corna, et mora hærentia in cogente legebant arbuteos fœ- Arbuteos foetus, montanaque fragra legebant, tus, que montana fragra, que Cornaque, et in duris hærentia mora rubetis ; duris rubetis, et glandes que Et quæ deciderant patulâ Jovis arbore glandes. deciderant patula arbore Jo- Ver erat æternum; placidique tepentibus auris vis. Ver erat æternum; que Mulcebant Zephyri natos sine semine flores. 20 placidi Zephyri mulcebant Mox etiam fruges tellus inarata ferebat; pentibus auris Etiam tellus Nec renovatus ager gravidis canebat aristis. inarata mox ferebat fruges: Flumina jam lactis, jam flumina nectaris ibant : nec ager renovatus canebat Flavaque de viridi stillabant ilice mella. flores natos sine semine te gravidis aristis. Jam flumina lactis, jam flumina nectaris ibant: que flava mella stillabant de viridi ilice. NOTES. 16. Arbuteos.) The fruit of a low tree which resembles a strawberry, and ripens in our winters, Montanaque.] the mountains. Which are gathered on 17. Cornaque.) Wild Cherries. Duris.) Sharp, thorny. Rubetis.) In uncultivated and thorny places (hedges.) 18. Et quæ.) The first men fed upon Acorns that fell from oaks, trees consecrated to Jupiter. 19 Eternum.) There were then no variations of times, but the south winds constantly blowing did so cherish the flowers, growing, without culture, that it seemed a continual spring-time. 20. Mulcebant.) They did so mitigate and cherish, that they did not wither with too much heat nor too much cold. 21. Fruges.) All fruits whatsoever grow out of the ground, and are called Fruges, among which apples are numbered. 22. Nec renovatus.) Then there was no need to till the ground, seeing it brought forth fruit every year without tillage. Novalis is a Periphrasis; for novalis is a fallowed land that is sown every second year. Canebat.) Became hoary. For fields full of ripe corn, seem as it were to be hoary. From caneo, for the a is long. Aristis.) With full ears of grain; for he has put aristis, which are the beards of the ear of corn that first wither (from whence they take their name,) for the ears themselves. 23. Nectaris.) Nectar is said to be the drink of the Gods. 24. Stillabant.) Fell drop by drop. Ilice.) From the Holm Oak; for the ilex is a mast-bearing tree belonging to Jupiter. EXP. FAB. III. The Golden Age here mentioned by Ovid, is a continuation of his tradition of the creation, and the state of man during his innocence, but so disfigured by fiction, as best to answer the poet's intentions, and a compliance with his times, as truth then scarce ever appeared in any other dress, particularly when communicated by such writers. He had learned that the first man lived for some time in perfect innocence; that the ground in the garden of Eden furnished him, without tillage, food in abundance, with every fruit his desires could wish for; that the animals were peaceable, obedient and submissive to his orders; and, as the Scriptures express it, The Lamb and the Lion lay down together. That, after his fall, the earth became unfruitful, and did not yield any thing but with the hardest labour; and that all nature revolted, and no longer acknowledged man for his master, who, for his disobedience, was adjudged to eat his bread in the sweat of his brow. The state of innocence is the Golden Age so much celebrated by our poet; and his Eden he has placed in Italy, where his rivers flowed with milk and honey; and what he has said of the reign of Saturn and Janus, is a fictitious representation of what the holy Scriptures have recorded of Adam and Noah. FAB. IV. ANNUS IN TEMPORA QUATUOR. SECULUM Argenteum, ENEUM ET FERREUM. Next to these days of innocence followed the Silver Age, when men began to know good from evil, and their nature became corrupt, and consequently less happy than in the Golden age. In the Brazen, which succeeded, men became more wicked; but the full measure of their wickedness is reserved for that of the Iron, when they became truly abominable, and did all manner of wickedness with greediness. POSTQUAM, Saturno tenebrosa in Tartara Postquam, Saturno misso misso, Sub Jove mundus erat; subiit argentea proles 6 in tenebrosa Tartara, mundus erat sub Jove; argentea pro les subiit, deterior auro, pretiosior fulvo ære. Jupiter contraxit tempora antiqui veris : que exegit annum quatuor et spatiis, per hyemes, que æstus et inæquales autumnos, breve ver. Tum primum aër ustus siccis fervoribus candu it; et glacies pependit adTum primum subiere domos. Domus antra stricta ventis. Tum primum fuerunt, Et densi frutices et vinctæ cortice virgæ. a divisit. subiere domos. Domus fu10 erunt antra, et densi frutices, et virgæ vinctæ cortice. NOTES. 1. Postquam.) To the Golden Age, in which Saturn reigned, the Silver followed, in which Jupiter reigned: which, as it is worse than the Golden Age, so it is better than the Brazen. Saturno.) After Saturn, the governor of the Golden Age, was driven out of his king dom of Crete, by Jupiter, his son, and was banished to hell. For Saturn, the son of Vesta, being dispossessed of his kingdom by the Titans, was afterward reinstated by his Son Jupiter, who in the end drove him out of Crete, when he fled to Janus King of Italy, by whom being kindly received, and taken in as a partner in the kingdom, he built a city where Rome now stands, which he called Saturnia, after, his own name. Hence Virgil, 8 Æn. Primus ab æthereo, &c. Tenebrosa.) Full of darkness. Tartara.) From Tartarus, it is a very deep place among the Inferi. The declension irregular. 2. Sub.) Under the government of Jupiter, who is said to be the son of Saturn and Ops, and brought forth at one birth with Juno; he was called Jupiter (as Cicero writes) as though Juvans pater. 4. Antiqui.) Of that perpetual one, with which the Golden Age was blessed. Contraxit.) He shortened. Veris from ver. 5. Estusque.) The Summer. 6. Breve ver.) In comparison of that perpetual one, the Spring is said to be short. Spatiis.) Measures of times, for each quarter of the year consists of three months. 'Exegit.) He digested. 7. Tum primum.) After Saturn was expelled by Jupiter. 8. Canduit.) It seemed to glow, because of the excessive heat. Ventis.) By Boreas, and other cold winds; for, by the coldness of wind, water is congealed into ice. Adstricta.) Bound together, congealed, Tum primum Cerealia semi- Semina tum primum longis Cerealia sulcis na sunt obruta longis sulcis, Obruta sunt, pressique jugo gemuere juvenci. illas successit ænea proles, muere. Tertia post que juvenci pressi jugo geEnea proles succedit tertia post illas, sævior in- Sævior ingeniis, et ad horrida promptior arma; geniis, et promptior ad horri- Nec scelerata tamen. De duro est ultima ferro. da arma; non tamen scelerata. Ultima est de duro ferro. Pro- Protinus irrupit venæ pejoris in ævum 16 tinus omne nefas irrumpit in Omne nefas; fugêre pudor, verumque, fidesque: ævum pejoris venæ : pudor In quorum subiêre locum fraudesque dolique, que verum, que fides fugere : in locum quorum que fraudes, Insidiæque, et vis, et amor sceleratus habendi. que doli, que insidiæ, que vis, Velab dabat ventis, nec adhuc bene noverat illos, et sceleratus amor habendi, Navita; quæque diu steterant in montibus altis, subiêre. Navita dabat vela Fluctibus ignotis insultavêre carinæ. ventis, nec adhuc bene nove 22 rat illos; que carinæ, que din Communemque priùs, ceu lumina solis et auras, steterant in altis montibus, in- Cautus humum longo signavit limite mensor. sultavêre ignotis fluctibus. Nec tantum segetes alimentaque debita dives 25 Que cautus mensor signavit Poscebatur humus; sed itum est in viscera terræ; humum communem prius, ceu lumina solis et auras, longo Quasque recondiderat, Stygiisque admoverat limite. Nec tantum dives hu- Effodiuntur opes irritamenta malorum. (umbris, mus poscebatur segetes que Jamquenocens ferrum, ferroque nocentius aurum debita alimenta; sed itum est in viscera terræ ; que opes, irritamenta malorum, quas recondiderat que admoverat Stygiis umbris, effodiuntur. Que jam nocens ferrum, que aurum nocentius ferro, b dabant: NOTES. 11. Semina.) Then men first began to plough and sow. Cerealia.) Bread-corn; for Ceres was the first that shewed men the use of bread-corn, who used before to live upon acorns. 13. Tertia.) The Brazen Age, which is called Ænea, succeeded the Silver Age, the men of which were indeed warlike, but yet were free from notorious vices. 14. Sevior.) Fiercer, more cruel than the Silver Age. Horrida.) Terrible, striking terror. 15. De duro,) The last Age took its name from Iron, the hardest of metals, because of brutish manners. For leaving the virtues of that Age, men did so embrace vice, that all honesty seemed to have forsaken the earth. 16, Irrupit.) Entered with violence. Venæ.) Of a worse metal; for veins are not only said of animals, but also of metals. 19. Vis.) Violence. Amor.) Covetousness, which therefore is called wicked, because it drives men to every wickedness, and makes them wicked. 20. Vela dabat.) Did sail; he proves the men of the Iron Age to have given themselves up too much to covetousness; in that, when they were unskilful of navigation, they committed themselves to the winds, the nature of which they knew not. 21. Navita.) For Nauta the Master, or Mariner, by the figure Epenthesis. 22. Insultavêre.) They seemed as it were to take leaps. Bounded. 23. Communemque.) Then first of all the earth, which before was common, began to be divided, 24. Cautus.) The Provident. Limite.) Bound, They were called measurers, who distinguished lands by limits. 25. Nec tantum.) The earth was not only forced to produce fruits, but also precious stones and metals were dug out of the bowels of it, 26. Itum.) By digging they went down into the most inward parts of the earth. 27. Recondiderat.) Scil. terra. Stygiisque.) The infernal. He follows the opinion of those who say hell is in the centre of the earth. Admoverat.) Had placed near. 28. Opes.) Precious stones, gold and silver. Irritamenta.) The allurements and instigations to commit evil 29. Nocens ferrum.) For of the iron are made swords, wherewith men are killed. Nocentius.) for the sake of getting gold, all the greatest and foulest villanies are committed: whence Virgil. Quid non mortalia pectora cogis, auri Prodierata: prodit bellum, quod pugnat utro- prodierat; bellum prodit, quod pugnat utroque; que concutit crepitantia arma san que ; quoque gratia fratrum est rara. Vir imminet exitio con Sanguineâque manu crepitantia concutit arma. guineâ manu. Vivitur ex rap- novercæ miscent lurida aconita: filius inquirit in patrios annos ante diem. Pietas jacet victa et virgo Astræa, ultima cœlestûm, reliquit terras madentes cæde. a Prodierant. : NOTES. 30. Prodit.) From Prodeo, is, ivi. Utroque.) Both with the sword and with gold; for victory uses to reside in those camps in which there is most gold and money. 31. Sanguineâque.) Bloody. The poet attributes to war, hands, and sense, as to a man. Crepitantia.) Resounding, crashing. 32. Rapto.) By rapine. Hospes.) For he is properly called hospes who entertains, or is entertained by another privately, and out of friendship. 33. Gratia.) Concord. 35. Lurida) Metaphorically, terrible things are called dreadful, pale, black. Terribiles.) Cruel toward their children in-law. Aconita.) Poisons. Aconitum is a very poisonous herb, that proceeded first from the form of the dog Cerberus, upon a whet-stone; for 'Axovy, in the Greek signifies a whet-stone, and thence Aconitum is derived. 36. Inquirit.) The son sonsults fortunetellers, whether his father shall live many or few years. 37. Jacet.) Is in no esteem, lies neglected. Pietas.) Piety is despised. Piety is properly spoken of the duty we owe to God, to our country, to our parents, and to those we are allied to by blood. Virgo.) Justice, who is said to be the daughter of the giant Astrus: or, as others will have it, of Jupiter and Themis. Cæde.) By shedding of blood; concerning this, Lib. I. Fast. "Nondum justitiam facinus mortale fugârat, Ultima de superis illa reliquit humum. EXP. FAB. IV. After the Chaos was reduced into order, Ovid relates in what manner the year was divided into four seasons. It appears by the order the poet observes, that, during the Golden Age a perpetual Spring reigned over the earth, and that the division of the year into seasons was not known till the Silver Age, which our poet makes to succeed the Golden, and the Brazen to follow. The Iron Age, which came last, continues to this day. However artfully our poet has wrought this fiction of his seasons and alteration of times, it is perceptible they are performed on the great degeneracy of the human species, which is related in the Scriptures to have commenced immediately after man's loss of innocence; the particulars of which you will find related in the 3d. Chapter of the Book of Genesis, and from that time gradually encreased, which our author figuratively expresses by his Four Ages, until their vices became so abominable, as in after ages to be worse than brutes, which ancient history, both sacred and profane, doth abundantly show. Which latter state is his Iron Age. Our poet does not appear to be consistent in his Golden Age, which he supposes to be filled up with the reign of Saturn, as during that time we may observe most bloody wars and most horrid crimes; for Saturn, in order to ascend the throne of Coelus his father, expelled him; who met with no better treatment from his son Jupiter, who established his throne on the destruction of his family, and which he did not enjoy in peace from the attempts made by the giants to oppose him. FAB. V. GIGANTUM SANGUIS IN HOMINES. The Giants having attempted to render themselves masters of Heaven, Jupiter buried them under those very mountains, which they heaped one upon another, to facilitate the assault; and the earth, having animated their blood, forms out of it a cruel and fierce generation of men. Neve arduus æther foret NEVE foret terris securior arduus æther, securior terris, ferunt GiganAffectâsse ferunt regnum cœleste Gigantas, tas affectâsse cœleste regnum, que struxisse montes conges- Altaque congestos struxisse ad sidera montes. tos ad alta sidera. Tum om- Tumpater omnipotens misso perfregit Olympum nipotens pater perfregit O- Fulmine, et excussit a subjecto Pelio Ossam. 5 lympum misso fulmine, et Obruta mole suâ cum corpora dira jacerent, Cum corpora dira jacerent Perfusam multo natorum sanguine terram obruta suâ mole, ferunt ter- Immaduisse ferunt, calidumque animâsse cruorem: ram, perfusam multo san- Et, ne nulla feræ stirpis monumenta manerent, guine natorum, immaduisse, In faciem vertisse hominum. Sed et illa propago rem: et, ne nulla monumen- Contemptrix Superûm, sævæque avidissima cœ excussit Ossam Pelio subjecto. que animâsse calidum crue ta manerent feræ stirpis, ver dis, tisse in faciem hominum. Sed Et violenta fuit. et illa propago fuit contemp 11 "Scires è sanguine natos." trix Superûm, que avidissima sævæ cædis, et violenta. Scires natos è sanguine. 1 NOTES. 1 Arduus.) The lofty heaven. 1. Affectâsse.) To have sought after with anxiety and the most ardent desire. For "affectare" signifies to aim at any thing too resolutely. Gigantas.) Men of the most huge bodies; sons of the earth without a father. 4. Pater.) Jupiter. Olympum.) A very high mountain in Macedonia. But very often, as also in this place, Olympus is put for Heaven itself. 5. Excussit.) He shook off. Pelio.) They are mountains of Thessaly. 6. Obruta.) Overwhelmed with their bulk and weight. Dira.) Cruel. 8. Calidumque.) To have animated the warm blood. 9. Et.) And lest that no memorial of the barbarous offspring might remain. Monumenta.) The memory of its offspring. For whatsoever is made for the remembrance of posterity, is called Monumentum. 10. Faciem.) Into human shapes, and last of all inte men. The entire form or appearance a thing makes. Illa.) But that progeny, which sprang from the race of the giants, was impious toward the Gods, aud void of all humanity and equity. 12. Scires. You might know them to have been begotten of the blood of giants, by 7. Sanguine.) For the giants were the their propensity to murder. sons of the earth. EXP. FAB. V. Whatever embellishment the poets, after Hesiod, have mingled with the Fable of the Giants, one may readily perceive, that it has its foundation in history, and upon some attempt made upon Jupiter. And if we would enter into the true sense of the fable, we must have other conceptions of this pretended Deity, than the ancients had, and consider him as an usurping prince, who was engaged with some powerful enemies. It is |