DIVI BOTANIOI. 29 



After the manner of refined nations, the Roman court-physicians 

 would enjoy the honour of prescribing for the more fanciful or fashi- 

 onable of the courtiers ; and so it was with Antonius Musa, who had 

 Horace and Virgil for his patients, with the enjoyment of their con- 

 fidence and affection. Addressing himself in an epistle to his friend 

 Numouius Vala,* the former of these exquisite polishers of verse and 

 manners mentions the circumstance as a novelty, that Antonius Musa 

 had directed him to discontinue bathing in the warm springs of Baise 

 as incapable of removing his disorder, and in their stead to use cold 

 ablutions freely, even in the depth of winter. Virgil too has be- 

 queathed to posterity a beautiful testimony of his esteem for Musa, 

 enlivened with enthusiastic admiration of the virtues and excellencies 

 that adorned his character. " Never," proclaims the Mantuan bard,f 

 " never shall I meet with a man more estimable than Musa, or more 

 amiable. Endowed with the best boons bestowed by the gods and 

 givers of inspiration, surpassed he is not in love for the tuneful lore, 

 nor in the enjoyment of all exquisite knowledge. Ever shall it be 

 appreciated my greatest happiness to be beloved by Musa, the object 

 of my devoted affection." 



From the same inimitable poet, whose refined taste was always di- 

 rected by the soundest judgment, Musa received another most elegant 

 freewill-offering at the shrine of friendship, in being personated by 



* Horatii Flacci Epistolarum, lib. i, Epist. xv, v. 2 — 5. — From this epistle, 

 it would appear that the liberal gentry of Baise were dissatisfied with Horace 

 for preferring the advice of Antonius Musa to that of the " Spa-doctors" 

 with their pleasant practice of bathing in thermal springs. He therefore 

 determines on removing from the place ; and, knowing the climate at Gabii 

 and Clusium to be too cold in the winter, he requests his friend Vala to 

 answer the questions — is the winter genial at Velia and Salernum ; is the 

 air healthy : what sort of people are the inhabitants ; which is the readiest 

 way to go thither ; which of these two places abounds most in corn ; how is 

 their water ; is it kept in cisterns, or are there plenty of wells ; do hares and 

 boars abound in these places ; are the seas well-stocked with fish ; have they 

 plenty of cray-fish ? As for the wine, be it good or bad, it will concern me 

 little ; to my taste a generous Grecian wine is the best ; it drives away care, 

 and inspires the heart with hope and gladness — These precautions of the 

 poet's may prove useful to unailing invalids, who sometimes happen to be 

 particular in " engaging lodgings" at the watering places. 



+ Piiblii FirffUii Maronis Opirn, cum mtegris commenlariis Serrii, Pliilargij- 

 r'n, J'irrii i arced unt Soaligeri et Lhndenbrogii notes ad Culiccm, Cirin, Calaleeta; 

 ad Codicem M. S. rer/ium Parisicnsrm recensuit Pancrutius Masvicius ; 2 tomis, 

 4/o, Leovardice, 1717; vol. ii, p. 1307. Virgil's Epistle to Antonius Musa is 

 one of the " Catalecta;" and, says Scaliger, it shews that this physician was 

 a person eleganlitrimi it politissimi ingenii in the poet's estimation. 



