The style of Ovid is easy and graceful, and his versification harmonious. His taste is in many respects inferior to that of Virgil and Horace. He is far too fond of antitheses, is often prolix where he should be concise, and fanciful when he should be passionate. Considerable allowance must indeed be made for these and other imperfections in the Metamorphoses, as this work never received its finishing touches; but in his other poems similar defects frequently appear. His most serious fault, however, is the flagrant licentiousness with which many of his writings are infected, and for which, though living in a very corrupt age, no adequate apology can be made. From the extracts contained in this volume, great care has been taken to exclude every thing of an immoral tendency. As the lines in the extracts in this volume are numbered successively, without regard to such passages of the original work as are here omitted, the student will have frequent occasion to notice, that the verses cited or referred to in the Lexicon do not correspond numerically with those contained in the text which he is perusing. In the following notes the references are always made to the text of this edition. The Lexicon referred to, when not otherwise specified, is Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin Lexicon. INTRODUCTION. The Introduction contains the announcement of the subject of the poem and an invocation of the gods. 1. Fert animus, i. e. meus animus 3. Aspirate, i. e. favete See aspiro or "world," implies that the earth is a circular plane. 7. Quem dixere," which they called," Gr. 209, R. 2, (2.)--For the gender of quem see Gr. ( 206, (10.) Rudis-moles, sc. quod erat. 8. Nec quicquam," and nothing.' Congestaque eodem, etc. The English order is, Discordiaque semina rerum non bene junctarum congesta eòdem. Eodem, 'into the same place,' 'together.' "to repair, restore, renew, fill again." 13. Ponderibus librata suis. The earth is here represented as a vast circular plane suspended in the air, and nicely balanced on every side. The central parts of this plane are dry land, around which, and consequently occupying the outer parts of the circle, the ocean is spread out.-Longo margine, "around the long margin," sc. of the land, Gr. 254, R. 3. So in the 45th line, Dextra-sinistrâ parte. The ablative of the place, where or in which without a preposition is common in the poets. 14. Amphitrite, the wife of Neptune, is here put by metonymy for the sea itself. This is a spondaic line, Gr. 310, 1. See note on l. 62. 16. Instabilis-innabilis, Gr. 129, 21. Sine pondere habentia pondus, i. e. habentia pondus cum iis quæ erant) sine pondere," things having weight (with things) without weight," Gr. 205, R. 7, (2.) CREATION. Deus, "a god, some god.” See lines 32, 48 and 79.—Et melior natura. It is here explanatory, "even," f. Book 3, 130. 22. Calo torras abscidit, Gr. § 242. 23. Liquidim-cælum, the pure ether," cf. l. 67 and 68. 24. Quae. the elements just mentioned postquam evolvit, Gr. $259, R. 142,) (d.)—Cæco acervo, from the dark or chaotic mass. 25. Dissociata locis, Gr. ý 250; see note on l. 173. 26. Ignea-vis et sine pondere," the fiery and imponderable essence," i. e. the ether. Ignea and sine pondere, stand in the same relation to vis, and are therefore connected by et, Gr. 278, and ( 202, I. (2.) 27. Emicuit-legit. The elements are here personified, Gr. 324, 34.-Summa in arce, cf. l. 163, and 2,305. 28. For what noun does illi stand? By what rule are levitate and loco in the ablative? are understood before quinta, "and as." in Ovid. See l. 402; 4, 349, 7, 97, 46. Quinta, i. e. the torrid.-Et ut and 116; 8, 107 and 108; and 9, 58 and 59.-In membra, "into ⚫ parts or portions," as specified above, W. 21-31. 34. Ab omni parte," in every part, on every side." This notion of the 36. Freta, "the sea, the ocean."— 40. Quæ, sc. flumina.-Diversa 47. Onus inclusum, "the inclosed burden," i. e. the earth, which is enfolded, as it were, in the heav tes,-"hereafter to disturb or frighten;" for mankind were not yet created. Motura, cf. 9, 48. 56. Et cum fulminibus, &c., instead of et fulmina et frigora, &c. -Frigora, Gr. 98. The ancients regarded lightning as produced by concussion of the clouds. Cf. 15, 11. 57. His, sc. ventis.-Non passim, fc., i. e. they are not permitted to occupy promiscuously such part of the heavens as they may choose, but have each his quarter assigned to him. 58. Aëra, Gr. § 80, I. & R. So 7.62, Persida, and 1. 68, æthera.-Vix nunc obsislitur illis, " scarcely now is resistance made to them," quin lanient," so but that they tear in pieces," i. e. "scarcely are they prevented from tearing in pieces." See Quin in Andrews' Dictionary of Cæsar. 60. Fratrum. The winds were represented as brethren, the sons of Astræus and Aurora. Cf. 14, 37. 61. Eurus.-In this enumeration no winds are mentioned except those occupying the four cardinal points. Eurus is opposed to Zephyrus and Boreas to Auster.Nabataea was a district in the eastern part of Arabia Petræa. Nabatea regna are put by synecdoche for the East. 62. Radiis juga subdita matutinis. The mountains of India are denoted by this expression. A spondee in the fifth foot is not uncommon in the Metamorphoses, especially at the end of a sentence and in proper names; cf. 2, 243; 5, 247; 11, 5; 4, 215, and 14, 196. 63. Quæ littora, i. e. ea littora, quæ. 64. Scythiam. The Romans com prehended under this indefinite name all the high northern regions of the eastern continent. Septemque triones, i. e. et septentriones. See Septentriones in Lex. and cf. Virg. G. 3, 381. 66. Nubibus assiduis pluvioque madescit ab Austro. The conjunction here connects the animate with the inanimate agent. 67. Hac super, i. e. above the earth, the water, and the air. 69. Ea-omnia, sc. the earth, water, air and æther. 71. Effervescere, "to sparkle, twinkle." The figure is derived from the bubbling up of boiling fluids. 72. Neu regio ulla," and that no region." Suis animantibus, "its living beings, its inhabitants." 73. Astra. The constellations are represented by the poets as having life. See 2, 77.-Cœleste solum, "the soil of heaven," i. e. "the heavenly vault." Forma deorum, "the forms of the gods," i. e. "the gods," e. g. the Sun and Moon. 74. Cesserunt, "fell to," i. e. became the possession of. Cf. 4, 213, and 5, 206.-Habitanda, Gr. Ó 274, R. 7. 76. Mentisque capacius altæ, "and possessing higher intellectual pow ers." 77. Deerat, a synæresis, Gr. ◊ 306, (1.)-Quod-posset, i. e. tale ut id posset, Gr.264, 5.-Cetera, sc. animalia. 79. Ille opifex rerum, cf. l. 21 and 48.-Origo, i. e. "the maker, Iapetus, who was fabled to have | 100. Mollia peragebant otia, formed man of earth tempered with water.-Mixtam fluvialibus undis, Gr. ý 245, II., 2. 83. Moderantum. This participle can be translated by a relative clause, "who govern," Gr. ◊ 274, 3, and Andrews' First Latin Book, Less. 122. 84. Prona-animalia. Cat. 1. Cf. Sall. 87. Sic, i. e. in consequence of the creation of mankind.-Sine imagine, "without form, shapeless." Cf. l. 26. 88. Ignotas, "(previously) known." en joyed calm repose."- -Secura, "free from care." 101. Immunis, "without compulsion, free." 102. Per se, neously." "of itself, sponta 103. Contenti, sc. homines.— Nullo cogente, no one compelling,” i. e. without compulsion, without cultivation. Cf. Virg. G. 1, 128; 2, 10, 106. Jovis arbore. The oak was sacred to Jupiter. See Phaedrus, 3, 17, 2.-Glandes, cf. Virg. G. 1, 7, and 148. un- 108. Mulcebant, "lightly touched, gently fanned." THE FOUR AGES OF THE WORLD. 89. Prima, Gr. ý 205, R. 15.—Sata est, was produced, began." Vindice nullo, "though there was no avenger of crimes," Gr. § 257, R. 7, and R. 1. 91. Fixo are, 66 upon the fastened brass." The Roman laws were engraven upon plates of brass which were affixed to the Capitol or to some other public place, that they might be read by the people. 92. Legebantur. Loers has ligabantur.-Turba timebat-sed eranttuti, Gr. ( 209, R. 11, (1.) and ( 205, R. 3.-Supplex turba, i. e. persons accused or prosecuted and their friends, who were wont to appear in court meanly clad and apparently overwhelmed with grief. 95. Pinus. The pine was anciently much used in the construction of ships. Cf. 14, 22, and 2, 184. 98. Directi, " straight."-Flexi, "curved." 110. Nec renovatus ager, " and the unfallowed field." 111. Flumina-ibant,-"flowed." 113. Saturno tenebrosa in Tartara misso. Saturn, during whose reign the golden age occurred, is said to have been deprived of his kingdom by his son Jupiter, and banished to Tartarus; though others represent him as retiring privately to Latium. 114. Sub, "under," i. e. "subject to,"-Subiit, "succeeded." The last syllable of subiit is lengthened by cæsura, Gr. 309, 2. See note on 10, 15, and cf. 5, 297; 15, 4; and 13, 443. Proles, generation, age." 116. Contraxit. In the golden age spring was perpetual. See l. 107, 117. A line ending with three spondees. com 118. Spatiis, "intervals, seasons." Gr. 211, R. 6.-Exegit, pleted, terminated." 120. Canduit, cf. l. 435.—Adstricta, "hardened, congealed." 99. Sine militis usu, "without the 123. Semina Cerealia, "the seeds aid of soldiers." bestowed by Ceres," i. e. corn. |