152 however, it combined with the other cities of Latium in his behalf against Rome. Gabii had fallen into decline in Cicero's time, but revived during the Empire. It lay close to a small volcanic lake, now drained, which, strangely enough, is not mentioned by any writer before the 5th century. 92. A sceptre. This word originally meant a staff to lean upon, not a symbol of station or authority. Sceptres were carried by kings, princes, and leaders; also by judges, heralds (as here), priests, and seers. 105. Eyry. The more proper spelling of this word is aery, which occurs in Shakespeare, K. John, v. 2. 149, and Hamlet, ii. 2. 354. It is cognate with the Greek oprig and opvývai and the Latin orini. "When fairly imported into English, the word was ingeniously connected with ey, an egg, as if the word meant an eggery; hence it began to be spelled eyrie or eyry, and to be misinterpreted accordingly" (Skeat). 119. Conscript Fathers. Patres Conscripti (see on Horatius, 126 above); originally Patres et Conscripti, the latter being certain noble plebeians of equestrian rank added to the senate when its numbers had fallen off, in the early days of the Republic. Some authorities, however, make Patres Conscripti enrolled fathers. 123. Choose we a Dictator. Let us choose (1st person imperative) a dictator. The dictator was an extraordinary magistrate appointed in time of peril. As indicated below, he held his office for six months only, was preceded by twenty-four lictors (see on 2 above) with the fasces and axes, and had associated with him a lieutenant, called the master of horse (magister equitum), usually appointed by himself, but sometimes by the senate. The dictator was appointed by a decree of the senate on the nomination of the consul. He had greater power than the consul in that he had no colleague, was more independent of the senate, had greater freedom of punishment without appeal, and was irresponsible. The first dictator was appointed in 501 B.C., and the office disappeared in 202 B.C.; for the dictatorships of Sulla and Cæsar were of a different character. After that date, however, the consuls were given dictatorial power by the senate in times of danger, by the common formula, "Consul videat ne quid res publica detrimenti capiat." Cf. Cicero, In Catilinam, i. 2. 4: "Decrevit quondam senatus ut L. Opimius Consul videret ne quid res publica detrimenti caperet." 125. Camerium. An ancient city of Latium. It was taken by Tarquin during his reign, but after his expulsion from Rome it was among the first to embrace his cause, and was destroyed by Virginius, 502 B.C. 135. Æbutius Elva. Consul 497 B.C. He had charge of the city when the battle of Lake Regillus was fought. 143. With boys, etc. Cf. Horatius, 58 fol. 148. The Porcian height. See on 34 above. 156. Marked evermore with white. See on 20 above, and cf. 780 below. 165. Setia. An ancient city of Latium, on the southern slope of the Volscian mountains, looking over the Pomptine Marshes (see on 263 below). It was one of the thirty cities of the Latin League. It was a strong fortress during the wars of Marius and Sulla. It was noted for its wine, which in the days of Martial and Juvenal seems to have been considered one of the choicest kinds. According to Pliny (xiv. 6-8), Au gustus first brought it into vogue. There can be no doubt that the modern town of Sezza occupies the site of ancient Setia, as remnants of its walls, built of large polygonal blocks of limestone, like those of Norba, are still visible. 166. Norba. On the border of the Volscian mountains near Setia, and one of the thirty cities of the Latin League. It was the last fortress of Italy that held out against Sulla. His general, Lepidus, utterly destroyed it, and it was never rebuilt. The existing ruins of Norba are among the most perfect specimens remaining in Italy of the style of construction known as Cyclopean. 167. Tusculum. See on Horatius, 96 above. 169. The Witch's Fortress. The Circæan promontory (Monte Circello), on the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, which was supposed to have been the abode of the enchantress Circe. It is a bold and abrupt mountain, rising precipitously from the sea to the height of 1800 feet, and insulated on the land side by a strip of the Pomptine Marshes. 172. Aricia. An ancient and famous city of Latium, on the Appian Way, sixteen miles from Rome. It took a prominent part in this Latin The modern town (Ariccia) occupies the site of the ancient citadel, on a steep hill rising above a basin-shaped valley, evidently at one time filled by a lake. war. Aricia was celebrated throughout Italy for its temple of Diana, situated about three miles from the town on the edge of a small lake. It was remarkable for the barbarous custom, retained even in the days of Strabo and Pausanias, of having as high priest a fugitive slave, who had obtained the office by killing his predecessor, for which reason the priests always went armed. The lake (the modern Lago di Nemi) was often called Speculum Dianæ, and is still noted for its beauty. Cf. Byron, Childe Harold, iv. 172: "Lo! Nemi, navelled in the woody hills So far that the uprooting wind which tears The oval mirror of thy glassy lake; And, calm as cherished hate, its surface wears A deep, cold, settled aspect nought can shake, All coiled into itself and round, as sleeps the snake." 177. Ufens. A river of Latium, rising at the foot of the Volscian mountains and flowing through the Pontine Marshes, whence it is described by Virgil (Eneid, vii. 801) as a sluggish, muddy stream. 183. Cora. A city of Latium (now Cori), on the left of the Appian Way about thirty-seven miles from Rome. It stands on a bold hill on the outskirts of the Volscian mountains, and overlooks the Pontine Marshes, the "never-ending fen." Its fortifications, apparently built at different periods, formed three successive tiers, the uppermost of which enclosed the highest summit of the hill and was the citadel of the ancient town. Considerable portions of these walls, with other ruins of much interest, are still to be seen. 185. The Laurentian jungle. Laurentum, on the sea-coast between Ostia and Lavinium, was the ancient capital of Latium and the abode of King Latinus when Eneas landed. In its immediate neighborhood were considerable marshes, while a little farther inland stood the extensive Laurentian Forest. Under the Roman Empire this forest abounded in wild boars, which were of large size, but reckoned of inferior flavor on account of the marshy ground on which they fed. The orator Hortensius had a villa and a park stocked with game near Laurentum, and many villas lined the coast. 187. Anio. A celebrated river of Latium, in ancient times called the Anien, one of the largest tributaries of the Tiber. It is now called the Teverone. Near Tibur it forms a celebrated cascade, falling at once through a height of more than eighty feet. The present cascade is artificial, the waters of the river having been carried through a tunnel constructed for the purpose in 1834, but the Anio always formed a striking fall at this point. See Horace, Odes, i. 7. 13: "Et praeceps Anio." The waters of the upper Anio were very clear, for which reason they were carried by aqueducts to Rome. 190. Velitra. A city (now Velletri) on the southern slope of the Alban Hills, on the Via Appia, looking over the Pontine Marshes. Both Livy and Dionysius represent it as a Volscian city when it first came into colision with Rome, but Dionysius includes it among the thirty cities of Latium. After the Latin war in 338 B.C., the walls of Velitra were destroyed, and the town became an ordinary municipality. It was the native place of the Octavian family, from which Augustus was descended. Pliny mentions it as producing a wine inferior only to the Falernian. 193. Mamilius. See on Horatius, 96 above. 202. By Syria's dark-browed daughters. The finest purple robes came from Tyre in Phoenicia, on the coast of Syria. 203. Carthage. Situated on the northern coast of Africa near the mod. ern Tunis. It was a Phoenician colony, founded, according to the popular chronology, 814 B.C., and destroyed after three wars with Rome in 146 B.C. It was rebuilt by Augustus and became one of the most flourishing cities of the ancient world. In the fifth century it was taken by the Vandals under Genseric, and became the capital of their kingdom in Africa. It was retaken by Belisarius, but was captured and destroyed by the Arabs in 647. At the period of the poem Carthage was already a flourishing and wealthy commercial city, and the depot of supplies for the western Mediterranean of the products of the East. See on The Prophecy of Capy's, 280 below. 205. Lavinium. A city about three miles from the sea-coast, between Laurentum and Ardea, and seventeen miles from Rome. It was founded, according to the legend, by Æneas, shortly after his landing in Italy, and named by him after his wife Lavinia, daughter of King Latinus. When Ascanius removed the seat of the government to Alba, the attempt to remove the Penates was unsuccessful; hence Lavinium was always regarded as a sacred metropolis. Macrobius tells us that in his time it was customary for the consuls and prætors, at the beginning of their term of office, to offer sacrifice there to Vesta and the Penates. While the legend of Æneas has no historical basis, it seems certain for many reasons, among them the name, that Lavinium was originally the capital of Latium. The insignificant village of Practica now occupies the site. 209. False Sextus, etc. See on Horatius, 199 above. 233. Tibur. The modern Tivoli, a town twenty miles northeast of Rome on the Anio. It was celebrated for its orchards and for its grapes and figs. Its air was healthy and bracing, and this, together with its beautiful scenery, made it a favorite resort of the wealthy Romans. It was much older than Rome, and probably of Greek origin. Here Syphax, king of Numidia, died 201 B.C., and here Zenobia lived as a captive. Tibur was famed for its worship of Hercules, whose temple was the most remarkable in the neighborhood of Rome, except that of Fortune at Præneste. Both Horace and Sallust had residences at Tibur. Pedum. A city of the Latin League, at one time of considerable importance. It disappears from history after the close of the Latin War in 338 B.C. 235. Ferentinum. A city of Etruria about five miles from the Tiber on the north of the Ciminian range. 236. Gabii. See on 86 above. 237. Volscian succors. The Volscians (see on Horatius, 561 above) were usually opposed to the Latins, and in alliance with the Equians. Tarquinius Superbus is said to have built the Capitol at Rome from spoils taken from the Volscians, a tradition which proves the belief in their great wealth and power at this early period. 241. Mount Soracte. A mountain of Etruria (now called Monte di San Oreste), situated between Falerii and the Tiber, about twenty-six miles north of Rome. Although only 2260 feet in height, it rises in an abrupt mass above the plain, and is a conspicuous object in all views of the Campagna. See Horace, Odes, i. 9. 1: "Vides ut alta stet nive candidum Soracte;" and Virgil, Æneid, xi. 785: "Summe deum, sancti custos Soractis Apollo." 250. Apulian. Apulia was a district in the southeastern part of Italy, between the Apennines and the sea. A great part of northern Apulia consisted of a fertile plain, especially adapted to the rearing of horses and cattle. 251. Titus, the youngest Tarquin. Titus was the eldest son of Tarquin. The youngest son was Aruns. See on Horatius, 323 above. 256. Targe. A poetical word for a small round shield. Target is a diminutive of it. 263. Pomptine fog. The Pomptine (Pontine) Marshes (Pomptinae Pa ludes) were an extensive tract of marshy ground in the south of Latium at the foot of the Volscian mountains. They occupy a space of thirty miles in length by seven or eight in breadth, and are separated from the sea on the west by a broad tract of sandy plain covered with forest, which is perfectly level and intermixed with marshy spots and pools of stagnant |