Jam præfuiffes Palladio gregi Horribiles barrathri receffus. Faucibus eripuiffe mortis. Colende Præfes, membra precor tua Molli quiefcant cefpite, et ex tuo Crefcant rofæ, calthæque bufto, 35 40 45 fua munera. En. xii. 391. feq. It should be remembered, that the word Alumnus is more extenfively, favourite, votary, &c. In Milton's Latin poems, it is often difficult to ascertain the names of perfons and places. To fhew his learning, he frequently clouds his meaning by obfcure or obfolete patronymics, and by the fubftitution of appellations formed from remote genealogical, hiftorical, and even geographical, allufions. But this was one of Ovid's affectations. In Quintum Novembris *. JA Anno tatis 17. A M pius extrema veniens läcobus ab arcto, Teucrigenas populos, lateque patentia regna Albionum tenuit, jamque inviolabile fœdus Sceptra Caledoniis conjunxerat Anglica Scotis: Pacificufque novo, felix divefque, fedebat In folio, occultique doli fecurus et hoftis : Cum ferus ignifluo regnans Acheronte tyrannus, Eumenidum pater, æthereo vagus exul Olympo, Forte per immenfum terrarum erraverat orbem, Dinumerans fceleris focios, vernafque fideles, 10 Participes regni poft funera mæsta futuros: Hic tempeftates medio ciet aere diras, Illic unanimes odium ftruit inter amicos, Armat et invictas in mutua vifcera gentes; Regnaque olivifera vertit florentia pace: 15 Et quofcunque videt puræ virtutis amantes, Hos cupit adjicere imperio, fraudumque magister *I have formerly remarked, that this little poem, as containing a council, confpiracy, and expedition of Satan, may be confidered as an early and promifing prolusion of Milton's genius to the PARADISE LOST. 15. Regnaque olivifera vertit florentia pace.] Onvifer is an Ovidian epithet, FAST. iii. 151. Primus OLIVIFERIS Romam deductus ab arvis. And in the IBIS, "OLIVIFERA Sicyone," v. 317. Tentat inacceffum fceleri corrumpere pectus; 20 25 30 At fimul hanc, opibufque et fefta pace beatam, Afpicit, et pingues donis Cerealibus agros, Quodque magis doluit, venerantem numina veri 23.--Populos Summanus et urbes.] SUMMANUS is an obfolete and uncommon name for Pluto, or the god of ghofts and night, which Milton moft probably had from Ovid, FAST. vi. 731. 27. Cui nomen dederat quondam Neptunia proles." Albion a giant, "fon of Neptune, who called the [this] ifland after his own name, "and ruled it forty four years. Till at length paffing over into Gaul, "sin aid of his brother Leftrygon, against whom Hercules was hafting "out of Spain into Italy, he was there (lain in fight, &c." Milton's HIST. ENGL. B. i. PROSE-WORKS, ii. 2. 31. At fimul hanc opibusque et festa pace beatam, &c.] The whole context is from Ovid's ENVY, METAM. ii. 794. Tandem Tritonida confpicit arcem, Ingeniifque, OPIBUSQUE, ET FESTA PACE, Virentem: Sancta 35 Sancta Dei populum, tandem fufpiria rupit 46 Jamque pruinofas velox fuperaverat Alpes, Et tenet Aufoniæ fines: a parte sinistra Nimbifer Appenninus erat, prifcique Sabini, 50 Dextra veneficiis infamis Hetruria, nec non Te furtiva, Tibris, Thetidi videt ofcula dantem ; Hinc Mavortigenæ confiftit in arce Quirini. Reddiderant dubiam jam fera crepufcula lucem, Cum circumgreditur totam Tricoronifer urbem, 55. He defcribes the proceffion of the Pope to Saint Peter's church at Rome, on the eve of Saint Peter's day. Panificofque 61 Panificofque Deos portat, fcapulifque virorum 56 rocem, 58. The orders of mendicant friars. 65 71 70. Præcipitefque impellit equos, &c.] See Note on Comus, v. 554. And Ovid, EPIST. PONT. iii. 56. Sive pruinofi Noctis aguntur equi. And Sil. Italicus, xv. 285. Nox atro circumdata corpus amictu, Compare Euripid. JoN. v. 1151. Schol. PHOENISS. v. 3. 71. Captum oculis Typhlonta, &c.] I believe Milton is the first poet who has given names to the horfes of Night. Spenfer defcribes the colour of her four horfes, F. Qi. v. 28. zo. Atque! |