HORACE, OD. Ill, 1, 34. 



BY GEOBGE L. HENDRICKSON. 



Contracta pisces aequora sentiunt 

 iactis in altum molibus : hue frequens 

 caeinenta demittit redemptor 



cum famulis dominusque terrae 

 fastidiosus. 



The interpretation of the word frequens in nearly all the 

 editions, both German and English, which I have seen seems to 

 me strained and manifestly incorrect. It is as follows, as for 

 example in Nauck: 



" Frequens cum famulis lauft auf dasselbe hinaus wie fre- 

 quens famulis, d. h. famulorum frequentia stipatus. Die be- 

 gleitendon Diener sind zugleich dasjenige, wodurch die fre- 

 quentia bedingt und bewirkt wird." This is the explanation 

 adopted by Orelli, Doering, Page and others, though nearly all 

 admit that it is rather strained. Wickham (whether following 

 other authority or not I do not know) goes a step further and 

 says: "Horace represents the builder {redempior), with a large 

 staff of assistants {frequens), the servants of the owner {famu- 

 lis), and the owner himself, as all engaged in hurrying on the 

 work." The absurdity of this, however, is palpable. Macleane 

 after giving the above explanation says: "Others say it means 

 frequenter. I think it means this or ' many a redemptor.' " 

 Mr. Page also says: "Without the addition of the words citm 

 famulis the phrase frequens redemptor would certainly mean 

 ' many a contractor.' " 



Without commenting further on these interpretations I 

 would call attention to a passage in Varro de L. L., 7, § 99 

 (Spengel). Apud eundem {i. e., Plautum) quod est: 



mi frequentem operam dedistis, 



valet assiduam. This passage seems to have been over- 



