with the nap shorn off, so that the towels were soft and pleasant. Aristæus was received after the fashion of hospitality among the ancient heroes; see Homer passim. 379-81. Panchæis " are,' the altars blaze with Panchæan fires; that is, with Panchæan frankincense; see note to Geor. II. 139. On the reception of a guest, sacrifices and libations were always offered to the gods. Cape-libemus,' take goblets of Mæonian wine; let us make a libation to Oceanus; 'carchesia;' goblets hollowed in the middle, with long handles. Mæonia was the ancient name of Lydia, a country of Asia Minor, famous for good wine. 382-3. Thales considered water as the original principle of all things, and Homer makes Oceanus the father of the gods. servant,' inhabit. 384. Vestam,' the fire; Vesta presided over hearths. 385. Three times the flame rising blazed up to the very ceiling, which was esteemed a favorable omen. Encouraged by this sign, Cyrene proceeds to inform her son, that he must visit Proteus, a sea god and soothsayer, who, being once subdued and chained, would disclose to him the cause of his misfortunes, and the means of repairing them. She offers to guide Aristaus herself, when the heat of the day had tempted Proteus to slumber. 387-9. Carpathus was an island over against Egypt, from which the surrounding sea was called Carpathian. Neptuni,' the god of the sea, for the sea itself. 'Cæruleus,' sea-green Proteus, taking his color from the water which he inhabited. magnum equorum,' who— 'metitur,' passes over- the great sea in a chariot drawn by fishes and two-legged horses. A marine horse is a fabulous monster, half horse and half fish, as the Centaur was half man and half horse. 390-2.Emathiæ '; see note to Geor. I. 492. Pallene is a peninsula of Macedonia. Nereus was the most ancient of all the sea deities. 393. What is, what was, and what is to come. 396-7. You must first bind him with chains, my son, that he may explain to you the whole cause of the disease, and may give a prosperous issue to the affair; vinclis' by syncope, for vinculis.' 400. doli inanes,' against these (chains) his tricks will prove useless. The ancients believed that prophets and sibyls were reluctant to exercise their office, and that some degree of force, or at least earnest entreaty, was required, before they would disclose the secrets of futurity. 401. medios -æstus'; that is, at noonday, when the heat was greatest, and both men and animals sought repose. 403. In-senis,' into the secret habitation of the old god. 405-6. But when you hold him prisoner in your hands and chains, then various forms and aspects of wild beasts will seek to escape you; that is, by assuming many shapes, he will try to get out of your power. 410. aut -abibit,' or he will glide away as clear water. 412-4. So much the more, O son, draw tight the binding chains; until, with his changed body, he will become such as you saw him, when he closed his eyes in the beginning of sleep; that is, until he shall assume the same shape, in which you saw him when he began to sleep. 415-8. Ambrosia was the food of the gods, just as nectar was their drink; but here the word seems to mean a kind of celestial unguent: 'perduxit,' anointed Dulcis aura,' a pleasant odor was exhaled from his smoothed hair: Atque vigor'; strength was thus imparted to him, that he might the better contend with Proteus. - 419-20. 'quò reductos,' where many waves are driven by the wind, and break, as they roll into the utmost recesses of the cave. 421. The meaning seems to be, that the anterior portion of the cave formed a sort of haven, where ships might take refuge. overtaken by a storm. Deprensis,' 423-4. aversum a lumine,' removed from the light; that is, in a dark recess resistit,' stands. name 425-8. By 'Sirius,' the poet marks the season of the year, ly, the dog-days; by sol,' he points out the time of the day, that is, high noon. rapidus,' as applied in such a connexion, seems to express the swift and penetrating character of the heat. Indos,' put generally for the inhabitants of any hot climate. Hauserat medium orbem cœlo,' had attained his mid-course in the heavens: 'et coquebant,' and his rays were drying up the once deep rivers, heated down to the mud in their nearly dry channels. 430-3.gens - ponti'; that is, seals, porpoises, &c. 'rorem,' spray: 'diversa,' in different places, scattered about: 'custos stabuli,' the herdsman: olim,' at times, now and then. 435-7. 'acuunt,' excite the hunger: 'Considit — recenset,' sits down on a rock in the midst of them, and counts their number. 'quoniam,' now that facultas Cujus,' opportunity of mastering him. 440-1. Occupat,' seizes him: miracula rerum,' wondrous shapes. 443-5. ' pellacia,' artifice: 'In sese,' to his natural shape: hominis ore,' with a human voice. Nam quis,' for 'Quisnam.' 446–9. ‘At ille,'' respondit' understood: neque — quidquam,' it is not possible for any thing to be concealed from you. 'desine velle,' cease wishing to deceive me lapsis rebus,' ruined affairs, referring to the loss of his bees: quæsitum'; Gr. § 276. II. 450-2. vi- glauco, finally, with a great effort, rolled round his blue eyes glowing with light: 'frendens,' gnashing his teeth. These expressions refer not to the anger of Proteus, but to the bodily agony, with which a fit of inspiration was supposed to be accompanied. fatis - resolvit,' opened his mouth to reveal the fates. 453. Proteus now informs Aristæus, that the cause of his misfortunes was the injury he had done to Eurydice, the wife of Orpheus. The story of this unhappy couple is told with inimitable elegance and pathos. For the parentage and character of Orpheus, see notes to Ecl. III. 46., and IV. 56. His wife Eurydice, flying from the illicit love of Aristæus, was bitten by a serpent in the grass, and died. Her fond husband pursued her to the realms of death, and by the power of his lyre charmed the guardians of Hades, till they allowed him to pass, and beg from Pluto the restoration of his wife. The request was granted, but on condition that he did not look back on his wife, till he had reached the upper world. He forgot his promise, and thus lost her for ever. mourned for her many months, and refused to marry again. The Thracian women, enraged at this neglect, tore him in pieces at a Bacchic festival, and threw his head into the river Hebrus. The anger of some divinity pursues you; Non nullius; Gr. § 277. Rein. 3. He 454-6. commissa,' crimes : ' miserabilis-meritum,' Orpheus, wretched not from his own fault: 'Suscitat has pœnas tibi,' brings this punishment upon you: 'pro rapta conjuge,' for his wife torn from him by death, of which you were the cause. 457-9. In this order; 'Illa quidem moritura puella, dum præceps fugeret te per flumina, non vidit ante pedes in altâ herbà Immanem hydrum, Servantem ripas.' 'præceps fugeret te,' was hastily escaping from you: per flumina,' by the river's side: hydrum,' a water serpent: Servantem ripas,' inhabiting the banks, lying concealed in them. The death of Eurydice from the bite of this reptile is implied, as if the fact was too horrible to be told openly. The nymphs and all inanimate objects are represented as lamenting her death. 460. æqualis; composed of her equals, nymphs of the same age and class. 'Dryadum'; see note to Ecl. V. 59: supremos,' the tops of the mountains. 461-3. Rhodopera '; see note to Ecl. VI. 30. 'arces,' summits: 'Pangæa'; also a mountain of Thrace. Mavortia,' belonging to Mars, warlike: Rhesi'; of Rhesus, a son of Mars and king of Thrace, though long after the time of Orpheus. 'Getæ '; see note to Geor. III. 462. Orithyia' was the daughter of 'Hebrus'; see note to Ecl. X. 65. Erechtheus, king of Athens; called Actias,' because of Attica, anτý, seashore. The name is of four syllables, all of which are long; of course, the verse is Spondaic. 464-5. cavâ testudine,' with the hollow shell; that is, with the lyre, which was originally formed from a tortoise shell. 'solo in littore,' on the deserted shore. The repetition of the pronoun in this and the following line, and the harmonious flow of the verse are beyond all praise. Dryden's version, in this place, is intolerable. 467-9. Ingressus etiam Tænarias fauces,' he even entered the Tanarian cave. A cavern near mount Tænarus, in Laconia, was fabled to be the jaws of the infernal regions. Ditis,' of Pluto, brother of Jupiter and Neptune, and king of hell. nigra formidine,' poetically, for fearful darkness: Manes, used both for departed spirits, and for the place which they inhabit, - that is, Tartarus.regem'; Pluto. 470-2. And the hearts that know not how to relent at human prayers. A sublime description follows of the objects seen by Orpheus in his visit to Hades. Erebus is sometimes spoken of as a god, the son of Chaos; but usually, as here, it is the name of the deepest mansion in hell. 'simulacra carentum,' the spectres of the dead; see note to line 255. 'ibant cantu commotæ,' came, moved by his song. 473. As many thousands of them as of the birds, that hide themselves among the leaves; that is, in the woods, when winter drives them to shelter. The manner of Homer will be recognised in this comparison. 475-7. corpora heroum,' for 'heroes,' simply. The affecting items that follow, show the quick sympathies of the poet. 479-81. Cocyti'; see note to Geor. III. 38: 'tardâ,' sluggish: 'inamabilis,' hateful: Styx'; a fabulous river, said to encompass hell nine times in its winding course, and thus to bar the escape of the ghosts. Leti'; death personified; Tartarus was his habitation. 483-4. Eumenides, see note to Geor. I. 278; they had snakes instead of hair. Cerberus'; the three-headed dog, guardian of the gates of hell. Ixionii'; see note to Geor. III. 38. The charm of the music was so great, that even the punishments of the damned ceased for a while. rota orbis,' the rotation of the wheel, constitit vento,' stood still with the wind; the wind no longer impelled it. 485. Passing over the scene with Pluto, and the granting of the request with the condition annexed, Orpheus is now represented as—'referens pedem,' returning. 487.Proserpina '; the queen of Pluto; see note to Geor. I. 39. 489. Pardonable, indeed, if the infernal gods knew how to pardon. 490-3. luce sub ipsâ,' at the very confines of the light of day: 'victus animi,' overcome by desire; Gr. § 213. Rem. 2. respexit'; a superstition seems to have existed in all time against looking back, when engaged in any important undertaking; see the story of Lot's wife in Holy Writ. The moral is obvious, and probably suggested the fable. 'Effusus,' rendered vain: Fœdera'; the bargain with Pluto: 'fragor,' a crash, like a clap of thunder, attending an important event, suddenly produced by divine power. "Avernis; the lake Avernus, to Geor. II. 164, - was fabled to belong to the infernal regions. 496. Fate calls me, and sleep (of death) seals up my swimming eyes. 498. heu! non tua,' alas! no longer yours; belonging to you. He had called Eurydice 'suam,' his own, in line 490. The exquisite pathos of this passage cannot escape attention. -see note 500 – 2. ‘diversa,' by a different way; that is, back to Hades. 'neque præterea vidit illum Prensantem nequidquam umbras, nor did she afterwards see him catching in rain at shadows, &c. portitor Orci'; that is, Charon, who ferried the ghosts over the Styx. Orcus' is still another name for the lower world. 504. quo ferret,' whither should he go, his wife having twice been taken from him. 506. She indeed, cold in death, was already swimming in the Stygian boat; that is, in Charon's boat. 507-9. illum' is the accusative before Flevisse'; they say he wept, totos ex ordine menses,' whole months successively. Strymonis'; see note to Geor. I. 120. 'et-antris,' and thought over these misfortunes in the cold caverns. 511. Philomela,' the nightingale; see note to Ecl. VI. 79. The shade of the poplar is spoken of, as the constant attribute of a tree, though this bird usually sings by night. 512-4. 'quosdetraxit, which the hard-hearted ploughman seeing, has taken away while yet unfledged from the nest: 'noctem'; Gr. § 236. The great beauty of this comparison has been universally admired, and several English poets have tried to imitate it, though with small success. Dryden's version is flat, and Lee's contemptible. 516. Nulla Venus,' no other love; the divinity for the thing presid ed over: 'non ulli Hymenæi,' no marriage rites; Hymen was the god of marriage. 517-9. Solus Lustrabat,' alone, he wandered over: Hyperboreas'; see note to Geor. III. 196. The Tanais, now called the Don, empties into the lake Maotis, now the sea of Azof. Rhipæis'; see note to Geor. I. 240. nunquam viduata,' never free from. 520. quo munere,' by which fulfilment of duty; that is, by his constancy to the memory of Eurydice: matres Ciconum Spretæ,' the Ci conian matrons thinking themselves despised. The Ciconians were a people of Thrace, living near the river Hebrus. 521. The orgies of Bacchus were celebrated in the night-time, and, as might be expected at a festival of the wine-god, the women engaged in them were frantic. agrian Hebrus 523-5. Tum-Volveret,' even then, while the rolled along the head torn from the white neck, carrying it in the mid current. Eagrus was a king of Thrace, whose name was transferred to the stream. The remainder of the passage is diluted and weakened by Pope. "Yet even in death Eurydice he sung; Eurydice the rocks and hollow mountains rung." 528-9.Hæc,' 'dixit' understood: 'dedit se jactu,' plunged: 'vortice,' the whirl in the water, made by the plunge of a large body. 530. At non Cyrene,' but Cyrene did not leave him. 532-5. hinc,' for this reason; Nymphæ misêre miserabile Exitium apibus,' &c. Tende, offer: faciles,' placable: Napaas'; nymphs of the groves; from viny, a forest. 537. modus sit,' what is the proper manner of entreating them. 539-40. Which are now grazing on the summits of the verdant Lycæus for you. intactà, untouched by the yoke. 541-2. Constitue Quatuor aras,' erect four altars for them. 544. Afterwards, when the ninth morning shows its dawning light; 'Aurora; see note to Geor. I. 447. 6 545. Inferias,' sacrifices that were offered to a departed spirit. Lethæa papavera'; see note to Geor. I. 78. 'mittes,' you shall make. 546. Placatam,' who is to be appeased, propitiated. 550-3. This mode of repeating verses with very slight alterations is after the manner of Homer. 555-6. liquefacta — costis,' bees were humming in the whole abdomen, midst the corrupted flesh of the bullocks, and swarming forth from the broken ribs. ramis,' and hung down from the pliant branches, like a 558. 'etbunch of grapes. 559-62. canebam,' I was singing: 'ad — bello,' thunders in war ncar the deep Euphrates: volentes,' willing; because several Eastern nations sent embassies to Augustus, offering submission of their own accord. The date of this Asiatic expedition of Augustus, -see note to Geor. II. 172,-fixes the time when the Georgics were completed; U. C. 724, when the poet was forty years of age. 'viam - Olympo,' and enters upon the way towards Olympus; that is, to immortality; commences his immortal career. 563-4. At that time, the pleasant city of Naples nourished me, Virgil, absorbed in the pursuits of an inglorious quiet life; florentem'; we excel, gain reputation in those pursuits to which we are wholly devoted; this latter meaning applies in the present case. otium,' is used for every sort of life that is free from public offices and cares. Parthenope'; the ancient name of Naples. 565. 'lusi'; see note to Ecl. I. 10: audax juventâ,' presumptuous in youth; he began to write the Pastorals when he was about twentyfive years of age. The whole of this epilogue, from the 559th line, is of doubtful authenticity. The magnificence of the digression, which occupies nearly one half of this Georgic, somewhat obscures the beauties of the earlier portion of the poem. For the accuracy with which the habits of the bees are described, Virgil is chiefly indebted to Aristotle; but, interesting as the subject is, the pleasure we derive from it in this instance is mainly due to the skill, with which the bard has woven the precepts and observations into elegant verse, and to the tasteful use of rich imagery and varied illustration. The distribution of duties among the bees is happily set forth, and the likeness of the interior of a hive to the economy of a well-ordered republic presents an agreeable and instructive picture. The feeling and spirit, with which the little episode respecting the life and pursuits of the old gardener is given, throw a pleasing light on the unambitious character and quiet tastes of the poet himself. THE POETRY OF THE ÆNEID. THE object of Epic poetry is to exhibit in verse some great event, in such a way as to excite the admiration and delight of the beholder. A story or narrative must, therefore, form the groundwork of the poem, and it must possess sufficient interest and importance to awaken curiosity and to command our sympathies. The action of the poem must be one and entire, so that the interest may not be broken down and scattered among a number of objects and events, having little or no connexion with each other, and that the mind may rest with satisfaction at the close, curiosity being satiated, and the various incidents having come to a marked and natural termination. All the rules, which critics have laid down for the invention and conduct of an Epic poem, may be easily deduced from these few postulates. The peculiarities of the Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Eneid, the three earliest and most remarkable specimens of this class, may all be considered as expedients for promoting these two ends, that of giving pleasure to the reader, and of exciting his astonishment by the relation of some grand and striking |