323. diverso orbe, a remote region of earth, i. e. towards the west. 324. Eridanus, a mythical river, the source of amber. It was often identified with the Po, sometimes with the Rhone (v. 372). 325. Hesperiæ, see v. 142 and note. — trifidā, thrice-cleft, an epithet of the "jagged lightning," supposed to be most fatal.

327. currūs limits aurīga, which is in appos. with Phaëthon; quem relates to currus.

329. nam, i. e. it would be the father's place naturally, but he had withdrawn. - pater, the Sun.

331. isse ferunt, they say that one day passed.

333. quæcumque dicenda, the conventional words of mourning. 335. laniata sinus, tearing her breast.

336. mox, when the limbs had decayed from lapse of time. 337. tamen, i. e. though she sought long, yet she did at last find them.

340. Heliades, daughters of the Sun, sisters of Phaëthon. — morti to the dead.

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343. adsternuntur, prostrate themselves.

344. junctis cornibus, filling out her horns.

346. Phaethusa, bright; Lampetie (below), flaming.

347. maxima, eldest.

349. subita, i. e. suddenly growing.

352. fieri, are turning into.

356. quid faciat, § 268; G. 258. — impetus, excitement.

364. sole, abl. of cause, with rigescunt.

365. electra, amber; in truth a fossil exudation from trees.

366. gestanda: amber was a favorite material for ornaments among the Roman ladies, who carried balls of it in their hands for coolness. nuribus Latinis, daughters-in-law of Roman nobles; a term used for young matrons.

367. monstro, prodigy. — Sthenelēia proles, son of Sthenelus. - Cycnus: compare the story in XII. 65-145.

369. propior, still nearer.

370. Ligurum, of the coast region near Genoa, Piedmont. 371. querellis, laments.

372. sororibus, sisters (of Phaëthon), now added to the forest. 373. viro, dat. of reference. infrequent form of the correlative.

canæque collumque, an

375. junctura, a joining-membrane.

377. cæloque Jovique.

...

to the sky of Jove.

378. ut memor, as remembering (the motive for not trusting

the sky). — ignis, thunderbolt.

II. 323-843.] II. The Adventure of Fhaethon.

380. quæ, the antecedent is flumina.

207

381. expers (ex-pars), devoid. — squalidus, in mourning. 382. cum deficit orbem, when he unmakes his disc, i. e. in an eclipse.

385. ævi limits principiis.

387. actorum mihi, things done by me.

388. quilibet, whoever will.

390. ipse, Jupiter.

391. ponat, lay aside.

392. expertus, when he has tried.

393. meruisse, sc. eum, antecedent of qui.

397. excusat, alleges the cause.

400. objectat, throws at them as a reproach; imputat, bears resentment against them as offenders. — natum = his son's death.

This interesting myth requires no explanation beyond the simplest and most obvious analogies of natural phenomena, — an intensely hot summer, trees bearing a vague resemblance to slender maidens (Lombardy poplars), drops of amber shaped like tears, — all combined with the familiar lesson of "vaulting ambition that o'erleaps itself." It is probably the best told and most popular of all the stories in the Metamorphoses.

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III. THE RAPE OF EUROPA.

833. has, referring to the punishment of Aglauros (see heading). 834. cepit had inflicted: the pœna is, in its original sense, a fine or forfeit. — Atlantiades: the mother of Mercury was Maia, daughter of Atlas. — dictas a Pallade: Pallas, "the brandisher," is an epithet of Athena (Minerva), tutelary divinity of Athens. 835. pennis: Mercury is represented with a winged cap (petasus), and winged sandals (talaria).

836. genitor: Jupiter.

838. solito cursu, i. e. the air, his accustomed path.

839. tuam matrem suspicit, looks up to thy mother. Maia is

one of the stars in the group of Pleiades.

a parte sinistra: on the left, &c., i. e. towards the East. Jupiter is looking from Mt. Olympus.

840. Sidonida, i. e. Phœnicia, “the land of Sidon."

843. jamdudum: expresses the promptness of Mercury's obedience. So, among some very courteous populations, if you ask for any favor, the answer will be, "It is done already."

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844. filia: Europa, "the broad brow," daughter of the Eastern king, is one of the numerous names given to the Dawn in the Greek mythology. The dawn " of civilization rises upon the western world from Asia. For the signification of this fable, see introductory note to the next section.

846. non bene conveniunt, are not very consistent. tur, reside.

848. cui, dat. of reference (§ 235. a; G. 343, R2).

moran

849. nutu: so Zeus "nodded with his black brows and shook

great Olympus” (Il. i. 528–30).

854. toris, with the swell of muscles.

855. contendere possis, you might maintain.

858. Agenore: see heading.

859. formosus, sc. sit.

871. falsa, i. e. not his own.

874. dextrā tenet: the picture as here given was familiar to the poet on gems, &c.

IV. THE SEARCH OF CADMUS.

2. Dictæa: Dicte is a mountain in the eastern part of Crete. The Phoenicians, in very ancient times, were colonists and traders among the Grecian islands. Several of the divinities worshipped by the Greeks were probably introduced by them. The fable of Europa may perhaps point to such a settlement in Crete, with the introduction of cattle from Asia. The heifer which guides Cadmus would thus have the same signification in the story with the bull which bears away Europa.

3. perquirere, to search everywhere.

5. pius et sceleratus, "tender" towards his daughter, and "guilty" towards his son.

7. furta, deceptions.

8. Phœbi oracula, i. e. at Delphi, near Boeotia.

JO. solis in arvis, in solitary pastures.

II. passa: cows as well as oxen were trained to the yoke, as on the continent of Europe now.

12. herbā, on the grass.

13. fac condas, § 331. f, R; G. 546, R3.—Boeotia, connected with Boûs, Lat. bos.

14. Castalio: the oracle of Apollo was in a cave of Mt. Parnassus, whence flowed the Castalian fount.

II. 844. — III. 98.] IV. The Search of Cadmus. 209

15. videt, sc. cum.

17. presso, sustained. — legit, traces: lit. picks up, apparently the original meaning of the word.

19. Panopes, an old town on the Cephisus.

27. libandas = =for the libation, which consisted in pouring water or wine upon the earth in honor of some divinity.

30. humilem arcum, a low arch.

32. Martius, sacred to Mars.

35. quem... gradu, when the men descended from Tyrian race had reached this grove with hapless step.

of Sidon, but became far more famous and mother city.

38. cæruleus, livid.

41. nexibus, folds; orbes, coils.

Tyre was a colony powerful than its

43. media plus parte, more than half his length.

45. geminas... Arctos: the great constellation of the Dragon. 46. nec mora= without delay.

48. hos, sc. necat.

50. sol altissimus, the sun at noon.

54. præstantior, more prompt.

56. supra, adverb. — spatiosi corporis, descriptive genitive.

59. molarem, sc. lapidem, a stone as big as a millstone.

62. mota forent, might have been shaken.

64. loricae modo, like a coat-of-mail.

66. lentæ, pliant. — medio curvamine, in the middle of the coil.

70. id, the shaft.

72. accessit, was added.

76. Stygio, i. e. fearful as the Styx.

77. modo . . . interdum, now . . . now.

78. cingitur, knots himself; exstat, erects himself.

79. impete, an old form of the ablative (3d declension): the regular form would be impetu (4th declension). — concitus imbribus, swollen by rains.

83. prætenta, held before him.

84. ferro, dative.

88. plagam arcebat, kept the blow from striking deep.

91. usque sequens, following up. — eunti, sc. serpenti.

94. gemuit, etc., groaned (like a living thing) that its trunk was

lashed by the end of his tail.

95. spatium, the bulk.

98. tu spectabere serpens, see Book iv. 563-614 (argument).

101. fautrix: Pallas is regularly represented as the protectress and guide of heroes in their exploits. She was the goddess of invention and mental energy.

102. motæ terræ (dat.), beneath the broken earth.

106. fide majus, an incredible thing!

108. picto, decorated.

III. festis, on a holiday.

112. signa, figures, painted on the curtain. The closing of the curtain is referred to, which was done from the bottom, not from the top as with us.

113. placido tenore, with quiet (or easy) motion.

119. eminus (construe with jaculo), thrown from a distance. 122. suo marte, in mutual strife.

124. sortita, having enjoyed.

125. matrem, i. e. the Earth.

127. Tritonis: Tritonis is an epithet of Minerva, probably from a brook in Boeotia.

128. fraternæ pacis, peace among the (surviving) brothers. 131. jam, at length.

132. soceri: Hermione (or Harmonia), daughter of Mars and Venus, was wife of Cadmus.

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135. sed... debet: Call no man happy till he dies,” a favorite maxim of ancient wisdom. - juvenes, youths, i. e. grown up, not pueri.

In the myth of Cadmus we may recognize a genuine tradition of the trading settlements and factories established by Phoenicians in very early times, along the coast of Greece. From them the rude Greeks received the first beginnings of civilization, especially the knowledge of the alphabet. Many religious rites. were likewise borrowed from them, especially the worship of Herakles (Hercules, the Phoenician Melkart) and Aphrodite (Astarte) or Venus.

V. PYRAMUS AND THISBE.

The reader will remember this story as presented in “Midsummer-Night's Dream."

v. 56. prælata, preferred before: most excellent among. 58. Semiramis, wife of Ninus, and founder of Babylon. tilibus, of burnt brick.

COC

59. notitiam.

gradus:

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the first steps of intimacy.