The youth that all things but himself subdued = Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.).
His feet on sceptres and tiaras trod. Tiaras, in reference to his conquests over the Asiatic monarchies.
His horned head belied the Libyan god. "The desire to be thought the son of Jupiter Ammon caused him to wear the horns of that god, and to represent the same upon his coins." (Pope's note.) Libyan = African.
Caesar graced with both Minervas, i.e., by warlike and literary genius; as the conqueror of Gaul and the writer of the 'Commentaries.'
Scarce detested in his country's fate. Whom even the enslaving of his country scarce makes us detest.
Epaminondas (died 362 B.C.), the maintainer of Theban independence.
Timoleon, of Corinth, who slew his brother when he found him aspiring to be tyrant in the state (died 337 B.C.).
Scipio. The conqueror of Carthage, which was long the rival of Rome.
Aurelius, i.e., Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 A.D.), Emperor of Rome; one of the brightest characters in Roman history.
Socrates. The great Greek philosopher, who, in maintaining truth, incurred the charge of infecting the young men of Athens with impiety, and was put to death by being made to drink hemlock. His life and teaching are known to us through the writings of his disciple, Plato.