7. umbilici] The umbilicus was of two kinds: in cylindrical volumes, the inner edge of the roll, which was usually attached to a slender rod; and in books made of two tables or pages, as those used for memoranda, a small button in the middle of each, to prevent their touching when closed, and obliterating the impression on the wax.

lora] The Romans attached to the outer edge of the volume, a strip of parchment, wide enough to fold around and enclose the whole. They were used for protection, and for ornament, and painted of various colors, here red.

8. directa] 'ruled.'

11. abhorret] scil. a se ipso. mutat] is often used passively.

12. scurra] 'a witling.'

14. inficeto] commonly written infaceto.

15. Simul] more frequently in prose we find simul ac. Horace uses Simul, Carm. Lib. 1. 12. v.

27. Catullus also, Carm. 35. v. 6. and 42. vs. 31.

12. 86. 147.

21. mantica]

"Peras imposuit Juppiter nobis duas,

Propriis repletam vitiis post terga dedit.”

Phaedrus. 4, 9.

CARMEN XVII.

To Furius.

A piece of severe satire upon Furius, whom he ironically congratulates on the conveniences of his extreme poverty, and the stinginess of his parents.

CARMEN XVIII.

To the young Juventius.

Catullus represents to Juventius, the low estate of one who sought to win his affection, as a sufficient dissuasive, whatever other merits he might possess.

1. Juventiorum] of the Juventii,' a family of considerable distinction at Rome.

4. mihi] in passages like this, has commonly been treated as an expletive. It may be better to consider it as expressing the remote object of the verb, and indicating more strongly than matlem would do without it, the personal interest of the writer. Conf. Carm. 7. v. 2. and see Buttman's larger Greek Grammar, Sec. 133, note 4. Voss conjectures Mide, and makes the sense of the line, that he would prefer that Juventius should bestow the wealth of Midas on his wooer.'

9. hæc] his condition and my wishes.' elevaque] ' undervalue.'

CARMEN XIX.

To Thallus.

Catullus with great severity and even coarseness, scolds and threatens Thallus, who had carried off and exhibited as his own, some articles belonging to him. This piece presents him in no very amiable light, yielding to violent passion, and descending to abusive language, on, to say the least, an unsuitable occasion. Such methods of gratifying illwill, or revenging an affront, were not very uncommon in this age of Rome, and English literature, even is not wholly without examples. Catullus in these verses, has exhausted all the power of diminutives to abuse and degrade his enemy.

2. oricilla] i. q. auricula, dim. of auris.

4. diva mulier] a female skilled in omens.' '. occinentes] whose song is of evil omen.'

6. catagraphosque] according to Voss, parchment tablets, painted of various colors, great numbers of which were made in Bithynia. 'Profiles'?

CARMEN XX.

To Furius.

The best reading of the first line of this poem is

.

entirely uncertain. The editions are divided, with great weight of authority on either side, between nostra and vestra; and I am not aware that we have any means of deciding the question. Vestra, seems to suit better with the general character and condition of Catullus. Yet we do not know the time when it was written, or whether he was then prosperous or poor. Nor do we know the individual to whom it is addressed. In other pieces he speaks of two, of the same name, one a friend, and the other an enemy. Nor yet do we know the villa of which he speaks, as he possessed more than one, (Carm. 29. and 23.,) neither of which can be the one to which he here refers. The general construction of the piece needs no remark.

CARMEN XXI.

To a youthful Cupbearer.

2. amariores] 'more bitter,' i. e. older.

3. magistra] the mistress of the revel, who prescribed the rule (legem) of drinking. The Postumia, who here held the office of symposiarch, is not known, probably a fancy name.

4. acinâ Ebriosá] 'than the swollen grape.' Seneca makes this distinction between ebrius and ebriosus. "Potest qui ebrius est, nunc primum esse, qui ebriosus est, sæpe extra ebrietatem esse."

7. Thyonianus] a name of Bacchus.

CARMEN XXII.

To Alphenus.

A remonstrance with Alphenus, who had gained and betrayed the confidence and affection of Catullus. The sentiment of the poem is sorrow rather than anger. The poet touches on the unfaithfulness of his friend, the tendency of such breaches of confidence to produce mutual distrust among men, and reminds him of the anger of the gods who guard the rights of friendship, and punish their violation.

CARMEN XXIII.

To the peniusula Sirmio.

This poem was composed on the occasion of the poet's return, care-worn and dejected, from his wearisome and fruitless expedition to Bithynia, to his beautiful and fondly-loved retreat at Sirmio. The feeling of home-joy which he expresses, is simple and natural, and every heart sympathizes with it.

"Sirmio was a peninsular promontory, of about two miles circumference, projecting into the lake Benacus, now the Lago di Garda."

"Sirmione appears as an island, so low and so narrow is the bank that unites it to the main land,