Unde hominum genus et pecudes; unde imber et ignes; This sounds' like a modern scientific lecture in verse. What was then a mere legend, whence derived no one knows, has since been found to be in harmony with the clearest evidences of science. 742. Errantem lunam. Referring to the revolutions of the moon in her orbit. Solis labores, i. e. eclipses of the sun. With this line compare Geo. I. 337: Quos ignis caeli Cyllenius erret in orbis. And II. 478: Defectus solis varios, lunaeque labores. 744. Pluvias Hyadas. The Hyades were the daughters of Atlas. The constellation was called "pluviae," because it set at twilight in the rainy months of August and November. Cf. Spenser (F. Q. III. I. 57) : And the moist daughters of huge Atlas 745 750 755 And whether now on new adventure Who with bold grace, and comely gravity, Troy, that art now nought but an idle name, Though whilome far much greater then thy fame, Upon thee heapt a direfull destinie! SPENSER, F. Q. III. IX. 33. Illustrious Troy! renown'd in every clime Though chiefs unnumber'd in her cause were slain, At midnight was involved in Grecian flame; And now, by time's deep ploughshare harrow'd o'er, FALCONER, Shipwreck, III. Conticuere omnes, intentique ora tenebant. 3. Compare Homer, Od. IX. 13: But now thy mind is moved to ask of me Thus Ulysses begins the story of his wanderings; and Dante (Inf. I. 4) thus begins the relation of his dream : Ah me! how hard a thing it is to say What was this forest savage, rough, and stern, 5 Which in the very thought renews the fear. And again (Inf. XXXIII. 4-6) one in torment explains the cause of his condition : Thou wilt that I renew The desperate grief, which wrings my heart already To think of only, ere I speak of it. Et quorum pars magua fui. Quis talia fando Глојни ветов Fracti bello fatisque repulsi Ductores Danaûm, tot iam labentibus annis, Est in conspectu Tenedos, notissima fama Aulis: 10 15 20 6-8. Cf. Tattler, No. 134; and Spec- the Greeks sacrificed to the winds at tator, No. 84; and Spenser (F. Q. III. IX. 39): O lamentable fall of famous towne, Aulide quo pacto Triviai virginis aram Iphianassai turparunt sanguine foede Ductores Danaum delecti, prima virorum LUCR. I. 84-6. 15 Divina Palladis arte Minerva was regarded in the ancient myth What stony hart, that heares thy haplesse ology as the goddess of wisdom and skill fate, As here she is represented as teaching Diva quibus retinens in summis urbibus arces Ipsa levi fecit volitantem flamine currum, Pinea coniungens inflexae texta carinae. 21. Tenedos. This island was once - 8. Temperet, 208.- 10. Cognoscere, 163.. 12. Meminisse, 160. Horret, 202. 1). — Luctu, 136.-14. Labentibus annis, 155. — 15. Montis, 96. Insula, dives opum, Priami dum regna manebant, Hic Dolopum manus, hic saevus tendebat Achilles; celebrated for its laws and civil institu- Troy was overcome by the fraud of the wooden horse, it was in a poetic sense the gateway by which Aeneas went forth to establish the Roman empire in Italy." 34. Dolo. The fact that the wife and son of this prince had been put to death by the order of Priam, would give color to this suspicion. 36. Danaum insidias. From Homer's account we get a glimpse within the horse. Menelaus thus recalls to Helen that stirring time (Od. IV. 351, seq.): Witness what he did And bore, the heroic man, what time we The bravest of the Argives, pent within Whence issued forth the Romans' gentle | Slaughter and death. Thou camest to the seed. place, Moved, as it seemed, by some divinity 25. Abiisse, 219.-27. Ire, 158. -30. Classibus, 102.-31. Minervae, 87.- |