llowed from sacred rites. Cf. Vergil, _Aeneid_, 6. 258, procul, o
procul este profani. The phrase, accordingly, has attached to it a
religious earnestness and solemnity, like In the name of God, away! 3.
pernoctantis parasiti: the contemptible guest who, for a dinner, stays
all night, entertaining his host with low songs. 5. nec contempseris
annos: do not think your child too young to observe and imitate.

XI. HADRIAN.

76-138 A.D.

Hadrian was of Spanish descent and related to Trajan, whom he succeeded
as emperor in 117. His reign, except its closing years, was noteworthy
for good legislation, for the construction of magnificent buildings, and
for his journeys to every part of the Empire.

Metre: Iambic Dimeter Acatalectic, G. & L. 757, 765.

_1._ The emperor is said by Spartianus to have composed this poem upon
his death-bed.

The diminutives express affection and compassion.

4. pallidula and rigida refer to animula, the soul being conceived as
presenting the appearance of the dead body. nudula also refers to
animula, as disembodied, or, metaphorically speaking, 'unclothed'; cf. 2
Corinthians 5. 3, 4 and Plato, _Cratylus_, 403 B,' the soul denuded of
the body.' Line 5 is equivalent to a fourth adjective, sad.

The passage contains an unusual number of words which occur but once
(vagula, blandula, nudula), or very rarely (pallidula).

Pope translates:

Ah, fleeting Spirit! wand'ring fire,
That long hast warm'd my tender breast,
Must thou no more this frame inspire?
No more a pleasing, cheerful guest?
Whither, ah whither art thou flying?
To what dark, undiscover'd shore?
Thou seem'st all trembling, shiv'ring, dying,
And Wit and Humor are no more.

At Steele's request that he should write an ode in imitation of
Hadrian's poem, but of a 'cheerful dying spirit' Pope composed the hymn:

Vital spark of heav'nly flame!
Quit, oh quit this mortal frame:
Trembling, hoping, ling'ring, flying,
Oh the pain, the bliss of dying! etc.

XII. ANONYMOUS.

Metre: Dactylic Hexameter, B. 368; A. & G. 615.

_1._ 1. Lindi: a city of Rhodes. 2. Ephyra: another name for Corinth. 7.
Cecropius: Attic. Cecrops was the first king of Athens. induperabit:
indu is an old form of in.

SACRED LATIN POETRY.

The Latin hymns differ from classical poetry in that accent and rhyme
prevail instead of syllabic quantity. This is in accordance with the
genius of a language which never disrega