Poems on several occasions written by the Honoura ble Sir Robert Howard.

ANNOTATIONS on the 5^th Book of STATIVS his ACHILLEIS.

13. A Bull.] This was the usuall sacrifice to Nep∣tune. Yet Ovid, Metam. 4. when Andromeda was freed, saith, A Bull was offered to Jupi∣ter. And Silius Italicus, lib. 15.

—cadit ardua Taurus Victima, Neptuno pariter, pariterque Tonanti.

And Virgil, Aen. 3.

Calicolûm Regi mactabam in littore Taurum.

—upon the shore To Heaven's King a Bull I ••lew—

On which place Servius saith, that Aeneas did this contra∣ry to reason, in relation to the event, a Bull being the sacrifice of Neptune, resembling the roughnesse of the waves, and the nature of Neptune, and other Sea-gods, as ungentle as the waves that bred them: as Agellius l. 15. c. 2. Ferocissimos & immanes & alienos ab omni humanitate Neptuni filios dixerunt; that is, Neptune's sons were said to be most fierce and ungentle, and strangers to all humanity. See Macrobius, l. 3. c. 10.

15, 16. Having then the entralls flung Into the briny waves] This manner of throwing the entralls into the Sea, when sacrifice was performed to the Sea-gods, Virgil setteth down, Aen. 5.

Dii quibus imperium pelagi, quorum aequora curro, Vobis laetus ego hôe can••entem in littore taurum Constituam ante aras voti reus, extaque salsos Porriciam in fluctus.

You gods whose empire in the Ocean lies, Over whose waves I sail; this sacri••ce, A 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Bull as due to you, I pay, And in the briny waves the entralls lay.

For in all sacrifices, the entralls were a chief part of the de∣dication; as Iuvenal, Sat. 10.

Vt tamen & poscams aliquid, voveasque sacellis Exta, & candiduli divina tomacula porci.

That thou maist something wish, and at the shrine Offer the sacred entralls of white Swine.

This ceremony of throwing the entralls into the Sea, was, because Neptune, to whom the sacrifice was offered, there reigned. Suetonius in Augusto hath these words, Nunciota re∣pente hostis incuisione, semicruda exta rapta foco prosecuit: atque ita praelium ingressus, victor rediit; that is, Hearing of the incursion of the enemy, he cut off the entralls half-raw, snatched from the fire; and so going out to Battle he returned victorious. On which words, Salmasius, Partem extorum prosecand••m & Diis por∣riciendam arae super-imponebant, & diis adolebant; They laid that part of the entralls on the Altar that was to be cut off, and sacrificed it to the gods. Reliquam partem vescebantur qui sacrificio intererant, The rest was eaten by such as were pre∣sent at the sacrifice. All the actions about the entralls, looking into them and examining them, laying them on the Altar, eating what is to be eaten, Arrianus compriseth un∣der this one Verb, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. This custom, a∣mong others, which in the Notes I have given short hints of, was taken up by the Heathen in imitation of the true God's worship; as will appear from Levit. 1. 9, 13. The in∣wards and the legs shall he wash in water, and the Priest shall burn all on the Altar. Of the Priests eating part of the sacrifice, s••e Levit. 2 3, 10. and 6. 26 Ecclus 7. 31. Likewise the baked and broiled meats were the Priests, Lev. 7 9▪ Here imita••••d by the word semicruda. And we read but of few

ceremonies among the antient Gentiles, that had not such a beginning.

35. War within the open threshold stai'd.] The Poet mean••th the Temble of Janus, which in Peace was ever shut, and open in War. From Ianus the gates of any private house were called Januae. The gates of Janus were shut but twice before the time of Augustus. Ianum Quirinum semel atque iterum à condita Vrbe memoriam ante suàm clausum, in multò bre∣viore temporis spatio, tertâ marique pace partô, ter clusit, saith Suetonius, in Augusto, c. 22. That is, The Temple of Janus, from the beginning of the City, was but twice shut before the reign of Augustus; but in his reign, in a much lesser space, he being at peace with all the world, it was thrice shut. The first time it was shut was in the reign of Numa Pompilius; The second, when T. Manlius Torquatus, and Attilius Balbus were Consuls: but it was opened again (as many say) the same year, and so continued till Augustus. Perhaps Rome's not enjoying peace was not the least cause of its prosperity. For in troublous times, mens endeavours commonly are uni∣ted for the publick safety, but pursue private interests in times of peace and idlenesse; so hard it is to make true ad∣vantage of God's greatest blessings. Augustus first sh••t Janus his Temple, Anno ab V. C. DXXV, after the overthrow of Antonie; Himself the fifth time, and Sextus Apuleius being Consuls. Four years after he shut it the second time, M. Ju∣nius Silanus being Consul with him. The third time he shut it was about the time of our Saviour CHRIST, the Prince of peace. The next time we read of its being shut, was, when Nero, and Valerius Messala, were Consuls, Anno V. C. DCCCXI. which Tacitus and Orosius reckon not, because Nero shut it upon no just grounds. So Suetonius in his life, Ianum geminum clausit tam nullo quam residuo bello; which Faer∣nus readeth, Tanquam nullo residuo bello: that is, He shut the Temple of Ianus, as if there were no signes of war remaining The seventh time it was shut (or, more truly, the sixth time) was, Anno V. C. DCCCXXIV. Vespasian and N••rva being Con∣suls. After this time, Historians say nothing concerning the gates of this Temple. Yet Capit••linus in Gordino Iuniore, affirmeth, that the custom still remained. Alexander 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Alexandro lib. 1. c. 14. conceiveth the reason, why J••nu•• his

Temple was the testimony of peace and war, was, his being the Pr••sident of the revolutions of times; so his Statue intima∣ted, having on its hands the number of the days of the year figured. As he was figured with two faces, so he had also two gates, one toward the East, the other toward the West. These Macrobius, Saturn. l. 1. c. 9. useth for arguments, to prove Ian••s the same with the Sun, according to his designe. But I rather judge this arose from Saturn, (by vvhom Time vvas meant) his being perhaps all one vvith ••anus. But Mac••obius cap. 7. believeth, Ianus's tvvo faces related to the prudence and care of a Prince, who looketh both on what is past, and also on what is to come. Ianus made Saturn partner with him in the Kingdom, for the benefit he received from his instru∣ctions about Hu••bandry: And after his death, in honour of him, and in memory of the ship which brought him to Italy, he caused the fig••re of a ship to be stamp••ed on one side of his Coine, which on the other had his own Image. Hence came the Game, cùm pueri denarios in sublimi jactantes, CAPITA AUT NAVIA, lusu ••este vetustatis, exclaman••; which in our days still remaineth, being now called Crosse or ••ile. Cap. 9 he telleth this originall story of the opening of Ianus••s ga••es in War, When the War of the Sabines was in favour of their ra∣v••shed Virgins, the Romans hastned to shut the gate at the foot of the Hill Viminalis, (which from the event was after called Ianualis) by reason the enemy was rushing in that way. After it was shut, it straight opened again of its own accord. Which having hapned twice or thrice, they stood to d••fend it with Souldiers, be∣cause they could not shut it: when suddainly there came a report, that on another side of the City the Romans were bea••en by Tatius: At which, the Romans that defended this gate, affrighted fled. And when the Sabines were breaking in, it is said, that from the Temple of Ianus a violent torrent of hot water issued, and overthrew the pressing enemy. For this cause, in war the gates were always set open, as it were in expectation of such help, and as representing the god himself going out to their assistance▪ And this no doubt prov••d very advantageous, for the encouragement of the common people, who are apt enough to believe any, that tell them of a god's going out with them. To this purpose also, Servius rela••eth the story, in Aen. 1. and saith, the reason of Ianus his being figured with two faces, was the confederacy of the

two Princes, Romulus and Tatius. The best reason he giveth, as he thinketh himself, is, That those that go to war wish to re∣turn. But certainly he is unjust to himself, having before said, vel quòd ad b••lum 〈◊〉〈◊〉 de••ent de pace cogitare, that is, or be∣cause that those that are going to war ought to have their thoughts on peace

55. Hectorean shore.] That is, Trojane.

58 The Trojan Swain.] Paris, so called, from his having been bred up among sh••pheards. See Annot. on Book 1 v. 33.

62 So rose th•••• strife, &c] For they fell out, when they were at the marriage of Peleus and Thetis, about a golden Apple cast among them by Discord.

73. ••urope] is here put for Greece.

83. When love, &c] ••ove ravished Europa in the shape of a Bull See Ovid Metam. lib. 2.

87 Aeetes.] The farther of Medea, who pursued the Argo∣nau••s th••t carried her away in the Ship Argo, which was after made a Constellation.

150. The Macedonian Pile] See on Book 2. v. 6.

151 Sauromatians,] a people of Scythia, commonly called Tartars.

152. Getans.] See on Book 4. v. 86

15▪ Gelonians,] a people also of Scythia, so called from Gelonus the son of Hercules. They are now comprehended un∣der the name of Tartars. They were wont to paint and disco∣lour their faces, that they••might appear the more terrible in Battle. Hence Virgil calleth them Pictos Gelonos, Geor. 2. They were famous Archers: Hence Ho••ace, lib. 3. od 4. cal∣leth them pharetratos Gelonos: And Virgil Aen. 8. Sagittiferos Gelonos They used, as the Massagetans, to drink Horses blood mingled with milk.

154. Balearian Slingers.] The Baleares are two Islands be∣longing to Spain, commonly called Majorica and Minorica. Some hold, they received their name from Ba••eus, a compani∣on of Hercu••es, there left by him. But ra••her they were so cal∣led 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from Slinging: For the inhabitants were very skilfull in the use of the sling, an ••bred their children to it. When their children were hungry, they laid their victu∣alls on a high beam, and they were to strike it off with a sling before they had it, Flor, l. 3. c. 8. and Alex. ab Alex. lib. 2. c. 25.

The Greeks formerly called them Gymnesians, from their cu∣stom of going naked.

177. To ••ight with armed fists.] See on Book 1. v. 219.

Oebalian quoits.] This was a weight with a ring in it, which they used to throw. At this Exercise Apollo killed his beloved Hyacynthus. See Alexand. ab Alex. lib. 3. cap. 21.

178. And wrestle with oil'd limbs.] I have shewed above, why places of Exercises are called Gymnasia. Those that wrestled were naked, and had their limbs annointed. Thucydides, lib. 1. saith, The Lacedaemonians first instituted Wrestling naked, with oyled limbs: but he there affirmeth, that the more antient custom was to wear Breeches. This exercise was in such esteem, that one that was excellent in it was valued as much as the bravest Souldier, Alex. ab Alex. l. 2. c. 25. For which re∣putation's sake, they used assid••ous practise before they came to the place: And then, as Clemens Alexandrinus lib. 7. Strom. relateth, looking on the Statue of Iupiter, they made this prayer to him, If all thing••, O Iupiter, are rightly performed by me for the Combat, give me the deserved Victory.