It is surprising what credit was
given to the man on his making this announcement, and how much the regret
of the common people and army for the loss of Romulus, was assuaged upon
the assurance of his immortality.

[272] Padua.

[273] Commentators seem to have given an erroneous and unbecoming sense
to Cicero's exclamation, when they suppose that the object understood, as
connected with altera, related to himself. Hope is never applied in this
signification, but to a young person, of whom something good or great is
expected; and accordingly, Virgil, who adopted the expression, has very
properly applied it to Ascanius:

Et juxta Ascanius, magmae spes altera Romae. Aeneid, xii.

And by his side Ascanius took his place,
The second hope of Rome's immortal race.

Cicero, at the time when he could have heard a specimen of Virgil's
Eclogues, must have been near his grand climacteric; besides that, his
virtues and talents had long been conspicuous, and were past the state of
hope. It is probable, therefore, that altera referred to some third
person, spoken of immediately before, as one who promised to do honour to
his country. It might refer to Octavius, of whom Cicero at this time,
entertained a high opinion; or it may have been spoken in an absolute
manner, without reference to any person.

[274] I was born at Mantua, died in Calabria, and my tomb is at
Parthenope: pastures, rural affairs, and heroes are the themes of my
poems.

[275] The last members of these two lines, from the commas to the end
are said to have been supplied by Erotes, Virgil's librarian.

[276] Carm. i. 17.

[277] "The Medea of Ovid proves, in my opinion, how surpassing would
have been his success, if he had allowed his genius free scope, instead
of setting bounds to it."

[278] Two faults have ruined me; my verse, and my mistake.

[279] These lines are thus rendered in the quaint version of Zachary
Catlin.

I suffer 'cause I chanced a fault to spy,
So that my crime doth in my eyesight lie.

Alas! why wait my luckless hap to see
A fault at unawares to ruin me?

[280] "I myself employed you as ready agents in love, when my early
youth sported in numbers adapted to it."--Riley's Ovid.

[281] "I long since erred by one composition; a fault that is not recent
endures a punishment inflicted thus late. I had already published my
poems, when, according to my privilege, I passed in review so many