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whole to above two thoufand pounds fterling. The Year of reward was great but the verfes were Virgil's.

Rome

732.

The Ethiopians, who inhabit the inner part of 731. Africa, which lies above Egypt, being led by their Queen Candace, invaded Egypt, and plundering all before them, penetrated as far as the city Elephantina (t). But when they heard, that Caius Petronius the governour of Egypt, was marching against them, they retreated: but being purfued by Petronius, they were overtaken, and driven into their own country, where he deftroyed fome of their towns, and compelled Candace to fue for peace. To this victory Virgil feems to allude, in the fixth Aeneid (u), where he mentions the conquefts of Auguftus being extended even beyond the torrid

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fuper et Garamantas et Indos

Proferet imperium: jacet extra fidera tellus
Extra anni folifque vias, ubi caelifer Atlas
Axem humero torquet ftellis ardentibus aptum.

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In the mean time, Auguftus went into Sicily; and during his abfence there were great tumults about choofing Confuls (w): hereby he was convinced, that it was not yet fafe, to trust the government again in the hands of the people. At the beginning of the year, Marcus Lollius was the fole Conful; because they referved the other place for Auguftus: but when he refused the office, Quintus Lepidus was chofen in his room. When he had fettled the affairs of Sicily, he proceeded to Greece: and thence proceeded to Samos, where he spent the winter.

,(t) Dio, lib. 54. (u) Vér. 794, &c. (w) Dio, lib. 54.

733.

Rome

733.

Year of In the fpring, he marched into Afia, where he rewarded and punished every province according to it's defert. Phraates being afraid of his arms, reftored the ftandards and captives, which had been taken by the Parthians. His march against thefe people is alluded to in the feventh Aeneid (x): A Sive Getis inferre manu facrymabile bellum, Hyrcanifve, Arabifve parant; feu tendere ad Indos, Auroramque fequi, Parthofque repofcere figna.

At this time Auguftus, was fo dreaded by the Eastern Nations, that they all fought his favour and the very Indians who had before fent Ambaffadors to him (y), now entered into a league of peace, and fent him many prefents (z). Caefar gloried of having fubdued thefe nations by his authority, against whom the Roman armies had hitherto fought in vain. To this fuccefs therefore our Poet seems to allude, in the fecond Georgick (a), when he fays, that Auguftus difarmed the Indians by his arts of government:

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Te maxime Caefar,

Qui nunc extremis Afiae jam victor in oris,
Imbellem avertis Romanis artibus Indum.

It could not well have been before this time, that
Virgil wrote that beautiful imagination of his erect-
ing a temple to Auguftus, which he intended to
adorn with a fculpture of his victories (4) Ame

"amicitiam poftularunt." Exfeb. Chron.

(*) Ver. 604. LONG AS
(y) Eufebius fixes the time
of the Indians fending their
Ambaladors to be in the year
728.Ol. CLXXXVIII.
3.
* Indi ab Augufto per legatos &c.

(z) Dio, lib. 54-
(a) Ver. 170, &c.
(b) Georg. III, ver. 261,

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734.

In foribus pugnam ex auro folidoque elephanto! Year of
Gangaridum faciam, victorisque arma Quirini: Rome
Atque hic undantem bello, magnumque fluentem
Nilum, ac navali furgentes aere columnas.
Addam urbes Afiae domitas, pulfumque Niphaten,
Fidentemque fuga Parthum, verfifque fagittis,
Et duo rapta manu diverfo ex hofte trophaea;
Bifque triumphatas utroque ab littore gentes.,

The Gangarides were a people of India, living near
the Ganges and the Niphates is a mountain and
river of Armenia. There are indeed fo many
paffages in the Georgicks, which could not have
been written before this time; that we may eafily
conclude, that the Poet put the laft hand to this
Poem, in the year of which we are fpeaking It
is alfo far from improbable, that the conclufion was
written at the fame time:

Haec fuper arvorum cultu pecorumque canebam,
Et fuper arboribus: Caefar dum magnus ad altum
Fulminat Euphraten bello, victorque volentes
Per populos dat jura, viamque affectat Olympor

Virgil had now brought his celebrated Aeneis to 735. a conclufion but it wanted much of the perfection, to which he intended to bring it. He therefore proposed to travel into Greece, where Auguftus then was, in order to finish it at his leifure. But meeting him at Athens, as he was returning to Rome, he determined to come back with him; when he was fuddenly feized by a dangerous fickness, which was increafed by his voyage. He landed at Brundufium (c), where he died, on the twenty-second day (c) Some fay at Tarentum.

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Year of of September, when he had almost compleated his Rome i fifty-fecond year. His bones were carried to Naples,

735:

and buried in a monument erected at a small distance
from the city. The Infeription was dictated by
himself, as he lay on his death-bed, and is thus
tranflated by Dryden :

I fung Flocks, Tillage, Heroes: Mantua gave
Me life, Brundufium death, Naples a grave (d).

In his laft will, he ordered his Aeneis to be burnt, because it was not finifhed to his mind; but Auguftus would not fuffer it to be deftroyed (e). Then he left it to Tucca and Varius, with this condition, that they should not make any additions; or even fill those verses which he had left imperfect (f). Donatus

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Quum morbo oppreffus adventare mortem videret, petivit oravitque a fuis amiciffimis impenfe, ut Aeneida, quam nondum fatis elimaffet, abolerent. Aul. Gell. lib. 17. cap. 10.

(f) Anno vero quinquagefimo fecundo ut ultimam manum Aeneidi imponeret, ftatuit in Gracciam et Afiam fecedere, triennioque continuo omnem operam limationi dare, ut reliqua vita tantum philofophiae vacaret. Sed, cum Sed, cum aggreffus iter, Athenis occurriffet Augufto, ab Oriente Romam revertenti, una cum Caefare redire ftatuit. Ac cum Megara, vicinum Athenis oppidum, vifendi gratia peteret, languorem nactus eft: quem non intermiffa navigatio auxit, ita ut gravior indies, tandem Brun

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Donatus relates the following verfes of Auguftus Year of himself on this occafion;

Ergone fupremis potuit vox improba verbis
Tam dirum mandare nefas? Ergo ibit in ignes,
Magnaque doctiloqui morietur Mufa Maronis?
Sed legum fervanda fides: fuprema voluntas
Quod mandat, fierique jubet, parere neceffe eft.
Frangatur potius legum veneranda poteftas,
Quam tot congeftos noctefque diesque labores
Hauferit una dies.

And these alfo of Sulpicius Carthaginienfis;
Jufferat haec rapidis aboleri carmina flammis
Virgilius: Phrygium quae cecinere ducem.
Tucca vetat, Variufque fimul : tu, maxime Caefar,
Non finis, et Latiae confulis historiae.
Infelix gemino cecidit prope Pergamus igni,
pene eft alio Troja cremata rogo.

Et

It is no wonder, that fo much care should be taken in preferving the Aeneis, imperfect as it is;

editum non effet, et versus
etiam imperfectos, fi qui erant,
relinquerent. Donatus.

Eufebius alfo mentions Va-
rius and Tucca being employed
in correcting the Aeneis, on
condition of not adding any
thing. "Ol. CXC. 4. Va-.

difium adventarit: ubi diebus
paucis obiit, decimo Cal, Oc-
tob. C. Sentio, Q. Lucretio
Coff. Qui cum gravari mor-
bo fefe fentiret, fcrinia faepe
et magna inftantia petivit, cre-
maturus Aeneida: quibus ne-
gatis, teftamento comburi juf-
fit, ut rem in emendatam, im-
perfectamque. Verum Tucca
et Varius monuerunt, id Au-
guftum non permiffurum. Tunc
eidem Vario, ac fimul Tuccae,"
fcripta fub ea conditione lega-
Vit, ne quid adderent quod a fe

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rius et Tucca, Virgilii et "Horatii contubernales, Poe"tae habentur illuftres: qui "Aeneidum poftea libros, emendarunt fub ea lege, ut, nihil adderent."

Rome 735..

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