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NOTES 591
260, comes to the conclusion that Nero was three years and two months
older than Britanuicus; and other circumstances seem to make this
probable. Suetonius also (Claud. 27) makes some admitted blunders.
It seems likely that Nero was born on Dec. 15, A. D. 37, and Britannicus
on Feb. 12 or 13, A. D. 41, on the twentieth day of his father's
reign. On this subject I must refer to Nipperdey on Tac. Ann. xii.
25; Orelli on Tac. Ann. xii. 25, 41, xiii. 6, 15; H. Schiller, Gesch. d.
Romischen Katserreichs, pp. 71, &c.
NOTE 27. PAGE 171.
Making gods. Nero makes the remark in the text to Seneca in
the tragedy of Octavia :
'
Stulte verebor, ipse quuni faciam, Deos.'
NOTE 28. PAGE 174.
\pvaov dvfjp (vpiw eXtTre @p6)(ov, avrap 6
*Of \tiTfv oi>x fvpu>v, f)ij/(t>
ov fi>
Octav. Act. ii. 450.
This epigram was once quoted to Coleridge as proof of the condensation
possible in Greek. He at once rendered it in the two
English lines :
4
Jack, finding some gold, left a rope on the ground,
Tom, missing his gold, used the rope which he found.'
NOTE 29. PAGE 175.
Pagan epitaphs. For those quoted see Nov. Fiorentini, xxxiii.
(ap. Dbllinger, Judaism, &c. ii.
147; and Muratori, p. 1677).
NOTE 30. PAGE 176.
The magnificent verses sung by Britannicus are preserved by
Cicero (Tusc. Disp.
iii. 19), and were deservedly admired for their
force and rhythm. They end thus, with a striking specimen of
ancient rhyme:
'
Haec omnia vidi inflammari,
Priamo vitam vi evitari,
Jovis aram sanguine turpari.'
NOTE 31. PAGE 200.
This ancient hymn is preserved for us at the end of the Pcedagogus
of St. Clement of Alexandria. I avail myself of the translation by my
friend the late Dean of Wells (Lazarus, and other Poems).