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

668 EXPLANATORY NOTES. EPISTLE TO THE PISOd.
ter upon his proficiency in the art of calculation, and seeks to show hinj
oiF to the by-standers. Albinns was a well-known usurer of the day,
and the expression ^Ziws Alhini (i. e., tu qui es Jilius Albini) implies
that the son must keep up the reputation of the family in money matters,
and the mysteries of reckoning.—327. Si de quinctince remota est uncia,
quid sv^teret ? " If an uncia be taken from a quincunx, what remains 1"
The Roman as was divided into twelve uncim, of which the third was
termed triens, and consisted of four uncia; the half was semis^ or six
uncits; and the quincunx vraa^veundcB.—328. Poteras dicpisse : Triens,
" Thou couldst once tell that : a third of a pound." The words poteras
dixisse are supposed to be uttered by the instructor, and are the same in
effect as saying-, "Come, be quick and give an auswer; you knew that
well enough once." The instructor says this, in order to urge the boy to
a speedy answer. The latter thereupon replies,' 7'Wens. £iu ! rem poteris
servare tuam. "Well done, my boy, thou wilt be able to take care
of thy own." The cry of the instructor, after the scholar has given the
answer.—329. Redit uncia, quid fit 1 "An uncia is added, what's the
result ?" The teacher pursues bis examination, but takes care to pat an
easier question, to which the boy gives the true answer: Semis^ "half
a pound."
330^33. 330. An, ktsc animos f£7'u^o et cura peculi, Sec. "When once
this cankering rust and care for pelf has entered deeply into our souls, do
we expect," &c. The allusion in cBrugo is to the copper tzs, and hence
figuratively to money. This love of gain, observes Hurd, to which Horace
imputes the imperfect state of the Roman poetry, ha,s been uniformly assigned
by the wisdom of ancient times, as the specific bane of arts and
letters. Longinus and Q,uintilian account, from hence, for the decay of
eloquence, Galen of physic, Fetronius of painting, and FUny of the whole
circle of the liberal arts.—332. Linenda cedro, et levi servanda cupresso.
The ancients, for the better preservation of their manuscripts, rubbed them
with oil of cedar, and kept them in cases of cypress.—333. Aut prodesse
volunt aut delectare poetts, Sec. "Poets wish either to benefit or to de-
light," i. €., the objects of poets in their dramas is either to benefit the
auditors by yvufiat, or moral precepts, or to delight them by the charms
of extraordinary events, situations, &c., or else {v. 334) to unite, if possible,
these two objects. Horace here turns to notice another obstacle which
lay in the path of his countrymen, and impeded their success in poetry.
This was their inattention to the entire scope and purpose of the poetic
art, while they contented themselves with the attainmcmt of only one of
the two great ends which are proposed by it. For the double design of
poetry being to instruct and please, the full aim and glory of the art can
not he attained without uniting them both, that is, instructing so as to
please, and pleasing so as to instruct. Under either head of instruction
and entertainment, the poet, with great address, insinuates .the main art
of each kind of writing, which consists, 1. In instructive or didactic poetry
(from 335 to 338), in conciseness of precept ; and, 2. In works oifancy and
tn^tainment {line 338 to 341), in probability offiction. But both these
(line 341 to 347) must concur in a just piece.
334-345. 334. Idonea. Equivalent to uiilia.—335. Quidquid prteei
vies. " Whatever precept thou shalt lay down, be brief."—340. Neupran
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