[237] _Cynthia_ is Propertius' mistress; the other is Lesbia, the mistress of Catullus. V. Catull., Carm. iii. "Lugete O Veneres," etc.
[238] _Conventum._ Three law terms. Conventum, "the first overture." Pactum, "the contract." Sponsalia, "the betrothing." Hence virgins were said to be speratæ; pactæ; sponsæ.
[239] _Lex Julia_, against adultery, recently revived by Domitian.
[240] _Jubis._ Mullets being a bearded fish. Plin., ix., 17.
[241] _Testudineo._ Cf. xi., 94. The allusion is to the story told by Pliny, vii., 12, of the consuls Lentulus and Metellus, who were observed by all present to be wonderfully like two gladiators then exhibiting before them. Cf. Val. Max., ix., 14.
[242] _Lagi._ Alexandria, the royal city of Ptolemy, son of Lagos, and his successors.
[243] _Imperio Sexûs._ Cf. xv., 138, Naturæ imperio.
[244] _Ulmos._ Elms, to which the vines were to be "wedded," therefore put for the vines themselves. Cf. Virg., Georg., i., 2, "Ulmisque adjungere vites." Cf. Sat. viii., 78, Stratus humi palmes viduas desiderat ulmos. Hence Platanus Cælebs evincet ulmos. Cf. Hor., Epod., i., 9.
[245] _Casa._ There is another fanciful interpretation of this passage. The _casa candida_ is said to mean the "white booths" so erected as to hide the picture of the "Argonautic" expedition, at the time of the Sigillaria, a kind of fair following the Saturnalia, when gems, etc., were exposed for sale. Cf. Suet., Nero, 28.
[246] _Crystallina_ are most probably vessels of _pure white glass_, which from the ignorance of the use of metallic oxydes were very rare among the Romans, though they possessed the art of coloring glass with many varieties of hue.
[247] _Mustacea_ (the Greek σησαμῆ, Arist., Pax., 869), a mixture of meal and anise, moistened with new wine.
[248] Dacicus, i. e., gold coins of Domitian--the first from his Dacian, the second from his German wars. It was customary to present a plate full of these to the bride on the wedding night. Domitian assumed the title of Germanicus A.D. 84, and of Dacicus, A.D. 91.
"She tells thee where to love and where to hate, Shuts out the ancient friend, whose beard thy gate Knew from its downy to its hoary state." Gifford.
[250] Cf. Æsch., Ag., 411, ἰὼ λέχος καὶ στίβοι φιλάνορες.