ance of our life is not sufficiently certain; i.e. our life is by

no means secure.

47. "Quid animo nunc foret (for fuisset) tibi," what would have been now your feelings?

48. "Quo consolante doleres," with whom to comfort you would you have grieved?-i.e. whom would you have had to solace you in your sorrow?

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51. Reparare populos paternis artibus," restore men by the device employed by my father. Prometheus formed men of clay, and by the suggestion of Minerva animated them with fire, surreptitiously obtained from heaven. The story is this:-In early ages, a dispute arose, at Sicyon, between gods and men. Prometheus wishing to rival or surpass Zeus in wisdom, offered him a choice of either of two parts of a bull, so arranged, as to the parts of the animal, that the choice would stultify the king of the gods. Jupiter, in indignation, withheld fire from mortals; but Prometheus outwitted him by drawing it from heaven by means of a hollow tube. This second insult was avenged by Jupiter sending to carth a beautiful woman (Pandora) whose charms and endowments should captivate but ensnare mortals. The gods gave her a box in which were countless evils and innumerable blessings. This she was to present to the man who should become her husband. Prometheus (forethought) having reason to suspect any gift from the gods, rejected her advances, and was unmoved by her beauty: but, his brother Epimetheus (afterthought) forgetting fraternal admonitions, took Pandora to wife. On presenting the beautiful box-her fatal dowry-to her enamoured husband, the winged blessings all flew heavenward again, while diseases, and all "the ills that flesh is heir to," spread abroad upon the earth; and from that time, have been punishing and destroying mankind. There is, however, in the myth, a beautiful moral; as HOPE is said to have remained, to cheer adversity and alleviate suffering. As for Prometheus himself, he was chained to a rock on Caucasus, where an eagle or vulture preyed upon him, till liberated by Hercules. Certainly the entire story gives us but a mean opinion of the character and attributes of the mythological Jove, who is actuated by envy, revenge, and injustice, against an innocent and intelligent mortal.

54. "Sic visum (est) superis," so it has seemed good to the gods above. "Manemus exempla hominum," we are the only specimens remaining of the human race.

55." Placuit illis," it was their pleasure-they resolved. 56. "Per sacras sortes," by means of the sacred oracles. "Sortes' were properly dice inscribed with the oracular responses, but frequently, by the poets, put for the oracle itself.

57. "Cephisus," or Cephisos, was a river of Phocis, which flowing on the north of Parnassus, enters Boeotia, and falls into the lake Copaïs.

58. "Ut nondum liquidas," though not yet pure and clear. "Nota vada," their wonted channel. This is not an unusual meaning of ut in Latin poetry. "Vadum," from the old Caw, to go. Vadum is connected with the English wade.

59. "Irroravere vestibus et capiti liquores libatos inde,' sprinkled upon their garments and head water taken from it, (i.e. the Cephisus)-referring to the custom of sprinkling or washing with running water before entering the temple. "Libo" means, 1. to pour out wine in offering to a god: 2. to consecrate or sacrifice: 3. to pour: 4. to take a little of anything. Hence to taste, draw, touch lightly, select, diminish.

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61. Fastigia quorum," the roof of which: Fastigium means primarily, the projecting point, top, or gable end of a temple; afterwards, the roof; also, the height or summit of any work. The root of this word is fastus, pride, arrogance, elevation; which is evidently connected with the adjective "fastus," derived from us, to say or speak; as the "Fasti dies" were proclaimed. In the word the notion of celebrity or notoriety is implied.

65. "Si numina remollescunt, victa justis precibus," if the deities can be appeased, moved by the prayers of the righteous. "Justus" is from "jus," human right or law, as opposed to "fas" divine right. "Jus" is connected

with jubeo, as fas with for, or rather n

69. "Deditque sortem," and gave the response.

70. "Resolvite cinctas vestes," loosen the garments girt about you as in performance of sacred rites it was customary to cover the head, and allow the clothes to hang loose.

72. "Pyrrha prior rumpit silentia," Pyrrha was the first to break silence. Mark the use of the plural again.

75. "Lædere maternas umbras," to offer insult to her mother's shade. To disturb the bones or ashes of the dead was deemed by the ancients a heinous crime.

76. "Verba obscura cæcis latebris," the words involved (rendered mysterious) in dark ambiguities. "Obscura," if connected with "datæ," has an allusion to the gloomy cave where the response was given; joined to "latebris," it means ambiguous, mysterious.

78. "Promethides "is Deucalion, the son of Prometheus (from go, before, and μavbavo, to learn), which signifies forethinker. Epimethis is Pyrrha, the daughter of Epimetheus, from, upon, following upon, and avbave, to perceive), which is a name implying afterthought. Could we reduce this myth, in other particulars, to a rational narrative, it might be supposed to intimate that virtue and healthsymbolized by Deucalion and Pyrrha-were the offspring of Prudence and Reflection.

80. "Suadent nullum nefas," enjoin no impiety (sacrilege). 83. "Titania nota est augurio conjugis," the female descendant of Titan, was moved by the conjecture of her husband. Pyrrha was daughter of Epimetheus, and granddaughter of Iapetus, who was son of Titan and Terra: hence the Patronymic.

86. "Recingunt tunicas," loosen their robes. "Re-" in composition, not only signifies back, but sometimes gives an opposite meaning to the word to which it is prefixed-as revelo, retego, &c.

88. "Vetustas sit pro teste," antiquity (the best authority) be taken as a witness of the fact. Deucalion, king of Thessaly, possibly civilized the rude inhabitants of the country, and reduced them to the observance of laws. Hence the fable.

90. "Mollirique morâ," and gradually to become soft. Morâ is here equivalent to " tempore," in course of time.

92. "Ut quædam forma hominis potest videri, sic nondum exacta, sed uti (forma) &c.," though some resemblance to a human being can be discovered, yet not very distinct, but as, &c.

98. "Quod modo vena fuit," what was lately a vein :

Ovid, with his characteristic propensity to punning, gratifies his humour in the use of the word "vena," which signifies either a vein of the body, or a vein of metal or stone.

100. "Saxa missa manibus viri traxere virilem faciem," the stones thrown by the man assumed the shape of men. Perhaps the imaginative poet caught in the terminaton of the name Deucalion, the idea of a stone, from λxas (Latin, lapis), which was, in turn, suggestive of acos, a people. Not the less readily to a Greek fancy would the similarity of the words afford a foundation for the absurd legend.

101. "De feminco jactu," by the throwing of the woman; i.e. the stones thrown by the woman.

103. "

Experiens laborum," capable of enduring toil.

FABLE IX.

PYTHON.

IMMEDIATELY after the Deluge, the sun's heat acting upon the slimy earth produced many and various monsters; among which was the great serpent Python, which was subsequently killed by Apollo near Mount Parnassus, the region chiefly infested by it. Having slain the monster, Apollo, in commemoration of the exploit, instituted the Pythian games, celebrated so long at Delphi. From the same circumstance he himself assumed the name of Pythius. 2. "Postquam vetus humor percaluit ab igne solis," after the former moisture had become thoroughly heated by the sun's rays. 66 Ignis" is synonymous with the Sanscrit agnis; with both which compare the Scotch ingle.

4. "Intumuere aestu," had fermented with the heat. "Intumesco," the inceptive verb, is from "tumeo," to swell, which is connected with the Greek ruußos, a rising ground, a sepulchre, a tomb; connected with this, again, is "tumulus.” συμβος is probably from τυφω, to bury.

5. "Nutrita vivaci solo," nourished by the enlivening (life-bestowing) soil.

7. "Septemfluus Nilus," the seven-streamed Nile. The inundations of this river annually bring down a rich alluvion to fertilize the land of Egypt. It has two sources, one in

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the Abyssinian Mountains, the other in the Gibel Kumri. Anciently it entered the Mediterranean by seven mouths; but there are now only two-those of Rosetta and Damietta. These main streams formed the Delta, so famous in Egypt. Nile, perhaps synonymous and cognate with the Hebrew nachal, "a river."

9. "Recensque limus exarsit ætherio sidere," and the fresh mud has been heated by the etherial sun. "Sidus," from dos, shape, appearance, means any luminous heavenly body, as the sun, moon, a planet, or fixed star; also, a constellation.

11. "Sub ipsum spatium nascendi," at the very time of their formation (birth).

15. "Sumsere temperiem," had been subjected to a due moisture.

17. "Humidus vapor creat omnes res," a moist vapour (heat) produces all things.

18. Discors concordia apta est fetibus," the discordant harmony is suited to procreation.

23. "Illa (tellus) quidem nollet (genuisse) te," she (the earth), indeed, would not have been willing to give birth to thee.

24. "Incognite serpens," unheard of serpent. Its name is traceable to the Greek vow, to putrify.

25. "Tantum spatii de monte (Parnasso) tenebas," so vast a portion of Mount Parnassus didst thou occupy.

26.Deus arcitenens," the god who bears the bow. Homer styles Apollo agyvgorogos, "god of the silver bow." 28. "Gravem mille telis," overwhelmed with a thousand darts.

30. "Neve (for et ut non) vetustas posset delere famam operis," and that length of time might not efface the fame of this achievement. The Pythian games were, at first, celebrated once in nine years; subsequently, every fifth year. The other famous games of Greece were the Olympic, Isthmian, and Nemean. The contests consisted in running, leaping, wrestling, boxing, and quoit-playing; and the victor's reward was a laurel wreath.

34. " Capiebat honorem æsculeæ frondis," was in the habit of receiving the reward of a crown of oak-leaves.