Opening the text

History of Roman Literature from its Earliest Period to the Augustan Age. Vol. IDunlop, John Colin

History

History of Roman Literature from its Earliest Period to the Augustan Age. Vol. I

Name: History of Roman Literature from its Earliest Period to the Augustan Age. Vol. I
Author: Dunlop, John Colin

Dunlop, John Colin

Latin literature -- History and criticism

ENNIUS, Book 1.
  “Qui cœlum versat stellis fulgentibus aptum.”
          VIRGIL, Book 6.
  “Axem humero torquet stellis ardentibus aptum.”
          ENNIUS, 1.
  “Est locus Hesperiam quam mortales perhibebant.”
          VIRGIL, 1.
  “Est locus Hesperiam Graii cognomine dicunt.”
          ENNIUS, 12.
  “Unus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem;
  Non ponebat enim rumores ante salutem.
  Ergo postque magisque viri nunc gloria claret(212).”
          VIRGIL, 6.
  “Unus qui nobis cunctando restituis rem.”
          ENNIUS, 5.
  “Quod per amœnam urbem leni fluit agmine flumen.”
          VIRGIL, 2.
  “Inter opima virum leni fluit agmine Tybris.”
          ENNIUS, 1.
  “Hei mihi qualis erat quantum mutatus ab illo.”
          VIRGIL, 2.
  “Hei mihi qualis erat! quantum mutatus ab illo.”
          ENNIUS.
  —— “Postquam discordia tetra
  Belli ferratos postes portasque refregit(213).”
          VIRGIL, 7.
  “Impulit ipsa manu portas, et cardine verso
  Belli ferratos rupit Saturnia postes.”

In the longer passages, Virgil has not merely selected the happiest
thoughts and expressions of his predecessor, but in borrowing a great deal
from Ennius, he has added much of his own. He has thrown on common images
new lights of fancy; he has struck out the finest ideas from ordinary
sentiments, and expunged all puerile conceits and absurdities.

Lucretius and Ovid have also frequently availed themselves of the works of
Ennius. His description of felling the trees of a forest, in order to fit
out a fleet against the Carthaginians, in the seventh book, has been
imitated by Statius in the tenth book of the _Thebaid_. The passage in his
sixth satire, in which he has painted the happy situation of a parasite,
compared with that of the master of a feast, is copied in Terence’s
Phormio(214). The following beautiful lines have been imitated by
innumerable poets, both ancient and modern:

  “Jupiter hic risit, tempestatesque serenæ
  Riserunt omnes risu Jovis omnipotentis(215).”

Near the commencement of his _Annals_, Ennius says,

  “Audire est operæ pretium, procedere recte
  Qui rem Romanam Latiumque augescere vultis;”

which solemn passage has been parodied by Horace, in the second satire of
the first book:

  “Audire est operæ pretium, procedere recte
  Qui mœchis non vultis, ut omni parte laborent.”

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History of Roman Literature from its Earliest Period to the Augustan Age. Vol. IDunlop, John Colin

History

History of Roman Literature from its Earliest Period to the Augustan Age. Vol. I

Dunlop, John Colin

Latin literature -- History and criticism

ENNIUS, Book 1.
  “Qui cœlum versat stellis fulgentibus aptum.”
          VIRGIL, Book 6.
  “Axem humero torquet stellis ardentibus aptum.”
          ENNIUS, 1.
  “Est locus Hesperiam quam mortales perhibebant.”
          VIRGIL, 1.
  “Est locus Hesperiam Graii cognomine dicunt.”
          ENNIUS, 12.
  “Unus homo nobis cunctando restituit rem;
  Non ponebat enim rumores ante salutem.
  Ergo postque magisque viri nunc gloria claret(212).”
          VIRGIL, 6.
  “Unus qui nobis cunctando restituis rem.”
          ENNIUS, 5.
  “Quod per amœnam urbem leni fluit agmine flumen.”
          VIRGIL, 2.
  “Inter opima virum leni fluit agmine Tybris.”
          ENNIUS, 1.
  “Hei mihi qualis erat quantum mutatus ab illo.”
          VIRGIL, 2.
  “Hei mihi qualis erat! quantum mutatus ab illo.”
          ENNIUS.
  —— “Postquam discordia tetra
  Belli ferratos postes portasque refregit(213).”
          VIRGIL, 7.
  “Impulit ipsa manu portas, et cardine verso
  Belli ferratos rupit Saturnia postes.”

In the longer passages, Virgil has not merely selected the happiest
thoughts and expressions of his predecessor, but in borrowing a great deal
from Ennius, he has added much of his own. He has thrown on common images
new lights of fancy; he has struck out the finest ideas from ordinary
sentiments, and expunged all puerile conceits and absurdities.

Lucretius and Ovid have also frequently availed themselves of the works of
Ennius. His description of felling the trees of a forest, in order to fit
out a fleet against the Carthaginians, in the seventh book, has been
imitated by Statius in the tenth book of the _Thebaid_. The passage in his
sixth satire, in which he has painted the happy situation of a parasite,
compared with that of the master of a feast, is copied in Terence’s
Phormio(214). The following beautiful lines have been imitated by
innumerable poets, both ancient and modern:

  “Jupiter hic risit, tempestatesque serenæ
  Riserunt omnes risu Jovis omnipotentis(215).”

Near the commencement of his _Annals_, Ennius says,

  “Audire est operæ pretium, procedere recte
  Qui rem Romanam Latiumque augescere vultis;”

which solemn passage has been parodied by Horace, in the second satire of
the first book:

  “Audire est operæ pretium, procedere recte
  Qui mœchis non vultis, ut omni parte laborent.”

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

History of Roman Literature from its Earliest Period to the Augustan Age. Vol. I

History of Roman Literature from its Earliest Period to the Augustan Age. Vol. I

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