(See Lecky's "European Morals from
Augustus to Charlemagne", vol. i.p.240, who describes these
latter verses as Written with all the fervour of a Christian
poet. See also Merivale's "Roman Empire," chapter liv.)
(4) See a similar passage in the final scene of Ben Jonson's
"Catiline". The cutting of the Isthmus of Corinth was
proposed in Nero's reign, and actually commenced in his
presence; but abandoned because it was asserted that the
level of the water in the Corinthian Gulf was higher than
that in the Saronic Gulf, so that, if the canal were cut,
the island of Aegina would be submerged. Merivale's "Roman
Empire", chapter iv.
(5) Compare:
"Two stars keep not their motion in one sphere;
Nor can one England brook a double reign
Of Harry Percy and the Prince of Wales."
-- "1 Henry IV", Act v., Scene 4.
(6) This had taken place in B.C.54, about five years before the
action of the poem opens.
(7) This famous line was quoted by Lamartine when addressing the
French Assembly in 1848. He was advocating, against the
interests of his own party (which in the Assembly was all-
powerful), that the President of the Republic should be
chosen by the nation, and not by the Assembly; and he ended
by saying that if the course he advocated was disastrous to
himself, 'Victrix causa Diis placuit, sed victa Catoni.'
(8) 'Plausuque sui gaudere theatri.' Quoted by Mr. Pitt, in his
speech on the address in 1783, on the occasion of peace
being made with France, Spain, and America; in allusion to
Mr. Sheridan. The latter replied, 'If ever I again engage
in the compositions he alludes to, I may be tempted to an
act of presumption -- to attempt an improvement on one of
Ben Jonson's best characters -- the character of the Angry
Boy in the "Alchymist."'
(9) Cicero wrote thus of Caesar: 1Have you ever read or heard of
a man more vigorous in action or more moderate in the use of
victory than our Caesar?' -- Epp. ad Diversos,' viii. 15.
(10) Marlowe has it:
"...And swords
With ugly teeth of black rust foully scarred."
(11) In the Senate, Curio had proposed and carried a resolution
that Pompeius and Caesar should lay their arms down
simultaneously; but this was resisted by the Oligarchal
party, w