Chapter V: Book THE THIRD (3)

[Footnote 1040: To mark the eyes.--Ver. 203. To heighten the colour of the eyelashes, ashes (and probably charcoal) were u»ed by the Roman women. Saffron also was used. A black paint, made of pulverized antimony, is used by the women in the East, at the present day, to paint their eyebrows black. It is called 'surme,' and was also used at ancient Rome. Cydnus was a river of Cilicia.]

[Footnote 1041: A little treatise.--Ver. 205. He alludes to his book, 'On the care of the Complexion,' of which a fragment remains.]

[Footnote 1042: Of the cesypum.--Ver. 213. The filthy cosmetic called 'cesypum,']

was prepared from the wool of those parts of the body where the sheep perspired most; it was much used for embellishing the complexion. Pliny mentions the sheep of Athens as producing the best. It had a strong rank smell. The red colour, which was used by the Roman ladies for giving a bloom to the skin, was prepared from a moss called 'fucus'; from which, in time, all kinds of paint received the name of 'fucus.']

[Footnote 1043: Of the deer.--Ver. 215. Pliny speaks highly of the virtues of stag's marrow. It probably occupied much the same position in estimation, that bear's grease does at the present day.]

[Footnote 1044: Myron.--Ver. 219. There were two sculptors of this name: one a native of Lycia, the other of Eleuthera.]

[Footnote 1045: Beautiful statue.--Ver. 223. He alludes to that of Venus Anadyomene, or rising from the sea, which was made by Praxiteles, and was often copied by the sculptors of Greece and Rome.]

[Footnote 1046: Pierces her arms.--Ver. 240. See a similar passage in the Amores. Book i. El. xiv. 1. 16.]

[Footnote 1047: Toilet in the temple.--Ver. 244. He tells those who have not fine heads of hair, to be as careful in admitting any men to see their toilet, as the devotees of Bona Dea were to keep away all males from her solemnities.]

[Footnote 1048: Sidonian fair.--Ver. 252. Europa was a Phoenician by birth.]

[Footnote 1049: With the clothes.--Ver. 226. See the Amores, Book i. El. iv. 1.48, and the Note.]

[Footnote 1050: With purple stripes.'--Ver. 269. Commentators are at a loss to know what 'tingere virgis' means; some suggest, 'to wear garments with red 'virgæ,' or 'stripes,'while others think that it means 'to tint the skin with fine lines of a purple colour.' It is thought by some that vermilion is here alluded to, while others suppose that the juice of the red flowers, or berries of the 'vaccinium,' is meant.]

[Footnote 1051: The Pharian fish.--Ver. 270. The intestines and dung of the crocodile, 'the Pharian' or 'Egyptian fish,' are here referred to. We learn from Pliny that these substances were used by the females at Rome as a cosmetic, to add to the fairness of the complexion, and to take away freckles from the skin.]

[Footnote 1052: Small pads are suitable.--Ver. 273 'Analectides,' or 'Analectrides,' (the correct reading is doubtful) were pads, or stuffings, of flock, used in cases of high shoulders or prominent shoulder-blades.]

[Footnote 1053: And let the girth.--Ver. 274. He alludes to the 'strophium,' which distantly resembled the stays of the present day, and was a girdle, or belt, worn by women round the breast and over the interior tunic or chemise. From an Epigram of Martial, it seems to have been usually made of leather. Becker thinks that there was a difference between the 'fascia' and the 'strophium.']

[Footnote 1054: At a distance.--Ver. 278. One of the very wisest of his suggestions.]

[Footnote 1055: Umbrian.--Ver. 303. The Umbrians were a people of the Marsi, in the north of Italy. They were noted for their courage, and the rusticity of their manners.]

[Footnote 1056: The son of Sisyphus.--Ver. 313. He here alludes to a scandalous story among the ancients, that Ulysses was the son of Anticlea, by Sisyphus the robber, who had carried her off, and not by Laertes, her husband.]

[Footnote 1057: The wax.--Ver. 314. By the advice of Circe, Ulysses filled the ears of his companions with melted wax, that they might not hear the songs of the Sirens.]

[Footnote 1058: The measures of the Nile.--Ver. 318. These airs were sung by Egyptian girls, with voluptuous attitudes, and were much esteemed by the dissolute Romans. These Egyptian singers were, no doubt, the forerunners of the 'Alme' of Egypt at the present day. The Nautch girls and Bayaderes of the East Indies are a kindred race.]

[Footnote 1059: Plectrum.--Ver. 319. See the Metamorphoses, Book ii. 1. 601, and the Note; also the Epistle of Briseïs, 1. 118, and the Note.]

[Footnote 1060: Thy mother.--Ver. 323. Amphion and Zethuswere the sons of Jupiter and Antiope. Being carried off by her uncle Lycus, Antiope was entrusted to his wife Dirce. When her sons grew up, they fastened Dirce to wild oxen, by which she was tom to pieces. Amphion was said to have built the walls of Thebes by the sound of his lyre.]

[Footnote 1061: Arion.--Ver. 326. See the Fasti, Book ii. 1. 79.]

[Footnote 1062: The festive psaltery.--Ver. 327. Suidas tells us that 'naulium,' or 'nablium,' was a name of the psaltery. Josephus says that it had twelve strings. Strabo remarks that the name was of foreign origin.]

[Footnote 1063: Callimachus.--Ver. 329. See the Amores, Book ii. El. iv. 1. 19: and the Pontic Epistles, Book iv. Ep. xvi. 1. 32, and the Notes of the passages.]

[Footnote 1064: Poet of Cos.--Ver. 330. The poet Philetas. He flourished in the time of Philip and Alexander the Great. Anacreon was a lyric poet of Teios, and a great admirer of the juice of the grape.]

[Footnote 1065: Or him, through whom.--Ver. 332. Some think that he means Menander, from whom Terence borrowed many of his scenes; he probably alludes to the Phormio of Terence, where the old men, Chremes and Demipho, are deceived by Geta, the cunning slave. See the Tristia, Book ii. 1. 359: and 69.]

[Footnote 1066: Propertius.'--Ver. 333. See the Tristia, Book ii. 1. 465, and the Note.]

[Footnote 1067: Tibullus.--Ver. 334. See the Amores, Book iii. EL ix.]

[Footnote 1068: Varro.--Ver. 335. See the Pontic Epistles, Book iv. Ep. xvi. 1. 21; and the Amores, Book i. El. xv. 1. 21, and the Notes to the passages.]

[Footnote 1069: Lofty Rome.--Ver. 338. He refers here to the Æneid of Virgil.]

[Footnote 1070: Two sides.--Ver. 342. Both the males and the females.]

[Footnote 1071: Composition.--Ver. 346. He takes to himself the credit of being the inventor of Epistolary composition.]

[Footnote 1072: Masters of posture.--Ver. 351. These persons, who were also called 'ludii,' or 'histrlones,' required great suppleness of the sides, for the purpose of aptly assuming expressive attitudes; for which reason he calls them 'artifices lateris.' See the First Book, 1. 112; and the Tristia, Book ii, 1. 497, and the Note.]

[Footnote 1073: Which she must call for.--Ver. 356. Probably at the game of 'duodecim seripta,' or 'twelve points,' like our backgammon; sets of three 'tesseræ,' or dice, were used for throwing; he recommends her to learn the game, and to know on what points to enter when taken up, and what throws to call for. See the last Book, 1. 203; and the Tristia, Book ii. 1. 473, and the Note.]

[Footnote 1074: The pieces.--Ver. 357. See the Note to 1. 207, in the last Book.]

[Footnote 1075: The warrior, too.--Ver. 359. He alludes to one of the principal pieces, whose fate depends upon another.]

[Footnote 1076: Let the smooth balls.--Ver. 361. He seems to allude here to a game played by putting marbles (which seems to be the meaning of 'pilæ leves,' 'smooth balls,') into a net with the month open, and then taking them out one by one without moving any of the others.]

[Footnote 1077: Kind of game.--Ver. 363. These two lines do not seem to be connected with the game mentioned in 1. 365, but rather to refer to that mentioned in 1. 355.]

[Footnote 1078: A little table receives.}--Ver. 365. This game is mentioned in the Tristia, Book ii. 1. 481. It seems to resemble the simple game played by schoolboys on the slate, and known among them as tit-tat-to.]

[Footnote 1079: No trusting.--Ver. 377. On account of the continued run of bad luck.]

[Footnote 1080: Flying ball.'--Ver. 380. See the Tristia, Book ii. 1. 485-6, and the Note.]

[Footnote 1081: The Virgin.--Ver. 385. This was near the Campus Martius. See the Fasti, Book i. 1. 464; and the Pontic Epistles, Book i. Ep. viii. 1. 38, and the Note.]

[Footnote 1082: Etrurian.--Ver. 386. The Tiber flowed through ancient Etruria.]

[Footnote 1083: The Virgin.--Ver. 388. He alludes to the heat while the sun is passing through the Constellation Virgo.]

[Footnote 1084: Parætonium.--Ver. 390. See the Amores, Book ii. El. xiii. 1. 7, and the Note. He alludes to the victory of Augustus over Antony and Cleopatra, at Actium; on which the conqueror built the temple of Apollo on the Palatine hill.]

[Footnote 1085: The suter and the wife.--Ver. 391. Livia, the wife, and Octavia, the sister of Augustus, are referred to.]

[Footnote 1086: His son-in-law.--Ver. 392. The allusion is to M. Agrippa, the husband of Julia, the daughter of Augustus; after the defeat of the younger Pompey, Augustus presented him with a naval crown. A Portico built by Augustus was called by his name.]

[Footnote 1087: Memphian heifer.--Ver. 393. See the Amores, Book i. El. viii. 1. 74.]

[Footnote 1088: Frequent the three Theatres.--Ver. 394. He probably alludes to the theatres of Pompey, Balbus, and Marcellus, as they are mentioned by Suetonius as the 'trina theatra.']

[Footnote 1089: Glowing wheels.--Ver. 396. See the Amores, Book iii. El. ii.]

[Footnote 1090: Thamyras.--Ver. 399. He was a Thracian poet, who challenged the Muses to sing, and, according to Homer, was punished with madness. Diodorus Siculus says that he lost his voice, while the Roman poets state that he lost his sight. Amoebeus was a famous lute-player of Athens.]

[Footnote 1091: Of Cos.--Ver. 401. See the Pontic Epistles, Book iv. Ep. i. 1. 29.]

[Footnote 1092: Poets were.--Ver. 405. Euripides was the guest of Archelaüs king of Macedonia, Anacreon of Polycrates king of Samos, and Pindar and Bacchilides of Hiero king of Sicily.]

[Footnote 1093: Placed near to thee.--Ver. 410. According to some accounts, the ashes of Ennius were deposited in the tomb of the Scipios, by the older of his friend Scipio Africanus.]

[Footnote 1094: Its own Priam.--Ver. 440. Priam and Antenor advised that Helen should be restored to Menelaus.]

[Footnote 1095: Liquid nard.--Ver. 443. There were two kinds of nard, the 'foliated,' and the 'spike' nard. It was much esteemed as a perfume by the Romans.]

[Footnote 1096: Narrow belt.--Ver. 444. He probably means a girdle that fitted tightly, and caused the 'toga' to set in many creases. See the Notes to the Fasti, Book v. 1. 675.]

[Footnote 1097: And many a ring.--Ver. 446. 'alter et alter.' Literally, one and another.]

[Footnote 1098: Some thief.--Ver. 447. Among its other refinements, Rome seems to have had its swell mob.]

[Footnote 1099: Thou, Venus--Ver. 451. This temple is referred to in the First Book, 1. 81--87. Its vicinity was much frequented by courtesans.]

[Footnote 1101: You, ye Goddesses.--Ver. 452. He probably alludes to the Nymphs whose statues were near the Appian aqueduct, mentioned in the 81st Une of the First Book. The Delphin Editor absolutely thinks that the 'pro-fessæ,' or courtesans, are themselves alluded to as the 'Appiades Deæ.']

[Footnote 1102: Theseus.--Ver. 457. Who deserted Ariadne.]

[Footnote 1103: Of Inachus.--Ver. 464. Isis, or To. Seo the Metamorphoses, Bk. i.]

[Footnote 1104: To deceive your husbands.--Ver. 484. It is not improbable that 'viros' here means merely 'keepers,' and not 'husbands,' especially as he alludes to their being without the privilege of the 'vitta,' which the matrons wore.]

[Footnote 1105: Two hands.--Ver. 496. He means, that the writing of the lover must be quite erased before she pens her answer on the same tablets.]

[Footnote 1106: Hence, avaunt.--Ver. 505. See the Fasti, Book vi. 1. 696. * Laying aside his foils.--Ver. 515. The 'rudis' was a stick, which soldiers and persons exercising used in mimic combat, probably like our foil or singlestick.]

[Footnote 1107: With Tecmessa.--Ver. 517. She was taken captive by Ajax, and probably had good reason to be sorrowful.]

[Footnote 1108: The twig of vine.--Ver. 527. He alludes to the Centurions, who had the power of inflicting corporal punishment, from which circumstance their badge of office was a vine sapling.]

[Footnote 1109: Nemesis.--Ver. 536. Nemesis was the mistress of Tibullus. See the Amores, Book iii. El. ix. Cynthia was the mistress of Propertius and Lycoris of Gallus.]

[Footnote 1110: Shut your door.--Ver. 587. He addresses the husband, whom he supposes to be wearied with satiety.]

[Footnote 1111: Than even Thais.--Ver. 604. Thais seems to have been a common name with the courtesans of ancient times. Terence, in his Eunuchus, introduces one of that name, who is pretty much of the free and unrestrained character here depicted.]

[Footnote 1112: Lictor's rod.--Ver. 615. This conferred freedom on the slave who was touched with it. See the Fasti, Book vi. 1. 676, and the Note, lie means, that free-born women are worthy to become wives; but 'libertinæ,' or 'freed-women,' are only fit to become 'professæ,' or 'courtesans,' when they may sin with impunity, so far as the laws are concerned.]

[Footnote 1113: Broad girth.--Ver. 622. This seems to be the kind of belt mentioned in line 274.]

[Footnote 1114: Stalk of wetted flax.--Ver. 629. According to the common reading, this will mean that the letter is to be written on blank paper, with a stalk of wetted flax; which writing will afterwards appear, when a black substance is thrown upon it. Heinsius insists that the passage is corrupt, and suggests that 'alumine nitri' is the correct reading; in which case it would mean that alum water is to be used instead of ink. Vessius tells us that alum water, mixed with the juice of the plant 'tithymalum,' was used for the purposes of secret correspondence.]

[Footnote 1115: Good Goddess.--Ver. 637. The debauched Clodius was detected as being present at these rites, in a female dress.]

[Footnote 1116: The false key, too, tells.--Ver. 643. He plays upon the double meaning of the words, 'adultéra clavis,' which properly signifies 'a false key.']

[Footnote 1117: Even though.--Ver. 646. 'Even though you should have to go to the expense of providing the rich wines of Spain for the purpose.']

[Footnote 1118: Even she.--Ver. 663. He alludes to the accommodating lady mentioned in line 641.]

[Footnote 1119: Has she filled.--Ver. 666. See his address to Cypassis, in the Amores, Book ii. El. viii.]

[Footnote 1120: Lemnian dames.--Ver. 672. See the introduction to the Epistle from Hypsipyle to Jason.]

[Footnote 1121: Cephaltis.--Ver. 695. This story is also related in the Seventh Book of the Metamorphoses.]

[Footnote 1122: The quinces.--Ver. 705. These are called 'cydonia,' from Cydon, city of Crete.]

[Footnote 1123: Cyllenian God.--Ver. 725. Cephalus was said to be the son of Mercury; but, according to one account, which is followed by Ovid in the Metamorphoses, Deioneus was his father.]

[Footnote 1124: Her breath.--Ver. 746. See the corresponding passage in the Metamorphoses, Book vii. 1. 861. It was the custom for the nearest relative to catch the breath of the dying person in the mouth.]

[Footnote 1125: With your fingers.--Ver. 755.. Perhaps he means in moderato quantities at a time, and not in whole handfuls. See the Note to the First Book, 1. 577.]

[Footnote 1126: And do not first.--Ver. 757. He seems to irs two precepts here; first, they are not to eat so much at home as to take away all appetite at the banquet, as that would savour of affectation, and be an act of rudeness to the host. On the other hand, he warns them not to stuff as long as they are able, but rather to leave off with an appetite. The passage, however, is hopelessly corrupt, and is capable of other interpretations.]

[Footnote 1127: Perform their duty.--Ver. 764. 'Constent,' literally. 'Will stand together.']

[Footnote 1128: The swans.--Ver. 899. He also alludes to them in the Metamorphoses, as drawing the car of Venus, though that office was more generally assigned by the Poets to doves.]

END

End of Project Gutenberg's Ars Amatoria, or The Art Of Love, by Ovid