Collected Fragments of Ennius
Page 31
‘Romulus lives from age to age in heaven with the gods that gave him birth.’
116
Nonius, 120, 1: ‘Hora,’ iuventutis dea.. . —
‘Teque Quirine pater veneror Horamque Quirini.
trib Ann. lib. II Colonna
116
Romulus and Hersilia are worshipped by the Romans:
Nonius says:’ Hora,’ goddess of youth.... —
‘Thee I worship, sire Quirinus, and thee, Hora, consort of Quirinus.’
BOOK II. The Reigns of Numa Pompilius, Tullus Hostilius and Ancus Marcius
117–21
Cicero, de Rep., I, 41, 61: Iusto quidem rege cum est populus orbatus pectora diu tenet desiderium, sicut ait Ennius, post optimi regis obitum —
simul inter sese sic memorant: ‘O Romule Romule die qualem te patriae custodem di genuerunt! O pater o genitor o sanguen dis oriundum!
Non eros nec dominos appellabant eos quibus iuste paruerunt denique ne reges quidem, sed patriae custodes sed patres et deos. Nec sine causa; quid enim addunt? —
‘Tu produxisti nos intra luminis oras.
Cp. Lactant., Div. Inst., I, 15, 30: Priscian., ap. G.L., II, 250, 15 K.
117–20
The people mourn Romulus:
Cicero: Indeed when a people is bereaved of a just king, then even as Ennius says, after the passing of the best of kings, for many days longing filled their breasts —
And at the same time they talked thus among themselves— ‘O Romulus, godly Romulus, what a guardian of your country did the gods beget you! O father, O begetter, O blood sprung from the gods!
They used to call those whom they had lawfully obeyed not lords and masters, nor yet again kings, but guardians of their country, yes and fathers and gods. Nor was this without reason. For what do they say next? —
‘You it was who brought us forth into the world of light!
122
Festus, 492, 6: ‘Speres’ antiqui pluraliter dicebant, ut E. lib. II —
‘Et simul effugit speres ita funditus nostras.. .
122
Festus: ‘Speres.’ The archaic writers used this plural form, for example Ennius in the second book —
‘And so soon as he fled away, our hopes he thus utterly...
123
Festus, 346, 5: ‘Quadrata Roma’ in Palatio ante templum Apollinis dicitur.. . eius loci Ennius meminit cum ait —
Et qui se sperat Romae regnare Quadratae?
123
Question of a successor to Romulus:
Festus: ‘Square Rome,’ a name given to a site on the Palatine in front of the temple of Apollo.... Ennius has this place in mind when he says —
And how hopes he that he will be king at Square Home?
124
Varro, L.L., VII, 42: Apud Ennium —
Olli respondit suavis sonus Egeriai, ‘olli’ valet dictum ‘illi’ ab ‘olla’ et ‘ollo.’
Cp. Serv., ad Aen., XI, 236.
124
The reign of Numa Pompilius. Intercourse of Numa and Egeria:
Varro: In a passage of Ennius —
To him replied Egeria with sweet sound,
The word ‘olli’ has the force of ‘illi,’ dative to the feminine ‘olla’ and to the masculine ‘ollus.’
125–6
Varro, L.L., VII, 4: 3 Apud Ennium —
Mensas constituit idemque ancilia;
dicta ab ambecisu quod ea arma ab utraque parte ut Thracum incisa; —
libaque fictores Argeos et tutulatos.
Liba quod libandi causa fiunt: fictores dicti a fingendis libis, Argei ab Argis.. . tutulati dicti hi qui in sacris in capitibus habere solent ut metam.
125–6
The religious institutions of Numa:
Varro: In a passage of Ennius —
He established the Tables, he also the Shields...
‘ancilia’ is a word derived from ‘ambicisus,’ because those arms were indented on either edge like those of Thracians; — ... and the Pancakes, the Bakers, the Rush-Dummies, and the Priests with conical top-knots.
‘Liba’ are so called because they are made to be used at libations. The ‘fictores’ are so called ‘a fingendis libis’; the term Argei is derived from Argos.... ‘tutulati’ is a term used for those who at sacrifices are accustomed to wear a kind of cone on their heads.
127–9
Varro, L.L., VII, 45: Eundem Pompilium ait fecisse flamines qui cum omnes sunt a singulis deis cognominati.. . sunt in quibus flaminum cognominibus latent origines ut in his qui sunt versibus plerique —
Volturnalem Palatualem Furinalem Floralemque Falacrem et Pomonalem fecit hic idem.
127–9
He institutes the flamines:
Varro: Ennius states that Pompilius also established the ‘special priests’; while all are surnamed from individual gods... there are special priests whose surnames remain obscure in origin... as is the case with most of the following which are enumerated in these verses —
He likewise established the priests of Volturnus, of Palatua, of Furina, of Flora, of Falacer, and of Pomona.
130
Festus, 156, 5: ‘Me’ pro ‘mihi’ dicebant antiqui ut Ennius cum ait lib. II —
‘Si quid me fuerit humanitus ut teneatis.
Propertius, III, 3 (IV, 2), 5–7:
Parvaque tam magnis admoram fontibus ora unde pater sitiens Ennius ante bibit: et cecinit Curios fratres et Horatia pila... .
130
Numa desires that his institutions be maintained:
Festus: The ancients used to say ‘me’ instead of ‘mihi,’ as does Ennius when he says in the second book —
‘If something of man’s fate should happen to me, do you keep my ordinances.
The reign of Tullus Hostilius. War between Rome and Alba, which agree to settle their quarrels by a combat between two sets of triplet brothers.
Propertius:
And I had already put puny lips to mighty fountains, whence once father Ennius did slake his thirst and sang of the brothers Curii and of the Horatii and their spears....
131
Priscianus, ap. G.L., III, 3, 6 K: Sic ergo ἐμοῦ σοῦ οὗ mei tui sui ἐμοῦς σοῦς οὗς mis tis si.. . Ennius —
‘Ingens cura mis cum concordibus aequiperare;
131
The triplets are ready to fight:
Priscianus: In this way, therefore, ἐμοῦ and οὗ correspond to mei tui and sui, ἐμοῦς, σοῦς, οὗς to mis tis sis.... Ennius —
A great and strong anxiety is mine to do equal deeds with my heartfellows.
132
Festus, 194,12: ‘Occasus’ interitus vel solis cum decidit a superis infra terras; quo vocabulo Ennius pro occasione est usus in lib. II —
Hic occasus datust: at Horatius inclutus saltu.. .
132
The fight: the surviving Horatius escapes a thrust:
Festus: ‘Occasus,’ a passing away of the sun, for example, when it drops down from the heights to regions beneath the earth; Ennius used this noun for ‘occasio’ in the second book —
At this point chance was given him, but renowned Horatius with a leap...
133
Priscianus, ap. G.L., II, 504, 22 K: Vetustissimi inveniuntur etiam produxisse.. . paenultimam... . —
‘Adnuit sese mecum decernere ferro.
133
Horatius justifies himself to his sister, who loved one of the Curiatii:
Priscianus: We find very ancient writers who even lengthened the penultimate (sc. of perfects in -ui)...— ‘He agreed that he would join issue with me by the sword.
134
Festus, 540, 10: ‘Tolerare,’ patienter ferre.. . —
ferro se caedi quam dictis his toleraret.
134
Horatius’ sister heaps reproaches on him?:
Festus: ‘Tolerare,’ to bear patiently... —
He would fain suffer slaughter by the sword rather than by words such a
s these.
135
Festus, 348, 4: ‘Quamde’ pro quam.. . —
‘quamde tuas omnes legiones ac populares.
135
She cares more for her dead Curiatius than for all the Romans:
Festus: ‘Quamde’... for ‘qaam’... —
‘than for all your legions and commoners.
136
Festus, 426, 2: ‘Sum’ pro ‘eum’... —
At sese, sum quae dederat in luminis oras,
136
Horatius’ father pleads for his son at his trial for killing his sister; he pictures the mother’s grief?:
Festus: ‘Sum’ for ‘eum’... —
‘But she, who had brought him forth, (killed) herself.
137
Festus, 188, 30: ‘Ningulus’ nullus.. . —
‘qui ferro minitere atque in te ningulus.. .’
137
The prosecutor(or one of the two judges? ) accuses Horatius:
Festus: ‘Ningulus,’ no one... —
‘Who are one to threaten with the sword, while against you no one...’
138
Festus, 530, 25: ‘
Haec inter se totum egere diem tuditantes.
138
Progress of the trial:
Festus: ‘Tuditantes’ means ‘tundentes,’ that is, conducting an affair... —
They spent the whole day threshing out this trial among themselves.
139
Quintilianus, I, 5, 12: Nam duos in uno nomine faciebat barbarismos Tinga Placentinus.. . preculam pro pergula dicens... . At in eadem vitii geminatione —
Mettoeoque Fufetioeo
dicens Ennius poetico iure defenditur.
139
The punishment of Mettius Fufettius by Tullus for refusing to help Rome:
Quintilian: Tinga of Placentia... by writing ‘precula’ for ‘pergula’ was guilty of two barbarisms in one noun.... But Ennius arraigned on a like charge of a double mistake by saying —
Mettoeoque Fufetioeo
is defended on the plea of poet’s licence.
140
Macrobius, ap. G.L., V, 651, 32 K: ‘Tractare’ saepe trahere... . Ennius —
tractatus per aequora campi
140
He is torn apart by horses:
Macrobius: ‘Tractare’ is the iterative of ‘trahere’... Ennius —
Dragged over the smooth flat plain
141–2
Priscianus, ap. G.L., II, 206, 22 K: Vetustissimi.. . ‘homo homonis’ declinaverunt. Ennius —
Vulturus in silvis miserum mandebat homonem. Heu! Quam crudeli condebat membra sepulchro!
Cp. Charis., ap. G.L., I, 147, 15 K: Serv., ad Aen., VI, 595. Schol. Bamb., ad Stat., Theb., III, 508.
141–2
and birds devour his corpse:
Priscianus: The oldest writers declined ‘homo,’ gen. ‘homonis.’ Ennius —
A vulture did craunch the poor man in the forest. Ah! In what a cruel tomb buried he his limbs!
143
Servius, ad Aen., II, 313: ‘Clangor’: Plerumque.. . ad tubam evertuntur civitates sicut Albam Tullus Hostilius iussit everti.
Priscianus, ap. G.L., II, 450, 2 K:.. . in nominationibus id est ὀνοματοποιΐαις, sive nominum seu verborum novis conformationibus non omnes declinationes motus sunt quaerendi.. . taratantara Ennius —
At tuba terribili sonitu taratantara dixit.
Cp. Serv., ad Aen., IX, 501: ‘At tuba terribilem sonitum.’
Servius ad 486: ‘At domus interior’: de Albano excidio translatus est locus.
143
The destruction of Alba Longa by Tullus:
Servius, on ‘clangor’ in Virgil: States are generally overthrown to the sound of a trumpet, in the way in which Tullus Hostilius ordered Alba to be overthrown.
Priscianus: In ‘nominationes,’ that is in onomatopoeias whether nouns or verbs, of unusual structure, we must not look for all the turns of inflexion... ‘taratantara.’ Ennius —
And the trumpet in terrible tones taratantara blared.
Servius on Virg., Aen., II, 486: ‘And the dwelling within.’ This passage (II, 486 ff.) is taken from the Sack of Alba.
144
Servius (auctus) ad Aen., III, 333: ‘Reddita’ more veteri pro ‘data’ accipiendum est.. . —
isque dies postquam Ancus Marcius regna recepit,
pro ‘accepit.’
144
The reign of Ancus Marcius. His accession:
Servius (supplemented), on ‘reddita’ in Virgl: ‘Reddita’ must, as an archaic usage, be taken to mean ‘data’... — and that day when Ancus Marcius received the kingship,
Here ‘recepit’ stands for ‘accepit.’
trib. Ann. lib. II Merula
silvis Prisc., Serv. cdd. CSM campo cdd. HFC in campos cd. R spineto Charis. spinis Koch coll. Aen. VIII, 645
trib. Ann. lib. II V
trib. lib. II Ilberg postquam A. M., Ilberg post aut Marcus quam Serv. auct. post Antiochus quam Mariotti.
145
Macrobius, S., VI, 4, 3 (ad Georg., II, 462): Pulchre ‘vomit undam’ et antique: nam Ennius ait —
et Tiberis flumen vomit in mare salsum,
145
The foundation of Ostia: fortifications and other works:
Macrobius: A most happy express’ on of Virgil’s is ‘belches forth a flood,’ and archaic too, for Ennius says — and belches the river Tiber into the salt sea,
146–7
Festus, 346, 14: ‘Quaesere’ ponitur ab antiquis pro quaerere.. . —
Ostia munita est: idem loca navibus celsis munda facit nautisque mari quaesentibus vitam.
Cp. Paul., ex F., 397, 3; 121, 3; Fest., 20, 7.
146–7
Festus: ‘Quaesere’ is put by archaic writers instead of ‘quaerere’... —
Ostia was fortified. He likewise made the channel clear for tall ships and for sailors seeking a livelihood on the sea.
148
Servius (auctus) ad Aen., XI, 326: Quidam ‘texamus’ proprie dictum tradunt quia loca in quibus naves fiunt Graeco ναυπήγια Latine textrina dici: Ennius —
Isdem campus habet textrinum navibus longis.
Cp. Cic., Orat., 47, 157.
148
Servius (supplemented): Some say that ‘texamus’ is the right term to use because the places in which ships are made are called in Greek ναυπήγια, in Latin ‘textrina.) Ennius —
that same plain holds a workshop for their long ships.
149
Festus, 400, 29: Ennius iocatus videtur.. . et lib. II —
i caerula prata.
149
The Caelian:
Festus: Ennius seems to have made a joke... and in the second book —
the blue-dark meadows
BOOK III. The Reigns of Tarquinius Priscus, Servius Tullius, and Tarquinius Superbus; Establishment of the Republic
150
Nonius, 51, 7: ‘Laevum’ significari veteres putant quasi a levando... . Ennius annali lib. III —
Olim de caelo laevum dedit inclutus signum.
150
Jupiter’s omen to Priscus on his way to Rome:
Nonius: ‘Laevum.’ The old critics believe this word to take its meaning as it were from ‘levare.’... Ennius in the third book of Annals —
The All-glorious sent down one day from the sky a favourable sign.
151–2
Probus, ad Verg., Ecl., VI, 31: Pro aere venti hic extrinsecus accipiuntur: ad quod argumentum collegimus Ennii exemplum de Annalium tertio —
et densis aquila pinnis obnixa volabat vento quem perhibent Graium genus aera lingua.
151–2
The omen:
Probus, on ‘anima’ in Virgil: ‘Air’ is here taken, by inductive reasoning, to mean ‘winds’; in proof of this we have taken an example of Ennius from the third book of the Annals —<
br />
and there came flying on thick-set wings an eagle, battling with the breeze which the Greek nation calls in its tongue ‘aer’
153
Schol. Bern. ad Georg., IV, 7: ‘Laeva,’ prospera.. . ut Ennius ait —
ab laeva rite probatum.
153
Taqnaquil(?) accepts the omen as favourable:
A scholiast; ‘Laeva,’ prosperous... as Ennius says —
on the left hand and duly taken as good.
154
Festus, 428, 11: ‘Sos’.. . interdum pro suos.. . Ennius —
Postquam lumina sis oculis bonus Ancus reliquit,
Cp. Paul, ex F., 429, 10. Lucret., III, 1025: Lumina sis oculis etiam bonus Ancus reliquit.
154
The death of Ancus Marcius:
Festus: ‘Sos’... now and then writers put it for suos... Ennius —
After good Ancus quitted the light with his eyes,
aquila
trib. lib. III St.
155
Festus, 426, 33: ‘Solum,’ terram. Ennius lib. III —
Tarquinio dedit imperium simul et sola regni.
155
Tarquinius Priscus is made King:
Festus: ‘Solum,’ earth. Ennius in the third book — gave to Tarquin both sway and soil of the kingdom.
156
Festus, 428, 11: ‘Sos’ pro ‘eos.’.. . Ennius lib. III —
Circum sos quae sunt magnae gentes opulentae.
156
War of Priscus with the Latins (or Etruscans?):
Festus: ‘Sos’ for ‘eos.’... E. in the third book —
The clans of might and wealth which are around them.
157
Servius, ad Aen., VI, 219: ‘lavant frigentis et ungunt’: versus Ennii, qui ait —
Exin Tarquinium bona femina lavit et unxit.
Cp. Donat., in Ter., Hec., I, 2, 60.
157
Tanaquil decks dead Priscus:
Servius, on ‘And they wash and anoint his body in the chill of death’ in Virgil: a line from Ennius, who says —
The good woman washed and anointed Tarquin.
158
Festus, 284,22: ‘Prodinunt,’ prodeunt.. . —
Prodinunt famuli: tum candida lumina lucent.
Cp. Paul., ex F., 285, 8.
158
The funeral of Priscus:
Festus: ‘Prodinunt,’ the same as ‘prodeunt’... —
The thralls moved on: then beamed bright lights.
159
Macrobius, S., I, 4, 17: Animadvertendum est.. . quod etiam qua noctu’ dixerit (Ennius). Et hoc posuit in Annalium septimo, in quorum tertio clarius idem dixit —