redde etiam excubias divae nunc, ante iuvencae, 31 aurea Phoebi Quaeris, cur veniam tibi tardior. sions as thank-offerings cf. Arr. 61. excubias: cf. 2, .33, 1-2; Tib. 1, 3, 25, n. — divae . . . iuvencae cf. vv. 17, 18, nn. 62. decem: the same number as ritual prescribed for the goddess. Cf. Cumont, Oriental Relig. in Rom. Paganism, p. 90. 2, 31 Propertius apologizes for his tardiness in meeting an engage ment (presumably with Cynthia) with the excuse that the fascination of the newly opened temple of Apollo on the Palatine, including the sacred inclosure and its surrounding porticus, had detained him. Beginning with the porticus and its decorations he describes what he had seen in proceeding even to the image of the god in the cella of the temple itself. The brevity of this description may be explained by the facts that in excusing tardiness prolixity is out of place, and that up to this period in the poet's compositions this was an unusual type of subject, which he might attack with some hesitation. The impression made upon him by the whole architectural and decorative scheme is clearly that produced by a novelty, and we must date the poem on the day of opening the temple, Oct. 9, 28 B.C. The work of building had commenced soon after the return of Augustus from the defeat of Sextus Pompey in 36 B.C. But the temple was known as that of Apollo Actius through whose favor Octavian in 31 B.C. had won his final victory 5 tota erat in speciem Poenis digesta columnis, inter quas Danai femina turba senis. hic equidem Phoebo visus mihi pulchrior ipso marmoreus tacita carmen hiare lyra, atque aram circum steterant armenta Myronis, 31. 3. tota w tanta 0. stricto stat ferus ense pater. Acron, quoted by the Scholiast at Persius 1, 56, states that (bronze) equestrian statues of their ill-fated husbands stood in front of them in the open space of the sacred inclosure. 5. hic adv. Propertius unconsciously assumes that the reader has followed him through the colonnade and out into the area where stood this famous statue of Apollo near the altar in front of the temple. — equidem : emphasizes mihi. — pulchrior ipso: cf. the slang phrase, "as big as life and twice as natural." 6. marmoreus: sc. Phoebus. tacita . . . lyra: with concessive force.hiare: active; 'to be opening his lips in song.' The type of this Apollo has not been certainly identified. 7. steterant: had taken their stand, and so were standing.' armenta Myronis: Myron, a sculptor contemporary with Polyclitus and Phidias, worked mostly in bronze, and achieved special distinction for his realistic representations of animals as well as human figures. Cf. Gardner, Handbook of Greck Sculpture, p. 287. 10 15 quattuor artifices, vivida signa, boves. tum medium claro surgebat marmore templum, et patria Phoebo carius Ortygia. in quo Solis erat supra fastigia currus, et valvae, Libyci nobile dentis opus, altera deiectos Parnasi vertice Gallos, altera maerebat funera Tantalidos. deinde inter matrem deus ipse interque sororem Pythius in longa carmina veste sonat. currus: as an 11. Şolis acroterium ornament at the apex of the pediment. How many others were on this roof is unknown; Pliny (N. H. 36, 5, 13) states that there were at any rate statues of Bupalus and Athenis. This kind of architectural adornment grew in popularity. In a corresponding position on the temple of the Capitoline Juppiter, which Octavian restored in this same year, stood a statue of Jove in a quadriga. On the next Capitoline-Juppiter temple, built after the fire of 69 A.D., stood not only a similar statue, but also two other chariots, two eagles, and statues of the Capitoline trinity of gods, Juppiter, Juno, and Minerva; cf. Platner, p. 283. 12. dentis: ivory.' 13. altera in partitive apposition with valvae: sc. maerebat from v. 14. The Gauls under Brennus attacked Delphi in 279 B.C., but were routed through the interposition of Apollo himself. Cf. 3, 13, 51: torrida sacrilegum testantur limina Brennum, dum petit intonsi Pythia regna dei; Paus. 1, 4, 4. 14. maerebat: 'pictured the pitiful story of.' — funera Tantalidos: the death of the children of Niobe, whom Apollo and his sister Artemis punished for her presumptuous pride in them. 15. deinde: i.e. leaving the outside of the temple, and entering the ivory-carven doors, we are face to face with the object of supreme interest, the famous statue of Apollo Citharoedus by Scopas. - matrem: the statue of Leto was by the younger Cephisodotus; cf. Pliny, N. H. 36, 5, 24.sororem: the Artemis was a work of Timotheus; cf. Pliny, N. H. 36, 5, 32. 16. Cf. Tib. 2, 5, I, n. LIBER TERTIVS I Callimachi manes et Coi sacra Philetae, in vestrum, quaeso, me sinite ire nemus. primus ego ingredior puro de fonte sacerdos 1. 1. Philetae N Philitae FLDV. 3, 1 (and 2) At the beginning of Book 3 the poet magnifies his office, and defines its scope. In the Mss. a new poem begins with v. 39; but it is probably best to regard the two elegies as originally a unit, since neither seems quite complete without the other. 1-6: Callimachus and Philetas, let me be your representative successor as the Roman elegist, and reveal to me the sources of your inspiration; 7-20: already in my chosen field I am leaving far behind those who essay epic strains; so, Muses, wreath me with your own garlands; 21-38 what care I for the envious detractor of to-day? I foresee that after death I shall be to elegy as Homer is to the epic art; 1-10 so let me return to my own sphere, that many a fair lady may dote upon my verses- what wonder if they do, when we remember Orpheus, Amphion, and Galatea! 11-16: For I must win my friends not by wealth, but by the aid of the Muses; 17-26: and so, fortunate indeed is she who gains a name through my pen! The splendors of the external world will perish by fire and flood, but the glory of genius dieth not.' 1. Callimachi: the two great Alexandrian elegists are named in the order of their importance; cf. Intr. $$ 7-9.- manes .... sacra: both words are to be taken with both genitives. Propertius asks to enter the sacred grove (nemus, v. 2) where as the accepted priest he can perform the sacred rites in honor of the souls of his great models. 3. primus: the claim is that he is the first to measure up to the standards of the Alexandrian tradition; Propertius has not already forgotten the list of his predecessors in Roman elegy with which the previous poem in the collection closes; but his temper here is essentially that of 4, 1, 64. In this sort of self-conceit Propertius is perhaps primus inter pares among the Romans; but cf. Hor. Car. 3, 30, 13: princeps 5 10 15 Itala per Graios orgia ferre choros. dicite, quo pariter carmen tenuastis in antro? quo me Fama levat terra sublimis, et a me 4. The figure of carrying Italian mysteries through the mazes of Greek dances means the treating of the secrets of love among the Italians in the Greek style. Cf. Cat. 64, 259: obscura cavis celebrabant orgia cistis; Sen. Herc. Aet. 594: nos Cadmeis orgia ferre tecum solitae condita cistis; Enk, ad loc. 5. pariter of the two elegists in v. I. carmen tenuastis: 'spin your fine thread of song.' 6. pede if this refers to meter at all, it is to refinement in treatment. The poet's questions have an eye to his initiation into the deeper mysteries of the elegiac art as practiced by Callimachus and Philetas. 7. valeat: Propertius will soon leave such a poet far behind. moratur tries to hold the attention of'; cf. Hor. A. P. 321: valdius oblectat populum meliusque moratur. 8. Polish, rather than a great theme, is his boast. 9. quo i.e. such a versus. 10. coronatis equis: cf. Ovid, Trist. 4, 2, 22: ante coronatos ire videbit equos. II. Amores : as children of triumphing generals, who sometimes took their children with them, e.g. Germanicus; cf. Tac. Ann. 2, 41, 4: currusque quinque liberis onustus. 14. currere purpose inf. = ad currendum. - lata via: where it is easy for a number to vie in reaching a goal. The particular Via Lata at Rome was identical with the modern Corso, whose name is significant in this con nection. |