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

—
EXPLANATORY NOTES, EPODE III. 397
Aristotle before him j and hence, according to this latter writer, the name
MW"?! gi^en to it by the Greeks. The ancients, however, were mistaken
on this point, and Buffon has corrected their error. The roasted Scarus
was a favorite dish (compare Atkenaus, vii., ed. Schweigh., vol. iii., p.
175), and the liver of it was particularly commended.—51. Si quos Eois,
to. " If a tempest, thundered forth over the E astern waves, turn any of
their number to this sea." Si3.\Afra amia. "The Guinea fowl." Some
commentators suppose the turkly to be here meant, but erroneously, since
this bird was entirely unknown to the ancients. Its native country is
A.merica. On the other hand, the Guinea fowl (Numida meleagru) was
a bird well knovra to the Greeks and Romans..yS4. Attagen lonicm.
" The Ionian attagen." A species, probably, of heath-cock. Alexander
the Myndian {Atheiusus, ix., 39, vol. iii., p. 431, ed. Schweigh.) describes it
as being a little larger than a partridge, having its back marked with
numerous spots, in color approaching that of a tile, though somewhat more
reddish. Mr. Walpole thinks it is the same with the Tetrao Francolinus.
( Walpol^s Collect., vol. x., p. 26S, in notis.)
57-67. 57. Herba lapathi. The lapathum, a species of sorrel, takes its
name (XiiraOov) from its medicinal properties (Xan'dfu, purgo).—58. Maivts.
Compare note on Ode i., 31, 16.—591 Terminalibus. The Termina-
Ha, or festival of Terminus, the god of boundaries, were celebrated on the
23d ofFebruary (7th day before the calends of March).—60. Hced/as ereptut
Ivpo. Compare the explanation of Gesner : " Adfrngalitatem rusticaTn
refertur. Non mactaturus paterfamilias hadwn integrum, epulatur
ereptum lupo, et alioqui periturum."— 65. Positosque vemas, &c,
"And the slaves ranged around the shining Lares, the proof of a wealthy
mansion," i, e., ranged around the bright fire on Ihe domestic hearth. The
epithet renidentes is well explained by Doring: "Ignis infoco accensi
tplendore refulgentes." — 67. Hoc uii loeutus, *c. " When the usurer
Alphius had uttered these words, on the point of becoming an inhabitant
of the country, he called in all his money on the ides—on the calends (of
the ensuing month) he seeks again to lay it out 1" The usurer, convinced
of the superior felicity which a country life can bestow, calls in all his outstanding
capital for the purpose of purchasing a farm ; but when the calends
of the next month arrive, and bring with them the usual period for
laying out money at interest, his old habits of gain return, the picture
which be has just drawn fades rapidly from before his view, and the intended
cultivator of the soil becomes once more the usurer Alphius
Among the Komans, the calends and ides' were the two periods of the
month when money was either laid out at interest or called in. As the
interest of money was usually paid on the calends, they are hence called
tristes (Serm., i., 3, 87) and celeres Ifivid, Rem. Am,, 561),.and a book in
which the sums demanded were marked, was termed Calendarium
(Senec., Benef., i., 2, and vii,, 10. Id., Ep., xiv., 87.)
Epode in. Miecenas had invited Horace to sup with him, and had
sportively pUiced amid the more exquisite viands a dish highly seasoned
with garlic (moretum alliatum. Compare Donatus, ad Terent. Phqrm.,
ii., 2). Of this the poet partook, but having suffered severely in conse-
quence, he here wreaks bis vengeance on the offending plant, describing