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

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KXPLANATOEY NOTES.—BOOK II., EPISTLE I. 6185
c; tBtablished by the emperor. Consnlt note on Epist. i., 3, 17.—817.
Aadere calcair. "To give a spur to," i.e., to incite. 216. Studio. "Eag-
erness."—219. Multa quid^m nobisfaemus, &c. Compare note on versa
214.—220. XXt vineia egomet cteiam mea. " That I may prone my own
vineyards," i, e., that I may be severe against myself as well as against
others.—221. Q.'mim Iwdimur, unum si quis amicorum, &c. Horace now
touches upon the vanity of the poetical tribe. Compare note on verse 211
—223. Qutimlecajamrecitatarevolmmusirrecocati. " When, unasked,
we repeat passages already read." The allasion is to the Koman cuntom
of authors' reading their productions to a circle offriends or critics, in order
to ascertain their opinion respecting the merits ofthe work submitted to
their notice. Loca. Cicero and Q,uintiUan always use the masculine in
this sense. (OreUi, ad loc.)—Irrevocati. Equivalent here to injussi.
The allusion is borrowed from the Boman stage, where an actor was said
revocari whose performance gave such approbation that he was recalled
by the audience for the purpose of repeating it, or, as we would say, was
encored.—224. JV*" apparere. " Do not appear," i. e., are not noticed.
225. Et tenm dedueta poematajilo. " And our poems spun out in a fine
thread," i. e., and our finelyrwrought verses.—226. Eo. " To this point."
-7-227. Commodus vitro areessas. " Thou wilt kindly, of thine own ac-
cord, send for us."
229-233. 229. Sed tamen est ^perte pretium, &c. " It is worth while,
however, to know what kind of keepers," &c. The aditui (iepO(j)vhiKec
or veu/copoj) were a kind, of sextons, who had charge of the temples,
where they exhibited the sacred things to visitors, and told the /iHBot, or
legends, connected with them. The poet therefore supposes the virtue
of Augustus to have its temple, of which poets were to ba the aeditid.
(Keightley, ad loc.) The connection in the train of ideas is given as follows
by Hurd: Horace now touches upon a new theme. Pond and presumptuous,
observes he, as are the hopes of poets, it may well deserve a
serious consideration who of them are fit to be intrusted with the glory of
princes ; what ministers are worth retaining in the service of an illustrious
virtue, whose honors' demand to be solemnized with a religious reverence,
and should not be left to the profanation of vile and unhallowed
hands. And, to support this position, he alleges the example of a great
monarch, who had been negligent on this head, Aleximder the Great,
namely, who, wlien master of a vast empire, perceived, indeed, the importance
of gaining a poet to his service, but, unluckily, chose so ill, that
the encomiums of the bard whom he selected only tarnished the nativ?
splendor of those virtues which should have been presented in then; fairest
hues to the admiration of the world. In his appointment of artists, on
the other hand, this prince showed a more true judgment; for he suffered
none but an Apellea and a Lysippas to represent the form and fashion of
his person.—233. Chosrilus, A poet in the train of Alexander, who is
mentioned also by (luintas Gurtius (viii., 5, 8). He was probably a native
of lasps, in Caria. Alexander is said to have promised him a piece
of gold for every good verse that he made in his praise. It is also stated
that this same poet, having, by a piece of presumption, consented to reoeive
a blow for every line of the Panegyric on Alexander which should
be rejeotetl by the judges, suffered severely for his fpUy. This part of the
story, however, appears to be merely a joke. There were several other
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