Vel qui praetextas, vel qui docuere togatas._
The gown (Toga) being the common Roman habit, signisies Comedy; and the inwoven purple (praetexta) being appropriated to the higher orders, refers to Tragedy. Togatae was also used as a general term to denote all plays, which the habits, manners, and arguments were Roman; those, of which the customs and subjects were Graecian, like the Comedies of Terence, were called Palliatae.
429.—But you, bright heirs of the Pompilian Blood, Never the verse approve, &c.
Vos, O Pompilius Sanguis, &c.
The English commentary exhibits a very just and correct analysis of this portion of the Epistle, but neither here, nor in any other part of it, observes the earnestness with which the poet, on every new topick, addresses his discourse the Pisos; a practice, that has not passed unnoticed by other commentators.
[On this passage De Nores writes thus. Vos O Pompilius Sanguis!] Per apostrophen sermonem convertit ad pisones, eos admonens, ut sibi caveant ab bujusmodi romanorum poetarum errore videtur autem eos ad attentionem excitare dum ait, Vos O! et quae sequntur.
434.—Because DEMOCRITUS, &c.] Excludit sanos Helicone poetas Democritus.
De Nores has a comment on this passage; but the ambiguity of the Latin relative renders it uncertain, how far the Critick applies particularly to the Pisos, except by the Apostrophe taken notice of in the last note. His words are these. Nisi horum democriticorum opinionem horatius hoc in loco refutasset, frustra de poetica facultate in hac AD PISONES EPISTOLA praecepta literis tradidisset, cùm arte ipsâ repudiatâ, ab his tantummodo insaniae & furori daretur locus.
443.—Which no vile CUTBERD'S razor'd hands profane. Tonfori LYCINO.]
Lycinus was not only, as appears from Horace, an eminent Barber; but said, by some, to have been created a Senator by Augustus, on account of his enmity to Pompey.