Q. HORATII FLACCI CARMINUM LIBER I. CARMEN I. AD CILNIUM MECENATEM. MECENAS, atavis edite regibus, Evitata rotis, palmaque nobilis, Terrarum Dominos evehit ad Deos. NOTES. 5 Horace in this beautiful Ode shows the different inclinations of men, and his own in particular. It stands as a dedication of his works to his great patron Mæcenas. 1. Macenas.] Mæcenas is distinguished in the Roman history, by being so many years the favourite of Augustus, and the protector and patron of men of genius and letters. To him the present world is in a great measure indebted for the wit and learning of the Augustan age. 3. Olympicum.] The Olympic games were first instituted by Hercules in honour of his father Jupiter Olympius, A. C. 1222; and after they had been discontinued for some time, were re-established by Iphitus 338 years after their first institution. They were celebrated every fourth year, upon the banks of the Alpheus near Pisa in Elis, a province of Peloponnesus, and they continued for five successive days. The victor was called Olympiaces, and to obtain the prize there was accounted as honourable as a triumph at Rome. 4. Meta.] A goal or mark set up to determine the extent of the race. The great art, in these chariot-races, consisted in turning swiftly round the goal, and yet so near as to seem to touch it; by which they were often in danger of being dashed to pieces against it. A Hunc, si mobilium turba Quiritium NOTES. 10 15 20 7. Hunc, si. Hunc, si, &c. represents a man whose ambition aims at the highest employments in the state. Quiritium.] The name of Quirites or Curites was given to the Roman citizens, because they admitted into their city the inhabitants of Cures, a town of the Sabines. 9. Illum, si.] Illum, si, &c. gives us an idea of a rich and covetous corn-factor. 10. Libycis.] Libya, a part of Northern Africa, bounded on the east by Egypt, and on the west by the kingdom of Tripoli. The abundance of corn it yielded made it one of the granaries of Italy. The poets often give the name of Libya to all that part of Africa which lies along the Mediterranean. 11. Gaudentem.] This is the picture of a country farmer, who neither desires riches nor honours, but is cheerfully employed in the cultivation of his lands. 12. Attalicis conditionibus.] Attalus, king of Pergamus, had amassed such immense wealth that it became proverbial, and an ample fortune was commonly called by the epithet of Attalicus. 13. Cypria.] Cyprus, a large island in the Mediterranean sea. 14. Myrtoum mare.] A part of the Egæan sea; so called, according to Pliny, from Myrtos, a small island of that sea. 15. Icariis fluctibus.] The Icarian sea, part of the Egaan. The poets fancy that it was so called from Icarus, the son of Dædalus, who fell into it; because, flying from Crete with his father, he approached so near the sun, that it melted the wax with which his wings were cemented. 19. Massici.] A mountain of Campania, celebrated for the excellence of its wine. Spernit; nunc viridi membra sub arbuto NOTES. 23. Lituo tube.] The sound of the clarion was shrill, that of the trumpet was grave. The former was used by the cavalry, the latter by the infantry. 25. Jove.] In the language of poetry among the Greeks and Romans, Jupiter often signifies air. 28. Marsus aper.] In the country of the Marsi, a people of Italy, were extensive woods, frequented by the wild boar. 29. Hedera.] Those who excelled in poetry were crowned with an ivy wreath. 31. Nympharum.] Nymphs, goddesses, supposed by the ancients to preside over rivers, springs, woods, and hills. Satyris] Satyrs, rural Demigods resembling men, except that they had the feet and legs of a goat, short horns on the head, and the whole body covered with thick hair. 33. Euterpe.] One of the muses, who is said to have invented the flute. Polyhymnia.] Her distinguishing employment among the muses, was to sing many hymns, and preside over the encomiums bestowed on great men. She was considered the inventress of harmony. 34. Lesboum.] Lesbos, an island of the Egean sea, which gave birth to Alcæus and Sappho, so celebrated for the excellence of their lyric poetry. CARMEN II. AD AUGUSTUM. JAM satis terris nivis atque diræ Terruit gentes, grave ne rediret Seculum Pyrrhæ nova monstra questa: Visere montes; Piscium et summa genus hæsit ulmo, Vidimus flavum Tiberim, retortis NOTES. 20 10 15 Most commentators agree, that this ode was written in compliment to Augustus upon the prodigies which appeared immediately after the death of Julius Cæsar. 6. Seculum Pyrrha.] Pyrrha was the daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora, and wife of Deucalion, king of Thessaly. In her time happened a deluge that destroyed all mankind, she and her husband only escaping, by means of a boat which Deucalion had made. 7. Proteus.] A sea Deity, son of Oceanus and Thetis. He attended the sea-calves, whence he has been called Pastor Neptuni. He was remarkable for the power ascribed to him of changing himself into what shape he pleased. 13. Tiberim.] A river of Italy, on whose banks the city of Rome was built. Retortis littore Etrusco.] The Tiber discharges itself into the Tuscan sea, which being swollen by tempests and a prodigious fall of snow and hail (the wind at the same time blowing up the channel) made the river flow backward, retorquere, against its natural course. 15. Regis.] Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome. 16. Templaque Vesta.] Vesta is the same with the earth, and Rara juventus. Quem vocet Divûm populus ruentis Imperî rebus? Prece qua fatigent Carmina Vestam? Cui dabit partes scelus expiandi Sive tu mavis, Erycina ridens, Quam Jocus circumvolat, et Cupido: NOTES. < 20 25 30 35 her temple was round, in allusion to the spherical figure of the earth. 17. lia.] Ilia was the mother of Romulus, and being buried on the banks of the Anio, her ashes were carried away into the Tiber; whence the poets feigned that she was married to the god of that river. 19. Jove non probante.] It was not the pleasure of Jupiter, that the Tiber should rob Augustus of the glory reserved for him, in revenging the death of Julius Cæsar. 27. Virgines sancta.] Vestal virgins, the chief part of whose office was to take care that the sacred fire of Vesta was not extinguished. 32. Augur Apollo.] The son of Jupiter and Latona, the god of all the fine arts, of medicine, musick, poetry and rhetoric; he received from his father the power of knowing futurity, and he was the only one of the gods whose oracles were in general repute over the world. 33. Erycina.] A surname of Venus from mount Eryx in Sicily, where she had a temple. 36. Auctor.] Mars, called auctor, because he was the father of Romulus, who was the founder of the Roman empire. |