CARMEN XVII. AD TYNDARIDEM. Horace describes to Tyndaris the delightful situation and rural quiet of his Sabine farm; invites her to visit it, and enjoy its beauty and retirement, where she should be protected from the rudeness of her lover Cyrus. VELOX amoenum saepe Lucretilem Usque meis pluviosque ventos. CARM. 17.-5. totum, some Codd.-9. haedilia, some Codd. haeduleae, Bentl.— 14. hinc, some Codd. Carm. 17.-1. sq. Velor, corresponding to the Greek 'opeißárns, (mountainranging), as epithet of Pan; comp. of the same Ov. Fast. 2, 285: Ipse deus velox discurrere gaudet in altis montibus-Lucretilem mutat Lycaeo (ablat.) here in the sense of: 'he exchanges Lycaeus for Lucretilis i. e. he leaves Lycaeus and goes to Lucretilis (that which is received in exchange put in the accus., and that which is given for it, in the ablat). 3. defendit (= arcet) aestatem (= calorem) capellis (dative), 'he wards off the heat from the flocks.' 4. usque, poetic. = semper. 7. uxores olentis mariti (= capri), poetical circumlocution for the shegoats.' 9. Martiales, i. e. Marti sacros--Haediliae of Haedilia, a mountain or wood in the neighbourhood of Lucretilis and Horace's Sabine villa. 10. utcumque, poetic. = quandocumque, simulac, as soon as, 'whenever'-fistula, sc. Fauni. 12. lévia, dela, smooth' by nature (as calcareous rocks)-personuêre, intransitive, have resounded.' 14. sq. construe: hic (i. e. in Sabino) copia opulenta honorum ruris manabit tibi ad plenum (ex) benigno (= largo) cornu-ad plenum abundanter, uber = This short poem is addressed to Varus, who is supposed by some to have been an Epicurean, and a friend of Augustus. Others identify him with Quinctilius Varus, whose death is lamented in the twenty-fourth Ode of the First Book. But whosoever he may have been, the nature of his occupation at the time when these lines were inscribed to him is not doubtful. He was then employed in planting trees upon his Tiburtine property, and the poet advises him to give the place of honour to the "sacred vine." Horace then proceeds to recommend a moderate use of wine, as the best antidote to care, hardship, and privation; but warns men against the evil consequences which often arise from excessive indulgence in it. NULLAM, Vare, sacrâ vite prius severis arborem Circa mite solum Tiburis et moenia Catili. Quis post vina gravem militiam aut pauperiem crepat? 5 10 Sub divum rapiam. Saeva tene cum Berecyntio fine l'a CARM. 18.-5. increpat, some Codd.-7. ac, some Codd. Carm. 18.-1. prius vite (comp. ablat.) 'sooner,' 'rather,' i. e. more willingly.' 2. moenia Catili (for Catilli, by metrical reason) i. e. Tibur, founded by two brothers Tiburtus and Catillus (comp. Virg. A. 7, 670 sq.) 3. siccis sobriis, abstemiis, 'to sober men' (comp. C. 4, 5, 39: O utinam, &c.... dicimus integro Sicci mane die, dicimus uvidi, and Ep. 1, 19, 8 sq.: Forum puteatque Libonis Mandabo siccis, adimam cantare severis). 5. crepat = in ore habet, Tarayeî, 'talks of.' 6. te, sc. crepat, 'speaks of.' 7. modiciamantis modum, 'moderate.' 8. super mero, poetic. super tempore bibendi, i. e. inter compotationem, 'during their drinking.' 9. non levis iratus, per Meiosin. 15 10. sq. construe: quum avidi discernunt fas atque nefas exiguo fine (= discrimine) libidinum-avidi, absol., 'they who are desirous of pleasure'-libidinum, genit. subj., 'by but a narrow boundary which limits the desires.' 11 sq. sense: I shall not profane thy worship. 12. quatiam, poetic. (in allusion to the brandishing of the thyrsus) = celebrabo orgia tua-obsita variis frondibus, poetic. 'thy mysteries (contained in the mystical chests), covered with various leaves.' 13. tene= cohibe, restrain, mode rate.' 15. sq. construe: et gloria tollens vacuum (= vanum, inanem) verticem plus nimio, fidesque prodiga arcani, perlucidior vitro:-gloria, here in a bad sense, boastfulness,' 'vanity,' 'vainglory.' CARMEN XX. AD MAECENATEM. Horace, expecting a visit from his friend Maecenas, at his Sabine farm, apprizes him that he will be treated to none of those generous wines which he was accustomed to drink at home; but that he will find only some poor vin de pays, and that, too, dealt out in rather scanty measure. With delicate and wellturned flattery, however, the poet takes care to let his friend know that the wine dated its age from a day of which Maecenas must have been well pleased to be reminded-the day, namely, on which he was received with the warmest acclamations in the public theatre, after his recovery from a dangerous illness. VILE potabis modicis Sabinum Cantharis, Graecâ quod ego ipse testâ EXCURSUS VII. CARM. XX. LIB. I. ON WINE AND WINE-VESSELS. In the most ancient times the Romans used little wine, and libations were consequently made with milk and not with wine.1 When the use of wine became more general, women were strictly forbidden to drink it, and the transgressors of this law were severely punished." Besides, the country-wine which was obtained in Rome and its neighbourhood, "in vineis " (in vineyards), was of poor quality, and particularly tart (temetum). But the Romans soon became acquainted with the wine of southern Italy, and, afterwards, of Greece, which was regarded as a great delicacy. The cultivation of the Roman vine, which had been very much neglected, was gradually improved, especially after the conquest of Campania, a country rich in wine, and was ultimately deemed the perfection of the art, as the vine-dressers prided themselves in the highest degree on their skill and experience. According to Pliny, vinum Caecubum,3 from the earliest times, held the first place among the occidental wines. This precious wine grew in Campania, which generally produced the best, at the sinus Cajetanus, near Amyclae. In the time of Pliny, these vineyards had sustained great injury from the canal constructed by Nero, so that the Setinum (growing above the forum Appii), to which Augustus had already given the preference, was then accounted the best. The second rank was held by the vinum Falernum, which was exceedingly brisk, apparently of a light colour, and highly praised by the poets, especially by Horace. The third class comprised several kinds: Massicum,5 Albanum,6 Calenum,7 Surrentinum.8 The Mamertinum, from the neighbourhood of Messana, was fourth in rank after the time of Julius Caesar. The Sabinum, Signinum, Nomentanum, and others, were of inferior quality. The following were the least valued: Vaticanum, from the neighbourhood of Rome, in very bad repute, was sour like vinegar; 10 Vejentanum, growing near Veji, was sour, thick, and of a red colour (therefore called also rubellum); Pelignum, Caeretanum, &c. Wines imported from the provinces were also drunk, e. g. Raeticum, Laletanum (Spanish), Massilitanum, &c. Among foreign wines, the Greek were greatly valued, especially vinum Chium 12 (of which Hortensius left, after his death, more than 1 Plin. 14, 12, 14. 2 Plin. 14, 13, 14. Hor. C. 1, 20, 9; 1, 37, 5; 2, 14, 25. 4 C. 1, 20, 10; 2, 3, 8; 2, 6, 19; 3, 5 C. 1, 1, 19; 2, 7, 21; 3, 21, 5. Sat. 2, 14, 51. 6 Sat. 2, 8, 16. 7 C. 1, 20, 9; comp. 4, 12, 14. 8 Sat. 2, 4, 55. 9 C. 1, 20, 1; comp. 1, 9, 7. 11 Sat. 2, 3, 143. |