the couch of the gods with Salian" dainties. Before this, it was impious to produce the old Cæcuban stored up by your ancestors; while the queen, with a contaminated gang of creatures, noisome through distemper, was preparing giddy destruction for the Capitol and the subversion of the empire, being weak enough to hope for any thing, and intoxicated with her prospering fortune. But scarcely a single ship preserved from the flames bated her fury; and Cæsar brought down her mind, inflamed with Egyptian wine, to real fears, close pursuing her in her flight from Italy with his galleys (as the hawk pursues the tender doves, or the nimble hunter the hare in the plains of snowy Æmon), that he might throw into chains this destructive monster [of a woman]; who, seeking a more generous death, neither had an effeminate dread of the sword, nor repaired with her swift ship to hidden shores. She was able also to look upon her palace, lying courages his companions to give free reins to joy and hilarity, yet still to honor and admire the noble spirit and bold resolution of the ill-fated Cleopatra. With the true spirit of a Roman citizen he is silent of his fellow Roman, Antony. The senate, too, had not proclaimed war against him, but against Cleopatra, and Augustus triumphed not ostensibly over his fallen colleague in the triumvirate, but over an Egyptian queen. It was, indeed, his interest, that men should speedily forget that his former friend and relative had been, by him, forced to death, and that in the glare of victory the Romans should be flattered, not alarmed.

The tidings of the death of both were brought to Rome, in the autumn of A. U c. 724, by M. Tullius Cicero, the son of the orator and then Consul Suffectus; and that this is one of the earliest lyric compositions of Horace is probable, as well from its subject as by the irregularity of its composition, such as the synalephe in v. 5, and neglect of the cæsura in vs. 5 and 14. ANTHON.

63 The Salii were priests of Mars, instituted by Numa Pompilius, twelve in number, of the senatorial rank; their number was doubled by Tullus Hostilius. These, armed with a brazen helmet, belt, and breastplate, went through the city with a constant even pace, dancing to the sound of musical instruments. Their solemn processions were very magnificent. Hence the proverb Dapes Saliares, for a grand entertainment.

64 Ab ignibus. The fleet of Antony, even after his flight, made such an obstinate resistance, that Augustus was obliged to send for fire from his camp to destroy it.

66 Daret ut catenis. Octavius had given particular directions to Proculeius and Epaphroditus to take Cleopatra alive, that he might make himself master of her treasures, and have the glory of leading her in triumph. Justly sensible of this ignominy, she had reserved a dagger for her last extremities, and when she saw Proculeius enter, she raised it to stab herself, but he dexterously wrenched it from her. LAMB.

in ruins, with a countenance unmoved, and courageous enough to handle exasperated asps, that she might imbibe in her body the deadly poison, being more resolved by having pre-meditated her death: for she was a woman of such greatness of soul, as to scorn to be carried off in haughty triumph, like a private person, by rough Liburnians."

ODE XXXVIII.

TO HIS SERVANT.

Boy, I detest the pomp of the Persians; chaplets, which are woven with the rind of the linden, displease me; give up the search for the place where the latter rose abides. It is my particular desire that you make no laborious addition to the plain myrtle; for myrtle is neither unbecoming you a servant, nor me, while I quaff under this mantling vine.

66 Sævis Liburnis. The poet mentions those vessels, not only because they were particularly serviceable in gaining the victory, but in complirent to his patron Mæcenas, who commanded that squadron. SAN.

THE SECOND BOOK

OF THE

ODES OF HORACE.

ODE I.

TO ASINIUS POLLIO.

2

i

3

You are treating of the civil commotion, which began from the consulship of Metellus, and the causes, and the errors, and the operations of the war, and the game that fortune played, and the pernicious confederacy of the chiefs, and arms stained with blood' not yet expiated-a work full of danger and hazard and you are treading upon fires, hidden under deceitful ashes: let therefore the muse that presides over severe tragedy, be for a while absent from the theaters ; shortly, when thou hast completed the narrative of the public

1 Caius Asinius Pollio was a person who made a very considerable figure in the court of Augustus. As he was distinguished by his valor and conduct, he had frequently the command of the armies given him. He vanquished the Dalmatians, and triumphed over them. He was no less eminent for his learning, than for his warlike accomplishments.

2

"From the consulship of Metellus." The narrative of Pollio, consequently, began with the formation of the government denominated (although erroneously, since it was no magistratus) the first triumvirate, by Cæsar, Pompey, and Crassus, A. U. c. 694, in the consulship of Q. Cæcilius Metellus Celer, and L. Afranius. This may well be considered as the germ of the civil wars that ensued, and which blazed forth with fury ten years later. The Romans marked the year by the names of the consuls, and he who has most suffrages, etc., was placed first. ANTHON.

3

Causas, i. e. the death of Crassus, the death of Julia, and the ambition and rivalry of Cæsar and Pompey. ORELL. The term vitia has here a particular reference to the rash and unwise plans of Pompey and his followers, and, also, to the mismanagement of Crassus in his expedition against the Parthians. M'CAUL.

4

Cruoribus, i. e. "blood shed often and in many places:" thus aïμara is used by the Tragedians, as Esch. Suppl. 262:

Παλαιῶν αἱμάτων μιάσμασιν. M CAUL.

5

affairs, you shall resume your great work in the tragic style of Athens, O Pollio, thou excellent succor to sorrowing defendants and a consulting senate; [Pollio,] to whom the laurel produced immortal honors in the Dalmatian triumph. Even now you stun our ears with the threatening murmur of horns: now the clarions sound; now the glitter of arms affrights the flying steeds, and dazzles the sight of the riders. Now I seem to hear of great commanders besmeared with glorious dust, and the whole earth subdued, except the stubborn soul of Cato. Juno, and every other god propitious to the Africans, impotently went off, leaving that land unrevenged; but soon offered the descendants of the conquerors, as sacrifices to the inanes of Jugurtha." What plain, enriched by Latin blood, bears not record, by its numerous sepulchers, of our impious battles, and of the sound of the downfall of Italy, heard even by the Medes? What pool, what rivers, are unconscious of our deplorable war? What sea have not the Daunian1o slaughters discolored? What shore is unstained by our blood? Do not, however, rash muse, neglecting your jocose strains, resume the task of Caan plaintive song," but rather with me seek measures of a lighter style" beneath some lovesequestered grotto."

The cothurnus (kołóрvoç) is here put figuratively for tragedy. 12. Cecropio. Equivalent to Attico, and alluding to Cecrops as the founder of Athens. ANTHON.

6

On this zeugma see my notes on Esch. Prom. 22, ed. Bohn.

7 Cato of Utica, so remarkable for his virtue, and the strenuous opposi tion he made to tyranny. After the defeat of Pompey, he was shut up by Cæsar in Utica, where, rather thau fall into the hands of the conqueror, and survive the ruin of his country, he slew himself. WATSON.

Rettulit inferias. The word rettulit is here taken in the same sense as in the proverb par pari referre, and inferias alludes to a custom of the ancients, who sacrificed a number of prisoners upon the tombs of their generals. TOR.

9

Jugurtha, a king of Numidia, who being engaged in war with the Romans, was taken by Sylla, and led in triumph by Marius. WATSON.

10 i. e. Roman. cf. Od. i. 22, 13.

11 Cea retractes munera nænia. Nania is a word properly signifying the song which was sung at funerals by the mourners. But by Nania, in this passage, the poet intends the goddess Nænia, who presided over tears, lamentations, and funerals.

DAC.

12 Ovid, Met. 10, 150, “Cecini plectro graviore Gigantas-Nunc opus est leviore lyra."

ORELLI.

13 Dionao sub antro. Although Dione was the mother of Venus, yet Venus herself is called by that name. The poet therefore invites his

ODE II.

TO CRISPUS SALLUSTIUS.

17

O CRISPUS SALLUSTIUS," thou foe to bullion," unless it derives splendor from a moderate enjoyment, there is no luster in money concealed in the niggard earth. Proculeius shall live an extended age, conspicuous for fatherly affection to brothers; surviving fame shall bear him on an untiring wing." You may possess a more extensive dominion by controlling a craving disposition, than if you could unite Libya to the distant Gades, and the natives of both the Carthages were subject to you alone. The direful dropsy increases by selfindulgence, nor extinguishes its thirst, unless the cause of the disorder has departed from the veins, and the watery languor from the pallid body. Virtue, differing from the vulgar, excepts Phraates though restored to the throne of Cyrus, from the number of the happy; and teaches the populace to disuse false names for things, by conferring the kingdom and a safe diadem and the perpetual" laurel upon him alone, who can view large heaps of treasure with undazzled eye.

muse into the cave of Venus, there to sing of love and gallantry in a tone less elevated, leviore plectro, and forbids her to imitate the plaintive strains of Simonides. LAMB.

14

Tacitus, in the third book of his Annals, hath given us a very finished picture of this Sallust. He was grand-nephew to the excellent author of the Roman History, who adopted him, and left him his name and fortune. 16 The construction is: "inimice, lamnæ, nisi [lamna] splendeat." 16 Proculeius. He had two brothers, Terentius and Licinius. Terentius was made consul elect in the year seven hundred and thirty, but died before he could enter upon his office. Licinius unfortunately engaged himself in a conspiracy against Augustus, nor could all the interest of Proculeius and Mæcenas, who had married their sister Terentia, preserve him from banishment. An old commentator relates a particular story, which greatly enlightens this passage: he says, that Proculeius divided his patrimony with his brothers, whose fortunes were ruined in the civil wars. DAC. SAN.

17 For this periphrasis cf. Od. 3, 11, 10: "metuitque tangi," Virg. ORELLI.

18 Phraates, a king of the Parthians, who slew his own father Orodes, thirty brothers, and his eldest son. He was expelled the kingdom by his subjects, and afterward re-established by the Scythians in the year of Rome 728. WATSON.

" So "propria munera," Sat. ii. 2, 5; "da propriam domum." Virg. Fr iii. 85. ORELLI.