36. MVRMVR. The hum caused by the exchange of approving comments. Compare Met XIII 123-24 'finierat Telamone satus, uulgique secutum / ultima murmur erat'. Livy (XXXII 22 1) has a murmur of mingled praise and dissent following a speech: 'murmur ortum aliorum cum adsensu, aliorum inclementer adsentientes increpantium'. Other murmura are disapproving or anxious, as at Met I 206, VIII 431 & IX 421, and Aen XII 238-39.
The Latin murmur could be quite loud: Martial uses the word of a lion's roar (VIII liii [lv] 1).
40. SEXTA ... BRVMA. The poem must have been written in the winter of 14.
41. NOCVERVNT. Nocere again used of the Ars Amatoria at xiv 20 'telaque adhuc demens quae nocuere sequor?' and Tr IV 1 35.
42. PRIMAQVE TAM MISERAE CAVSA FVERE FVGAE. The second cause was of course Ovid's error (EP III iii 67-72).
43. STVDII COMMVNIA FOEDERA SACRI. Similar references to shared poetic interests at viii 81 'communia sacra tueri', EP II v 60 (to Salanus, a famous orator) 'seruat studii foedera quisque sui', EP II ix 63-64 (to Cotys, king of Thrace, who was a writer of verse) 'haec quoque res aliquid tecum mihi foederis adfert; / eiusdem sacri cultor uterque sumus', EP II x 17 'sunt tamen inter se communia sacra poetis', and EP III iv 67 'sunt mihi uobiscum communia sacra, poetae'.
The foedera would carry the obligation of mutual assistance.
44. PER NON VILE TIBI NOMEN AMICITIAE. 'By the name of friendship which is not cheap in your eyes' (Wheeler). Professor R. J. Tarrant cites similar invocations at Tr I viii 15 'illud amicitiae sanctum et uenerabile nomen', and EP II iii 19-20 'illud amicitiae quondam uenerabile nomen / prostat', III ii 43 & III ii 100.
44-46. AMICITIAE ... INGENIIS. For Ovid's use of quadrisyllable endings for pentameters, see at ii 10 Alcinoo ([p 164]).
45-46. SIC VINCTO LATIIS GERMANICVS HOSTE CATENIS / MATERIAM VESTRIS ADFERAT INGENIIS. Compare EP II viii 39-40 'sic fera quam primum pauido Germania uultu / ante triumphantes serua feratur equos'. Germanicus celebrated his triumph in 17: see Tac Ann II 41.