But saved his pains, and left you, stern as stone, An honest man, and wise withal, will blame Force you to make what's dark as clear as day; A crack-brained poet! Dread him, from him A wretch with jaundice baned, or leprosy, "Help, help, good people-help!" till he is hoarse; * Aristarchus of Samos, who flourished at Alexandria in the second century before Christ. His name was proverbial as the type of an intelligent and just though severe critic. It was a common belief among Greeks and Romans that those who had offended Diana were struck by her with madness. Such persons were called by the Greeks σeλnviakoí. Our word "lunatic" has its origin in the same fancy,-a fancy probably founded on a physical fact, as certain kinds of mental disturbance are said by observers to vary with the phases of the moon. But this is just the very thing he meant, Who will make bold to say that he has not Empedocles, a philosopher and poet of Agrigentum in Sicily, who flourished about 440 B.C. Various marvellous stories are told of his death. They mostly concur in stating that he perished in the crater of Mount Etna. Some say that he fell in by accident when exploring the crater for the purposes of philosophical observation; others, that he chose this mode of concealing his death, in order to beget the belief that he had been swept up to heaven by the gods. His intention in this respect, however, was foiled, as the volcano threw up his iron sandals, and revealed the fact, -as if they would not have been fused in the flames within a few seconds! If the first part of the story has no better foundation than the last, poor Empedocles has been much maligned. + Invitum qui servat idem facit occidenti. Probably a proverb. Seneca says the same thing in nearly the same words (Phon. 100) "Occidere est vetare cupientem mori”– "To hinder whosoe'er is bent to die Is to destroy him." So Racine ("La Thébaide, ou Les Frères Ennemis," Act iv. sc. 6)- "Ah! c'est m'assassiner que me sauver la vie." The triste bidental of the original was a spot which had been struck by lightning, and enclosed to prevent its being thereafter profaned VOL. II. 2 C That from his den has managed to get free, Spreads terror through the streets, even so will he, Put simple souls and scholars both to flight. Let him catch one, that one to death he'll bore A leech that won't let go till gorged with gore." by human foot. When any place was struck by lightning, everything which bore the marks of the celestial fire was carefully gathered together by an aruspex, who covered it up with earth, sacrificed a sheep, consecrated the spot, and surrounded it with an enclosing wall. It was a crime to tread upon a spot so consecrated. INDEX OF FIRST LINES. EPODES. I. If thou in thy Liburnians go II. Happy the man, in busy schemes unskilled III. If his old father's throat any impious sinner IV. Such hate as nature meant to be V. What, O ye gods, who from the sky VI. Vile cur, why will you late and soon VII. Ah, whither would ye, dyed in guilt, thus headlong IX. When, blest Mæcenas, shall we twain X. Foul fall the day, when from the bay XI. O Pettius! no pleasure have I, as of yore XIII. With storm and wrack the sky is black, and sleet and dashing rain XIV. Why to the core of my inmost sense XV. "Twas night!—let me recall to thee that night! XVI. Another age in civil wars will soon be spent and worn II. The players on the flute, the quacks, the vendors of perfume 113 III. All singers have this failing; asked to sing. 115 IV. The bards of ancient comedy, when it was at its best 124 V. Fresh from great Rome with all its din . 131 VI. Though Lydian none, Mæcenas, may be found 140 II. What the virtue consists in, and why it is great 178 VI. My prayers with this I used to charge 223 243 253 EPISTLES. BOOK I. I. Theme of my earliest lays, and of the last 263 II. Whilst, Lollius, you at Rome declaim and plead 271 III. Florus, I try to learn, but try in vain VI. The best, indeed the only means I know IX. Septimius only understands, 'twould seem 276 278 280 283 288 294 296 297 301 XIII. These volumes, Vinius, (such my strict commands) XVI. As, dearest Quintius, you may wish to know. |