Iam pauca aratro iugera regiae Moles relinquent, undique latius Extenta visentur Lucrino Stagna lacu platanusque caelebs 4 Evincet ulmos: tum violaria et Myrtus et omnis copia narium Spargent olivetis odorem Fertilibus domino priori; 8 Tum spissa ramis laurea fervidos Excludet ictus. Non ita Romuli Praescriptum et intonsi Catonis Auspiciis veterumque norma. 12 Privatus illis census erat brevis, Commune magnum: nulla decempedis Metata privatis opacam Porticus excipiebat Arcton. 16 Nec fortuitum spernere caespitem Leges sinebant, oppida publico Sumptu iubentes et deorum Templa novo decorare saxo. 20 HORACE, _Odes_, II. xv. +Argument.+ ‘Our palaces and fish-ponds and ornamental gardens are supplanting the cultivation of corn and vines and olives. +This is not the spirit of Romulus or of Cato.+ Their rule was private thrift, public magnificence; private houses of turf, public buildings and temples of hewn stone.’ --W. [Linenotes: 1. +Iam+ = _presently_. 1-2. +regiae moles+ = _princely piles_. +moles+, lit. _masses_, of _huge buildings_. 2-4. +undique ... lacu+ = _and fish-ponds_ (+stagna+) _of wider extent than the L. lake will be sights to see_ (+visentur+).--Wickham. 4. +platanus caelebs+ = _the bachelor plane_, so called because vines were not _wedded to it_ (i.e. trained upon it).--Gow. 6. +omnis copia narium+ = _all that is sweet to smell_. Lit. _all the fulness of the nostrils_. 10. +ictus+ (sc. _solis_). The point is that formerly trees were stripped to admit the sun to the vines and olives: nowadays the sun is excluded. --Gow. 11. +intonsi+ (= _antiqui_) = _old-fashioned_. Cf. Cic.’s use of _barbatus_. 13. +census erat brevis+ = _list of property was short_. 14. +commune+ (= τὸ κοινόν) = _the common (public) stock_. 14-15. +decempedis metata privatis+ = _measured with ten-foot rods for private owners_. In old days the +porticūs+ were always _publicae_. 17. +fortuitum caespitem+ = _the chance-cut (handy) turf_. 20. +novo saxo+ = _with fresh-hewn stone_, i.e. hewn on purpose. --W.] +Parallel Passages.+ Livy xxxix. 6. 40. 41; Sallust, _Catiline_ 12, 13. ‘Cato saw the greatness of Rome in the olden time, and he endeavoured without success to bring this old time back.’ --Ihne. C46 THIRD MACEDONIAN WAR, 171-168 B.C. _Pydna (Aemilius Paulus), 168 B.C._ (1)