LUNA HABITABILIS.* DUM NOx rorantes, non incomitata per auras Ostentari oculis, nostræ laquearia terræ, NOTES. * This copy of verses was written by desire of the College, in 1737. It has never been printed, but in the Musa Etonenses,' vol. ii. p. 107; and has not there, the name of the author. It is referred to, in Mason's Memoirs; a copy of verses on the subject, "Planetæ sunt habitabiles," is in the same work. Ver. 2. Tacito] "Tacito lapsu," Claudian, xxii. 430. And xxxi. 40: "Tacito defluxit fistula lapsu." Ver. 4. Patet]" Noctes atque dies patet atri janua Ditis," Virg. Æn. vi. 127. Ver inde serenum Protinus, et liquidi clementior aura favoni." And Virg. Georg. i. 43: "Vere novo, gelidus canis cum montibus humor Claudian, i. 272. Ingentes scenas, vastique aulæa theatri? Sic Quin tete admoveas (tumuli super aggere spectas), Ver. 13. Scenas] NOTES. 15 20 25 "Vel scena ut versis discedat frontibus; utque Virg. Georg. iii. 24. Ver. 14. Oh! quis] This and the following line are from Virg. Georg. ii. 489; and En. iv. 451. Ver. 20. Disce] "Disce, puer," Æn. xii. 435. Eclog. viii. 69. "Vel cœlo possunt deducere lunam," Ver. 21. Accingier] "Magicas invitam adcingier artes," Æn. iv. 493. "Quæ sidera excantata voce Thessala Lunamque cœlo deripit.' Hor. Epod. v. 45. Ver. 24. Visa] This line is from Virgil, Æn. ii. 773: Ingrediêre solo, et caput inter nubila condes. Ecce autem! vitri se in vertice sistere Phoeben NOTES. Ver. 29. Ingrediére] "Ingrediturque solo, et caput inter nubila condit," Virg. Æn. iv. 177. Ver. 31. Freta] "Et crebris legimus freta consita terris," Virg. Æn. iii. 127. Ver. 35. Imbibit ignes] There is no authority in Latin poetry for the use of the word " imbibit" in this sense. It is a word unusual in poetry, though twice found in Lucretius (iii. 1010, and vi. 71): but it is there used in another construction: as "Imbibit petere," i. e. "Induxit in animum petere." There is a note on this word in Mureti Var. Lectiones, lib. i. cap. 6. (In Gesner's Thesaurus, and Havercamp's Lucretius, the reference to Muretus is wrong, 1. cap. 5.) The word which Gray should have used, is "bibit." See En. i. 749; xi. 804: Georg. ii. 506; &c. Ver. 38. Protrudit] This word is unusual in Latin poetry. It may be defended on the authority of Lucretius, iv. 247: "Extemplo protrudit, agitque aëra:"-where, however, some manuscripts read "procudit." 35 40 30 Hinc longos videas tractus, terrasque jacentes His metus, atque amor, et mentem mortalia tangunt. 45 51 55 60 NOTES. Ver. 45. Scopulis] "Fronte sub adversâ scopulis pendentibus antrum,” Virg. Æn. i. 166. Ver. 48. Herbis gratissimus] "Quum ros in tenerâ pecori gratissimus herbâ," Virg. Eclog. viii. 15. Ver. 49. Thaumantias] " Roseo Thaumantias ore locuta est," Virg. Æn. ix. 5. "In terram pictos delapsa per arcus," Ov. Met. xiv. 838. Ver. 53. Invadunt] "Invadunt Martem clypeis," Æn. xii. 712. Pervigilat, noctem exercens, cœlumque fatigat; Ver. 63. Pervigilat] NOTES. 65 70 75 80 "Et quidam seros hiberni ad luminis ignes Virg. Georg. i. 292. Ver. 65. Apenninus] " Vertice se attollens pater Apenninus ad auras," Æn. xii. 703. Ver. 72. Jactat] "Illâ se jactat in aulâ,” Æn. i. 140. Ver. 75. Lunarum] So Virgil, Georg. i. 421: "Lunasque sequentes.” Ver. 75. Penuria] This expression "Penuria Phoebi" is not, I believe, warranted by the authority of any of the Latin poets. There would have been less objection, if the plain term, instead of the figurative, had been used. Ver. 79. In fatis] "Esse quoque in fatis reminiscitur," Ov. Met. i. 256. |