for the tranflatynge of hit. For I knowleche my felfe ignorant of connynge to enpryfe on me fo hie and noble a werke, But I praye Mayfter John Skelton late created poete laureate in the vnyuerfite of Oxenforde to ouerfee and correcte this fayd booke. And t'addreffe and expowne where as shall be founde faulte to theym that shall requyre it. For bym I knowe for fuffycyent to expowne and englyfhe euery dyffyculte that is therein, For he hath late tranflated the epyftlys of Tulle, and the boke of Dyodorus Syculus. and diuerfe others werkes out of latyn in to englyfhe not in rude and olde langage. but in polysfbed and ornate termes craftely, as he that hath redde Fyrgyle, Ouyde, Tulle, and all the other noble poetes and oratours, to me unknown: And also he hath redde the ix mufes and vnderftande theyr muficalle fcyences. and to whom of theym eche fcyence is appropred. I fuppofe he hath dronken of Elycons well. Then I praye hym & fuche other to correcte adde er mynysthe where as he or they fhall fynde faulte, For I haue but folowed my copye in frenfhe as nyghe as me is poffyble, And yf ony worde be fayd therein well, I am glad. and yf otherwyfe I fubmytte my fayd boke to theyr correctyon, Which boke I prefente vnto the hye born my tocomynge naturall & fouerayn lord Arthur by the grace of God Prynce of Walys, Duke of Cornewayll. & Erle of Chefter first bygotten Son and heyer vnto our most dradde naturall & fouerayn lorde & moft cryften kynge, Henry the vij. by the grace of God kynge of Englonde and of Fraunce & lord of Irelonde, byfeeching his noble grace to receyve it in thanke of me his mofte humble fubget & feruant, And I shall praye vnto almyghty God for his profperous encreafyng in vertue, wyfedom, and humanyte that he may be egal wyth the moft renômed of alle his noble progenytors. And fo to lyue in this present lyf, that after this tranfitorye lyfe he and we alle may come to everlaftynge lyf in heuen, Amen: At At the end of the book. Here fynysfheth the boke of Eneydos, compyled by Vyrgyl, whiche hathe be tranflated out of latyne in to frenfe, and out of frenbe reduced in to Englyse by me Wyllm. Caxton, the xxij daye of guyn. the yere of our lorde. M. iiij C Ixxxx. The fythe yere of the Regne of kyng Henry the feuenth. Virgilius IV. Virgilius Restauratus: SEU MARTINI SCRIBLERI Summi Critici CASTIGATIONUM in ENEIDEM SPECIMEN: ENEIDEM totam, Amice Lector, innumerabilibus pæne mendis fcaturientem, ad priftinum fenfum revocabimus. In fingulis fere verfibus fpuriæ occurrunt lectiones, in omnibus quos unquam vidi codicibus aut vulgatis aut ineditis, ad opprobrium ufque Criticorum, in hunc diem exiftentes. Interea adverte oculos, & his paucis fruere. At fi quæ fint in hifce caftigationibus de quibus non fatis liquet, fyllabarum quantitates, ofwμer noftra Libro ipfi præfigenda, ut confulas, monco. I. SPECIMEN LIBRI PRIMI, VERS. I. (a) AR Rma Virumque cano, Troja qui primus ab oris Italiam, fato profugus, Lavinaque venit Litora multum ille & terris jactatus & alto, Vi fuperum : (4) Arma Virumque cano, Trojæ qui primus ab Aris Italiam, flatu profugus, Latinaque venit Litora: multum ille & terris vexatus, & alto, Ab II. VERS. 52. (b) ----- Et quifquis Numen Junonis adoret ? III. VERS. 86. (c) --- Venti velut agmine facto: Qua data porta ruunt -100 IV. VERS. 117. (d) Fidumque vehebat Orontem. V. VERS. 119. (e) Excutitur, pronufque magister Volvitur in caput VI. VERS. 122. (f) Apparent rari nantes in gurgite vafto Ab aris, nempe Hercei Jovis, vide lib; 2. vers. 512, 550. Flatu, ventorum oli, ut fequitur -- Latina certe littora cum neas aderat, Lavina non nifi poftea ab ipfo nominata, Lib. 12. vers. 193 Jactatus, terris non convenit. Et quifquis Nomen Junonis adoret ? (b) Longe melius, quam ut antea, Numen Et Procul dubio fic Virgilius. (c) Venti velut aggere fraue Qua data porta ruunt Sic corrige, meo periculo. (d) Fortemque vehebat Orontem : Non fidum, quia Epitheton Achate notiffimum, Aio Virgilium aliter non fcripfiffe, quod planë confirmatur ex fes quentibus Aft illum ter fluctus ibidem Torquet · (f) Armi hominum: Ridicule antea Arma virum quæ ex ferro cond Alata, quomodo poffunt natare? VII. VERS. 151. (g) Atque rotis fummas leviter perlabitur undas. VIII. VERS. 154. (b) Jamque faces & faza volant, furor arma miniftrat. IX. VERS. 170. (i) Fronte fub adverfa fcopulis pendentibus antrum, Intus aquæ dulces, vivoque fedilia faxo. HECA BLO BODI Profpicit errantes: hos tota armenta fequuntur A tergo XI. VERS. 748. Arcturum pluviafqueHyades, geminofque Triones; Error graviffimus. Corrige,--Septemque Triones. (g) Atque rotis fpumas leviter perlabitur udas. Summas, & leviter perlabere, pleonafmus eft: Mirifice alter lectio Neptuni agilitatem & celeritatem exprimit; fimili modo Nofter de Camilla, Æn. 11. intacta fegetis per fumma volaret, &c. hyperbolice. (b) Jamque faces & faxa volant, fugiuntque Miniftri: Uti folent, inftanti periculo. Faces, facibus longe præftant, quid enim nifi faces jactarent vulgus fordidum? (i) Fronte fub advería populis prandentibus antrum. Sic malim, longe porius quom fcopulis pendentibus: Nuga! Nonne vides verfu fequenti dulces aquas ad porandum & fedilia ad discubitumdari? in quorum ufum ? prandentium. (k) -Tres litore corvos Afpicit errantes: hos agmina tota fequuntur A tergo Cervi, lectio vulgata, abfurditas notiffima: hæc animalia in Africa non inveniri, quis nefcit? At motus & ambulandi ritus Corvorum, quis non agnovit hoc loco? Litore, locus ubi errant Corvi, uti nofter alibi, E fola fecum ficca spaciatur arena. Omen præclariffimum, immo et agminibus Militum frequenter obfer atum, ut patet ex Hiftoricis. |