Huc priùs anguftis ejecta cadavera cellis 10 Confervus vili portanda locabat in arcâ. 20 11. Pantolabo fcurræ.] These People were yet alive, but as they had ruined their Fortunes, Horace, with much fatirical Good-nature, provides Graves for them with the vileft Slaves. 12. Mille pedes in fronte.] Such was the Title of the Graveyard, preferved on a Pillar of Stone, cippus, to fhew its Extent, and to declare it was never to return to the Heirs of the Eftate. We have numberless Infcriptions of this Kind, ITANE UNQUAM DE NOMINE FAMILIE NOSTRE EXEAT HOC MONUMENTUM. Hoc MONUMENTUM HEREDES NON SEQUITUR. IN FRONTE LAT. PED. XX, ET DIG. II. IN AGR. LONG. PED. XX. in fronte fignifies to the Road; in agro, to the Fields. Dabat is for indicabat, teftabatur. TOR. 14. Efquiliis habitare falubribus.] The Air was afterwards fo healthy, that Auguftus was carried thither when he was ill. TOR. 15. Quâ modò triftes.] The Copyifts probably wrote quo, to make it agree with aggere, which is not neceffary. Quomodo has a vicious Ambiguity. Agger fignifies a 'Terrafs, which Maecenas had raised in the Garden. Mr. Sanadon imagines, that this Line hath fomething extremely mournful in the Cadence, as if Horace had purpofely loaded it with Spondees; and the ancient Commentator feels he fame Sadnefs in the twenty-third Verfe. 17. Cum mihi non tantùm.] Cum depends on Nunc licet Efquiliis, and marks the Connexion. It is pleafant enough to fee this poor God obliged to confels, that he knows not how to be revenged for the fhameful Outrages committed against his Divinity by these infamous Witches. But Spite and Vexation at laft furnished him with a whimsical Vengeance. SAN. In Coffins vile the Herd of Slaves Were hither brought to croud their Graves; A thousand Feet the Front extends, Where once the Ground with Bones was white, But, oh nor Thief, nor favage Beast, E'er gave me me half fuch Care and Pains, For, when the beauteous Queen of Night Hither 20. Has nullo perdere poffum.] They were too frightful and ugly to tempt the God to punish them in a Manner proper for fuch a God. Befides, he might well be apprehenfive that they might fall in love with the Punishment. The miferable Deity might fay, of thefe Creatures, what Catullus does of the Thieves, who plundered his Garden, rather than any other, The Fears of Punishment delight you, Nimirum apertam convolatis adj pœnam, Et vos boc ipfum, quod minamur, invitat. 21. Simul ac vaga Luna.] The Moon prefided over all Enchantments, and was believed to be moft favourable when in the Full, decorum os, because she then infused a stronger Spirit into the magical Herbs TOR. 22. Quin 25 Protulit os, quin offa legant herbafque nocentes. 30 35 Julius, 22. Quin offa legant.] The new Gardens poffeffed only Part of the Hill; the reft was yet covered with human Bones. DAC. 23. Succinctam vadere palla.] Ovid defcribes Medea with her Robe flowing and loofe; but perhaps Canidia was dreffed in this Manner, that the might walk better, or she might untie her Girdle when the Ceremonies began. TOR. 26. Scalpere terram unguibus.] There are here fome extraordinary Particulars; that the Witches dug this magical Trench with their Nails, and that they did not cut the Throat of the Victim, but tore it in pieces with their Nails. There are not any Examples of this Kind among the Ancients, and certainly Horace invented them to make Canidia more odious. DAC. 29. Ut inde Manes elicerent.] Black Victims alone were facrificed to the infernal Gods, nor was any thing fuppofed more delicious to the Souls of the Departed than Blood. They could not foretel any future Events, or answer any Questions, until they had drank of it. Ulyffes was obliged to draw his Sword, to frighten them away from the Blood he had poured into the Trench for Ti DAC tefias. 31. Inferiorem.] This little Figure probably reprefented Varius, who had forfaken Canidia, as we find in the fifth Epode. SAN. 35. Infernas Hither they come, pernicious Crones ! (Black was her Robe, her Feet were bare) Her eldeft Sifter, hither came. With Yellings dire they fill'd the Place, Soon with their Nails they fcrap'd the Ground, Two Figures next, the Beldams brought; And fcourg'd the waxen Image fmall, And dying Air, juft gasping food. May 35. Infernas errare canes.] The Serpents were Fore-runners of Tifiphone, and the Bitches foretold that her infernal Majefty was coming. TOR. Lunamque rubentem.] The Moon, although well ufed to magical Ceremonies, was filled with Horrour at the Sight of these, and endeavoured to hide herself At other Incantations she usually grew F 6 pale; Julius, & fragilis Pediatia, furque Voranus. Singula quid memorem ? quo pacto alterna loquentes 40 45 50 pale; but here the turns red in perfect Shame and Indignation, not having it in her Power, poor Goddess, to punish the Wretches who thus infulted her. 39. Julius & fragilis Pediatia.] We know not who Julius was. Pediatius was an infamous Roman Knight, whom Horace, for his Effeminacy, calls Pediatia. Thus Ariftophanes calls Cleonymus, Cleonyma; Softratus, Softrata. Fragilis marks the laft Excefs of CRUQ. Diffolution. It is pleafant enough to fee the good Priapus taking an Oath, to confirm the Truth of what he faid, well worthy of him, and confenting, if he was forfworn, to ftand expofed to the most villainous Infults. SAN. 41. Refonarint.] Better agrees with abdiderint, arferit, and birruerim, than refonarent, which was probably a Miftake of the Copyifts. BENT. CUN. SAN Trifte & acutum.] The Tranflator hopes to be forgiven, for dividing thefe Words, as in a Dialogue between the Witches and Ghofts. The Voice of Ghosts in Homer is expreffed by Tescal, Aridentes, biffing; and in Virgil, by a thin, feeble Sound, Pars tollere vocem exiguam, but we never find vox triftis applied to them. 44. Largior arferit ignis.] This was a magical Fire, for the Witches had no other, by which the waxen Image was confumed. DAC. Et ut non teftis inultus.] To hear Priapus talk in this Language, one would imagine, that he proposed to destroy these execrable Crea tures |