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

EXPLANATORY NOTES. BOOK II., EPISTLE I. 615
whioU gave him the appearance of a man walking on tip-toe j x arsons
who, from a malformation, walked, as we term it, on their toes, being
named, as Festua tells us, atlcB. It is to this personal deformity that Horace
pleasantly alludes when he supposes the plays of Atta limping over
the stage like their lame author. The Homan stage was sprinkled with
perfamed waters and strewed with flowers. We may easily infer from
this passage the high reputation in which the dramas of Atta stood among
the countrymen of Horace.—81. Patres. Equivalent to seniores.—82. Qua
gravis ^sopus, quts docius Roscius egit. " Which the dignified .^sopus,
which the skillful Roscius have performed." iGsopus and Boscius were
two distinguished actors of the day. Cicero makes mention of tbemboth,
bat more particularly of the latter, who attained to such eminence in the
histrionic art that his name became proverbial, and an individual that excelled,
not merely in this profession, but in any other, was styled a Boscius
in that branch.—84. Minonbus. Equivalent to JTinityribus.— Q5.,Perdenda.
" Is deserving only of being destroyed."
86-88. 86. Jam Saliare Numcs carmen qui laudat, &c. The carmen,
Saliare, here referred to, consisted of the strains sung by the Salii, or
priests of Mars, in their solemn procession. This sacerdotal order was instituted
by Numa for the purpose of preserving the sacred ancilia. There
remain only a few words of the song of the Salii, which have been cited
by Varro. In the time of this writer, the carmen Saliare was little, if at
all, understood.—87. Scire. " To understand."—88. Ingeniis non ille favet,
&c. The remark here made is perfectly just ; for how can one, in reality,
cherish an admiration for that, the tenor and the meaning of which
he is unable to comprehend 7
90-92. 90. Quod si tarn Graiis novitas invisafuissset, &c. The ' poet,
baving sufficiently exposed the unreasonable attachment of his countrymen
to the fame of the earlier writers, now turns to examine the p^nicious
influence which it is likely to exert on the rising literature of his
country. He commences by asking a pertinent question, to which it concerned
his antagonists to make a serious reply. They had magnified (line
28) the perfection of the Grecian models. Bat what {from line 90 to 93) if
the Greeks had conceived the same aversion to novelties as the Bomans ?
How, then, could these models have ever been furnished to the public use ?
The question, it will he perceived, insinuates what was before aifirmed
to be the truth of the case, that the unrivalled excellence of the Greek
poets proceeded only from long and vigorous exercise, and a painjiil, uuinterrnpted
application to the arts of verse. The liberal spirit of that peo-
ple led them to countenance every new attempt toward superior literary
excellence ; and so, by the public favor, their writings, from rude essays,
became at length the standard and the admiration of succeeding times.
The Romans had treated their adventurers quite otherwise, and the effect
was answerable. This is the purport of what to a common eye may look
Uke a digression (from line 93 to 108), In which is delineated the. very dif
ferent genius and practice of the two nations; for the Greeks (to line
102) had applied themselves, in the intervals of their leisure from the toils
of war, to the cnltivation of literature and the elegant arts. The activity
of these restless spirits was incessantly attempting some n««r and untried
form of composition; and when that was brought to a due degree of per-