Metrum 12

Meter: Glyconic.

line 1

1: Echoes Vergil, Georgics 2.490ff (itself probably in praise of Lucretius), quoted above in note on 1M4.2.

line 2

2: Cf. 3M9.23.
uisere: not merely "to see" (uidere) but "to look at fixedly."

line 6

uates Threicius: i.e., Orpheus, the legendary poet and husband of Eurydice; invoked through antiquity for a variety of religious and philosophical doctrines. His song had magical power over nature and the animal kingdom. This poem is strongly indebted to Seneca, Hercules Furens, 569-589.

line 7

flebilibus modis: cf. 1M1.1-2.

line 10

latus: neuter accusative singular: iungere latus, "to stand side by side."

line 12

uisum: modifies canem.
lepus: "hare."

line 13

iam cantu placidum: "already calm by virtue of [Orpheus's] song."

line 14

intima: intima . . . pectoris: "inmost [depths] of [his] heart."

line 15

pectoris: intima . . . pectoris: "inmost [depths] of [his] heart."

line 16

qui: sc. modi (line 17).

line 18

immites superos: (sc. immites esse superos) indirect statement governed by querens (< queror, "complain").

line 19

infernas: infernas . . . domos: i.e., the underworld.
domos: infernas . . . domos: i.e., the underworld.

line 22

quicquid: lines 22-25: quicquid . . . quod . . . quod: objects of deflet (line 26).
deae: lines 22-23: deae . . . matris: the muse Calliope.

line 23

matris: lines 22-23: deae . . . matris: the muse Calliope.

line 24

quod: lines 22-25: quicquid . . . quod . . . quod: objects of deflet (line 26).

line 25

quod: lines 22-25: quicquid . . . quod . . . quod: objects of deflet (line 26).
luctum: object of geminans.

line 26

Taenara: object of commouens. Taenarum (in the southern Peloponnesus of Greece) was one of the legendary entrances to Hades. In the plural it stood for the underworld in general (as early as Seneca).

line 28

rogat: takes two objects (ueniam and dominos).

line 29

29: lines 29-39: Hell takes a holiday, music by Orpheus.
Stupet: scan first syllable short, second long.
tergeminus: lines 29-30: tergeminus . . . ianitor: Cerberus, the three-headed hound of hell.

line 30

ianitor: lines 29-30: tergeminus . . . ianitor: Cerberus, the three-headed hound of hell.

line 31

quae: antecedent is deae: the Furies.
sontes: "the guilty ones," accusative plural.

line 34

34: lines 34-35: Ixion was tortured endlessly on the wheel, for assaulting Juno.

line 36

36: lines 36-37: Tantalus was punished by being placed in water which fell away whenever he tried to stoop and drink.
longa: ablative with site (< sitis, "thirst").

line 38

38: lines 38-39: Tityus was chained down while vultures gnawed his liver.

line 40

40: lines 40-41: arbiter umbrarum: probably Minos, legendary king of Crete and judge in the underworld.

line 42

comitem uiro: "as companion to the husband."

line 44

coherceat: jussive subjunctive, placing a condition on the gift.

line 45

dum: "until."
liquerit: perfect subjunctive.

line 46

lumina flectere: i.e., look backward toward hell.

line 47

det: potential subjunctive: "Who could give . . .?"

line 50

Eurydicen: Greek accusative.

line 51

occidit: middle syllable short, "died"; to read the middle syllable long (i.e., "he killed [her]") would be unmetrical and redundant after perdidit.

line 56

lumina flexerit: cf. line 46.

line 57

trahit: "carries, bears."

line 58

dum uidet: "when he sees."