OCRed data provided
for searching only. LUCAN, SILIUS ITALICUS, MARTIAL, CATULLUS 551 The figure of joy hiding in tears is the same. The coincidence here is hard to explain as mere chance. The general idea of weeping for
joy is, of course, a commonplace used elsewhere by Shakspere and many another. But the figure of joy hiding in tears is not, so far as I know, a commonplace. Shakspere did not likely think of that independently-not that he could not, but that he did not need to. It may have been suggested by Lucan, but I see no way to be certain, unless we knew first that Shakspere read Lucan.
William Theobald has pointed out still another parallel to this
ninth book.
Thou wast a soldier
Even to Cato's wish.'
This refers to that splendid eulogy pronounced by Cato over the murdered Pompeius Magnus, beginning "Civis obit" IX. 13o.16
But as Lewis Theobald had shown long before, Shakspere had this i tern from the source of his play, Plutarch 17
Shakspere certainly knew something of Lucan, and Lucan was regularly required in grammar schools on the Eton system in Shakspere's day; but is seldom, if ever, specified elsewhere. I do not consider evidence so far produced strong enough to show that Shakspere had any direct and detailed knowledge of Lucan's tumid embroidery, whether in the original or through other sources. But he very well may have had some knowledge of the original from grammar school.
In the Westminster curriculum sometime after 1574, Silius Italicus is mentioned along with Lucan as a possibility for the sixth and seventh forms. Both Lucan and Silicas Italicus are mentioned else-where, but I know of but one very feeble parallel to Silius Italicusla in Shakspere, and that in a play of doubtful authorship. I take this to mean that the critics have not read much of Silius Italicus either-and I, at least, shall not blame them; I have-now.
Of Martial, specified for Eton, Westminster, and Ruthin, all on the Eton system, I find no certain trace in Shakspere, though several parallels have been suggested. Catullus was also specified at Eton and Westminister, and along with him were frequently printed Tibullus, Propertius, and sometimes Gallus, though I find no specification of these in grammar school. I know of but one really close parallel to Catullus in Shakspere. In 2 Henry IV,,Travers describes the speed of a horse
16 Coriolanus, I, 4, 56-57. ' Theobald, W., Classical Element, p. 237.
17 Theobald, L., Shakespeare (1733), Vol. VI, pp. 20-21.
" Malone, Variorum (1821), Vol. XVIII, p. 26. See also Theobald, W., Classical Element PP. 328-329.
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