The works of Horace : with English notes, critical and ... - Cristo Raul

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EXPLANATORY NOTES. BOOK I., ODE XU. 27S
—HtBnui. Mount Heemus stretches its great belt round the north of 1]|brace,
In a direction nearly parallel with the coast of the ^gean. The modem
oame is Emineli Dag, or Balkan.
7-15. 7. Voeaiem. "The tnnefiil." Temere. "In wild confusion."
" Promiscue, sine ordine, cur secta-
Compare the explanation of Orelli :
rentur cantorem vix sibi conscia." The scene of this wonderful feat of
Orpheus was near Zone, on the coast of Thrace. {Mela, % 3.)—9. Artt
materna. Orpheus was the fabled son of Calliope, one of the Muses.
11. Blandum et auritas, &c. " Sweetly persuasive also to lead along
with melodious lyre the listening oaks," i. e., who with sweetly persua-
sive accents and melodious lyre led along, &.c. The epithet auritas is
here applied to qu&rcus by a bold image. The oaks are represented as following
Orpheus with pricked-up ears.—13. Quidprills dAcam,&,c. "What
shall I celebrate before the accustomed praises of the Parent of us all ?"
Sortie read parentiem instead oi parentis, "What shall 1 iirst celebrate,
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in accordance with the accustomed mode of praising adopted by our fathers
V* Others, retaining parentum; place an interrogation after dicam,
and a comma after laudibus. " What shall I first celebrate in song ? In
accordance with the accustomed mode of praising adopted by our fathers, I
will sing of him who," &c.—15. Variis horis. " With its changing seasons."
Temperat. " Controls."
17-26. 17. Unde. " ^rom whom." Equivalent to ex ^uo, and not, as
some maintain, to quare. Compare Sat., i., 6, 12, and ii., 6, 31.—19. Proximos
tamen, &c. " Fallas, however, enjoys honors next in importance to
his own." Minerva had her temple, or rather shrine, in the Capitol, on the
right side of that of Jupiter, while Juno's merely occupied the left. Some
commentators think that Minerva was the only one of the deities after
Jnptter who had the right of hurling the thunderbolt. This, however, is
expressly contradicted by ancient coins. (Rasche, Lex. Rei Numism.,
vol. ii., pt. 1, p. 1192. Heyne, Excurs. ad Virg., ^n., 1, 42.)—21. Praliis
audax Liber. The victories of Bacchus, and especially his conquest of
India, form a conspicuous part of ancient mythology.—22. Stevis inimica
Virgo belluis. Diana. Compare her Greek epithets iripoKTOvog and
loxeaipa.—25. Alciden. Hercules, the reputed grandson of Alcseus.
Puerosque Leda. Castor and Pollux.—26. Hvnc. Alluding to Castor
Compare the Homeric Koffropa IvTroSa/iOV. {11-, 3, 237.) Ilium. Pollux.
Compare the Homeric ttv^ ayadbv 'n.o?.v6evKea. {II., I. c.) — Pugnis.
" In pugilistic encounters," literally, " with fists." Ablative ofpugnus.
27-35. 27. Quorum simul alba, &c. " As soon as the propitious star
of each of whom," &c. Alba is here used not so much in the sense of
lucida and clara, as in that of purum. ac serenwm ctelum reddens. Compare
the expression Albus Notus {Ode i., 7, 15), and Explanatory Notes
on Ode i., 3, 2.—29. Agitatus humor. " The foaming water."—31. Ponio
recumbit. " Subsides on the surface of the deep."—34. Pompili. Numa
Pompillns.
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SuperboB Tarquinifasces. " The splendid fasces ofTarquin-
lus," i. e., the splendid iid energetic reign of Tarquinius Prisons. Some
commentators refer these words to Tarquinius Superbusr but with less
propriety. The epithet superbos has the same force he*e as in Ode i., 35,
H.—35. Catonis nobile lelum. The allusion is to the younger Oato, who
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