It is now generally agreed that the fountain of Bandusia was about six miles from Venusia, a town of Apulia, on the Appian road, and on the borders of Lucania. Bandusia would seem to have been the name of the presiding nymph of the fountain. Horace says the fountain is well worthy of the libation and the kid which he intends to offer on the morrow. The intensest heat of summer cannot pierce its waters, which are therefore peculiarly grateful to the flocks and herds. O FONS Bandusiae, splendidior vitro. Cui frons turgida cornibus Primis et Venerem et proelia destinat : Lascivi suboles gregis. Te flagrantis atrox hora Caniculae Praebes, et pecori vago. Fies nobilium tu quoque fontium, Lymphae desiliunt tuae. 5 10 15 NOTES. 2 ardor-wild fury. I. 4 mente solida-his firm purpose. 5 Comp. tyrannus Hesperiae Capricornus undae. (xvi. 19, 20.) 7 if the shattered world fall on him. 9 hac arte-by this excellence, this firmness and integrity. 10 enisus struggling forward. 12 purpureo ore-the epithet purpureo suggests the idea of what is beautiful and godlike, and it may also perhaps allude to the dark colour of the nectar. Virgil, Aen. ii. 593, says of Venus," Roseoque haec insuper addidit ore." 12 hac-understand arte. 13 vexere-bore thee to heaven. 17, 18 after that Juno had spoken out what was pleasing to the gods assembled in council. All the gods favoured Romulus. 19 fatalis-destined to be the ruin of Troy. judex-alluding to Paris, as judge, awarding the golden apple to Venus in preference to Juno and Minerva. 21, 22 ex quo since the time that Laomedon cheated the gods of their stipulated reward. Apollo and Neptune were doomed by Juppiter for having revolted against him to serve Laomedon for wages, and the latter god built for him the walls of Troy, while Apollo tended his flocks. Laomedon refused them their promised reward, and expelled them from his kingdom. 24 duce-Laomedon. 25 Lacaenae adulterae-the genitive depending on hospes, or better perhaps taken as the dativus commodi. Helen is the Lacaena adultera. splendet-alluding to the beauty of Paris and his gay dress. 28 refringit-repulse, thrust back in discomfiture. 29 nostris ductum seditionibus-prolonged by our quarrels. 30 protinus-henceforth. 31 nepotem-Romulus, son of Mars, 32 Troica sacerdos-Ilia or Rea Silvia, whose father Numitor was descended from Aeneas. Hence she might be called the Trojan priestess. 33 redonabo-will give up in favour of Mars, by way of satisfying him. 34 ducere-to quaff. 37 dum-provided that. 40 busto insultet-trample on the tomb. 42 inultae-with impunity. 44 ferox-warlike, high-spirited. 45 horrenda-an object of terror. 46 medius liquor- the intervening waters of the sea. 49 aurum irrepertum-the gold of the mine. 54 hunc-that is, terminum. 54, 55 visere . . . ignes-eagerly desiring to visit that part of the world where the fires (of the sun) rage with the intensest fury. 58 hac lege-on this condition. nimium pii-that is, too much attached to their parent city, and too anxious to rebuild it. 61 alite lugubri-under dismal auspices. 66 auctore Phoebo-Phoebus being the builder. 70 pervicax-that is, over confident in thy powers. 72 to impair the grandeur of great subjects by lowly measures. II. I ministrum fulminis-Jove's eagle, comp. Virgil, Aen. v. 255, Jovis armiger. The first four stanzas are the first portion, or protasis, of the sentence. The apodosis begins at v. 17. As the young eagle is driven from his nest by the impulse of hereditary vigour, to attack the sheepfold or his old enemy, the serpent, as a lion is a terror to the deer, so was Drusus a terror to the Vindelici, etc. 6 laborum inscium-as yet ignorant of the trials and perils in store for him. 16 dente novo peritura-sure to perish by the young lion's tooth. 18-21 quibus . distuli-whence their custom is derived which through every age arms their right hands with an Amazonian battle-axe, I have omitted to inquire. This awkward parenthesis has been thought to be a sarcastic allusion to some rival poem. 24 revictae-in their turn conquered. 25 sensere-have experienced. 28 pueros Nerones-Tiberius and Drusus. 33 doctrina. . . instruction improves natural ability. 35, 36 whenever training in good manners has been wanting, vices disgrace what is fair by nature. bene nata-natural goodness and excellence. 38 Metaurum flumen--the battle of the Metaurus was B.C. 207. Metaurus (now Metro) a river in Umbria. 39, 40 fugatis Latio tenebris-when the darkness of calamity was driven from Latium. 41 adorea-victory, from ador, corn, which was given as a reward to a victorious army. 42 dirus Afer-Hannibal. Dirus suggests the notion of a divine judgment. ut-ever since. 43 taedas-that is, pine-forests 48 deos rectos-the statues of the gods restored to their places. 51 sectamur ultro-we go out of our way to attack. opimus triumphus-alluding to the spolia opima, the spoils taken by a Roman general from the enemy's leader. 57 tonsa-shorn of its boughs. 60 ducit-acquires, derives. 62 vinci dolentem-vexed at the idea of being beaten. 63 Colchi in allusion to the dragon which guarded the golden fleece. 64 Echioniaeve Thebae--Echion was one of those who sprang from the dragon's teeth sown by Cadmus, and he helped Cadmus in building Thebes. 66, 67 multa .. victorem-with great glory it will strike down the victorious foe as yet unweakened. 73 there is nothing which the might of the Claudii will not accomplish. 74 benigno numine-by his kindly protection. 75 curac sagaces-their wise carefulness, forethought. 76 carry them safely through the dangers of war. Comp. the Homeric phrase ὀξὺν ̓Αρα. For the construction, comp. subita, aspera, fortuita belli, incerta praeliorum, which occur in Tacitus. III. 2 plenis honorum muneribus-by gifts of honours adequate to thy merits, plenis being taken absolutely, or, by gifts rich with honours, making plenis govern honorum. 7 legis expertes Latinae-free from Roman sway. 9 quid Marte posses-what thou couldst do in war. Genaunos-a tribe in what is now the Tyrol. veloces-swift, as being mountaineers. ΙΟ II arces-that is, fortresses built by the Romans on the Alps. 13 plus vice simplici-with more than a single requital, that is, with overwhelming slaughter. 14 major Neronum Tiberius-the elder of the Neros. 16-19 worthily showing in the martial conflict with what a complete destruction he overcame those breasts devoted to death |