ote 47: _Asbolus._--Ver. 218. 'Soot,' or 'Smut.' From the
Greek +asbolos+, 'soot.']

[Footnote 48: _Lacon._--Ver. 219. From his native country,
Laconia.]

[Footnote 49: _Aello._--Ver. 219. 'Storm.' From +aella+, 'a
tempest.']

[Footnote 50: _Thoues._--Ver. 220. 'Swift.' From +thoos+, 'swift.'
Pliny the Elder states, that 'thos' was the name of a kind of
wolf, of larger make, and more active in springing than the common
wolf. He says that it is of inoffensive habits towards man; but
that it lives by prey, and is hairy in winter, but without hair in
summer. It is supposed by some that he alludes to the jackal.
Perhaps, from this animal, the dog here mentioned derived his
name.]

[Footnote 51: _Lycisca._--Ver. 220. 'Wolf.' From the diminutive of
the Greek word +lukos+, 'a wolf.' Virgil uses 'Lycisca' as the
name of a dog, in his Eclogues.]

[Footnote 52: _Harpalus._--Ver. 222. 'Snap.' From +harpazo+, 'to
snatch,' or 'plunder.']

[Footnote 53: _Melaneus._--Ver. 222. 'Black-coat.' From the Greek,
+melas+, 'black.']

[Footnote 54: _Lachne._--Ver. 222. 'Stickle.' From the Greek work
+lachne+, signifying 'thickness of the hair.']

[Footnote 55: _Labros._--Ver. 224. 'Worrier.' From the Greek
+labros,+ 'greedy.' Dicte was a mountain of Crete; whence the word
'Dictaean' is often employed to signify 'Cretan.']

[Footnote 56: _Agriodos._--Ver. 224. 'Wild-tooth.' From +agrios,+
'wild,' and +odous+, 'a tooth.']

[Footnote 57: _Hylactor._--Ver. 224. 'Babbler.' From the Greek
word +hulakteo+, signifying 'to bark.']

[Footnote 58: _Melanchaetes._--Ver. 232. 'Black-hair.' From the
+melas+, 'black,' and +chaite+, 'mane.']

[Footnote 59: _Theridamas._--Ver. 233. 'Kilham.' From +ther+, 'a
wild beast,' and +damao+, 'to subdue.']

[Footnote 60: _Oresitrophus._--Ver. 223. 'Rover.' From +oros+ 'a
mountain,' and +trepho+ 'to nourish.']

EXPLANATION.

If the maxim of Horace, 'Nec Deus intersit, nisi dignus vindice
nodus,' had been a little more frequently observed by the ancient
poets, their Deities would not have been so often placed in a
degrading or disgusting light before posterity. There cannot be a
better illustration of the truth of this than the present Fable, where
Ovid represents the chaste and prudent Diana as revenging herself in a
cruel and barbarous manner for