Ode XXVIII
A summons to Lyde to celebrate the festival of Neptune (Neptunalia, July 23), not in the company of the picnicking mob, but with good old Caecuban wine and amoebean song at home.
A happy thought. Cf. Tibull. 2.1.29, non festa luce madere |est rubor errantes et male ferre pedes.
prome: 1.36. 11.-reconditum: 1.20.3; 2.3.8; Ep. 9.1.
strenna: we shall not attempt to determine the controversy which rages in Germany as to whether Lyde is the severe housekeeper at the Sabine farm (like the 'Lyddy' of Felix Holt), or a casual flute girl. The former supposition seems to suit the situation better. strenua: adverbially with prome, be quick and draw.
munitae . . . sapientiae: storm the fort of thy reason. Apparently Lyde did not approve of drinking bouts, and her strongly fortified (munitae) principles could only be broken down by force. Cf. F. Q. 2.11.1, ' What war so cruel, or what siege so sore |As that which strong affections do apply |Against the fort of reason evermore.' Cf. 3.21.14; 4.12.28, for the moral. For the image, cf. further, Munro on Lucret. 2.7, bene quam munita tenere| edita doctrina sapientum templa serena.
inclinare: cf. inclinato iam in postmeridianum tempus die (Cic. Tusc. 3.3.7); sol meridie se inclinavit (Liv. 9.32.6); sol inclinat (Juv. 3.316); inclinabat dies (Tac. Ann. 12.39.2); δειελιν̀ν κλίνοντος ὑπὸ ζόφον ἀελίοιο (Apoll. Rhod. 1. 432). The whole heaven revolves, carrying the sun and stars with it. Cf. Lucret. 2.1097, 5.510; Verg. Aen. 2.250; Milton. P. L. 4, 'for the sun| Declined was hasting now with prone career| To the ocean isles, and in th' ascending scale |Of heaven the stars that usher evening rose.'
et: and yet. stet volucris: cf. on 1.6.9; 1. 11. 7; 4. 13.16.
deripere: hurry down; cf. 3.21.7, the strong word like the reproachful parcis expresses impatient haste. horreo: i.e. the apotheca. Cf. on 3.8.11.
cessantem: cf. on 3.27.58;1. 27.13. To his impatience it seems to linger. Bibuli: the fainéant consul with Caesar, B.C. 59, when the wits dated their letters Iulio et Caesare consulibus. The name Bibulus is ominous. For dating of wine, cf. 3.21.1; 3.8.12.
nos: I, as opposed to tu (11). invicem: in my turn.
viridis: cf. on 1.17.20; Epode 13.16. Sea-goddesses wear the hues of 'the pale-green sea-groves' (Tenn. The Merman).
curva: 1.10. 6.-recines: 3.27.1; 1.12.3
Cf. 1.21.3; 1.15.17; 1.12.22; 1.21.2.
summo carmine: at the end of the hymn. quae: understand cantabimus eam. For summo, cf. Epp. 1.1.1, summa dicende Camena. Cnidon: cf. on 1.30.1.
tenet: cf. 3.4. 62.-Cycladas: cf. on 1. 14. 1~20; Verg. Aen. 3. 126.
iunctis . . . oloribus: so 4.1.10. In Sappho, Aphrodite's car is drawn by στρουθοί, sparrows. Statius, Silv. 1.2. 141, Silius, 7.440, assign her a team of swans. So Ov. Met. 10. 708, 718. English. poets vary. Spenser, Prothal. 63, 'that same pair (of swans)| Which through the sky draw Venus' silver team'; Shaks. R. and J. 2.5, 'Therefore do nimble- pinioned doves draw love.' Cf. Tempest, 4.1, 'dove-drawn', Marlowe, Hero and Leander, 'and then God knows I play, |With Venus' swans and sparrows all the day '; 'His mother's doves and team of sparrows' (Lyly, Cupid and Campaspe). iunctis: 'like Juno's swans| Still they went coupled and inseparable' (Shaks.).
nenia: not a dirge, as 2.1.38, but a sweet and low, plaintive good-night song.
