[4] Car'thage, the celebrated capital of Africa Pro'pria, was built by
the Tyr'ians, under Dido. This city, the mistress of Spain, Si'cily,
and Sardin'ia, was long the rival of Rome, till it was totally
destroyed by Scip'io the Second, surnamed Africa'nus, B.C. 147. In its
height of prosperity, it contained upwards of 700,000 inhabitants.
[5] This must be distinguished from Adrian'ople, the second city of
European Turkey, which was founded about A.M. 2782, and repaired by
the emperor Adrian, A.D. 122. Hence, its name.
[6] The poet here alludes to Titus, whom he has before been
commending; his actions are described in Chap. XXII. Sect X.
[7] These stanzas are--
Animula, vagula, blandula,
Hospes, comesque corporis
Quae nonc abibis in loca,
Pallidula, rigida, nudula?
Nec, ut soles, dabis jocos.
Thus imitated by Prior:
Poor little pretty fluttering thing,
Must we no longer live together?
And dost thou prune thy trembling wing
To take thy flight thou know'st not whither?
Thy hum'rous vein, thy pleasing folly,
Lie all neglected, all forgot;
And pensive, wav'ring, melancholy,
Thou dread'st and hop'st thou know'st not what
[8] Antoni'nus being made a model of wisdom and virtue, he was as much
respected by foreigners as by his own people?
[9] This emperor was remarkably favourable to the Christians, and
wrote thus to his governors in Asia:--"If any one shall, for the
future, molest the Christians, and accuse them merely on account of
their religion, let the person who is arraigned be discharged, though
he is found to be a Christian, and the accuser be punished according
to the rigour of the law.
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