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

04 EXPLANATORY NOTES. BOOK I., EPISTLE XIX.
Parian iambics," i. e., the iambics of Arcbilocbus, who was a native of
Pares, and the first who applied this species of verse to purposes of satire^
—24. Numeros animosqiie secutus Arckilodhi, &c. " Having imitated the
numbers and spirit of Archilochus ; not, however, his subjects, and hia
language that drove Lycambes to despdr." Consult note on Epode-vi.,
13.—26. Foliis breoiorihus. " With more fading bays." Litersdly, "with
leaves of shorter duration." Horace, in this passage, means to convey the
idea that his imitation of Archilochus ought not to be regarded as detracting
from his own fame, since both Sappho and Alcseus made the same
poet the model of their respective imitation.—38. Temperai Archilochi
musam, Sec. "The masculine and vigorous Sappho tempers her own effusions
by the numbers of Archilochus ; Alcssus tempers his." Temperat
is here equivalent to moderantur et componunt, and the idea intended to
be conveyed is, that both Sappho and Alcseus blend in some degree the
measnrcs of Archilochus with their own, or, as Bentley expresses it,
" Sdas utrumque ArckUockeos numeros suis Lyrids immiscere." Sappho
is styled mascula from the force and spirit of her poetry.—29, Sed rebus
et ordine dispar. " But he diSers from him in his subjects, and in the arrangement
of his measures." Alcseus employed, it is true, some of the
measures used by Archilochus, but then he differed from him in arranging
them with other kinds of verse. Compare the language of Bentley:
"Adscivit Alctsus metra qumdam Archilochi, sed ordine variavit, sed aliis
ac illefecerat metris apttmit ea et. connexuit, ut dact^licUm illud, Arboribusque
comaa, cum ffexametro junxit AlcmuSj at eundem lamhb comitem
dedit Archiiock/us."—30. Nee socerum qutsritj Sec. Alluding to the story
of Archilochus find Lycambes. Compare Epode vL, 13.—31. Famoso
cmrmine. "By defamatory strains." The allusion in the term spontaK^
to Neobale, the daughter of Lycambes.
32, 33. JIune ego^ non alio dictum prius ore, Sec. " This poet, never
celebrated by any previous tongue, I the Koman lyrist first made known
to my countrymen," i. e., I alone, of all our bards, have dared to make this
AlcEBus known to Koman ears, and my reward has been that I am the
first in order among the lyric poets of my country. Horace appears to
have been the first Roman who used the Alcaic measure. As regards
the boast here uttered by the poet, compare Ode iv., 9, 3, seqq., and, with
respect to the expression Latinus Jidicen, compare Ode iv., 3, 23 : "i2oman