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Mox iræ assumpsit cultus, faciemque minantem, Inque odium versus, versus et in lacrymas: Ludentem fuge, nec lacrymanti, aut crede furenti; Idem est dissimili semper in ore Deus.

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ALCAIC ODE,*

WRITTEN IN THE ALBUM OF THE GRANDE CHARTREUSE, IN DAUPHINY, AUGUST 1741.

[See Mason's Memoirs, vol. ii. p. 160, and W. S. Landori Poemata, p. 195. An imitation of this ode appeared by Mr. Seward in Europ. Mag. 1791, and it is translated in E. Cartwright's Poems, 1803, p. 91.]

Он Tu, severi Religio loci,

Quocunque gaudes nomine (non leve
Nativa nam certè fluenta

Numen habet, veteresque sylvas;

V. 5. So Moschus, Idyll. i. 25:

Κἢν ποτ' ἴδης κλαίοντα, φυλάσσει μή σε πλανήση.
Κἢν γελάα, τὸ νιν ἕλκε, καὶ ἢν ἐθέλῃ σὲ φιλᾶσαι

Φεῦγε.

This little poem has been translated into English verse by Mr. Walpole; see his works, vol. iv. p. 454; and also by the author of "The Pleasures of Memory:" see Rogers's Poems, p. 165.

* In Heron's [Pinkerton] "Letters of Literature," p. 299, is a translation of this ode; and, after that, a most extraordinary assertion, which I wish the author of that book had not given me an opportunity of producing: as, to say no worse, it is erroneous in every instance. "This exquisite ode," says he, "is by no means in the Alcaic measure, which Mr. Gray seems to

Præsentiorem et conspicimus Deum
Per invias rupes, fera per juga,
Clivosque præruptos, sonantes

Inter aquas, nemorumque noctem ;
Quàm si repostus sub trabe citreâ
Fulgeret auro, et Phidiacâ manu)
Salve vocanti ritè, fesso et

Da placidam juveni quietem.

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have intended it for. The Alcaic measure, as used by Horace, consists of six feet, or twelve syllables, in the two first lines; three feet and a half, or seven syllables, in the third; and four feet, or eight syllables, in the fourth. Truly, Master Holofernes, the epithets are sweetly varied, like a scholar at the least.'" (Love's Labour's Lost.) And yet I am afraid that this ingenious commentator has not experienced how true is the admonition given by the Moorish grammarian:

"Quid sit litera, quid duæ,
Junctæ quid sibi syllabæ.
Dumos inter, et aspera
Scruposis sequimur vadis.
Fronte exile negotium
Et dignum pueris putes.
Aggressis labor arduus

Nec tractibile pondus est."

Terent. Maur. Præf. 6. ed. Brissæo.

V. 2. "Neque enim leve nomen Amatæ," Æn. vii. 581. V. Cas. Sarb. Carm. p. 216. ed. Barbou.

V. 6. This verse would be reckoned faulty, from the absence of the cæsura in its right place. See the note to the "Carmen ad Favonium," ver. 30.

V. 8. "Veteris sub nocte cupressi," Val. Flac. i. 774. "Nox propria luco est," Senecæ Thyestes, ver. 678.

"Each tree whose thick and spreading growth hath made Rather a night between the boughs than shade."

Davenant. v. Dryden. Misc. vi. 318.

V. 9. "Ponit marmoream sub trabe citrea."

Hor. Od. iv. i. 20.

V. 10. "Phidiacà manu," Martial. vi. 73. x. 89.

V. 11. "Mihi cumque salve

Rite vocanti." Hor. Od. i. xxxii. 15.

Quod si invidendis sedibus, et frui
Fortuna sacrâ lege silentii

Vetat volentem, me resorbens

In medios violenta fluctus :
Saltem remoto des, Pater, angulo
Horas senectæ ducere liberas ;

Tutumque vulgari tumultu
Surripias, hominumque curis.

PART OF AN HEROIC EPISTLE

FROM SOPHONISBA TO MASINISSA.

[See Mason's Memoirs, vol. iii. p. 46, "I thank him (Mason) for one, thinking, as I do, many of the lines fully equal to Ovid's." MS. note of Bennett, Bishop of Cloyne.]

EGREGIUM accipio promissi Munus amoris,
Inque manu mortem, jam fruitura, fero:
Atque utinam citius mandasses, luce vel unâ ;
Transieram Stygios non inhonesta lacus.
Victoris nec passa toros, nova nupta, mariti,
Nec fueram fastus, Roma superba, tuos.

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V. 14. "Utrumque sacro digna silentio." Hor. Od. ii. xiii. 29. "Resorbens," Hor. Od. ii. vii. 15.

V. 4. "Quamvis ista mihi mors est inhonesta futura,

Mors inhonesta quidem." Propert. El. ii. vii. 89. V. 5. "Virgineo nullum corpore passa virum," Ovid. Fast. v. 146. Virg. Georg. iii. 60.

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Scilicet hæc partem tibi, Masinissa, triumphi
Detractam, hæc pompæ jura minora suæ
Imputat, atque uxor quòd non tua pressa catenis,
Objecta et sævæ plausibus orbis eo:

Quin tu pro tantis cepisti præmia factis,
Magnum Romanæ pignus amicitia!

Scipiada excuses, oro, si, tardius utar

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Munere. Non nimiùm vivere, crede, velim. 14 Parva mora est, breve sed tempus mea fama requirit:

Detinet hæc animam cura suprema meam.
Quæ patriæ prodesse meæ Regina ferebar,
Inter Elisæas gloria prima nurus,

Ne videar flammæ nimis indulsisse secundæ,
Vel nimis hostiles extimuisse manus.
Fortunam atque annos liceat revocare priores,

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V. 7. In Mason's edition it is spelt Massinissa; ' which, however, will only partially correct the quantity; as the second syllable will still be short. See Ovid. Fast. vi. 769: "Postera lux melior, superat Masinissa Syphacem." And Sil. Ital. xvi. 117:

"Cultuque Aeneadum nomen Masinissa superbum." That Masinissa' is the right orthography, see Drakenborch's note on Sil. Italicus; Gronovius on Livy, lib. xxv. c. xxxiv. 11; Vorstius on Val. Max. i. i. 31. Tortellius, in his Grammatical Commentaries, under the word Masanissa,' says,

Non enim primum aliquo pacto duplicari potuit: ut ignari quidam syllabarum voluerunt." See also Noltenii Lexicon, vol. i. p. 112. Cellarii Orthog. Lat. i. p. 285.

V. 12. "I liber absentis pignus amicitiæ."

Martial. ix. cii.

V. 15. "Parva mora est," Ovid. Met. i. 671. Ep. ii. 144. V. 18. See Sil. Italicus. ii. 239; vi. 346; xiv. 257.

V. 20. "Pallet, et hostiles credit adesse manus," Ov. Fast. ii. 468.

V. 21. "Non annis revocare tuis," Ov. Met. vii. 177.

Gaudiaque heu ! quantis nostra repensa malis. Primitiasne tuas meministi atque arma Syphacis Fusa, et per Tyrias ducta trophæa vias? (Laudis at antiquæ forsan meminisse pigebit, 25 Quodque decus quondam causa ruboris erit.) Tempus ego certe memini, felicia Pœnis

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Quo te non puduit solvere vota deis; Moniaque intrantem vidi: longo agmine duxit Turba salutantum, purpureique patres. Fœminea ante omnes longe admiratur euntem Hæret et aspectu tota caterva tuo. Jam flexi, regale decus, per colla capilli, Jam decet ardenti fuscus in ore color! Commendat frontis generosa modestia formam, 35 Seque cupit laudi surripuisse suæ.

V. 26. "Aut ubi cessaras, causa ruboris eram."

Ov. Trist. iii. vii. 26.

V. 27. Here the last syllable of ego is again made long. See the note to the Sapphic Ode to West, ver. 45, p. 186. I have only to add to that note, that ego is said to be found with this quantity in the Diræ Catonis,' ver. 156; but which line is thus given by Wernsdorf, vol. iii. p. 19:

See Pithæi Catul.

"Ausus egon' primus custos violare pudores?" and by all the other editors prior to him. p. 219. Scaligeri Collect. p. 61. Boxhornii Poet. Sat. p. 117. Burmanni Anthol. ii. 674; but erroneously: see Bentley's Canon, Heavt. Terentii, act v. sc. 1. and Clas. Journ. No. lxii. p. 352.

V. 30. "Turba salutantum," Claudian. iii. 213, p. 30. ed. Gesn. Virgil. Georg. ii. 462.

V. 31. "Omnia foemineis quare dilecta catervis," Martial. xi. 48. "Venit in exsequias tota caterva meas, ," Prop. iv. xi. 68. And aspectu hæsit," Virg. Æn. iii. 597.

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V. 34. "Et enim fusco grata colore Venus," Ov. Amor. ii. 440. And Propert. El. ii. xix. 78.

V. 35. Ov. Medicam. ver. 1. "Quæ faciem commendat cura. And ad Liv. 259.

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