FOREIGN CATALOGUE.

ITALY.

Marco Porcio Catone de re Lucio Giunio Moderato CoTomo I.; traduzione del Dottor 271 pp. 8vo. Venice.

ART. 74. Ruftici latini volgarizzati. ruftica, con note. Tom I.; 320 pp. lumella dell' Agricoltura, con note. Giangirolamo Pag ni; LXX. and It appears from the dedication, that the author of the Translation of Cato, of which we have here only the first two and twenty chapters, is the Abbé Giusepp Compagnon, who has now, for the first time, undertaken to clothe a writer, who had been fo much disfigured by former epitomizers and commentators, in an Italian drefs. Nor has the attempt been abgether unfuccefsful. Not only the fenfe and manner of the onginal are here, in general, reprefented as accurately as could have been expected, but the expreffion may likewife be faid to have gained, in point of animation, what it has fometimes loft in conciseness. As a fpecimen, we fhall present our readers with a paffage taken from the Vth chapter, where the author treats of the duties of the Villicus. Se il Cataldo, fays he, non vorrà che fi faccia male, nol fi farà. Se il permetterà, il Padrone nol lafcierà impunito. Rimunererà egli poi chi ha fatto bene, onde piaccia agli altri feguirne l'effempio. Il Castaldo non fia girogavo; fia obris fmpre; nè vada altrove a cena. Tenga in efercizio la famiglia; vegga che quanto il padrone ha comandato fi faccia. creda di faperne più del Padrone. Si tenga amici gli amici del padrone, &c. In a few, and thofe obfcure paffages only, the tranflation is paraphraftical, as, for example, of the words uti eo cum introeas circumfpicias, uti ind exiri poffit. In fecondo luogo poi all' entrar, che farai nella pffione, alla quale parliamo, offerta come poffa ufcirfene, fia per efTarr in generi comodamente, fia per venderla con vantaggio, fe mai avtnga, che tu voglia disfartene. In regard to the notes, they are, for the moft part, intended either to vindicate the tranflation of particular words, or to throw light on the antiquities; and but feldom relate to what may be strictly called Natural Hiftory, or rural economy. The account of the life of Cato, and of the fate of his writings, which is prefixed to the tranflation, contains nothing but what is generally known, nor can the Abbé be faid to have arranged the materials with which he was furnished, in the most judicious manner. That the writings afcribed to Cato, ftill extant, are only an imperfect and ill-digefted extract from his real works, had likewife been maintained by others, and particularly by Schneider, in his excellent edition of the Authores de Re Ruftica, with which it were to have been wished that the prefent tranflator had been acquainted.

Non

The notes, with which the tranflation of Columella, (of which fome yerfions had already appeared, about the middle of the XVIth century)

is accompanied, are indeed more numerous than thofe on Cate, and of a different kind, being compiled, without any plan, from the works of former commentators. The greater part of them confifts of the various readings only, taken from the edition of Gefner, including even thofe concerning which there can be no doubt, and which have no immediate connection with the tranflation itself. The author has, in general, adopted the opinions of Pontedera, which are often given in his own words. Sometimes he condefcends to explain words, the meaning of which might be easily learnt from almoft any dictionary; as, for instance, where he obferves that by viridis atas, is to be underftood robufta, by mundus, cœlum, &c.; nor are fuch of his illuftrations as relate to literary and antiquarian fubjects ufually of more importance. The following anecdote, borrowed from Donatus, or whoever may have been the author of the Life of Virgil attributed to him, is taken from p. 69. Publin Virgilio Marone. Questi è il primo depoëti latini; era nato in un villaggio preffo Mantova. Ei difcendeva da una famiglia poco illuftre. Suo padre fi chiamava Maro, e fua madre Maja. Si era prima dedicato alla Medicina veterinaria, e per questo mezzo ebbe occafime di farfi conofcere fino al punto di diventare il favorito di Augufto. That our readers may be enabled to form fome judgment of the tranflation itself, we shall felect from it the paffage in the preface, in which Columella, with equal juftice and ability, cenfures the indifference of his contemporaries to agricultural purfuits. E per verità noi tuti padri di famiglia (come M. Varrone ai tempi dei noftri avi fi lamen1) lafciata la falce et l'aratro ci fiam ritirati dentro le mura, e moviam piuttosto le mani nei circi e nei teatri, che tra' feminati e i vigneti; e quali attoniti ammiriam con iftupore i gefti di quegli uomini effeminati, che con atti muliebri fingono quel feffo che non ebbero dalla natura, ingannando così gli occhi degli spettatori; indi per effere in iftato di ritornar alle taverne digeriamo le giornalieri indigefiioni nelle fufe fudatorie, ed ufcito che fia del corpo il fudore folletichiamo la fete: e confumando le notti nella luffuria e nell'ubbriachezza, e i giorni trà il fonno e il gioco, crediam di effer felici, perchè trà noi non fi rede ne nafcer, nè tramontare il fole; e così a quefta vita neghittofa fuccedon le malattie, poichè i corpi de giovani diventano talmente deboli e jnervati, che sembra non poter in effi recar cangiamento la morte. To each of thefe volumes is prefixed a Specchio delle mifure, de pefi e delle monete romane, and to the first, in particular, a list of the technical terms which occur in Cato, with fhort explanations,

GERMANY.

ART. 75. Kritifcher Verfuch über das Text des Platonischen Gaftmahls, nebft einer beurtheilenden Anzeige merkwürdiger Lefarten aus den drey Handschriften der k. k. Hofbibliothek zu Wien, von Friedrich Jacob Baft.-Critical Fays on the Text of the Symposium of Plato, together with an Examination of the remarkable Readings of the three MSS. in the Imperial Library at Vienna, by F. J. Baft, Leiptig, 1794; XXVIII. and 171 pp. in 8vo.

Thefe who are acquainted with the writings of Plate will not wonder that, notwithstanding the attention which Wolf and Schütz

have paid to this book, there fhould fill remain abundant matter to exercife the ingenuity of other critics. They will rather rejoice that this commentator has been placed in a fituation, in which he nad an opportunity of availing himself of refources which had not yet been applied to the improvement and illuftration of this important werk.

Of these critical aids Mr. Baft gives an accouni in his preface. They are three MSS. numbered 54, 21, 126, in the Imperial Library at Vienna; the first of which had indeed already been defcribed by Kollar, as the other two had likewife been by Lambecius and N fél. The first of thefe is the most valuable in point of age; (by Kollar it was, as it appears, without fufficient grounds, confidered to be of the 9th century); of important various readings, including additions by which the defects of the printed copies may not unfrequently be fupplied, and correct punctuation. The readings agree chiefly with the fecond Bafil edition. The MS. numbered 21, is of more modern date; it contains, however, many excellent various readings, though, in general, it comes nearer the received text than the first. The third, which Mr. B. conceives to belong to the 15th century, is written with great negligence, but exhibits, among a number of deviations from the printed copies, most of which have evidently arifen from the inattention of the tranfcriber, fome different readings by which the text may certainly be improved. From thefe MSS. the author has felected fuch readings as appeared to him to be either the only ge nuine ones, or, at least, fuch as might deferve the notice of the critic, till further information could be obtained. Thefe, with his obfervations on them, form the fecond part of this work. In the first, the author attempts to remove fuch errors in the text, as being of an earlier date than any of the MSS. at present exifting, can be corrected by conjecture only.

The following may ferve as inftances of the improvements made in the text by Mr. B. In c. 2. § 1. of Wolf's edition, the friend of Apollodorus remarks, that he does not know where he (Apollodorus) could have acquired the name of pavinos; and then proceeds: iv i γὰρ τοῖς λόγοις ἀεὶ τοιοῦτος εἶ. Mr. Balt fows the difficulties attending the reading dux oida yayt, for which, inftead of voida, fuggefted by Wolf, he propofes fubftituting in old ywy. So, at the end of the fecond chapter, in order to avoid the Anacoluthon in the words xai i ἔφη ἀπονίζειν τὸν παῖδα, ἵνα που κατακέοπο, he propofes reading καὶ ἡ μὲν na. T.. which alteration is confirmed by the ds in the following part of the fentence. Again, in c. xii. 7, where the opinion of Hera clitus is mentioned, that in the universe, notwithstanding all its variety, there is ftill an evident agreement, ώσπερ ἁρμονίαν τόξου τε καὶ λύρας, it is clear, that the example of the Bow is but ill-adapted to the place. Mr. B. therefore, by a very bold, and, of courfe, problematical, but certainly an ingenious conjecture, would read ὥσπερ άρμονία τοῦ ὀξέος τι, nai Bapios; which, indeed, foon after, are quoted as the very words of that philofopher. Some paffages have likewife been greatly improved. by an alteration of the punctuation only, as xxxv. 3, where it is now faid of Socrates, that ἐν τ ̓ αὖ ταῖς ευωχίαις μόνος ἀπολαύειν οἷος τ ̓ ἦν τα τ ̓ ἄλλα καὶ πίνειν. Οὐκ ἐθέλων, ὁπότε ἀναγκασθείη, πάντας ἐκράτει.

5

Jena ALZ.

ART.

ART. 76. Bionis et Mofchi Reliquiæ ex recenfone Valckenari cu varietate &tionis edidit Fridericus Jacobs. Accedunt Animadverfiones in Carmina Theocriti. Gotha, 1795; XXXX and 57 pp. in 8vo. With the fame accuracy with which, fix years ago, Mr. Jacobs republifhed the Theocritus of Strath on an improved plan, has he now been employed in a reimpreflion of the remains of these two poets, which can hardly fail to fuperfede the laft Leipfic edition. The inftructive arguments by which the value of the edition of Theocritus was fo much increased, will indeed not be found in the prefent work; but in order to compenfate, in fome degree, for this defect, Mr. J. has here given a much greater number of notes under the text, exhibiting partly the alterations in it propofed by former critics, with an appreciation of their comparative merits; and partly the hints and conjectures, differing likewife in their degrees of evidence, of the ingenious editor himfelf. In the paffage of Bion, I. 95, feqq. Mr. J. approves. of the alteration fuggefted by Wyngaarden: avanλxiousiv. " 'Adwvır "Aμv imati. We are perfuaded that the critics have done more honour to the juftly fufpccted verfes (94-6) than they really deferve. If we are not mistaken, both the fenfe and the connection will be materially affifted, if, after expunging them, we read aura for urai, joining this verfe immediately with the two laft of the poem, and putting the words into the mouths of the Graces. In xv. 9. the editor corrects Rubuken's otherwife excellent emendation, only fo far as to substitute in the place of Пn, which word appears only three verfes before, *Ακρήδην ἀγαπάξει. He liken ife very properly difagrees with the fame critic in regard to the fenfe of the 19th verfe: pa does certainly not accord with what had preceded. He therefore recommends in its Read piyar dvopintov "Apna, which, with a flight variation only, had, as we obferve, occurred to Santer, who reads pyar dúsavor "Apna Catull. Fleg. ad Manl. p. 43). Mofch. II. 41. the word vos appears to be indebted for its place in the text to a fortunate oversight. In Valckemer's edition it is alpalos, to which emendation Mr. J. fubfcribes in a note. Telepbafa was, however, not related to Lydia by confanguinity, but by affinity. III, 56. Very juft are the doubts raifed by Valckener and Lennep (ad Phalar. Epift. p. 167.) in regard to the ufe of the word μέλιγμα, το fignify a flure. The prefent editor fuggents Πανὶ φέρω το άγαλμα. Perhaps Πανί φέρω τόδε παίγμα might be confidered as lefs bold, and the word maiya, though it occur lefs frequently, ( Eurip. Bacch. 162) will convey the fame fenfe, namely, quicquid Deo alicui proprium eft, et in deliciis; fee Heins. Lect. Theoc. c. 21. The alreration, v. rig. (χαλεπὸν τόδε φάρμακον for λαλέοντι τὸ φάρμ.) is certainly very ealy and natural. It might, we think, originally have.flood thus : τίς δὲ βροτὸς τοσσοῦτον ἀνάμερος, ἢ κεράσαι τοι, ἢ δοῦναι κελαδόντι τὸ φάρμακον ἔκφυγεν "ταν; which feems to agree better with the leading idea of the poet, and particularly with what follows in v. 121. Dina nixe mártas. In V. 3. the prefent editor corrects the faulty reading of Stobaus, in the following manner: idu dè mhésiv nadó. ὄμμα γαλάνας. We foul, however, prefer ποθέει δὲ πολὺ πλέον ὄμμα γαλάναν, inafinuch as the πολύ πλέον would thus be retained; and the 6th verfe, is óva пanтzív, would then refer to this.

The

The value of this edition is greatly enhanced by the Prolego mena, which contain obfervations partly on Theocritus, and his fcholiafts; and partly on the comic writer Softheus; the latter of which were immediately occafioned by Eichstädt's excellent differtation on the fatyrical Drama of the Greeks. The unintelligible verfe, πείσαι τοὶ Μίλων καὶ τὰς λύκος αὐτίκα λύσση, had hitherto remained without any explanation. Mr. Jacobs reads rws hayos, and remarks that this form was not exclufively peculiar to the Ionic dialect. Among fome notes, in the hand of the celebrated Jos. Scaliger, on Theocritus, with which we have been favoured, we find, instead of arina, an emendation of Auratus, äunda, which appears to have been taken from an ancient MS. This feems naturally to point out the original reading, which probably was πείσαι τοὶ Μίλων καὶ τῷ λυκῶ apvida Músonv. Of the following happy conjectures we entirely approve: Δοιὼ δὴ τιν ἐρώντε XII. 12: and v. 14: τὸν δ ̓ ἕτερον παιδίσκων ὁ Θεσσαλῷ εἴποι άλλαν (where we retain the word ἕτερον unaltered) and again: ¿yù d'avvow tùy iμòv móvov, II, 164. We cannot, however, but think fome changes in the text recommended by Mr. J. to be unnecellary'; as VI, 7. δυσέρωτα τὸν αἰπόλον ἄνδρα λαθεῖσα, fur καλεῖσα ; XIV. 38. τήνω τὰ σὰ δάκρυα, μάχλε, (infead of μᾶλα) ῥέοντι, Comp. Mofch. IV, 56; and, laftly, XXI, 32. ésì d'apisos curos òvsipenpiras for οὗτος ἄριτος ἐςὶν ἐν· κα λο

Ibid.

ART. 77. Anthologia Græca, five Poëtarum Græcorum lufus, ex Recenz fione Brunckii. Tom. V, qui Indices complectitur:

Likewife with the title,

Indices in Epigrammata, quæ in Analetis veterum Poëtarum a Brunckio editis reperiuntur. Auctore Friderico Jacobs. Leipzig, 1795; VI and 443 pp. in 8vo.

In this volume are comprized feven different indexes. The first is an alphabetical index of the epigrams contained in the duthologia of Planides, according to the editions of Stephens and Wechel, as alio the Mifcell. Lipf. and the edition of Reifke, with confiant references to Brunck's Analicia. The fecond prefents the Anthologia of Planudes itfelf, arranged according to the feven books, and the fubdivifions into which this eccentric man had thought fit to fplit his compilation. In the third, the edition of Strato, by Klotz, and in the fourth, the collections of Reifke and genfius, occafioned by the tranfcript from the Anthologia of Cephalas, which came to Leipzig, are likewife referred to the Analeta. The fifth is a geographical index. The fixth contains the proper names of the gods, men, and animals which occur in the Anthologia. Laftly, the feventh, which, to thofe who with to understand, or to explain thefe poets, is unquestionably the most important index, gives a view of the fubjects or arguments of the dif ferent epigrams, likewife in alphabetical order. The Index Græcitatis is referved by Mr. J. for his commentary.

From the preface we learn that the editor has had the good fortune to obtain, by means of Mr. Ubden, who is now in Italy, not only an exact lift of all the pieces to be found in the Vatican MS. but alfo a confiderable gleaning of epigrams which had hitherto been overlooked