Book iii

. 1. 184, and the Note to the passage.]

[Footnote 392: Off to the fields.--Ver. 19. The 'emeriti,' or veterans of the Roman legions, who had served their full time, received a regular discharge, which was called 'missio,' together with a bounty, either in money, or an allotment of land. Virgil was deprived of his property near Mantua, by the officers of Augustus; and in his first Eclogue, under the name of Tityrus, he relates how he obtained restitution of it on applying to the Emperor.]

[Footnote 393: Free from the race.--Ver. 20. Literally, 'the starting place.']

[Footnote 394: Wand of repose--Ver. 22. For an account of the 'rudis,' and the privilege it conferred, see the Tristia, Book, iv, El. 8. 1. 24.]

[Footnote 395: Græcinus.--Ver. 1. He addresses three of his Pontic Epistles, namely, the Sixth of the First Book, the Sixth of the Second Book, and the Ninth of the Fourth Book, to his friend Græcinus. In the latter Epistle, he congratulates him upon his being Consul elect.]

[Footnote 396: Without my arms.--Ver. 3. 'Inermis,' may be rendered, 'off my guard.']

[Footnote 397: Like the skiff.--Ver. 10. 'Pliaselos' is perhaps here used as a general name for a boat or skiff; but the vessel which was

## particularly so called, was long and narrow, and probably received its

name from its resemblance to a kidney-bean, which was called 'ptaselus.' The 'phaseli' were chiefly used by the Egyptians, and were of various sizes, from that of a mere boat to a vessel suited for a long voyage. Appian mentions them as being a medium between ships of war and merchant vessels. Being built for speed, they were more noted for their swiftness than for their strength. Juvenal, Sat. xv, 1. 127, speaks of them as being made of clay; but, of course, that can only refer to 'pha-seli' of the smallest kind.]

[Footnote 401: That are thin.--Ver 23. The Poet was of slender figure.]

[Footnote 402: Arm his breast --Ver. 31. He alludes to the 'lorica,' or cuirass, which was worn by the soldiers.]

[Footnote 403: Of his battles.--Ver. 36. He probably was thinking at this moment of the deaths of Cornelius Gallus, and T. Haterius, of the Equcstriai order, whose singular end is mentioned by Valerius Maximus, 11. ix c. 12, s. 8, and by Pliny the Elder, B. vii., c. 53.]

[Footnote 404: The meeting rocks.--Ver 3. See the 121st line of the Epistle of Medea to Jason, and the Note to the passage.]

[Footnote 405: Tinted pebbles.--Ver. 13. The 'picti lapilli' are probably camelians, which are found on the sea shore, and are of various tints.]

[Footnote 406: The recreation.--Ver. 14. 'Mora,' 'delay,' is put here for that which causes the delay. 'That is a pleasure which belongs to the shore.']

[Footnote 407: In what Malea.--Ver. 20. Propertius and Virgil also couple Malea, the dangerous promontory on the South of Laconia, with the Syrtes or quicksands of the Libyan coast.]

[Footnote 409: Stars of the fruitful Leda.--Ver. 29. Commentators are divided upon the exact meaning of this line. Some think that it refers to the Constellations of Castor and Pollux, which were considered to be favourable to mariners; and which Horace mentions in the first line of his Third Ode, B. i., 'Sic fratres Helenae, lucida sidera,' 'The brothers of Helen, those brilliant stars.' Others think that it refers to the luminous appearances which were seen to settle on the masts of ships, and were called by the name of Castor and Pollux; they were thought to be of good omen when both appeared, but unlucky when seen singly.]

[Footnote 410: In the couch.--Ver. 31. 'Torus' most probably means, in this place a sofa, on which the ladies would recline while reading.]

[Footnote 411: Amusing books.--Ver. 31. By using the diminutive 'libellus' here, he probably means some light work, such as a bit of court scandal, of a love poem.]

[Footnote 412: My Divinities.--Ver. 44. See the Second Epistle, 1. 126, and the Note to the passage.]

[Footnote 413: As a table.--Ver. 48. This denotes his impatience to entertain her once again, and to hear the narrative of her adventures.]

[Footnote 414: Though they be fictions.--Ver. 53. He gives a sly hit here at the tales of travellers.]

[Footnote 415: Twice five years.--Ver. 9. Or the 'lustrum' of the Romans, see the Fasti, Book iii . 1. 166, and the Tristia,