61. nil commodi capere: cf. Ter. Eun. 971 hoc capio commodi.

65. compararier: on the form see v. 42 n. citarier.

67. liberos: by the formula that embodied the strict Roman reverence for the family, a wife was taken liberorum quaerendorum gratia, and Gaius remarks (I. 64), si quis nefarias atque incestas nuptias contraxerit, neque uxorem habere uidetur, neque liberos.

68. stirpe nitier: with the figure cf. Plin. Ep. IV. 21. 3 unus ex tribus liberis superest domumque pluribus adminiculis paulo ante fundatam desolatus fulcit ac sustinet.

71. careat: the change with this stanza from direct to hypothetical statement corresponds to the absence of probability that an entire land would be without marriagerites.

72. dare praesides: in the older days only Roman citizens could serve in the legions, and no man could be born a Roman citizen save within the strictly guarded marriage-laws.

76-120. The hymn to Hymen finished, the bride is now urged to come forth and take her place in the procession to the bridegroom's house, and to dry her tears (v. 85)

by thoughts of her own conquering beauty (vv. 86-100), which the poet skilfully extols by prophesying her entire and lasting influence over her husband (vv. 101 ff.).

77. uiden ut, etc.: addressed to the bride, who may look out through the now opened doors and see the procession ready to escort her on her way to her new home. The phrase is used in Catullus, as regularly in early Latin, in the sense of quo modo, without affecting the mood of the verb (cf. v. 98; 62. 8), the ut being more exclamatory than interrogative. In 62. 8 it is addressed to more than one person. In later writers the subjunctive becomes the rule; cf. also v. 171 ff. aspice ut immineat.

79-82. The two concluding verses of the first defective stanza doubtless contained an exhortation to the bride to come forth, vv. 79-80 perhaps being ne moreris, abit dies:

prodeas noua nupta (cf. v. 94 and the urgent repetitions in vv. 95, 96, 100, 110, 120), while vv. 8182 referred to her evident reluctance, for which vv. 83-85 assign the reason.

83. ingenuus pudor: i.e. the natural modesty of a maiden gentlybred;

cf. Plin. N. H. Praef. 21 est plenum ingenui pudoris fateri per quos profeceris; Prop. I. 4. 13 ingenuus calor et multis decus artibus; Plin. Ep. I. 14. 8 ingenua totius corporis pulchritudo et qui

dam senatorius decor.

own home the arrival of the bride, and therefore not present to hear the verses addressed to him; while in place of the bridegroom (v. 128 n.) the concubinus is present

and scatters the nuts.

127. Fescennina iocatio: cf. Paul. Fest. 85 Fescennini uersus, qui canebantur in nuptiis, ex urbe Fescennina dicuntur allati, siue ideo dicti quia fascinum putabantur arcere (cf. 5. 12 n.); Hor. Ep. II. 1. 145 Fescennina licentia uersibus alternis opprobria rustica fudit; Sen. Rh. p. 223 B. inter nuptiales Fescenninos in crucem generi nostri iocabantur. Similar licentious catches directed against the general were sung by his soldiers in the triumphal procession (cf. Suet. Iul. 49 and 51).

128. nuces pueris: as a part of the marriage ceremonies the bridegroom scattered nuts among the crowd of bystanders; cf. Verg. Ecl. 8. 29 tibi ducitur uxor; sparge, marite, nuces, and the comments thereupon by Servius, who gives several explanations of the custom.

129. desertum, etc.: i.e. perceiving that his love for his master is now slighted.

130. concubinus: the puer delicatus to whom the (traditionally libellous) fescennines represent the bridegroom as having been devoted.

131. iners: the favorite has thus far enjoyed a life of idleness; cf. Cic. N. D. I. 36. 102 Epicurus quasi pueri delicati nihil cessatione melius

existimat.

132. satis diu: i.e. you have long enough by favor of your master enjoyed a child's free life (cf. Servius .c.); now scatter nuts to show that the life of irresponsibility is over for you.

134. seruire: contrasted with lusisti; you have thus far played; now your master chooses the service of Talasius, and sport is over. Talasio: for the traditional origin of this distinctively Roman marriagecry that corresponded to the Greek cry of Hymen, see Liv. I. 9. 12.

136. sordebant, etc.: i.e. at your master's country-seat even the wives of the bailiffs, so much above common slaves like yourself, were but mean in your eyes.

137. hodie atque heri, but yesterday; cf. Gr. χθές και πρώην and ἐχθὲς καὶ σήμερον (Ep. Heb. 13. 8).