[70] Manilius hints at the general dislike of Tiberius in one or two obscure passages, e.g. I. 455; II. 290, 253; where the epithets tortus, pronus, applied to Capricorn, which was Tiberius's star, hint at his character and his disgrace. Cf. also, I. 926.
[71] De Or. I. 16.
[72] It may interest the reader to catalogue some of his peculiarities. We find admota moenibus arma (iv. 37), a phrase unknown to military language; ambiguus terrae (II. 231), agiles metae Phoebi (I. 199) = circum quas agiliter se vertit; Solertia facit artes (I. 73) = invenit. Attempts at brevity like fallente solo (I. 240) = Soli declivitas nos longitudine fallens; Moenia ferens (I. 781) = muralem coronam; inaequales Cyclades_ (iv. 637), i.e. ab inaequalibus procellis vexatae, a reminiscence from Hor. (Od. II. ix. 3). Constructions verging on the illegitimate, as sciet, quae poena sequetur (iv. 210); nota aperire viam, sc. sidera (I. 31); Sibi nullo monstrante loquuntur Neptuno debere genus (II. 223); Suus for eius (IV. 885); nostrumque parentem Pars sua perspicimus. The number might be indefinitely increased. See Jacob's full index.
[73] These are worth reading. They are—I. 1-250, 483-539; II. 1-150, 722-970; III. 1-42; IV. 1-118 (the most elaborate of all), 866-935; V. 540-619, the account of Perseus and Andromeda.
[74] A hint borrowed from Plato's Timaeus.
[75] I. 246. An instance of a physical conclusion influencing moral or political ones. The theory that seas separate countries has always gone with a lack of progress, and vice versa.
[76] Vis animae divina regit, sacroque meatu Conspirat deus et tacita ratione gubernat (I. 250).
[77] Hyg. P. A, ii. 14.