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

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EXPLANATORY NOTES. EFODE V. 401
uneta sanguine turpis rana, plumamque nooturnce strigis. " And tha
eggs, smeared with the blood of a loathsome toad, and the plumage of a
midnight screech-owl." The ancients believed the blood of the toad, like
that of the viper, to be poisonous.—31. lolcos. A city of Thessaly, all
which country was famed for producing herbs used in magiorites. lolcos
was situate, according to Fmdar (Nem., iv., 87), at the foot of Mount Felion,
and was the birth-place of Jason and his ancestors, Iberia. A tract of
country bordering upon, and sitnate to the east of Colchis. The allusion
is consequently to the same herbs in the use of which Medea is reputed
to have been so skillful.— ^24. Flammis aduri Colchicis. " To be concocted
with magic fires." The epithet Colchicis is here equivalent to magieis,
i. e., such fires as the Colchian Medea was wont to kindle, from the wood
of baleful trees, for the performance of h«r magic rites.
S5-39. 25. Expedita. "With her robe tucked np." The term may
also he simply rendered " active." Consult note on Epade i., 34.— Sogana.
Bagana, Veia, and Folia were sorceresses attendant on Canidia.
^~-2S. Avemales aquas. Waters brought from the Lake Avemus, one of
the fabled entrances to the lower world, and used here for the purposes
of magic lustration.—27. Marimts echinus. " A sea-urchin." The seaurchin
among fishes is analogous to the hedgehog among land animals,
and hence the name eeJiiniis (£;t^vof) applied by the ancients to both.
The sea-urchin, however, has finer and sharper prickles than the other,
resembling more human hair in a bristly state. Z8. Laurens aper. The
marshes of Laurentum, in ancient Latium, were famous for the number
and size of the wild boars which they bred in their reedy pastures.
29. Abacta nulla conscieniia. " Deterred by no remorse."—30. Humum
exhauriebat. " Began to dig a pit."—32. duo posset infossus puer, &c.
"In which the boy, having his body buried, might pine away in full view
of food changed twice or thrice during the long day." The expression
longo die \a well explained by Mitscherlich ,"
; Q,uipu&rofame excruciato
longissimus videbatur."—35. Quum prpmineret ore, &c.« "Projecting
with his face above the surface of the ground, as far as bodies suspended
by the chin are out of the water," i. e., as far as the persons of those wlio
swim appear above the level of the water.—37. Exsucca medulla. " His
marrow destitute of moisture."—38. Amoris esset poculum. " Might form
the ingredients of a potionfor love." A philter, which had the power of
producing love.—39. Int&rminato quum semel, Sec. " When once his eyeballs
had withered away, fixed steadily on the forbidden food." Quum
semel is here equivalent to simul ac.
41-60. 41. Hie irresectum, &o. The long, uncut nail occupies a prom-
inent place in the costume of the ancient sorceresses.—43. Quid dixit 7
aut quid tacuit ? Equivalent ill spirit to Nefaria quceque effata etpalami
professa est.—45. Nox et Diana. Canidia, afiber the manner of sorceresses,
invokes Night and Hecate, who were supposed to preside over magic
rites. Qute silentium regis. An allusion to Diana's sbiiung during the
silence of the night, the season best adapted for the ceremonies of magic.
—47. Nunc, nunc adeste, &c. Mitscherlich makes this an imitation of an
old form of prayer, and equivalent to " Mihi propilia sitis, ira vestra in
hastes obligata." The scholiast is wrong in supposing the meaning of
the latter part to be " in Varum tram vesiram effwadite."—48. Numen,
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