his. The family was expelled from Corinth by Cypselus,
either on account of their luxury and extravagant mode of life, or
because they were supposed to aim at the sovereignty.]

[Footnote 52: _With its two seas._--Ver. 407. Corinth is called
'Bimaris' by the Latin poets, from its having the AEgean sea on one
side of it, and the Ionian sea on the other.]

[Footnote 53: _Built a city._--Ver. 408. Syracuse had two harbors,
one of which was much larger than the other.]

[Footnote 54: _Cyane._--Ver. 412. According to Claudian, Cyane was
one of the companions of Proserpine, when she was carried off by
Pluto.]

[Footnote 55: _Anapis._--Ver. 417. This was a river of Sicily,
which, mingling with the waters of the fountain Cyane, falls into
the sea at Syracuse, opposite to the island of Ortygia. This
island, in which the fountain of Arethusa was situate, was
separated from the isle of Sicily by a narrow strait of the sea,
and communicating with the city of Syracuse by a bridge, was
considered as part of it.]

[Footnote 56: _An old woman._--Ver. 449. Arnobius calls this old
woman here mentioned by the name of Baubo. Nicander, in his
Theriaca, calls her Metaneira. Antoninus Liberalis calls her
Misma, and Ovid, in the fourth Book of the Fasti, Melanina.]

[Footnote 57: _Lately distilled._--Ver. 450. Orpheus, in his Hymn,
calls the drink given by the old woman to Ceres +kukeon+.
According to Arnobius, it was a mixed liquor, called by the Romans
'cinnus;' made of parched pearled barley, honey, and
wine, with flowers and various herbs floating in it. Antoninus
Liberalis says, that Ceres drank it off, +athroos+, 'at one
draught.']

[Footnote 58: _A boy._--Ver. 451. According to Nicander, the boy
was the son of the old woman. If so, the Goddess made her but a
poor return for her hospitality.]

EXPLANATION.

The story of the rape of Proserpine has caused much inquiry among
writers, both ancient and modern, as to the facts on which it was
founded. Some have grounded it on principles of natural philosophy;
while others have supposed it to contain some portion of ancient
history, defaced and blemished in lapse of time.

The antiquarian Pezeron is of opinion, that in the partition of the
world among the Titan kings, Pluto had the west for his share; and
that he carried a colony to the furth