THE METAMORPHOSES OF PUBLIUS OVIDIUS NASO

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102 P. OVID1I NASONIS
Postibus Augustis eadem fidissima cusios
Ante fores stabis, mediamque tuebere quercum.
Utque meum intonsis caput est juvenile capillis;
Tu quoque perpetuos semper gere frondis honores.
Finierat Paean. Factis mod6 laurea ramis
Annuit; utque caput, visa est agitasse cacumen.
and passed through the most public parts
of the city to the Capitol; the streets be
ing strewed with flowers, and the altars
smoking with incense. First went the
musicians, with the oxen for sacrifice, with
gilded horns, and heads adorned with gar
lands ; then the spoils of the enemy, and
the images of the captured cities; after
which were the captives, followed by lie-
tors. Then followed the iriumphant ge
neral and his friends, after whom were the
consuls and senators; and lastly came the
victorious army, crowned with laurel, and
singing the song of triumph.
107. Capitolia. It was customary for
those triumphing to ascend into the Capi
tol, and the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus,
and depositing ihe spoils of the enemy,
there to pay their vows.
108. PoatibusAupustis: at the Augustan
gates; the gates of Augustus.
108. Fidissima custos ; a most faithful
guardian. The laurel was said to repel
lightning. Physically considered, the laurel
would protect the oak, which was a tree
susceptible of lightning, and probably
planted before the door of Augustus as a
symbol of his having saved his country.
An oaken crown was given to those who
had saved the citizens.
109. Ante fores stabis : shall stand be
fore the doors. Suetonius relates, ihat, as
Livia, after her marriage with Augustus,
was travelling from Rome, an eagle let fall
a white hen and a sprig of laurel in her
lap, and that from the laurel, which she
planted, grew a goodly row of trees, from
which the Caesars made their garlands
when they rode in triumph. These they
planted after the solemnity, and they al
ways grew. At the death of any emperor,
the tree lie had planted died, and on the
What were the feelings of Apollo after
killing the Python ?
How did he discover them?
How did Cupid revenge himself?
Who was the first love of Apollo ?
Who was Daphne ?
NOTJE.
QU^ESTIONES.
110
LIBER 1
103. Eadem fulisiU
ma custos Augusta
poslibus, stabis ante
fores, quo tuebere
quercum mediam.
Utque meum caput
est juvenile intonsis
capillis; tu quoqua
semper gere
death of Nero, the last of the Caesars, all
withered.
109. Tuebrre quercum. Dion states that
a crown of oak was suspended under a
crown of laurel, before the door of Augus
tus ; and ancient coins of the time of Au
gustus, represent the civic crown of oak,
with the inscription "ob cives servatos,"
and the whole surrounded by two laurel
boughs: but the word stabis, shalt stand,
will apply rather to a tree which is grow
ing than to a laurel crown suspended, and
as we have the authority of Suetonius, that
a laurel tree grew before the gate of Au
gustus, it is better to suppose that the oak
and laurel were both planted there; and
that both were symbolical the former to
express the saving of the citizens; the lat
ter the subjugation of foreign enemies.
110. Juvenile capillis. Apollo is repre
sented as always youthful, and adorned
with long hair, because the vigor of the
sun's rays never fails.
111. Frondis honores: the perpetual ho
nors of leaves. The leaves of the laure!
are always green. Female chastity and
purity are unlading honors.
112. PeEon. Apollo is called Paean, from
mutw, striking, with reference to his killing
Python either with arrows or with rays.
There was a hymn or song called Paean
which was sung in honor of Apollo at the
solemn festivals. It was always of a joy
ous nature; and the tune and sounds ex
pressed hope and confidence. It became
eventually a song of propitiation, as well
as of thanksgiving; and was sung at going
into battle, and alter a victory.
112. Factis modo: just made.
113. Annuit: bowed, nodded,
113. Agitasse: by syncope for agitaviste.
What did she desire of her father ?
What different kind of arrows had Cupid.'
With what kind did he shoot Apollo ?
With what kind did he shooi Daphne ?
What is the interpretation of the golden
arrows 1
XII. METAMORPHOSE ON. 103
What of the arrows pointed with lead 1
How does Claudian account for the dif
ferent cffccis of Cupid's darts?
Why has Cupid a torch ?
Into what was Daphne changed ?
By whom was she changed ?
What is the meaning ofDaphne ?
How do you understand her being a
daughter of the river Peneus 1
What were the coincidences between
the laurel and the sun ?
How may Daphne or the laurel be said
to avoid Apollo or the sun ?
Why is the sun the god of prophecy 1
Why the god of music ?
Why the god of medicine ?
Why is the sun said to have a head al
ways juvenile ?
How was the lam-el said to protect the
oak before the palace of Augustus ?
What was the nymn called Pcean 1
f