[21.] The ancient city.]—Ver. 233. This city was afterwards known as Formiæ, in Campania.
[22.] An island.]—Ver. 245. Macareus here points towards the promontory of Circæum, which was supposed to have formerly been an island.
[23.] Too much addicted.]—Ver. 252. He alludes to the fate of Elpenor, who afterwards, in a fit of intoxication, fell down stairs, and broke his neck.
[24.] Twice nine.]—Ver. 253. Homer mentions Eurylochus and twenty-two others as the number, being one more than the number here given by Ovid.
[25.] As weighed.]—Ver. 270. Of course drugs and simples would require to be weighed before being mixed in their due proportions.
[26.] Call it ‘Moly.’]—Ver. 292. Homer, in the tenth Book of the Odyssey, says that this plant had a black root, and a flower like milk.
[27.] Become attached.]—Ver. 304-5. ‘Subjecta lacertis Brachia sunt,’ Clarke has not a very lucid translation of these words. His version is, ‘Brachia are put under our lacerti.’ The ‘brachium’ was the forearm, or part, from the wrist to the elbow; while the ‘lacertus’ was the muscular part, between the elbow and the shoulder.
[28.] Albula.]—Ver. 328. The ancient name of the river Tiber was Albula. It was so called from the whiteness of its water.
[29.] But very short.]—Ver. 329. The Almo falls in the Tiber, close to its own source, whence its present epithet.
[30.] Rapid Nar.]—Ver. 330. The ‘Nar’ was a river of Umbria, which fell into the Tiber.