From the Stymphalian nymph, Metopa fair,
My mother drew the vital air—
Within equestrian Thebes, whose fame
Salutes her with a founder's name.
At her pure wave my thirst I slake, and raise 160
The varied hymn that chants the warriors' praise.
Now, Æneas, urge thy tuneful band,
Parthenian Juno first demands the stram. 150
Then let clear truth the old disgrace
That loads Bœotia's sons efface; 165
Thou, like the general's trusty wand, [1]
Art charged the faithful embassy to bear,
From the sweet muses with the lovely hair,
Who bade thy cup the sounding lays retain. 155
Command them in their grateful verse 170
The praise of Hiero to rehearse,
That monarch whose unblemish'd sway [2]
Ortygia's isle and Syracuse obey.
- ↑ The scholiast on this passage gives a long explanation of the scytale, or staff, which was used in battle to convey orders from the Lacedæmonian general that were to be unintelligible to all but the person to whom they were sent.—(Corn. Nepos. in vit. Pausan. cap. 3.) Aulus Gellius is still more minute in his account of this enigmatical wand. (Lib. XVII., cap. ix. 1.) His description is too long to be transcribed, and will not easily admit of abbreviation. Pindar calls Æneas the scytale of the muses, as being the faithful messenger in conveying his poetical strains to those in whose honour they were addressed.
- ↑ The reader will be reminded by this passage, especially in the original, in which Hiero is spoken of as governing with a clear sceptre, of Macbeth's commendation of the royal Duncan:—
"Besides, this Duncan
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been
So clear in his great office."
probably Horace borrowed the idea in his well-known lines, (ad Pis. 304 :)—
"Fungar vice cotis, acutum
Reddere quæ ferrum valet, exsors ipsa secandi."
