NOTES. I. CERES AND PROSERPINE. THE worship of Ceres at Rome was plainly, from the native name, of Italian origin. But the identification of Ceres with the Greek Demeter, and the early grouping together of Ceres, Liber, and Libera (= Gk. Persephone or Kópn), to whom the so-called temple of Ceres was really dedicated, point to very early Greek influence. Tradition relates that, when the city was harassed by famine, during the wars that followed the expulsion of the Tarquins, the Sibylline books were consulted, and, in accordance with their directions, a temple was dedicated, corn was imported from Magna Graecia and from Sicily, and with it the Greek cultus of Demeter. The priestesses of the temple were Greeks (from Naples or Velia), and all the names of sacred implements, etc., were Greek. (Cicero, Pro Balbo, 24: 55.) The story that follows is Greek, but is especially connected with the worship of Demeter in Sicily, where she had two famous shrines, at Henna and at Catana. It was from Henna probably that the cultus was introduced to Rome, and it is at Henna that the first scene of the story is laid. (For the traditional respect for these shrines see Cicero, c. Verr., V. 72: 187. "Ceres et Libera, quarum sacra P. R. a Graecis adscita et accepta tanta religione et publice et privatim tuetur, non ut ab illis huc adlata, sed ut ceteris hinc tradita esse videantur: quae ab isto uno sic polluta ac violata sunt ut simulacrum Cereris alterum Henna ex sua sede ac domo sustulerit," etc.) The meaning of the story seems plain-it has been called "The Myth of the Buried Seed-corn." The earth swallows up the grain which must remain through the winter in the ground before the golden harvest can again gladden the goddess's eyes. I. 2. 3. Tribus scopulis. Pelorus at the north-east, Pachynum at the store-house of corn, see Cicero, Verr. II. 1-3; it is, "Rei 4. Henna. For a description of the place, see Cicero, Verr. IV. 48. It was an important town in the very centre of Sicily ("Locus, quod in media est insula situs, umbilicus Siciliae nominatur "), on a high hill, with a table land of about three miles, well watered, falling off into the plain in steep precipices. Around it are several woods and lakes, with banks covered with flowers. The scene of the abduction of Proserpine was traditionally laid by one of these lakelets, called Pergus, about five miles from Henna, surrounded by precipitous hills. Pluto is said to have sprung out from a grotto by the side of the lake. 5. Arethusa. See Cicero, Verr. IV. 52. A copious spring of fresh water on the island of Ortygia, at Syracuse. It was fabled that its nymph had escaped under the sea from Elis, pursued by the river god Alpheius. See Ovid, Metamorphoses, V. 592, and Shelley's poem Arethusa. 7. The matron-goddesses alone had gone to the feast-so Proserpine was left alone with her maiden companions. Caelestum, some I-words, especially those in ans, ens, drop the i in the gen. plur. 6. Flava. The epithet is taken from the colour of the ripe corn. Consuetis puellis, with an epithet the preposition ab (of the agent) is sometimes omitted. Ut erat, just as she was, i.e. without preparation. 8. II. Sua. As consecrated to her. See note on 1. 3. Cf. the description of Paradise in Milton's Paradise Lost, IV. 246-48: The flowery lap Of some irriguous valley spread her store, 15. Prolectat, allures them on (pro, forward). 16. Et non. The negative forms one word with sentitur, "is unfelt." 18. Gremium, the lap, formed by the closed hands against the chest ; sinus, the loose fold of the tunic held apron-wise. 21. 22. 24. Hyacinthe, the figure called apostrophe, where the subject is The flowers of the greatest delicacy. For this list of flowers, cf. 28. Caeruleis. Apparently the blue of blue steel, a colour of mourning, and suited to the grim Pluto. Patruus. Proserpine was daughter of Jupiter and Ceres. See below, 153. 30. -que is transferred to this place by a poetical license. Generally when this is the case, the word to which it is attached is common to the two words or clauses coupled by it; e.g., Tibullus, I. 3, 56: Messalam terra dum sequiturque mari. In any case the word to which it is transposed must be a leading word in the line. It is usually the verb. 31. Panditur, i.e., through the earth, as is shown by what follows. In the Metamorphoses, Pluto carries the girl through Palici to Ortygia before he descends. So Cicero, Verr. IV. 48: "Non longe a Syracusis penetrasse sub terras.' The steeds of the infernal king are unused to the light. 33. Aequales, playmates. What is the literal meaning? 39. In what case is quales, and why? 41. Sua, corresponds to vitulo, which, though not the subject, is the prominent word in the sentence. See L. Gr. 145 a. 42. Nec...et, the Greek oŬTE...TE. 47. 48. Take the non in nec with retinet. Apparently an inconsistency; the car (1. 28) would leave different traces. Sues. Swine were sacrificed to Ceres, not oxen. The former trample down the corn, the latter help to plough the land to receive it. Cf. Fasti, IV. 414 (just before the story): Bos aret; ignavam sacrificate suem. 52. Ales, the nightingale. Ityn, son of Tereus and Procne, whom the latter slew to revenge herself for her husband's infidelity with Philomela. 57. Vidisset, the conditional with omitted si. Cf. Virgil: Partem opere in tanto, sineret dolor, Icare haberes. 59, 60. 61. = The an, which asks an alternative question, or was it (that)—? The fires of Aetna were accounted for in the old mythologies by the belief that under it was buried a fire-breathing giant, Typhoeus, whom Jove killed with a thunderbolt. For the legend, cf. Cicero, Verr. IV. 48: "Quam quum investigare et conquirere Ceres vellet, dicitur inflammasse taedas iis ignibus qui ex Aetnae vertice erumpunt." ." Anhelatis, breathed out. 64. Note how all the incidents have some reference to the rites of Ceres-worship. 69. Syrtes (σúpw), dangerous sandbanks on the coast of Africa (modern Tunis). The geographical order is confused: some have supposed that this is another sandbank, on the coast of Sicily. Zanclaea, on the Messana side. Zancle was an old name of Messana, from the shape of the harbour, which is that of a sickle (Cάyêλov). Nisaei, a not uncommon confusion. Scylla, the sea-monster, alluded to here, is a different character from Scylla, daughter of Nisus, king of Megara (a kind of Greek Dalilah), who, to please her lover, cut off the purple lock of her father's hair on which his life depended. 71. Bimarem, a stock epithet of Corinth, placed between the Saronic and the Corinthian gulfs. 74 Triste, a rock near Eleusis, called 'AyéλaσTos. 75. the Athenians. Sub Iove, in the open air. Cecropidae, 78. Hoc, other MSS. read haec or hic. Hoc is more likely to have been corrected into these, and, therefore, is probably the true reading. 79. Ille, Celeus. Mora, blackberries. 83. A very tender touch: she cannot resist the appeal to motherly feeling. 85. Urget. The use of the indicative with quamvis is confined to poetry. 87. Anum, a bold ellipsis for se anum esse: we might say, "She had feigned the old woman. Mitra was, like the Scotch coif, the sign of matronhood. QI, 92. 95. 97. 100. The gutta corresponds to tears in mortals. ὁρῶ· κατ ̓ ὄσσων δ ̓ οὐ θέμις βαλεῖν δάκρυ. So Homer's Iliad, V. 339: δέε δ' ἄμβροτον αἷμα θεοῖο, ἰχώρ, οἷός πέρ τε ῥέει μακάρεσσι θεοῖσιν. and Milton, Paradise Lost, I. 620: Thrice, in spite of scorn, Tears, such as angels weep, burst forth. Cf. Euripides, Sic, on this condition (i.e., that you rise). As you wish your daughter to be safe, rise, etc. Qua, the adjuration by which Malis. It seems best to take this as an ablative of cause, the in of invigilo being intensive. It might possibly be a dative. 106. The mystic rites involved a fast like the Mohammedan Ramazan, which ended at nightfall. This is another of the touches to account for existing customs; there is nothing in the story to explain imprudens, or to give any reason why she should not break her fast. The poet must have understood that there was a vow not to eat. 115. Liquefacta, curds mashed up with milk, so as to form a soft pulp. 117. Compare this with the story as told in the Metamorphoses. (Stories from Ovid, IX. 62, foll.) 120. Triptolemus was associated with Ceres in her worship. There was an image of him at Henna, in the open space before the temple. (Cicero, Verr. IV. 49.) 121. The number three is always connected with charms among the Greeks and Romans. So, to avert the anger of the gods at a proud speech, τρὶς εἰς ἐμὸν ἔπτυσα κόλπον. —Theocritus. |