NOTES.

ODE I.

The first six Odes of this Book are remarkable for their sustained dignity of style and general unity of subject. They are all in the Alcaic metre and of considerable length, and all deal with subjects of public and political interest. Considering the intimate relationship subsisting between Horace and Augustus, there can be little doubt that their composition was at any rate suggested by the Emperor, whose object it was to appeal in support of his political system not merely to the interests but to the feelings of his subjects (see especially Merivale, c. 41). Lines 1-4 of Ode 1 seem to be intended as a stately exordium to the whole six rather than as a particular introduction to the first Ode; indeed, as the introduction to a single Ode they would be exaggerated and unnatural.

'Kings rule over their subjects, but are in their turn the subjects of almighty Jupiter: one man may be wealthier, nobler, more famous than another, but all alike are the slaves of necessity. Then cease to be anxious: where anxiety exists, not all the luxuries of wealth can procure that sound sleep the poor often enjoy. To want but little is the great secret: the owner of huge estates is harassed by a hundred anxieties about them, the builder of vast villas by the sea often vainly flies from care. If this be so, why should I wish to change my modest home for wealth which is only a burden?'

1. odi...arceo] 'I abhor the unhallowed throng and hold it aloof.' As before the celebration of the mysteries or any solemn rites the priests bad the uninitiated or unholy to depart (cf. Virg. Aen. 6. 258, procul, o procul este profani), so here the poet, as the priest of the Muses, bids all who have never worshipped at their shrine depart, while he chants his hymns (carmina) in their honour.

profanus, outside the shrine,' is used of those who were not allowed to enter it. So in the temple at Jerusalem none but Jews were allowed to pass beyond the outer court, 'the court of the Gentiles'; the Gentiles were profani.

2. favete linguis] As the utterance of ill-omened words vitiated any sacred rite, it was customary for the priest before commencing to ask the people 'to be favourable with their lips' (ore or linguis favere), i.e. to utter none but favourable words, and as the safest way of doing so was to be silent, the phrase often practically means 'be silent.' The Gk. is evonμeîte. Cf. Prop. 4. 6. 1, sacra facit vates, sint ora faventia sacris, and Virg. Aen. 5. 71, ore favete omnes. Cf. too 14. 11.

3. Musarum sacerdos] poets are the 'priests of the Muses' as being their interpreters to men, and specially consecrated to their service. Cf. Theoc. 16. 29, Μουσάων.. Ἱεροὺς ὑποφῆτας, 'sacred interpreters of the Muses.'

4. virginibus puerisque] because the young are especially susceptible to the influence of poetry.

5. in proprios greges] Supply imperium est from the next line; kings have rule over their own flocks.' For the metaphor in greges cf. the Homeric phrase 'shepherd of the people' (Touéva λawv) applied to kings.

6. reges in ipsos...] For the antithesis in this and the preceding line cf. the prayers for the Queen in the Prayer Book, and especially such phrases as thy chosen servant Victoria, our Queen and Governor, that she (knowing whose minister she is)....'

8. cuncta...] that moves the world with his frown.' The phrase is derived from the well-known lines of Homer:

ἢ καὶ κυανέησιν ἐπ' ὀφρύσι νεῦσε Κρονίων,
ἀμβρόσιαι δ ̓ ἄρα χαῖται ἐπερρώσαντο ἄνακτος
κρατὸς ἀπ ̓ ἀθανάτοιο, μέγαν δ ̓ ἐλέλιξεν Ολυμπον.

II. 1. 528.

'He said, and nodded with his shadowy brow;
Waved on the immortal head the ambrosial locks,
And all Olympus trembled at his nod.'

LORD DERBY.

Cf. too Virg. Aen. 9. 106, nutu tremefecit Olympum, and the connection between nutus and numen.

supercilium from super, and cilium (from celo) 'the concealing thing' the eyelid,' is 'that which is over the eyelid,' i. e. the eyebrow.

9. est ut] it is possible that,' it may be that.' Cf. Gk. ἔστιν ὅπως.

latius] 'more widely,' i. e. over a wider extent of ground.

ordinet arbusta sulcis] 'arranges his trees in rows in the furrows.' arbustum is the technical word for a tree upon which vines were trained (Virg. Georg. 2. 416), and ordines was the regular word for the rows in which they were planted. Cf. Virg. Georg. 2. 276, where an elaborate description of the best method of planting is given.

10. hic... descendat] The construction all through is dependent on est ut. hic='another,' and, in 1. 12, 'a third.'

in Campum] i. e. in Campum Martium, which, as being the best known 'Field' at Rome, was constantly spoken of without any distinctive adjective.

descendere is used partly because most men of position lived on the hills, and hence it was necessary descendere in Forum, in Campum (v. Dict.), partly because the word is constantly used of combatants, e.g. descendere in aciem, in praelium, &c.

12. moribus...meliorque fama] These words are opposed to generosior: one candidate has high birth, another high character.

14. aequa] 'impartial.'

Necessitas] 'Aváукn. The mysterious power who, more especially among the Greeks, is always described as ruling even over the Gods.

16. movet] 'shakes.' The ancient method of drawing lots was by writing the names (omne nomen) on pebbles, which were then cast into an urn which was shaken about until one leapt out. Cf. in Gk. wáλos and wάλλw, to shake,

P. H. III.

4

17. destrictus ensis...] For the story see Class. Dict. s. v. Damocles.

cui]=ei cui, or perhaps ei cujus, 'for him, over whose neck...'

18. Siculae dapes] The epithet is chosen partly because the feast of Damocles took place at Syracuse, partly because Syracusan luxury seems to have been noted. Plato, Rep. 404 D, uses Zupaкoola τρáτeja as an almost proverbial expression.

19. saporem] 'flavour'; the word is identical with the English 'savour.' sapere originally means to have taste,' and is then used metaphorically=' to have judgment,' 'to be wise.'

21. somnus] Notice the effect of the repetition of the word, and cf. with it that produced in Macbeth, Act 2, Sc. 2, 'Methought I heard a voice cry, Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep."-The innocent sleep, Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care....' agrestium virorum] The genitive goes after domos.

22, 1. 24. non] sc. fastidit. Tempe' is neut. plural, cf. τείχη.

27. saevus...impetus] The fierce onset of setting Arcturus. When Arcturus ('Apктоûpos, the Bear Ward) sets at the end of October, the sea is tempestuous (tumultuosum) and the merchant harassed (sollicitat) about his ships.

28. orientis Haedi] i.e. early in October.

29. non] sc. sollicitant desiderantem quod satis est. verberatae='lashed.'

30. mendax] 'lying,' because the crops which had promised well turn out badly. Cf. Od. 3. 16. 30, segetis certa fides meae, and Epist. 1. 7. 87, spem mentita seges.

arbore...] The construction is arbore culpante nunc aquas nunc sidera torrentia agros nunc hiemes iniquas. arbore, i.e, the tree par excellence, the olive. aquas, 'rains.'

33. contracta...] Cf. 24. 3 and Od. 2. 18. 20. Horace is referring to the practice of building villas projecting into the sea: the expression is of course hyperbolical.