E. I

Iam Samos a laeva fuerant Naxosque relictae

. 133, Et Paros et Clario Delos amata deo,

106 Dextra Lebynthos erat silvisque umbrosa Calymne 111

Cinctaque piscosis Astypalaea vadis,

Quum puer, incautis nimium temerarius annis, 111 60 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.

106 a Tabuerant cerae : nudos quatit ille lacertos,

Et trepidat, nec quo sustineatur, habet. 150 Decidit, atque cadens “pater, o pater, auferor !” in

Clauserunt virides ora loquentis aquae. [quit, At pater infelix, nec iam pater, “Icare !" clamat, 70 “Icare," clamat “ubi es, quove sub axe volas ?" “Icare” clamabat, pinnas aspexit in undis.

Ossa tegit tellus : aequora nomen habent.

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. She returns with them to Greece.-(EPIST. EX PONTO, III. 2.)

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.

123

112

Description of the Altar, and its Aitendant Customs.
Est locus in Scythia, ... Tauros dixere priores...

Qui Getica longe non ita distat humo;
Hac ego sum terra, patriae nec paenitet, ortus: 134

Consortem Phoebi gens colit illa deam.
Templa manent hodie vastis innixa columnis,
Perque quater denos itur in illa gradus.

p. 148 E Fama refert illic signum caeleste fuisse,

Quoque minus dubites, stat basis orba dea: 119
Araque, quae fuerat natura candida saxi,
10 Decolor adfuso tincta cruore rubet.
Femina sacra facit taedae non nota iugali,

106 1
Quae superat Scythicas nobilitate nurus; 116
Sacrifici genus est,—sic instituere priores,
Advena virgineo caesus ut ense cadat.

I p. 142

1 (1) a Iphigenia is carried hither by Diana, and made priestess of her temple. Two captives are brought to her for sacrifice. 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
20 Creditur his Phoebe deposuisse locis.

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107c.

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.

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.

Spargit aqua captos lustrali Graia sacerdos, 112 30 Ambiat ut fulvas infula longa comas. 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.
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.

132 “ Alteruter votis" inquit “cadat hostia sacris : 40 Ad patrias sedes nuntius alter eat.”

145 a

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 :

Hic negat; inque vicem pugnat uterque mori. 140 4
Exstitit hoc unum, quod non convenerit illis :
Cetera par concors et sine lite fuit.

100 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,
50 Clamque per immensas puppe feruntur aquas.
Mirus amor iuvenum, quamvis abiere tot anni,

In Scythia magnum nunc quoque nomen habet.

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VIII.

ARION.

Thy skill, Arion !
Could humanise the creatures of the sea,
When men were monsters. -WORDSWORTH.

ARGUMENT. 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 iast 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, i. 24, and is a favourite subject on
Greek vases.

The Power of Arion's Music.
QUOD mare non novit, quae nescit Ariona tellus ? p.23, note
Carmine currentes ille tenebat aquas.

112 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 :

106 1 Et sine lite loquax cum Palladis alite cornix

Sedit, et accipitri iuncta columba fuit.
Cynthia saepe tuis fertur, vocalis Arion,
10 Tamquam fraternis obstupuisse modis.
The attack. Arion asks that he may sound his lyre for ine 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.

124 (1) Namque gubernator destricto constitit ense,

Ceteraque armata conscia turba manu. Quid tibi cum gladio ? dubiam rege, navita, pinum ; 20 Non haec sunt digitis arma tenenda tuis.

Ille, metu vacuus, “Mortem non deprecor" inquit, 119 6

“Sed liceat sumpta pauca referre lyra.”

111

125

The rescue.
Dant veniam, ridentque moram. Capit ille coronam,

Quae possit crines, Phoebe, decere tuos :: 150 Induerat Tyrio bis tinctam murice pallam :

Reddidit icta suos pollice chorda sonos, Flebilibus numeris veluti canentia dura Traiectus pinna tempora cantat olor.

100 Protinus in medias ornatus desilit undas,

Spargitur impulsa caerula puppis aqua; Inde... fide maius... tergo delphina recurvo 115 Se memorant oneri supposuisse novo.

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.

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