Castrorum latebris extrema in fauce recondit,
Et peditum cuneis stipantibus abditus hæsit.

The sable monarch's aid-de-camp and pawn
Commenced the fray, and with a sudden wound
Felled the opposing piece obliquely to the ground;
Then seized triumphant on his empty seat:
Ah! too impetuous youth! 'twas but to meet
Impending fate, for he had not descried
The avenging foe at his unguarded side.
Scared at the sight, the sable monarch saw
His fate, and timely councilled to withdraw:
Ere yet his lines were forced, and front exposed.
Safe in a wedged retreat, himself he closed.
In firm array, his ready warriors bring

Their doubling lines around their castled king.

211 seq.

The knights are then played forward on both sides; but while Apollo is victimizing pawns in the centre of the field, Mercury, is secretly aiming at a higher prize, and succeeds in placing his knight on the square so commonly aimed at with that piece, as commanding at once the king and castle; of course Apollo has to sacrifice the latter. Damnum ingens! neque enim est, sævæ post virginis arma, Bellantum numero ex omni magis utilis alter.

Oh loss severe ! for none with him could vie,
Next the fair queen, in deeds of chivalry.

"The fair queen" soon after avenges his loss by taking his captor; and after this, exchanges are frequently made, as Apollo is described as getting exceedingly enraged, and disregarding the loss of his own pieces, as long as he can satisfy his thirst for destruction on those of his antagonist.

A scene shortly afterwards ensues, which probably will bring to the minds of the readers, many a similar one in their own juvenile experience. Mercury, ever true to his character, has prepared a deep plot for the taking of his adversary's queen; he places a pawn in obvious danger, opening thereby the fire of a bishop upon her; and Apollo, overlooking the danger, takes the pawn, and is on the point of losing his queen, when Venus, who takes a deep interest in his fortunes, gives him a friendly nod.

verum improba cladem

Et tantas Erycina Venus miserata ruinas,
Incauto juveni furtim tacito innuit ore,
Atque oculis-

he takes back the pawn he had moved, and protects his
queen, much to the chagrin of Mercury, who, of course,
protests against the recalling of a move once made;
however, Apollo argues that no rule had been agreed
upon to forbid it, and the assembled gods decide the
point in his favour. Mercury gets into a towering
passion, thinks of upsetting the table, men and all, and
finally determines, I am sorry to say, to cheat as much as
he can.
He immediately begins by moving a bishop as a
knight; this is soon detected, as well as a subsequent
attempt on the part of Mars to steal for him from the
receptacle of captured pieces,

Catibus e functis jam vitâ, atque æthere cassis,

and replace upon the board a bishop and a pawn which Apollo had taken. This latter ruse is overlooked by all but Vulcan; whom we must rejoice to find taking for once the same side with his wife.

Of the rest of the game, which is told in a very

interesting and elegant manner, I have not room for more than a brief account. Apollo having rescued his queen in the manner mentioned above, and it is to be supposed, having also regained the management of his temper, begins now to get the better of his adversary. His queen takes a castle and bishop, and finally consummates her triumphs by the capture of the consort of the black king. But alas! her day of victory is short, a shaft from the bow of an avenging bishop* lays her on the field by the side of her rival. Still, after all the exchanges, Apollo has the strongest force left on the board, three pawns, a bishop, and castle, (" elephas,") to three pawns, a bishop, and knight. He is also the first to regain his queen; while Mercury is prevented from doing so by his opponent's castle, which commands the whole of the line which must be reached for the purpose. The white queen restored to the field, would, it is plain, have inevitably ruined any less cunning player than Mercury. His "last resource" is characteristic; but Vida shall tell it for himself.

At regina furens trepidos toto agmine victrix
Impingens in terga, ipsique ante omnia regi
Fata parans, pugnas alta ad prætoria miscet:
Nunc ruit huc, nunc huc; tunc et, nisi læva fuisset
Mens illi, poterat candentem invadere sedem

Limite in obliquum quarto, et concludere fauce.

Ultimus ille labor regi, gentique fuisset
Nigranti, et fatis Arcas lugeret iniquis;

* The "bishops" are called by Vida "sagittiferi." He describes them thus. Inde sagittiferi juvenes de gente nigranti

Stant gemini, totidem pariter candore nivali :
Nomen Areiphilos Graii fecere vocantes

Quod Marti ante alios cari fera bella lacessant.

Nempe erat hinc leti facilis via in ilia regis ;
Nec poterat quisquam se tantæ opponere cladi.
Sensit Atlantiades tacitus, dubioque tremebant
Corda metu accelerare hostem jubet improbus, ictum
Ne videat, verbisque raspit per inania mentem
Castigatque moras, Adeon juvat usque morari,
Nec pudor est? quæ tanta animis ignavia? sic nos
Increpitas semper cunctantes impiger ipse?
Scilicet expectas dum nox certamina tollat?
His actus, peditem imprudens dum captat Apollo,
Præteriit fortunam : alacer vocem extulit astus
Lætitia exiliens Cyllenius.

v. 510 et seq.

Mercury's career is henceforth deservedly one of uninterrupted victories. He takes the obnoxious castle with his bishop, regains his queen, "forks" with his knight the king and queen of his adversary, of course taking the latter, and finally, after cautiously obviating all chance of a stalemate, wins the game in a manner, which most elementary books prescribe for "checkmate with the king and queen."

As I have addressed myself more to chess-players than to readers of modern Latin poetry, no excuse is needed for the omission of any remarks on Vida's style or extracts that would merely show his power as a versifier. Such as are desirous of such, must be referred to this charming writer himself. Were I asked to name any particular passage, I think I should be inclined to select that from v. 85-167, which gives so elegant and easy a description of the complicated moves and rules of the game, as to show him no unworthy disciple of the sweet poet born in his immediate neighbourhood. Too much space has already been occupied for me to extract more than one additional passage in this paper; it shall be a battle piece.

Jamque equitem contra nigrantem candidus arcum
Intendens sese opposuit pharetratus, et arcet
Reginæ jugulo intentum; tum dexter oberrat
Huc atque huc elephas, niveisque exultat in armis,
Hæserat in medio, dominæ regique minatus,

Albus eques; ratus impunè, et jam forte superbus
Nequicquam spoliorum animum pascebat amore,
Non tulit hanc speciem juvenis pharetratus, et arcu
Contendit calamum, seseque immittit in hostem,
Fata licet pedes intentet, moriturus in armis
Insigni pro laude; alvo mediæ hæsit arundo
Stridula, et ima chalybs descendit in ilia adactus.
Volvitur ille excussus humique, et calcibus auras
Verberat; in ventos vita indignata recessit.
Inde sagittiferum sternit pedes; hunc pedes alter
Hostili de plebe necat; pugna aspera surgit.
Turribus occurrunt ingenti mole elephanti ;
Sæva pharetrigeri contendunt spicula nervis
Quadrupedumque gemit bicolor sub verbere campus. ¦

321-339.

And now the whiten'd archer drew his bow
In act to lay the sable horseman low;
The sable horseman, who with furious mien
Was threatening danger to the opposing queen;
While the huge castle wandered from the right,
And prowl'd exulting in his arms of white-
When lo! the horseman white with boasts defied
Of double check, the monarch and his bride.
Presumptuous youth! who mock'd his longing eyes
With empty triumphs and a regal prize;

The furious archer mark'd him where he stood,
And drew his bow, and panted for his blood;
And though his own destruction well he knew,
Yet to his monarch's aid undaunted flew.