Ille, male usurus donis, ait "Effice, quicquid Tollit humo saxum: saxum quoque palluit auro. Contigit et glebam: contactu gleba potenti Massa fit. Arentes Cereris decerpsit aristas: 85 90 Aurea messis erat. Demptum tenet arbore pomum: 95 Vix spes ipse suas animo capit, aurea fingens 86. solvit] Grants,' with the incidental notion of' pays' or 'discharges,' for by his promise he had contracted, as it were, a debt. 88. Berecyntius] Midas is thus styled as the son of Cyběle, who is often called Berecyntia, from the Phrygian mountain Berecyntus, which was consecrated to her worship. 94. Massa] i. e. auri moles. 100 105 99. fluens palmis] i. e. de palmis; cf. fluit unda capillis, I. v. 97. - Danaën — posset] Might have deceived Danaë;' as the golden shower did, in which Jupiter came down to her. 102. tostae frugis] i. e. bread; in the most ancient times grain was first roasted and then bruised 89. Polliciti fidem] "The truth for bread-making. Cf. torrete· fruges, Verg. G. 1. 267. of the promise.' 90. non alta] Join with ilice. 106. premebat] 'Covered.' 102 METAMORPHOSEON LIBER XI. Miscuerat puris auctorem muneris undis: Attonitus novitate mali, divesque miserque, [125-145. 110 12 Ad caelumque manus et splendida bracchia tollens 125 LIFE OF Q. CURTIUS RUFUS. Or the life of Quintus Curtius no particulars have been handed down to us, nor has he been quoted by any ancient author. The first writers mentioning him date no earlier than the twelfth century. The conjectures as to the time in which he wrote have been very various. Two passages in his work furnish the only evidence we have bearing upon this point; but the more important of these uses language which can be applied to many of the Roman emperors down even to Theodosius the Great. It has also been asserted that his history was the work of a modern writer. But the prevailing opinion is, that Curtius lived early in the Christian era, probably not far from the time of Vespasian; on the contrary, other critics would make him contemporary with Septimius Sevērus. He was, doubtless, a rhetorician, and his flowery, ornamented style has induced the critics to assume that it is entirely artificial, and an attempted imitation of Livy. It has life, brilliancy of expression, and freedom, but is wanting in simplicity. His admiration of |