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Sirnamed Macedonicus, because he had obtained a victory over Perseus king of Macedon; he died in the year of Rome 593, one hundred fifty-eight years before the nativity of Christ: he was so poor at the time of his decease, that they were constrained to sell his estate in order to pay his widow her dower. Dacier.

In some copies we read, Q. F. M. & P. C. A. Ædilibus Curulibus.—“Q. Fabius Maximus, & P. Cornelius Africanus, Curule Ædiles.”—This, as Scaliger, and other commentators are of opinion, must be erroneous: for the children and relations of the deceased, and not the Ædiles, had always the direction of the funeral games. Besides, it is very certain, that P. C. Scipio Africanus, the son of Paulus Æmilius, never was Ædile, the Consulship having been conferred upon him the same year that he sued for the Ædileship, though not yet arrived at the usual age assigned for that high dignity; as we are told by Aurelius Victor in his little Treatise of Illustrious Men. And this event did not happen till twelve years after the death of his father and the representation of this play, Scipio being even then but thirty-six years of age, before which time no person could be elected Ædile.—Muret corrected the title after an ancient MS. he had seen at Venice. The Q. Fabius Maximus & P. Cornelius Africanus here mentioned were the two sons of Æmilius Paulus, and had taken the sirnames of the persons who had adopted them. This is undoubtedly the true reading. The Ædiles that year were Q. Fulvius Nobilior & L. Marcius. Dacier.

Tibiis Sarranis. Tyre by the ancient Phœnicians was called Sor; the Carthaginians, their descendants, called it Sar, from whence it came to be called Sarra. Sarranis therefore meant the same thing as Tyriis. These Tyrian flutes were the equal left-handed flutes, and always used upon joyful occasions.—And here arises a great difficulty, for how can we imagine that the children of Æmilius would have allowed such musick at their father's funeral? It is impossible. This title is not only corrupt, but defective: the true reading is Acta primùm tibiis Lydiis, deinde TIBIIS Sarranis. The Lydian flutes were grave and solemn, and consequently adapted to grave and solemn purposes. After the play had been acted at that solemnity, it was performed with left-handed flutes, and doubtless on some less mournful occasion. See the preface of Donatus to this comedy.

There is much ingenuity in the above note of Madam Dacier, who has plainly proved that the title to this play is defective; and so, there is great reason to think, are the titles to the rest of our author's comedies. Yet I cannot entirely agree with her, that such musick could not have been used at a funeral. The ancients, we know, admitted all kinds of games at such solemnities. The musick was most probably suited to the comedy, rather than to the occasion, on which it was exhibited: and Donatus, to whom she refers, tells us in express words, that it was so in the present instance. Modulata est autem tibiis dextris, id est, Lydiis, ob seriam gravitatem, quâ fere in omnibus comœdiis utitur hic poeta. Sæpe tamen, mutatis per scenam modis, cantica mutavit: quod significat titulus scenæ, habens subjectas personis literas M. M. C. “It was composed for right-handed flutes, that is, Lydian, because of the serious vein, which generally prevails in all our author's comedies; the musick however was frequently varied in the course of the scene, as is shewn from the letters M. M. C. that is, mutatis modis cantici, subjoined to the names of the characters.” The learned reader, who will be at the pains to consult Madam Dacier, I believe will agree with me, that she has but partially cited, and inaccurately translated the above extract from the preface of Donatus.

I cannot conclude the notes on this title, without taking notice of the happy and elegant use made of the occasion, on which the play was first represented, by my late friend Lloyd, in his Prologue to this Comedy, when acted at Westminster school in the year 1759, soon after the melancholy news of the publick loss sustained by the death of that most eminent military character, General Wolfe. The learned reader, I dare say, will not be sorry to see it entire.