the sun, cemented together with
layers of bitumen.]

[Footnote 21: _The tomb of Ninus._--Ver. 88. According to Diodorus
Siculus, the sepulchre of Ninus, the first king of Babylon, was
ten stadia in length, and nine in depth; it had the appearance of
a vast citadel, and was at a considerable distance from the city
of Babylon. Commentators have expressed some surprise that Ovid
here uses the word 'busta,' for 'tomb,' as the place of meeting
for these chaste lovers, as the prostitutes of Rome used to haunt
the 'busta,' or 'tombs;' whence they obtained the epithet of
'bustuariae.']

[Footnote 22: _The lead decaying._--Ver. 122. 'Fistula' here means
'a water-pipe.' Vitruvius speaks of three methods of conveying
water; by channels of masonry, earthen pipes, and leaden pipes.
The latter were smaller, and more generally used; to them
reference is here made. They were formed by bending plates of lead
into a form, not cylindrical, but the section of which was oblong,
and tapering towards the top like a pear. The description here
given, though somewhat homely, is extremely natural, and, as
frequent experience shows us, depicts the results when the
soldering of a water-pipe has become decayed.]

[Footnote 23: _Paler than box-wood._--Ver. 134. From the light
color of boxwood, the words 'buxo pallidiora,' 'paler than
boxwood,' became a proverbial expression among the Romans.]

[Footnote 24: _The sea which trembles._--Ver. 136. The ripple, or
shudder, which runs along the surface of the sea, when a breath of
wind is stirring in a calm, is very beautifully described here,
and is worthy of notice.]

[Footnote 25: _The ivory sheath._--Ver. 148. The 'vagina,' or
'sheath' of the sword, was often highly decorated; and we learn
from Homer and Virgil, as well as Ovid, that ivory was much used
for that purpose. The sheath was worn by the Greeks and Romans on
the left side of the body, so as to enable them to draw the sword
from it, by passing the right hand in front of the body, to take
hold of the hilt, with the thumb next to the blade.]

[Footnote 26: _Is black._--Ver. 165. He thus accounts for the deep
purple hue of the mulberry which, before the event mentioned here,
he says was white.]

EXPLANATION.

It is pretty clear, as we have already seen, that the establishment of
the wo