435, 436. The grove of Juno Lucina. Varro, L. L. iv.

440. Mira, wonderful things.

441. Italidas. Several of the best MSS. read Italias.—Sacer hircus. Four MSS. read caper hirtus, in favour of which, it is urged, that as the caper was a gelt hircus, the wonder was the greater; and v. 445, a caper is sacrificed. I should feel disposed to adopt this reading, which is that of Heinsius, Burmann and Gierig.

443. His name has not come down to us.

444. Etruria was renowned for augury.

449, 450. Two derivations of Lucina; one from lucus, as if she was so named from being worshiped in a grove; a second from lux, as the light proceeded from her. This last might identify Juno Lucina with the moon, and with the Eilcithyia of the Greeks. See Mythology, p. 154.

451. Facilis seems to answer to [Greek: praumaetis], an epithet of Eilcithyia.

453-458. On the day of the Lupercalia, the sun entered Pisces, and winds began to blow, which continued for six days.

461. Dione, Venus. In Homer, this goddess is the daughter of Dione. Ovid confounds them, as he does the Hyperion and Helius (Sol) of Homer.

462. In the Giant-war. See Mythology, p. 238.

471. Others say, the goddess and her son turned themselves into fishes at the approach of Typhon.

473, 474. He confounds, in the usual manner, the Aphrodite of the Greeks, and Venus of the Latins, with the Atergatis or Derceto of the Syrians.— Timidi, scil. Deorum, pious.

475. There was no festival, and nothing remarkable on the XIV. Kal. Mart. The Quirinalia were on the following day. He takes this occasion of relating the end of Romulus and his apotheosis. See Livy, I. 13. It occurred on the Nones of Quinctilis.

477-480. Three derivations of the name Quirinus. The first is the true one. See Mythology, p. 472.

484. Officio. The care and labour of Romulus.

487. This is a line of Ennius. It also occurs, Met. xiv. 814.—The poet, in this account of the Assumption of Romulus, evidently keeps close to the Annals of the old poet.

491. The Palus Caprea, or Capreae, was in the Campus Martius.— Capreae. Some MSS. read Caprae; one Capream, which is adopted by Heinsius, Burmann and Gierig. The Greeks called it [Greek: aigos hae zorkos helos].

492. Jura dabas. According to most accounts he was reviewing the army. The poet may, however, have used these words only in a general sense, to denote any exercise of his authority. The assembly of the Roman people on the Campus Martius was always regarded as an exercitus. See Niebuhr on the Centuries. Rom. Hist. Vol. I.

493. Sol. fugit, in consequence of the darkness. It is not necessary, with Dionysius and others, to suppose an eclipse.

496. See Hor. Car. III. 3, 15. This circumstance was evidently in the Annals of Ennius, from which both poets derived it.—Fit fuga, hence this day was also called the Populifugiun.

498. Fides, belief or opinion.

500. Luna fulgebat, consequently there could not have been an eclipse of the sun. Livy says, that Romulus appeared prima luce, at the dawn of day. Several MSS. read surgebat. I prefer the common reading, as the poet, by saying that Proculus carried no torch, evidently means to express bright moon-light.

501. Sinistrae, the lucky side, according to Etrurian augury.—Nubes crepuere. Several MSS. read Sepes tremuere, or sonuere.

503. The usual signs of divinity.—Trabea. See above, I. 37. Plutarch says, that Romulus appeared [Greek: huplois lamprois kai phlegousi kekosmaemenos]. As the poet here uses the word trabea, I would take jura dabas above, v. 492, in its simple sense.

510. Populos, the Romans and Sabines, or probably as above, I. 38, for cives. Many MSS. read patres.

511. Collis, the Quirinal. Festus, with much greater probability, supposes it to have derived its name from the Sabines from Cures having settled on it. Niebuhr thinks there was a town on it named Quirium, whence came the name Quirites, at first peculiar to the Sabine portion of the Roman people.

512. The Quirinalia were stativa. See note on I. 657.

513. Another name for the Quirinalia was the Stultorurn Feriae, because those who from ignorance, or from having been on a journey, or from want of time, or any other just cause, had not sacrificed with the rest of the people on the Fornicalia, which was an indictive festival, (see preceding note) did so on the Quirinalia. The poet takes this occasion of relating the supposed origin of the Fornicalia.

519. Jaciebant, cast, i. e. sowed.

526. Temperet, that is, keep from burning.

527. Curio. Romulus, we are told, divided the people into 30 curiae, over each of which was a curio. The Curio Maximus presided over the 30 Curiones.—Leg. verb. ex gr. Lavatio Deum Matris est hodie. Jovis epulum eras est. Aesculapii geritur celebraturque vindemia. Lectisternium Cereris erit Idibus proximis. Arnobius, L. vii.

529. Multa tabella. On which was inscribed in what Curia each part of the people was to worship.

533. The Feralia, in honour of the dead, were celebrated on the 19th of February, as this was formerly the last month of the year. Festus derives Feralia, à ferendis epulis vel a feriendis pecudibus.—Varro, ab inferis et ferendo epulas. The derivation from inferis is nearest the truth.

537. Porrectis. One MS. which is followed by Heinsius, and the other editors, reads projectis.

542. Sua verba, suitable words.

545. See Virg aen. v. 94, et seq.

548. Par. dies, the days on which the Parentalia were celebrated.— Deseruere, neglected.

554. Deformes, scil, simulacra modis pallentia miris, or, as Lenz understands it, having no certain form.

557. Viduae puellae, either widows, or, if viduae is taken in its general sense, simply unmarried women. Two MSS. read avidae.

558. Puros dies, days not devoted to gloomy or melancholy matters, like the Feralia.

559, 560. Quae etc. opposed, it would appear, to the viduae of v. 557.—Hasta. It was the custom to divide the hair of a virgin-bride with the point of a small spear.

560. Torches were used at funerals and at the Parentalia, as well as at weddings.

563. During this time, the temples of the gods were closed, and no sacred rites performed.

566. That the souls of the dead loved to partake of food, is an opinion as old as the time of Homer. See the [Greek: nekuia] in the Odyssey.

567, 568. The Feralia, or last day for appeasing the Manes, was the XII. Kal. Mart, from which, to the end of the month, there were exactly eleven; that is, six and five days. Some have thought that the poet meant six feet only, and that therefore the Feralia were the VI. Kal. Mart, but this is contradicted by v. 684, and by an ancient calendar which places them on the XII. Kal. Mart.

569. See note on v. 533.

571. He now relates the rites performed on this day to the goddess Muta or Tacita, to bind the tongues of detractors. Neapolis thinks that the reason of uniting them with the Parentalia, may have been to give effect to the maxim, de mortuis nil nisi bonum.—Annosa, Heinsius would read vinosa or pannosa.

574. Brevis, i. e. parvus.

575. Plumbo. Black lead was employed in magic. One or two MSS. read rhombo, which is adopted by Heinsius and Gierig, and which I should also feel disposed to adopt. The rhombus or spindle, and the black or party-coloured threads were of great use in magic. See Virg. Ecl. viii. 75.

576. Seven, like three, was a magic number.

578. Maenae. The maena was a small fish of little value, which was salted and eaten by the poorer sort of people. It was used on this occasion symbolically, and was an appropriate offering to the goddess of Silence. This, which is the reading of only two MSS. has been adopted by all the editors: the MSS. in general read menta or mintha.

581. Vinximus. Vincire was the appropriate word to express the hindrance of any action by magic art.

583. This legend must have been invented long after the Romans had become acquainted with Grecian Mythology, as their ancient religion knew nothing of choirs of nymphs, or of amours of the gods. See Mythology, p. 450.

585. Indomita, [Greek: adamasto]. Many MSS. read immodico, and victus for captus.

598. The nymphs of the Anien, the god of which, according to our poet (Am. III. 6, 45,) espoused the mother of Romulus. Horace (Car. I. 2, 17,) unites her to the god of the Tiber.

600. That is, her name was 615. The Romans had both Lala, from lalia.

601. He makes her the daughter of the god of the river Almo.

605. Nuptam scil. Junonem. The common reading of the MSS. is nuptas; some have nymphae or _nympnam. It is evident that the poet wished to express the busy meddling loquacity of Lara, as it would have sufficed to set Juturna on her guard.

615. The Romans had both public and private Lares. The word Las is Etruscan and signified Lord. See V. 1238, et seq. and Mythology, pp. 481.482.

617—638. On the XI. Kal. Mart. was held the domestic feast, named the Caristia, from carus. "Convivium etiam solemne majores instituerunt, idque Caristia appellaverunt, cui praeter cognatos et affines nemo interponebatur; ut si qua inter necessarios querela esset orta, apud sacra mensae et inter hilaritatem animorum, fautoribus concordiae adhibitis, tolleretur." Valer. Max. II. 1.

619. He gives the reason why the Caristia followed immediately after the Feralia, that the dead might visit their friends, and have their share of the feast. See above note on v. 566.

625. Who thinks his father or mother lives too long.

628. Ino. For all the persons mentioned here, see my Mythology, under their names.

631. The Genii, and all the domestic gods, were called Di boni, [Greek: agathoi daimones]. The Lares or Penates are meant here.

633. Libate dapes. Place a portion of the food (dapes) on a patella to be set before the gods, i. e. the Lares. Libare, dapes, patella and honor, are all the appropriate terms.

634. Incinctos, that is, succinctos. See V. 2l7. 675. Persius Sat. V.3l.

635. Nox ultima, the latter part of the night towards morning, Most MSS. read humida.

636. Larga. One or two MSS. read parca, which Heinsius and Gierig adopt without hesitation,—Precaturi manu. Heinsius conjectures precaturae manus, which reading is adopted by Gierig. In their editions the line runs thus: Parca precaturae sumite vina manus.

637. It was considered highly culpable not to join the name of the prince in their supplications on occasions like this. Hence we seem to have derived the custom of drinking the king's health.

639. On the VIII. Kal. Mart. was the festival of the Terminalia, instituted, as was said, by Numa.

640. The Terminus or boundary, which also represented the god, was either a stone or a post of wood placed in the ground.

643. He here gives a minute description of the mode of worshiping the god of boundaries.—Duo domini, the owners of the ground on both sides.

644. Bina, same as duo.

645. Curto testu, a small earthen vessel. Heinsius has proved by abundant examples, that this was a usual sense of curtus.

648. Rami. These were driven into the ground, or rather into the sod-built altar, to keep the wood which was piled up from tumbling about.

650. Canistra, the basket in which were the corn, &c. to be used.

654. Candida, clad in white.

659. This is the hymn of the poet, rather than of the rustics.

663. The well-known story of the combat between three hundred Lacedaemonians and as many Argives, for the possession of Thyrea. See Herod. I. 82. Lucian, Charon, Valerius Maximus, &c.

665. Lectus, read; for when the three surviving Argives had run home with the news of their victory, thinking all the enemies dead, he got up, piled a trophy, and inscribed it with his blood. All the MSS. read tectus; lectus is the conjecture of Barthius, as Statius, Theb. iv. 47, says, Et Lacedaemonium Thyre lectura cruorem. It is almost certain that it is the true reading; the exclamation in the following line appears to confirm it.

667. See the story in Livy, I. 55.

669. Inventus. Five MSS. read conventus, which Heinsius and Gierig have adopted. Gierig interprets it cum ad eum convenissent augures. I must doubt if conventus ever occurs in this passive sense. Burmann proposes tunc lentus.

670. Unde in Capitolio superna pars tecti patet quae lapidem ipsum Termini spectat, nam Termino non nisi, sub divo sacrificabatur. Servius on aen. ixx. 448.

680. It is well known that aeneas landed in this part of the country. See Virgil, Livy, &c.

682. The boundary of the Roman dominion was at one time between the fifth and sixth milestone on the Laurentine way.—How it was enlarged in the days of the poet! A sacrifice to Terminus was still offered on that spot.

684. A play on words.

685. The Regifugium, or banishment of the Tarquins, is placed by the poet on the 24th February, the VIII. Kal. Mart. One very ancient MS. reads quintus, which reading is adopted by Neapolis and by Petavius, who accuses Ovid of gross negligence. One MS. reads Septimus extremo.

687. See the whole history in Livy, I. Niebuhr (Rom. Hist, I. 486,) justly gives the palm to the narrative of the historian over that of our poet. The modern historian's criticism of the whole story is exceedingly well worthy of perusal.

690. Livy, I. 53. It is the story of Zopyrus, transferred from Herodotus (III. 154,) to the Roman history.

694. Hoc Ithacus velit, et magno mercentur Atridae. Virg.

703. This also is taken from Herodotus, (v. 92) who tells us that Thrasybulus, the tyrant of Miletus, employed the same mode of giving counsel to Periander.

704. Sectus. Most MSS. read septus. The former is much to be preferred. Seco is frequently used of rivers.

706. In the ordinary narrative they are poppies.

713. The poet in his haste or negligence confounds matters here, for this response was given to their question, of who should be king of Rome. See Livy.

716. Turba. There were but two sons of Tarquin sent to consult the oracle.

729. Torus socialis, i.e. uxor.—In officio, faithful. Fundanos in officio esse. Liv. viii. 19.

733. Cui clarum, etc. When Tarquin took Collatia from the Sabines, he made his uncle, Egerius, governor of it, whose son was thence named Collatinus. A different, and much more probable origin of names of this kind, is given by Niebuhr. Rom. Hist. I. 293.

739. Nurum, the wife of Sextus Tarquinius. Nodell ad Avian, p. 108, proposes nurus. It is nurus in Livy. The poet (v. 725,) has, however, spoken of but one of the young Tarquinii.—Coronis, several MSS. read capillis, but compare v. 772.

744. Tenui, a low, soft voice.

746. Lacerna, a thick, warm, military cloak.

747. This is said to intimate the retired life which Lucretia led.

749. You will certainly be conquered at last; you hold out against better (i.e. braver) men. Dum pugnant Danai dum restat barbarus Hector, Propert, III. 7, 31. Nunc paucis plures vix restatis. Liv. xxiii. 45.

755. Intenta, drawn. Most MSS. read incepta.

765. Et quod, etc. Her modesty. Tum forma, tum spectata castitas incitat. Livy.

785. aerata, covered with brass.

787. Hostis ut hospes. This play on words was not disdained even by Livy, who puts it in the mouth of Lucretia herself.

788. He was second cousin to Collatinus.

807. Compare v. 809. Pro crimine, as a means of criminating you.

808. Adulter, scil. Sextus himself.

825. Hoc, scil. that I am obliged to relate my own disgrace. How infinitely superior is Livy here. It is probable that he kept much closer to Ennius than Ovid chose to do.

833. Euripides (Hec. 568,) says of Polyxena [Greek: hae de kai thnaeskous omos Pollaen pronoian eichen euschaemos pesein].

837. Brutus signifies stupid, foolish. Niebuhr shews well the inconsistencies and contradictions in the whole history of Brutus.

845. Ad verba. Eight MSS. read adversa.—Sine lumine, as being now sunk in death.

846. Concussa coma. Gierig thinks this is an allusion to the Jupiter of Homer, and condemns it; most justly, no doubt, if it is such, but of that I am by no means certain.

847. Fertur scil. effertur_.

848. Tears for her own hard fate; hatred (invidia, odium) of the tyrant.

853. Columella, xi. 2, says, that the, swallow is seen on the VII. Kal. Mart, Pliny, II. 47, says, Favonium quidam a. d. viii. Kal. Mart. Chelidoniam vacant ab hirundinis visu.—Veris praenuntia [Greek: haeros angelos imerophonos aaedon]. Sappho.

854. Qua scil. parte.

855. For Progne and Tereus, see Met. vi. 425, et seq. Mythology, p. 341.

857. The Equiria or horseraces on the Campus Martius, in honour of Mars, were held on the III. Kal. Mart.

861. Your month (tua tempora) demands a place in my poem.

864. Mihi. Five MSS. read mea.

LIBER III.

Bellice, depositis clypeo paullisper et hasta,
  Mars, ades, et nitidas casside solve comas.
Forsitan ipse roges, quid sit cum Marte poetae.
  A te, qui canitur, nomina mensis habet.
Ipse vides manibus peragi fera bella Minervae; 5
  Num minus ingenuis artibus illa vacat?
Palladis exemplo ponendae tempora sume
  Cuspidis; invenies et quod inermis agas.
Tum quoque inermis eras, quum te Romana sacerdos
  Cepit, ut huic urbi semina digna dares. 10
Silvia Vestalis—quid enim vetat inde moveri?—
  Sacra lavaturas mane petebat aquas.
Ventum erat ad molli declivem tramite ripam:
  Ponitur e summa fictilis urna coma.
Fessa resedit humi, ventosque accepit aperto 15
  Pectore, turbatas restituitque comas.
Dum sedet, umbrosae salices volucresque canorae?
  Fecerunt somnos, et leve murmur aquae.
Blanda quies victis furtim subrepit ocellis,
  Et cadit a mento languida facta manus. 20
Mars videt hanc, visamque cupit, potiturque cupitam,
  Et sua divina furta fefellit ope.
Somnus abit: jacet illa gravis. Jam scilicet intra
  Viscera, Romanae conditor urbis, eras.
Languida consurgit, nec scit, cur languida surgat, 25
  Et peragit tales arbore nixa sonos:
Utile sit faustumque, precor, quod imagine somni
  Vidimus! An somno clarius illud erat?
Ignibus Iliacis aderam, quum lapsa capillis
  Decidit ante sacros lanea vitta focos. 30
Inde duae pariter—visu mirabile—palmae
  Surgunt. Ex illis altera major erat,
Et gravibus ramis totum protexerat orbem,
  Contigeratque nova sidera summa coma.
Ecce meus ferrum patruus molitur in illas! 35
  Terreor admonitu, corque timore micat.
Martia picus avis gemino pro stipite pugnant
  Et lupa. Tuta per hos utraque palma fuit.
Dixerat: et plenam non firmis viribus urnam
  Sustulit.—Implerat, dum sua visa refert.— 40
Interea crescente Remo, crescente Quirino,
  Coelesti tumidus pondere venter erat.
Quo minus emeritis exiret cursibus annus,
  Restabant nitido jam duo signa deo:
Silvia fit mater. Vestae simulacra feruntur 45
  Virgineas oculis opposuisse manus.
Ara deae certe tremuit, pariente ministra,
  Et subiit cineres territa flamma suos.
Haec ubi cognovit contemptor Amulius aequi,
  —Nam raptas fratri victor habebat opes— 50
Amne jubet mergi geminos. Scelus unda refugit:
  In sicca pueri destituuntur humo.
Lacte quis infantes nescit crevisse ferino,
  Et picum expositis saepe tulisse cibos?
Non ego te, tantae nutrix Larentia gentis, 55
  Nec taceam vestras, Faustule pauper, opes.
Vester honos veniet, quum Larentalia dicam:
  Acceptus Geniis illa December habet.
Martia ter senos proles adoleverat annos,
  Et suberat flavae jam nova barba comae: 60
Omnibus agricolis armentorumque magistris
  Iliadae fratres jura petita dabant.
Saepe domum veniunt praedonum sanguine laeti,
  Et redigunt actos in sua rura boves.
Ut genus audierunt, animos pater editus auget, 65
  Et pudet in paucis nomen habere casis:
Romuleoque cadit trajectus Amulius ense,
  Regnaque longaevo restituuntur avo.
Moenia conduntur, quae, quamvis parva fuerunt,
  Non tamen expediit transiluisse Remo. 70
Jam, modo qua fuerant silvae pecorumque recessus,
  Urbs erat, aeternae quum pater urbis ait:
Arbiter armorum, de cujus sanguine natus
  Credor, et ut credar, pignora certa dabo,
A te principium Romano ducimus anno: 75
  Primus de patrio nomine mensis eat.
Vox rata fit, patrioque vocat de nomine mensem.
  Dicitur haec pietas grata fuisse deo.
Et tamen ante omnes Martem coluere priores;
  Hoc dederat studiis bellica turba suis; 80
Pallada Cecropidae, Minoia Creta Dianam,
  Vulcanum tellus Hypsipylea colit:
Junonem Sparte Pelopeïadesque Mycenae:
  Pinigerum Fauni Maenalis ora caput.
Mars Latio venerandus erat, quia praesidet armis. 85
  Arma ferae genti remque decusque dabant.
Quod si forte vacas, peregrinos inspice fastos:
  Mensis in his etiam nomine Martis erit.
Tertius Albanis, quintus fuit ille Faliscis:
  Sextus apud populos, Hernica terra, tuos. 90
Inter Aricinos Albanaque tempora constant
  Factaque Telegoni moenia celsa manu.
Quintum Laurentes, bis quintum Aequicolus asper,
  A tribus hunc primum turba Curensis habet.
Et tibi cum proavis, miles Peligne, Sabinis 95
  Convenit: hic genti quartus utrique deus.
Romulus, hos omnes ut vinceret ordine saltem,
  Sanguinis auctori tempora prima dedit.
Nec totidem veteres, quot nunc, habuere Kalendas,
  Ille minor geminis mensibus annus erat. 100
Nondum tradiderat victas victoribus artes
  Graecia, facundum, sed male forte genus.
Qui bene pugnabat, Romanam noverat artem;
  Mittere qui poterat pila, disertus erat.
Quis tunc aut Hyadas, aut Pliadas Atlanteas 105
  Senserat, aut geminos esse sub axe polos?
Esse duas Arctos, quarum Cynosura petatur
  Sidoniis, Helicen Graja carina notet?
Signaque, quae longo frater percenseat anno,
  Ire per haec uno inense sororis equos? 110
Libera currebant, et inobservata per annum
 Sidera: constabat sed tamen esse deos.
Non illi coelo labentia signa movebant,
  Sed sua: quae magnum perdere crimen erat.
Illa quidem feno; sed erat reverentia feno, 115
  Quantam nunc aquilas cernis habere tuas.
Pertica suspensos portabat longa maniplos:
  Unde maniplaris nomina miles habet.
Ergo animi indociles et adhuc ratione carentes
  Mensibus egerunt lustra minora decem. 120
Annus erat, decimum quum luna repleverat orbem.
  Hic numerus magno tunc in honore fuit;
Seu quia tot digiti, per quos numerare solemus:
  Seu quia bis quino femina mense parit:
Seu quod adusque decem numero crescente venitur; 125
  Principium spatiis sumitur inde novis.
Inde pares centum denos secrevit in orbes
  Romulus, Hastatos instituitque decem;
Et totidem Princeps, totidem Pilanus habebat
  Corpora, legitimo quique merebat equo. 130
Quin etiam paries totidem Titiensibus idem,
  Quosque vocant Ramnes, Luceribusque dedit.
Assuetos igitur numeros servavit in anno.
  Hoc luget spatio femina maesta virum.
Neu dubites, primae fuerint quin ante Kalendae 135
  Martis, ad haec animum signa referre potes,
Laurea Flaminibus, quae toto perstitit anno,
  Tollitur, et frondes sunt in honore novae.
Janua nunc Regis posita viret arbore Phoebi:
  Ante tuas fit idem, Curia Prisca, fores. 140
Vesta quoque ut folio niteat velata recenti,
  Cedit ab Iliacis laurea cana focis.
Adde, quod arcana fieri novus ignis in aede
  Dicitur, et vires flamma refecta capit.
Nec mihi parva fides, annos hinc isse priores, 145
  Anna quod hoc coepta est mense Perenna coli.
Hinc etiam veteres initi memorantur honores
  Ad spatium belli, perfide Poene, tui.
Denique quintus ab hoc fuerat Quintilis, et inde
  Incipit, a numero nomina quisquis habet. 150
Primus oliviferis Romam deductus ab arvis
  Pompilius menses sensit abesse duos:
Sive hoc a Samio doctus, qui posse renasci
  Nos putat, Egeria sive monente sua.
Sed tamen errabant etiam tunc tempora, donec 155
  Caesaris in multis haec quoque cura fuit.
Non haec ille deus, tantaeque propaginis auctor,
  Credidit officiis esse minora suis,
Promissumque sibi voluit praenoscere coelum,
  Nec deus ignotas hospes inire domos, 160
Ille moras solis, quibus in sua signa rediret,
  Traditur exactis disposuisse notis.
Is decies senos tercentum et quinque diebus
  Junxit, et e pleno tempora quarta die.
Hic anni modus est. In lustrum accedere debet, 165
  Quae consummatur partibus, una dies.

Si licet occultus monitus audire deorum
  Vatibus, ut certe fama licere putat,
Quum sis officiis, Gradive, virilibus aptus,
  Dic mihi, matronae cur tua festa colant. 170
Sic ego. Sic posita dixit mihi casside Mavors;
  Sed tamen in dextra missilis hasta fuit:
Nunc primum studiis pacis deus utilis armis
  Advocor, et gressus in nova castra fero.
Nec piget incepti; juvat hac quoque parte morari, 175
  Hoc solam ne se posse Minerva putet.
Disce, Latinorum vates operose dierum,
  Quod petis, et memori pectore dicta nota.
Parva fuit, si prima velis elementa referre,
  Roma: sed in parva spes tamen hujus erat. 180
Moenia jam stabant, populis angusta futuris,
  Credita sed turbae tunc nimis ampla suae.
Quae fuerit nostri, si quaeris, regia nati,
  Adspice de canna straminibusque domum.
In stipula placidi carpebat munera somni, 185
  Et tamen ex illo venit in astro toro.
Jamque loco majus nomen Romanus habebat,
  Nec conjux illi, nec socer ullus erat.
Spernebant generos inopes vicinia dives,
  Et male credebar sanguinis auctor ego. 190
In stabulis habitasse, boves pavisse, nocebat,
  Jugeraque inculti pauca tenere soli.
Cum pare quaeque suo coëunt volucresque feraeque,
  Atque aliquam, de qua procreet, anguis habet.
Extremis dantur connubia gentibus: at, quae 195
  Romano vellet nubere, nulla fuit.
Indolui, patriamque dedi tibi, Romule, mentem.
  Tolle preces, dixi: quod petis, arma dabunt.
Festa para Conso.—Consus tibi cetera dicet
  Illo facta die, quum sua sacra canes.— 200
Intumuere Cures, et quos dolor attigit idem,
  Tum primum generis intulit arma socer.
Jamque fere raptae matrum quoque nomen habebant,
  Tractaque erant longa bella propinqua mora,
Conveniunt nuptae dictam Junonis in aedem, 205
  Quas inter mea sic est nurus orsa loqui:
O pariter raptae,—quoniam hoc commune tenemus—
  Non ultra lente possumus esse piae.
Stant acies: sed utra dî sint pro parte rogandi,
  Eligite; hinc conjux, hinc pater arma tenent, 210
Quaerendum, viduae fieri malimus an orbae.
  Consilium vobis forte piumque dabo.
Consilium dederat: parent, crinemque resolvunt,
  Maestaque funerea corpora veste tegunt.
Jam stabant acies ferro mortique paratae: 215
  Jam lituus pugnae signa daturus erat:
Quum raptae veniunt inter patresque virosque,
  Inque sinu natos, pignora cara, ferunt.
Ut medium campi passis tetigere capillis,
  In terram posito procubuere genu; 220
Et, quasi sentirent, blando clamore nepotes
  Tendebant ad avos brachia parva suos.
Qui poterat, clamabat avum tum denique visum,
  Et qui vix poterat, posse coactus erat.
Tela viris animique cadunt, gladiisque remotis 225
  Dant soceri generis accipiuntque manus;
Laudatasque tenent natas, scutoque nepotem
  Fert avus: hic scuti dulcior usus erat.
Inde diem, quae prima, meas celebrare Kalendas
  Oebalides matres non leve munus habent. 230
An, quia committi strictis mucronibus ausae
  Finierant lacrimis Martia bella suis?
Vel, quod erat de me feliciter Ilia mater,
  Rite colunt matres sacra diemque meum?
Quid? quod hiems adoperta gelu nunc denique cedit, 235
  Et pereunt victae sole tepente nives;
Arboribus redeunt detonsae frigore frondes,
  Vividaque e tenero palmite gemma tumet;
Quaeque diu latuit, nunc, se qua tollat in auras,
  Fertilis occultas invenit herba vias. 240
Nunc fecundus ager: pecoris nunc hora creandi:
  Nunc avis in ramo tecta laremque parat.
Tempora jure colunt Latiae fecunda parentes,
  Quarum militiam votaque partus habet.
Adde, quod, excubias ubi rex Romanus agebat, 245
  —Qui nunc Esquilias nomina collis habet—
Illic a nuribus Junoni templa Latinis
  Hac sunt, si memini, publica facta die.
Quid moror, et variis onero tua pectora causis?
  Eminet ante oculos, quod petis, ecce tuos. 250
Mater amat nuptas: matrum me turba frequentant.
  Haec nos praecipue tam pia causa decet.
Ferte deae flores: gaudet florentibus herbis
  Haec dea: de tenero cingite flore caput.
Dicite, Tu lucem nobis, Lucina, dedisti; 255
  Dicite, Tu voto parturientis ades.
Si qua tamen gravida est, resoluto crine precetur,
  Ut solvat partus molliter illa suos.

Quis mihi nunc dicet, quare coelestia Martis
  Arma ferant Salii, Mamuriumque canant? 260
Nympha, mone, nemori stagnoque operata Dianae:
  Nympha, Numae conjux, ad tua facta veni.
Vallis Aricinae silva praecinctus opaca
  Est lacus antiqua religione sacer.
Hic latet Hippolytus furiis distractus equorum: 265
  Unde nemus nullis illud initur equis.
Licia dependent longas velantia sepes,
  Et posita est meritae multa tabella deae.
Saepe potens voti, frontem redimita coronis,
  Femina lucentes portat ab urbe faces. 270
Regna tenent fortesque manu, pedibusque fugaces;
  Et perit exemplo postmodo quisque suo.
Defluit incerto lapidosus murmure rivus:
  Saepe, sed exiguis haustibus, inde bibi.
Egeria est, quae praebet aquas, dea grata Camenis. 275
  Illa Numae conjux consiliumque fuit.
Principio nimium promptos ad bella Quirites
  Molliri placuit jure deûmque metu.
Inde datae leges, ne firmior omnia posset,
  Coeptaque sunt pure tradita sacra coli. 280
Exuitur feritas, armisque potentius aequum est,
  Et cum cive pudet conseruisse manus.
Atque aliquis, modo trux, visa jam vertitur ara,
  Vinaque dat tepidis salsaque farra focis.
Ecce deûm genitor rutilas per nubila flammas 285
  Spargit, et effusis aethera siccat aquis.
Non alias missi cecidere frequentius ignes.
  Rex pavet, et vulgi pectora terror habet.
Cui dea, Ne nimium terrere! piabile fulmen
  Est, ait, et saevi flectitur ira Jovis. 290
Sed poterunt ritum Picus Faunusque piandi
  Prodere, Romani numen uterque soli.
Nec sine vi tradent; adhibeto vincula captis!
  Atque ita, qua possint, erudit, arte capi.
Lucus Aventino suberat niger ilicis umbra, 295
  Quo posses viso dicere, numen inest.
In medio gramen, muscoque adoperta virenti
  Manabat saxo vena perennis aquae.
Inde fere soli Faunus Picusque bibebant.
  Huc venit, et Fonti rex Numa mactat ovem, 300
Plenaque odorati dîs ponit pocula Bacchi,
  Cumque suis antro conditus ipse latet.
Ad solitos veniunt silvestria numina fontes,
  Et relevant multo pectora sicca mero.
Vina quies sequitur: gelido Numa prodit ab antro, 305
  Vinclaque sopitas addit in arcta manus.
Somnus ut abscessit, tentando vincula pugnant
  Rumpere: pugnantes fortius illa tenent.
Tum Numa, Di nemorum, factis ignoscite nostris,
  Si scelus ingenio scitis abesse meo; 310
Quoque modo possit fulmen, monstrate, piari.
  Sic Numa. Sic quatiens cornua Faunus ait:
Magna petis, nec quae monitu tibi discere nostro
  Fas sit. Habent fines numina nostra suos.
Di sumus agrestes, et qui dominemur in altis 315
  Montibus. Arbitrium est in sua tela Jovi.
Hunc tu non poteris per te deducere coelo:
  At poteris nostra forsitan usus ope.
Dixerat haec Faunus: par est sententia Pici.
  Deme tamen nobis vincula, Picus ait. 320
Jupiter huc veniet summa deductus ab arce.
  Nubila promissi Styx mihi testis erit.
Emissi quid agant laqueis, quae carmina dicant,
  Quaque trahant superis sedibus arte Jovem,
Scire nefas homini. Nobis concessa canentur, 325
  Quaeque pio dici vatis ab ore licet.
Eliciunt caelo te, Jupiter; unde minores
  Nunc quoque te celebrant, Eliciumque vocant.
Constat Aventinae tremuisse cacumina silvae,
  Terraque subsedit pondere pressa Jovis. 330
Corda micant regis, totoque e pectore sanguis
  Fugit, et hirsutae diriguere comae.
Ut rediit animus, Da certa piamina, dixit,
  Fulminis, altorum rexque paterque deum,
Si tua contigimus manibus donaria puris, 335
  Hoc quoque, quod petitur, si pia lingua rogat.
Annuit oranti: sed verum ambage remota
  Abdidit, et dubio terruit ore virum.
Caede caput, dixit. Cui rex, Parebimus, inquit:
  Caedenda est hortis eruta cepa meis. 340
Addidit hic, Hominis. Summos, ait ille, capillos.
  Postulat hic animam. Cui Numa, Piscis, ait.
Risit, et, His, inquit, facito mea tela procures,
  O vir colloquio non abigende deum!
Sed tibi, protulerit quum totum crastinus orbem 345
  Cynthius, imperii pignora certa dabo.
Dixit, et ingenti tonitru super aethera motum
  Fertur, adorantem destituitque Numam.
Ille redit laetus, memoratque Quiritibus acta.
  Tarda venit dictis difficilisque fides. 350
At certe credemur, ait, si verba sequatur
  Exitus. En, audi crastina, quisquis ades.
Protulerit terris quum totum Cynthius orbem,
  Jupiter imperii pignora certa dabit.
Discedunt dubii, promissaque tarda videntur, 355
  Dependetque fides a veniente die.
Mollis erat tellus rorataque mane pruina;
  Ante sui populus limina regis adest.
Prodit et in solio medius consedit acerno.
  Innumeri circa stantque silentque viri. 360
Ortus erat summo tantummodo margine Phoebus:
  Sollicitae mentes speque metuque pavent.
Constitit, atque caput niveo velatus amictu
  Jam bene dîs notas sustulit ille manus.
Atque ita, Tempus adest promissi muneris, inquit, 365
  Pollicitam dictis, Jupiter, adde fidem.
Dum loquitur, totum jam sol evolverat orbem,
  Et gravis aetherio venit ab axe fragor.
Ter tonuit sine nube deus, tria fulgura misit.
  Credite dicenti; mira, sed acta, loquor. 370
A media coelum regione dehiscere coepit:
  Submisere oculos cum duce turba suo.
Ecce levi scutum versatum leniter aura
  Decidit. A populo clamor ad astra venit.
Tollit humo munus caesa prius ille juvenca, 375
  Quae dederat nulli colla premenda jugo;
Idque ancile vocat, quod ab omni parte recisum est,
  Quaque notes oculis angulus omnis abest.
Tum, memor imperii sortem consistere in illo,
  Consilium multae calliditatis init. 380
Plura jubet fieri simili caelata figura,
  Error ut ante oculos insidiantes eat.
Mamurius, morum fabraene exactior artis,
  Difficile est ulli dicere, clausit opus.
Cui Numa munificus, Facti pete praemia, dixit: 385
  Si mea nota fides, irrita nulla petes.
Jam dederat Saliis—a saltu nomina ducunt—
  Armaque, et ad certos verba canenda modos.
Tum sic Mamurius, Merces mihi gloria detur,
  Nominaque extreme carmine nostra sonent. 390
Inde sacerdotes operi promissa vetusto
  Praemia persolvunt, Mamuriumque vocant.
Nubere si qua voles, quamvis properabitis ambo,
  Differ: habent parvae commoda magna morae.
Arma movent pugnam, pugna est aliena maritis. 395
  Condita quum fuerint, aptius omen erit.
His etiam conjux apicati cincta Dialis
  Lucibus impexas debet habere comas.

Tertia nox emersa suos ubi moverit ignes,
  Conditus e geminis Piscibus alter erit. 400
Nam duo sunt: Austris hic est, Aquilonibus ille
  Proximus; a vento nomen uterque tenet.

Quum croceis rorare genis Tithonia conjux
  Coeperit, et quintae tempora lucis aget;
Sive est Arctophylax, sive est piger ille Bootes, 405
  Mergetur, visus effugietque tuos.
At non effugiet Vindemitor. Hoc quoque causam
  Unde trahat sidus, parva docere mora est.
Ampelon intonsum Satyris Nymphaque creatum
  Fertur in Ismariis Bacchus amasse jugis. 410
Tradidit huic vitem pendentem ex frondibus ulmi,
  Quae nunc de pueri nomine nomen habet,
Dum legit in ramo pictas temerarius uvas,
  Decidit: amissum Liber in astra vehit.

Sextus ubi Oceano clivosum scandit Olympian 415
  Phoebus, et alatis aethera carpit equis;
Quisquis ades, canaeque colis penetralia Vestae,
  Cratera Iliacis turaque pone focis.
Caesaris innumeris, quem maluit ille mereri,
  Accessit titulis Pontificalis honos. 420
Ignibus aeternis aeterni numina praesunt
  Caesaris. Imperii pignora juncta vides.
De veteris Troiae dignissima praeda favilla,
  Qua gravis aeneas tutus ab hoste fuit;
Ortus ab aenea tangit cognata sacerdos 425
  Numina; cognatum, Vesta, tuere caput.
Quos sancta fovet ille manu, bene vivitis ignes.
  Vivite inexstincti, flammaque, duxque! precor.
Una nota est Martis Nonis, sacrata quod illis
  Templa putant lucos Vejovis ante duos. 430
Romulus ut saxo lucum circumdedit alto,
  Quilibet huc, inquit, confuge, tutus eris.
O quam de tenui Romanus origine crevit!
  Turba vetus quam non invidiosa fuit!
Ne tamen ignaro novitas tibi nominis obstet, 435
  Disce, quis iste deus, curve vocetur ita.
Jupiter est juvenis: juveniles adspice vultus.
  Adspice deinde manum, fulmina nulla tenet.
Fulmina post ausos coelum affectare Gigantas
  Sumpta Jovi: primo tempore inermis erat. 440
Ignibus Ossa novis, et Pelion altior Ossa
  Arsit, et in solida fixus Olympus humo.
Stat quoque capra simul: Nymphae pavisse feruntur
  Cretides: infanti lac dedit Jovi.
Nunc vocor ad nomen. Vegrandia farra colonae, 445
  Quae male creveruut, vescaque parva vocant.
Vis ea si verbi est, cur non ego Vejovis aedem,
  aedem non magni suspicer esse Jovis?
Jamque, ubi caeruleum variabunt sidera coelum,
  Suspice; Gorgonei colla videbis equi. 450
Creditur hic caesae gravida cervice Medusae
  Sanguine respersis prosiluisse jubis.
Huic supra nubes et subter sidera lapso
  Coelum pro terra, pro pede penna fuit.
Jamque indignanti nova frena receperat ore, 455
  Quum levis Aonias ungula fodit aquas.
Nunc fruitur coelo, quod pennis ante petebat,
  Et nitidus stellis quinque decemque micat.

Protinus adspicies venienti nocte Coronam
  Gnosida. Theseo crimine facta dea est. 460
Jam bene perjuro mutarat conjuge Bacchum,
  Quae dedit ingrato fila legenda viro.
Sorte tori gaudens, Quid flebam rustica? dixit,
  Utiliter nobis perfidus ille fuit.
Interea Liber depexus crinibus Indos 465
  Vincit, et Eoo dives ab orbe redit.
Inter captivas facie praestante puellas
  Grata nimis Baccho filia regis erat.
Flebat amans conjux, spatiataque litore curvo
  Edidit incultis talia verba comis: 470
En iterum similes, fluctus, audite querelas!
  En iterum lacrimas accipe, arena, meas!
Dicebam, memini, perjure et perfide Theseu!
  Ille abiit: eadem crimina Bacchus habet.
Nunc quoque, nulla viro, clamabo, femina credat. 475
  Nomine mutato causa relata mea est.
O utinam mea sors, qua primum coeperat, isset!
  Jamque ego praesenti tempore nulla forem!
Quid me desertis perituram, Liber, arenis
  Servabas? potui dedoluisse semel. 480
Bacche levis, leviorque tuis, quae tempora cingunt,
  Frondibus, in lacrimas cognite Bacche meas,
Ausus es ante oculos adducta pellice nostros
  Tam bene compositum sollicitare torum.
Heu! ubi pacta fides? ubi, quae jurare solebas? 485
  Me miseram! quoties haec ego verba loquor!
Thesea culpabas, fallacemque ipse vocabas:
  Judicio peccas turpius ipse tuo.
Ne sciat hoc quisquam, tacitisque doloribus urar!
  Ne toties falli digna fuisse puter! 490
Praecipue cupiam celari Thesea, ne te
  Consortem culpae gaudeat esse suae.
At, puto, praeposita est fuscae mihi candida pellex.
  Eveniat nostris hostibus ille color!
Quid tamen hoc refert? vitio tibi gratior ipso est. 495
  Quid facis? amplexus inquinat illa tuos.
Bacche, fidem praesta, nec praefer amoribus ullam
  Conjugis assuetae semper amare virum.
Ceperunt matrem formosi cornua tauri;
  Me tua: me laudant, ille pudendus amor. 500
Ne noceat quod amo! neque enim tibi, Bacche, nocebat,
  Quod flammas nobis fassus es ipse tuas;
Nec, quod nos uris, mirum facis; ortus in igne
  Diceris, et patria raptus ab igne manu.
Illa ego sum, cui tu solitus promittere coelum. 505
  Hei mihi, pro coelo qualia dona fero!
Dixerat: audibat jamdudum verba querentis
  Liber, ut a tergo forte secutus erat.
Occupat amplexu, lacrimasque per oscula siccat:
  Et, Pariter coeli summa petamus, ait. 510
Tu mihi juncta toro mihi juncta vocabula sumes;
  Jam tibi mutatae Libera nomen erit;
Sintque tuae tecum faciam monumenta coronae,
  Vulcanus Veneri quam dedit, illa tibi.
Dicta facit, gemmasque novem transformat in ignes. 515
  Aurea per stellas nunc micat illa novem.

Sex ubi sustulerit, totidem demerserit orbes,
  Purpureum rapido qui vehit axe diem;
Altera gramineo spectabis Equiria campo,
  Quem Tiberis curvis in latus urget aquis. 520
Qui tamen ejecta si forte tenebitur unda,
  Coelius accipiat pulverulentus equos.

Idibus est Annae festum geniale Perennse,
  Haud procul a ripis, advena Tibri, tuis.
Plebs venit, ac virides passim disjecta per herbas 525
  Potat, et accumbit cum pare quisque sua.
Sub Jove pars durat: pauci tentoria ponunt:
  Sunt, quibus e ramis frondea facta casa est:
Pars ibi pro rigidis calamos statuere columnis,
  Desuper extentas imposuere togas. 530
Sole tamen vinoque calent, annosque precantur,
  Quot sumant cyathos, ad numerumque bibunt.
Invenies illic, qui Nestoris ebibat annos:
  Quae sit per calices facta Sibylla suos.
Illic et cantant, quiquid didicere theatris, 535
  Et jactant faciles ad sua verba manus:
Et ducunt posito duras cratere choreas,
  Cultaque diffusis saltat amica comis.
Quum redeunt, titubant, et sunt spectacula vulgo,
  Et fortunatos obvia turba vocat. 540
Occurri nuper. Visa est mihi digna relatu
  Pompa: senem potum pota trahebat anus.
Quae tamen haec Dea sit,—quoniam rumoribus errat—
  Fabula proposito nulla tacenda meo.
Arserat Aeneae Dido miserabilis igne: 545
  Arserat exstructis in sua fata rogis:
Compositusque cinis, tumulique in marmore carmen
  Hoc breve, quod moriens ipsa reliquit, erat:
Praebuit aeneas et causam mortis et ensem:
  Ipsa sua Dido concidit usa manu. 550
Protinus invadunt Numidae sine vindice regnum,
  Et potitur capta Maurus Iarba domo;
Seque memor spretum, Thalamis tamen, inquit, Elissae
  En ego, quem toties reppulit illa, fruor!
Diffugiunt Tyrii, quo quemque agit error, ut olim 555
  Amisso dubiae rege vagantur apes.
Tertia nudandas acceperat area messes,
  Inque cavos ierant tertia musta lacus;
Pellitur Anna domo, lacrimansque sororia linquit
  Moenia: germanae justa dat ante suae. 560
Mixta bibunt molles lacrimis unguenta favillae,
  Vertice libatas accipiuntque comas;
Terque, Vale, dixit: cineres ter ad ora relatos
  Pressit, et est illis visa subesse soror.
Nacta ratem comitemque fugae pede labitur sequo, 565
  Moenia respiciens, dulce sororis opus.
Fertilis est Melite sterili vicina Cosyrae
  Insula, quam Libyci verberat unda freti.
Hanc petit hospitio regis confisa vetusto;
  Hospes opum dives rex ibi Battus erat. 570
Qui postquam didicit casus utriusque sororis,
  Haec, inquit, tellus quantulacumque tua est.
Et tamen hospitii servasset ad ultima munus,
 Sed timuit magnas Pygmalionis opes.
Signa recensuerat his sol sua: tertius ibat 575
  Annus, et exsulibus terra petenda nova est.
Frater adest belloque petit, rex arma perosus,
  Nos sumus imbelles, tu fuge sospes, ait.
Jussa fugit, ventoque ratem committit et undis.
  Asperior quovis aequore frater erat. 580
Est prope piscosos lapidosi Crathidis amnes
  Parvus ager: Cameren incola turba vocat.
Illuc cursus erat; nec longius abfuit inde,
  Quam quantum novies mittere funda potest.
Vela cadunt primo, et dubia librantur ab aura. 585
  Findite remigio, navita dixit, aquas.
Dumque parant torto subducere carbasa lino,
  Percutitur rapido puppis adunca Noto,
Inque patens aequor, frustra pugnante magistro,
  Fertur, et ex oculis visa refugit humus. 590
Assiliunt fluctus, imoque a gurgite pontus
  Vertitur, et canas alveus haurit aquas.
Vincitur ars vento, nec jam moderator habenis
  Utitur, at votis is quoque poscit opem.
Jactatur tumidas exsul Phoenissa per undas, 595
 Humidaque opposita lumina veste tegit.
Tum primum Dido felix est dicta sorori,
  Et quaecumque aliquam corpore pressit humum.
Figitur ad Laurens ingenti flamine litus
  Puppis, et expositis omnibus hausta perit. 600
Jam pius aeneas regno nataque Latini
  Auctus erat, populos miscueratque duos.
Litore dotali solo comitatus Achate
  Secretum nudo dum pede carpit iter,
Adspicit errantem, nec credere sustinet Annam 605
  Esse. Quid in Latios illa veniret agros?
Dum secum aeneas, Anna est! exclamat Achates.
  Ad nomen vultus sustulit illa suos.
Quo fugiat? quid agat? quos terrae quaerat hiatus?
  Ante oculos miserae fata sororis erant. 610
Sensit et alloquitur trepidam Cythereius heros:
  Flet tamen admonitu mortis, Elissa, tuae.
Anna, per hanc juro, quam quondam audire solebas
  Tellurem fato prosperiore dari;
Perque deos comites, hac nuper sede locatos, 615
  Saepe meas illos increpuisse moras.
Nec timui de morte tamen: metus abfuit iste.
  Hei mihi! credibili fortior illa fuit.
Ne refer. Adspexi non illo pectore digna
  Vulnera, Tartareas ausus adire domos. 620
At tu, seu ratio te nostris appulit oris,
  Sive deus, regni commoda carpe mei.
Multa tibi memores, nil non debemus Elissae.
  Nomine grata tuo, grata sororis, eris.
Talia dicenti—neque enim spes altera restat— 625
  Credidit, errores exposuitque suos.
Utque domum intravit Tyrios induta paratus,
  Incipit Aeneas:—cetera turba silet—
Hanc tibi cur tradam, pia causa, Lavinia conjux,
  Est mihi: consumpsi naufragus hujus opes. 630
Orta Tyro regnum Libyca possedit in ora:
  Quam precor ut carae more sororis ames.
Omnia promittit, falsumque Lavinia vulnus
  Mente premit tacita, dissimulatque fremens;
Donaque quum videat praeter sua lumina ferri 635
  Multa palam, mitti clam quoque multa putat.
Non tamen exactum, quid agat. Furialiter odit,
  Et parat insidias, et cupit ulta mori.
Nox erat: ante torum visa est adstare sororis
  Squalenti Dido sanguinolenta coma, 640
Et, Fuge, ne dubita, maestum fuge, dicere, tectum,
  Sub verbum querulas impulit aura fores.
Exsilit, et velox humili super arva fenestra
  Se jacit;—audacem fecerat ipse timor—
Quaque metu rapitur tunica velata recincta, 645
  Currit, ut auditis territa dama lupis.
Corniger hanc cupidis rapuisse Numicius undis
  Creditur, et stagnis occuluisse suis.
Sidonis interea magno clamore per agros
  Quaeritur. Apparent signa notaeque pedum. 650
Ventum erat ad ripas: inerant vestigia ripis.
  Sustinuit tacitas conscius amnis aquas.
Ipsa loqui visa est, Placidi sum Nympha Numici:
  Amne perenne latens Anna Perenna vocor
.
Protinus erratis laeti vescuntur in agris, 655
  Et celebrant largo seque diemque mero.
Sunt, quibus haec Luna est, quia mensibus impleat annum:
  Pars Themin, Inachiam pars putat esse bovem.
Invenies, qui te Nymphen Atlantida dicant,
  Teque Jovi primes, Anna, dedisse cibos. 660
Haec quoque, quam referam, nostras pervenit ad aures
  Fama, nec a vera dissidet illa fide.
Plebs vetus, et nullis etiam tune tuta Tribunis,
  Fugit, et in sacri vertice mentis abit.
Jam quoque, quem secum tulerant, defecerat illos 665
  Victus et humanis usibus apta Ceres.
Orta suburbanis quaedam fuit Anna Bovillis
  Pauper, sed multae sedulitatis, anus.
Illa levi mitra canos redimita capillos
  Fingebat tremula rustica liba manu. 670
Atque ita per populum fumantia mane solebat
  Dividere. Haec populo copia grata fuit.
Pace domi facta signum posuere Perennae,
  Quod sibi defectis illa tulisset opem.
Nunc mihi, cur cantent, superest, obscena puellae, 675
  Dicere: nam coëunt certaque probra canunt.
Nuper erat dea facta; venit Gradivus ad Annam,
  Et cum seducta talia verba facit:
Mense meo coleris: junxi mea tempora tecum:
  Pendet ab officio spes mihi magna tuo. 680
Armifer armiferae correptus amore Minervae
  Uror, et hoc longo tempore vulnus alo.
Effice, dî studio similes coëamus in unum.
  Conveniunt partes hae tibi, comis anus.
Dixerat: illa deum promisso ludit inani, 685
  Et stultam dubia spem trahit usque mora.
Saepius instanti, Mandata peregimus, inquit:
  Evicta est precibus: vix dedit illa manus.
Gaudet amans thalamosque parat. Deducitur illuc
  Anna tegens vultus, ut nova nupta, suos. 690
Oscula sumpturus subito Mars adspicit Annam;
  Nunc pudor elusum, nunc subit ira, deum.
Ridet amatorem carae nova diva Minervae;
  Nec res hac Veneri gratior ulla fuit.
Inde joci veteres obscenaque dicta canuntur, 695
  Et juvat hanc magno verba dedisse deo.
Praeteriturus eram gladios in principe fixos,
  Quum sic a castis Vesta locuta focis:
Ne dubita meminisse: meus fuit ille sacerdos.
  Sacrilegae telis me petiere manus. 700
Ipsa virum rapui, simulacraque nuda reliqui;
  Quae cecidit ferro, Caesaris umbra fuit.
Ille quidem coelo positus Jovis atria vidit,
  Et tenet in magno templa dicata foro.
At quicumque nefas ausi, prohibente deorum 705
  Numine, polluerant Pontificale caput,
Morte jacent merita. Testes estote Philippi,
  Et quorum sparsis ossibus albet humus.
Hoc opus, haec pietas, haec prima elementa fuerunt
  Caesaris, ulcisci justa per arma patrem. 710

Postera quum teneras Aurora refecerit herbas,
  Scorpios a prima parte videndus erit.

Tertia post Idus lux est celeberrima Baccho.
  Bacche, fave vati, dum tua festa cano.
Nec referam Semelen; ad quam nisi fulmina secum 715
  Jupiter afferret, parvus inermis erat:
Nec, puer ut posses maturo tempore nasci,
  Expletum patrio corpore matris onus.
Sithonas et Scythicos longum est narrare triumphos,
  Et domitas gentes, turifer Inde, tuas. 720
Tu quoque Thebanae mala praeda tacebere matris,
  Inque tuum furiis acte, Lycurge, genu.
Ecce libet subitos pisces Tyrrhenaque monstra
  Dicere; sed non est carminis hujus opus.
Carminis hujus opus, causas expromere, quare 725
  Vilis anus populos ad sua liba vocet.
Ante tuos ortus arae sine honore fuerunt,
  Liber, et in gelidis herba reperta focis.
Te memorant, Gange totoque Oriente subacto,
  Primitias magno seposuisse Jovi. 730
Cinnama tu primus captivaque tura dedisti,
  Deque triumphato viscera tosta bove.
Nomine ab auctoris ducunt Libamina nomen,
  Libaque, quod sacris pars datur inde focis.
Liba deo fiunt, succis quia dulcibus ille 735
  Gaudet, et a Baccho mella reperta ferunt.
Ibat arenoso Satyris comitatus ab Hebro:
  —Non habet ingratos fabula nostra jocos—
Jamque erat ad Rhodopen Pangaeaque florida ventum:
  aeriferae comitum concrepuere manus. 740
Ecce novae coëunt volucres tinnitibus actae,
  Quaque movent sonitus aera sequuntur apes.
Colligit errantes, et in arbore claudit inani
  Liber: et inventi praemia mellis habet.
Ut Satyri levisque senex tetigere saporem, 745
  Quaerebant flavos per nemus omne favos,
Audit in exesa stridorem examinis ulmo,
  Adspicit et ceras dissimulatque senex;
Utque piger pandi tergo residebat aselli,
  Applicat hunc ulmo corticibusque cavis. 750
Constitit ipse super ramoso stipite nixus,
  Atque avide trunco condita mella petit.
Millia crabronum coëunt, et vertice nudo
  Spicula defigunt, oraque summa notant.
Ille cadit praeceps, et calce feritur aselli, 755
  Inclamatque suos, auxiliumque rogat.
Concurrunt Satyri, turgentiaque ora parentis
  Rident. Percusso claudicat ille genu.
Ridet et ipse deus, limumque inducere monstrat.
  Hic paret monitis et linit ora luto. 760
Melle pater fruitur, liboque infusa calenti
  Jure repertori candida mella damus.
Femina cur praestet, non est rationis opertae.
  Femineos thyrso concitat ille chores.
Cur anus hoc faciat, quaeris. Vinosior aetas 765
  Haec est, et gravidae munera vitis amans.
Cur hedera cincta est; Hedera est gratissima Baccho.
  Hoc quoque cur ita sit, dicere nulla mora est.
Nysiades Nymphae, puerum quaerente noverca,
  Hanc frondem cunis opposuere novis. 770
Restat, ut inveniam, quare toga libera detur
  Lucifero pueris, candide Bacche, tuo;
Sive, quod ipse puer semper juvenisque videris,
  Et media est aetas inter utrumque tibi:
Seu, quia tu pater es, patres sua pignora natos 775
  Commendant curae numinibusque tuis;
Sive, quod es Liber, vestis quoque libera per te
  Sumitur, et vitae liberioris iter;
An quia, quum prisci colerent studiosius agros,
  Et patrio faceret rure senator opus, 780
Et caperet fasces a curvo consul aratro,
  Nec crimen duras esset habere manus,
Rusticus ad ludos populus veniebat in urbem:
  Sed dîs, non studiis ille dabatur honos.
Luce sua ludos uvae commentor habebat: 785
  Quos cum taedifera nunc habet ipse dea.
Ergo, ut tironem celebrare frequentia posset,
  Visa dies dandae non aliena togae.
Mite, Pater, caput huc placataque cornua vertas,
  Et des ingenio vela secunda meo! 790
Itur ad Argeos—qui sint, sua pagina dicet—
  Hac, si commemini, praeteritaque die.
Stella Lycaoniam vergit proclinis ad Arcton
  Miluus. Haec illa nocte videnda venit.
Quid dederit volucri, si vis cognoscere, coelum: 795
  Saturnus regnis ab Jove pulsus erat.
Concitat iratus validos Titanas in arma,
  Quaeque fuit fatis debita, poscit opem.
Matre satus Terra, monstrum mirabile, taurus
  Parte sui serpens posteriore fuit. 800
Hunc triplici muro lucis incluserat atris
  Parcarum monitu Styx violenta trium.
Viscera qui tauri flammis adolenda dedisset,
  Sors erat, aeternos vincere posse deos.
Immolat hunc Briareus facta ex adamante securi: 805
  Et jam jam flammis exta daturus erat.
Jupiter alitibus rapere imperat. Attulit illi
  Miluus, et meritis venit in astra suis.

Una dies media est, et fiunt sacra Minervae,
  Nomina quae a junctis quinque diebus habent. 810
Sanguine prima vacat, nec fas concurrene ferro.
  Causa, quod est illa nata Minerva die.
Altera tresque super strata celebrantur arena.
  Ensibus exsertis bellica laeta dea est.
Pallada nunc pueri teneraeque ornate puellae. 815
  Qui bene placarit Pallada, doctus erit.
Pallade placata, lanam mollite, puellae:
  Discite jam plenas exonerare colos.
Illa etiam stantes radio percurrere telas
  Erudit, et rarum pectine denset opus. 820
Hanc cole, qui maculas laesis de vestibus aufers:
  Hanc cole velleribus quisquis ahena paras.
Nec quisquam invita faciet bene vincula plantae
  Pallade, sit Tychio doctior ille licet;
Et licet antiquo manibus collatus Epeo 825
  Sit prior, irata Pallade mancus erit.
Vos quoque, Phoebea morbos qui pellitis arte,
  Munera de vestris pauca referte deae.
Nec vos, turba fere censu fraudata, magistri
  Spernite; discipulos attrahet illa novos. 830
Quique moves caelum, tabulamque coloribus uris,
  Quique facis docta mollia saxa manu.
Mille dea est operum: certe dea carminis illa est.
  Si mereor, studiis adsit amica meis.
Coelius ex alto qua mons descendit in aequum, 835
  Hic ubi non plana est, sed prope plana via est:
Parva licet videas Captae delubra Minervae,
  Quae dea natali coepit habere suo.
Nominis in dubio causa est. Capitale vocamus
  Ingenium sollers: ingeniosa dea est. 840
An, quia de capitis fertur sine matre paterni
  Vertice cum clypeo prosiluisse suo?
An, quia perdomitis ad nos captiva Faliscis
  Venit? et hoc ipsum littera prisca docet.
An, quod habet legem, capitis quae pendere poenas 845
  Ex illo jubeat furta reperta loco?
A quacumque trahis ratione vocabula, Pallas,
  Pro ducibus nostris aegida semper habe.
Summa dies e quinque tubas lustrare canoras
  Admonet, et forti sacrificare deae. 850
Nunc potes ad solem sublato dicere vultu:
  Hic here Phrixeae vellera pressit ovis.
Seminibus tostis sceleratae fraude novercae
  Sustulerat nullas, ut solet, herba comas.
Mittitur ad tripodas, certa qui sorte reportet, 855
  Quam sterili terrae Delphicus edat opem.
Hic quoque corruptus cum semine nuntiat Helles
  Et juvenis Phrixi funera sorte peti.
Usque recusantem cives, et tempus, et Ino
  Compulerant regem jussa nefanda pati; 860
Et soror, et Phrixus velati tempora vittis
  Stant simul ante aras junctaque fata gemunt.
Adspicit hos, ut forte pependerat aethere mater,
  Et ferit attonita pectora nuda manu:
Inque draconigenam nimbis comitantibus urbem 865
  Desilit, et natos eripit inde suos;
Utque fugam capiant, aries nitidissimus auro
  Traditur. Ille vehit per freta longa duos.
Dicitur infirma cornu tenuisse sinistra
  Femina, quum de se nomina fecit aquae. 870
Paene simul periit, dum vult succurrere lapsae,
  Frater, et extentas porrigit usque manus.
Flebat, ut amissa gemini consorte pericli,
  Caeruleo junctam nescius esse deo.
Litoribus tactis aries fit sidus: at hujus 875
  Pervenit in Colchas aurea lana domos.

Tres ubi Luciferos veniens praemiserit Eos,
  Tempora nocturnis aequa diurna feres.

Inde quater pastor saturos ubi clauserit hoedos,
  Canuerint herbae rore recente quater; 880
Janus adorandus, cumque hoc Concordia mitis,
  Et Romana Salus, araque Pacis erit.
Luna regit menses. Hujus quoque tempora mensis
  Finit Aventino Luna colenda jugo.

NOTES:

1. As the first book began with the praises of Janus, so here the poet invokes Mars; in the next book we shall find him calling upon Venus.— Depositis, etc. as the poet's occupation is a peaceful one.

3, 4. A question and answer.

5-8. As Minerva, who, especially in the Roman theology, was a deity, who presided over the arts of peace, engaged also in those of war; so Mars might for a time lay aside his arms, and attend to the song of the poet. —Cuspidis. Several MSS. read cassidis. The general sense is the same.

9. He takes occasion here to sing the most celebrated adventure of the Roman god, Mars. It comes with peculiar propriety in this place, as the month had been named after the god by his son, whose birth it relates. For the difference between the Greek Ares and the Roman Mars, see Mythology, p. 79 and 459.—Romana sacerdos. The affair occurred at Alba, and Rome did not yet exist. Heinsius would read Trojana, another critic proposes regina, as in Virgil, aen. I. 227. There is no need of any change; poets did not always attend to accuracies of this kind.

11. Silvia. One MS. reads Ilia, which reading has been adopted by Heinsius.—Moveri scil, carmen, like the cantuxque movete of Virgil.

12. It was the office of the Vestals to draw water, for the purpose of washing and sprinkling the temple, and cleansing the sacred vessels. Servius on aen. vii. 150, says, Vestae libare non nisi de Numicio flumine licebat.

13. Molli, etc. beautifully expresses the gentle descent to the river.

14. Then, as now, women carried their earthen pitchers on their heads. Speaking of Amymone, our poet says, (Am. I. x. 6,) Cum premeret summi verticis urna comas and Propertius of Tarpeia (iv. 4, 16,) at illi Urguebat medium fictilis urna caput.

16. Restituit, settled. Two MSS. which are followed by Heinsius, read composuit; but as Burmann justly observes this supposes leisure, and the use of a mirror, whereas restituit places before us a girl hastily settling up her hair, as we express it.

17, 18. Compare Virg. Ec. I. 55, and Hor. Epod. II. 26.

21. The descent of Mars, as Addison, I believe, first observed, is to be seen represented on ancient Roman coins.—Cupitam. This is the reading of two of the best MSS. and of Diomedes, the grammarian, who quotes this verse: all the other MSS. read cupita. Heinsius, in his note, shews that potior governed the fourth ease, in the best authors, and Priscian (xviii. 23,) says, Omnes auctores, potior illius et illum et illo.

22. Fefellit, concealed.—Divina ope, i. e. by his own power.

26. Sonos, words. Two MSS. read _preces.

27. Utile, etc. The well-known Roman formula, Quod bonum, felix faustumque sit,—Imagine somni, in a dream.

28. An somno, etc. Was it more than a dream, than a mere [Greek: enupnion]?

29. Ig. II. The perpetual fire of Vesta brought from Troy by aeneas. Virg. aen. II. 296.

30. This circumstance was ominous, as the sacred fillet was taken by the Pontifex off the head of a Vestal condemned for breach of vow. Dionysius, when describing the fate of the Vestal, Oppia, or Opimia, says, [Greek: autaen men taes koryphaes aphelomenoi ta stemmata, kai pompeuontes di' agoras, entos teichous zosan katoruxan].

31. Compare the dream of Astyages, portending the birth of Cyrus. Just. I. 4.—Palmae, emblems of victory. It is probably the meaning of the poet that they sprang from the ground, though inde would appear to refer rather to the fillet.

35. Molitur, i.e. vibrat. Virg. G. iv. 331.

36. Admonitu, scil. deorum, the vision.

37. The woodpecker, as well as the wolf, was sacred to Mars. In the old legend, (see v. 54,) the woodpecker also contributed to nourish the exposed babes.

43, 44. A periphrasis for ten months.—Emeritis. Qui merere desiit, having completed his task or service, was called Emeritus.

45. The poet himself informs us, (VI. 295,) that there was no statue in the temple of Vesta. Gierig supposes that he did not know this at the time he wrote this part of the poem. But it is well known that he kept it a long time by him, altering and revising it. I again repeat, that we are not to look for extreme accuracy in the ancient poets. There were statues of Vesta outside of the temple.

46. See below, VI. 614.

48. The sacred flame drew back as it were, and became nearly extinct. Nothing more terrified the Romans than the extinction of the Vestal flame; it was to them a sign, as Dionysius says, [Greek: tou aphanismou taes poleos].

50. Opes, the kingdom. He here gives the reason why Amulius interfered, not that of his calling him contemptor aequi.

51, 52. He had already related this at length, II. 385, et seq.

53, 54. It was the common tradition, it was in the poem of Ennius, which every one knew, and was probably the subject of some of those old ballads about Romulus, which Dionysius says still existed in his time.

55. Larentia, the wife of the shepherd, Faustulus, and nurse of Romulus and Remus. All the MSS. but two read Laurentia.

56. Vestras, scil. tui et Larentiae,—Opes, house, mode of living, etc.; see II. 413, on the aid rendered to the founders of Rome.

57. 58. The Larentalia were in December. The poet did not live to perform his promise; he probably could not write the Fasti away from Rome.— Acceptus geniis. On account of the Saturnalia, when indulgebant genio. See Virg. G. I. 300.

61, 62. This reminds one of the early proofs of his being born to rule, exhibited by Cyrus. It is by no means improbable, that his legend was transferred to Romulus and Remus. That of Paris (Mythology, p. 438,) is somewhat similar, as also that of Habis. See Justin, xliv. 4.

64. Actos, i. e. abactos, by the robbers.

65. Editus, told. Five MSS. read agnitus.

66. Nomen habere, scil. to have their fame confined to a few cottages. —Paucis, most MSS. read purvis.

70. A euphemism, sparing the fame of Romulus.

71. Pecorum. Three MSS. read pecudum, two nemorum, which Burmann prefers.

72. aeternae urbis. So the Romans loved to call their city.

75. He thus returns to the subject in hand.

78. As he shewed by removing Romulus to heaven, and by giving victory and fame in arms to the Romans.

79. The poet now becomes a grammarian, and argues learnedly.—Priores, the Latins.

80. Hoc scil. the worship of Mars. Several MSS. read haec.

81. Minoia, etc. The Cretans worshiped a goddess named Dictynna, who was regarded as being the same as the Artemis of the other Greeks, and the Diana of the Latins. See Mythology, p. 100.

82. Tellus Hyps. Lemnos. The slaughter of the men of Lemnos by their wives, and the saving of Thoas, by his daughter Hypsipyle, is a well known event. When Valean was flung from Olympus, by Jupiter, he fell in Lemnos. Hom. Il. I. 93.

83. See VI. 47. Hom. Il. iv. 51.

84. Maenalis ora, like Ausonis ora, II. 94.

86. Remque decusque, wealth and fame.

87. Peregrinos, i. e. of other Italian peoples, and you will find that they also had a month called after Mars.

91, 92. The people of Aricia and of Tusculum follow the same rule as the Albans, making March the third month. According to Krebs, the construction is, Inter Ar. et Alb. et Teleg. manu facta moenia celsa constant tempora. It is harsh taken any way.

94. First after three months, that is, the fourth.

95, 96. March was the fourth month also to the Pelignians, and their Sabine ancestors. For the best account of all these peoples of ancient Italy, see Niebuhr's Roman History.

97, 98. In reality he only followed the Alban, or rather general Latin calendar, in which March was the third month.

101, 102. Compare Hor. Epist. II. 1, 156. Virg. aen. vi. 850.—Male forte, same as non forte, imbelle.

103, 104. War was the science of the Romans.—Pugnabat. Three MSS. read pugnarat.

105. The Hyades and Pleiades are always spoken of together by the poets, as being near each other in position.—Pliadas Atlanteas. See IV. 169, [Greek: Plaeiadon Atlageneon epitellomenaon]. Hesiod. See Mythology, p. 52 and 418.

106. The Arctic and Antarctic poles.

107, 108. Cynosure ([Greek: kynos oura]) was a name of the Lesser Bear: Helice ([Greek: helikae]) from its revolving round the pole, a name of the Greater Bear. Omnes qui Peloponnesum incolunt priore utuntur Arcto; Phoenices autem, quam a suo inventore (Thalete) acceperunt, observant Cynosuram; et hanc studiosius perspiciendo diligentius navigare existimantur. Hygin. Poët. Astron. II. 2.

111. Libera, as being unobserved, left to themselves, as it were; subjected to no laws.

112. Constabat, &c. Burmann and Gierig take the meaning to be: they believed the stars to be divinities. May it not be: nevertheless, though ignorant of astronomy, they believed in the gods? A stroke at the learned infidelity of the poet's own days, like Gray's, "No very great wit, he believed in a god."

113, 114. A play on words as usual. Movere signa coelestia seems rather harsh, but it is not without example. Numeri movent astra, Lucan, I. 640. Carmina quîs ignes movimus aërios, Cinna in Anthol. Lat. T. I. p. 441. Movebant is the reading of seven MSS. six read notabant; all the rest tenebant.—Quae magnum, etc. See Livy, II. 59. One of the best MSS. reads prodere, which Heinsius and Bentley (on Hor. Ep. I. 67,) prefer.

115, 116. A bundle of hay tied on a pole, is said to have been the standard used by the Romans in their early days.—Tuas, of Germanicus.

118. Maniplaris. The soldiers belonging to one company, that is one manipulus, or standard, were called manipulares.

119-122. See Introduction, § 2.

119. Indociles, untaught. This passive sense is not unusual.— Ratione, science scil. astronomy.

120. The Lustres or periods of five years, were smaller by ten months, two for each year, at that time when there were but ten months in the year. Gierig's note is "Lustra quinquennalia tum nondum condebantur a Romanis." This looks as if he did not understand the passage, though Neapolis had briefly, but clearly explained it.

124. See above, I. 33.

126. Spatiis novis, the decades.

127. Pares. This is the reading of the best MSS. and editions; the greater number of the MSS. read patres. It is difficult to ascertain the meaning of the poet here. Scaliger, Lipsius and Dan. Heinsius think he means the members of the senate, who were equals in age or in property, See Livy I. 8 and 17, and, as Niebuhr has shown, it is highly probable that the Roman senate originally consisted of one hundred members divided into ten decuries. On the other hand Neapolis who is followed by Gierig, understands it of the army, as in each legion the soldiers equal in age and strength, were divided into ten centuries, (centum denos orbes) of each of the three ranks, viz. Hastati, Principes and Pilani or Triarii. The passage is exceedingly obscure, and I cannot satisfy myself respecting it; I however rather incline to the opinion of the first named critics, and the circumstance of patres being the reading of so many MSS. proves that it has generally been so understood. In this case we should place a colon after Romulus, and a comma or semicolon after decem.

130. There were three hundred Equites in each legion, each mounted on a horse supported by the state, hence called legitimus. They were divided into ten turmae or troops.

131, 132. The three divisions of the Roman Patricians: the Ramnes were the original Romans, the Titiensis the Sabines; the origin of the Luceres is a mere conjecture. See Niebuhr's Rom. Hist. Vol. 291—293.

134. See above, I. 35.

136. Signa, proofs or arguments. He goes on with farther proofs of March having been the first month of the ancient Roman year.

137—142. The laurels were changed in the month of March, at the houses of the Flamens, and of the Rex Sacrorum, the temple of Vesta, and the Curia Prisca, by which last, Neapolis understands the four ancient Curiae, (See above II. 527,) which still, as Festus tells us, remained in Rome, the singular being employed for the plural.—Vesta quoque, etc. Does he speak of a statue of Vesta? See above on v. 45. The following passages are of importance. Romani initio annum decem mensibus computabant, a Martio auspicantes; adeo ut ejus die prima de (in?) aris Vestalibus ignem accenderent; mutarent viridibus veteres laureas; Senatus et populus Comitia agerent; matronae servis suis caenas ponerent, sicut Saturnalibus domini: illae ut per honores promptius obsequium provocarent, hi quasi gratiam repensarent perfecti laboris. Solinus, c. 3. Eodem quoque ingrediente mense in regia, curiisque atque Flaminum domibus laureae veteres novis laureis mutabantur, Macrobius, Sat. I.12.

142. Il. focis. See above.

143, 144. Hujus etiam mensis prima die ignem novum Vestae aris accendebant ut, incipiente anno, cura denuo servandi novati ignis inciperet. Macrob. ut supra.—Arcana and Dicitur, because none but the Vestals dare enter the temple.

145, 146. A second proof is, the festival of Anna Perenna being in this month. See below, v. 523, et seq.—Fides, proof, ground of belief.

147, 148. A third argument; previous to the second Punic war, the magistrates, that is, the consuls, as it would appear, used to enter on their offices in March. The poet is not quite correct in this assertion: the Regifugium (see above, II. 685,) was at the end of February; hence, of course, the first consuls entered on their office in March; but A.U.C. 291, the day was the Kal. Sext. A.U.C. 304, the Ides of May, and from A.U.C. 600, the time of the Hannibalian war, the Kal. Jan. It is probable that the poet, knowing that this last change was made A.U.C. 600, inferred from the Regifugium, that previously the consuls had begun to exercise their magistracy in March. There is no proof that he studied the Annals with a critical eye.—Perfide Poene. Hannibal, with the usual Roman calumny of the greatest man of antiquity.

149. A fourth and incontrovertible argument.

151. Oliviferis. The Sabine land was famous for olives. Columella, v. 8, 5. Mutusca, in that country, is called by Virgil (aen. vii. 711,) olivifera.—Deductus, the proper term to denote his being brought with pomp and ceremony to Rome. One MS. reads devectus.

153. Samio, Pythagoras, who was erroneously supposed to have been the instructor of Numa.—Qui posse, etc. a periphrasis of the Metempsychosis, which doctrine he taught. See Met. xv. 157.

154. Egeria. See below, v. 261, et seq.

155. In consequence of the imperfect nature of the Roman year, and the arbitrary manner in which the Pontifices, for party and political purposes, made the intercalations, it had fallen into such sad confusion, that the festivals fell at the wrong parts of the year. Accordingly, Julius Caesar, as Pontifex Maximus, with the aid of M. Flavius and of Sosigenes, made it correspond with the course of the sun, after the manner of the Egyptian year. For this purpose, he had to add no less than sixty-seven days to the year 708. These he inserted between November and December, and, as the intercalary month also fell in this year, it consisted of fifteen months.

157-160. Caesar was not yet a god, but the poet could not let pass an occasion of displaying his wit, and flattering the imperial family.

161. Moras Solis. The time the son spends in the signs of the Zodiac.

162. Exactis, certain.

163-166. The Julian year of 365 days 6 hours; the day, which the hours of four years made, being added at the end of the lustre.—Junxit. Two MSS. read auxit.—Quarta. Many MSS. read quinta.—Consummatur, to complete, to make up of parts. Some MSS. have consumatur, which Heinsius preferred.

167. The poet now begins to inquire of the god why the Matronalia, a festival on which the matrons sacrificed to Juno, and sent presents to each other, and received them from their husbands, should be on the Kalends of the month sacred to the god of war. The deity assigns five causes.

168. Witness Homer's invocations to the Muses.

169. "Cum a viris soleas coli," Gierig. When you preside over manly occupations, is the interpretation of Lenz. May it not be, Since thine occupations are all of a manly character?

173, 174. I, a god whose chief value is in arms, am now, for the first time, called to the pursuits of peace. By the poet or by the matrons? Gressus, etc. alluding, perhaps, to his name Gradivus, v. 169.

177. See above, I. 101.

179. First cause, the rape of the Sabines.

180. Hujus, scil. Romae. Some MSS. read urbis.

184. The straw-roofed cottage, said to have been the abode of Romulus, was still standing on the Palatine, in the time of the poet.

195, 196. They (the neighbouring peoples) have the connubium, or intermarry with nations at ever so great a distance, but their women all looked down on the Romans.

197. Patriam, like thy father's, to take by force what was refused to entreaty.

198. Tolle preces, away with entreaties. Thus, tolle moras, Met. xiii. 556. Tolle querelas, Hor. Ep. I. 12. 3.

199. 200. Consus, etc. In this parenthesis the god addresses the poet. The readings of the MSS. differ very much here. Most have Illo festa die dum s. s. facis, making it a part of the advice of the god to his son. Heinsius followed those which read, Ipso festa die d. s. s. canes. Illo or illafesta or factacanes, canas, coles, facis, are the readings of various MSS. The present reading, with canet instead of canas, was proposed by Gronovius, and adopted by Gierig. The Consualia were on the XV. Kal. Sept. It is a pity that the poem does not go so far, as Ovid might have given us some additional information respecting Consus. See Mythology, p. 473.

201. Scil. the Caeninenses, the Crustumini, and the Antemnates. See the story in Livy, I.

202. It is not at all unlikely that, as Donza supposes, he glances here at the war between Julius Caesar, and his son-in-law, Pompey.

203. The war lasted to the third year.

205. Dictam, appointed.

206. Nurus, Hersilia, the wife of Romulus.

219. The construction is, ut (feminae quae erant) passis capillis tetigere, etc.

223. Seen for the first time.

224. Taubner thinks that by pinching the babes, they made them cry Ah! vae! which sounded like ave! Much as Ovid loved to play on words, I can hardly suspect him of this.

230. Oebalides. See I. 260.

231-234. Second cause. Was this the real cause, or is it because Ilia was a mother by me, that the matrons hold their feast on the Kalends of my month?

235-244. Third cause. It was fit that in the season of fecundity the matrons should pray to Juno for offspring. Compare this description of the spring with that in I. 151, et seq. See also Hor. Car. iv. 7.— Hiems. adop. gel. the glacialis hiems of Virgil.—Victae. Several MSS. read lapsae; one maestae. Heinsius proposes ictae, but as Burmann justly observes, why alter so excellent a reading as victae?— Detonsae, some of the older MSS. read excussae.—Virida. This is the reading of the best and oldest MSS. and was adopted by Heinsius. Burmann and Gierig follow those which read uvida; some have humida.— Tenero. Some MSS. read gravido, which is, perhaps, the true reading. See above, I. 152. One MS. reads in tumido.—Occultas vias, the caeca spiramenta of Virgil, G. I. 89.—Hora, season, like the Greek [Greek: horae].

244. Taubner, who is followed by some translators, explains this line thus: "quarum proles vel militis officio fungatur, vel sacerdotio s. votis oportet." Its plain meaning is, as given by Gierig: whose service and vows is childbirth. Et rudis ad partus et nova miles eram, says our poet (Her. xi. 48,) in the person of Canace. See above, II. 9.

245-248. The fourth cause, because the temple of Juno Lucina, on the Esquiline hill, was first opened for worship on the Kalends of March.

245. Ubi rex, etc. Ten MSS. read ibi rex R. two regi R. which reading is adopted by Heinsius, and retained by Gierig. The excubiae were held by Romulus on the Esquiline, at the time that he suspected Titus Tatius of bad faith.—Agebat. Several of the best MSS. have habebat.

246. Esquilias alii scripserunt ab excubiis regis dictas. Varro, iv. 8. Ovid seems to follow the same etymology: the true one is from esculus. —Qui. This is the reading of all the MSS. Heinsius, Burmann and Gierig read qua.

251. The fifth cause. Juno, the mother of Mars, loves married women, who, in return, honor me. The Grecian Hera, by the way, was the mother of Ares; but the same was not the case with the Italian Juno and Mars. See Mythology.—Matrum. Heinsius adopts matris on conjecture, which reading is received by Burmann and Gierig. Some MSS. have matres.

254. Cingite caput, of the statue of the goddess, says Gierig, perhaps of the worshipper.

259. As the Salii bore the sacred ancilia through the city on the Kalends of March, the poet now proceeds to enquire into the origin of this institution. See Livy, I. 20.

261. Nympha, scil. Egeria.—Nemori, etc. See v. 263—275.— Operata. Seven MSS. read adoperta.

262. Facta. Some MSS. read festa, others sacra.

263. Met. xv. 479, et seq. Virg. aen. vii. 761, et seq. This account of the grove of Aricia is a complete digression in this place. Aricia, and its grove, lay at the foot of the Mons Albanus.

265. An Indiges, named Virbius, was worshiped here, who was identified with Hippolytus.

267, 268. This practice may be witnessed at the present day, in every country where the Roman Catholic religion prevails.—Longas sepes. The wall, says Neapolis, surrounding the sacred grove.

269, 270. It was the custom for women, whose prayers to this goddess had been heard, to carry lighted torches from the city to the grove of Aricia. See Propert, II. 23, 39.

271, 272. The priest of Diana, in this grove, called Rex Nemorensis, was always a runaway slave, who had slain his predecessor in office. He always went armed, to protect himself from aspirants to his dignity. Strabo calls this a barbarous and Scythian custom, and it led to the idea of the Arician Diana, being one with the Tauric Artemis.

273—275. See Juvenal's account of this fountain. Sat. III.

274. Bibi. The other editions, following some MSS. read bibes.

277-284. See Livy, Dionysius and Plutarch.

283. Vertitur, is changed.

285. This legend was related in the same manner by the historian Valerius Antias, from whom Ovid probably took it. As Livy, I. 20, relates the matter differently, it probably was not in the Annals of Ennius. It was evidently founded on the adventure of Menelaus with Proteus. Hom. Od. iv. See also Virg. G. iv. 387, et seq.

291. Picus Faunusque. Old Italian deities. See Heyne Excursus, V. to aen. vii. Mythology, p. 477.

292. Prodere. Many MSS. read edere, others tradere.—Romani, etc. Each a god of Roman ground, i.e. a Roman rural deity.

296. Dark shady groves were, from a very natural feeling, regarded with awe as the abode of deities. See Seneca. Epist. 41.

300. Fonti. To the deity or spirit of the fount.

301. Dis ponit. This is the conjecture of Heinsius; the MSS. read disponit.

312. Quatiens cornua. To indicate the difficulty of the matter.

313. Monitu. This word is used to indicate information divinely given.

314. Numina, divine power.

317. Deducere, a magic term, the [Greek: katagein] of the Greeks. Lunam deducere tentas Tibullus, [Greek: Ai pharmakides katagousi taen selaenaen]. Interp. Apollonii.

321. Sum. ded. ab arce. The reading of the best MSS. is Valida perductus ab arce: some of the best have val. veniet ded. ab arce or arte; some nostra perd. ab arte.

322. Nubila, etc. He mixes, according to custom, the Greek and Italian mythologies: the oath, by Styx, was peculiar to the former. See Hom. Od. v. l85—Nubila, as the Styx, was supposed to exhale a dense vapour.

323. Carmina, magic verses.

325. Scire nefas homini. Is not for man to know. Quid crastina volveret aetas Scire nefas homini. Stat. Theb. III. 562. See Hor. Car. I. 11. 1.

327-330. Some modern writers suppose that the ancient Etruscans possessed the art of conducting the lightning which Franklin discovered, or, according to them, re-discovered, and that it is exhibited in this poetic narrative. Their conjecture is, they think, confirmed by the fate of Tullus Hostilius, which they attribute to his ignorance of the proper mode of conducting the electric fluid.—Minores, posterity.

337. Ambage remota. As this seems not by any means to accord with what follows, Gierig renders ambage circumlocution, as opposed to the brevity with which the god speaks. One MS. reads remissa. The dialogue of Jupiter and Numa will be easily understood.

342. Piscis. According to Plutarch, the maena. See above, II. 578, note.

346. Pignora certa, the ancile. Celestial gifts of this kind, on which the safety of the state were supposed to depend, were common in antiquity.

347. Aethera, motum. Vidisti motu sonitus procurrere caelo. Profert, II. 16.

352. Crastina, scil. crastinas res, what will happen to-morrow.

357. Virg. Ec. viii. l4.—Rorataque. Many MSS. read rorata.

359. Acerno. Five MSS. read eburno, but see Met. iv. 486. Virg. aen. viii. 178.

363. It was the custom of the Romans to cover their heads when praying, or performing any other religious rite, lest any thing of ill omen should present itself to their view. See Virg. aen. iii. 405.

367 Evolverat. This is the reading of five of the best MSS. two read emerserat, which Heinsius, Burmann and Gierig have received, and which I should prefer. See v. 517. Most read emoverat; one commoverat, another ostenderat.

369. Sine nube. It was therefore supernatural. Compare Hor. Car. I. 34. 6. Virg. aen. vii. 141.

371. Two of the best MSS. read, A media subito coelum discedere visum est, which Heinsius prefers. Virgil (aen. ix. 20,) has medium video discedere coelum, and if this last be, as I am inclined to think it is, the true reading, it is not unlikely that Ovid imitated this line of the aeneis: if it is not, the line is the work of some grammarian, and formed from the Virgilian verse.

372. Submisere. One MS. has surrexere manus, which Burmann prefers. For this sense of sub, see Virg. Ec. vi. 38. x. 74, submittere cornua. Petron. 126, 18, 3. Submissas tendunt alta ad Capitolia dextras. Silius, xii. 640.

377. Ancile. Ancile vocatum quia ex utroque latere erat recisum, ut summum infimumque latus pateret, Festus. Ancilia dicta ab ancisu, quod ea arma, ab utraque parte, ut peltae Thracum, incisa. Ancisia Saturnio in carmine. Varro, L. L. iv. Ovid evidently follows the same etymology. According to Juba, whom Plutarch copies, it is derived from [Greek: ankylon] curved, and should be spelt ancyle. It is, however, certainly an old Latin word, and is by all Latin writers properly spelt with an i. It is well known that y is no Latin letter, yet we constantly meet Sylla for Sulla. From Plutarch's description of the ancile, we may collect that it was of an oval form.

381. Caelata, i.e. sculpta, or simply, made.

383. His morals were as perfect as his skill.

384. Clausit opus, simply, completed the work.—Ulli, some MSS. read illi; one illud, which Heinsius and Gierig have adopted.

387. The Salii, clad in brazen armour, and striking the ancilia with their daggers as they sang the old verses ascribed to Numa, went through the city dancing to the sound of pipes.

393. It was not considered lucky to marry on the Kalends of March, as the ancilia were carried on that day. This day was also considered inauspicious for commencing a journey. Suet. Otho. 8. Livy, xxxvii. 33.

396. Condita, laid up in the temple.

397, 398. The Flamen Dialis wore a peculiar kind of white hat, called apex, without which he never went out; his wife wore a flame-coloured robe, named venenatum, and a peculiar kind of band about her head, called rica. (See Gellius, N. A. x. 15,) hence the poet says, cincta. Cincta Flaminica veste velata Festus. Some MSS. have sancta; others capitis distincta, one apicatis cura. It was enjoined by law on the Flaminia, not to cut her nails, comb her hair, etc. on certain days.

399-402. One of the Fishes set acronychally on the 3d March, the V. Non.

403. Rorare genis. Five MSS. read rutilare; two comis.

405. The poet commits an error here. Arctophylax rises acronychally, instead of setting on the 5th March.

407. Vindemitor, [Greek: protrygaetaer], a star in the right shoulder of the Virgin, which now rises acronychally.

409. The story of Ampelos is told differently by Nonnus, in his Dionysiacs. See Mythology, p. l74.—Intonsum, denotes youth and beauty; it is therefore an epithet of Apollo, [Greek: akersekomaes].—Satyris, to denote the lewdness of the Nymph, says Burmann. It may, however, mean merely one of the Satyrs. Some MSS. read Satyro.

411, 412. These two lines were suspected by Heinsius. They are certainly very indifferent, but without them the narrative seems imperfect. Ovid would hardly have omitted an allusion to the name of Ampelos.

414. Vehit. This is the reading of five of the best MSS. all the rest have tulit.

415-428. On the 6th of the month, Prid. Non. A.U.C. 741. Augustus was made Pontifex Maximus. The P.M. presided over the Vestals.

417. Quisquis ades etc. The Vestals, as it would appear, who alone could enter the temple.—Canae. This is the reading of two of the best MSS.; the rest have castae, one gratae. See Virg. aen. ix. 259.

422. Vides. All the older MSS. have videt or vident; one Vesta videt.—Pignora juncta, the pledges of empire, in the temple of Vesta, were the Eternal Fire, and the Palladium (Livy, v. 52, xxvi. 27,) to these now was joined.—Augustus. The force of flattery could no farther go.

423. This is the reading of three of the best MSS. and adopted by Heinsius, and the succeeding editors: the other MSS. have Di v. T. d. p. ferenti.—Dignissima praeda, Vesta.

424. Gravis, i. e. gravatus, laden. See Virg. aen. II. 296. Three MSS. read pius.

425. The Julian house into which Augustus had been adopted, derived their lineage from aeneas. I do not, however, see the relationship to Vesta, unless it be through Kronus, (Saturn) who was her father, and whose grand-daughter Venus, was the mother of aeneas.

428. Dux, Augustus. This was probably written before the poet left Rome, and he did not alter it.

429-448. An account of Vejovis, whose temple was dedicated by Romulus, on the Nones of March.

429. The reading of the older MSS. was Una nota est Marti: Nonis sacra.—Una nota, the Nones of March were distinguished by one mark in the Fasti, one event had taken place on them.

430. The space between the Arx and the Capitol, in which the Asylum and the temple of Vejovis were, was called Inter duos lucos. Livy, 1.8, [Greek: to methorion duoin drumon]. Dionysius, II. 15.

435. He now enquires into the origin of the name of this god.

437. The statue of Vejovis represented a youthful figure, without any thunderbolts, in his hand. He may, therefore, be Young Jupiter.

443. There was the figure of a she-goat standing beside it; a farther proof, as Jupiter was suckled by the goat, Amalthea.

445. The country-people, called ill-grown corn vegrandia, (Vegrandes et imbecillae oves. Varro, R. II. II.) and vescus with them, was equivalent to parvus. From all this he infers, that Vejovis is Little Jupiter. This is not convincing. See Mythology, p. 468, where it is shewn that Vejovis was probably a god of the under-world.—Colonae. Many of the best MSS. read colono. Eleven have colone (colonae); one colonae, which Heinsius adopted. Gierig follows the MSS. which read coloni, and he is, perhaps, right in so doing.

449, 450. The heliac rising of Pegasus on the Nones. For Pegasus, see Hesiod. Th. 280, et seq. and 325. Met. iv. 784, v. 256. Mythology, pp. 223, 364.—Variabunt. Eight MSS. read vallabunt, which Heinsius adopted.

451. Gravida cervice is rather a curious mode of expression. Medusa was pregnant by Neptune, and when Perseus cut off her head, Pegasus sprang forth (prosiluit, [Greek: exethore] Hes.) with the blood: hence the poet says, gravida crevice. He was named Pegasus, as being born at the springs ([Greek: paegas]) of Ocean.

455. See the story of Bellerophon.

456. The Horse-fount ([Greek: hippoukraenae] Hippocrene) in Aonia (Boeotia), said to have been produced by a stroke of the hoof of Pegasus. —Fodit. Nine of the best MSS. read _fudit. Rutilius (Itin. I. 264,) says, Musarum ut latices ungula fodit equi. Avienus (in Arat. Phaen. Equo.) cornuque excita repente Lympha, Camenalem fudit procul Hippocrenen, I think fudit the more poetic term.

458. The astronomers of the present day reckon eighty-nine stars in Pegasus.

459-516. The Crown of Ariadne rises acronychally on the 8th March, the VIII. Id. For the story of Theseus and Ariadne, see Met. viii. 175—182. Ars Amandi, I. 531—564, Her. x. Hor. Car. II. 19. Catul. lxiv. 52, et seq. Mythology pp. 411, 412.

460. Gnosida Gnosian, as Minos, the father of Ariadne, reigned at Gnosus, in Crete.—Facta dea, Ariadne, not her crown.

461. "Solent poëtae verbo mutare Accusat rei acceptae et Ablat. relictae addere." Gierig. Thus Horace, Velox amoenum saepe Lucretilem mutat Lycaeo.—Faunus.

465. Depexus crinibus, his hair neatly and carefully combed out. See VI. 229. Bacchus, whom the Greeks named [Greek: eukomaes (eukomos], is a general epithet of the goddesses) was like Apollo, distinguished for the beauty of his hair. See Met. III. 421 and 555, iv. 13. The common reading was, what appears the most obvious, depexis. Some of the best MSS. read depexos, agreeing with Indos.

466. Some of the best MSS. read venit. For the Indian expedition of Bacchus, see Mythology, P. I. chap. xiv.

476. My case is told or repeated.

480. Dedoluisse, have ended my grief; have died.

493. At puto, etc. Ironically.

495. See Hor. Sat. I. 3, 38.

499. Matrem Pasiphaë. The story is well known.

500. Bacchus was represented horned, in consequence of the identification of him with the Phrygian Sabazius. Mythology, p. 168. Hence he was called [Greek: boukeros, taurokeros].—Me tua, etc. The best and most numerous MSS. read Me juvat et laedit: one, me viat et laedit; another me tua me laedit or laudat: three of the best have the reading of the text, the rest me tua sed laedit. Heinsius gives from conjecture, me tua. At hic laudi est, which Gierig has received.

503. A play on words as usual.

512. Libera. The Italian religion, as I have observed after Niebuhr, (Mythology, p. 455,) delighted in representing the deities presiding over any object in pairs of males and females. Hence, with Liber, the god of wine, was joined a goddess Libera, and when the Greek and Italian religions came to be mingled, she was identified with Proserpine. Ovid alone makes her the same with Ariadne. I forgot to notice this under the head Liber Pater (Mythology, p. 469). I should be inclined to derive Liber from libo, [Greek: leibo], instead of libero.

514. Vulcanus Veneri. One MS. reads Neptunus Thetidi. I suppose Homer was running in the head of whoever he was that made this improvement.— Tibi. One MS. reads mihi, which Burmann has received.

517-522. On the 14th or Prid. Id. was another Equiria.—Demerserit. Several of the good MSS. read quum deseret or deserit; others quot demserit; some quum demserit; three of the best dimiserit; others demiserit; one totidemque remiserit; another of the best dimerserit, whence Heinsius formed the present reading.

518. Purpureum, bright, see II. 74. Virg. aen. vi. 641, purpureum lumen, scil. Soils.

522. If the Tiber, as was so frequently the case, had overflowed the Campus Martius, the races were run on the Campus Martialis on the Coelian hill.

523-696. On the Ides was the festival of Anna Perenna.—Geniale, i. e. quo genio indulgetur. See v. 58.

524. Between the Milvian bridge and the point of confluence with the Anien.

527. Sub Jove. See II. 299.

529. Ibi. Several MSS. read sibi.

532. Ad numerum. They reckon the cups.

536. Suit the action to the word by making gesticulations.

537. Posito, scil. in honour of the goddess.—Duras, aukward, inelegant.

541, 542. Heinsius and Burmann think with a great deal of probability, that a good many verses are lost after this distich, Burmann supposes that the monks who copied the MSS. left them out, on account of their indelicacy.

543. He now commences his enquiry into the character and history of Anna.—Errat, is uncertain. Six MSS. read errant.

544. Fabula nulla, no legend or tradition.

545. For the whole story of Dido and Aeneas, see the Aeneis I. and IV.— Arserat, the usual play on words.

551-554. See aen. iv. 36, 198, et seq.

556. See Virg. G. iv. 213. 565.

557, 558. Counting the years poetically by the harvests and vintages.

561. Favillae, cineres. Hor. Car. II. 6, 22. They used to pour wine and precious oils on the ashes of the dead.

562. Vertice libatas, cut from the head, and laid as an offering on the tomb. Placemus umbras? Capitis exuvias cape, Laceraeque frontis accipe abcissam comam. Seneca Hyppol. 1181.

565. Comitem is the reading of six of the best MSS. all the rest have comites.—Pede aequo, the pedes are the ropes called braces, by which the yards are moved. This shews that the vessel ran before the wind, vento secundo.

567. Melite. Malta; Cosyra, Gozzo.

570. Battus. Silius Italicus (viii. 51,) says of Battus, Cyrenem molli tum forte fovebat Imperio, and he brings Anna thither. Battus was the founder of the Grecian colony at Cyrene.

581. _Crathidis. The Crathis was a river in Magna Graecia, near Thurii.

582. Parvus. Two MSS. read Purus, which Heinius and Gierig prefer. There are abundant instances of the use of purus in the sense of free from trees.

587. Subducere, to draw up, to furl.

594. Is. Two MSS. read hic,

602. Populos duos. The Trojans and Aborigines, under the common name of Latins. See Livy, I. 2.

613. Italy.

615. Deos comites, the Penatestale, which he had brought with him from Troy, aen. I. 6, xii. 192.—Increpuisse, "signis quibusdam datis," Gierig. Virgil does not mention this. Ovid was, perhaps, thinking of the message brought from Jupiter by Mercury, etc.

617. Morte scil. Didonis.

618. Credibile, than what I believed, or could have believed.

619. Ne refer, tell not the tale.

621, 622. Ratio, your own choice.—Deus, fortune. See Hor. Sat. I. 1, 2.

623. Memores, scil. sumus debere.

627. Paratus, dress. Met vi. 451.

633. Falsum vulnus, causeless wound of jealousy. Virg. aen. I. 36, iv. 67 and 332. Two MSS. read tacitum.

635. Praeter sua lumina, before her eyes. Seven MSS. limina. Heinsius puts a colon after ferri, and a comma after mitti.

637. Exactum. She has not yet determined.

642. Sub verbum as she spoke.

647. Corniger, a usual epithet of rivers, (Virg. G. IV 371. aen. viii. 77.) on account of their roaring or windings. The Numicius was between Larentum and Lavinium.

654. "Si Nympha antea Anna dicta, non opus erat ab amne nomen suum deducere," Gierig. The fact is, the poet here confounds two etymons, an old one from amne perenne, and a later one from Anna the sister of Dido. Was Anna mentioned in the poem of Naevius? or did Virgil first give it vogue? It is a Semitic name, and occurs in Scripture.

657. A second opinion, Anna is the Moon.

658. A third, she is Themis; a fouth Io or Isis.

659. 660. A fifth, made her a daughter of Atlas, and one of the Nymphs who reared Jupiter. These however are said to have been the two daughters of Melissa, or simply the nymph Amalthea. There is however another tradition which commits the rearing of the infant deity to the Hyades, who were the daughters of Atlas.

661. A sixth theory, derived Anua from anus, and devised the folloing legend which the poet thinks is not unlike the truth.

663. The famous secession of the Plebs. A.U.C. 260. to the hill beyound the Anien, three miles from Rome, afterwards named the Mons Sacer.

667. Bovillae or Bovilla was a Latin town mot far from Rome, on the Appian Way.—Suburbanis does not mean close to the city, for Horace (Ep, I, 7, 77.) calls his Sabine country-seat suburbana rura.

673. Can any thing be more silly than this account of the origin of an ancient Italian deity? I have elsewhere (Mythology p. 479) observed, what little taste and elegance of imagination, and I add sense, the Romans displayed in the origins which they invented for their gods. The real etymon of Anna Perenna is, I think, annus, as the poet himself would appear to have seen: see vv. 145, 146. Perhaps, according to the principle noticed above on, v. 512, she was a female corresponding to a god Annus. It is curious to observe the resemblance which has been traced out between her and the Indian Anna Purna in the Asiatic Researches.

675. He now undertakes to explain by a legend, why at the festival of Anna Perenna indecorous verse were sung by young women. The mystics would here, of course, talk to us of the symbolic wisdom of ancient priests and sages, but the more probable reason is to be found in the rude simplicity of an agricultural race, like the ancient Latins, and other peoples of Italy, which also gave origin to the Fescinnine verses. On occasions like this, however, one should always bear in mind these words of Johnson, "The oringinal of ancient customs is commonly unknown; for the practice often continues after the cause has ceased; and concerning superstitious ceremonies it is vain to conjecture, reson cannot explain," Rasselas, Chap. 48.

696. Verba dedisse, to have deceived.

697. Julius Caesar was slain on the Ides of March, A.U.C. 709. The senate directed, that in future this day should be called Parricidium, and that no senate should ever sit on it. Suet. Caes. 88.

698. Locuta, scil. to the poet.

699. Sacerdos, as being Pontifex Maximus. [Greek: All' outos ho pataer, outos ho archiereus, ho asulos, ho aeros, ho theos, tethnaeken], are the words of Antonius over him in Dion. Cass. xliv. 49.

703. Vidit. Two MS. read servat. Compare Virg. Ec. v. 56.

704. A temple was raised to Caesar. A.U.C 712. three years after his death.

707. It was observed by the historians that all the murderers of Caesar perished within three years after him.

710. Caesaris. Augustus.

711, 712. On the XVII. Kal. April is the cosmic rising of the middle of the Scorpion.

713-790. On the following day were the Liberalia, which the poet now sings.

716. Parvus inermis erat, scil. Jupiter. Most MSS. read eras, applying it to Bacchus. Gierig is not satisfied with either reading, and he thinks the passage corrupt.

7l8. Expletum completed, brought to maturity.—Onus, most MSS. opus.

719. The expedition of Bacchus.

721. Pentheus. See Met. iii. 511. et seq.

722. Met. iv. 22.

723. Met. iii. 597, et seq.

726. Vilis anus, a mean, or common old woman. Seven MSS. three of which are of the best, read Vitisator, but the correctness of the present text is proved by the following passage of Varro L. L. V. Liberalia dicta, quod per totum oppidum eo die sedent sacerdotes Liberi, hedera coronatae anus, cum libis et foculo pro emptore sacrificantes.

728. Gelidis focis, cold altars, as no fire was kindled on them.

730. Seposuisse. The greater number of MSS. have supposuisse.

733. "Mira etymologia!" Gierig. See above v. 512. The libum was a kind of cake, [Greek: plakous ek galaktos, itrion te kai melitos, on Romaioi libon kalousi]. Athenaeus III. p. 125.

739. Florida. Most MSS. read flumina: the present, which is far preferable, is that of three of the best and four other MSS.

741-744. Compare Virgil G. IV. 64, et seq. The practice is too well known among ourselves to require any elucidation.

743. Levis senex, Silenus, who was bald. Most MSS. read lenis.

748. Dissimulat, conceals his discovery.

753 It was therefore a hornet's nest he had got.

763 See v. 726.—Praestet, "exhibeat praetereuntibus." Gierig.

769. Nysiades. There was a Nysa in Boeotia, in Thrace, in India, in Arabia. It was probably the Boeotian that the poet meant. See Met. III. 3l3.—Noverca, Juno.

771. On the Liberalia, the youths who had attained the age of sixteen laid aside the praetexta, which they had hitherto worn and assumed, the toga virilis, pura, recta, or libera, as it was variously, called. The poet gives four reasons for its being done on the Liberalia.

773. First reason, Bacchus, like Apollo, was ever young, See Met. iv. 17.

775. Second reason, because he was a father, (Liber Pater.) The Romans however called all their gods patres. ex. gr. Jupiter, (Jovis pater Zeus [Greek: pataer]), Dispiter, Mars-piter, Janus pater, Pater Neptunus, Pater Silvanus. (Hor. Epod. ii. 21.) etc.

777. Third reason, and perhaps the true one, because his name Liber coincided with the adjective liber.

779. Fourth reason, because as the people used to come from the country into Rome on the Liberalia to see the plays, it was deemed a good opportunity for giving a youth the toga virilis, when all his friends and relations were present.

781. Alluding to L. Quinctius Cincinnatus, ille dictator ab aratro, Flor. I. 11.

782. Alluding, perhaps, to the story of Scipio, who, on shaking the hand of a country voter, as he canvassed him, said, Prythee, friend, dost walk on thy hands? and thereby lost his election. I, however, rather think that the poet had only in view the effeminacy of his own days.

784. Studiis, scil_. musices et poeseos_, taste.

786. Taedifera dea, Ceres.

787. Tironem. The youth who took the manly gown was named a tiro, and the day, dies tirocinii. He was accompanied from the Capitol to the Forum, and thence home by a great number of his relatives, friends and clients.—Celeb. freq. Frequentia me usque ad Capitolium celebravit. Cic. Att. vi. 1.

791, 792. See V. 621, Livy, I. 22. Reliqua urbis loca olim discreta, ut Argeorum sacraria in septem et viginti partes urbis sunt disposita. Argeos dictos putant a principibus, qui cum Hercule Argivo venerunt Romam et in Saturnia subsederunt. Varro, L. L. iv. J. B. Fontejus (De Prisca Caesiorum Gente, L. I. c. 7,) supposes that the Argei were the reputed burial-places of some of these noble Argives.—Sua Pagina, its own part of the Fasti. He means, perhaps, V. 621, et seq.

793, 794. On the same day (XVI. Kal. April.) the Kite rises acronychally.—Proclinis is the reading of two of the best MSS.; five of the best read proclivis, some have declivis; the greater number declinis.—Miluus, a trisyllable (like Iason, Iulus, Iambus, silua, Suevos, etc.) is the reading of the best MSS.: the rest have Milvius. The constellation of the Kite, Krebs says, is not mentioned by any Greek writer on astronomy, before the time of Ovid. It is quite uncertain where he got the following legend.

798. That is to slay the monster about to be described.

801. Compare Virg. aen. vi. 549.

803, 804. This reminds one strongly of the sacrifice of the horse of Hindoo Mythology. See Southey's Curse of Kehama, viii.

805. Briareus. See Hom. Il. I. 402. According to Homer and Hesiod, Briareus was one of the Hundred-handed, and the ally of Jupiter. Ovid appears to make him a Titan.—Adamante. The adamas of the poets is iron, or rather steel. Adamas lapis durissimus, qui nec ferro cedere dicitur. Pliny, H. N. xxvii. 4.

809-850. On the XIV. Kal. April, began the festival of Minerva, named the Quinquatrus, Quinquatres, or Quinquatria.

810. Nomina quae. Several MSS. have numinaque adjunctis. Quinquatrus: hic dies unus a nominis errore observatur, proinde ut sint quinque dies, dictus ab Tusculanis; post diem sextum Idus similiter vocatus Sexatrus, et post diem septimum Septimatrus; sic hic, quod erat post diem quintum Idus, Quinquatrus, Varro, L. L. V. Festus gives the same derivation. It is in favour of Ovid that the festival lasted exactly five days, but this may have been the effect, and not the cause of the name.

811. The gladiatorial combats with which the festival of Minerva, as the goddess of war, were celebrated, did not begin till the second day. As the Minerva of the Romans was certainly no war-goddess, till she was identified with the Pallas Athena of Greece, I am inclined to think that the origin of this mode of worshiping her will be found in the account given by Herodotus, (iv. 180, 189) of the worship of the Lybian goddess, whom he makes to be the prototype of Pallas Athena. To shew how modes of worship were transferred; the Athenians had, in the time of the empire, combats of gladiators in a theatre on their Acropolis, in honour of their patron-goddess. See Philostratus' Life of Apollonius, L. iv. c. 7. For Pallas Athena and Minerva, see Mythology, pp. 119 and 462.

812. Illa nata die. "Illa die nata Minerva, quatenus ei templum in Aventino dedicatum, quod notat Verrius. Etiam Calend. Vindob. N. Minervae." Gierig.

815. See Juvenal. Sat. x. 118.—Ornate, scil. with garlands.

816. Doctus, skilful.

817. 818. Spinning.

819, 820. Weaving.—Stantes telas, the stamina or warp.

821-826. The fuller, the dyer, the shoemaker and the carpenter. For Tychius, see Hom. II. vii. 221, for Epeus. Id. Od. viii. 492, Virg. aen. II. 264.

827, 828. The Physicians. There is an inscription in Gruter Minervae Medicae. The reader needs not to be reminded of the medical character of Phoebus Apollo.

829. This is a sadly perplexing line. Seven MSS. read censu fraudante; others sensu fraudante; four sensus fraudata; one of the best censu fraudata; two of the best sensu fraudare; one of the best turba ferae sensus fraudare; two verba feri; three deam, censu fraudata, which Burmann and Gierig have adopted. The present reading is the common one, with a slight change of feri, which gives no good sense, to fere. Matthiae conjectured, and gave the same reading. I think the poet meant the bad payment and bad treatment which the school-masters so frequently met with at Rome.

831, 832. The sculptors, painters and statuaries.—Tabulam, etc. The Encaustae, as they were called, who burned-in wax, spread over the place to be painted.—Mollia, smooth or soft, as it were, to the eye.

835. There was a small temple of Minerva Capta on the rise of the Coelian hill, of which name the poet now tries, but in vain, to discover the origin.—Captae, Six MSS. capitae; others castae. This shews the negligence and temerity of the transcribers.

838. See on v. 812.

843. It was the custom when a town was taken, to bring its gods to the abode of the conquerors.—Falerii was captured by Camillus, A.U.C. 361. See Livy, v. 24.

844. Littera prisca, the old name of the goddess, or the old books, the Annals.

845, 846. This passage is difficult. For ex illo most MSS. have exilio; many for reperta, read recepta. It is the fures, and not the furta, which should be punished. Capitalis lucus, ubi si quid violatum est, capite violatoris, (two MSS. vigilatoris) expiatur. Festus.

849, 850. On the last day of the Quinquatrus, the Kal. Apr. was the Tubilustrum. According to Varro and Festus, the trumpets were purified in the Atrium Sutorium. On the X. Kal. Jun. there was a Tubilustrum to Vulcan. For deae in this place, three of the best MSS. read deo, which Heinsius adopts, and understands it of Mars. Gesenius also prefers this reading. In Verrius, we find Feriae Martis, and Laur. Lydus (de Mensibus, p. 85,) says, [Greek: tae pro deka kalandon Aprillion katharmos salpingos kai kinaesis ton oplon, kai timai Areos kai Nerinaes, haen aexioun einai taen Athaenan nerinae gar (en tae Sabinon glossae) hae andria esti]. This Nerine-Minerva was probably the fortis dea.

851-876. The sun enters the Ram, and the poet takes the occasion of telling the story of Phrixus and Helle. See Mythology, p. 296.—Nunc, on the last day of the Quinquatrus, as it was the day after the XI. Kal. Apr. which last was that of the entrance of the sun into the Ram. See the Kalendarium.

863. Pependerat. Their mother was Nephele, cloud. See also v. 805.

865. Thebes was built by the Sparti (Sown) who sprang from the serpent's teeth.

870. The Hellespont, Helle's-sea.

874. Caeruleo deo. Neptune.

877. The vernal equinox on the VII. Kal. Apr.—Eos, Aurora.

879. Four days after the VII. Kal. Apr. was a festival of Janus, Concord, Health and Peace. Augustus raised statues to these three last-named deities.

883, 884. Servius Tullius built a temple to Diana on the Aventine, Livy, I. 45. Tac. An. xv. 41. Ovid, like the other poets, makes Diana and Luna, as they really were, identical. See Mythology, p. 463.

LIBER IV.

Alma, fave, dixi, geminorum mater Amorum.
  Ad vatem vultus rettulit illa suos.
Quid tibi, ait, mecum? certe majora canebas.
  Num vetus in molli pectore vulnus habes?
Scis dea, respondi, de vulnere.—Risit, et aether 5
  Protinus ex illa parte serenus erat.—
Saucius, an sanus, numquid tua signa reliqui?
  Tu mihi propositum, tu mihi semper opus.
Quae decuit, primis sine crimine lusimus annis:
  Nunc teritur nostris area major equis. 10
Tempora cum causis annalibus eruta priscis,
  Lapsaque sub terras ortaque signa cano.
Venimus ad quartum, quo tu celeberrima, mensem;
  Et vatem, et mensem scis, Venus esse tuos.
Mota Cytheriaca leviter mea tempora myrto 15
  Contigit, et, Coeptum perfice, dixit, opus.
Sensimus, et subito causae patuere dierum.
  Dum licet, et spirant flamina, navis eat.
Si qua tamen pars te de fastis tangere debet,
  Caesar, in Aprili, quo tenearis, habes. 20
Hic ad te magna descendit imagine mensis,
  Et fit adoptiva nobilitate tuus.
Hoc pater Iliades, quum longum scriberet annum,
  Vidit, et auctores rettulit ipse suos.
Utque fero Marti primam dedit ordine sortem, 25
  Quod sibi nascenti proxima causa fuit;
Sic Venerem gradibus multis in gente repertam
  Alterius voluit mensis habere locum;
Principiumque sui generis revolutaque quaerens
  Saecula, cognatos venit ad usque deos. 30
Dardanon Electra nesciret Atlantide cretum?
  Scilicet Electran concubuisse Jovi?
Hujus Erichthonius: Tros est generatus ab illo:
  Assaracon creat hic, Assaracusque Capyn.
Proximus Anchisen, cum quo commune parentis 35
  Non dedignata est nomen habere Venus,
Hinc satus aeneas, pietas spectata per ignes,
  Sacra, patremque humeris altera sacra, tulit.
Venimus ad felix aliquando nomen Iuli,
  Unde domus Teucros Julia tangit avos. 40
Postumus huic, qui, quod silvis fuit ortus in altis,
  Silvius in Latia gente vocatus erat;
Isque, Latine, tibi pater est: subit Alba Latinum:
  Proximus est titulis Epytos, Alba, tuis,
Ille dedit Capyi recidiva vocabula Troiae, 45
  Et tuus est idem, Calpete, factus avus.
Quumque patris regnum post hunc Tiberinus haberet,
  Dicitur in Tuscae gurgite mersus aquae.
Jam tamen Agrippam genitum, Remulumque nepotem
  Viderat; in Remulum fulmina missa ferunt. 50
Venit Aventinus post hos, locus unde vocatus,
  Mons quoque. Post illum tradita Procae.
Quem sequitur diri Numitor germanus Amuli.
  Ilia cum Lauso de Numitore sati.
Ense cadit patrui Lausus: placet Ilia Marti; 55
  Teque parit, gemino juncte Quirine Remo.
Ille suos semper Venerem Martemque parentes
  Dixit, et emeruit vocis habere fidem.
Neve secuturi possent nescire nepotes,
  Tempora dîs generis continuata dedit. 60
Sed Veneris mensem Graio sermone notatum
  Auguror: a spumis est dea dicta maris.
Nec tibi sit mirum Graio rem nomine dici:
  Itala nam tellus Graecia major erat.
Venerat Evander plena cum classe suorum: 65
  Venerat Alcides, Graius uterque genus.
Hospes Aventinis armentum pavit in herbis
  Claviger, et tanto est Albula pota deo.
Dux quoque Neritius. Testes Laestrygones exstant:
  Et quod adhuc Circes nomina litus habet. 70
Et jam Telegoni, jam moenia Tiburis udi
  Stabant, Argolicae quod posuere manus.
Venerat Atridae fatis agitatus Halesus,
  A quo se dictam terra Falisca putat.
Adjice Trojanae suasorem Antenora pacis, 75
  Et generum Oeniden, Appule Daune, tuum.
Serus ab Iliacis, et post Antenora, flammis
  Attulit aeneas in loca nostra deos.
Hujus erat Solymus Phrygia comes unus ab Ida:
  A quo Sulmonis moenia nomen habent, 80
Sulmonis gelidi, patriae, Germanice, nostrae.
  Me miserum! Scythico quam procul illa solo est!
Ergo ego tam longe?—sed supprime, Musa, querelas;
  Non tibi sunt maesta sacra canenda lyra.
Quo non livor abit? Sunt qui tibi mensis honorem 85
  Eripuisse velint, invideantque, Venus.
Nam, quia ver aperit tunc omnia, densaque cedit
  Frigoris asperitas, fetaque terra patet;
Aprilem memorant ab aperto tempore dictum,
  Quem Venus injecta vindicat alma manu. 90
Illa quidem totum dignissima temperat orbem:
 Illa tenet nullo regna minora deo:
Juraque dat coelo, terrae, natalibus undis,
  Perque suos initus continet omne genus.
Illa deos omnes—longum est narrare—creavit: 95
  Illa satis causas arboribusque dedit:
Illa rudes animos hominum contraxit in unum,
  Et docuit jungi cum pare quemque sua.
Quid genus omne creat volucrum, nisi blanda voluptas?
  Nec coëunt pecudes, si levis absit amor. 100
Cum mare trux aries cornu decertat: at idem
  Frontem dilectae laedere parcit ovis.
Deposita taurus sequitur feritate juvencam,
  Quem toti saltus, quem nemus omne tremit.
Vis eadem, lato quodcumque sub sequore vivit, 105
  Servat, et innumeris piscibus implet aquas.
Prima feros habitus homini detraxit: ab illa
  Venerunt cultus mundaque cura sui.
Primus amans carmen vigilatum nocte negata
  Dicitur ad clausas concinuisse fores; 110
Eloquiumque fuit duram exorare puellam:
  Proque sua causa quisque disertus erat.
Mille per hanc artes motae, studioque placendi,
  Quae latuere prius, multa reperta ferunt.
Hanc quisquam titulo mensis spoliare secundi 115
  Audeat? a nobis sit procul iste furor.
Quid? quod ubique potens, templisque frequentibus aucta,
  Urbe tamen nostra jus dea majus habet?
Pro Troja, Romane, tua Venus arma ferebat;
  Quum genuit teneram cuspide laesa manum, 120
Coelestesque duas Trojano judice vicit;
  —Ah! nolim victas hoc meminisse deas!—
Assaracique nurus dicta est, ut scilicet olim
  Magnus Iuleos Caesar haberet avos.
Nec Veneri tempus, quam ver, erat aptius ullum. 125
  Vere nitent terrae: vere remissus ager.
Nunc herbae rupta tellure cacumina tollunt;
  Nunc tumido gemmas cortice palmes agit.
Et formosa Venus formoso tempore digna est,
  Utque solet, Marti continuata suo. 130
Vere monet curvas materna per aequora puppes
 Ire, nec hibernas jam timuisse minas.
Rite deam Latiae colitis matresque nurusque;
  Et vos, quîs vittae longaque vestis abest.
Aurea marmoreo redimicula solvite collo: 135
  Demite divitias: tota lavanda dea est.
Aurea siccato redimicula reddite collo:
  Nunc alii flores, nunc nova danda rosa est.
Vos quoque sub viridi myrto jubet illa lavari;
  Causaque, cur jubeat,—discite—certa subest. 140
Litore siccabat rorantes nuda capillos:
  Viderunt Satyri, turba proterva, deam.
Sensit, et opposita texit sua corpora myrto.
  Tuta fuit facto: vosque referre jubet.
Discite nunc, quare Fortunae tura Virili 145
  Detis eo, calida qui locus humet aqua.
Aspicit ille locus posito velamine cunctas,
  Et vitium nudi corporis omne patet.
Ut tegat hoc, celetque viros, Fortuna Virilis
  Praestat, et hoc parvo ture rogata facit. 150
Nec pigeat niveo tritum cum lacte papaver
  Sumere, et expressis mella liquata favis.
Quum primum cupido Venus est deducta marito,
  Hoc bibit; ex illo tempore nupta fuit.
Supplicibus verbis illam placate: sub illa 155
  Et forma, et mores, et bona fama manet.
Roma pudicitia proavorum tempore lapsa est:
  Cumaeam, veteres, consuluistis anum.
Templa jubet Veneri fieri: quibus ordine factis,
  Inde Venus verso nomina corde tenet. 160
Semper ad Aeneadas placido, pulcherrima, vultu
  Respice, totque tuas, diva, tuere nurus.
Dum loquor, elatae metuendus acumine caudae
  Scorpios in virides praecipitatur aquas.
Nox ubi transient, coelumque rubescere primo 165
  Coeperit, et tactae rore querentur aves,
Semustamque facem vigilata nocte viator
  Ponet, et ad solitum rusticus ibit opus:
Pliades incipiunt humeros relevare paternos,
  Quae septem dici, sex tamen esse solent; 170
Seu, quod in araplexum sex hinc venere deorum:
  Nam Steropen Marti concubuisse ferunt:
Neptuno Halcyonen, et te, formosa Celaeno:
  Maian, et Electran, Taygetenque Jovi:
Septima mortali Merope tibi, Sisyphe, nupsit: 175
  Poenitet, et facti sola pudore latet;
Sive, quod Electra Trojae; spectare ruinas
  Non tulit, ante oculos opposuitque manum.

Ter sine perpetuo coelum versetur in axe;
  Ter jungat Titan, terque resolvat equos; 180
Protinus inflexo Berecyntia tibia cornu
  Flabit, et Idaeae festa Parentis erunt.
Ibunt semimares et inania tympana tundent,
  Aeraque tinnitus sere repulsa dabunt.
Ipsa sedens molli comitum cervice feretur 185
  Urbis per medias exululata vias.
Scena sonat, ludique vocant. Spectate, Quirites!
  Et fora Marte suo litigiosa vacent.
Quaerere multa libet: sed me sonus aeris acuti
  Terret, et horrendo lotos adunca sono. 190
Da, dea, quas sciter, doctas, Cybeleïa, neptes.
  Audit, et has curae jussit adesse meae.
Pandite mandati memores, Heliconis alumnae,
  Gaudeat assiduo cur dea Magna sono.
Sic ego. Sic Erato:—mensis Cythereïus illi 195
  Cessit, quod teneri nomen Amoris habet.—
Reddita Saturno sors haec erat: Optime regum.
  A nato sceptris excutiere tuis.
Ille suam metuens, ut quaeque erat edita, prolem
  Devorat, immersam visceribusque tenet. 200
Saepe Rhea questa est toties fecunda, nec umquam
  Mater, et indoluit fertilitate sua.
Jupiter ortus erat.—Pro magno teste vetustas
  Creditur; acceptam parce movere fidem.—
Veste latens saxum coelesti gutture sedit. 205
  Sic genitor fatis decipiendus erat.
Ardua jam dudum resonat tinnitibus Ide,
  Tutus ut infanti vagiat ore puer.
Pars clypeos rudibus, galeas pars tundit inanes:
  Hoc Curetes habent, hoc Corybantes opus. 210
Res latuit patrem: priscique imitamina facti
  aera deae comites raucaque terga movent.
Cymbala pro galeis, pro scutis tympana pulsant:
  Tibia dat Phrygios, ut dedit ante, modos.
Desierat: coepi: Cur huic genus acre leonum 215
  Praebeat insolitas ad juga curva jubas?
Desieram: coepit: Feritas mollita per illam
  Creditur. Id curru testificata suo est.
At cur turrita caput est ornata corona?
  An primis turres urbibus illa dedit? 220
Annuit. Unde venit, dixi, sua membra secandi
  Impetus? Ut tacui, Pieris orsa loqui:
Phryx puer in silvis facie spectabilis Attis
  Turrigeram casto vinxit amore deam.
Hunc sibi servari voluit, sua templa tueri: 225
  Et dixit, Semper fac puer esse velis.
Ille fidem jussis dedit; et, Si mentiar, inquit,
  Ultima, qua fallam, sit Venus illa mihi.
Fallit, et in Nympha Sagaritide desinit esse,
  Quod fuit. Hinc poenas exigit ira deae. 230
Naïda vulneribus succidit in arbore factis.
  Illa perit. Fatum Naïdos arbor erat.
Hic furit: et credens thalami procumbere tectum,
  Effugit et cursu Dindyma summa petit.
Et modo, Tolle faces! Remove, modo, verbera! clamat. 235
  Saepe Palaestinas jurat adesse deas.
Ille etiam saxo corpus laniavit acuto,
  Longaque in immundo pulvere tracta coma est;
Voxque fuit, Merui: meritas do sanguine poenas:
  Ah pereant partes, quae nocuere mihi! 240
Ah pereant! dicebat adhuc: onus inguinis aufert;
  Nullaque sunt subito signa relicta viri.
Venit in exemplum furor hic, mollesque ministri
  Caedunt jactatis vilia membra comis.
Talibus Aoniae facunda voce Camenae; 245
  Reddita quaesiti causa furoris erat.
Hoc quoque, dux operis, moneas, precor, unde petita
  Venerit, an nostra semper in urbe fuit?
Dindymon, et Cybelen, et amoenam fontibus Iden
  Semper, et Iliacas Mater amavit opes. 250
Quum Trojam. aeneas Italos portaret in agros,
  Est dea sacriferas paene secuta rates.
Sed nondum fatis Latio sua numina posci
  Senserat, assuetis substiteratque locis.
Post, ut Roma potens opibus jam saecula quinque 255
  Vidit, et edomito sustulit orbe caput;
Carminis Euboici fatalia verba sacerdos
  Inspicit. Inspectum tale fuisse ferunt:
Mater abest; Matrem jubeo, Romane, requiras.
  Quum veniet, casta est accipienda manu
. 260
Obscurae sortis Patres ambagibus errant,
  Quaeve parens absit, quove petenda loco.
Consulitur Paean, Divûm que arcessite Matrem,
  Inquit, et Idaeo est invenienda jugo.
Mittuntur proceres. Phrygiae tum sceptra tenebat 265
  Attalus: Ausoniis rem negat ille viris.
Mira canam: longo tremuit cum murmure tellus,
  Et sic est adytis diva locuta suis:
Ipsa peti volui. Ne sit mora: mitte volentem.
  Dignus Roma locus, quo deus omnis eat
. 270
Ille soni terrore pavens, Proficiscere, dixit;
  Nostra eris: in Phrygios Roma refertur avos.
Protinus innumerae caedunt pineta secures
  Illa, quibus fugiens Phryx pius usus erat.
Mille manus coëunt: et picta coloribus ustis 275
  Coelestum Matrem concava puppis habet.
Illa sui per aquas fertur tutissima nati,
  Longaque Phrixeae stagna sororis adit,
Rhoeteumque rapax, Sigeaque litora transit,
  Et Tenedum, et veteres Eëtionis opes. 280
Cyclades excipiunt, Lesbo post terga relicta,
  Quaque Carysteis frangitur unda vadis.
Transit et Icarium, lapsas ubi perdidit alas
  Icarus, et vastae nomina fecit aquae.
Tum laeva Creten, dextra Pelopeïdas undas 285
  Deserit, et Veneri sacra Cythera petit.
Hinc mare Trinacrium, candens ubi tingere ferrum
  Brontes, et Steropes, Acmonidesque solent:
aequoraque Afra legit, Sardoaque regna sinistris
  Prospicit a remis, Ausoniamque tenet. 290
Ostia contigerat, qua se Tiberinus in altum
  Dividit, et campo liberiore natat:
Omnis eques, mixtaque gravis cum plebe senatus
  Obvius ad Tusci fluminis ora venit;
Procedunt pariter matres, nataeque, nurusque. 295
  Quaeque colunt sanctos virginitate focos.
Sedula fune viri contento brachia lassant.
  Vix subit adversas hospita navis aquas,
Sicca diu tellus fuerat: sitis usserat herbas:
  Sedit limoso pressa carina vado. 300
Quisquis adest operi, plus quam pro parte laborat,
  Adjuvat et fortes voce sonante manus.
Illa velut medio stabilis sedet insula ponto.
  Attoniti monstro stantque paventque viri.
Claudia Quinta genus Clauso referebat ab alto: 305
  Nec facies impar nobilitate fuit.
Casta quidem, sed non et credita. Rumor iniquus
  Laeserat, et falsi criminis acta rea est.
Cultus et ornatis varie prodisse capillis
  Obfuit, ad rigidos promptaque lingua senes. 310
Conscia mens recti famae mendacia risit:
  Sed nos in vitium credula turba sumus.
Haec ubi castarum processit ab agmine matrum,
  Et manibus puram fluminis hausit aquam,
Ter caput irrorat, ter tollit in aethera palmas; 315
  —Quicumque adspiciunt, mente carere putant.—
Submissoque genu vultus in imagine divae
  Figit, et hos edit crine jacente sonos:
Supplicis, alma, tuae, genitrix fecunda deorum,
  Accipe sub certa conditione preces. 320
Casta negor. Si tu damnas, meruisse fatebor;
  Morte luam poenas judice victa dea.
Sed, si crimen abest, tu nostrae pignora vitae
  Re dabis, et castas casta sequere manus.
Dixit, et exiguo funem conamine traxit. 325
  Mira, sed et scena testificata loquar.
Mota dea est, sequiturque ducem, laudatque sequendo.
  Index laetitiae fertur in astra sonus.
Fluminis ad flexum veniunt: Tiberina priores
  Ostia dixerunt, unde sinister abit. 330
Nox aderat: querno religant a stipite funem,
  Dantque levi somno corpora functa cibo.
Lux aderat: querno solvunt a stipite funem;
  Ante tamen posito tura dedere foco:
Ante coronatam puppim sine labe juvencam 335
  Mactarunt operum conjugiique rudem.
Est locus, in Tiberin qua lubricus influit Almo,
  Et nomen magno perdit ab amne minor.
Illic purpurea canus cum veste sacerdos
  Almonis dominam sacraque lavit aquis. 340
Exululant comites, furiosaque tibia flatur,
  Et feriunt molles taurea terga manus.
Claudia praecedit, laeto celeberrima vultu;
  Credita vix tandem teste pudica dea.
Ipsa sedens plaustro porta est invecta Capena: 345
  Sparguntur junctae flore recente boves.
Nasica accepit. Templi non perstitit auctor;
  Augustus nunc est; ante Metellus erat.
Substitit hic Erato. Mora fit, si cetera quaeram.
   Dic, inquam, parva cur stipe quaerat opes? 350
Contulit aes populus, de quo delubra Metellus
   Fecit, ait; dandae mos stipis inde manet.
Cur vicibus factis ineant convivia, quaero,
   Tum magis, indictas concelebrentque dapes.
Quod bene mutarit sedem Berecyntia, dixit, 355
   Captant mutatis sedibus omen idem.
Institeram, quare primi Megalesia ludi
   Urbe forent nostra, quum dea,—sensit enim—
Illa deos, inquit, peperit. Cessere parenti,
   Principiumque dati Mater honoris habet. 360
Cur igitur Gallos, qui se excidere, vocamus,
   Quum tanto Phrygia Gallica distet humus?
Inter, ait, viridem Cybelen altasque Celaenas,
   Amnis it insana, nomine Gallus, aqua.
Qui bibit inde, furit. Procul hinc discedite, quis est 365
  Cura bonae mentis. Qui bibit inde, furit.
Non pudet herbosum, dixi, posuisse moretum
  In dominae mensis? an sua causa subest?
Lacte mero veteres usi memorantur et herbis,
  Sponte sua si quas terra ferebat, ait. 370
Candidus elisae miscetur caseus herbae,
  Cognoscat priscos ut dea prisca cibos.

Postera quum coelo motis Pallantias astris
  Fulserit, et niveos Luna levarit equos;
Qui dicet, Quondam sacrata est colle Quirini 375
  Hac Fortuna die Publica, verus erit

Tertia lux—memini—ludis erat. At mihi quidam
Spectanti senior contiguusque loco,
Haec, ait, illa dies, Libycis qua Caesar in oris
  Perfida magnanimi contudit arma Jubae. 380
Dux mihi Caesar erat, sub quo meruisse Tribunus
  Glorior. Officio praefuit ille meo.
Hanc ego militia sedem, tu pace parasti,
  Inter bis quinos usus honore Viros.
Plura locuturi subito seducimur imbre; 385
  Pendula coelestes Libra movebat aquas.
Ante tamen, quam summa dies spectacula sistat,
  Ensifer Orion aequore mersus erit.

Proxima victricem quum Romam inspexerit Eos,
  Et dederit Phoebo stella fugata locum; 390
Circus erit pompa celeber, numeroque deorum:
  Primaque ventosis palma petetur equis.
Hinc Cereris Ludi. Non est opus indice causae;
  Sponte deae munus promeritumque patet.
Messis erant primis virides mortalibus herbae, 395
  Quas tellus nullo sollicitante dabat;
Et modo carpebant vivaci cespite gramen,
  Nunc epulae tenera fronde cacumen erant.
Postmodo glans nata est. Bene erat jam glande reperta,
  Duraque magnificas quercus habebat opes. 400
Prima Ceres homini ad meliora alimenta vocato
  Mutavit glandes utiliore cibo.
Illa jugo tauros collum praebere coëgit;
  Tum primum soles eruta vidit humus.
Aes erat in pretio: chalybeïa massa latebat. 405
  Heu heu perpetuo debuit illa tegi!
Pace Ceres laeta est, et vos optate, coloni,
  Perpetuam pacem, perpetuumque ducem.
Farra deae, micaeque licet salientis honorem
  Detis, et in veteres turea grana focos; 410
Et, si tura aberunt, unctas accendite taedas.
  Parva bonae Cereri, sint modo casta, placent.
A bove succincti cultros removete ministri.
  Bos aret: ignavam sacrificate suem.
Apta jugo cervix non est ferienda securi. 415
  Vivat, et in dura saepe laboret humo!
Exigit ipse locus, raptus ut virginis edam.
  Plura recognosces: pauca docendus eris.
Terra tribus scopulis vastum procurrit in aequor
  Trinacris, a positu nomen adepta loci. 420
Grata domus Cereri. Multas ibi possidet urbes,
  In quibus est culto fertilis Henna solo.
Frigida coelestum matres Arethusa vocarat.
  Venerat ad sacras et dea flava dapes.
Filia consuetis ut erat comitata puellis, 425
  Errabat nudo per sua prata pede.
Valle sub umbrosa locus est, adspergine multa
  Humidus ex alto desilientis aquae.
Tot fuerant illic, quot habet natura, colores,
  Pictaque dissimili flore nitebat humus. 430
Quam simul adspexit, Comites accedite, dixit,
  Et mecum plenos flore referte sinus.
Praeda puellares animos oblectat inanis,
  Et non sentitur sedulitate labor.
Haec implet lento calathos e vimine textos, 435
  Haec gremium, laxos degravat illa sinus,
Illa legit calthas, huic sunt violaria curae,
  Illa papavereas subsecat ungue comas,
Has, hyacinthe, tenes, illas, amarante, moraris,
  Pars thyma, pars rorem, pars meliloton amant. 440
Plurima lecta rosa est, et sunt sine nomine flores.
  Ipsa crocos tenues, liliaque alba legit.
Carpendi studio paullatim longius itur,
  Et dominam casu nulla secuta comes.
Hanc videt, et visam patruus velociter aufert, 445
  Regnaque caeruleis in sua portat equis.
Illa quidem clamabat, Io carissima mater,
  Auferor!
ipsa suos abscideratque sinus.
Panditur interea Diti via; namque diurnum
  Lumen inassueti vix patiuntur equi. 450
At chorus aequalis, cumulatis flore canistris,
  Persephone, clamant, ad tua dona veni.
Ut clamata silet, monies ululatibus implent,
  Et feriunt maesta pectora nuda manu.
Attonita est plangore Ceres,—modo venerat Hennam— 455
  Nec mora, Me miseram! filia, dixit, ubi es?
Mentis inops rapitur, quales audire solemus
  Threïcias fusis Maenadas ire comis.
Ut vitulo mugit sua mater ab ubere rapto,
  Et quaerit fetus per nemus omne suos; 460
Sic dea: nec retinet gemitus, et concita cursu
  Fertur, et e campis incipit, Henna, tuis.
Inde puellaris nacta est vestigia plantae,
  Et pressam noto pondere vidit humum.
Forsitan illa dies erroris summa fuisset, 465
  Si non turbassent signa reperta sues.
Jamque Leontinos Amenanaque flumina cursu
  Praeterit, et ripas, herbifer Aci, tuas:
Praeterit et Cyanen, et fontem lenis Anapi,
  Et te, vorticibus non adeunde Gela. 470
Liquerat Ortygien, Megareaque, Pantagienque,
  Quaque Symaetheas accipit aequor aquas,
Antraque Cyclopum, positis exusta caminis,
  Quique locus curvae nomina falcis habet:
Himeraque, et Didymen, Acragantaque, Tauromenonque, 475
  Sacrorumque Melan pascua laeta boum.
Hinc Camerinan adit, Thapsonque et Heloria tempe,
  Quaque patet Zephyro semper apertus Eryx.
Jamque Peloriaden, Lilybaeaque, jamque Pachynon
  Lustrarat, terrae cornua prima suae. 480
Quacumque ingreditur, miseris loca cuncta querelis
  Implet, ut amissum quum gemit ales Ityn;
Perque vices modo, Persephone, modo, Filia, clamat.
  Clamat, et alternis nomen utrumque ciet.
Sed neque Persephone Cererem, neque filia matrem 485
  Audit, et alternis nomen utrumque perit.
Unaque, pastorem vidisset an arva colentem,
  Vox erat, Hac gressus si qua puella tulit?
Jam color unus inest rebus, tenebrisque teguntur
  Omnia; jam vigiles conticuere canes. 490
Alta jacet vasti super ora Typhoëos aetne,
  Cujus anhelatis ignibus ardet humus.
Illic accendit geminas pro lampade pinus:
  Hinc Cereris sacris nunc quoque taeda datur.
Est specus exesi structura pumicis asper; 495
  Non homini regio, non adeunda ferae.
Quo simul ac venit, frenatos curribus angues
  Jungit, et aequoreas sicca pererrat aquas.
Effugit et Syrtes, et te, Zaneltaea Charybdi,
  Et vos, Nissei naufraga monstra, canes; 500
Hadriacumque patens late, bimaremque Corinthon.
  Sic venit ad portus, Attica terra, tuos.
Hic primum sedit gelido maetissima saxo.
  Illud Cecropidae nunc quoque triste vocant.
Sub Jove duravit multis immota diebus, 505
  Et lunae patiens, et pluvialis aquae.
Fors sua cuique loco est. Quo nunc Cerealis Eleusin,
  Dicitur hoc Celei rura fuisse senis.
Ille domum glandes excussaque mora rubetis
  Portat, et arsuris arida ligna focis. 510
Filia parva duas redigebat rupe capellas,
  Et tener in cunis filius aeger erat.
Mater, ait virgo,—mota est dea nomine matris—
  Quid facis in solis incomitata jugis?
Restitit et senior, quamvis onus urget, et orat, 515
  Tecta suae subeat quantulacumque casae.
Ille negat.—Simularat anum, mitraque capillos
  Presserat—Instanti talia dicta refert:
Sospes eas, semperque parens! Mihi filia rapta est.
  Heu! melior quanto sors tua sorte mea! 520
Dixit, et, ut lacrimae,—neque enim lacrimare deorum est—
  Decidit in tepidos lucida gutta sinus.
Flent pariter molles animis, virgoque senexque.
  E quibus haec justi verba fuere senis:
Sic tibi, quam raptam quereris, sit filia sospes; 525
  Surge, nec exiguae despice tecta casae.
Cui dea, Duc, inquit: scisti, qua cogere posses;
  Seque levat saxo, subsequiturque senem.
Dux comiti narrat, quam sit sibi filius aeger,
  Nec capiat somnos, invigiletque malis. 530
Illa soporiferum, parvos initura penates,
  Colligit agresti lene papaver humo.
Dum legit, oblito fertur gustasse palato,
  Longamque imprudens exsoluisse famem.
Quae quia principio posuit jejunia noctis, 535
  Tempus habent Mystae sidera visa cibi.
Limen ut intravit, luctus videt omnia plena.
  Jam spes in puero nulla salutis erat.
Matre salutata,—mater Metanira vocatur—
  Jungere dignata est os puerile suo. 540
Pallor abit, subitaeque vigent in corpore vires.
  Tantus coelesti venit ab ore vigor!
Tota domus laeta est, hoc est, materque, paterque,
  Nataque: tres illi tota fuere domus.
Mox epulas ponunt, liquefacta coagula lacte, 545
  Pomaque, et in teneris aurea mella favis.
Abstinet alma Ceres, somnique papavera causas
  Dat tibi cum tepido lacte bibenda, puer.
Noctis erat medium, placidique silentia somni;
  Triptolemum gremio sustulit illa suo, 550
Terque manu permulsit eum: tria carmina dixit,
  Carmina mortali non referenda sono;
Inque foco pueri corpus vivente favilla
  Obruit, humanum purget ut ignis onus.
Excutitur somno stulte pia mater, et amens, 555
  Quid facis? exclamat, membraque ab igne rapit.
Cui Dea, Dum non es, dixit scelerata fuisti:
  Irrita materno sunt mea dono metu.
Iste quidem mortalis erit, sed primus arabit,
  Et seret, et culta praemia tollet humo. 560
Dixit, et egrediens nubem trahit, inque dracones
  Transit, et aligero tollitur axe Ceres.
Sunion expositum, Piraeaque tuta recessu
  Linquit, et in dextrum quae jacet ora latus.
Hinc init aegaeum, quo Cycladas adspicit omnes, 565
  Ioniumque rapax, Icariumque legit;
Perque urbes Asiae longum petit Hellespontum:
  Divereumque locis alta pererrat iter.
Nam modo turilegos Arabas, modo despicit Indos:
  Hinc Libys, hinc Meroë, siccaque terra subest. 570
Nunc adit Hesperios, Rhenum, Rhodanumque, Padumque,
  Teque future parens, Tibri, potentis aquae.
Quo feror? immensum est erratas dicere terras:
  Praeteritus Cereri nullus in orbe locus.
Errat et in coelo, liquidique immunia ponti 575
  Alloquitur gelido proxima signa polo:
Parrhasides stellae,—namque omnia nosse potestis,
  aequoreas numquam quum subeatis aquas—
Persephonen miserae natam monstrate parenti.
  Dixerat: huic Helice talia verba refert: 580
Crimine nox vacua est. Solem de virgine rapta
  Consule, qui late facta diurna videt.
Sol aditus, Quam quaeris, ait, ne vana labores,
  Nupta Jovis fratri tertia regna tenet.
Questa diu secum sic est affata Tonantem: 585
  —Maximaque in vultu signa dolentis erant—
Si memor es, de quo mihi sit Proserpina nata;
  Dimidium curae debet habere tuae.
Orbe pererrato, sola est injuria facti
  Cognita: commissi praemia raptor habet. 590
At neque Persephone digna est praedone marito,
  Nec gener hoc nobis more parandus erat.
Quid gravius victore Gyge captiva tulissem,
  Quam nunc, te coeli sceptra tenente, tuli?
Verum impune ferat: nos haec patiamur inultae. 595
  Reddat, et emendet facta priora novis.
Jupiter hanc lenit, factumque excusat amore,
  Nec gener est nobis ille pudendus, ait.
Non ego nobilior. Posita est mihi regia coelo:
  Possidet alter aquas: alter inane Chaos. 600
Sed si forte tibi non est mutabile pectus,
  Statque semel juncti rumpere vincla tori;
Hoc quoque tentemus, siquidem jejuna remansit:
  Sin minus, inferni conjugis uxor erit.
Tartara jussus adit sumptis Caducifer alis, 605
  Speque redit citius, visaque certa refert.
Rapta tribus, dixit, solvit jejunia granis,
  Punica quae lento cortice poma tegunt.
Haud secus indoluit, quam si modo rapta fuisset,
  Maesta parens, longa vixque refecta mora est. 610
Atque ita, Nec nobis coelum est habitabile, dixit:
  Taenaria recipi me quoque valle jube.
Et factura fuit, pactus nisi Jupiter esset,
  Bis tribus ut coelo mensibus illa foret.
Tum demum vultumque Ceres animumque recepit, 615
  Imposuitque suae spicea serta comae.
Largaque provenit cessatis messis in arvis.
  Et vix congestas area cepit opes.
Alba decent Cererem: vestes Cerealibus albas
  Sumite; nunc pulli velleris usus abest. 620

Occupat Apriles Idus cognomine Victor
  Jupiter: hac illi sunt data templa die.
Hac quoque, ni fallor, populo dignissima nostro
  Atria Libertas coepit habere sua.

Luce secutura tutos pete, navita, portus: 625
  Ventus ab occasu grandine mixtus erit.
Scilicet, ut fuerit, tamen hac Mutinensia Caesar
  Grandine militia contudit arma sua.

Tertia post Veneris quum lux surrexerit Idus,
  Pontifices, forda sacra litate bove. 630
Forda, ferens bos est fecundaque, dicta ferendo:
  Hinc etiam fetus nomen habere putant.
Nunc gravidum pecus est: gravidae nunc semine terrae.
  Telluri plenae victima plena datur.
Pars cadit arce lovis: ter denas Curia vaccas 635
  Accipit, et largo sparsa cruore madet.
Ast ubi visceribus vitulos rapuere ministri,
  Sectaque fumosis exta dedere focis;
Igne cremat vitulos, quae natu maxima Virgo est,
  Luce Palis populos purget ut ille cinis. 640
Rege Numa, fructu non respondente labori,
  Irrita decepti vota colentis erant.
Nam modo siccus erat gelidis Aquilonibus annus,
  Nunc ager assidua luxuriabat aqua;
Saepe Ceres primis dominum fallebat in herbis. 645
  Et levis obsesso stabat avena solo:
Et pecus ante diem partus edebat acerbos,
  Agnaque nascendo saepe necabat ovem.
Silva vetus nullaque diu violata securi
  Stabat, Maenalio sacra relicta deo. 650
Ille dabat tacitis animo responsa quieto
  Noctibus. Hic geminas rex Numa mactat oves.
Prima cadit Fauno, leni cadit altera Somno.
  Sternitur in duro vellus utrumque solo.
Bis caput intonsum fontana spargitur unda, 655
  Bis sua faginea tempora fronde tegit.
Usus abest Veneris: nec fas animalia mensis
  Ponere, nec digitis annulus ullus inest.
Veste rudi tectus supra nova vellera corpus
  Ponit, adorato per sua verba deo. 660
Interea placidam redimita papavere frontem
  Nox venit, et secum somnia nigra trahit.
Faunus adest, oviumque premens pede vellera duro,
  Edidit a dextro talia dicta toro:
Morte boum tibi, Rex, Tellus placanda duarum: 665
  Det sacris animas una necata duas.
Excutitur terrore quies; Numa visa revolvit,
  Et secum ambages caecaque jussa refert.
Expedit errantem nemori gratissima conjux,
  Et dixit, Gravidae posceris exta bovis. 670
Exta bovis dantur gravidae; felicior annus
  Provenit, et fructum terra pecusque ferunt.
Hanc quondam Cytherea diem properantius ire
  Jussit, et aetherios praecipitavit equos,
Ut titulum imperii quam primum luce sequenti 675
  Augusto juveni prospera bella darent.

Sed jam praeteritas quartus ubi Lucifer Idus
  Respicit, hac Hyades Dorida nocte petunt.
Tertia post Hyadas quum lux erit orta remotas,
  Carcere partitos Circus habebit equos. 680
Cur igitur missae vinctis ardentia taedis
  Terga ferant vulpes, causa docenda mihi.
Frigida Carseolis, nec olivis apta ferendis
  Terra, sed ad segetes ingeniosus ager.
Hac ego Pelignos, natalia rura, petebam, 685
  Parva, sed assiduis humida semper aquis,
Hospitis antiqui solitas intravimus aedes:
  Dempserat emeritis jam juga Phoebus equis.
Is mihi multa quidem, sed et haec, narrare solebat,
  Unde meum praesens instrueretur opus: 690
Hoc, ait, in campo—campumque ostendit—habebat
  Rus breve cum duro parca colona viro.
Ille suam peragebat humum, sive usus aratri,
  Seu curvae falcis, sive bidentis erat.
Haec modo verrebat stantem tibicine villam: 695
  Nunc matris plumis ova fovenda dabat;
Aut virides malvas, aut fungos colligit albos,
  Aut humilem grato calfacit igne focum.
Et tamen assiduis exercet brachia telis,
  Adversusque minas frigoris arma parat. 700
Filius hujus erat primo lascivus in aevo,
  Addideratque annos ad duo lustra duos.
Is capit extremi vulpem convalle salicti:
  Abstulerat multas illa cohortis aves.
Captivam stipula fenoque involvit, et ignes 705
  Admovet. Urentes effugit illa manus.
Qua fugit, incendit vestitos messibus agros:
  Damnosis vires ignibus aura dabat.
Factum abiit: monumenta manent; nam vivere captam
  Nunc quoque lex vulpem Carseolana vetat. 710
Utque luat poenas gens haec, Cerealibus ardet,
  Quoque modo segetes perdidit, ipsa perit.

Postera quum veniet terras visura patentes
  Memnonis in roseis lutea mater equis;
De duce lanigeri pecoris, qui prodidit Hellen, 715
  Sol abit: egresso victima major adest.
Vacca sit an taurus, non est cognoscere promptum:
  Pars prior apparet: posteriora latent.
Seu tamen est taurus, sive est hoc femina signum,
  Junone invita munus amoris habet. 720

Nox abiit, oriturque Aurora. Palilia poscor.
  Non poscor frustra, si favet alma Pales.
Alma Pales, faveas pastoria sacra canenti,
  Prosequor officio si tua festa pio.
Certe ego de vitulo cinerem stipulasque fabales, 725
  Saepe tuli plena februa casta manu.
Certe ego transilui positas ter in ordine flammas,
  Udaque roratas laurea misit aquas.
Mota dea est, operique favet. Navalibus exit
  Puppis: habent ventos jam mea vela suos. 730
I, pete virginea, populus, suffimen ab ara:
  Vesta dabit; Vestae munere purus eris.
Sanguis equi suffimen erit, vitulique favilla.
  Tertia res durae culmen inane fabae.
Pastor, oves saturas ad prima crepuscula lustra. 735
  Unda prius spargat, virgaque verrat humum.
Frondibus et fixis decorentur ovilla ramis,
  Et tegat ornatas longa corona fores.
Caerulei fiant vivo de sulfure fumi;
  Tactaque fumanti sulfure balet ovis. 740
Ure maris rores, taedamque, herbasque Sabinas,
  Et crepet in mediis laurus adusta focis;
Libaque de milio milii fiscella sequatur:
  Rustica praecipue est hoc dea laeta cibo.
Adde dapes mulctramque suas: dapibusque resectis 745
  Silvicolam tepido lacte precare Palen.
Consule, dic, pecori pariter pecorisque magistris:
  Effugiat stabulis noxa repulsa meis.
Sive sacro pavi, sedive sub arbore sacra,
  Pabulaque in bustis inscia carpsit ovis: 750
Seu nemus intravi vetitum, nostrisve fugatae
  Sunt oculis Nymphae, semicaperve deus:
Seu mea falx ramo lucum spoliavit opaco,
  Unde data est aegrae fiscina frondis ovi;
Da veniam culpae: nec, dum degrandinat, obsit 755
  Agresti Fauno supposuisse pecus;
Nec noceat turbasse lacus. Ignoscite, Nymphae,
  Mota quod obscuras ungula fecit aquas.
Tu, dea, pro nobis Fontes fontanaque placa
  Numina; tu sparsos per nemus omne deos. 760
Nec Dryadas, nec nos videamus labra Dianae
  Nec Faunum, medio quum premit arva die.
Pelle procul morbos. Valeant hominesque gregesque;
  Et valeant vigiles, provida turba, canes;
Neve minus multas redigam, quam mane fuerunt, 765
  Neve gemam referens vellera rapta lupo.
Absit iniqua fames. Herb frondesque supersint,
  Quaeque lavent artus, quaeque bibantur, aquae,
Ubera plena premam: referat mihi caseus aera,
  Dentque viam liquido vimina rara sero; 770
Sitque salax aries, conceptaque semina conjux
  Reddat, et in stabulo multa sit agna meo;
Lanaque proveniat, nullas laesura puellas,
  Mollis, et ad teneras quamlibet apta manus.
Quae precor, eveniant: et nos faciamus ad annum 775
  Pastorum dominae grandia liba Pali.
His dea placanda est: haec tu conversus ad ortus
  Dic ter, et in vivo perlue rore manus.
Tum licet, apposita, veluti cratere, camella,
  Lac niveum potes, purpureamque sapam; 780
Moxque per ardentes stipulae crepitantis acervos
  Trajicias celeri strenua membra pede.
Expositus mos est. Moris mihi restat origo.
  Turba facit dubium, coeptaque nostra tenet.
Omnia purgat edax ignis, vitiumque metallis 785
  Excoquit; idcirco cum duce purgat oves.
An, quia cunctarum contraria semina rerum
  Sunt duo discordes, ignis et unda, dei;
Junxerunt elementa patres, aptumque putarunt
  Ignibus et sparsa tangere corpus aqua? 790
An, quod in his vitae causa est; haec perdidit exsul:
  His nova fit conjux: haec duo magna putant?
Vix equidem credo. Sunt qui Phaëthonta referri
  Credant, et nimias Deucalionis aquas.
Pars quoque, quum saxis pastores saxa feribant, 795
  Scintillam subito prosiluisse ferunt.
Prima quidem periit: stipulis excepta secunda est.
  Hoc argumentum flamma Palilis habet.
An magis hunc morem pietas Aeneïa fecit,
  Innocuum victo cui dedit ignis iter? 800
Hoc tamen est vero propius, quum condita Roma est,
  Transferri jussos in nova tecta Lares,
Mutantesque domum tectis agrestibus ignem
  Et cessaturae supposuisse casae;
Per flammas saluisse pecus, saluisse colonos. 805
  Quod fit natali nunc quoque, Roma, tuo.
Ipse locus causas vati facit. Urbis origo
  Venit. Ades factis, magne Quirine, tuis.
Jam luerat poenas frater Numitoris, et omne
  Pastorum gemino sub duce vulgus erat: 810
Contrahere agrestes, et moenia ponere utrique
  Convenit. Ambigitur, moenia ponat uter.
Nil opus est, dixit, certamine, Romulus, ullo.
  Magna fides avium est: experiamur aves.
Res placet. Alter init nemorosi saxa Palati: 815
  Alter Aventinum mane cacumen init.
Sex Remus, hic volucres bis sex videt ordine. Pacto
  Statur: et arbitrium Romulus urbis habet.
Apta dies legitur, qua moenia signet aratro.
  Sacra Palis suberant: inde movetur opus. 820
Fossa fit ad solidum: fruges jaciuntur in ima,
  Et de vicino terra petita solo.
Fossa repletur humo, plenaeque imponitur ara,
  Et novus accenso fungitur igne focus.
Inde premens stivam designat moenia sulco; 825
  Alba jugum niveo cum bove vacca tulit.
Vox fuit haec regis: Condenti, Jupiter, urbem,
  Et genitor Mavors, Vestaque mater ades,
Quosque pium est adhibere deos, advertite cuncti:
  Auspicibus vobis hoc mihi surgat opus. 830
Longa sit huic aetas, dominaeque potentia terrae:
  Sitque sub hac oriens occiduusqne dies.
Ille precabatur: tonitru dedit omina laevo
  Jupiter, et laevo fulmina missa polo.
Augurio laeti jaciunt fundamina cives, 835
  Et novus exiguo tempore murus erat.
Hoc Celer urget opus, quem Romulus ipse vocarat;
  Sintque, Celer, curae, dixerat, ista tuae,
Neve quis aut muros, aut factam vomere fossam
  Transeat; audentem talia dede neci. 840
Quod Remus ignorans, humiles contemnere muros
  Coepit, et, His populus, dicere, tutus erit?
Nec mora, transiluit. Rutro Celer occupat ausum.
  Ille premit duram sanguinolentus humum.
Haec ubi rex didicit, lacrimas introrsus obortas 845
  Devorat, et clausum pectore vulnus habet.
Flere palam non vult, exemplaque fortia servat,
  Sicque meos muros transeat hostis, ait.
Dat tamen exsequias: nec jam suspendere fletum
  Sustinet, et pietas dissimulata patet; 850
Osculaque applicuit posito suprema feretro,
  Atque ait, Invito frater adempte, vale!
Arsurosque artus unxit. Fecere, quod ille,
  Faustulus, et maestas Acca soluta comas.
Tum juvenem nondum facti flevere Quirites; 855
  Ultima plorato subdita flamma rogo est.
Urbs oritur—quis tunc hoc ulli credere posset?—
  Victorem terris impositura pedem.
Cuncta regas, et sis magno sub Caesare semper:
  Saepe etiam plures nominis hujus habe; 860
Et quoties steteris domito sublimis in orbe,
  Omnia sint humeris inferiora tuis.

Dicta Pales nobis. Idem Vinalia dicam.
  Una tamen media est inter utramque dies.
Numina vulgares Veneris celebrate puellae. 865
  Multa professarum quaestibus apta Venus.
Poscite ture dato formam populique favorem;
  Poscite blanditias, dignaque verba joco:
Cumque sua dominae date grata sisymbria myrto,
  Textaque composita juncea vincla rosa. 870
Templa frequentari Collinae proxima portae
  Nunc decet: a Siculo nomina colle tenent.
Utque Syracusas Arethusidas abstulit armis
  Claudius, et bello te quoque cepit, Eryx;
Carmine vivacis Venus est translata Sibyllae, 875
  Inque suae stirpis maluit urbe coli.
Cur igitur Veneris festum Vinalia dicant,
  Quaeritis, et quare sit Jovis ista dies.
Turnus an aeneas Latiae gener esset Amatae,
  Bellum erat. Etruscas Turnus adorat opes. 880
Clarus erat sumptisque ferox Mezentius armis,
  Et vel equo magnus, vel pede major erat.
Quem Rutuli Turnusque suis adsciscere tentant
  Partibus. Haec contra dux ita Tuscus ait:
Stat mihi non parvo virtus mea. Vulnera testor, 885
  Armaque, quae sparsi sanguine saepe meo:
Qui petis auxilium, non grandia divide mecum
  Praemia de lacubus proxima musta tuis.
Nulla mora est operae; vestrum dare, vincere nostrum est.
  Quam velit aeneas ista negata mihi! 890
Annuerant Rutuli: Mezentius induit arma.
  Induit aeneas, alloquiturque Jovem:
Hostica Tyrrheno vota est vindemia regi;
  Jupiter, e Latio palmite musta feres.
Vota valent meliora: cadit Mezentius ingens, 895
  Atque indignanti pectore plangit humum.
Venerat auctummus, calcatis sordidus uvis:
  Redduntur merito debita vina Jovi.
Dicta dies hinc est Vinalia. Jupiter illam
  Vindicat, et festis gaudet inesse suis. 900

Sex ubi, quae restant, luces Aprilis habebit;
  In medio cursu tempora veris erunt;
Et frustra pecudem quaeres Athamantidos Helles:
  Signaque dant imbres: exoriturque Canis.
Hac mihi Nomento Romam quum luce redirem, 905
  Obstitit in media candida pompa via.
Flamen in antiquae lucum Robiginis ibat,
  Exta canis flammis, exta daturas ovis.
Protinus accessi, ritus ne nescius essem.
  Edidit haec Flamen verba, Quirine, tuus: 910
Aspera Robigo, parcas Cerealibus herbis,
  Et tremat in summa leve cacumen humo.
Tu sata sideribus coeli nutrita secundis
  Crescere, dum fiant falcibus apta, sinas.
Vis tua non levis est. Quae tu frumenta notasti, 915
  Maestus in amissis illa colonus habet.
Nec venti tantum Cereri nocuere, nec imbres;
  Nec sic marmoreo pallet adusta gelu;
Quantum, si culmos Titan incalfacit udos.
  Tum locus est irae, diva timenda, tuae. 920
Parce, precor, scabrasque manus a messibus aufer,
  Neve noce cultis: posse nocere sat est;
Neu teneras segetes, sed durum amplectere ferrum,
  Quodque potest alios perdere, perde prior.
Utilius gladios et tela nocentia carpes. 925
  Nil opus est illis: otia mundus agit.
Sarcula nunc, durusque bidens, et vomer aduncus,
  Ruris opes niteant: inquinet arma situs;
Conatusque aliquis vagina ducere ferrum,
  Adstrictum longa sentiat esse mora. 930
At tu ne viola Cererem, semperque colonus
  Absenti possit solvere vota tibi.
Dixerat:—a dextra villis mantele solutis,
  Cumque meri patera turis acerra fuit.—
Tura focis vinumque dedit, fibrasque bidentis, 935
  Turpiaque obscenae—vidimus—exta canis.
Tum mihi, Cur detur sacris nova victima, quaeris;
  —Quaesieram—causam percipe, Flamen ait:
Est Canis—Icarium dicunt—quo sidere moto
  Tosta sitit tellus, praecipiturque seges. 940
Pro cane sidereo canis hic imponitur arae,
  Et, quare pereat, nil nisi nomen habet.

Quum Phrygis Assaraci Titania fratre relicto
  Sustulit immenso ter jubar orbe suum,
Mille venit variis florum dea nexa coronis: 945
  Scena joci morem liberioris habet.
Exit et in Maias sacrum Morale Kalendas.
  Tunc repetam: nunc me grandius urget opus.
Aufert Vesta diem: cognati Vesta recepta est
  Limine. Sic justi constituere senes. 950
Phoebus habet partem; Vestas pars altera cessit:
  Quod superest illis, tertius ipse tenet.
State Palatinae laurus, praetextaque quercu
  Stet domus. Aeternos tres habet una deos.

NOTES:

1. The poet, when about to commence the month of April, invokes Venus, to whom that month was sacred.—Dlxi. Four MSS. followed by Heinsius and Gierig, read vati, which is, I think, more Ovidian.—Gem. Amor. It is doubtful who these two Loves were, whether the [Greek: Eros] and [Greek: Imeros] of Hesiod (Th. 20l.) i.e. the Cupido and Jocus of Horace, (Car. I. 2. 33.) or the celestial and terrestrial Loves of Plato, or the Eros and Anteros of Cicero, (N. D. iii. 23.) See Mythology, p. 112.

4. Alluding to his Amores, etc. See II. 5.

5. Risit, etc. Compare Virg. aen. I. 225.

7. The poets of the Augustan age were fond of comparing love to military service, and employed the terms of Roman discipline when speaking of it.

9. Love was suitable and becoming to youth. Compare Hor. Ep. I. 14, 36.

10. See II. 360. Pulsanda est magnis area major equis. Amor. III. 15, 18, alluding to the races in the Circus.

11, 12. Repeated from I. 1, 2, 7.

15. The myrtle was the favourite plant of Venus. Dixit (Venus) et a myrto (myrto nam cincta capillos Constiterat) folium granaque pauca dedit. Sensimus acceptis numen quoque, purior aether Fulsit, et a toto pectore cessit onus. A. A. III. 53. Compare Burns' Vision, last stanza.

18. While I have the inspiration of Venus.

20. Caesar, Germanicus.-Tenearis. You (i. e. your attention) may be detained. See Trist. iv. 10, 49. Hor. Ep. I. 1, 81.

21, 22. The waxen figures (imagines) of all their ancestors, stood in the halls of the noble Romans, and they had all a stemma, or genealogy of their family, which descended from the first author of it. Venus, as mother of aeneas, was at the head of the stemma of the Julii, into which family Germanicus was entered by adoption, I. 3, 10, notes.

23. Pat. Il. Romulus, the son of Ilia.—Scriberet, i. e. describeret in menses.

24. Auct. suos. Mars and Venus.

27. There were all the Alban kings between aeneas and Romulus.

29, 30. He traced his lineage up to the gods.

31. Nesciret, i.e. Quis nesciret?

32. Scilicet is usually joined with the preceding line, and a semicolon placed after it; but see I. 29, II. 241, IV. 627. For this genealogy, see Hom. II. xx. 215, et seq. Virg. G. III. 35. Mythology, p. 435.

37, 38. See I. 527. Virg. aen. III. 148.

39. Aliquando, at length.

40. See Livy, I. 3. Virg. aen. I. 268.—Teucros. This name of the Trojans does not occur in Homer and the older Greek poets, and but rarely in the later. Like Graecus, Graius, it is constantly employed by the Latin poets.

41-56. Ovid has also given the series of Alban kings, in Met. xiv. 609, et seq. but somewhat differently. This list differs from that in Livy only by omitting aeneas, after Silvius, and by giving Epytos for Atis, and Calpetus for Capetus. The list in Dionysius differs but little. This writer adds Silvius to the names of all, after the grandson of aeneas. For these Alban kings, whose names are, beyond doubt, a fiction of later times, to fill up the space which the chronology of the Greeks gave between the fall of Troy and the building of Rome, see Livy, I. 3. Niebuhr, Rom. Hist. I. 202. Compare the equally veracious poetic genealogy of the British kings in Spenser's Faerie Queene, B. II. c. x.

46. Calpete. The reading of several MSS. is Capete, but the metre requires Calpete, which Neapolis gave from Dionysius and Eusebius.

48. Tuscae aquae, of the Albula, II. 389.

61. The ancients gave two etymons of the name April, one Greek, quasi Aphrilis, from, [Greek: Aphroditae], the name of Venus, and its supposed root, [Greek: aphros]: the other Latin, from aperio. Ovid, to gratify the Julian family, adopts and defends the former, which is by far the less probable. _Secundus mensis, ut Fulvius Flaccus scribit et Junius Gracchus, a Venere, quod ea sit [Greek: Aphroditae]. Varro, L. L. V.

63. He tries to obviate the objection, that an ancient Roman name could not have been derived from the Greek.

64. The south of Italy, as being filled with Grecian colonies, and larger than Greece Proper, was named Magna Graecia. 65-68. See I. 471, 543, V. 643.

69. Dux Neritius. Ulysses, from the hill Neritus, in Ithaca, Hom. Od. ix. 2l.—Laestrygones. Od. x. 120. This tribe of cannibals was placed by some of the localisers of the Homeric fables at Formiae, in Campania.

70-72. aeaea, the isle of Circe, was supposed to be the promontary, Circeii.—Circeii, insula quondam immense mari circumdata, at nunc planitio, Pliny, H. N. iii. 5, 9. Tusculum was said to have been founded by Telegonus, her son by Ulysses. For the Laestrygones and Circe, see Mythology, pp. 241, 242. Tibur was said to owe its origin to Tiburnus, Catillus and Coras, three brothers, who led thither a colony from Argos. Hor. Car. II. 6, 5. Virg. aen. vii. 670.—Udi, on account of the Anien, and the rivulets and springs about it. See Hor. Car. III. 29, 6; also I. 7, 13.

73. Halesus. See Amor. III. 13, 31. Virg. aen. vii. 723. Halesus was said to have been a son or grandson of Atreus, who, on the murder of Agamemnon, fled to Italy, where he founded Falerii, and introduced the worship of Juno. The worship of Juno, both in Argos and Falerii, probably gave occasion to the legend, and the name Halesus was formed from Falisci. F. and H. are commutable. See on v. 630.

75. See Hom. Il. vii. 348, et seq. Hor. Ep. I. 2, 9. The tradition was that, being allowed to depart from Troy by the Greeks, he came into Italy at the head of a colony of Paphlagonian Heneti, and founded Patavium, now Padua. See Livy, I. 1. Virg. aen. i. 242.

76. Diomedes, grandson of Oeneus, king of aetolia, came, after his return from Troy, to Apulia, where Daunus, the king of the country, gave him his daughter in marriage, and a share of his dominions. Met. xiv. Virg. aen. xi. 246. There were in Apulia the Diomedis campi, and, on the coast, the Diomedea insula.

77. Serus. According to Virgil, the wanderings of aeneas lasted seven years.

79, 80. Why should not the gelidus Sulmo in the Appenines, the chief town of the Sabellian Pelignians, and the birth-place of our poet have a foreign origin, as well as Rome and Patavium? The reader needs scarcely to be told, that accidental similarities of names are the source of all these tales. The city of Tours in France, I have read, was founded by Turnus, the rival of aeneas, and his tomb was long to be seen there! See Selden's notes on Drayton's Poly-Olbion, Song I.

82. The natural regret of an exile at the recollection of his country.

85-89. A second and much more likely etymon of April. Hujus mensis nomen ego magis puto dictum, quod ver omnia aperit. Varro, L. L. V. Cincius also, a name of great authority, was of the same opinion, as we are informed by Macrobius, Sat. 1. 12. His reasons were: there was no festal day, and no remarkable sacrifice to Venus appointed by the ancients in this month, and the name of Venus was not mentioned with those of the other gods in the Salian hymns. Varro also says, that neither the Latin nor the Greek name of Venus was known in the time of the kings. For the difference between Aphrodite and Venus, see Mythology, pp. 105 and 464.

90. Injecta manu. Manus injectio quotiens, nulla judicis auctoritate expectata, rem nobis debitam vindicamus. Servius, on aen. x. 419.

91-116. He argues, in defence of Venus, from her dignity and power. Compare Lucret. I. i, et seq.

93. Natalibus, from which she herself was born.

95. Creavit. All the deities worshiped in Greece, as we may see in the Theogony of Hesiod, were born like mankind, Venus excepted, and even she in Homer, has a father and a mother.

103. Compare Virg. G. III. 209, et seq. aen. xii. 715. p. 76.

117-124. He now argues from the claims which Venus had on the gratitude of the Romans.

120. See Hom. II. v. 335 et seq.

121. See Hom. II. xxiv. 27, et seq. Virg. aen. I. 27. Mythology, p. 76.

125-132. He argues from the beauty of spring, as being suited to Venus. Compare III. 235. Virg. Ec. III. 55. G. II. 334, et seq.

126. Nitent. Some MSS. read virent.

131. From the III. Id. Nov. to the VI. Id. Mart. the sea was said to be closed, and the ships were laid up on shore. In spring they were launched anew. See Hor. Car. I. 4, 3.

134. Et vos, etc. A periphrasis of the meretrices, who wore a toga instead of the stola (longa vestis) worn by women of character. Scripsimus haec illis, quarum nec vitta pudicas Attingit crines, nec stola longa pedes. Ep. ex. Pont. III. 3, 54.

135. These washings of the statues of the gods were common among the Greeks and Romans, There is a hymn of Callimachus on the washing of that of Pallas. See Spanheim's notes on it.—Redimicula, the strings or ribbons which tied on the cap or bonnet. Virg. aen. ix. 616.

139. Sub myrto. That is crowned with myrtle, as is manifest from Plutarch Numa, 19, and Laur. Lydus de Mens, p. 19.

145. The temple of Fortuna Virilis or Fors Fortuna, was built by Servius Tullius outside of the city on the banks of the Tiber, Dionys. iv. 27. Varro L. L. V.

146. See v. l39.—Calida. This is the reading of fifteen MSS. the rest have gelida.

151. None of the commentators make any remark on this custom. The poet accounts for it in the usual way by a legend.

157-160. A.U.C. 639, as a Roman knight named Elvius was returning to Apulia from the plays at Rome with his daughter Elvia, the maiden who was on horseback was struck with lightning in such a manner, that her clothes were thrown up, and her tongue forced out, the trappings of the horse were also scattered. The Vates being consulted, declared that it portended infamy to the Vestals and to the knights. Enquiry was made, and three Vestals, Aemilia, Licinia and Martia, were found to have been carrying on an illicit intercourse with some of the knights. The Sibylline books directed that two Greeks and two Gauls should be buried alive, to appease some strange gods, and a statue raised to Venus Verticordia, that she might turn the hearts of the women from iniquity. The statue was dedicated by Sulpicia, the wife of Fulvius Flaccus, as she bore the highest character for chastity and purity of manners. See Plutarch Quaest. Rom. Plin. H. N. viii. 35. Val. Max. viii. 15. Jul. Obsequens, c. 97.

163. The Scorpion set cosmically on the Kalends of April.—Elatae, etc. An accurate description of the Scorpion.

165. The IV. Non. the Pleiades (called by the Romans Vergiliae,) set heliacally according to Neapolis, acronychally according to Taubner, who maintains that the heliac setting was not till three days afterwards. See Introd. § 1.

166. Queruntur. Queror is used of the song of birds. See Hor. Epod. 2. 20. Lucretius (iv. 588.) and Horace (Car. in. 7. 30.) employ it to express the soft and sweet tones of the pipe.

167. See II. 500. Met. i. 493.

169. Pliades. It is thus spelt here and elsewhere in all the MSS.— Humeros, etc. The Pleiades or seven stars in the back of the Bull, were said to be the daughters of Atlas who supported the heavens, consequently when they set, their father's shoulders were eased of a portion of their burden. When a constellation is added to heaven, the weight is encreased. Met. ix. 273.

171-179. Reasons why, though the Pleiades were seven, but six could be seen.

179-372. On the 4th of the month, Prid. Non. began the great festival of the Megalensia or Megalesia, celebrated in honor of the mother of the gods, the Phrygian Cybele, whose worship was introduced into Rome, A.U.C. 547. See Livy xxix. 14, (where it is pridie Idus) Lucret. ii. 598-623. Virg. aen. in. 104. vi. 785. x. 252, Mythology, p. 191.

180. Titan, the Sun, who is frequently so called by the Latin poets. See on IV. 919. Ovid also calls the Moon, Titania.

181. Berecynthia, i. e. Phrygian, from Mt. Berecynthus.

181. Idaeae. Cybele, was so named, from Mt. Ida.

183. Semimares. The Galli, or priests of Cybele.—Tympana, tambourins.

184. Aera, etc. cymbals.

185. The statue of the goddess was carried through the streets by a Phrygian man and woman.

187. Stage-plays were always performed at the Megalesia, Livy, ut supra, and xxxvi. 36. See also the inscriptions of Terence's comedies.

188. The days of the Megalesia were Nefasti. See Introd. § 3.

190. Lotos. The wood of the Lybian lotos was chiefly employed for the manufacture of pipes.—Theophr. Hist, plant, iv. 3. Plin. H.N. xiii. 17, 32.

191. Cyleleïa. Cybelean, from Mt. Cybele.—Neptes, grand-daughters, the Muses. As the Greeks identified the Phrygian Mother of the Gods, with their Rhea, the spouse of Kronus, and mother of the Kronides or Olympians, Cybele, of course, became the grandmother of the Muses. The Ops of the Italians, with whom the Romans identified her, resembled Cybele much more nearly than Rhea did, who appears to have been an allegorical personnage. See Mythology, p. 50.

195. Erato. Our poet invokes this muse for the same reason, A. A. II. 16. Apollonius Rhodius calls on Erato, when about to relate the loves of Jason and Medea, and Virgil (aen. vii. 37,) addresses her when he is going to tell of the war between Turnus and aeneas, for the sake of Lavinia, whom the former hero loved.

197. Reddita, etc. scil. by Heaven and Earth. The whole story is told by Hesiod Theog. 464, et seq. Mythology, p. 42.

204. Parce, forbear.—Fidem, the tradition, as the cause of belief.

205. Gutture. One of the best MSS. reads viscere, which is followed by Heinsius and Gierig. Three have gurgite.

208. Ardua Ide, would seem here to be the Phrygian Ida, but Hesiod, and the general tradition, made the Cretan Ida to be the scene of the infancy of the god.—Jamdudum, forth with. Virg. aen. II. 103.

209, Rudibus. Most MSS. read manibus; two of the best rudibus, four of the best sudibus, which is also the reading of Lactantius, in his quotation of this verse. Inst. I. 21. In the Greek narratives, the word is [Greek: encheiridia, ziphea], and [Greek: dorata], with which the rudes, foils or blunt swords, best agree. Lobeck proposes tudibus.

210. The Curetes are those who, in the Cretan legend, danced their [Greek: pyrrhichaen] or armed dance, about the cradle of Jupiter; the Corybantes were regarded as the attendants of the Mother of the Gods. The poet here evidently alludes to the resemblance between their name and [Greek: korus], a helmet.

215-218. See her figure. Mythology, Plate ix. 1.

219. Compare Virg. aen. vi. 785. Lucret. II. 607.

220. The poet and the muse are not quite right here. Cybele, as the symbol of the earth, was very naturally crowned with towers. Quod autem turritam gestat coronam, ostendit superpositas esse terrae civitates, quas insignitas turribus constat. Servius on aen. iii. 113. But the fact is, Ovid was entangled in the Euhemeric or anthropomorphising system, which prevailed so much in his time. See Mythology, pp. 19, 20, 442.

221. Secandi, scil. by the Galli.

223. For the story of Attis, as told somewhat differently by Diodorus, see Mythology, p. 192; see also Catullus, LXIII. and the notes of Doering.

225. Tueri, to be the aedituus of her temple.

226. Puer esse, to be a virgin, if the term may be used.

231. Ovid frequently uses Naïs as synonymous with Nympha. He is peculiarly incorrect here, for the nymph in question, as the daughter of the god of the river Sagaris, must have been a real Naïs, and yet he makes her a Hamadryad. For the Nymphs, see Mythology, p. 206.

233. Credens, etc. His madness thus commenced.

236. Palaestinas deas. As the whips and torches are mentioned, there can be no doubt that these were the Furies, but why they were thus called, none of the commentators can say. Marsus shews, from an old MS. of Caesar's Commentaries, that Palaestae was a town of Epirus, in which country the Furies had a temple. This, though bad, is the only explanation we have. One MS. reads Palestrinas, another Palatinas.

247. Now comes the narrative of the introduction of the worship of the Magna Mater into Rome, A.U.C. 547. See Livy, xxix. 10, 11, l4. xxxvi. 36. Valer. Max. viii. 15, 3. Silius. Ital. xvii. init. Compare Met. xv. 622-744.

249, 250. Dindymon, etc. Mountains of Phrygia.—Amoen. font [Greek: polypidax] Homer,—H. op. Troy.

252. Sacriferas, as bearing the Penates and the Eternal Fire.—Paene secuta, I think there is an allusion here to the legend in Virg. aen. ix. 120.

257. Carminis, etc. The Sibylline books.

265. Proceres, scil. Valerius Laevinus, a consular; M. Caecilius Metellus, a former praetor; Sulpicius Galba, who had been an aedile, and two who had served the office of quaestor.

266. Negat. This was not the case according to Livy.

272. Rome derived her origin from Phrygia.

276. From the following description of it, given by Arnobius, (Adv. Gen. vii. p. 285,) it is quite evident that this symbol of the Mother of the Gods was an aërolithe. Ex Phrygia nihil quidem aliud scribitur missum rege ab Attalo, nisi lapis quidem non magnus ferri manu hominis sine ulla impressione qui posset, coloris furvi atque atri, angellis prominentibus inaequalis. A more accurate description of the external appearance of an aërolithe could not easily be given.

277. Nati, Neptune. Let the reader trace this voyage on the map.

280. Vet. Eët. op. Thebes, near Adramyttium, the residence of Eëtion, the father of Andromache, See Hom. II. I. 366, vi. 395, xxii. 480.

282. The coast of Euboea.

283, 284. See Met. viii. 195, et seq.—Lapsas. Most MSS. read lassas.

292. Dividit, spreads itself: perhaps simply divides, as the Tiber had two mouths.

294. Obvius, to meet it.

300. The river was shallow in consequence of the drought.

301. Plus quam pro parte, beyond his strength.

302. Just as sailors and others do at the present day in all countries.

305. The Eponymus, or reputed head of the Claudian family, was a hero named Clausus. Virg. aen. vii. 706. Attus Clausus was the name of the Sabine chief, who, with his gens and their clients, came to Rome, where they were received among the Patricians, and became famous in Roman story under the name of Claudii. Livy, II. 16. This Claudia Quinta was the grand-daughter of Appius Claudius Caecus.

308. Acta rea, was charged with. A law term.

310. Ad rigidos. "Apud severos," Gierig. I think he is wrong, and that the meaning is, she was too free of her tongue against the old men, perhaps ridiculing them, and despising their admonitions.—Senes. Several MSS. read sonos.

312. As true of the present day as of the time of Ovid.

326. Was there a play acted at the Megalesia, of which this was the subject?

329, 330. This would appear to indicate the spot where the river divided. See on v. 292.

335. Coronatam. The custom of adorning the poops of vessels with garlands, must be familiar to every reader of the classics. See Virg. G. I. 304, aen. iv. 418.

339. Canus sacerdos, the Archigallus, or chief priest of Cybele, as Neapolis thinks.

340. It was the custom to wash the image of the goddess and her chariot every year in the Almo. Qui lotam parvo revocant (renovant) Almone Cybeben. Lucan. I. 600.

346. Boves. The car of Cybele was drawn by heifers.

347. The sacred stone was committed to the care of P. Corn. Scipio Nasica, the son of Cneius, who had fallen in Spain, as being the most virtuous man in Rome, It was brought into the temple of Victory, which was on the Palatium. The temple was not finished until thirteen years after, and the stage-plays acted on that occasion were, according to Valerius Antias, the first ever performed at Rome.—Non perstitit. This is the reading of six of the best and of other MSS. and of the old editions; four of the best, and three others have tunc extitit, which is the reading adopted by Heinsius and Gierig. I think the present reading gives the more Ovidian sense, scil. the name of the author did not remain unchanged; it was Metellus, it is Augustus. See v. 351.

350. The Phrygian man and woman who carried the goddess about, collected small pieces of money. This, by the Greeks, was called [Greek: maetragyrtein]. The poet gives a cause, and a wrong one for it.

353. It was the custom for the principal persons at Rome to give mutual entertainments, at the time of the Megalesia. This was called mutitare. Quam ob causam Patricii Megalensibus mutitare soliti sint, Plebs Cerealibus? Gellius, xviii. 2.

354. Indictas. "Proprie de non vocatis, sed qui sponte veniunt ad epulas. Suet. Ner. 27. Vitell. 13. Male interpretes a sacerdotibus indictas capiunt." Burmann.

355. Bene mutarit. Having exchanged her obscure Phrygian abode for the capital of the world. This reason is too trifling to be noticed.

357. Institeram. "Institueram, quaerere volebam," Gierig.—Primi. See on v. 347, or is it first in point of dignity, or first in order in the year?

359. See Virg. aen. vi. 787.

361. Qui se, etc. The Galli or priests of Cybele were voluntary eunuchs.

363. Vir. Cyb. Cybele was a mountain of Phrygia.—Alt. Cel. Celaenae, a mountain and town, at one time the chief place in Phrygia; the river Maeander rose on its summit, and the Marsyas not far from it.

364. Am. nom. Gal. Gallus in Phrygia, unde qui bibit insanit more fanatico, Vibius Sequester de Flumin. Pliny, (H. N. xxxi. 2. 5,) following Callimachus, enumerates the Gallus among those whose waters were good for persons afflicted with the stone, and adds, Sed ibi in potando necessarius modus, ne lymphatos agat. As, however, no river ever had this quality, we may be allowed to doubt the correctness of this etymology.

367. Herbosum moretum. The moretum called by the Greeks [Greek: muttonton] or [Greek: trimma] was a mess composed of garlic, parsley, rue, coriander, onions, cheese, oil and vinegar pounded up together. See the description of the mode of making it in the poem called Moretum, ascribed to Virgil.—Herbosum, an account of the parsley, etc.

371. Elisae, bruised or pounded, the part, of elido; most MSS. read elixae.

373-376. The temple of Fortuna Publica on the Quirinal hill, was dedicated on the Nones of April—Motis scil. amotis.—Pallantias, Aurora, as being daughter to the Titan Pallas. This genealogy, as far as my knowledge extends, is peculiar to the Latin poets. In Hesiod, Eos or Aurora is the daughter of the Titan Hyperion and niece to Pallas— Levarit. "Jugo solverit," Gierig.—Niv. eq. Such were suited to the candida Luna. In an epigram ascribed to Ovid, her car is drawn niveis juvencis. The fiction was caused by the horned moon. Nonnus and Claudian gives her the same.—Fort. Pub. This temple was vowed, A.U.C. 549, by the consul Sempronius on the eve of a battle with Hannibal. It was dedicated ten years afterwards by Q. Martius, Ralla created Decemvir for the purpose.

377. Tertia lux, scil. Megalesium, the day after the Nones.—Ludis. The plays were acted on this day.

380. Perfida. After the usual fashion of the Romans, to call rebels and traitors all who opposed them, or the victorious party among them. It was thus that Napoleon used to style the Spaniards rebels and insurgents. I need hardly observe that Juba king of Mauritania was most faithful to the cause of Pompey and the republic. He and Scipio put an end to their lives after their defeat by Caesar, hence the poet applies to him the term magnanimus, which denotes courage, as the Romans greatly approved of those who escaped from disgrace and insult by voluntary death. Compare Hor. Car. I. 37. 21. The victory was gained, A.U.C. 708. See Hirtius Bell. Afric. 94. Florus iv. 2. 69.—Contudit. Virg. aen. I. 264.

381. Meruisse, to have served.

383, 384. Sedem, scil. in the orchestra, where Ovid sat, as having been a Decemvir; not the fourteen rows where he might have sat of right, as belonging to the equestrian order, but to a seat on which the tribune could have no claim. The Vigintiviratus was an office, through which men rose to the senate. Of the Vigintiviri, three had charge of the execution of capital punishments, three of the mint, four of the roads, ten (the Decemvirs) of assembling the Centumvirs, and presiding when they sat for the trial of causes.

385. Imbre. The Roman theatres were not roofed. There was usually an awning drawn across to keep off the sun. See Lucret. IV. 73.

386. Pendula Libra. On the day after the Nones, the VIII. Id. Libra was in the sky all through the night, and was usually attended by rain. Pendula is a very appropriate term for Libra.

388. Ensifer. The better MSS. read ensiger.

389. The following day (IV. Idus.) began the Ludi Circenses or Cereales, in honour of Ceres. Tac. An. xv. 53, 74.—Inspexerit, looked down on.

391. On the first day of the festival, a pomp or procession, led by the principal men of the state, moved from the Capitol through the Forum to the Circus. The procession vas closed by the images of several gods carried on men's shoulders. This pomp is described by our poet. Am. III. 2. 43, and by Dionysius, vii. 72. Some critics maintain that the Cereales were but a part of the Ludi Circenses, which last were a festival of all the gods. See Suet. Jul. 76. Tacitus certainly, in the passage first referred to above, says, Circensium ludorum die, qui Cereri celebratur, but Ovid seems to make no distinction.

392. Ventosis, swift as the wind, [Greek: theiein anemoisin homoioi], Hom. II. x. 437, of the horses of Rhesus, [Greek: podaenemos], is an epithet of Iris.

395. According to the Epicurean system of philosophy, in vogue in his days, the poet regards the original condition of man, as similar to that of the beasts that graze.

398. Ten. fron. cac. "Tenerae frondes arborum," Gierig. The shoot or tender bough, with its fresh juicy leaves.—Erant. Most MSS. erat.

401. Compare Amor. III. 10. Met. v. 342. Virg. G. I. 147. Lucret. v. 937.

405. [Greek: Chalko d' ergazonto melas d' ouk eske sidaeros]. Hesiod. [Greek: Erga], l50.—Chalybeïa massa, iron, from the Chalybes who manufactured it.

406-408. This longing for the continuance of peace, and aversion to war, is to be found in all the poets of the Augustan age. It may have been partly flattery to Augustus, but I rather think it arose from the previous state of war which had lasted so long, and caused so much ruin and misery. Something of the same kind may be observed in Europe at the present moment.

412. Casta, pure, offered with a pure mind.

414. See I. 349.

417. He had already related this tale at considerable length, Met. V. Compare Claudian de Rap. Pros, and the Homeridian hymn to Demeter. See Mythology, p. 133.

422. Henna or Enna, was an elevated valley-plain, nearly in the centre of Sicily. Cicero, Verr. iv. 48.