appeared to me this day at day-break. While I stood covered with awe, and filled with a religious dread, beseeching him to allow me to see him face to face, he said; 'Go tell the Romans, that the gods do will, that my Rome should become the capital of the world. Therefore let them cultivate the art of war, and let them know and hand down to posterity, that no human power shall be able to withstand the Roman arms.' Having said this, he ascended up to heaven." It is surprising what credit was given to the man on his making this announcement, and how much the regret of the common people and army for the loss of Romulus, was assuaged upon the assurance of his immortality. [272] Padua. [273] Commentators seem to have given an erroneous and unbecoming sense to Cicero's exclamation, when they suppose that the object understood, as connected with altera, related to himself. Hope is never applied in this signification, but to a young person, of whom something good or great is expected; and accordingly, Virgil, who adopted the expression, has very properly applied it to Ascanius: Et juxta Ascanius, magmae spes altera Romae. Aeneid, xii. And by his side Ascanius took his place, The second hope of Rome's immortal race. Cicero, at the time when he could have heard a specimen of Virgil's Eclogues, must have been near his grand climacteric; besides that, his virtues and talents had long been conspicuous, and were past the state of hope. It is probable, therefore, that altera referred to some third person, spoken of immediately before, as one who promised to do honour to his country. It might refer to Octavius, of whom Cicero at this time, entertained a high opinion; or it may have been spoken in an absolute manner, without reference to any person. [274] I was born at Mantua, died in Calabria, and my tomb is at Parthenope: pastures, rural affairs, and heroes are the themes of my poems. [275] The last members of these two lines, from the commas to the end are said to have been supplied by Erotes, Virgil's librarian. [276] Carm. i. 17. [277] "The Medea of Ovid proves, in my opinion, how surpassing would have been his success, if he had allowed his genius free scope, instead of setting bounds to it." [278] Two faults have ruined me; my verse, and my mistake. [279] These lines are thus rendered in the quaint version of Zachary Catlin. I suffer 'cause I chanced a fault to spy, So that my crime doth in my eyesight lie. Alas! why wait my luckless hap to see A fault at unawares to ruin me? [280] "I myself employed you as ready agents in love, when my early youth sported in numbers adapted to it."--Riley's Ovid.