CARM. XXXVI. This beautiful nuptial hymn was composed in honour of the marriage of Julia and Manlius; generally supposed to have been Aulus Manlius Torquatus. The metre is Glyconian, the same as that of the 22nd poem. The poet begins by invoking Hymen, bidding him enwreathe his hair with sweet marjorum (amaraci,) and take his flamecoloured veil (flammeum,) and put on his saffron shoe; and whilst he sings a bridal hymn, to dance, and shake his sacred pinetorch. For Julia, as fair as an Asiatic myrtle, which the nymphs of the woods have reared and cherished as a pet (ludicrum) with dew, comes forth with good omen, (bona cum alite,) to wed Manlius. Therefore, Hymen, leave your Boeotian cave, which the cool Aganippe freshens, and summon the bride to her bridegroom, bidding her cling to him, as the ivy clings to the tree. ('Lascivis hederis ambitiosior.' HOR.) The poet then addresses the bride's-maids, whose own wedding day is soon coming (quibus advenit par dies,) to sing in tune to Hymen, that the God, hearing himself thus summoned, may be more willing to come, and smile upon this happy union. What God is more to be desired by lovers and Gods! Every parent, fearful for the destiny of his daughters (suis tremulus,) invokes thee, O Hymen! Virgins unbind their girdles to you; the bridegroom, with anxious ear, catches the sound of your foot. You deliver the virgin from the bosom of her mother into the hand of her lover! Love is nothing without you: without you a parent cannot bequeath his property, or have his name propagated to posterity by his children (stirpe jungier); nor give rulers to the state; (for persons illegitimately born could hold no magistracy at Rome.) But open the doors; the bride comes! The torches wave their ruddy hair. Come forth, a bride! Yet she weeps at leaving her mother's house! Yet cease to weep, Aurunculeia! (This was a cognomen of the family of Cotta, into which Julia must have been adopted ;) for there is no fear that a handsomer woman than yourself has seen to-day's sun rise. Lift up the torches, ye boys; the bridegroom meets her. Your bride awaits you, fair as a pink poppy (luteum papaver.) You too are fair, and deal fairly in open and honourable marriage. The poet then adds a stanza of exquisite tenderness and delicacy, expressing a hope that the marriage may be blessed with increase::- ، Torquatus, volo, parvulus 'Porrigens teneras manus, and ends with praying, that the child may be like its father; ('Laudantur simili prole puerperæ.'-HOR.) and that he may approve himself the true and worthy son of his mother, as Telemachus showed he was the child of Penelope. CARM. XXXVII. This nuptial hymn may be considered as a continuation of the last, having been composed in honour of the same marriage. The virgins who had been attendants on the bride, and the youths who had formed the retinue of the bridegroom, answer each other, the girls praising single life, and the lads extolling the blissful dignity of wedlock. The youths begin by saying, that as the evening star is now arising, it is time to leave the marriage feast, and to sing the Epithalamium at the chamber of the bride. The girls, on seeing that the youths have got up, prepare to follow their example. The youths think it is not a fair match between themselves and the girls, who, they have no doubt, have got their song up, "cut and dried" (memorata ;) whereas they have been distracted by various thoughts:-however, they resolve on making a trial. The girls begin by calling Hesperus cruel, because he calls the bride away from her mother, to give her to a stranger. The youths answer, that no star is fairer than Hesperus, who rises only to ratify a solemn covenant, already entered into and concluded by the bride, bridegroom, and their parents. The girls then, in a beautiful simile, compare an unmarried woman to a flower, the "admired of all admirers," which, as soon as it is plucked, is disregarded. The youths answer this by saying, that, as the vine, as long as it is left to itself, produces nothing, and trails fruitless on the ground; but as soon as it is wedded to the elm, becomes fruitful, and admirable; so a woman, as long as she is unwedded, is fruitless; but as soon as she is married, becomes an object of greater affection to her husband, and her parent. ern. 2. Vix tandem, "because impatiently desired." 7. Etæos. The word is used, not very correctly, for " east Sparge, marite, nuces; tibi deserit Hesperus Etam.'-VIRG. 8. "Do you see how nimbly they have left their seats? and they have not left them without reason: they will sing something worth seeing and hearing." There is great manuscript variety in the reading of the ninth verse ;-quos vincere par est—quod vespere par est-quo vincere par est: all these readings are found. In the reading of the text, the word visere is certainly used in a very remarkable sense. The word "to see," in Greek, is applied to several of the senses, e. g. KTÚжоν dédорка. But the proper sense of viso is not simply " to see;" but, "to go to The reading must certainly be considered doubtful. see. 12. Requirunt," they are calling to memory- —are repeating." Quinctilian has requisita in this sense, xi. 2. 7,-' Quædam requisita' ("which we try to remember")' se occultant, et eadem forte occurrunt.' Repetere is more commonly used in this sense. 13. Habent memorabile quod sit," they have composed something that will be worth remembering." These words seem to be an answer to the ninth, and so far are a support to the reading visere; or at all events show that some equivalent word is required. 6 15. Atque animum nunc huc celerem, nunc dividit illuc.' VIRG. 16. τὸ νικᾶν ἐστι πᾶν εὐβουλία.-Eurip. Phœn. 728. 17. Scheller interprets committite" unite your hearts to that of the girl:" a very bold and loose translation. Vossius reads convertite," direct your attention to the matter in hand." But it is best to take the word in its common sense of " to match :" get your understandings ready to contend with these girls -pit yourselves against them." 66 26. This and the second verse (expectata diu, &c.) have been beautifully imitated by Spenser, in his Epithalamium :— 'Ah! when will this long weary day have done? Long tho' it be, at length I see it gloom, ' And the bright ev'ning star with golden crest 'Appear out of the east. 'Fair child of beauty, glorious lamp of love, 35. Optavere, are wont to admire." 38. "So is the virgin, as long as she is untouched, and as long as she is beloved by her kindred: but as soon as," &c. Ut liceat nobis tota producere vita Eternum hoc sanctæ fœdus amicitiæ. CARMEN LXIII. Ad Gellium. Sæpe tibi studioso animo venanda requirens Hunc video mihi nunc frustra sumtum esse la |