But note, secondly, his pride: "Exegi monumentum sere perennius." He is
not the least afraid to say that. He did it; knew he had done it; said
he had done it; and feared no charge of arrogance.
222. Note thirdly, then, his piety, and accept his assured speech of
it: "Dis pietas mea, et Musa, cordi est." He is perfectly certain of
that also; serenely tells you so; and you had better believe him. Well
for you, if you can believe him; for to believe him, you must
understand him first; and I can tell you, you won't arrive at that
understanding by looking out the word 'pietas' in your White-and-
Riddle. If you do you will find those tiresome contractions, Etym.
Dub., stop your inquiry very briefly, as you go back; if you go
forward, through the Italian pieta, you will arrive presently in
another group of ideas, and end in misericordia, mercy, and pity. You
must not depend on the form of the word; you must find out what it
stands for in Horace's mind, and in Virgil's. More than race to the
Roman; more than power to the statesman; yet helpless beside the
grave,--"Non, Torquate, genus, non te facundia, non te, Restitvet
pietas."
Nay, also what it stands for as an attribute, not only of men, but of
gods; nor of those only as merciful, but also as avenging.
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