thereby the Bleffings the Romans enjoyed under the mild Reign of Auguftus. Si quâ ratione; as in Virgil, Si quâ fata afpera rumpas. The Word vagans is very expreffive of the wide Havock made by thofe Gladiators, who spread themselves to the farthest Part of the Country of the Brutii, where they were cut to Pieces by Licinius Craffus. DACIER. 8 Albefcens capillus.] Horace was then 42 Years old. 9 Calidus juventa, Confule Planco.] Horace was born under the Confulship of L. Manlius Torquatus, in the Year of Rome 689; and the L. Munatius Plancus, here mentioned, was Conful in the Year 711: So that Horace was then but in his 23d Year. 10 Non ego hoc ferrem.] Ferrem is here put for tulifem: This Change of the Tenfe is frequent in good Authors. DACIER. ******** **** O DE XV. THO To CHLOR I S. HOU Wife of Ibycus the Poor, And, And, like a Kid, with better Grace, NOTE S. This Ode is entirely fatirical. Horace wrote it against Chloris, the Mother of Pholoë. It is uncertain at what Time it was made. However, it feems probable, that it was written after the 23d Ode of the first, and the 5th Ode of the fecond Book. 1 Uxor pauperis Ibyci.] When the Courtezans began to grow old, it was ufual with them (that they might more fafely profecute their infamous Commerce) to marry fuch poor Men as this Ibycus, who were rather their Slaves than Hufbands. Thus this firft Verse is very fatirical, and Horace defcribes her Trade barely by calling her the Wife of poor Ibycus. DACIER. In like manner a Lady of Quality, in the Reign of Queen Anne, married a Footman, to fkreen herself from her Creditors. The Confequence was, he was thrown into the Fleet, and he retired into Holland. 2 Luceria was an ancient and confiderable City of Daunian Apulia: The Pafture-Grounds about it were excellent, Strabo fays, that the Wool of that Country was finer and more foft than the Wool of Tarentum, but not fo white. ODE ODE XVI. To MACENAS. By Mr. J. DUNCOMBE. 'W T 2 ITHIN a brazen Tower immur'd, cur'd From 3 nightly Lovers Danaë ; But all the Father's fruitlefs Cares, His jealous Doubts, and anxious Fears, 4 Venus and fove in fecret fmil'd to fee: They knew no Gates so strong, no Dogs so bold, As to exclude a God transform'd to Gold. When Gold appears, what Guards deny Rocks open, at the Touch of Gold. And all his Family betray'd, or fold: Rough Captains, boisterous as the Seas, Wealth ever is purfu'd by Care. 70 Glory "O Glory of th' Equestrian Name, Maecenas! Diffidence and Shame Allow me not aloft my Head to rear. The more each Man fhall to himself deny, The more the Gods shall all his Wants supply. I, to no wild Defires a Slave, Join with the few, that nothing crave, Than if, amidst exhaustless Plenty, poor, What though, in ermin'd Purple gay,' With fure Increase repays the Tiller's Toil, What though no Gallic Flocks for Me Distills her honey'd Sweets; nor Cafks You freely will bestow, if more he asks; But, fee his Description of it, which is not very different from this of Horace. Κατὰ δέ ψυχρὸν ξείν ύδως Υψόθεν ἐκ πέτρης· &c. Where, from the Rock, with liquid Lapse distills Neritus, Ithacus, Polyctor, there In fculptur'd Stone immortalis'd their Care, And shaded with a green furrounding Grove; POPE. In Ovid's third Book de Faftis, Numa offers a Sacrifice to a Fountain, in all respects like this, only he gives a Sheep, whereas Horace here promises a Kid : Fonti rex Numa mactat ovem, Plenaque odorati difponit pocula Bacchi. We have here a Victim, Wine, and Crowns; for plena pocula odorati Bacchi, full Cups of fragrant Wine, is the fame thing as pocula floribus coronata, Cups of Wine crown. ed with Flowers, or (in Horace's Words) merum cum floribus. This Paffage of Ovid ought, therefore, to be tranflated thus: King Numa facrifices a Sheep to this Fountain, and places on its Banks full Cups of Wine crowned with Flowers.' We are alfo taught here one Particular, which is not expreffed in Horace, namely, that after having offered up a Sheep or a Kid, and poured out a little Wine to make Libations, the Cups, with the Wine in them, were placed on the Margin of the Fountain, to invite the Gods of those Streams to come and drink of it. DACIER. The |