[24.] I might be acquitted)—Ver. 4. He alludes to the fate of Socrates, who, after he was put to death by his countrymen, was publicly pronounced to be innocent, and a statue was erected in his honour.
[25.] Met his death)—Ver. 3. The story of Hippolytus, who met his death in consequence of the treachery of his step-mother Phædra, is related at length in the Play of Euripides of that name, and in the Fifteenth Book of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. The fate of Cassandra, the daughter of Priam, who in vain prophesied the fall of Troy, is related in the Second Book of the Æneid, l. 246, et seq.
[26.] The white toga)—Ver. 10. The “toga prætexta,” or Consular robe, was worn by the male children of the Romans till their sixteenth year; when they assumed the ordinary “toga,” which was called “pura,” because it had no purple border, and was entirely white.
[27.] The hair cut close)—Ver. 27. This is appropriately introduced, as the hair of youths was allowed to grow long until they had reached the age of manhood, on which it was cut close, and consecrated to the Gods.
[28.] The Centumviri)—Ver. 35. The “Centumviri” were a body of 105 officers, whose duty it was to assist the prætor in litigated questions. They were sometimes called “judices selecti,” or “commissioned judges.”
[29.] The patrons stand)—Ver. 37. The patrons stood while pleading the causes of their clients, while the judges sat, as with us.
[30.] Sure source of truth)—Ver. 43. It is suggested that the source of information here alluded to was the evidence of the slaves, who had heard their master mention in his last moments the treachery of his freedman. It is not probable that the freedman voluntarily came forward, and declared the truth to Augustus. In l. 39, Augustus is called “Divus,” as having been deified after his death. Domitian was the first who was so called during his lifetime.
[31.] Deserved to suffer)—Ver. 7. Though this moral may apply to all misfortunes in general, it is supposed by some of the Commentators that by the insulter some individual notorious for his adulteries was intended to be represented; who consequently merited by law to be reduced to the same situation as the innocent Eunuch.
[32.] Have no relish for me)—Ver. 8. From this passage we may infer either that Phædrus himself had many censurers at Rome, or that the people in general were not admirers of Fables.
[33.] The proposed stipulation)—Ver. 17. It has been suggested that Phædrus here alludes to some who had laid claim to the authorship of his Fables, and had refused a challenge given by him, such as that here given to the Drones, to test the correctness of their assertions.