Jam præfuiffes Palladio gregi Lætus, fuperftes; nec fine gloria: At fila rupit Persephone tua Irata, cum te viderit artibus, Succoque pollenti, tot atris Faucibus eripuiffe mortis. 35 Colende Præfes, membra precor tua 40 Molli quiefcant cefpite, et ex tuo Crefcant rofæ, calthæque bufto, Purpureoque hyacinthus ore. Sit mite de te judicium aci, Subrideatque Ætnæa Proferpina; Interque felices perennis Elyfio fpatiere campo. 45 fua munera. Æn. xii. 391. feq. It should be remembered, that the word Alumnus is more extenfively, favourite, votary, &c. In Milton's Latin poems, it is often difficult to afcertain the names of perfons and places. To fhew his learning, he frequently clouds his meaning by obfcure or obfolete patronymics, and by the fubftitution of appellations formed from remote genealogical, hiftorical, and even geographical, allufions. But this was one of Ovid's affectations. 1 In Quintum Novembris *. J Anno Ætatis 17. A M pius extrema veniens Iäcobus ab arcto, ΙΟ 15 I have formerly remarked, that this little poem, as containing a council, confpiracy, and expedition of Satan, may be confidered as an early and promifing prolusion of Milton's genius to the PARADISE LOST. 15. Regnaque olivifera vertit florentia pace.] Olivifer is an Ovidian Primus OLIVIFERIS Romam deductus ab arvis. Tentat inacceffum fceleri corrumpere pectus; Nocte fub illuni, et fomno nictantibus aftris. Ante expugnatæ crudelia fæcula Trojæ. At fimul hanc, opibufque et fefta Afpicit, et pingues donis Cerealibus 20 25 30 pace beatam, agros, Quodque magis doluit, venerantem numina veri 23. Populos Summanus et urbes.] SUMMANUS is an obfolete and uncommon name for Pluto, or the god of ghofts and night, which Milton most probably had from Ovid, FAST. vi. 731. 27. Cui nomen dederat quondam Neptunia proles.] "Albion a giant, "fon of Neptune, who called the [this] ifland after his own name, "and ruled it forty four years. Till at length paffing over into Gaul, "in aid of his brother Leftrygon, against whom Hercules was hafting "out of Spain into Italy, he was there flain in fight, &c." Milton's HIST. ENGL. B. i. PROSE-WORKS, ii. 2. 31. At fimul banc opibusque et festa pace beatam, &c.] The whole context is from Ovid's ENVY, METAM. ii. 794. Tandem Tritonida confpicit arcem, Ingeniifque, OPIBUSQUE, ET FESTA PACE, virentem: Sancta 35 Sancta Dei populum, tandem fufpiria rupit 46 55. He defcribes the proceffion of the Pope to Saint Peter's church at Rome, on the eve of Saint Peter's day. Panificofque 61 Panificofque Deos portat, fcapulifque virorum 56. 65 His igitur tandem folenni more peractis, Nox fenis amplexus Erebi taciturna reliquit, Præcipitefque impellit equos ftimulante flagello, Captum oculis Typhlonta, Melanchætemque fe rocem, 58. The orders of mendicant friars. 71 70. Præcipitefque impellit equos, &c.] See Note on Comus, v. 554. And Ovid, EPIST. PONT. iii. 56. Sive pruinofi Noctis aguntur equi. And Sil. Italicus, xv. 285. Nox atro circumdata corpus amictu, Compare Euripid. JoN. v. 1151. Schol. PHOENISS. v. 3. 71. Captum oculis Typblonta, &c.] I believe Milton is the first poet who has given names to the horfes of Night. Spenser describes the colour of her four horfes, F. Q i. v. 28. 20. Atque |