Sicut aper, silvis longe Laurentibus actus,

Fulmineo celeres dissipat ore canes,

Mox tamen ipse perit: sic non moriuntur inulti,
Vulneraque alterna dantque feruntque manu.
Vna dies Fabios ad bellum miserat omnes:
Ad bellum missos perdidit una dies.
Vt tamen Herculeae superessent semina gentis,
Credibile est ipsos consuluisse Deos.

Nam puer impubes, et adhuc non utilis armis,
Vnus de Fabia gente relictus erat:
Scilicet ut posses olim tu, Maxime, nasci;
Cui res cunctando restituenda foret.

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FAS. I. 587.

THE more noble among the Romans had usually three names. The Praenomen,' which stood first, marked the individual. The 'Nomen,' which followed, marked the Gens or clan. The 'Cognomen,' which came third, marked the Familia or family. Thus the name Publius Cornelius Scipio indicated that the person so called belonged to the Gens Cornelia, to the Familia of the Scipios, one of the branches of that Gens, and that individually he was known as Publius. Sometimes a fourth name was added, arising from the subdivision of families, as in the case of Publius Cornelius Lentulus Spinther.

When an adoption took place, the young man received the name of his new father, to which was appended a gentile adjective to point out his original clan. Thus, when the son of Lucius Aemilius Paullus was adopted by the son of the elder Scipio, he was styled Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus, and in like manner when C. Octavius was adopted by Julius Caesar, he became Caius Iulius Caesar Octavianus.

Occasionally an individual received an epithet as a mark of honour, which was appended to his own name, but was not transmitted to his posterity. Such appellations were usually the reward of military achievements, and in that case bore reference to the country where the

exploit was performed. In this manner Publius Cornelius Scipio, who vanquished Hannibal at Zama, and brought the second Punic War to a happy termination, became Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus; and the same title was again bestowed on his grandson by adoption, who destroyed Carthage, to which Numantinus was afterwards added upon the capture of Numantia in Spain. Hence this celebrated personage would write himself down, Publius Cornelius Scipio Aemilianus Africanus Numantinus. An epithet, such as we have been describing, was properly called 'Agnomen,' although sometimes included under the general term 'Cognomen.'

In the present Extract, the poet passes rapidly in review the most remarkable characters in Roman history who had been distinguished by Agnomina, in order to prove that they were as much inferior in glory to Octavianus, as their appellations were more humble than the title of 'Augustus.'

I'

DIBVS in magni castus Iovis aede sacerdos
Semimaris flammis viscera libat ovis;

Redditaque est omnis populo provincia nostro;
Et tuus Augusto nomine dictus avus.
Perlege dispositas generosa per atria ceras;
Contigerunt nulli nomina tanta viro.
Africa victorem de se vocat: alter Isauras,

Aut Cretum domitas testificatur opes.

Hunc Numidae faciunt, illum Messana superbum,
Ille Numantina traxit ab urbe notam.

Et mortem et nomen Druso Germania fecit;
Me miserum virtus quam brevis illa fuit!
Si petat a victis; tot sumat nomina Caesar,
Quot numero gentes maximus orbis habet.
Ex uno quidam celebres, aut torquis ademptae,
Aut corvi titulos auxiliaris habent.

Magne, tuum nomen rerum mensura tuarum est:
Sed qui te vicit, nomine maior erat.

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Nec gradus est ultra Fabios cognominis ullus,
Illa domus meritis Maxima dicta suis.

Sed tamen humanis celebrantur honoribus omnes;

Hic socium summo cum Iove nomen habet.
Sancta vocant augusta patres: augusta vocantur
Templa, sacerdotum rite dicata manu.
Huius et augurium dependet origine verbi,

Et quodcunque sua Iupiter auget ope.
Augeat imperium nostri ducis, augeat annos,
Protegat et vestras querna corona fores.
Auspicibusque Deis tanti cognominis heres
Omine suscipiat, quo Pater, orbis onus.

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38.

NARRAT DIGRESSVM,

GEMITVS LVCTVSQUE SVORVM.

TR. I. 3.

OVID having received from the Emperor an order to quit the city and take up his residence at Tomi, on the shores of the Euxine, depicts in this poem the misery he endured in tearing himself from Rome. With regard to his banishment and the causes, see life of Ovid in the Introduction.

VM subit illius tristissima noctis imago,

CVM

Qua mihi supremum tempus .in Vrbe fuit:
Cum repeto noctem, qua tot mihi cara reliqui,

Labitur ex oculis nunc quoque gutta meis.
Iam prope lux aderat, qua me discedere Caesar
Finibus extremae iusserat Ausoniae.
Nec mens, nec spatium fuerat satis apta parandi ;
Torpuerant longa pectora nostra mora.
Non mihi servorum, comitis non cura legendi :
Non aptae profugo vestis opisve fuit.

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Non aliter stupui, quam qui Iovis ignibus ictus
Vivit, et est vitae nescius ipse suae.

Vt tamen hanc animi nubem dolor ipse removit,
Et tandem sensus convaluere mei;
Alloquor extremum maestos abiturus amicos,
Qui modo de multis unus et alter erant.
Vxor amans flentem flens acrius ipsa tenebat;
Imbre per indignas usque cadente genas.
Nata procul Libycis aberat diversa sub oris:
Nec poterat fati certior esse mei.

Quocunque adspiceres, luctus gemitusque sonabant:
Formaque non taciti funeris intus erat.

Femina virque meo, pueri quoque, funere maerent:
Inque domo lacrimas angulus omnis habet.

Si licet exemplis in parvo grandibus uti,

Haec facies Troiae, cum caperetur, erat.

Iamque quiescebant voces hominumque canumque :
Lunaque nocturnos alta regebat equos.

Hanc ego suspiciens, et ab hac Capitolia cernens,
Quae nostro frustra iuncta fuere Lari;
Numina vicinis habitantia sedibus, inquam,

Iamque oculis numquam templa videnda meis;
Dique relinquendi, quos Vrbs habet alta Quirini;
Este salutati tempus in omne mihi!

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Et quamquam sero clipeum post vulnera sumo;
Attamen hanc odiis exonerate fugam;

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Caelestique viro, quis me deceperit error,

Dicite; pro culpa ne scelus esse putet.

Vt, quod vos scitis, poenae quoque sentiat auctor;
Placato possum non miser esse Deo.

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Hac prece adoravi Superos ego: pluribus uxor,
Singultu medios impediente sonos.

Illa etiam ante Lares passis prostrata capillis
Contigit exstinctos ore tremente focos:
Multaque in adversos effudit verba Penates,
Pro deplorato non valitura viro.

Iamque morae spatium nox praecipitata negabat,
Versaque ab axe suo Parrhasis Arctos erat.
Quid facerem? blando patriae retinebar amore:
Vltima sed iussae nox erat illa fugae.

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Ah quoties aliquo dixi properante, Quid urges ?
Vel, quo festines ire, vel unde, vide.

Ah quoties certam me sum mentitus habere
Horam, propositae quae foret apta viae.
Ter limen tetigi; ter sum revocatus: et ipse
Indulgens animo pes mihi tardus erat.
Saepe, Vale dicto, rursus sum multa locutus ;
Et quasi discedens oscula summa dedi.
Saepe eadem mandata dedi: meque ipse fefelli,
Respiciens oculis pignora cara meis.
Denique, Quid propero? Scythia est, quo mittimur,
inquam :

Roma relinquenda est: utraque iusta mora est:
Vxor in aeternum vivo mihi viva negatur;

Et domus, et fidae dulcia membra domus.
Quosque ego dilexi fraterno more sodales;
O mihi Thesea pectora iuncta fide!
Dum licet, amplectar: numquam fortasse licebit
Amplius. In lucro est quae datur hora mihi.
Nec mora; sermonis verba imperfecta relinquo,
Complectens animo proxima quaeque meo.
Dum loquor, et flemus; caelo nitidissimus alto,
Stella gravis nobis, Lucifer ortus erat.

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