105 110 Βάρδισται μακάρων, Ὥραι φίλαι· ἀλλὰ ποθειναὶ 104. Βάρδισται. For βράδισται. Comp. Homer, Il. Φ. 530. Matth. Gr. Gr. $130. 1. The Hours are called "veloces by Ovid, Met. ii. 118. 105. Αἰεί τι. I. e. νέον καὶ φίλον. Pindar calls the Hours ταμίαι ἀνδράσι πλούτου, Olymp. xiii. 9. Comp. Idyl i. 150. Ovid, Met. ii. 25. seqq. 108. ̓Αμβροσίαν. Ovid imitates this passage in speaking of the deification of Eneas, Met. xiv. 606. “ Ambrosia cum dulci nectare mista Contigit os; fecitque Deum.” 109. Τὶν δέ. Comp. ii. 11. iii. 33. — Πολύνας. She is called ποικιλόθρονος by Sappho, in the Hymn to Venus, preserved by Dionysius of Halicarnassus, περὶ Συνθ. c. 23. "Ornat" in the Latin translations. “With nature's luxuries to adorn.” Polwhele. See Madam Dacier on Callimachus, Dian. vs. 34. 112. Πὰρ μέν οἱ. Comp. Catullus, lxiv. 281. At the feast of Adonis were carried shells flled with earth, in which grew several sorts of herbs, especially lettuces, in remembrance that Adonis was laid out by Venus on a bed of lettuces. These were called κῆποι ; whence Αδώνιδος κῆποι are proverbially applied to things unfruitful or fading; because these herbs were only sown so long before the festival, as to sprout forth and be green at that time. They were afterwards cast into the water. — Δρυός ἄκρα. Periphrasis for trees. Kiessling translates it borum rami." Apus properly signifies an oak-tree. It is often used for tall, strong fruit-trees. — 114. Χρύσει ̓ ἀλάβαστρα. Golden vases of Syrian ointment. These vases were so named from the stone of which they were usually made. See Schneider's Lex. N. T. "" ar 115. Είδατα. Cakes.— Ἐπὶ πλαθάνῳ. Πλάθανος, or πλάθανον, was a Πάντ ̓ αὐτῷ πετεηνὰ καὶ ἑρπετὰ τῇδε πάρεστι. Πωτῶνται, πτερύγων πειρώμενοι, ὄζον ἀπ ̓ ὄζω. 125 - 120. Δέδμανται. For δέδμηνται, are constructed. 121. Αηδονιδῆες. Young nightingales. 'Andovideùs is a kind of patronymic. Comp. v. 38. Matth. Gr. Gr. § 101. obs. i. 122. Οζον ἀπ ̓ ὄζω. I. e. ἀπ' ὅζου ἐπ ̓ ὅζον, from spray to spray. Comp. Bion, ii. 6. Griffiths on Eschylus, P. V. 682. - 123. Ω ἔβενος. "Ω is an adverb expressing wonder. When not joined with a vocative, it is always written with an acute accent. 124. Οινοχόον. Ganymede. “ We cannot easily determine, whether these figures were in tapestry, painting, or sculpture. The critics have very confused and discordant ideas on the subject. There is every reason to think that some of them were solid figures, and there is no doubt but tapestry was the most conspicuous and ornamental part of the scene." Warton.-This passage seems to have given Virgil the hint for his most beautiful piece of tapestry, Æn, v. 252. " Intextusque puer fron. dosa regius Ida Veloces jaculo cervos cursuque fatigat Acer, anhelanti similis, quem præpes ab Ida Sublimem pedibus rapuit Jovis armiger uncis. Longevi palmas nequicquam ad sidera tendunt Custodes; sævitque canum latratus in auras.” “ This description,” says Warton, “ is extremely picturesque: the circumstances of the boy's panting, the old men lifting up their hands, and, above all, the dogs looking up and barking after him, are painted in the liveliest manner imaginable.” Comp. Spencer, F. Q. iii. 11. 125. ̓́Ανω. Supply τοῦ κλιντῆρος. · Μαλακώτεροι ὕπνω. Comp. v. 51. Hermann puts vs. 126. in parentheses, and joins πορφύρεοι δὲ τάπητες with ἔστρωται κλίνα. Toup joins ἄνω with μαλακώτεροι ὕπνω, because the tapestries were soft and shaggy on the upper side, smooth and hard on the other side. — 126. Α Μίλατος ἐρεῖ. The Samian and Milesian swains, who keep large flocks, acknowledge 't is more soft than sleep." Fawkes. Comp. Virgil, Georg. iii. 306. "Germania" is used for Germans in Virgil, Ecl. i. 63. 127. Αλλα. A second couch is strewed for the beautiful Adonis. - 129. Οκτω καιδεκέτης. Comp. Homer, Il. Χ. 349. Οὐ κεντεῖ τὸ φίλαμ ̓· ἔτι οἱ περὶ χείλεα πυῤῥά. 130 135 Ἕρπεις, ὦ φίλ ̓ Αδωνι, καὶ ἐνθάδε, κῆς ̓Αχέροντα, Αμιθέων, ὡς φαντὶ, μονώτατος· οὔτ ̓ Αγαμέμνων Τοῦτ ̓ ἔπαθ ̓, οὔτ ̓ Αἴας ὁ μέγας βαρυμάνιος ἥρως, Οὔθ ̓ Εκτωρ Εκάβας ὁ γεραίτατος εἴκατι παίδων, Οὐ Πατροκλῆς, οὐ Πύῤῥος ἀπὸ Τροίας ἐπανελθών, 140 Οὔθ ̓ οἱ ἔτι πρότεροι Λαπίθαι καὶ Δευκαλίωνες, Οὐ Πελοπηϊάδαι τε καὶ "Αργεος ἄκρα Πελασγοί. Ἵλαθι νῦν, φίλ ̓ Αδωνι, καὶ ἐς νέωτ ̓ εὐθυμήσαις. Καὶ νῦν ἦνθες, Αδωνι, καὶ, ὅκκ ̓ ἀφίκῃ, φίλος ἡξεῖς. 137. Μονώτατος. The only one of all the Demigods. This superlative is found also in Aristoph. Plut. 182. Eq. 351. See Bergler's note on the former passage, Fischer on Weller, ii. p. 111. and Matth. Gr. Gr. § 133. 5. 138. Τοῦτ ̓ ἔπαθε. Experienced this. Comp. Viger, v. § 9, 10. seqq. 139. Εἴκατι παίδων. Theocritus follows Simonides with respect to the number of Hecuba's children. They were nineteen according to Homer, Il. Ω. 496. Comp. Davis are meant. on Cicero, Tusc. i. 35. — 140. Πατροκλῆς. For this form, see Matth. Gr. Gr. § 92. 1. — 141. Δευκαλίωνες. For Δευκαλίων. Thus Plutarch, de Fort. Rom. Πηλεῖς καὶ ̓Αγχίσαι καὶ Ωρίωνες καὶ Ημαθίωνες. Comp. Longinus, xxiii. 3. Some suppose the sons of Deucalion 142. Πελοπηϊάδαι. For Πολοπίδαι. This form is used also by Pindar, Nem. viii. 21. Comp. Dawes, Misc. Crit. p. 173. and Matth. Gr. Gr. § 100. who thinks it formed from an obsolete nom. sing. as Αἰθιοπῆας in Homer, Il. A. 422. from Αἰθιοπεύς. ̓́Αργεος ἄκρα. The aborigines of Argos. Similar to this is " summa ducum Atrides," in Ovid. 143. Ιλαθι. Α poetical imperative. Comp. Matth. Gr. Gr. 238. — Καὶ ἐς νέωτα, And for the next year. Comp. Spanheim on Callimachus, H. Cer. 139. 'Es véwr' is a spondee. 144. Καὶ νῦν ἦνθες. Supply φίλος. ΓΟΡΓΩ. Πραξινόα, το χρήμα σοφώτερον. ὁ θήλεια 145 ΕΛΕΝΗΣ ΕΠΙΘΑΛΑΜΙΟΣ. ΕΙΔΥΛΛΙΟΝ ιη'. Ἔν ποκ' ἄρα Σπάρτα, ξανθότριχι πὰρ Μενελάῳ, Παρθενικαὶ θάλλοντα κόμαις ὑάκινθον ἔχοισαι, Πρόσθε νεογράπτω θαλάμω χορὸν ἐστάσαντο, Δώδεκα ταὶ πρᾶται πόλιος, μέγα χρῆμα Λακαινᾶν, Ανίκα Τυνδάρεω κατεκλάξατο τὰν ἀγαπατὰν 5 ΕΛΕΝΗΣ ΕΠΙΘΑΛΑΜΙΟΣ. THE EPITHALAMIUM OF HELEN. Twelve noble virgins of Sparta, having their hair inwreathed with hyacinths, assemble before the bridal chamber of Menelaus and Helen, and chant the Hymeneal Song. They are merry with the bridegroom, and full of the praises of Helen. Some pretend that this beautiful poem is an imitation of Stesichorus: others suppose that Theocritus, while living at the court of Ptolemy Philadelphus, had an opportunity of reading the Septuagint, and transferred some of the fine images of this Idyl from the Song of Solomon. 1. Εν ποκ' ἄρα. Once according to custom at Sparta, i. e. as was usual on such occasions. This is the true meaning of apa in the present passage. It may be expressed in Latin by "rite," or "de more." Comp. xxiv. 42. and see Buttmann's Gr. Gr. § 149. Harles says it stands for μὲν οὖν, οι μὲν δὴ, and is correlative to δὲ in vs. 7. refer ring us to Hoogeveen de Part. Gr. p. 126. For this custom of singing and dancing before the bridal chamber, see Potter, Arch. Gr. iv. 11. and Robinson's Ant. Gr. iv. 11. — Πὰρ ΜενεAάw. In like manner the Latins say apud Menelaum,” at the house, or palace of Menelaus.· - 2. Θάλλοντα κόμαις. Comp. Horace, Od. i. 4. 9. Milton, P. L. iv. 301.3. Νεογράπτω. I. e. newly hung with rich tapestry. It was usual for the bridegroom to have a new bridal chamber prepared before the day of the nuptials and superbly hung with tapestry. See Feith. Antiq. Homer, ii. 14. 2. Apoll. Rhod. i. 775. Homer, Il. P. 36. and Potter, 1. c. 4. Δώδεκα. The epithalamium was sung by youths, or virgins, and frequently by both. Μέγα χρῆμα. The great wonder of the Spartan virgins, on account of their beauty. See Viger, iii. § 13. 1. seqq. — 5. Τὰν ἀγαπατάν. The beloved daughter. |