The Works of Cornelius Tacitus (Volume 3); With an Essay on His Life and Genius, Notes, Supplements, &C (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: NOTES THE SIXTEENTH BOOK THE ANNALS. Section I. (a) The account of Dido's flight from Tyre with the treasures of her husband Sichaeus, to avoid the fury of Pygmalion, who had basely murdered bis brother for the sake of his riches, is finely given by Virgil. JEneid i. ver. 347. (b) The kings of Numidia, and the African princes in the neighbourhood of Carthage, were enemies to the infant state founded by Dido. Hinc Getulae urbes, genus insuperabile bello, Et Numidae infreni cingunt. Virgil, lib. iv. verse 40. Section II. (a) The Quinquennial festival was established by Nero, A. U. C. 813. Annals, xiv. s. 20. Section III. (a) Suetonius relates the whole of this impostor's deception, and the chimerical projects of Nero in consequence of it. In Neron. s. 31. Vol. in. 56 Section IV. (a) Nero did not scruple to appear upon the stage amongst other performers, even in the spectacles presented by the magistrates. He sung tragedies masked, the vizors of the gods and goddesses being formed into a resemblance of his own lace. Among the rest, he acted Canace in Labour, Orestes the murderer of his Mother, Oedipus blinded, and Hercules mad. In the last tragedy a soldier, at his post in the theatre, seeing the emperor bound with chains as the play required, ran to his assistance. Suet. in Ncron. s. 21. See also the same, s. 22, 23 and 24. This ridiculous display of talents, beneath the dignity of a prince, is well described by Racine in his play of Britannicus: Four to ute ambition, pour vertu singuliere, II excelle a conduire un char dans la carriere; A disputer des prix indignes de ses mains, A se donner lui-meme en spectacle aux Remains; A venir prodiguer sa voix sur un theatre, A reciter des chants qu'il veut qu'on idolatre. Act i...