- 138 
Torva Mimalloneis’ implérunt cornua bombis 
Et raptum vitulo caput ablatura superbe 
Bassaiis, et lyncem Meenas flexura corymbis 
Evion ingeminat; reparabilis adsonat echo. 
But Nero, however contemptible as a 
poet, was the master of the world, and 
his rank, if not bis genius, could extort 
the applause ef thousands, [ft was ac- 
cordingly most liberally awarded him, 
and he awaited, with affected mod lesty, 
the certain (lisposition of the prize in his. 
favour. But Lucan, who was present, 
refused his sanction, and entering the 
lists with his, sovereign, recited a Poem 
on the fable of Orpheus, which immedi- 
ately obtamed the approbation, and bore 
away the prize of the judges. The bold 
ampartiality which conterred it on Lucan, 
may prove, either that Nero had. not yet 
beg un to indulee that extreme of tyranny 
which he afterwards dis played, or that in 
those days of despotism and terror the 
voice of the magistrates was yet respected 
and obeyed. But the interest of Lucan 
with the Emperor was ruined, and he 
the next day received an order which 
forbade hun to plead at the bar, or to 
recite verses in public It may be sup- 
posed that a young poet, who was con- 
scious of his superior genius, resented 
this barbarous and unmanly treatment, 
and that he omitted no opportunity 
of exposing the person and poetry of the 
Emperor to ridicule and contempt. In 
this imprudent conduct he is supposed to 
been encouraged by Persius. 
But we are not informed by what mo- 
tives he was induced to jom the conspi- 
racy of Piso, against the authority and 
gov ‘ernment of Nero. His naime was in 
the fatal list of the conspirators, but it 
does not appear that he took any active 
or conspicuous share in that ugfortunate 
attempt. ‘Tacitus (lib. 18.) nierely says, 
that Nero endeavoured to vepress his 
rising reputation, and had forbidden him 
to make any fatare ostentatious display 
of his merit. The rage of Nero, doubly 
irtiiated as an injured sovereign and a 
mortified poet, was perhaps gl lad to in- 
volve in the general proscription a man 
whom he personally hated. The conduct 
of Lucan, subsequent to the discovery of 
the plot, did not correspond with the 
boldness with which he entered it. He 
_ strenuously denied any participation in 
the guilt of treason... For the honour of 
an admired poet, itcannot but be wished, 
that the relation of Tacitus were dest:- 
tute of foundation. When desired to 
halne the person at whose suggestion he 
Lyceum of Ancient Literature.—Lucan: 
[Sept. 1, 
had conspired against the mperor, while 
his accomplices named those by whose 
advice they had acted, he afhxed the 
guilt on his own ruthie, Aciha. ‘This 
circumstance has been by many attribu- 
ted to the calumny ot Nero himself, who 
was willing to asperse the memory of a 
man, whose fame he could neither rival 
nor endure, In the many fragments of 
the Lite of Lucan, which still exist, this 
anecdote is notto be found. But Tacitus 
was not accustomed indiscriminately to 
adopt tiie reports of the vulgar; lis grave 
and indisputable authority outweighs 
every other consideration, and compels 
our unwilling belief. Lucan was sternly 
ordered by the tyrant to prepare for 
death, with only the melancholy privi- 
lece of selecting the mode. He chose 
to have the arteries of his arms and legs 
opened in a warm bath. He supped 
cnearfully with his friends, and then 
taking leave of them, with the greatest 
tranguillity,. and the highest contempt 
for death, he submitted tu the operation. 
Before he expired, he repeated, with 
ereat energy.and emphasis, the following 
lines, so expressive of his own fate :— 
Sanguis erant lachryme, quacunque fora 
mina noviet ~ 
Humor, ab his largus manat cruor 5 ora ree 
dundant, 
Et patule nares, sudor rubet, omnia plenis 
Membra fluunt venis; totum est pro vulnere 
corpus. Lib. 9, 
He died at the age of 26, in the year 
of Chri ist. 63. 
In his earlier youth he wrote several 
poems, some of which are mentioned by 
different writers; such as the Combat 
_of Hecter and Achilles, which he is said 
to have composed at twelve vears of age 
the Fable of Orpheus; -a Poem on the 
dreadful fire of —— in which it 1s 
thought he severely glanced at Nero, who 
was the suspected cause of it, though the 
lnmecent converts to Christianity were 
the innocent victims of his barbarity. 
Some books of Saturnalia, an imperfect 
‘Tragedy of Medea, and a Puem on the 
burning of Trey. Some have added to 
these the panegyric of Calphurnius Piso, 
which is yet extant; but it is rejected by 
most commentators as the production of 
amuch later age. These, with his Phar- 
salia, are enumerated by Statius as com- 
posed by Lucan, at an age when Virgil 
had not.yet ventared on his Culex, 
There are few subjects more dignified, 
more capable of elevating the mind than 
the one scleeted by Lucan. Founded on 
great 
eatin ene 
