Fasti

2. Quae placeant, etc. You shall chuse for yourself.

3, 4. Alluding, perhaps, to the Epicurean spirit of the age.

5. Est Deus, etc. He expresses the same sentiment elsewhere. See A. A. III. 549. Pont. Ill, 4, 93. [Greek: Kouphon chraema poiaetaes esti kai ptaenon kai ieron, kai ou proteron oios te poiein prin an entheos te genaetai, kai ekphron kai ho nous maeketi en auto enae]. Plato Ion. Ego non puto poetam grave plenumque carmen sine coelesti aliquo mentis instinctu fundere. Cicero, Tusc. I. 26. Poeta quasi divino quodam spiritu inflatur. Id. Arch. 8.—What is rare is the subject of admiration, and nothing is rarer than poetic genius in a high degree; hence the ancients looked on it as something divine, or, as proceeding from the favour, and even the immediate inspiration of the gods. Nothing is more true than poeta nascitur non fit, but it is equally true of other things, the musician and the painter, nay, I might add, the carpenter and the tailor, are born, not made. But of some species, the supply is much larger than of others.

6. Impetus hic, the _furor poeticus 13. Praeceptor arandi. Hesiod, the author of the oldest agricultural poem, his Works and Days. He lived at Ascra, a village of Boeotia, at the foot of Mt. Helicon. In v. 22, of his Theogony, it is said of the Muses, [Greek: ai nu pot' Haesiodon kalaen edidaxan aoidaen Arnas poimainonth' Elikonos upo zatheoio]. See A. A. I. 27. Propert II. 10. 25, 34. 79. Virg. Ec. II. 70. G. II. 176.

15. The well-known fatal Judgment of Paris—_Aquosae, [Greek: polypidax], Homer.

17. See v. 27. Virg. aen. I. 46.

18. See v. 34.

22. Exlg. mod. The pentameter measure. See II. 3, 4.

26. Junius, aut ex parte populi nominatus, aut, ut Cincius arbitratur, quod Junonius apud Latinos olim vocitatus, diuque apud Aricinos, Praenestinosque hoc appellatione in fastos relatus sit; adeo ut, sicut Nisus in commentariis fastorum dicit, apud majores quoque nostros haec appellatio mensis diu manserit, sed post, detritis quibusdam litteris, ex Junonio Junius dictus sit; nam et aedes Junoni Monetae Cal. Jun. dedicata est. Macrob. Sat. I. 12. This leaves, I think, little doubt respecting the true origin of the name.

29. See Hom. II. iv. 59. According to Hesiod, Th. 454, and the Homeridian hymn to Venus, v. 22, Hestia (Vesta) was the first-born of Kronus and Rhea. Ovid evidently followed Homer, without perfectly understanding him.

31. Hunc (Capitolinum) antea montem Saturnium appellatum prodiderunt, et ab eo late Saturniam terram. Antiquum oppidum in hoc fuisse Saturniam scribitur. Ejus vestigia etiam nunc manent tria; quod Saturni fanum in faucibus: quod Saturnia, porta quam nunc vacant Pandanam: quod post aedem Saturni in aedificiorum legibus parietes postici muri sunt scripti_. Varro, L. L. IV.

32. See I. 233. A Caesare proximus Caesar. Ep. ex Pont. II. 8, 37. Proximus a domina—sedeto, A. A. I. 139. Tu nunc eris alter ab illo. Virg. Ec. v. 49.

34. In the Capitoline temple, Juno and Minerva had chapels on each side of that of Jupiter. The left-hand one was Juno's. The custom of uniting these three deities was derived from the Etruscans. See Mythology, p. 453.

35. Pellex, the Pleias Maia, see V. 85. Compare Virg. aen. i. 39.

37. Regina. The Juno Regina of the Romans, was the Queen Kupra of the Etruscans, whose statue was brought to Rome by Camillus, when Veii was taken A.U.C. 359. Liv. v. 21.

39. For the origin of the name Lucina, see on II. 449. For faciant mensem luces, one of the best MSS. reads faciam pueris lucem, alluding to another cause of the name.

40. This is aukwardly expressed, for she wants to shew that the month was named from her, and not she from the month. Taubner supposes a hypallage. It is possible that nomina may be used here in the sense of fame, renown. See III. 66.

41. Tum me poeniteat, then shall I repent.

42. See IV. 31. Virg. aen i. 26.

43. See Hom. Il. xx. 232.

45. See Virg. aen. i. 15.

47. See Hom. Il. iv. 51.

49. [Greek: En apasais tais kourias Haera trapezas etheto] (Tatius) [Greek: Kouritia legomenae, ai kai eis tode chronou keintai]. Dion. Hal. II. 50.—Junon. Fal. See IV. 73.

55. Centum, numerous,—a definite for an indefinite. Compare Virg. aen. I. 415. iv. 199.

55. Quovis, scil. altero honore.—Honor mensis IV. 85. like honor coeli, honor templorum.

58. Suburbani. See on III. 688. Places which were not very remote from Rome, were called suburban. A triumph over the Volscians is (v. 723) named a suburban triumph. All the following towns were in Latium.

59. Nemoral. Aric. See III. 263. Met. xv. 488. Aricia lay at the foot of the Alban Mount, on the Appian Way, 13 miles from Rome.

60. Pop. Laurens. Laurentum, near the Tiber, between Rome and the sea, was said to have been the residence of king Latinus.—Lanuvium meum. This was another town of the Latins, in which there was a grove and temple of Juno Sospita, common to them and the Romans. Liv. viii. 14. For Lanuvium, most MSS. read Lavinium, but this offends the metre.

61. Tibur Argeo positum colono. Hor. Car. II. 6, 5. See on IV. 71. Tibur, now Tivoli, was on the Anien.

62. Praenest. deae, scil. Fortunae. Fortunae apud Praenesten aedem pulcherrimam ferunt fuisse. Schol. Juven. xiv. 90.

65. Hebe, called by the Romans Juventas, advances as the advocate of a second opinion. Fulvius Nobilior in Fastis Romulum dicit, postquam populum in majores minoresque divisit, ut altera armit rempublicam tueretur, in honorem utriusque partis hunc Maium, sequentem Junium vocasse. Macrob. Sat. I. 12. For the marriage of Hebe, the daughter of Jupiter and Juno, with Hercules, see Homer, Od. xi. 604. Hes. Th. 950.

75. Origine mensis. There is the same kind of ambiguity here, and in v. 77, as above, v. 40. It is plainly (see v. 88,) the intention of the poet to shew that the month derived its name from the juvenes, and not from the goddess Juventas.

77. Titulum, the honour. See IV. 115.

79. Nomine, on account of.

80. See I. 543, et seq.

83. Ab annis, i. e. ab aetate.

90. Dissimulata, concealed, hidden, it would have been no longer visible.

91, 92. Concordia, the advocate of a third opinion, from jungo, is here introduced in a very timely and appropriate manner. For the reparation of the temple of Concord by Tiberius, see I. 637.—Apol. lauro. See III. 139, The laurel is mentioned on account of the victories of Tiberius.– Placidi, etc. Concordia, he means, was the inspiring deity of the peace-loving prince, and concord was his work.

99. Ite pares. As I give not the preference to any, having the fate of Paris before my eyes.

101-182. On the Kalends of June was the festival of an ancient Roman deity, named by our poet and Macrobius, Carna or Carnea; by Tertullian, Cyprian, and Augustine, Carda or Cardea. Non-nulli putaverunt, Junium mensem a Junio Bruto, qui primus Romae consul factus est, nominatum, quod hoc mense id est Kal. Jun. pulso Tarquinio sacrum Carnae deae in Coelio monte voti reus fecerit. Hanc deam vitalibus humanis praeesse credunt, ab ea denique petitur ut jecinora et corda, quaeque sunt intrinsecus viscera conservet. Et quia, cordis beneficio, cujus dissimulatione Brutus habebatur, idoneus emendationi publici status exstitit, hanc deam, quae vitalibus praeest, templo sacravit. Cui pulte fabacia, et larido sacrificatur, quod his maxime rebus vires corporis roborentur; nam et Calendae Juniae fabariae vulgo vocantur, quod hoc mense adultae fabae divinis rebus adhibentur. Macrob. Sat. I. 12. The name is here evidently derived a carne. The Fathers of the Church, on the other hand, as they join their Cardea or Carda with deities, named Forculus and Limininus, (from fores and limen) deduced her name from Cardo, to which origin Ovid also plainly alludes.

103, 104. This confirms what I have said above on V. 229, respecting the Roman origin, and the late date of several legends. Though the personages in this are Italian, the manners are Grecian.—Vires, her power.

105. Antiques. Three of the best MSS. read antiqui. They are followed by Heinsius and Gierig. I think it the better reading. Compare Hom. II. xi. 166. Virg. aen. xi. 851.—Tiberino. See IV. 291. One MS. reads Tiberini, three Tiberinae Hilernae.—Helerni, Hilerni and Hylerni, are various readings. Who or what Helernus was is totally unknown. Heinsius thinks that the lucus Helerni might have been the same with the lucus Asyli, (II. 67,) but this last was on the Capitoline hill, and Ovid evidently assigns some place a little way from Rome as the situation of the former.

106. Sacra ferunt. Both the offerer (Virg. aen. III, 19,) and the priest (Id. G. III, 446,) are said sacra ferre. For ferunt, one MS. reads canunt.

107. Cranen. Two MSS. read Granen, which has been received into the text by Heinsius and Gierig. Two have Gramen, one Grangen.– Priores, the ancients. See I. 329, IV. 329.

113. Dixisset. Si. is understood. The copyists stumbled at this ellipse, for four MSS. read Huic si quis, one si dixit, another quum dixit. There are, however, examples of it. Dedisses huic animo par corpus. Plin. Ep. I. 2, 8. Dares hanc vim M. Crasso; in foro, crede mihi, saltaret, Cic. Off. III. 19. Compare Hor. Sat. I. 3, 15.

117. Resistit, stops. II. 86.

126. Occupat amplexu, embraces, seizes in his arms. See on I. 575. De Jano non mihi facile quidquam occurrit, quod ad probrum pertinent; et forte talis fuit ut innocentius vixerit et a facinoribus et flagitiis remotius. Augustinus de Civ. Dei. vii. This tale must have escaped the knowledge or the memory of the zealous Father. But does not what he here says of this ancient Italian deity offer a strong confirmation of what has been already observed respecting the purity of the old Italian religion?

129. Virgam. Heinsius, without having the authority of any MS. reads spinam.

130. Alba, scil. spina. See v. 165. The same power is ascribed to the [Greek: ramnos], which is the same as the Alba Spina (whitethorn), by Dioscorydes, I. 119. [Greek: Legetai de kai klonas autaes thurais prostethentas apokrouein tas ton pharmakon kakourgias]. The same is said of the aquifolium by Pliny.

131. Quae, etc. the Harpies. See Apoll. Rh. Arg. II. 187. Virg. aen. III. 212. Mythology, pp. 225, 422.

139. Est illis, etc. [Greek: Strix a strizein] stridere, the night-owl, Strix aluco of Linnaeus. Fabulosum arbitror de strigibus, ubera eas infantium labris immulgere. Esse in maledictis jam antiquis strigem convenit; sed quae sit avium constare non arbitror. Plin. H. N. xi. 39, 95. A very different account of this bird is given by Isidore, (Orig. xii. 7.) _Strix nocturna avis, habens nomen de sono vocis; quando enim elumat stridet. Vulgo Amma dicitur ub amando parvulos, unde et lac praebere dicitur nascentibus.

141, 142. Ovid says elsewhere, (Am. I. 8. 13.) Hanc ego nocturnas vivam volitare per umbras Suspicor et pluma corpus anile tegi. And Festus says, Striges maleficis mulieribus nomen inditum est, quas volaticas etiam vacant, alluding to the same opinion. The belief of the power of witches to transform themselves into animals, is not yet totally extinct among the vulgar in our own country. For the power of magic-verses, carmina, see Virg. Ec. viii. 69.—Nenia, i. e. carmen magicum. Hor. Epod. 17, 28. The Marsians were famous for their magic skill. The construction here is Nen. Mars. fig. anus.

143. Proca. See IV. 52.

155. We do not read anywhere else of the Arbutus being used for this purpose. Perhaps, it was on account of its being ever green like the laurel. Diogenes Laertius (iv. 7, 10,) tells us, that when Bion was sick, [Greek: grai doken eumaros trachaelon eis epodaen, ramnon te kai kladon daphnaes uper thuraen ethaeken].

167. Garlic was also thought to be efficacious for this purpose; it was also good to fasten to each arm of the child an eye taken out of a live hyaena. Ignorant people always love cruel and barbarous remedies; we have instances enough among ourselves.

169. See above on v. 101.

173. Compare Hor. Epod. 2. 48. Sat. II. 2. 49.

175. Scil, the Attagen.

176. The Crane. See Hom. Il. III. 5.

181 Sextis Kalendis, scil. Junii, the sixth month.

183. See I. 638. Liv. vii. 28.

185. See Liv. v. 47.

187-190. Compare Juv. Sat. x. 276, et seq. Read carefully the admirable account of this transaction in Niebuhr's Roman History, II. 602. et seq.

191. See Liv. vii. 23. x. 23.

192. Tectae viae. The commentators confess their inability to explain this. Donatus conjectures, that it may have been arched over, or have had porticos along it. Some MSS. read rectae, one dextrae. The Appian road began at the Capene gate, and it is uncertain, whether this temple of Mars was on it, or had a separate road leading to it.

193. This temple was built A.U.C. 495, by L. Scipio the son of Barbatus, who conquered Corsica. It was outside of the Capene gate, where a stone was dug up, bearing the inscription, which may be seen in Reines. Inscr. vi. 34. p. 410, or in Niebuhr, Rom. Hist. I. 254.

196. Aquila rises in the evening.

197. On the IV. Non. the Hyades rise heliacally, accompanied by rain.

199. The temple of Bellona vowed by Appius Claudius, in the midst of a battle, in the Etruscan war, A.U.C. 458, (Liv. x. 19.) was dedicated on the III. Non. Jun. Pliny, (H. N. xxxv. 2. 3.) says, App. Claudius posuit in Bellonae aede majores suos placuitque in excelso spectari et titulos honorum legi. Just what one might expect from one of the proud Claudii!

201. Duello the same as bello. Duellum is a word of frequent occurrence in Livy.

203. Pyrrho, etc. This was A.U.C. 474. Val. Max. viii. 12. Ad App. Claudii senectutem accedebat etiam ut caecus esset; tamen is quum sententia senatus inclinaret ad pacem et foedus faciendum cum Pyrrho non dubitavit dicere illa, quae versibus persecutus est Ennius: Quo vobis mentes recte quae stare solebant Antehac, dementes sese flexere viai?

204. "Captus qui uti aliqua re non potest, Liv. ii. 36: omnibus membris captus. xxii. 2: captus oculis, ubi vid. Duker," Gierig. Upwards of Twenty MSS. read caecus, two cassus, compare Virg. aen. II. 85.

205. Before the temple of Bellona was a small area, or open place, which reached to the upper part of the Circus Flaminius. In the area before the temple, stood the celebrated pillar. It was in the temple of Bellona that the senate gave audience to such foreign ambassadors as they would not admit into the city, here also they received the generals who were returned from war. See Livy, passim. Bellona dicitur dea bellorum; ante cujus templum erat columella, quae bellica vocabatur, supra quam hastam jaciebant quum bellum indicebatur. Festus. Circus Flaminius.– Aedes Bellonae versus portam Carmentalem. Ante hanc aedem columna index belli inferendi. P. Victor de region, urb. Reg. ix. Livy (I. 32.) describes the ceremony of throwing the spear. Originally, when the Roman territory was small, and the hostile states were close at hand, the Fetial used to cast the spear into the enemy's country; afterwards the practice of merely casting it over the pillar of Bellona was introduced. —Templo is the reading of two MSS. of high character, all the rest read tergo.

209. At the other end of the Circus Flaminius was the temple of Hercules Custos. Neapolis thinks there were two temples of Hercules in this Circus, one built by order of the Senate in compliance with the directions of the Sibyllian verses; the other erected by Fulvius Nobilior, and repaired by Philippus. See v. 802.—Eub. car. See IV. 257.—Titulos, scil. the inscription.—Probavit. "Censorum proprie est probare_." Heinsius. [Greek: Apothuon de taes ousias apasaes ho Sullas to Haeraklei dekataen]. Plut. Sulla, 35.

213—218. On the Nones was the anniversary of the dedication of the temple of the ancient Sabine deity, named Sancus, Dius (Deus) Fidius and Semo. Of these names, we may observe, that Sancus is also written Sangus and Sanctus, which last is manifestly a corruption; that from the second was formed an ordinary oath of the Romans, Medius fidius, equivalent to Mehercle (The Greeks who rendered Fidius by [Greek: pistios], made him the same with Hercules); that Semo, which is, perhaps, a contraction of Semihomo, is equivalent to Indiges, and, therefore, corresponds pretty exactly with the [Greek: haeros] of the Greeks, in its later sense. (Mythology, p. 273). For Pater Semo, see on III. 775. Most MSS. read Semi-pater, some Semicaper, but inscriptions prove the correctness of the present reading.—Aelius Gallus Dius Fidius dicebat Diovis (Jovis) filius, ut Graeci [Greek: Dioskouron] Castorem, et putabat hunc esse Sanctum ab Sabina lingua, et Herculem ab Graeca. Varro, L. L. IV. Saint Augustine, (De Civ. Dei. xviii.) in accordance with the system which represented the gods of ancient Greece and Italy, as having been nothing but deified mortals, says, Sabini regem suum primum Sancum, seu, ut alii, Sanctum, retulerunt in Deos. Cato, in his Origines, says, Nomen (scil. Sabinorum) esse impositum ex Sabo Divi Sanci Gentilis filio. And Silius Italicus (viii. 422,) says, Ibant et laeti; pars Sanctum voce canebant Auctorem gentis; pars laudes ore ferebant, Sabe, tuas; qui de patrio cognomine primus Dixisti populos magna ditione Sabinos. The pater Sabinus of Virgil (aen. vii. 178,) would appear to be the same with Sabus. Before I quit this deity, I must notice the curious mistake into which Justin Martyr and Tertullian fell, in consequence of the resemblance between Semoni and Simoni. They gravely assert, that, seduced by his magic arts, the Romans erected a statue to Simon Magus, and adored him as a god!

217. I think Ovid intimates very plainly here his belief that the Sabines, when they settled at Rome, raised a temple on the Quirinal to their ancient god, Sancus. History, however, makes no mention of it, and Sancus is not among the deities to whom, according to Varro, L. L. IV. Tatius erected temples. Dionysius, (iv. 58,) speaking of the treaty made by Tarquinius Superbus, with the Gabines, says, [Greek: touton esti ton orkion mnaemeion en Pomae keimenon en hiero Dios Pistiou on Romaioi Sankton kalousin]; which temple, he tells us (ix. 60,) stood on the Quirinal ([Greek: epi tou Henualiou lophou,]) was begun by Tarquinius, and dedicated by the consul, Spurius Postumius, on the Nones of June, A.U.C. 288.

219. Est mihi, etc. Ovid speaks of his daughter also in his Tristia (iv. 10, 75,) Filia me mea bis prima fecunda juventa, Sed non ex uno conjuge fecit avum. Her name is not known, but it would appear that she was married to a senator, for Seneca (de Con. Sap. 17,) says, In senatu flentem vidimus Fidum Cornelium, Nasonis generum.

225. Hujus, scil, mensis. It was not lucky to marry in June before the Ides; all the rest of the month was favourable to matrimony. See II. 557, III. 393.

227. Stercus ex aede Vestae XVII. Kal. Jul. defertur in angiportum medium fere clivi Capitolini, qui locus clauditur porta stercoraria. Tantae sanctitatis majores nostri esse judicaverunt. Festus. _Dies qui vocatur, Quando stercus delatum, fas: ab eo appellatus, quod eo die ex aede Vestae stercus everritur et per Capitolinum clivum in locum defertur certum. Varro L. L. V. Ovid, we may observe differs from these writers. Their testimony is, I think, to be preferred.

228. Flav. aq. Compare Virg, aen. vii. 30. Hor. Car. I. 2. 13.

229—231. See III. 398.—Detonsos. The readings of the MSS. differ greatly, some have detonso, two detenso, three detonsum, one detonsa, another dentoso, two give the present reading. Detonsi crines does not signify hair that is cut close, but what is merely clipt at the ends, which we are to suppose was the case with that of the Flaminia.—Buxo. The Roman combs, like some of our own, were made of box-wood.—Depectere. See III. 465.

232. Matrimonium Flaminis nisi morte dirimi non jus. Gellius, N. A. x. 15. Certe Flaminica non nisi univira est, quae et Flaminis lex est. Tertull. Ex. ad Cast. 13.

234. Ignea Vesta, "templum Vestae in quo ignis alitur perpetuus," Gierig. Veste nitebit humus is the reading of all the MSS. but two, which have humo. The present reading, of the correctness of which no one can doubt, was formed by Scaliger.

235. On the VII. Id. Arctophylax or Boötes, sets in the morning.– Lycaona, Areas, the grandson of Lycaon, II. 153. et seq. If this is not an oversight of the poet, Lycaon is put for Lycaonides, just as it is supposed, that even Homer uses Hyperion for Hyperionides. See above I. 385. "Ita [Greek: Amphitryon] pro [Greek: Amphitryonidaes], Pindar Nem. IV. 32. ubi vid. Schol. et Olymp. x. 42. [Greek: Moliones] pro [Greek: Molionidai] ubi vid. Schmid." Burmann.—Phoebe. One would rather have expected Phoebus. He probably meant an allusion to Diana, who had transformed Callisto. Phoebe seems to be put for night.

237. Gram. Campi. Compare Hor. Car III. 7. 26. iv. 1. 39. A. P. 162.

239. Piscatorii ludi vocantur, qui quotannis mense Junio trans Tiberim fieri solent a Praetore urbano pro piscatoribus Tiberinis: quorum quaestus non in macellum pervenit sed fere in aream Volcani; quod id genus pisciculorwm vivorum datur ei deo pro animis humanis. Festus.

241-248. After the defeat of the Roman army by Hannibal at the Trasimene lake, in which the consul C. Flaminius was slain, A.U.C. 537, the Sibylline books were consulted, according to custom, and by their direction, Ludi magni were vowed to Jupiter, and temples to Venus Erycina, and to Mars. Liv. xxii. 9. Does not this tend to confirm what I have observed above (see on IV. 874.) respecting the Phoenician origin of Venus Erycina? Every one knows the Roman custom of endeavouring to gain over the deities of their enemies.

247. Adspicit, etc. "Inter illam diem, qua vota soluta sunt, et Idus interjacent sex luces. Falso Neap. putabat Ovidiam hoc disticho, VI. Id. exprimere voluisse." Gierig. I think however Neapolis is right, for the setting of Arctophylax was on the VII. Id. unless we suppose that the temple of Mens was dedicated on that day, and in that case, where was the necessity for vv. 247, 248?

249-460. On the V. Id. were the Vestalia. The poet goes at great length into this subject. See I. 528. III. 417, et seq. 697. et seq. IV. 949.

253. Non vidi. Perhaps he means to intimate, that Vesta as the principle of fire, had no visible anthropomorphic form, like the other deities. Compare v. 298.—Valeant, etc. away with, adieu to. Compare Hor. Ep. II. 1. 80. Ter. Andr. iv. 2. 13. The Greeks used their [Greek: chairo], in the same sense.-Mendacia, fictions. See Hor. A. P. 151.

257. Dena quater, etc. The temple of Vesta was built by Numa, [Greek: Autos protos hieron idrusamenos Romaiois Hestias, kai parthenous apodeixas autae Ouaepolous]. Dionys. II. 65. See also Plut. Num. 9 and 11. Liv. I. 20.—Palilia. See on IV. 721.

258. Flammae custos, scil. Vesta, Vell. Paterc. II. 131. The deities were called the guardians (custodes) of the objects over which they presided. Compare II. 277.

259. Meluentius, etc. Compare Met. I. 322.

261. Quae nunc, etc. Compare I. 199, et seq. III. 183, A. A. III. 118.

263. Hic locus, etc. [Greek: Edeimato plaesion tou taes Hestias hierou taen kaloumenaen Rhaegian oion te basileion oikaema]. Plut. Num. 14. Habitabat propter aedem Vestae. Solin. 2. As Lipsius justly observed, Ovid confounds the Regia and the Atrium Vestae. The Vestals dwelt in the Atrium. Virgines quum vi morbi Atrio Vestae coguntur excedere, matronarum curae custodiaeque mandantur. Plin. Ep. vii. 19, 2. Correct by this the note on II. 69.

264. Intonsi. See on II. 30.—Magna, scil, for those times.

265. The temple of Vesta was round, [Greek: hieron enkuklion— apomimoumenos to schaema tou sympantos kosmou] Plut. Num. 14. Rotundam aedem Vestae Numa consecravit, quod eandem esse terram credebat, eamque pilae forma esse, ut sui simili templo dea coleretur. Festus. "Neque Noster sibi constat; namque hic et vs. 460, Vestam facit terram, vs. 291, vivam flammam." Gierig.

267. [Greek: Kai Gaia maeter Hestian de s' oi sophoi Broton kalousin, haemenaen en aitheri]. Eurip. Frag. 178.—Et Terra. Three MSS. read quae Terra.

268. Focus, ignis.

269. 270. Compare Met. I. 12.

271-276. These six verses are wanting in all the MSS. but seven, only one of which is of the first order. In one they come after v. 280. "Videntur mihi spurii esse, namque l. quo referes vs. 273, locata? Ad terram, vs. 269? At alia subjecta interposita sunt, volubilitas et angulus. Non ita negligenter Ovidius scribit. 2. Sententia inest inepta; cum in medio mundo sit, non esset in medio, nisi convexa foret. 3. Eadem sententia sed melius expressa legitur, vs. 279, et seq." Gierig. I think he is right, and that these lines should be rejected.—Ipsa volubilitas, etc. The orbis rotundus is evidently the world, (mundus) and not the earth. Mundi volubilitas, quae nisi in globosa forma esse non potest. Cic. N. D. II. 19. Yet, from the connexion, it is of the volubility of the earth that the poet speaks, and he would thus appear to inculcate the Pythagorean or Copernican system, which he surely did not hold.—Qui, etc. it (scil. the earth) has no saliant angles to press the matter (partes) external to it, i. e. the air.

277. The celebrated sphere of Archimedes, which represented the motions of the sun, moon, and five planets around the earth. It was enclosed in a glass-case, hence he says, aëre clauso, and it appears from this passage of Ovid, and from Cicero, Rep. I. 14, and Athen. v. 11, that it was preserved at Syracuse in their time. See Cic. Tusc. I. 25, Claudian. Epigr. 68.—Arce, is the reading of three MSS. all the rest have arte.—Syracosio. All the MSS. read Syracusio, which is repugnant to the metre. Heinsius corrected it. The Greeks used [Greek: Syrakosios], as well as [Greek: Syrakousios]. Compare Virg. Ec. vi. 1.

282. Tholus, a dome, round roof. "Tholi forma est [Greek: ouranoeides]." Neapolis.

285. [Greek: Reia—Krono teke phaidima tekna, Istiaen, Daemaetra kai Haeraen chrosopedilon]. Hes. Th. 453. Observe how all the names are changed into Latin ones!

288. Impatiens viri, unmarried. Compare Met. I. 478. See Mythology, p. 72. Ovid assigns two reasons for her having virgin-priestesses. 1. Because she was a virgin herself. 2. Because she was the principle of fire, which produces nothing. Cicero (Leg. II. 12.) gives two more. Vestae colendae virgines praesunt, ut advigiletur facilius ad custodiam ignis, et sentiant mulieres in natura feminarum omnem castitatem pati.

299, 300. Vesta a vi stando! Well might Gierig say, "mira est haec etymologia." The Greeks derived [Greek: Hestia] from [Greek: histaemi]. Terram nonnulli Vestam esse pronuntiant, quod in mundo stet sola, caeteris ejus partibus mobilitate perpetua constitutis. Arnob. adv. Gen. III. p. 119. [Greek: Menei Hestia en theon oiko monae]. Plat. Phaedrus.

301. Quod fovet. Focus a fovendo id est calefaciendo. Festus—another equally sound piece of etymology!

302. Prim. aed. the porch or entrance of the house.

303. Vestibulum. "De etymo hujus voculae aliud sentit Nonius, aliud Varro, hoc Ovidianum nemo. Servius: Vestibulum ut Varro docet, etymologiae non habet proprietatem, sed fit pro captu ingenii." Neapolis.

304. Affamur, etc. We say O Vesta! who etc. Vestae nomen a Graecis est; ea est enim quae ab illis [Greek: Hestia] dicitur. Vis autem ejus ad aras et focos pertinet. Itaque in ea dea, quae est verum custos intimarum, omnis et praecatio et sacrificatio extrema, est. Cic. N. D. II. 27. [Greek: Tais thusiais oi Hellaenes apo taes protaes te autaes (Hestias) haerchonto kai es eschataen autaen katepauon]. Cornut. N. D. 28. See the Homeridian hymn to Hestia, or Mythology, p. 73. The reading of this line is very different in the MSS. some have Quae famur Vesta, others Quae famur vestra est, or Quae f. Vestam; one Quaeramus Vestam, another Quaeramur, another Dicimus O Vesta, which Ciofanus and Neapolis preferred; the present reading is that of three MSS. and was adopted by Heinsius.

305. Ante focos. before the altars. Compare Virg. aen. vii. 175.

306. Mensae credere, etc. See Hom. Od. vii. 201.

307, 308. Nunc quoque, etc. These verses are parenthetic. He shews, by instancing one case of its use at the present day, the antiquity of the custom of sitting at the sacrifical feast.—Vacunae. See Hor. Ep. I. 10. 49. Vacuna ap. Sabinos plurimum colitur. Quidam Dianam, nonnulli Cererem esse dixerunt, alii Venerem, alii Victoriam, deam vacationis, quod faciat vacare a curis. Sed Varro primo rer. divin. Minervam dicit, quod ea maxime hi gaudent qui sapientiae vacant. Schol. Cruq. in loc.

309. More vetusto, scil, of offering to Vesta at the sacrifices to the other gods. Gierig, I think is wrong, in understanding it of the custom of sitting before the altars.

310. Missos cibos. Some portion of the sacred food was sent on a clean plate to the temple of Vesta. Was it from the sacrifices in general, or only from those to Vacuna?

311. Ecce, etc. It was usual on festivals and holidays, to put garlands on such animals as had a share in them, or were in any way sacred to the deity, in whose honour they were held. See I. 663. V. 52. Tibull II. 1. 8. Wernsdorf. Exc. VII. to Grat. Cyneg. in the Poetae Minores, Tom. I. p. 261. At the Vestalia, the mills stopped working, the mill-stones were wreathed with garlands, and the asses were likewise crowned, and had bread hung about their necks. See on v. 347. Vesta coronatis pauper gaudebat asellis, says Propertius (iv. l. 21.) speaking of ancient times.

313. See II. 525.

315-316. Panem primo cinis calidus et fervens testa percoxit; deinde furni paullatim reperti sunt et alia genera. Seneca Ep. 90. Panem testicium sic facito.—Ubi bene subegeris defingito coquitoque sub testa. Cato R. R. 74. Testuatium, quod in testu caldo coquebatur. Varro L. L. IV. The poet's description agrees rather with that of Seneca, and is nearly the common mode of baking cakes at the present day.

317. This is the true reason, why the millers and bakers kept the Vestalia. There was no reason, but his inability to resist the temptation, for telling the following story.

320. Compare I. 391 et seq.

320. Quamvis, etc. "Silenus creditus musca dialium eonviviorum." Neapolis.