Page images
PDF
EPUB

structed, so as to protect them from the violence of the waves, and deepening the canal, which led to Avernus, the innermost of the two, he formed them into a safe harbour, called the Julian port. claustra,' moles, or dyke: indignatum'; the sea is represented as angry at being shut out by artificial means. Julia Avernis,' where the Julian wave resounds afar, the sea ebbing and flowing through the narrow entrance; and the Tuscan tide is let in by the strait leading to Avernus.

[ocr errors]

165-6. Hæc,' 'terra' understood: atque fluxit,' and possessed abundant gold.

[ocr errors]

167-70. In this order; Hæc terra Extulit acre genus,' &c. The poet mentions several of the tribes which possessed different portions of Italy, and were renowned in war, before they were conquered by the Romans. He then speaks of several Roman families, the members of which had gained imperishable fame. The passage thus leads naturally to the theme of which Virgil never tires, the praise of his patron Augustus. 'Assuetum malo,' inured to hardship: verutos,' armed

with short spears.

172. Art driving off the unwarlike Indians from the Roman citadels; that is, from the fortifications on the frontier. Augustus, having conquered Antony and Cleopatra, went into Asia, and received the submission of several Eastern nations. This passage must have been written by the poet, after the rest of the Georgics had long been finished.

173. The poet warms with his subject, and breaks out into an eloquent apostrophe to the land of his birth and affections. 'Saturnia tel. lus'; Italy was the seat of Saturn's empire during the golden age.

174-6. tibi-Ingredior,' for thee I enter upon subjects of ancient glory and art; that is, the pursuits of husbandry praised and cultivated by the ancients: 'sanctos - fontes, having dared to open the sacred springs; because he was the first Roman poet to treat of such topics. Ascræum carmen,' Ascræan song; so called, because imitated from Hesiod, who was a native of Ascra.

177-8. The means of distinguishing various soils, suited to different plants, are now pointed out. et ferendis,' and what is its capability for producing certain things.

179-80. Difficiles'; with difficulty made productive: 'maligni,' unfruitful: Tenuis, light and dry; potters' earth: 'et-arvis,' and where there are pebbles over the bushy fields.

181. Such soils rejoice in the Palladian growth of the long-lived olive. The olive was sacred to Pallas, another name for Minerva.

184-5. uligine,' the natural moisture of the earth, called 'dulci' to distinguish it from that which is bitter or salt. 'fertilis ubere,' abounding with richness, or fertility.

[ocr errors]

6

188-9. Felicem,' fertilizing: 'quique-aratris,' and that which rises towards the south, and produces fern hated by the curved ploughs. The tough, fibrous roots of fern are a great obstruction to ploughing. 190-2. multoque fluentes Baccho, and flowing (abounding) with much wine: laticis auro,' wine, such as we use in libations from golden borols: pateris et auro,' for pateris aureis'; Gr. § 323. 2. (3.) 193-4. pinguis Tyrrhenus,' the fat Tuscan trumpeter. The inhabitants of Etruria were noted for their obesity. 'ebur,' for 'tibiam eburneam': Lancibus pandis,' platters bending with the weight: 'reddimus,' we offer.

[ocr errors]

195-6. Sin magis studium,' 'est tibi' understood; if you have a greater desire: 'urentes culta,' that impoverish the cultivated lands. The bite of kids was thought to be very injurious to plants.

197. Seek the wooded hills and remote fields of fertile Tarentum. 198. An allusion to the misfortunes of the Mantuans, whose lands were taken from them; see "Life of Virgil."

[ocr errors]

200. deerunt'; first two vowels contracted into one; Gr. § 306. (1.) 203-4. The land which is commonly black and rich under the depressed

ploughshare, and the soil of which is friable (for we imitate this by ploughing.) The object of ploughing is to render the ground loose and crumbling.

207. iratus,' angry, because useless woods occupied rich ground. 209-10. And grubbed up the ancient habitations of the birds (the trees) with their lowest roots: altum,' the upper air.

6

211. But the ploughshare being driven through it, the field, unwrought before, began to take a comely aspect.

212-3.clivosi-ruris,' gravel of hilly ground: 'casias roremque,' thymelaea and rosemary.

214-6. And the rough rotten stone, and chalk eaten by black snakes, deny that other fields produce sweet food and afford winding hiding places for serpents'æque,' as much as they do. The poets often attribute thought to inanimate things, but the figure here appears harsh.

217. fumosque volucres,' and flying vapors. Holdsworth observes, that the richest part of Campania, to which this description applies, has generally a thin mist hanging over it, and though there is scarcely any running water, the natural moisture of the land keeps it rich and fertile. Virgil says, that it is good for all the above-mentioned purposes; for vines, olives, flocks, and grain.

220. Nor does it injure the iron of the ploughshare with roughness and corroding rust.

223-4. Both good for cattle, and tractable under the crooked plough share; that is, fit for pasturage and tillage. Capua was the chief city of Campania, and one of the richest in Italy.

225. 'et

Acerris,' and Clanius unfriendly to the deserted Acerra; a city in Campania, on the banks of the river Clanius, the frequent inundations of which drove away nearly all the inhabitants.

227-9. You may seek to know whether it is a porous soil, or excessively hard and stiff. Cereri,' for grain, and 'Lyæo,' an epithet of Bac

chus, for the vine.

[ocr errors]

232-7. et arenas,' and trample down the uppermost clods with your feet. Si deerunt,' if there be not earth enough to fill up the cavity, uber erit rarum' the soil is porous; 'uber' is a substantive. 'sinExspecta,' but if the clods refuse to return to their places, and some earth remains after the cavities are filled up, the ground is thick; expect to find tough clods and stiff ridges.

[ocr errors]

238. quæ perhibetur,' which is usually called.

240. Plants degenerate in it, and no longer merit their names.

[ocr errors]

241-2. Tale specimen,' an indication of this sort: 'tu- tectis,' take baskets of thickly-woven twigs and the strainers of wine-presses from the smoky roofs. These utensils were hung up over the fire to dry. 244. Ad calcentur,' be trodden full.

216-7. et amaror,' and the bitterness will distort the sour-looking faces of those trying it by the taste.

-

249-52. haud fatiscit,' tossed about in the hands, it never crumbles: ad- lentescit,' it sticks to the fingers: habendo,' being handled; Gr. § 275. Rem. 2. justo Lætior,' too rich; Gr. § 256.

[ocr errors]

256-8. At-est,' but it is difficult to detect the pernicious cold soil: 'Interdum pandunt vestigia,' sometimes give indications of it.

259. The poet now proceeds to give directions for cultivating the vine. multò antè,' long beforehand.

6

260-2. Excoquere '; to mellow the earth, by exposing it to the sun, winds, and frosts: 'et-montes,' and to cut the great hills with trenches: 'supinatas glebas, inverted clods: infodias, bury in the earth.

[ocr errors]

264. And the stout ditcher turning over the loosened earth.

265-7. 'quos,' for 'aliquos.' locum similem'; the more diligent cultivators select one spot, to serve as a nursery, whence the vines are afterwards transferred to ground of a similar quality; ubi -feratur,' where the-prima seges,' nursery. may be prepared for the vines,

and another spot whither the young growth may afterwards be carried and set out in rows.

268. semina,' the young plants. The soil of the two places must be similar, that the vines may adapt themselves to the new spot.

269-72. They even mark on the bark-regionem cœli,' the direction in which they stood relative to the points of the compass; that they may replace each tree in the way it stood before, where it received the southern heat, and what side it turned towards the north; so great is the power of habit in tender years.

274-5. Si

Bacchus,' if you lay out the fields of a rich plain, plant them thickly; in such a closely planted soil the vine is not less fruitful. densa,' for 'densè'; Gr. § 205. Rem. 10.

276-8. But if you choose a ground rising in mounds and gentlysloping hills, give more space to the rows; and no less let the trees be so set out, that every path between them may square exactly with the crosspath that is cut. The vines thus placed would form perfect squares. By another interpretation, they would be set in the form of a "quincunx," or like squares of the same color on a chess-board. 'in unguem,' exactly; a metaphor taken from the workers in marble, who try the exactness of the joints with their nails.

·

281-3. ac tellus,' and the whole field waves all over with gleaming brass; fluctuat' is a happy expression. The whole comparison, indeed, is magnificent. Mars'; the god of war: 'dubius,' in suspense. 284-7. Let all be measured out with harmonious arrangement of the paths, not merely that the prospect may gratify the eye, but that the vines may share equally the richness of the soil, and may extend their branches without interference with each other. 'animum inanem'; a mind which seeks only idle gratification from the view.

288. scrobibus-fastigia,' what should be the depth of the trenches. 289. I would venture to intrust the vine even to a shallow furrow. 'Ausim'; Gr. § 183. Rem. 1.

291-2. in primis,' especially: 'quæ-tendit,' which extends as far downwards, towards Tartarus, with its root, as it rises with its summit into the upper air.

6

294-5. In this order; vincitque durando multos nepotes, volvens multa sæcula virorum,' it outlasts in duration many descendants, living through many generations of men.

299-300.neve

plantas,' do not take the extremities of the shoots, nor gather cuttings from the top of a tree.

3012. The drift of the exclamation seems to be, that the branches nearest the earth contract a liking for it, and are therefore more likely to take root. 'neu truncos,' do not injure the young plants with a blunt knife; nor insert among the vines the trunks of the wild olive tree. 305. Robora,' the trunks of the trees: elapsus,' making its way upward.

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

308. nemus'; the trees and vines: 'ruit,' sends forth.

310. a vertice,' from on high; according to Servius, from the north. 312-4. Hoc ubi,' accidit' understood; when this has happened, the vines perish entirely; non-terrâ,' they have no power from (they are destroyed down to) the root, and being cut down they cannot revive or become green again, as before, from the very ground. 'infelix,' unfruitful: superat,' survives.

315. Some directions about the season for planting vines are followed by a fine description of the beauties of spring. auctor,' adviser. 317 – 8. ‘Rura — hiems,' then winter binds up the fields with frost : 'concretam radicem,' the frozen root.

320. The stork, a bird of passage, is here referred to, much esteemed for its services in destroying snakes.

322. Does not yet reach winter with his horses, but the heat is just passing away.

[ocr errors]

325. Tum Æther omnipotens Pater,' then the air, the omnipotent father; sce note to Ecl. VII. 60. fœcundis,' fertilizing.

326-7. Conjugis'; that is, the earth, who is here represented as Juno, the spouse of Jupiter, (the air,) and their union is typified by rain. omnes fœtus'; all the productions of the earth.

329. Venerem repetunt,' renew their union, seek again their mates. 330-1. Zephyri-sinus,' and the fields open their pores to the warm breath of the west wind.

332. novos soles,' for ' novum solem'; the sun after the vernal equinox, as we speak of the new moon, after her conjunction with the sun. 336-9. The last touch is given to this exquisite description, by supposing that the creation of the world took place in the spring-time. The order is, 'Non crediderim alios dies illuxisse primâ origine crescentis mundi,' &c. aliumve-tenorem,' or that they pursued a different course. I take the thought to be, that the successive acts of creation followed each other, like the progressive stages of vegetation in spring. ver-Orbis,' the great globe was then passing through its spring.

[ocr errors]

341. Ferrea progenies'; an indistinct allusion to the fable of Deucalion and Pyrrha; see note to Ecl. VI. 41.

342. The conciseness of the expression here adds to the beauty of the image. The skies were peopled with stars, just as the forests were stocked with the animal creation.

343-5. A reason is here assigned for supposing that the creation of the world took place in the spring. The earth could not survive the weakness of infancy, unless favored by the softness of a vernal air and sky. non Interiret,' by tmesis, did not intervene. After careful study of the last twenty lines, let the young reader endeavour to forget his necessarily bald translation, and by dwelling upon the Latin terms, without seeking for the corresponding English expressions, try to realize the poetical beauty of the passage.

346-8. Quod superest'; a phrase of transition, as we should say,

"but, to proceed." quæcumque agros,' whatever cuttings you lay

down in the field; propagating by layers is meant. 'multâ terrà,' deep in the earth: squalentes,' roughly incrusted.

349-50. For thus water will trickle through, and a light breath of air will penetrate to them, and the planted fields will take heart,— acquire strength some are found also,

353. This is done, when the heat-bringing dog star cleaves the gaping fields with thirst. Sirius then rose about the middle of July.

3545. deducere capita'; any one who has hoed corn or potatoes will understand this: and to exercise the two-pronged mattock. 357. Flectere luctantes juvencos,' to lead round the laboring bullocks. 358-9. Then prepare smooth reeds and stakes of peeled rods, &c., to be set in the ground for the vines to cling to.

360-1. Resting on the strength of these, the vines may inure themselves to withstand the winds and to climb the successive stages to the top of the elms; tabulata'; the boughs projecting at different heights are compared to the stories of a house.

363-4. Parcendum teneris'; the tender vines must be spared,— should not be pruned. 'laxis — habenis,' shooting up through the clear air, as if with slackened reins; expressing the quickness of their growth.

365-6. The vine itself should not yet be touched with the edge of the pruning-knife; but leaves may be culled and gathered with the fingers. 368.tum-tonde,' then strip the foliage, then prune the boughs.

370-1. 'fluentes,' luxuriant. The poet now speaks of making hedges to keep out the cattle and goats, whence he digresses into an account of the sacrifices to Bacchus. tenendum,' instead of 'coërcendum.'

372-5. Especially while the boughs are tender and not able to bear rough usage; for the wild buffaloes and persecuting goats continually injure them, more than the severe storms or burning sun.

377-8. Nor does the fiery summer-heat, beating upon the dry rocks, injure them so much as these animals do, &c.: ' venenum'; the bite of the goat was supposed to be poisonous to plants.

380-4. Non-culpam,' for no other fault: Cæditur,' is sacrificed: 'et-ludi,' and the ancient plays come upon the stage. This refers to the origin of the drama among the Greeks. Tragedy took its rise from the festivities in honor of Bacchus, in which a hymn was sung, that was afterwards diversified by the introduction of a reciter, or actor, who carried on a dialogue with the persons of the chorus. Theside'; the descendants of Theseus, here put for the Athenians, because Theseus was a king of their city. Præmiaque posuêre,' and the Athenians instituted prizes for genius (for the successful poets) about the villages and crossways. The prize was a goat, whence the word Tragedy, from Touyou and wd, the song of the goat. inter pocula,' while drinking; or, as we say, in their cups. 'mollibus-utres,' danced on the greasy skins in the pleasant meadows. In the Bacchic festivals, skins were blown up and besmeared with oil, and the rustics danced upon them on one foot. Of course, falls were frequent, and constituted the amusement of the spectators.

385-6. The Ausonian rustics also, a race sprung from Troy, sport with rude verses and unrestrained laughter. The Ausonians were the ancient inhabitants of Italy, and through them, the Romans traced their origin to the Trojans.

387. The performers wore grotesque masks, cut out of bark.

389. And hang up for thee-mollia Oscilla,' pendulous masks — from the lofty pine. Another rite; as the suspended mask was swayed by the wind, whichever way the face turned, the field became fertile. 390.pubescit largo fœtu,' comes to maturity with a rich growth. 392. And wherever the god turned his beautiful face; as explained above, 389; 'circùm egit;' Gr. § 323. 4. (5.)

[ocr errors]

396. And we will roast the fat entrails on hazel spits. A reason for choosing hazel spits appears in the 299th line of this Georgic.

397-9. Other directions respecting the culture of the vine are now given. There is also this second task in managing the vine, which labor is never finished: 'exhausti'; Gr. § 212. Rem. 4. ' versis,' inverted.

401. nemus,' as in line 308. 'redit- orbem,' the toil of the husbandmen returns, carried round in a circle; never ending, like a circle. 404. honorem' here means the foliage.

405. After the labors of the harvest, the diligent farmer must do something to provide for the coming year.

406-7. And he busies himself about the vine abandoned by its leaves, trimming it with Saturn's hook, and fashions it by pruning; Saturn's hook is the pruning-knife, with which he is usually represented.

409. 'sarmenta,' brushwood, the branches that have been pruned off: 'vallos,' the stakes, which were used in supporting the vines. 410-3. Gather the grapes last, or be the last to do it. Twice in the year too great foliage overhangs the vines, and needs to be pruned. Laudato colito,' commend large farms; cultivate a small one.

415-6. inculti-salicti,' and the attention required by the neglected willow-ground occupies us. 'arbusta,' here means the vineyards: 'reponunt falcem'; that is, no longer need the pruning-hook.

417-8. Now the weary vine-dresser sings for joy, because he has reached the last rows in the vineyard. But after all this, the earth must be dug over and pulverized anew.

419.Jupiter,' the air, or, as it would better be rendered here, the weather, the uncertainty of which must be guarded against, though the grapes are already ripe.

422-4. hæserunt,' have taken root: 'Ipsa - fruges,' the earth itself, when it is opened with the crooked tooth of the mattock, supplies moisture enough, and bears a heavy crop when turned up by the ploughshare.

« PreviousContinue »