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

EXPLANATORY NOTES. BOOK II., ODE XVIII. 333
get here behind, neither equally dear to myself, nor surviving entire 7"
8. Utramque ducet ruinam. "Will brings ruin to us each."—10. 8acrammiUim.
A figurative allusion to the oath taken by the Bx>man soldiers,
the terms of which were, that they would be faithful to their commander,
and follow wherever he led, were it even to death.— 11. Vtcunque,
Equivalent to quandocunque.— ^14. Gyas. One of the giants that attempted
to scale the heavens. He was hurled to Tartarus by the thunderbolts
of Jove, and there lay prostrate and in fetters. Goettling reads Vvrj^^ in
Hesiod, Tkeog., 149, which would make the Latin fonn Gyes. We have
followed Meinecke and others in giving Gyas.
17-28. 17. Adspicit. "Presides over my existence." The reference
.s here to judicial astrology, according to which pretended science, the
stars that appeared above the horizon at the moment of one's birth, as
well as their particular positions with reference to each other, were supposed
to exercise a decided influence npon, and to regulate the life of the
iudividaal.— 18. Pars violentior, &c. " The more dangerous portion of
the natal hour."—19. Capricornus. The rising and setting of Capricornus
was usually attended with storms. (Compare Propertvus, iv., 1, 107.)
Hence the epithet aguosus is sometimes applied to this constellation. In
astrology, lAbra was deemed favorable, while the influence of Scorpius '
and Capricornus was regarded as malign.—60. Utrumque nostrum^ &c.
" Our respective horoscopes agree in a wonderful manner." The term
horoscope is applied in astrology to the position of the stars at the moment
of one's birth. Mitscherlich explains the idea of the poet as follows : "In
quocunque zodiaci sidere horoscopus meusfwerit inventus, licet diverso a
tui horoscopi sidere, tamen horoscopus meus cum tuo quam. maxime con-
sentiat necesse est."—21. Impio Satv/rno. "From baleful Saturn."—22.
Refulgens. " Shining in direct opposition."—26. Leetum ter crepuit sonum.
*' Thrice raised the cry of joy." Acclamations raised by the people
on account of the safety of Msecenas. Compare note on Ode i., 20, 3.
—28. Sustulerat. For sustulisset. The indicative here imparts an air of
liveliness to the representation, thotigh in the conditional clause the sub-
junctive is used. (Zumpt, $ 519, b.) As regards the allusion of the poet,
compare Ode ii., 13.
Ode XVIII. The poet, while he censures the luxury and profusion of
the age, describes himself as contented with little, acceptable to many
friends, and far happier than those who were blessed with the gifts of fortune,
but ignorant of the true mode of enjoying them.
1-7. 1. Aureum lacunar. "Fretted ceiling overlaid with gold." Com
pare note on OiZcii., 16, 11.—3. Trabes Hymettice, " Beams of Hymettian
marble." The term trabes here includes the architrave, frieze, cornice, &c
The marble of Hymettus was held in high estimation by the Komaus.
Some editions have HyTnettias, and in the following line recisce, so that
trabes recisee ultima Africa will refer to African marble, and Hymettias
columnas to Hymettian wood ; bnt the wood of Hymettus does not appeat
to have been thought valuable by the Romans. Ultima recisas Africa
Alluding to the Numidiau marble. The kind most highly prized had a
dark surface variegated with spots.—6. Attali. Attalus the Third, famed
—