60

70

Iam Samos a laeva fuerant Naxosque relictae
Et Paros et Clario Delos amata deo,

p. 133, E. 1 106

Dextra Lebynthos erat silvisque umbrosa Calymne 111
Cinctaque piscosis Astypalaea vadis,
Quum puer, incautis nimium temerarius annis,
Altius egit iter, deseruitque patrem.

Vincla labant, et cera deo propiore liquescit,
Nec tenues ventos brachia mota tenent.
Territus a summo despexit in aequora caelo :
Nox oculis pavido venit oborta metu.
Tabuerant cerae: nudos quatit ille lacertos,
Et trepidat, nec quo sustineatur, habet.
Decidit, atque cadens "pater, o pater, auferor !" in-
Clauserunt virides ora loquentis aquae. [quit,
At pater infelix, nec iam pater, "Icare!" clamat,
"Icare," clamat "ubi es, quove sub axe volas?"
"Icare" clamabat, pinnas aspexit in undis.

Ossa tegit tellus: aequora nomen habent.

111

106 a

150

VII.

IPHIGENIA.

She is here, thine own, thy long-lost sister,

Whom great Diana from the altar snatch'd,

And safely placed here in her sacred fane.-GOETHE.

ARGUMENT.

IPHIGENIA, priestess of Diana in the Tauric Chersonese, is about to sacrifice two strangers, according to the inhuman custom of the place, when she discovers that one of them is her brother. returns with them to Greece.-(EPIST. EX PONTO, III. 2.)

She

This story is the subject of a play by Euripides, the “Iphigenia in Tauris," and also of one of Goethe's masterpieces, under the same name.

Description of the Altar, and its Attendant Customs.

Est locus in Scythia,... Tauros dixere priores...
Qui Getica longe non ita distat humo;
Hac ego sum terra, patriae nec paenitet, ortus:
Consortem Phoebi gens colit illa deam.
Templa manent hodie vastis innixa columnis,
Perque quater denos itur in illa gradus.
Fama refert illic signum caeleste fuisse,

Quoque minus dubites, stat basis orba dea:
Araque, quae fuerat natura candida saxi,
ΙΟ Decolor adfuso tincta cruore rubet.
Femina sacra facit taedae non nota iugali,
Quae superat Scythicas nobilitate nurus ;
Sacrifici genus est, sic instituere priores,
Advena virgineo caesus ut ense cadat.

123

134

112

P. 148 E

119

106 I

116

p. 142 (1) a

Iphigenia is carried hither by Diana, and made priestess of her temple. Two captives are brought to her for sacrifice.

20

Regna Thoans habuit Maeotide clarus in ora
Nec fuit Euxinis notior alter aquis.

Sceptra tenente illo liquidas fecisse per auras
Nescio quam dicunt Iphigenian iter.
Quam levibus ventis sub nube per aëra vectam
Creditur his Phoebe deposuisse locis.

125

Praefuerat templo multos ea rite per annos,
Invita peragens tristia sacra manu :
Quum duo velifera iuvenes venere carina,
Presseruntque suo litora nostra pede.

Par fuit his aetas et amor, quorum alter Orestes,
Alter erat Pylades: nomina fama tenet.
Protinus immitem Triviae ducuntur ad aram,

Evincti geminas ad sua terga manus.

107 c

107 c

p. 134, III.B. 4

She prepares the sacrifice, but, before completing it, asks of their home, and finding that their city is her own, lets one of them go free, on condition that he carry for her a letter to one of her family.

30

40

Spargit aqua captos lustrali Graia sacerdos,
Ambiat ut fulvas infula longa comas.

112

Dumque parat sacrum, dum velat tempora vittis, 153 2
Dum tardae causas invenit ipsa morae,

"Non ego crudelis, iuvenes; ignoscite !" dixit
"Sacra suo facio barbariora loco.

145 a

Ritus is est gentis. Qua vos tamen urbe venitis? 121
Quove parum fausta puppe petistis iter?"

Dixit; et audito patriae pia nornine virgo
Consortes urbis comperit esse suae.

"Alteruter votis " inquit "cadat hostia sacris :

Ad patrias sedes nuntius alter eat."

132

While the two friends quarrel as to who shall go, she writes a letter to her brother and lo! it is her brother to whom she gives it. Their escape. Ire iubet Pylades carum periturus Orestem :

50

Hic negat; inque vicem pugnat uterque mori.
Exstitit hoc unum, quod non convenerit illis :
Cetera par concors et sine lite fuit.

Dum peragunt pulchri iuvenes certamen amoris,
Ad fratrem scriptas exarat illa notas,
Ad fratrem mandata dabat, cuique illa dabantur,...
Humanos casus aspice !...frater erat.

Nec mora, de templo rapiunt simulacra Dianae,
Clamque per immensas puppe feruntur aquas.
Mirus amor iuvenum, quamvis abiere tot anni,

In Scythia magnum nunc quoque nomen habet.

100

ARION, a minstrel, returning from Sicily to Lesbos, is attacked by the crew of the ship in which he has embarked, who threaten to kill him for his treasure. He obtains a short respite, sings a last song, and jumps overboard; and is carried to land by one of the dolphins which, attracted by his music, are following in the vessel's wake.—(FASTI, II. 83 foll.)

The story is found in Herodotus, 24, and is a favourite subject on Greek vases.

20

The Power of Arion's Music.

QUOD mare non novit, quae nescit Ariona tellus ? p.23, note
Carmine currentes ille tenebat aquas.

Saepe sequens agnam lupus ista voce retentus :
Saepe avidum fugiens restitit agna lupum.
Saepe canes leporesque umbra cubuere sub una,
Et stetit in saxo proxima cerva leae :

Et sine lite loquax cum Palladis alite cornix
Sedit, et accipitri iuncta columba fuit.
Cynthia saepe tuis fertur, vocalis Arion,

Tamquam fraternis obstupuisse modis.

112

106 I

111

The attack. Arion asks that he may sound his lyre for the last time. Nomen Arionium Siculas impleverat urbes,

Captaque erat lyricis Ausonis ora sonis.

Inde domum repetens puppem conscendit Arion,
Atque ita quaesitas arte ferebat opes.
Forsitan, infelix, ventos undasque timebas :
At tibi nave tua tutius aequor erat.

Namque gubernator destricto constitit ense,
Ceteraque armata conscia turba manu.

124 (1)

Quid tibi cum gladio? dubiam rege, navita, pinum ;
Non haec sunt digitis arma tenenda tuis.
Ille, metu vacuus, "Mortem non deprecor" inquit, 119
"Sed liceat sumpta pauca referre lyra.”

125

The rescue.

30

Dant veniam, ridentque moram. Capit ille coronam,
Quae possit crines, Phoebe, decere tuos :.
Induerat Tyrio bis tinctam murice pallam :
Reddidit icta suos pollice chorda sonos,
Flebilibus numeris veluti canentia dura

Traiectus pinna tempora cantat olor.
Protinus in medias ornatus desilit undas,
Spargitur impulsa caerula puppis aqua;
Inde... fide maius... tergo delphina recurvo
Se memorant oneri supposuisse novo.

150

100

115

106 a

Ille sedens citharamque tenet, pretiumque vehendi, 141 2
Cantat et aequoreas carmine mulcet aquas.
Di pia facta vident; astris delphina recepit
Iuppiter, et stellas iussit habere novem.