in theatres and other public places for the amusement of the people(201). The Romans, indeed, were so formed on his style, that Seneca called them _populus Ennianus_—an Ennian race,—and said, that both Cicero and Virgil were obliged, contrary to their own judgment, to employ antiquated terms, in compliance with the reigning prejudice(202). From his example, too, added to the national character, the historical epic became in future times the great poetical resource of the Romans, who versified almost every important event in their history. Besides the _Pharsalia_ of Lucan, and _Punica_ of Silius Italicus, which still survive, there were many works of this description which are now lost. Varro Atacinus chose as his subject Cæsar’s war with the Sequani—Varius, the deeds of Augustus and Agrippa—Valgius Rufus, the battle of Actium—Albinovanus, the exploits of Germanicus—Cicero, those of Marius, and the events of his own consulship. We have already seen Ennius’s imitation of the Greeks in his tragedies and satires; and even in the above-mentioned historical poems, though devoted to the celebration of Roman heroes and subjects exclusively national, he has borrowed copiously from the Greek poets, and has often made his Roman consuls fight over again the Homeric battles. Thus the description of the combat of Ajax, in the 16th Book of the Iliad, beginning Αιας δ’ ουκετ’ ἐμιμνε, has suggested a passage, above quoted, from the fragments of the Istrian war; and the picture of a steed breaking from his stall, and ranging the pastures, is imitated from a similar description, in the 6th Book of the Iliad— “Et tunc sicut Equus, qui de præsepibus actus, Vincla sua magneis animeis abrumpit, et inde Fert sese campi per cœrula, lætaque prata; Celso pectore, sæpe jubam quassat simul altam: Spiritus ex animâ calidâ spumas agit albas(203).” Homer’s lines are the following:— “Ὡς δ’ ὁτε τις στατος ἱππος, ακοςησας επι φατνῃ Δεσμον απορρηξας θειει πεδιοιο κροαινων, Ἐιωθως λουεσθαι εὐρρειος ποταμοιο, Κυδιοων· ὑψου δε καρη ἐχει, αμφι δε χαιται Ὡμοις αισσονται. ὁ δ’ αγλαιηφι πεποιθως, Ριμφα ἑ γουνα φερει μετα τ’ ἠθεα και νομον ιππων(204).” In order to afford an opportunity of judging of Ennius’s talents for imitation, I have subjoined from the two poets, who carried that art to the greatest perfection, corresponding passages, which are both evidently founded on the same Greek original— “Qualis, ubi abruptis fugit præsepia vinclis, Tandem liber, Equus, campoque potitus aperto; Aut ille in pastus armentaque tendit equarum, Aut, assuetus aquæ perfundi flumine noto, Emicat, arrectisque fremit cervicibus alte Luxurians; luduntque jubæ per colla, per armos(205).” The other parallel passage is in Tasso’s Jerusalem Delivered—