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

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298 EXPLA^fATOKy notes. ^BOOK I., ODE XXIV.
the valley of CLiiito is always green ; and perhaps the interior of Africa
contains more than one region which nature has gifted with the same
privilege. {Malte-Bmn, Geogr., vol. i., p. 416.)
Ode XXni. The poet advises Chloe, now of nnhile years, no longer to
follow her parent like a timid fawn, alarmed at every whispering breeze
and rustling of the wood, but to make a proper return to the aifection of
one whom she had no occasion to view with feelings of alarm.
1-10. 1. Hinnuleo, The term hinnideus is here used for hinnvlus.—
2. Pavidam. Denoting the alarm of the parent for the absence of her off-
spring. Aviis. "Lonely."— 5. Vepris. The common reading is veris
instead of vepris, and in the next line ad/ventus instead of ad ventum. The
one which we have adopted is given as a conjectural emendation by Bentley,
though claimed for others before him. Great difficulties attend the
common reading. In the first place, the foliage of the trees is not suffi-
ciently put forth in the commencement of spring to justify the idea of its
being disturbed by the winds ; secondly, the young fawns do not follow
the parent animal until the end of this season, or the beginning of June
and, in the third place, it is very suspicious Latinity to say adventus veris
irifwrrait foliis, since more correct usage would certainly regaire /oZia
iHhorrueruTit ad/oentu veris,—6. Xnhorruit. " Has rastled."—10. Gtetu/-
lusve leo. That part of Africa which the ancients denominated Gietalia,
appears to answer in some measure to the modem Belad-el-2)jerid.—
Frangere. This verb harf here the meaning of " to rend," or " tear in
pieces," as otyvvvat is sometimes employed in Greek.
Ods XXIV. The poet seeks to comfort Virgil for the loss of their mutual
friend. The individual to whom the ode alludes was a native of Cremona,
and appears to have been the same with the duiHctilins of whom
Horace speaks in the Epistle to the Fisos (v. 438).
1-7. 1. Desiderio tarn cari capitis, "To our regret for the loss of so
dear an individual." The use 61 caput in this clause is analogous to that of
Kc^aJl^ and xapa in Greek.—2. Pracipe lugubres cantus. " Teach me the
strains of woe." Literally, "precede me in the straitis of woe."— 3. Melpomene.
One of the Muses, here invoked as presiding over the funeral
dirge, but elsewhere the muse of Tragedy. Liquidam vocem. " A clear
and tnnefol voice." Pater, The Muses were the daughters of Jupiter
and Mnemosyne.—5. Ergo QuincHHum. The muse here commences the
funeral dirge.—7. Nndaque Veritas, " And undisguised Truth." An al
lusion to the sincerity that characterized his thoughts and actioiis.
11-16. 11. Tnfrustra plus, Sec. " Thou, alas ! fraitlessly displaying
a pious aifectioQ, dost ask the gods &r duinctilius, not on such terms intrusted
to their care." The meaning is this ; "When with vows and prayers
thou didst intrust Q,uinctilius to the care of the gods as a sacred deposite,
thou didst not expect that he would be so soon taken away by a cruel
fate. Thy pious aifedtion, therefore, has proved altogether unavailing,
and it has tint been allowed thee to obtaiin him back again from the gods
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