ODE XII. NEOBULE'S SOLILOQUY. Most of the earlier commentators took it for granted that the poet is here addressing Neobule. Dillenburger, Orelli, and Macleane prefer to consider that Neobule is throughout the How unhappy the lot of poor girls; neither play to their fancies in love, Neither balm for their sorrows in wine! frightened out of their souls by the lash In the tongue of some testy relation.1 Neobùle, wing'd Love has flown off with thy spindles and basket of wools! And thy studious delight in the toils of Minerva is chased from thy heart By young Hebrus, the bright Liparæan. Hardy swimmer in Tiber to plunge gleaming shoulders anointed with oil! Sure, Bellerophon rode not so well; as a boxer no arm is so strong; And no foot is so fleet as a runner. Skilful marksman, when over the champaign the hounds drive and scatter the deer, To select the right stag for his dart; and as nimble to start the wild boar, Lurking grim in the dense forest-thicket. 1 Literally 'uncle.' 'Uncles,' Torrentius observes, had considerable power over their nephews and nieces by the Roman law, and, being less indulgent than fathers, their severity passed into a proverb.' the ode addressing herself. The poem is, perhaps, more or less imitated from one by Alcæus, of which only a single verse is preserved. The metre of the ode has given much trouble to commentators, especially to those who insist upon the theory that all Horace's odes are reducible to quatrain stanzas, while this ode is in a stanza of three lines, according to the authority of MSS. (with the exception of the Turinese one). An attempt to remodel it into quatrain will be found in Orelli's excursus to the ode, and is adopted by Yonge in his edition. CARM. XII. Miserarum est neque amori dare ludum, neque dulci Patruæ verbera linguæ.1 Tibi qualum Cytherea puer ales, tibi telas Simul unctos Tiberinis humeros lavit in undis, Catus idem per apertum fugientes agitato ODE XIII. TO THE BANDUSIAN FOUNTAIN. The site of this fountain has been a matter of controversy, interesting to those who seek to ascertain the localities of places endeared to them by the poets. Acron and others assumed it to be in the neighbourhood of Horace's Sabine home, and identify it with the rivulet of Digentia (Licenza). It is, however, generally now agreed, upon what appears sufficiently competent authority, that Bandusia was in Horace's native soil, about six miles from the site of Fount of Bandusia, more lucid than crystal, Whose front, with the budded horn swelling, Predicts to his future life Venus and battles; The scorch of the Dog-star's fell season forbears thee; And the oxen that reek from the harrow. I will give thee high rank and renown among fountains, Leap thy garrulous silvery waters. 1 'Me dicente cavis impositam ilicem Saxis'—the cavern overshadowed with the ilex from which the fountain gushes.—ORELLI. Venusia (Dillenburger, Orelli, Macleane). If so, it is conjectured that the poem would have been written in earlier life, when Horace revisited his native spot-perhaps A.U.C. 717-since it is held scarcely probable that he would have thought of consecrating the fountain in Venusia, when he was settled in the remote district of his Sabine farm. It may, however, be likely enough, as Tate contends (Horat. Restit. p. 88), that Horace transferred the name, endeared to him by early association, to the spring near his later home. Yonge suggests the query, 'Was Bandusia the name of the place, or of the presiding nymph of the fountain?'-See Orelli's full and very elegant note on this subject. CARM. XIII. O fons Bandusiæ, splendidior vitro, Cui frons turgida cornibus Primis et venerem et prælia destinat; Lascivi suboles gregis. Te flagrantis atrox hora Caniculæ Præbes, et pecori vago. Fies nobilium tu quoque fontium, Saxis, unde loquaces Lymphæ desiliunt tuæ. ODE XIV. Composed at the close of the Cantabrian war, A.U.C. 729, when Augustus's return was expected, or on his return the following year.'-MACLEANE. In noticing the critical animadversions on this ode 'as Joy, O ye people! it was said that Cæsar unequal Bought but by death; now home from shores Hispanian Let her whose joy in her sole lord is centred1 Chastely adorned by sacrificial fillets?— Truly to me this holiday is sacred, And its bright sunshine chases cloudy troubles. Earth yet holds Cæsar! Up, boy, and bring the perfume and the garlands, Somewhere lurks hidden.4 1 Unico gaudens mulier marito.' See Orelli's note on 'unico,' which some have interpreted in the sense of 'unique' or 'peerless;' Dillenburger, as dear' or 'beloved.' 2 Worn by the Roman matrons to distinguish them from freed women. Nec tumultum, Nec mori per vim metuam.' 'Tumultum' here evidently means 'intestine feud' or 'popular outbreak ; ' ' vim,' 'assassination' or 'personal violence.' With Cæsar is identified the prevailing security of law. |