future Participle of purpose is late or poetical (G., 673; A., 72, 4, a). ‘And what the life that we are born to lead.’—ordo: According to Heinr. and Jahn ordo is used with reference to the position in the chariot-race, so that the comparison begins here, and not at metae. Soph., El., 710: στάντες δ᾽ ἵν᾽ αὐτοὺς οἱ τεταγμένοι βραβεῖς | κλήροις ἔπηλαν καὶ κατέστησαν διφρους. But as τάξις (ordo) is a Stoic term, it is not unlikely that the use of the word suggested the figure, which came in as an after-thought. The Stoic preacher, as well as the Christian, finds it necessary to repeat himself in slightly different forms, and we must not look for a sharp distinction between ordo quis datus and humana qua parte locatus es in re, between quidnam victuri gignimur and quem te deus esse iussit.