Et Phonos, et Prodotes; nulloque sequente per antrum, Finibus occiduis circumfusum incolit æquor Interea longo flectens curvamine cœlos 154. Diffugiunt sontes, &c.] There is great poetry and strength of imagination in supposing that Murder and Treason often fly as alarmed from the inmost recesses of their own horrid cavern, looking back, and thinking themselves pursued. 156. Evocat antistes Babylonius, &c.] The pope. The address is in imitation of Virgil, Æn. i. 67. "Gens inimica mihi, " &c." 165. paruere gemelli.] In paruere is a false quantity, yet very excusable amidst so much good poetry and expression, espe 155 160 165 170 cially from a youth of seventeen. But Milton might fairly defend himself, by reading u as the v consonant, for which there are authorities. 166. longo flectens curvamine cælos] See Comus, v. - 1015. Where the bow'd welkin slow doth bend. But Ovid has a like contexture, with a different idea. Metam. vi. 64. Of a rainbow. Inficere ingenti longum curvamine cœlum. 171.-Mareotidas undas;} Ma Hic turris posita est Titanidos ardua Famæ Quam superimpositum vel Athos vel Pelion Ossæ. reotis is a large lake in Egypt, connected by many small channels with the Nile. See Ovid, Metam. ix. 772. 172. Hic turris posita est, &c.] The general model of this Tower of Fame is Ovid, Metam. xii. 39. Milton has retouched and variegated Ovid's imagery. In the figure of his Fame, however, our author adverts to Virgil. See the next note. And notes on v. 174, 175, 177, 207. Ibid. Titanidos] Ovid has Titanida Circen, Metam. xiv. 376. Again, xiii. 968. Fame is the sister of Cacus and Enceladus, two of the Titans, Æn. iv. 179. 174. Quam superimpositum vel Athos, &c.] Chaucer's House of Fame stands on a rock, higher than any in Spain. H. F. b.iii. 27. 175: totidemque fenestra,] From Chaucer, H. F. b. iii. 101. Imageries and tabernacles 180 185 Lumina non unquam tacito nutantia somno, Nec plura, illa statim sensit mandata Tonantis, Dextra tubam gestat Temesæo ex ære sonoram. 200. The voice of God is preceded by thunders and earthquakes. This is in the style of Paradise Lost. 207. Dextra tubam gestat Temesæo ex ære sonoram.] Her brazen trumpet is from Chaucer, which is furnished by Eolus, H. F. b. iii. 347. What did this Eolus, but he 190 195 200 205 the Tyrrhene sea, famous for its brass. See Odyss. i. 183. And Ovid, Metam. xv. 707. Milton has the epithet from Ovid, Medicam. Fac. 41. Et quamvis aliquis Temesca removerit æra. 208.-jam pennis cedentes remigat auras,] See Ad J. Rousium, v. 45. -Vehique superam Temese is a city on the coast of This metaphor first occurs in 210 215 Atque parum est cursu celeres prævertere nubes; 220 In obitum Præsulis Eliensis.* Anno Etatis 17. ADHUC madentes rore squalebant genæ, Et sicca nondum lumina Eschylus, Agamemn. v. 53. Of tention had been excited by the vultures. Πτερυγων ερετμοισι ερεσσομενοι. Alarum remigiis remigantes. For classical instances of the Remigium alarum, see Heinsius on Ovid, Art. Amator, ii. 45. Drakenborch on Sil. Ital. xii. 98. Dante turns Oars into Wings. Infern. C. xxvi. 121. " De' remi "facemmo ale." 220. Attamen interea, &c.] We are disappointed at this abrupt ending, after curiosity and at introduction of the goddess Fame with so much pomp. But young composers are eager to dispatch their work. Fame is again exhibited in the next poem, written also at seventeen. Nicholas Felton, Bishop of Ely, died Octob. 5, 1626, not many days after Bishop Andrewes, before celebrated. Felton had been also Master of Pembroke Hall. Adhuc liquentis imbre turgebant salis, Quem nuper effudi pius, Dum mosta charo justa persolvi rogo Wintoniensis Præsulis. Cum centilinguis Fama, proh! semper mali Cladisque vera nuntia, Spargit per urbes divitis Britanniæ, Populosque Neptuno satos, Cessisse morti, et ferreis sororibus, Te, generis humani decus, Qui rex sacrorum illa fuisti in insula Tumulis potentem sæpe devovens deam: Nec vota Naso in Ibida Concepit alto diriora pectore; Turpem Lycambis execratus est dolum, At ecce diras ipse dum fundo graves, Audisse tales videor attonitus sonos 14. Quæ nomen Anguilla tenet.] Ely, so called from its abundance of eels. Mr. Bowle cites Capgrave, "Locus ille sive "cænobium a copia anguilla"rum Hely modo nuncupatur." Vit. Sanct. f. 141. b. Capgrave wrote about 1440. 20. Archilochus, who killed Lycambes by the severity of his iambics. Lycambes had espoused his daughter Neobule to Archi lochus, and afterwards gave her to another. See Ovid's Ibis, v. 54. 22. Neobolen is substituted without authority for Neobulen. In making the last syllable of temere v. 29. short, Milton is justified not only by analogy, but by the only authority which can be produced, and as such to be admitted, that of Seneca Hippo. 392. and 1244. Symmons. |