[L. 1....] Mais... This beginning shows that the piece is only a fragment. For this comparison see Ovid, Heroid. vii. 1, 2.
[L. 7.] Sébéthus. The river Sebetus runs through Campania. It is often mentioned by Sannazaro in his elegies, from which Chénier has borrowed the idea.
[Ll. 9, 10.] moi, celle qui te plus, moi, celle qui t'aimai. In this instance the agreement of the verbs with moi is condemned by modern grammarians. It would occur in the older language, and Bossuet himself has said, speaking of God, 'Je suis celui qui suis' (Lat. sum qui sum, Eng. 'I am that am,' Wyclif, Ex. iii. 14). See Littré, s.v. 'celui,' Rem. 4.
[L. 16.] A reminiscence of Catullus, lxiv. 117 ff.
[L. 19.] l'astre pur des deux frères d'Hélène. It is the 'fratres Helenae, lucida sidera' of Horace (Od. i. 3), namely Castor and Pollux. The constellation was said to be propitious to seafarers.
[L. 21.] Pæstum. A town in Lucania famous for its roses. See Virgil, Georg. iv. 118, 119.
[L. 29.] du sein de la mer. Il. i. 359-361. Thetis 'instantly appeared up from the grey sea like a cloud.'—CHAPMAN.
[L. 30.] comme un songe. In the Odyssey (xi. 207) the soul of Ulysses' mother vanishes (like a dream). Also Aen. vi. 702.
XVII.
[L. 1.] Song of Solomon, i. 6.