Cæditur; incultique exercet cura salicti. 416. Vites vinctæ ul- Jam vinctæ vites, jam falcem arbusta reponunt, mis jam reponunt falcem Jam canit extremos effœtus vinitor antes: Sollicitanda tamen tellus, pulvisque movendus: Et jam maturis metuendus Jupiter uvis. 422. Radices hæserunt Cùm semel hæserunt arvis, aurasque tulerunt. rem satis oleis: et suffi- Poma quoque, ut primùm truncos sensere valentes, Vi propriâ nituntur, opisque haud indiga nostræ. 432. È quibus noctur- Pascunturque ignes nocturni, et lumina fundunt. ni ignes Et dubitant homines serere, atque impendere curam? Quid majora sequar? salices, humilesque genistæ, Aut illæ pecori frondem, aut pastoribus umbram Sufficiunt; sepemque satis, et pabula melli. Et juvat undantem buxo spectare Cytorum, non obnoxia rastris, non Naryciæque picis lucos: juvat arva videre, Non rastris, hominum non ulli obnoxia curæ. 439. Juvat videre arva ulli curæ hominum. NOTES. 415. Salicti: willow-ground. The pron. te, is to be supplied after exercet. 416. Reponunt. In the language of poetry, the vines are said to lay aside the pruning knife, when they no longer stand in need of its being applied to them. This takes place when they have sufficiently embraced or entwined around the elms, and other trees planted in the vineyard for the purpose of supporting them. Vincta: in the sense of ligate, says Ruæus. Arbusta: in the sense of vineta. See Ecl. i. 40. 417. Effatus vinitor: the wearied vintager sings his last rows-that he hath gotten to his last rows. Pervenit ad extremos ordines (antes) vitium, says Heyne. 419. Jupiter: the air, or weather. 423. Unco dente. Dens is any instrument of one tine or fork for opening the earth about the roots of trees or plants, or for loosening the ground in any way. The meaning of the poet is: that the earth of itself, if opened and kept loose with this instrument, will afford sufficient moisture to the olives (satis) lately planted; but if opened and kept loose with the plough, it will render the olive more thrifty, and cause it to bear a fruit full, large, and good. Ploughing the land, says Mr. Martyn, is always considered to increase the produce of the olive. This circumstance fully explains the poet's meaning; which Ruæus, and Dr. Trapp after him, evidently mistook, 415 420 425 430 435 considering it as an hyperbole, denoting that the fruit would be almost coeval with the ploughing. Statim cum ipso vomere, says Ruæus. 425. Hôc: with this-the plough. Or ob hoc, according to Servius, on account of this facility in propagating. Placitam paci: delighting in peace. 426. Poma: the fruits: by meton. put for the trees that bore them. 429. Omne nemus: Heyne says, omne genus arborum. 431. Cytisi tondentur. This may mean either browsed upon by cattle, or cut and prepared for their use. The cytisus was a shrub much esteemed for its property of causing cattle to give excellent milk. Tædas: torches-materials for making torches. 433. Serere: to plant them. 434. Salices: the willows. Geniste: the brooms. Sequar majora: in the sense of commemorem majores arbores. 436. Pabula melli: materials for honeyflowers for the bees. 437. Cytorum: Cytorus, a mountain in Paphlagonia, in the neighborhood of the Euxine sea, abounding in the box-tree. 438. Narycia: an adj. from Naryx, or Narycia, a city in that part of Italy called Magna Gracia. It abounded in trees of the pitch and resinous kind. 439. Non obnoxia: not requiring. -not exposed to. Rumus says, non egentia. Ipsæ Caucaseo steriles in vertice sylvæ, O fortunatos nimiùm, sua si bona nôrint, NOTES. 440. Caucaseo: an adj. from Caucasus, a mountain, or rather range of mountains, extending from the Euxine to the Caspian sea. 444. Tympana: the naves or felloes of the wheel, in which the (radii) spokes are fastened. Some take the tympanum to be a solid wheel, or one without spokes. Trivêre: in the sense of fecerunt, vel tornaverunt. 447. Bello: for war-the implements or weapons of war. Ad alia arma, says Ruæus. 448. Ityraos: an adj. from Ityrai, a people of Parthia, according to Servius; but others say of Syria, famous for shooting the bow. Cornus: the corneil-tree, or wild cherry-tree. Taxi: the yew-trees. Burum: the box-tree, or box-wood. Pierius found, in some ancient manuscripts, curvantur for torquentur. Ruæus says, flectuntur. 451. Alnus: the alder-tree, of which boats were at first made. They were dug out of the solid wood. Pado: the Po, the largest river in Italy, put for any river. 453. Alveo: cavity. 454. Memorandum: in the sense of dignum laude, or simply, laudandum. 456. Centauros-Lapithis. These were people of Thessaly, the former inhabiting mount Pelion, the latter mount Pindus. The poet here mentions the principal or chief of the Centaurs only. 459. Discordibus armis: not wars, for that would not be strictly true. They rage in the country, as well as city; but rather factions, quarrels, and evil commotions, which are more frequent in cities and populous towns, than in the country. Justissi 460. Facilem: easy procured. ma: the earth may be considered most just, because it returns what is committed to it, with a liberal reward. Fundit: in the sense of producit. 461. Si non, &c. It was a custom among the Romans, for clients and dependants to come early in the morning to salute their patrons. Undam: in the sense of multitudinem. 463. Varios: in the sense of variatos. 464. Illusas auro: embroidered with gold. Ephyreia: an adj. from Ephyra, the original name of Corinth. Ruæus says, Corinthia. 465. Assyrio veneno: with the Syrian, or purple color. The invention of the purple, and the method of dying that color, are attributed to the Syrians, or Phonicians. Phoenicia was a part of that region of Asia, called Syria; sometimes Assyria, Calosyria, and Leucosyria. Syria and Assyria were frequently confounded. 466. Casia: the bark of a tree, or shrub, in India, used as a spice--bastard cinna 467. At apud illos se- At secura quies, et nescia fallere vita, cura quies Dives opum variarum; at latis otia fundis, Speluncæ, vivique lacus; at frigida Tempe, Mugitusque boum, mollesque sub arbore somni 471. Illic sunt saltus Non absunt. Illic saltus, ac lustra ferarum, amore earum Et patiens operum parvoque assueta juventus, Me verò primùm dulces ante omnia Musæ, 476. Perculsus ingenti Quarum sacra fero, ingenti perculsus amore, 470 475 480 485 NOTES. mon. The ancients used it to flavor their It rises with the mountain torrent. oil. Liquidi: in the sense of puri. 467. Vita nescia fellere: a life knowing not to deceive a life of substantial happiness, in opposition to that of cities and courts, which is showy, false, and deceitful. 468. Latis: some copies have lætis. Heyne takes it in the sense of apertis vel patentibus. 469. Tempe: neu. plu. A most pleasant vale in Thessaly, surrounded by the mountains Ossa, Pelion, and Olympus. The river Peneus flows through it. The poet here means any pleasant vale, putting the species for the genus. Vivi lacus: in the sense of perennis aqua. Frigida Tempe, for umbrosa valles. 474. Justitia: the goddess Astræa. See Ecl. iv. 6. 475. Verò primùm ante: but, in the first place, above all things, may the sweet muses accept of me, whose sacred ensigns, &c. Though the poet praises the country life so much, he prefers the charms of poetry, and the noble entertainments of science, particularly philosophy and astronomy. The muses presided not only over poetry, but also over the sciences and liberal arts. The poets called themselves the priests of the muses. Hence the propriety of quarum sacra fero. 477. Vias et sidera cœli: in the sense of cursus siderum in cœlo. 479. Unde tremor terris: whence earthquakes arise: by what power the deep seas swell. Objicibus ruptis: its barriers being broken down. The poet is speaking of the ebbing and flowing of the tide. He hath in his view the swelling of a mighty stream. It rushes against the opposing mounds. Here it is stopped in its course for a time; but gathering strength from its accumulated waters, it bursts the barriers, sweeping every thing in its course. Vis: here, not simply violence or force, but the moving or efficient cause of the rising of the waters. The true cause of the ebbing and flowing of the tide was not known, till the immortal Sir Isaac Newton placed it beyond doubt. He demonstrated it to be the attraction of the heavenly bodies, particularly of the moon. 481. Quid tantùm, &c. The poet here speaks of winter and summer. What may be the reason, why the winter days are so quick in ending; and what delay may put off, or retard the approach of the summer nights. What may be the reason that the days in summer are so long. Tingere: in the sense of occidere. 484. Sin frigidus sanguis: but if cold blood around my heart should hinder, that I could not, &c. Secundum Physicos, qui dicunt stultos homines esse frigidioris sanguinis, prudentes calidi. Unde et senes, in quibus jam friget; et pueri, in quibus necdum calet, minus sapiunt; says Servius. Præcordia: properly a membrane surrounding the heart, and separating it from the lungs. It is taken often for the heart itself, as in the present instance. 485. Rigui: in the sense of fluentes. The meaning of the poet appears to be that if he had not capacity for the higher subjects of philosophy and astronomy, he would retire into the country, and there pass his time, unheeded and unknown, amidst rural delights. Flumina amem sylvasque inglorius. O ubi campi, 486. O si essem, ubi sunt campi, fluviusque Sperchius, et Taygeta. 487. O sit aliquis, qui sistat me 490. Ille est felix, qui potuit Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas, 490 Atque metus omnes et inexorabile fatum Subjecit pedibus, strepitumque Acherontis avari! Panaque, Sylvanumque senem, Nymphasque sorores! 495 Non res Romanæ, perituraque regna: neque ille, NOTES. 486. O, ubi-O qui, &c. These, as Mr. Davidson justly observes, are not questions, as Ruæus and Dr. Trapp both take them; but exclamations, which in all languages are usually elliptical. Campi: Tempe, those pleasant fields of Thessaly are undoubtedly intended. Sperchius: a river of Thessaly, rising at the foot of mount Pindus, and falls into the Sinus Maliacus. 488. Taygela: neu. pleu. a mountain of Laconia, famous for hunting, and the celebration of the orgies of Bacchus: hence, Viginibus bacchala Lacanis; frequented by the Laconian or Spartan virgins. Hæmi. See Geor. i. 49. 492. Acherontis: Acheron, a fabulous river of hell. It seems here to be put for death. In that sense the epithet avari is very proper. Strepitum, &c. will then mean the noise or tumultuous dread generally occasioned through the fear of death. Or, it may mean, the noise, tumult, and bustle of the infernal regions generally. In this last case, Acheronlis will mean hell, or the infernal regions, by synec. 494. Pana. See Ecl. ii. 31. Nymphas sorores. See Ecl. ii. 46. Sylvanum. See Ecl. I. 24. 495. Non fasces populi: not the honors of the people, nor the purple, &c. The Roman magistrates were chosen by the people, in the Comitia. The fasces, properly, was a bundle of birchen rods. The dictator had 24 of these rods-the consuls 12the provincial prætors 6-the city prætors 2; which were carried before them by persons, who were called lictors. Fasces is frequently put for the power and authority of the magistrate, by meton. Flexit: in the sense of movet. 500 497. Dacus. The Dacii were a people inhabiting the north of the Danube, or Ister, Istro very troublesome to the Romans. conjurato: the conspiring, or leagued Danube. The name of the river put for the people living near it, by meton. The Danube is one of the largest rivers in Europe. It rises in Germany, and taking an easterly course, it falls into the Euxine sea by six mouths, at a distance of about 1600 miles from its source. 498. Res Romana: the Roman republic. It is opposed to regna peritura. The former they vainly imagined would always endure; while kingdoms would fall, and their names be forgotten. Flexerunt illum, is understood. 499. Doluit miserans, &c. The poet could not mean that his countryman possessed a ble to the wants, and deaf to the calls of the stoical apathy, which rendered him insensipoor; but that in the country, there were not those objects of poverty and wretchedness to excite his grief and compassion; or at least, few of them in comparison to the number in cities. In this very circumstance, we see a high commendation of a country life. 501. Ferrea jura: the same as duras le Hic petit excidiis urbem miserosque Penates, 505 Hic stupet attonitus rostris: hunc plausus hiantem 510 510. Alii gaudent per- Corripuit; gaudent perfusi sanguine fratrum, fusi tinet Exilioque domos et dulcia limina mutant, Atque alio patriam quærunt sub Sole jacentem. 514. Hinc est labor Hinc anni labor: hinc patriam, parvosque nepotes anni: hinc agricola sus- Sustinet: hinc armenta boum, meritosque juvencos. 515 516. Nec requies est Nec requies; quin, aut pomis exuberet annus, anno; quin Aut fœtu pecorum, aut Cerealis mergite culmi: rentum: NOTES. 505. Penales. These were the household gods; and were thought to preside over houses and domestic affairs. Their statues or images were usually made of wax, ivory, silver, or earth, and generally placed in the innermost part of the house: hence that place was called Penetrale: and they were called sometimes, from that circumstance, Penetrales. They were worshipped with wine, incense, fruits, and sometimes with the sacrifice of a lamb. Penates, by meton. is used for one's country, habitation, house, or dwelling and sometimes for the family, or inhabitants, as in the present instance. See Æn. ii. 717. 506. Sarrano ostro: upon Tyrian purple. Sarrano, an adj. from Sarra, the ancient name of Tyre. Gemma: a cup made, or set with gems. 508. Rostris. The Rostrum was the place of common pleas, at Rome, so called, as Livy informs us, from this circumstance: The Antiates, a maritime people of Latium, being overcome by the Romans; to perpetuate the memory of the victory, they placed the beaks of their ships (rostra) around the suggestum, or place of pleading, by way of ornament. Hic stupet: this one stands amazed, being astonished at the courts of justice. Plausus patrumque plebisque, &c. It appears that the orders of patricians and plebeians expressed their approbation by turns. If we suppose the patricians, who occupied the Orchestra, or the part of the theatre near the stage, to be the first; this will give a reason for the words, enim 520 525 geminatur per cuneos: for it is redoubled, or repeated along the cunei. These were seats in the back part of the theatre, appropriated to the common people, or plebeians. See 381. supra. Hunc: in the sense of alium. Geminatur. Heyne reads Geminatus, agreeing with plausus; without a parenthesis. 512. Sub alio sole: under another sun— in another clime. This is beautiful, and highly poetical. 516. Nec requies: there is no rest: but the year abounds either, &c. This passage is extremely beautiful and poetical. The poet represents the year as laboring without intermission, in bringing forth her productions. Ruæus refers the whole of this fine passage to the husbandman: Nec cessat agricola donec annus abundet, &c. says he. But he gives no reason for his taking quin in the sense of donec. 517. Mergite Cerealis culmi: with bundles or sheaves of grain. 519. Sicyonia: an adj. from Sicyon, a city of Achaia, not far from the isthmus of Corinth, abounding in olive trees. Bacca: the olive. 520. Arbuta: properly the fruit of the arbute tree. Here, perhaps, taken for wild fruit in general. Lati: in the sense of saturati. 521. Ponit fœtus: in the sense of dat, vel reddit fructus. 524. Casta domus: the virtuous family preserves, &c. By being trained to industry and good order, they are not in danger of losing their virtue, or character. |