97

is suited to a divinity. We praise the olden times, but adopt the manners of our own day; yet the habits of either age are equally worthy to be adopted. He had finished his instructions; then once again, as before, in mild accents I thus addressed the key-bearing god :-"Many things, indeed, I have learned, but why on the brass coin is there stamped on one side the figure of a ship, and on the other, a two-headed form ?" 98 "Thou mightst," said he, "recognise me in the two-fold form, had not the very length of time worn away the workmanship. The cause of the ship inscribed remains to be told. In a ship, the scythe-wielding God" having first wandered over the whole world, came up the Etrurian river.1 I remember the reception

of Saturn in this land; he had been expelled by Jupiter from the realms of heaven. Thence for a long time did the name of Saturn' abide with that nation; the country also was called Latium from the god being there latent. Moreover pious posterity preserved the ship upon the brass coin, attesting the arrival of the god, their guest. I myself inhabited the soil along which, on its left side, glides the most gently flowmoney.' The omen of the small coin, is, no doubt, an allusion to the silver and gold coins of a later period; the silver introduced, in 269 B.C., by coined pieces called denarii (from being of the value of ten asses), and the gold, in 209 B.C., in pieces of twenty denarii. It is probable that, after these epochs, omens were sought in preference from coins of the more precious metals.-See Bohn's Coin Collector's Guide.

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97 Equally worthy.]-Ver. 226. As being the most suitable to the feelings, and the best adapted to the wants and comforts of the people of those respective times.

98 A two-headed form.]-Ver. 230. It has been stated in note 96, when coins with these types were probably first issued. They disappeared altogether towards the end of the republic, some of the last, with the ancient types of the bifrontal head of Janus and the prow of a ship, being those issued by Pompey. In these, one of the profiles of Janus was made to represent Pompey himself, and the other Cneius, his father. Macrobius relates that the boys of ancient Rome played a game similar to our modern toss-halfpenny, crying 'capita aut navim,' 'heads or ship,' just as our boys do heads or tails.'-See Bohn's Coin Collector's Guide.

99 Scythe-wielding.]-Ver. 234. Saturn is always represented with a scythe in his hand, as emblematical of the ruthless and unsparing power of Time.

1 The Etrurian river.]-Ver. 234. The river Tiber, which flowed with Etruria on its left, and Latium on the right side, into the Etrurian sea.

2 The name of Saturn.]-Ver. 237. 'Saturnia' was one of the old appellations of the Latian nation.

3 Along whose left side.]-Ver. 242. The Etrurian bank of the Tiber, where the Janiculum was situated.

ing wave of the sandy Tiber. Here, where now Rome is, a forest, untouched by the axe, used to flourish, and this state so mighty was a place of pasturage for a few oxen. My place of retreat was that hill, which this age, paying me all adoration, denominates after my name, and calls it the Janiculum.* Then, too, was I reigning, when the earth was fit to receive the gods, and the divinities were interspersed among the abodes of men. Not as yet had mortal crime driven Justice away. She was the last of the deities that left the earth; and instead of fear, a sense of propriety used then without any other restraint to govern the people: it was no difficulty to enforce justice among the just. I had no concern with warfare; I used then to have but peace and the thresholds under my protection; and," shewing his key, "these," says he, "are the arms which I properly bear." The god had closed his lips; then thus I open mine, my words eliciting those of the divinity-" Since there are so many vaulted archways, why dost thou stand consecrated by a statue in one alone, here where

4 The Janiculum.]--Ver. 246. The temple of Janus was built on the 'Janiculum,' one of the seven hills of Rome. In time a small town arose round it, until the whole was included in the immensity of the city of later times. From the dwellings of princes being in the early ages erected on the summit of a hill, which was called the arx,' the residence itself subsequently obtained the same title. So, too, the baronial castles of the feudal times were, perched on an eminence generally for the double purpose of overawing the vassals, and being prepared against a surprise by the enemy. In later times the Roman patricians had their palaces on the hills, and when they mingled with the plebeian crowd it was said of them that 'descendebant,' 'they came down.' Thus, Horace Od.-' descendat in campum petitor.' Our word 'descend' has a similar meaning, adapted in a figurative sense from this latter use of the Latin word.

5 Mortal crime.]-Ver. 249. 'Facinus mortale' may either signify 'deadly crime,' or 'the crime of bloodshed,' or 'crime committed by mortals.'

6 Driven Justice away.]-Ver. 249. Her name was also Astræa. Ovid in his Metamorphoses says, 'Ultima cœlestum terras Astræa reliquit,' 'Astræa was the last of the celestial deities to leave the earth.'

7 Vaulted archways.]-Ver. 257. Jani,' covered passages, having a look-out on either side, were so called from Janus. The poet asks the deity why he is honoured with a statue in only one 'janus,' or arched temple, when there are so many places in Rome named after him. These passages were always double, for the convenience of people passing both ways.

In one alone.]-Ver. 257. According to Varro, this temple was the 'porta Janualis,' or 'gate of Janus,' built by Romulus. Numa placed a statue of Janus in the temple, which was five cubits in height.

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thou hast a shrine adjoining to the two market places. He, with his hand stroking the beard that flowed down upon his breast, forthwith related the warfare of the Ebalian Tatius, and how the faithless guard," captivated with the Sabine bracelets, conducted Tatius to the approaches of the lofty citadel. "From that," said he, "there was, as there is now, a steep path by which you descend to the vallies and the market places. And now had he reached the gate1 whose resisting bolts Juno the daughter of Saturn had insidiously removed: when fearing to enter on a contest with a deity so powerful, I slily put in practice the resources of my peculiar art. I opened the mouths of the fountains, in which kind of aid I am distinguished, and I showered forth sudden streams of water. But first I mingled sulphur in the hot streamlets, that the boiling flood might obstruct the passage of Tatius. When the useful quality of this stream, after the repulse of the Sabines, was perceived, and the appearance which it formerly had was restored to the place now secure from the enemy, an altar was erected to me, united with a little chapel this with its flames consumes the spelt meal with the salt and flour cake of sacrifice." "But why dost thou lie

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9 The two market-places.]—Ver. 258. These were the 'Boarium,' or ox-market, and the 'Piscarium,' or fish-market.

10 The Ebalian Tatius.]-Ver. 260. Ebalus was a Spartan prince, the grandfather of Helen. The Sabines, who are here alluded to, were reputed to have been a Spartan colony. Titus Tatius was the king of the Sabines in their wars with Remulus.

11 The faithless guard.]-Ver. 261. Tarpeia, the daughter of Tarpeius, agreed to betray the Roman citadel (of which her father was the commander) for the golden bracelets worn by the Sabine warriors. When she had fulfilled her promise, she received the just reward of her treachery, for each soldier, as he gave his bracelet, threw also his shield upon her, and she was soon crushed to death by the weight. This circumstance is commemorated on a denarius of the family.

12 Reached the gate.]-Ver. 265. It was the 'Porta viminalis' that Juno on this occasion opened for the admission of the Sabines. It was so called from the quantity of osiers, 'vimina,' that grew in the neighbourhood.

My peculiar art.]-Ver. 268. That is, of opening, suited to my guardianship of all entrances and exits. These two lines are translated by Gower :

I, loth to thwart it with so high a power,
Did slily help them with a feat of our.'

14 Cake of sacrifice.]-Ver. 276. These were small cakes made in the shape of fingers joined together, and laid in heaps for the purposes of sacrifice, whence the name 'strues,' from 'struo,' 'to build,' or 'pile up.

concealed 15 in time of peace, and why art thou revealed, when arms are taken up?" There was no delay, the cause of the circumstance inquired after was told me in answer. "In order that the means of returning may lie open in readiness for the people when they have gone forth to war, the whole of my gate stands wide open, the bolt being removed. In times of peace I bar my doors, that she may by no means be enabled to depart; and under the sway of Cæsar's name long shall I remain shut up." He spoke, and raising his eyes that looked both before and behind, he looked upon whatever there was in the whole world. There was peace and the Rhine, 16 the occasion of thy triumph, Germanicus, had now surrendered to thee its subservient streams. O Janus, make peace everlasting, and them to be the ministers1 of peace, and grant that the author of this change may not abandon his office. But, as I was enabled to learn from the list of the festivals, on this day our forefathers consecrated two temples.18 The sacred Island which the river surrounds with its divided stream, received the son of Phœbus and the nymph Coronis. 19 Jupiter occupies a share; one place received them both, and the temple of the grandson is joined to that of his mighty grandsire.

What forbids me, also, to mention the stars, how each of them rises and sets? That, too, was a part of my promised undertaking. Blessed spirits were they to whom first it was a care to learn these things, and to ascend to the mansions on high. It is worthy of belief that they raised their heads equally above the vices and the haunts of mortals. Neither lust nor wine enfeebled their exalted

15 Lie concealed.]-Ver. 277. Alluding to the closing of the temple of Janus in time of peace, and the opening of it in time of war. 16 The Rhine.]-Ver. 286. He alludes to the triumph of Germanicus over the Catti, Cherusci, and Angrivarii, A.U.c. 770.

17 The ministers.]-Ver. 287. Tiberius and Germanicus.

18 Two temples.]-Ver. 290. One to Jupiter, consecrated by Caius Servilius, and the other dedicated to Esculapius, the son of Apollo.

19 The nymph Coronis.]-Ver. 291. Esculapius was the son of Apollo and Coronis, the daughter of Phlegias and Leucippus. She was slain in a fit of jealousy by Apollo, who gave Esculapius into the charge of the centaur Chiron; he instructed his charge in the art of medicine, of which he afterwards became the tutelar divinity. In consequence of a plague at Rome, an embassy was sent to Epidaurus, in Peloponnesus, where Esculapius was worshipped, and one of the serpents sacred to him was brought to Rome, on which the temple mentioned by the poet was built to the god on the 'sacred Isle' in the Tiber

minds, nor the duties of the Forum, nor the toils of warfare. Nor did giddy ambition, nor glory overspread with artificial glare, nor the craving for vast riches, disquiet them.

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is they who have brought the far distant stars to our eyes, and have subjected the heavens to their intellect. Thus is heaven won, not that Olympus for that purpose should bear Ossa,21 and the peak of Pelion touch the loftiest stars. We, too, under the guidance of these, will apportion out the skies, and will assign their own peculiar days according to the appointed constellations. When, therefore, the third night before the approaching nones shall come, and the ground shall grow damp, besprinkled with the dew of heaven, in vain will the claws of the eight-footed Crab22 be sought for; he has sunk headlong beneath the western waters. When the nones are iust arriving, the showers issuing from the black clouds will give you indications as the Lyre rises.23

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Add four days passed in regular succession, to the nones, Janus will have to be appeased on the Agonalian day. The aproned priest 25 may perhaps be the origin of the appel

20 Artificial glare.]-Ver. 303. 'Fucus' is, literally, a marine shrub, or sea-weed, red alkanet, which was used for the purposes of dyeing and painting.

21 Should bear Ossa.]—Ver. 307. Ossa (now Kissova), Pelion (now Plesnid), and Olympus which is still called by its ancient name, were high mountains in Thessaly. He alludes to the attempt by the giants Otus and Ephialtes, sons of Neptune and Iphimedeia, to scale heaven when they were but nine years old, by heaping the mountains one upon the other.

22 The eight-footed crab.]-Ver. 313. Because on the third day of January, at sun-rise, is the acronychal setting of the constellation Cancer, the Crab. In the mythology, it is said to have been placed among the constellations by Juno, after it had been crushed by the foot of Hercules, which it had bitten while the hero was engaged in combat with the Hydra in the Lernæan marsh.

23 The Lyre rises.]-Ver. 316. The cosmical rising of Lyra, usually accompanied with rain. This is feigned to be the lyre on which Orpheus played when he descended to the infernal regions.

24 The Agonalian day.]-Ver. 318. The festival of Janus called ‘Agonalia,' or 'Agonia;' the meaning of which name the poet proceeds to describe.

25 The aproned priest.]-Ver. 319. The 'minister' here mentioned was the 'rex sacrorum,' or 'king of the sacrifices,' who was in religious matters the representative of the ancient kings; higher in rank than the 'pontifex maximus,' but inferior in power and influence. His duties were, to perform sacrifice, to propitiate the deities, and to proclain: the festivals. While sacrificing, the priests and their assistants used to wear

small aprons.