IX. 135-235.] XIII. The Death of Hercules. 237 185. Cerberus, the three-headed dog who guarded the lower world: Hercules dragged him up upon the earth. 186. tauri: the Cretan bull, which he must bind and bring to Eurystheus. 187. Elis: here he cleansed the stables of king Augeas in one day, by turning the river Alpheus through them. Stymphalides : he freed the Stymphalian vale of numberless man-eating birds. 188. Parthenium: a mountain between Arcadia and Argolis, where he wounded and captured the brazen-footed hind of Artemis. 189. balteus: the belt of Hippolyte, queen of the Amazons, who dwelt on the river Thermodon, in Asia Minor: he slew her and carried off her girdle. 190. poma: the apples of the Hesperides, daughters of Atlas; see iv. 637. 191. Centauri: the fight with the Centaurs was one of his exploits, but not one of the Twelve Labors. 192. aper: the Erymanthian boar, which ravaged Arcadia. hydræ, the Lernæan hydra: whenever he cut off one of its nine heads, two sprang up in its place. 194. Thracis king Diomedes of Thrace, whose horses were fed on human flesh. 197. Nemeæa moles: the Nemean lion, the first and chief of the labors; he always afterwards wore its hide. 198. hac cervice: he took the place of Atlas, in supporting the earth, while Atlas was gathering for him the three golden apples of the Hesperides. 203. valet, prospers. 2-10. patrio, i. e. as son of Jupiter. 212. collegerat, had passed into. 213. feralia, deathly: the feralia were a Roman festival to the dead, celebrated February 21. 216. genibus, i. e. of Hercules. 218. tormento (torqueo), abl. of comparison: it is an engine for hurling weights, catapult or balista. 221. molle agrees with corpus, subj. of astringi and glomerari. 225. prior edidit ætas, antiquity gave out or declared. 229. tu, Hercules. 232. iterum: Hercules had captured Troy, when ruled by king Laomedon; his bow and arrows were carried by Philoctetes (the son of Pœas) to the great siege of Troy. 235 vellere: this word properly means the fleece of a sheep; here it is transferred to the lion's hide. 238. redimitus sertis: guests at a banquet wore garlands 239. in omne latus, over his whole body. 240. securos, indifferent. 241. vindice, i. e. because he had freed the earth from so plagues. 243. iste, that which you feel. 245. memoris, grateful. 247. hoc, i. e. your f 251. materna parte: his mother, Alcmena, being a m whatever he derived from her was mortal. — vulcanum = igne 254. id, that part of him. — terra, governed by defunctur cælestibus oris (from ora), within the bounds of heaven. 257. deo, as a god, in apposition with Hercule. — nolet (f he may disapprove. 260. ultima, his last words. 261. notatam, marked for censure. 268. Tirynthius: Hercules was born at Tiryns in Argolis. 272. astris, dat. after intulit. XIV. ORPHEUS AND EURYDICE. X. I. inde, i. e. from Crete. 2. Ciconum: the Cicones were a people of Thrace. 3. Orphēā, an adjective; the noun would be Orphĕă. — neq quam: because the marriage had an unfortunate end. 4. quidem, to be sure: he was present, but brought no lu with him. 6. fax: the torch was the attribute of Hymen. 7. motibus, by swinging. 11. Rhodopeius: Rhodope was a mountain of Thrace, th home of Orpheus. — ad superas auras = towards the sky: i. e to the gods, in order to gain their favor. 13. Tænariā: Tænarum was a promontory south of Greece where it was believed was an entrance to the infernal regions. 14. lěves, i. e. because mere shadows. -functa sepulcro which have passed the tomb. 16. nervis, i. e. of his lyre. 18. quicquid relates to the subject of recidimus, whatever of us, &c. IX. 236-X. 73.] XIV. Orpheus and Eurydice. 239 22. Medusai: the mother of Cerberus was Echidna, a daughter of Medusa. 25. pati, i. e. the loss. 31. properata fata, premature death. — retexite, spin backward, referring to the Fates, who spin the thread of life. 32. omnia, all we earthly objects. 36. justos, allotted, i. e. to which she had a right (jus). 37. usum the right to the temporary enjoyment of property belonging to another was called usus. 38. certum est mihi, my mind is resolved. 41. Tantalus: his punishment was to be placed up to his chin in water, which retreated from him as soon as he stooped to drink. 42. Ixionis: he was bound to a revolving fiery wheel. 43. jecur, the liver of Tityus, fed upon by vultures, and growing again as fast as consumed. 44. Belides (a Greek plural), grand-daughters of Belus (daughters of Danaus, hence usually called Danaides): their punishment was to carry water in a vase with holes in the bottom. Sisyphe: the punishment of Sisyphus is thus described: "With many a weary step, and many a groan, Up the high hill he heaves a huge round stone; Thunders impetuous down, and smokes along the ground." Pope's Odyssey, Book xi. 46. Eumenidum: the Furies, to whom this name as well as that of "venerable," "revered " was given, in order to soothe them and deprecate their anger. 50. legem, in appos. with ne flectat, etc. -summæ, the surface. 61. quid, as well as se amatam [esse], governed by quereretur. 65 tria: the story went, that when Hercules dragged the threeheaded Cerberus from the lower world, a person meeting them was turned into stone from fear. 67. natura prior, his former nature, sc. reliquit. 68. traxit the story here referred to is not known any further: it would seem that Lethæa drew upon herself the anger of the gods by pride in her beauty; that her husband Olenos assumed the blame to himself, and that both were turned into stone. — Siebelis. 71. pectora, lapides, in apposition with Olenos and Lethæa. 73. portitor, Charon, the ferry-man over the Styx. 240 Notes: Ovid. [МЕТАМ. 74. squalidus, in mourning. — Cereris munere, food. 77. Rhodopen: the mountain boundary of Thrace; Hæmum, a Thracian river (See xi. 50). XV. THE SONG OF ORPHEUS. X. 89. dis genitus: Orpheus was the son of Apollo and the muse Calliope. 90. loco, dat. by poetic use (§ 225. a; G. 344, R1). - Chaonis arbor: the oak, sacred to Jove, whose chief sanctuary was at Dodona, where the Chaonians had once lived. 91. nemus Heliadum, poplars: see ii. 340. 92. innuba, because Daphne had been metamorphosed into a laurel, in order to escape Apollo's suit. 95. genialis: the shadow of the plane was a favorite resort for pleasure and mirth.—impar, varied (the autumn colors of the maple). 98. tinus, a plant similar to the viburnum. 100. ulmi: the elms were used for vines to run upon. 103. pinus: the stone pine of Italy spreads out at the top to a broad head, on a very high trunk. 104. Cybeleius, loved by Cybele, mother of the gods. 105. hac, sc. pinu: abl. of means. 144 -que connects concilio and turba. 147. modos, tones. 151. Phlegræis campis: near Olympus, where the battle with the giants took place. 155. Ganymedis, son of Tros, king of Troy. 156. aliquid, i. e. some form. 158. quæ posset, etc., i. e. the eagle, the bird of Jove. 159. mendacibus, as being not really his own. 160. Iliaden this patronymic describes the country (Ilium), not the parentage of Ganymede; king Ilus was his brother. 162. Amyclide, Hyacinthus, great-grandson of Amyclas, king of Amyclæ, near Sparta. — posuisset in æthere received into heaven. 164. qua, so far as. = 165. Aries: this is the first constellation of Spring, and the idea symbolized by the myth of Hyacinthus is that of the destroy X. 74-XI. 15.] XVI. The Death of Orpheus. 241 ing power of the hot sun. The festival Hyacinthia at Sparta was in commemoration of this; at first sad, afterwards joyful, to rejoice in his restoration to life. 167. genitor, Phoebus Apollo. 168. Delphi, the place of the oracle of Apollo; this was considered the middle of the earth, and a stone was preserved here in the sanctuary, called the omphalos, or navel of the earth. 169. Eurotan, the river which flows past Sparta. — immunītam, Sparta had no walls, its citizens believing that its best defence was in the valor of its citizens. In fact, no enemy ever came within sight of the city until the invasion of Epaminondas, B. C. 370. 170. citharæ, sagittæ: the lyre and the bow were the two chief attributes of Apollo. 171. sui, i. e. of his dignity. 174. Titan, the sun. — medius, half-way between. 176. olivi: those who took part in these contests rubbed themselves over with oil, to render themselves supple. 183. Tænarides, from Tænarum, a promontory of Laconia = the Lacedæmonian. 196. balide: Hyacinthus was son of Ebalus, king of Sparta. 203. reddere, give up. — quod (§ 240. b; G. 331, R3), but. 206. scripto, inscription; see v. 215. 207. heros, Ajax, which name in Greek was Alas. This same flower was supposed to have sprung from his blood, when he killed himself (see xiii. 398). 212. lilia, sc. capiunt: the flower here described is supposed to be the Turk's cap lily (see Virgil, "Index of Plants"). 216. funesta litera: the Greek cry of mourning was al al. 218. prælatā pompā, with exhibition of festal parade: the festival came in July. XVI. THE Death of ORPHEUS. XI. 3. nurus (plur.), often used for ladies of rank. · a Thracian tribe. -lymphata, frenzied. 5. percussis... nervis, accompanying his song with striking the strings. 8. notam, bruise. 13. pedes, i. e. of Orpheus. 15. mollita, i. e. like this stone. |