71. fusique Bimembres] These are the Centaurs, so called from being half horse and half man. Theseus assisted his friend Pirithoüs (see p. 11, v. 66 n.) in fighting against the Centaurs. With the same friend he went down to Hades for the purpose of carrying off Persephone (called Proserpina by the Romans), the wife of Pluto. In this he was not successful.

76. Cressa relicta] Cressa is the Cretan Ariadne mentioned above. She says, out of all the deeds of your father only one, the desertion of his wife, 'sedit in ingenio,' is fixed' or 'remains in your mind.'

77. Quod solum excusat] The only act he has to defend (that is, his only crime) is the one act thou dost admire in him.'

78. agis] Thou dost act the heir' is an English idiom.

79. meliore marito] When Theseus left Ariadne in the island of Naxos in the Aegean, she was found there, the story says, by Dionysus (or Bacchus), who married her.

80. capistratis] 'Harnessed.' The car of Bacchus is represented as drawn by tigers, and Ariadne is here said to ride by her husband's side. The Romans said in equis' for 'on a chariot drawn by horses,' and so Ovid says in tigribus.'

84. Armiferam Thracen] The Thracians only professed to be a warlike people, and did not pretend to the learning and civilization of Athens. But this is a notion taken from later times. In the old heroic days Athens was not more civilized than her neighbours, and the oldest poets were Thracians.

85. Exitus acta probat] 'The issue proves the deed.' This is a proverbial sentence, which she repeats, but adds that she hopes no man may ever have success who thinks that people's conduct is to be branded if it be unfortunate in the issue; who thinks that actions must be marked from the event.' She alludes to her own marriage, which was contracted in simplicity but ended unhappily. Some people it appears blamed her for it. Notare' is commonly used for a bad mark, from the practice of the Roman censors putting a mark against the names of persons whom they censured.

88. Jam mihi] She says those who blame her conduct now, if he were to return would presently say she had consulted well for her own interests and those of her subjects. This is the meaning of 'consulere.' As to 'jam,' see p. 10, v. 32 n.

90. Bistonia] The Bistones were a people in the south of Thrace, and Bistonia' means 'Thracian.'

92. premeret] This may be rendered 'floated in my harbours.'

98. face exspectes] See that you look for.' 'Fac' is the later form of the imperative, but that syllable being long, and 'face' short, he uses the older form. Compare p. 23, v. 4.

102. solo tempore] Only in the time,' which was a month, v. 4.

105. Utque tibi excidimus] 'Since I was lost to thee,' or 'cast off by thee.' See p. 16, v. 27.

106. si quae sim] If thou dost ask who I am, I thy Phyllis, and of what parents,' that is, since you treat me as a stranger.

111. Lycurgi] Lycurgus was a former king of Thrace, famous for having suppressed the cultivation of the grape in his dominions, and thereby having incurred the wrath of Bacchus. The Thracians were notorious drunkards, and Bacchus was their protecting god.

112. Nomine femineo] 'Nomen' here means 'authority.' 'Vix satis' is not quite.'

113. Qua patet] Where icy Rhodope is seen far stretching to shady Haemus.' The range of mountains called Rhodope, which being lofty is covered with snow for a great part of the year, extended in a north-westerly direction from near the coast of the Aegean till it joined the range called Haemus (now the Balkan), which was the northern boundary of Thrace, separating it from Moesia. Haemus is called umbrosus' because of its great forests. Patet,'' is exposed or visible,' owing to the great height of Rhodope.

114. Et sacer admissas] The Hebrus was sacred to Bacchus, as the god of the Thracians. The swiftness of its streams is spoken of by the poets repeatedly. 'Admissas' means 'at full speed,' as if Hebrus were a chariot, and his waters were his horses. See p. 5, v. 56.

115. avibus libata sinistris] Libare' means 'to take a part from a thing as an offering to the gods;' and 'virginitas libata' means 'my virginity was made an offering.' 'Avibus sinistris' is under evil auspices.' Omens were taken from the flight of birds; those which appeared on the left hand, that is, in the west (the face turning north), were counted bad. Cui' refers to Demophoon.

6

116. zona recincta] Women wore girdles before they were married, and one of the ceremonies on their marriage was the removal of this girdle by the bridegroom. To unloose the zone' therefore was a proverbial expression equivalent to marrying.

117. Pronuba Tisiphone] Juno was supposed to preside at weddings, and was therefore called 'pronuba' (see p. 26, v. 41); but Phyllis says Tisiphone, one of the furies (see p. 23, v. 6), presided at hers, and shrieked in her marriage-chamber. She also says the owl sung a sorrowful note that night. It was a bird of ill omen, and is called 'devia' because it keeps out of the ways of

men.

119. Alecto] This was another of the three furies, all of whom are represented by the poets and in ancient works of art with small snakes wreathed in their hair and about their necks. She says Alecto was at her wedding.

120. Suntque sepulcrali]' And lights were shed from sepulchral

torch.' She means that the torches used at her wedding were such as were used at funerals.

123. Sive die laxatur humus] The ground frozen at night is thawed (laxatur') by the sun in the daytime.'

126. auguror esse deos] I guess to be my gods.' As said before (p. 13, v. 8), images of gods were carried in the sterns of ships, and she says that whatever ships appear she conjectures to contain her gods, that is her husband's. As to 'protinus,' 'straightway,' see p. 16, v. 16 n.

130. Linquor] I faint,' I am deserted by my strength.

131. falcatus] Curved like a sickle' (falx); 'adductos arcus.' 'into an arch, with the ends drawn towards each other.'

132. Ultima praerupta] 'The extreme points (horns) bristle with an abrupt mole. The entrance of the bay was narrow, and protected by a high breakwater.

134. fallere pergis] Thou dost go on to the end deceiving me.' In this phrase the Roman poets used the infinitive where we use a participle. Pergere' is 'per-regere,' to proceed straight on, that is, to the end.

136. intumulata] To be left unburied was considered by the ancients the greatest calamity, and it was a crime to leave a body without burial, or (which was sufficient to avoid the penalty of such neglect, without throwing dust upon it three times.

137. ut superes] See p. 23, v. 17 n. Even if thou dost surpass in hardness iron, adamant, and even thyself (which she means is the hardest thing of all), thou'lt say it was not thus, my Phyllis, thou shouldst have followed me.'

142. Praebuerunt] The poets sometimes shorten the penultimate syllable of the third person plural in the perfect tense for convenience, particularly in the second conjugation.

6

143. Stat nece matura] 'I am resolved by early death to compensate my tender modesty,' 'Stat' means 'it stands firm in my resolution. Pensare' is to weigh,' and so to weigh out money, to pay, to compensate. She says she will compensate or satisfy her modesty for the wrong she has done it, by a premature death.

6

144. In necis electum] In choosing death there shall be little hesitation.' We might expect electu,' but the poetical idiom in such cases admits of the accusative.

145. Inscribere] Thou shalt be written on my tomb as the hateful cause (of my death): that is, thy name shall be written. 147. leto dedit] Dare' is 'to put,' as before mentioned (p. 13, v. 16); and the Romans used the phrase 'put to death,' as we do.

METAMORPHOSES.

The adventures of Cadmus and misfortunes of his family.

P. 30.

(The Argument should be referred to.)

1. Jamque deus] At the end of the second book it was related how Jupiter came down to the coast of Phoenicia and changed himself into a white bull, and in that form carried off Europa the king's daughter, who in sport placed herself upon his back. He carried her out to sea, and landed her on the island of Crete (Candia).

2. Dictaeaque rura] Dicte was a mountain in Crete, and Dictaeus is therefore used as equivalent to Cretan. This mountain was supposed to have been a favourite resort of Jupiter.

4. Imperat] Imperare' is properly to put upon' (in, parare), and it always governs the dative case, which represents that on which the duty is imposed, the duty being in the accusative. Verbs of command do not necessarily, as the old grammars say, govern a dative case. 'Jubere' seldom does, and then only because it conveys the same notion as imperare,'' to lay orders upon.'

5. Exsilium] See p. 11, v. 80 n. Agenor was 'pius' for his affection for his daughter (see p. 12, v. 84 n), but 'sceleratus' for his cruelty to his son.

8. Phoebique oracula] The oracle of Apollo at Delphi on Mount Parnassus in Phocis, which was celebrated above all other oracles of that god, and so is not mentioned by name.

11. immunis] This word is compounded of the negative 'in' and munus,' which properly means a duty or service.' Here it may be translated 'free of the plough.'

12. carpe vias] Carpere' signifies to gather,' 'to take,' and carpere iter' or viam is to go on one's way,' as we say 'to take a journey.' It is only so used by the poets. The plural ‘vias' is not used only for the convenience of the metre; he would have many days' journey to go and many ways to traverse.

13. fac condas] See p. 23, v. 4 n. 'Boeotia' is here supposed to be named from bos,' which is a Greek word.

14. Vix bene] This and non bene' are used for 'hardly.' We also say 'before he had well come down.' The shrine of Apollo at Delphi, where the oracles were delivered, was a chamber under ground; it is therefore called here and elsewhere antrum.' It is called Castalium antrum,' from a celebrated stream close by named Castalia, in which those who came to consult the oracle were obliged to bathe beforehand. The temple stood upon higher ground than the rest of the town, and therefore Cadmus is said to descend from the cave.

17. Subsequitur] Subsequi' is to follow close,' 'sub' being up to.' 'Presso gradu' is used in different ways; 'in close order,' as of troops marching; or 'halting;' or as here, 'with guarded tread.' Legit vestigia' means 'he tracks her steps.'

18. Auctoremque viae] 'The author of his journey,' that is, on whose authority he had undertaken it. Auctor' has the same root as 'augere,' 'to make to grow.'

19. Cephisi Panopesque] There were three rivers called Cephisus; one in the Peloponnesus, another in Attica, and a third, here meant, which rose in Phocis and flowed through part of Boeotia. Panope or Panopeus was a town on the borders of Phocis and Boeotia on the right bank of the Cephisus. 'Vadum' is used by the poets, in the plural for a stream or any body of water. The prose writers only use it for a shallow or ford. 21. impulit auras] Smote the air.'

24. terrae] The ablative of the place, with or without 'in,' is generally used after 'figere:' but the dative is also correct. Virgil also uses oscula figere.' We say to imprint a kiss.'

26. Sacra Jovi facturus erat] Sacra facere,' or 'facere' by itself sometimes, was used for offering sacrifice, which word (sacrificium) is formed from those two.

27. vivis] Running streams were called 'viva,' 'living.' We use quick in the sense of living.' As an offering to the gods the ancients poured libations, as they were called, usually of wine or milk or honey, accompanied with prayer. They were commonly poured from a shallow saucer-shaped cup called 'patera.' Also when a victim was offered they poured libations of wine over it. Cadmus intended to offer the cow to Jove, and having nothing else to pour over it sent for pure water from the stream.

30. lapidum compagibus] By the joining of its stones.' 'Compages' is compounded of 'con' and pag,' the root of pangere,' 'to fix,' or 'fasten.'

32. Martius anguis] The snake of Mars. According to the fable, Mars was the father of this monster. It had a mane (cristae) and scales like gold spangles.

35. lucum] This is generally used for a sacred grove. (See p. 2, v. 46 n.). Tyria de gente profecti,' those who came of Tyrian blood,' are the Phoenician servants of Cadmus.

39. Effluxere] A common meaning of 'fluere' is 'to fall.' The pitchers fell or dropped out of their hands.

43. media plus parte] The prose construction would be 'plus quam parte.' (See p. 3, v. 62.)

45. qui separat Arctos] That is the Dragon or Snake, a constellation situated between the two Bears (see p. 10, v. 48 n.). 48. Occupat] Occupare' is to be beforehand with one. As they were hesitating the snake seized them.

50. Fecerat exiguas] This is a common description of noon,