In Greek, 'Exados was used with various modifications of meaning. Referring to persons, it denotes "an enchanter," lit. "one who sings songs over another." With reference to a poem, it denotes "that which is sung after the Strophe and Antistrophe," lit. "an after-song," as in Pindar's 'Eradixά; or it signified "the burden of a song, or refrain," as in Theocritus, Bion, and Moschus. It was likewise applied to "a short verse coming after an Iambic Trimeter," or "to a short lyric poem composed of alternate Iambic Trimeters and Tetrameters," as in the Epodes of Archilochus, mentioned by Plutarch in his Dialogue on Music. Here Epodus probably denotes "a short lyric poem composed of distichs, of which the second verse is shorter than the first," which is sometimes an Hexameter, as well as an Iambic Trimeter. Some, however, are of opinion that "The Epodes" are merely "Additional, or Supplementary Odes," and designate this as the "Fifth Book of Odes." Most of the Epodes are of a satirical character, and are supposed to be among the poet's earliest productions.

EPODE I.-Dicolos Distrophos: Metre-The Second Iambic, of which the first verse is an Iambic Trimeter, or Senarius, and the second an Iambic Dimeter, or Quaternarius; thus

SUBJECT-The poet protests against staying at home in peace, while his patron is employed in war abroad.

Addressed to Mæcenas, and supposed to have been written shortly before, as the 37th of the First Book was shortly after, the battle of Actium, B.C. 31.

Before sailing from Brundusium, Octavianus summoned a council of the principal senators and knights from Rome (Dion Cassius 11), and Mæcenas probably anticipated being sent in the expedition contemplated against Antony and Cleopatra, as he had been in that which sailed to Sicily against Sextus Pompey, in 36, when a considerable portion of the fleet was, on its way thither, wrecked off Cape Palinurus (Capo di Palinuro).

Horace is by many believed to have been with Mæcenas on that occasion, and to allude, in Ode iii. 4, 28, to the danger which he there sustained. If so, the poet was not deterred from again wishing to accompany his patron wherever he might be sent, although it does not appear that he had an opportunity of thus testifying his gratitude and fidelity, since Mæcenas was left at home with the charge of Rome and Italy (Dion Cassius, 51, 3). Some are of opinion that this Ode was composed in 36 в C., although almost all are in favour of the later date.

plough, and of the manner in which it was yoked, is from an ancient bas-relief. See also Notes, Epode 2, 63, and 3, 11.

which connects villa with superni Tusculi, and supposes it to extend to Circæi, in Latium. For superni, Bentley conjectures supini; Markland, superbi.

31. Satis-Cp. Epode 17, 19; Ode ii. 18, 15; iii. 16, 38; and Sat. ii. 6, 1.

33. Chremes is a common name in Greek comedies for a covetous old man. Premam -"I may bury."

34. Discinctus aut perdam nepos - "or squander like a dissolute grandson." Among the Romans, it was thought effeminate to appear abroad with the tunic loosely, or carelessly girded. Hence cinctus and succintus are put for industrius, expeditus, or 27. Pecusve, &c.-pascuis-" or that my cause the tunic used to be girded when at gnavus, "diligent," "active," "clever," becattle, before the heat of summer, may ex-work: and, on the other hand, discinctus is change Calabrian for Lucanian pastures." See Notes, Ode i. 16, 25. Calabria was a low-lying, warm district, and Lucania was high and woody. The wealthy therefore sent their flocks to the former in winter, and to the latter in summer. Cp. Epist. ii. 2, 177, and see Notes, Ode i. 31, 5. Sidus fervidum-See Notes, Ode iii. 29, 18. For pascuis, several MSS. give pascua. Observe that the second half of the first double foot of line 27 is a tribrach.

"nor that a

29. Neque, &c. - moenia shining villa of mine should be contiguous to the Circæan walls of lofty Tusculum," which its proximity to Rome, its salubrity, and the beauty of its situation, rendered a most desirable site for a country residence. See Notes, Ode iii. 29, 6. Candens is understood to refer to the white marble of which the villa may be supposed to have been built. The two most extravagant interpretations of this passage are: 1. That which supposes the poet to refer to his Sabine villa "being built of white marble, and extended so as to reach even to the walls of Tusculum," a distance, at least, of some 15 miles; 2. That

equivalent to iners, mollis, ignavus, &c. The contrast between cinctus and discinctus is vividly depicted by the following cuts, of which the first is from a statue at Naples, and the second from a painting at Pompeii.

Nepos-"a grandson." From the too great indulgence generally shown by grandfathers, and its ruinous consequences, nepos becaine a common designation for "a prodigal."

EPODE II.-Dicolos Distrophos: Metre-The Second Iambic, of which the first verse is an Iambic Trimeter, or Senarius, and the second an Iambic Dimeter, or Quaternarius; thus

SUBJECT-An epigram on the inconsistency of Alfius, a confirmed usurer.

In the middle of the month, when business was dull, Alfius was eloquent on the happiness of a country life, collected his money, and was going to retire; but at the commencement of the next month, when money was in demand, he was as anxious as others to invest it, in the hope of adding to his wealth.

It is not easy to abandon an old habit, especially if it is profitable, however much it may come to be disapproved of by the judgment. There is many an Alfius still. Cp. Ode i. 1; and Virg. Gec. ii. 458, &c.; Martial, iii. 58; and Ovid, Fast. 681, &c.

1. Procul negotiis-"far from business," i.e., far from the troubles of a city life." Cp. Epist. i. 6, 33.

2. Ut prisca gens mortalium refer to the primitive simplicity of the golden age. 3. Paterna. "hereditary." Exercet

"ploughs," or "works." Cp. Ode iv. 14, 21, and Virg. Geo. i. 99; ii. 356.

"The straight edge immediately above the handle was termed culter, the coulter; the curved one beyond, sinus, the bend or hollow; the edge between the hollow and the point, scalprum, the knife; the hook itself, rostrum, the beak, the projecting lunated edge at the back, securis, the axe." spike beyond, mucro, the point; and the

4. Solutus omni fenore-"freed from all manner of borrowing and lending," i.e., from all money transactions. The interest of money was called fenus, usura, or usurae. The legal interest at Rome, toward the end of the republic, and under the first emperors, was one As a month for the use of a hundred, i.e., 1 per cent. a month, or 12 per cent. per annum. This was called usura centesima, because in a hundred months the interest equalled the capital (caput or sors). In the earlier ages, when the interest ap-Rich. pears to have been paid yearly, the legal rate was styled Fenus unciarium, or one-twelfth of the capital, there being twelve unciae in an As. This, for a year of ten months, is equivalent to ten per cent., or 83 for one of twelve. Much larger rates, however, were no doubt obtained, in many instances, by usurers. Cp. Sat. i. 2, 14.

5. Neque, &c.-mare-"he is neither, as a soldier, aroused by the harsh blast of the trumpet, nor does he dread, as a trader, the angry sea.' Cp. Tibullus, i. 1, 4, Martia cui somnos classica pulsa fugent, and see Notes, Ode i. 1, 23.

7. Forum-"the courts of law," the resort of lawyers, debtors, creditors, criminals, and prosecutors. Superba, &c.-liminathe splendid, or the haughty (lit. proud), thresholds of the more powerful citizens." In either case, the reference is to the custom, prevalent at Rome, of clients waiting on their patrons to offer their morning salutations, and receive the sportula, or dole of food, or money, in return for their mercenary devotion.

9. Ergo-" accordingly," or "thus situated, then." Adulta-The tendrils ot the vine were wedded, or trained to elms or poplars in their third year.

10. Marita populos-Cp. Ode iv. 5, 30, and see Notes, Ode ii. 15, 3.

The next couplet, in all the MSS., is Aut in reducta, &c.-greges. Several editors, however, have placed this after Inutilesque, &c. inserit, in order to connect "training" with "pruning" and "grafting;" but these, though kindred operations, were performed at different seasons: the first in October, the other two in March, and the poet's object is to suggest a pleasing variety of relaxation and employment.

11. Reducta valle-Cp. Ode i. 17, 17. With mugientium, supply boum.

12. Errantes greges-" grazing herds." 13. Falce-Falx was applied to any edged instrument with a curved blade. The vinedresser's pruning-hook (falx vinitoria, vineatica, or putatoria), which was somewhat complicated, and adapted for a variety of operations, is illustrated by the annexed

cut.

14. Feliciores inserit - "6 "ingrafts more fruitful ones." Cp. Virg. Geo. ii. 81.

15. Pressa (e favis)-Cp. Virg. Geo. iv. 140. This operation was performed in June. 16. Infirmas-"timid," or "gentle," not capable of offering much resistance, and neither dangerous nor disagreeable to work with. Some make it "sickly." Cp. Epode 1, 16.

17. Vel is frequently, as it is here, used to introduce a stronger assertion, and may then be translated by "nay." Cp. Epode 12, 13; Sat. ii. 7, 95; and Virg. xi. 406. Decorum mitibus pomis· "adorned with mellow fruit."

19. Ut gaudet-"he is so delighted," or "he is indeed delighted," or as it is usually rendered "how glad is he!" Cp. line 61, and Ode iii. 25, 12. Gaudet-decerpens= ἥδεται δρέπων. Insitiva-pyra - "the pears of his own grafting."

20. Certantem, &c.-purpurae-" and the grape, vying in hue with the purple." Purrurae is in the dative, by a Grecism for the ablative. Cp. Ode i. 3, 13.

21. Priape-Priapus, being the god of gardens, received, as an offering, the firstfruits of the orchards, &c.

22. Silvane-See Notes, Ode iii. 29, 23.
23. The first half of the second double

foot is a tribrach. Cp. Epode i. 27.

24. In tenaci gramine-"on the matted (or on the firmly-rooted) grass."

25. Labuntur, &c.-aquae-“meanwhile the streams glide (lit. the banks being high) with high banks," and consequently afford a more soothing noise than when their waters are high or deep. Cp. Ode ii. 3, 11. The banks are high in autumn because the rivers are low. Cp. line 29, and see Notes, Ode iv. 7, 3. For ripis, several MSS. give

rivis.

26. Queruntur-"warble," or "utter their plaintive notes.'

27. Fontesque, &c.-leves-"and the fountains murmur with their purling waters, so as to entice light slumbers." Some explain fontes obstrepunt with reference to the birds, as if the two murmured, or warbled, in concert. For fontes, Markland conjec

nets), as traps for the voracious thrushes." The quantity of the first syllable in amite is doubtful, as it is not found elsewhere in the poets, and here it depends upon that of levi, which some consider long, and others short. If levi is from levis-"smooth, polished," it is ămes; if from levis-"light," it is ames; as neither an anapæst, nor a

29. Tonantis-Tonans is probably a purely ornamental title of Jupiter, like regizé-pyrrhich are admissible as the second half ραυνος, ὑψικέραυνος, οι υψιβρεμέτης, vt by levigato, and the subject need scarcely of the double foot. The scholiasts explain Altitonans. Some, however, consider that be disputed, as the rod referred to was prothere is an allusion to the tempests, inter-bably both "light" and "smooth." The mingled with thunder, that are prevalent following illustration of a fowler's rod (auin Italy at the commencement of winter. cupis arundo, or calamus) is from an ancient Cp. Ode iii. 5, 1. Annus-See Notes, Ode terra cotta lamp, and exhibits a call-bird, or cage (transenna or cavea) on the other, or decoy (avis illex), on one end, and a trap which is slightly turned up to receive the bird-lime (viscus). In the original, it is represented as borne upon the fowler's shoul

der, and it is adduced here because it is 32. In obstantes plagas-"against the op- thought not unlikely that Horace refers to posing nets." The following cut, from an the arundo, under the designation of ames ancient fresco painting, gives a good illus-levis-"a light pole," the poles upon which tration of this ancient mode of hunting, although the animals referred to are different. A considerable tract of woody country was surrounded by nets, which were some times several miles in length, and suspended on forked stakes (varae) driven into the ground, and strengthened by supports, or stanchions (ancones). The covers were then beat, and the animals driven up to the nets, and despatched by means of spears. Cp. Ode i. 1, 28. It is right to add that the distinction here drawn between varae, ancones, and amites, does not appear to have been always observed, and that they are all usually explained as denoting the forked poles on which the upright nets were suspended.

33. Aut amite, &c-dolos-" or spreads his thin nets with smooth rod (ie., his clap