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9. ) The offering immediately and mysteriously
disappeared from the temple, and Conon, a cele-
brated mathematician and astronomer of Samos,
soon discovered it changed into a constellation in
the heavens; and Callimachus who resided at Al-
exandria, willing likewise to gain favor at court,
wrote a poem on the event, which, except a few
fragments, is now lost, and of which this of Catul-
lus is a version. The constellation is introduced
relating the causes which separated itself from the
head of Berenice, and expressing regrets for its
absence, which the brilliance of its new position
could not suppress.
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? NOTES. 135
5. Lalmia] a mountain of Caria, the dwelling of
Endymion.
7. ccelesti lumine] construe with fulgentem.
15. Estne n. n. o. v. ] 'is Venus odious to young
brides? ' The transition here is abrupt. The order
of thought seems to be this. Are the maidenly re-
luctance of young brides, and their timid appre-
hensions of their coming nuptials, real or feigned?
The sorrow and vows of Berenice on the departure
of her new married husband, teach me they are not
sincere.
16. frustrantur] 'mocked. '
17. fundunt] sc. novae nuptae.
21. luxti] for luxisti.
26. magnanimam] Hyginus, (Poet. Astron. cap.
24. ) mentions as instances of the masculine charac-
ter of Berenice, and which secured to her the throne
of Egypt, a passion for horses, and her habit of
sending them to contend in the Olympic games.
Also, that once when Ptolemy, her father, sought
safety in flight from more numerous forces, she
rallied the flying troops, and defeated the enemy.
28. alis] for alius.
30. tristi] for trivisti.
36. Asiam] i. e. Syria.
39. invito] So Virgil, jEn. 6. 460. Invitus Regina
tuo de litore cessi. In these expressions of passion-
ate regret, the original author addressed to the
princess most courtly adulation. A similar strain
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? 136 NOTES-
of compliment is implied in the preceding verses,
in the intimations that her love and fears, had over-
come her wonted energy, and self-possession.
41. quod] sc. caput, inaniter] "ut solent peijuri. "
dignaferat] let him suffer due punishment.
42. poslulet] 'arrogate to himself,''boast. '
44. Progenies This] 'the Sun. '
51. paxdo ante] join with sorores. 'just now sister
locks. ' abjuncta] i. e. ' whom I have left behind. '
53. unigena] Zephyrus twin brother (Carm. 42.
v. 201,) of Memnon; both born of Aurora.
54. ales equus] in apposition with unigena, v. 53.
Arsinoes Chloridos] Arsinoe the mother adoptive of
Berenice, was worshipped by the Egyptians, under
the name of Chloris.
57. Zephyritis] the same as Arsinoe Chloris, v.
54, so called from a temple dedicated to her and
Venus, on the Zephyrian promontory.
66. Callisto] dative case.
65-67. ] these verses determine the position of the
constellation, having Bootes on the east, Leo on the
west, northward the fore feet of Ursa Major, south-
ward Virgo.
69, 70. ] in compliance with the popular belief,
that the stars occupy the heavens only in the night,
and on the return of day pass into the ocean. ves-
tigia] 'footsteps. '
<
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? NOTES. 137
71. pace tud] lest this seeming boasting should
excite the indignation of Nemesis.
77, 78. ] Voss reads expers for explens, and murrae
for una, asserting that virgins were not used to
smear their hair with unguents, but used simply
myrrh or oil. Sillig joining omnibus expers with
virgo, reads,
Dum virgo quondam fuit omnibus expers,
Unguentum multa millia bibi.
79-82. ] this passage seems to have perplexed
commentators very much, and almost every one has
given a different construction, Compare Vulpius,
Voss, &c. The order is vos, quas taeda optato
lumine junxit non (i. e. ne) tradite corpora, nudantes
rejecta veste papillas, unanimis conjugibus, prius
quam onyx libet mihi jucunda munera.
89. hi] Berenice.
90-93. ] effice me esse tuam, (restored to thee,)
non votis, sed largis muneribus.
94. Hydrochbei] (idwg x'TM) 'Aquarius,' dative case.
Oarion] i. q. Orion. Both are constellations, whose
appearing was usually accompanied with storm, and
the sense may be "let me be restored, the tresses
of a queen, though there should be perpetual
storm. " Or perhaps,' let Aquarius and Orion re-
tain their splendor in the heavens, let me,' &c.
12
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? 138 NOTES.
CARMEN XLV.
To Manlius.
The poet begins this letter to Manlius, by ren-
dering him thanks for the friendship which induced
him in his affliction, to apply to himself for consola-
tion; and mentions the loss of his brother, and the
inconvenience of his situation at Verona, as an ex-
cuse for omitting to comply with his request. The
remainder of the poem is occupied with the praises
of Manlius, allusions to the kindness Catullus had
received from him, and a somewhat long digression
in praise of a lady, to whose favor he had been in-
troduced by Manlius.
10. Muneraque et Musarum . . et Feneris] i. e.
"versicvios amatorios. "
17. lust] 'indulged in poetic essays. ' Carm. 38.
v. 2.
34. capsula] a box usually "cylindrical, in which
manuscripts were placed vertically with the titles
at the top;"
73. inceptam frustra] 'entered in vain,' as she
was so soon to be separated from her husband,
domum, v. 72, has the sense of family 'home. '
77. desideret ara craorem] the displeasure of the
gods was incurred by the omission of some cus-
tomary nuptial sacrifices.
83. scibant] 'ordained. ' .
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? NOTES. 1 39
107. Quale] the deep love of Laodamia is grossly
compared to the abyss under mount Cylleve. Her-
cules, it is said, driven by Eurystheus from Tirinthia,
went to Pheneus, a city of Arcadia, and as the
Olbius by its overflow, had made the adjacent
country an immense marsh, he drained off the
waters by an excavation of fifty stadia in length,
which passed under the neighboring mountains. --
Pausanias, Archaica, cap. 14.
110. audit] 'is said;' for a similar use of audit,
see Horace, Ep. 1. 14. 17, and Serm. 2. 7. 101. In
a similar sense the Greeks sometimes use axovlir,
as Xenophon, Anab. Lib. vii. cap. 7. Sec. 23. <<;
axovtiv "to hear ones self (i. e. to be) well spoken of. "
112. hert] Eurystheus.
113. ut] pointing to the destiny assigned to
Hercules by the fates as the end and reward of his
labors.
116. indomitam] sc. se, Laodamia.
117-122.
] a comparison of her affection with the
doting on the son of an only daughter, of a grand-
father whose hopes of perpetuating his name had
been given up, and whose property must have passed
to hated and fortune-hunting relatives, inventus]
as an heir, vulturium] 'the vulture,' i. e. the leg-
acy-hunting relative.
123. ] compare Carm. 2.
126. ] he commends the constancy of Laodamia,
in contrast with the fickleness of her sex. This
verse is to be connected with v. 117, JVam neque, &c.
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? - 140 NOTES.
129, 130. ] the whole episode of Laodamia, seems
intended to set forth by comparison the worth of
Catullus's mistress.
CARMEN XLVII.
To Lesbia, on the detection of her inconstancy.
1. ndsse] primarily, 'to know,'here in imitation
of an occasional use of the Greek ytwisxro, it implies
affectionate regard, 'to have been intimate with. '
3. dilexi] diligere properly mean's to esteem.
5. cognovi] cognoscere, means specifically to dis-
cover, as agnoscere to recognize.
7. injuria talis] by throwing obstacles in this
way inflamed his passion, (cogit amare magis,) though
it diminished his good will (bene velle. )
CARMEN XLVII1.
On an Ingrate.
2. piuni] with its kindred pietas &c. seems to have
the general signification of ' regardful of duty,' the
particular duty or relation to be determined from
the context; here ' grateful. '
3. ] construe, fecisse benigne est nihil.
5. ut mihi] 'as to me,'' in my case. '
CARMEN XLIX.
To Lesbia.
3. fcedere] an allusion to the constancy and lasting
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? NOTES. 141
obligation of the marriage relation which fadus
often signifies.
4. amore tuo] Catullus has not regarded the dis-
tinction which commonly obtains, between amore
tuo and amore tui.
6. pio] 'constant'
CARMEN L.
To Mmself.
Saddened by the unfaithfulness of Lesbia, and
conscious of his own weakness, Catullus pleads his
own fidelity, and earnestly and seriously prays to the
gods to be delivered from the power of his love for
her.
4. Divum . . numine abusum] by perjury.
11. usque] 'forever. '
12. Bits invitis] "Venere et Amore invitis. "
26. pietate] 'constancy. '
CARMEN LI.
To Rufus.
A false friend and a successful rival.
CARMEN LII.
On Lesbius.
A man of unkissable lips, but whom Lesbia pre-
ferred to Catullus.
12 ?
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? ] 42 NOTES.
4. notorum] 'of his acquaintance. '
CARMEN LIU.
To Juventius.
A young Roman, whom Catullus reproves and
ridicules for having preferred to himself a jaundice
visaged Pisaurian.
CARMEN LIV.
A neatly expressed epigram addressed to Quin-
tius, probably a rival with Catullus in the favors of
Aufilena. #
CARMEN LV.
Of Arrius.
A Roman cockney, who made himself notorious
by an affected pronunciation.
8. eadem hac] 'these same' words, to which
Arrius had given the aspirate. leniter ac leviter]
'softly and lightly. '
9. postiila] i. q. postea.
CARMEN LVII.
Of Quintia and Lesbia.
Catullus compares Quintia, who was esteemed a
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? NOTES. 143
great beauty, with his own Lesbia, allowing to
Quintia many beauties, but denying her claim to
be called beautiful.
3. venustas] 'grace. '
4. salis] 'elegance. '
CARMEN LV1II.
Of Lesbia.
Love surviving disdain and reproaches.
3. deprecor] seems here to have not merely the
force of ' to pray against,' to deprecate, but also
includes the notion of imprecation. So many mal-
edictions as Lesbia utters against him, he forthwith
and continually invokes on her.
CARMEN LIX.
On the Smyrna of the Poet Cinna.
Fragments of a poem in which Catullus gives his
opinion of the worth of several cotemporary writers,
and of their prospects of immortality.
1. Smyrna] the name of an elaborate poem of
Cinna. This was an intimate friend of Caesar and
of Catullus, (met) Corn. Helvius Cinna.
3. Hortensius] Quintus the celebrated orator.
6. pervolvent] 'turn over,'' read. '
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? 144 NOTES.
7. Volusi annales] vide Carm. 26.
8. ] for the use of fishmongers in wrapping1 up
fish.
10. Antimacho] a native of Colophon, who wrote -
a huge poem on the Theban war.
CARMEN LX.
To lAcinias Calvus.
On the early death of Quintilia, solacing hia
grief with the hope that if an affectionate remem-
brance by the survivors, may be grateful to the de-
parted, the sadness of her untimely loss of the joys
of life, would be overpaid by the strength and con-
stancy of his love.
CARMEN LX1.
Catullus had gone to Troas, to pay the last honors
to the Manes of his brother, who was buried there.
After the usual solemnities, he addresses the dead
in the words of this poem. The love of Catullus
for his brother, the only relative he mentions, is one
of the brighter features in a character too deeply
stained with the licentiousness of the age.
CARMEN LXII.
He commends to his friend Cornelius, his power
of keeping secrets.
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? NOTES. 145
3. Ulorum jure sacratum] 'bound by the oath of
such. '
4. Harpocratem] the god of Silence.
CARMEN LXIII.
To Lesbia.
On the unexpected renewal of her attachment to
him.
CARMEN LXIV.
On Cominius.
Whose license of his tongue, and crimination of
virtuous citizens, had made him universally odious.
CARMEN LXV.
To Lesbia.
From whom he had been estranged, on her offer- -
ing a reconciliation; expressing a prayer for its
sincerity and permanence.
CARMEN LXVI.
To Gellius.
1. studioso animo venanda] 'to be studied with
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? 146 NOTES.
thoughtful mind,' applied to a poem of Callimachus,
obscure and full of invective against Apollonius
Rhodius, of which Catullus had attempted an imita-
tion, against Gellius. Ovid in Ibide, v. 55. seq. , in
allusion to these,
carmina Battiadae,
Nunc, quo Battiades inimicum devovet Ibin,
Hoc ego devoveo teque tuosque modo.
Utque tile, historiis involvam carmina caecis:
4. ] Tela infesta meum mittere inusque caput.