The History of Roman Literature Part 66

[48] Ep. 95, 52.

[49] Ep. 95, 30.

[50] Ep. 96, 33, _h.o.m.o sacra res homini_.

[51] Ben. iii. 28, 2.

[52] Ep. 47, _humiles amici_.

[53] In the treatise _De Superst.i.tione_, of which several fragments remain. It is, however, probable that Seneca would have equally disliked any positive religion. He regards the sage as his own temple.

[54] Ep. 88, 37. There is a celebrated pa.s.sage in one of his tragedies (Med. 370) where he speaks of our limited knowledge, and thinks it probable that a great New World will be discovered: "_Venient annis secula seris Quibus Ocea.n.u.s vincula rerum Laxet, et ingens pateat tellus, Tethysque novos detegat orbes Nec sit terris ultima Thule_," an announcement almost prophetic.

[55] Ep. 48, 11. He did not advise, but he allowed, _suicide_, as a remedy for misfortune or disgrace. It is the one thing that makes the wise man even superior to the G.o.ds, that at any moment he chooses he can cease to be!

CHAPTER IV.

[1] Tac. An. xv. 16.

[2] For a full list of all the arguments for and against these dates the reader is referred to Teuffel, R. L. -- 287.

[3] The exact date is uncertain. He speaks of Seneca as living, probably between 62 and 65 A.D. But he never mentions Pliny, who, on the contrary, frequently refers to him. He must, therefore, have finished his work before Pliny became celebrated.

[4] Perhaps the treatise _Adversus Astrologos_ was written with the object of recommending the worship of the rural deities (xii. 1, 31). In one place (ii. 225) he says he intends to treat of _l.u.s.trationes ceteraque sacrifitia_.

[5] G. iv. 148.

[6] On the _pro Milone, pro Scauro, pro Cornelia, in Pisonem, in toga candida_.

[7] _Scholia Bobbiensia_.

[8] It is identical with the second book of Sacerdos, who lived at the close of the third century.

[9] Ann. xvi. 18.

CHAPTER V.

[1] Suetonius calls him _Novocomensis_. He himself speaks of Catullus as his own _conterraneus_, from which it has been inferred by some that he was born at Verona (N. H. Praef.). His full name is C. Plinius Secundus.

[2] _Dubii Sermonis_, sometimes named _De Difficilibus Linguae Latinae_.

[3] _De Iaculatione Equestri_.

[4] Ep. vi. 16.

[5] Plin. vi. 20.

[6] Ib. iii. 5.

[7] Plin. N. H. ii. 1.

[8] Some have supposed that he lived much later, till 118 A.D., but this is improbable.

[9] Referred to in the proemium to Book VI. Some have thought it the work we possess, and which is usually ascribed to Tacitus, but without reason.

[10] _De Inst.i.tutione Oratoria_.

[11] See Appendix.

[12] Plin. vi. 32.

[13] Juv. iv. 75.

[14] Juv. vii. 186. Pliny gave him 400 towards his daughter's dowry, a proof that, though he might be well off, he could not be considered rich.

[15] Mr. Parker told the writer that it was impossible to overrate the accuracy of Frontinus, and his extraordinary clearness of description, which he had found an invaluable guide in many laborious and minute investigations on the water-supply of ancient Rome.

[16] He is named by St Aug. _De Util. Cred._ 17.

CHAPTER VI.

[1] In the single ancient codex of the Vatican, at the end of the second book we read _C. Val. Fl. Balbi explicit_, Lib. II.; at the end of the fourth book, _C, Val. Fl. Setini_, Lib. IV. _explicit;_ at the end of the seventh, _C. Val. Fl. Setini Argonauticon_, Lib. VII. _explicit._ The obscurity of these names has caused some critics to doubt whether they really belonged to the poet.

[2] Mart. I. 61-4.

[3] I. 5.

[4] X. i. 90.

[5] So Dodwell, _Annal Quintil._

[6] i. 7, _sqq._

[7] _E.g._, of t.i.tus storming Jerusalem (i. 13),

"Solymo nigrantem pulvere fratem Spargentemque faces, et in omni turre furentem."

[8] iv. 508; cf. iv. 210.

[9] Ep. III. 7.

[10] Ren. i. 535.

[11] ix. 491.

[12] See Silv. V. iii. _pa.s.sim_. This poem is a good instance of an _epicedion_.