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

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EXPLANATORY NOTES. BOOK IV., ODE IX 885
of the lyre throngh an art before uninown." Horace alludes to faimself
as the first that introdtic^d into the Latin tongue the lyric measures of
Greece. 2.Longe sonantem natus, ice. Alluding to his having been bom
in Apulia. Consult Ode iii., 30, 10.—5. Noti si priores, &c. " Although
the Mffionian Homer holds the first rank among poets, still the strains of
Pindar and the Clean Simonides, and the threatening lines of Alceens, and
the dignified efiusions of StesichomS, are not hid from the knowledge of
posterity." More literally, "The Pindaric and Csan muses, and the
theatening ones of Alcseus, and the dignified ones of Stesichoms." As
regards the epithet Maonius, applied to Homer, consult note on Ode i., 6,
2.—7. Caa. Consult note on Ode ii., 1, 37.
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Alasi minaces. Alluding to
the eSiisipns of Alceens against the tyrants of his native island. Consult
note on Ode ii., 13, 26.^—8. Stesiehorique graves Camcena. Stesichorus
was a native of Himera, in Sicily, and bom about 632 B.C. He was contemporary
with Sappho, Alceeus, and Fittacas. He used the Doric dia
lect, and besides hymns in honor of the gods, and odes in praise of heroes,
composed what may be called lyro-epic poems, such as one entitled " The
Destruction of Troy," and another called "^The Orestiad."—9. Nee, si quid
olim, &c. " Kor, if Anacreon, in former days, produced any sportive efiusion,
has time destroyed this." Time, however, has made fearful ravages
for us in the productions of this bard. At the present day, we can attribute
to Anacreon only the fragments that were collected by Ursinus, and
a few additional ones, and not those poems which commonly go under his
name, a feyr only excepted.
11-49. 11. Calores .^olioB pmella. " The impassioned feelings of tha
.Solian maid." The allusion is to Sappho. Consult note on Ode ii., 13,
24.—13. Non sola comtos, &c. The order of construction is as follows i
hacama Helene non sola arsit coMtos crines adulteri, et mirata (est) au
rum. " The Spartan Helen was not the oidy one that bnmed for," &c.
14. Aurum vestibus illitum. "The gold spread profusely over his gar.
ments," ». e., his garments richly embroidered with gold. 15. Regalesque
cultus et comites. "And his regal splendor and retinue." Cultas here
refers to the individnal'smanuer of life, and the extent of his resources.
—17. Cydonio area. Cydon was one of the most ancient and important
cities of Crete, and the Cydonians were esteemed the best among the
Cretan archers.—18. Non semel Ilios vexata. "Not once merely has a
Troy been assailed." We have adopted here the idea of Orelli. Other
commentators make the reference a distinct one to Troy itself: " Not once
merely was Troy assailed." Troy, previous to its final overthrow, had
been twice taken, once by Hercules, and again by the Amazons.—19. Ingens.
" Mighty in arms."—22. Acer Daphobns. Beiphobns was regarded
as the bravest of the Trojans after Hector.^—29. Inertia. The dative
for ab inertia by a Qrascism.—30. Celata virtus. " Merit, when uncelebrated,"
«. e., when concealed firom the knowledge of posterity, for want
of a bard or historian to celebrate its praises..^iVon ego te meis, &c. " I