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," 66 revered them and deprecate their anger. was given, in order to soothe summæ, the surface. 50. legem, in appos. with ne flectat, etc. 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. 74. squalidus, in mourning. — Cereris munere, food. 77. Rhodopen: a reminiscence of the ancient accusative of the end of motion, which was retained in common use only with the names of towns. 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 (§ 51, 1, b; 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 place 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 Amycle, 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, Phœbus 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. — immunitam, 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 (§ 52, 3, b; G. 331, R), but. 206. scripto, inscription; see v. 215. 207. heros, Ajax, which name in Greek was Aïas. 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. nŏtam, bruise. 13. pedes, i. e. of Orpheus. 15. mollita, i. e. like this stone. 16. infracto, curved. The Phrygian pipe - called Berecyntian, from Berecyntus, the chief seat of the worship of Cybele was curved at the end into the shape of a horn. 17 plausus, clapping of hands: these various sounds were connected with the orgiastic worship of Bacchus. 18. obstrepuere, drowned. 22. Mænǎdes, the name of the female worshippers of Bacchus, from μαίνεσθαι, to save. - rapuere, tore in pieces. 24. luce, by day-light. 25. structo utrimque theatro, amphitheatre: the Greek term was not yet introduced into Latin. The space in the middle was spread with sand, hence the term arena. 28. thrysos, a rod crowned with a pine-cone or with ivy, carried by Bacchus and his votaries. —munera, service. 37. feræ, the wild women. 48. carbasa, light garments. black. obstrusa pullo, obscured with 52. flebile nescio quid queritur, utters some tearful complaint. 54. populare, of their native land. 55. Methymnæi, so called from the city Methymna. Lesbos was afterwards celebrated for its lyric poets, particularly Alcæus and Sappho. 58. tandem: implying that Phoebus should have protected him before. 62. arva piorum, the Elysian fields, the abode of the blessed. 64. modo, now, corresponding to nunc . . . nunc. 67. Lyæus, an epithet of Bacchus : Bacchus as well as Apollo was a patron of poets. 68. sacrorum suorum: Orpheus had introduced these into Thrace. 70. videre: the infinitive would be videre: it means here participated in. XI. 16–145.] XVII. The Story of Midas. 243 XVII. THE STORY OF MIDAS. XI. 86. Timoli, Timolus (or Tmolus), a mountain in Lydia, from which the river Pactolus flows. 87. aureus: this will be explained by the story now to be related. 89. satyri: a woodland race, half men and half goats, who followed in the train of Bacchus. - Baccha: the female worshippers of Bacchus, also called Manades. : 90. Silenus, the foster-father of Bacchus he too was of the nature of the satyrs. 91. coronis: the ancients, when carousing, wore garlands of flowers. 92. Midan, a mythical king of Lydia, a country which possessed great power in the sixth and seventh centuries B. C., its territory comprising the whole western half of Asia Minor. It was conquered by the Persian Cyrus, B. C. 546. 93. Eumolpo, a Thracian singer, who found a home in Attica (called Cecropia, from a very ancient mythical king of Athens, Cecrops). 98. undecimus, the tenth: the ancients, in counting a series, reckoned the one from which the series began, as being the first from itself. 106. Berecyntius: Midas was son of Cybele. 107. polliciti, the promise. 108. non qualifies altā, which agrees with ilice. 117. eludere, deceive. 118. animo capit, comprehends or realizes.—fingens, fancying. 120. tosta: in early times the corn was parched before being ground. 124. premebat, spread over, agrees with lamina. 131. splendida : even his skin was tinged with gold. 132. Lenæe, an epithet of Bacchus. 134. mite, sc. est. 135. facti fide, in testimony of the act. 137. Sardibus: Sardes was capital of Lydia; it was north of Tmolus. 138. undis follows obvius. 140. plurimus, in full stream. 141. corpus, obj. of elue. 145. madidis, steeped with. |