XII. LE CHÈNE DE CÉRÈS.

This short fragment is taken from Ovid, Met. viii. 743.

L. 3. porte un immense ombrage. I am under the impression that this happy use of porter has been suggested to Chénier by the term used in painting of ombre portée, defined by Littré (s.v. porté), 'ombre qu'un corps projette sur une surface.' Chénier frequented painters, and himself painted.

L. 5. bandeaux, fillets. See vittae in Rich, Dict. of Roman and Greek Antiq.