"Solâ contenta Dianâ,
Æternum telorum et virginitatis amorem
Intemerata colit."—Virg. Æn. xi. 583.

[36] Ύπάτας—either from 'υπάτος, eminent, or υποτάσσω, to be subjected.

[37]

"Ast illum, ereptæ magno inflammatus amore
Conjugis, et scelerum Furiis agitatus, Orestes
Excipit incautum, patriasque obtruncat ad aras."—Virg. Æn. iii. 330.

[38]

'Τὴν χάριν ἐν πρωτοις, ἀυτὰρ κλέος ὒστατ' ἓχουσαν
Φράζεσθ' ὧ Δελφοὶ, τόν τε θεᾶς γενέτην.
Οἱ νηὸν προλιπόντες ἐμον, καὶ κῦμα τεμόντες,

Ἡξοντ' ἠελίου πρὸς χθόνα κυανἐην,
Tῆπερ ἀριστοβίων μἐγ' 'ἀέθλιον ἐξάψονται,
Λευκὸν ἐπἰ κροτἀφων στέμμα μελαινομἐνων.

[39] Why sable brows?—μελαινομἐνων?—I am not obliged to explain oracles. Such is the remark of a former translator. I venture to suggest that the young lovers were rather sun-burnt with travelling, upon their arrival in Ethiopia; and Lisle is of my opinion, for he translates—"their tanned temples." The first line seems intended to be a play upon the name of Chariclea, χάρις κλέος. I have accordingly endeavoured to convey this in the translation.


BOOK III.