ME. Hâc te nos fragili donabimus antè cicutâ. Hæc nos, Formosum Corydon ardebat Alexim: Hæc eadem docuit, Cujum pecus? an Melibai? 85 86. Hæc eadem cicuta docuit nos, Mo. At tu sume pedum, quod, me cùm sæpe rogaret, Non tulit Antigenes (et erat tum dignus amori) Formosum paribus nodis atque ære, Menalca. NOTES. 85. Nos donabimus: I will present thee with this, &c. Cicuta properly a pipe made of the stalk of the hemlock. See Ecl. I. 10. 86. Hæc eadem docuit: this same pipe taught me: formosum Corydon, &c. i. e. with this same pipe I sang the second Eclogue. Hæc docuit: this same taught me : Cujum 90 83. Sume podum formosum paribus nodis atque ære, quod Antigines non tulit, cùm sæpe rogaret me, et pecus? i. e. with this same pipe I sang the third Eclogue. 88. Sume pedum: take this crook, as a testimony of iny regard. 90. Formosum: beautified with equal knobs and brass-with knobs at equal distances: or uniform, in regard to size. QUESTIONS. What is the subject of this pastoral? Who probably is meant by Daphnis? Who is to be understood under the character of Menalcas? Who under that of Mopsus? When does Ruæus suppose it to have been written? Where is the scene laid? Into how many parts is the pastoral divided? Who was Alcon? and what is said of him? Who was Codrus? and what is said of him? By whom were they introduced into Who were the Satyri? How did they Who was Ceres? What is said of her? Is she supposed to be the same with the Egyptian Isis? By whom was her worship introduced Who was Bacchus? What is said of him? into Greece? and at what time? What were his festivals called? When were her festivals celebrated? ECLOGA SEXTA. SILENUS. THE subject of this fine pastoral is Silenus. He had promised the swains Chromis and Mnasilus a song; but had put it off from time to time. Wearied with the delay, they surprised him asleep in his grotto, just recovering from his intoxication. His garlands lay at some distance from him: with these they bind him fast; and in this condition they demand of him the fulfilment of his promise. At this moment, Ægle, one of the nymphs, joins them. Upon which he begins, and explains to them the origin of the world upon the principles of the Epicurean philosophy; and concludes with several interesting fables by way of episode. It is generally supposed this pastoral was designed as a compliment to Syro the Epicurean, who taught Virgil the principles of that philosophy. By Silenus we are to understand Syro, and by the swains Chromis and Mnasilus, his two pupils, Virgil and Varus. PRIMA Syracosio dignata est ludere versu 2. Nostra Thalia pri- Nostra, nec erubuit sylvas habitare, Thalia. ma dignata est Cùm canerem reges et prælia, Cynthius aurem Velit, et admonuit: Pastorem, Tityre, pingues Pascere oportet oves, deductuin dicere carmen. 6. Namque, O Vare, Nunc ego (namque super tibi erunt, qui dicere laudes, super erunt tibi alii poeta Vare, tuas cupiant, et tristia condere bella) qui cupiant Agrestem tenui meditabor arundine Musam. NOTES. 1. Syracosio versu: in pastoral verse. racosio: an adj. from Syracusa, the birth pice of Theocritus, the first pastoral poet of eminence; the chief city of Sicily, and famous for its defence against the Romans under Marcellus. 2. Thalia. One of the Muses. See Ecl. iii. 60. Nec erubuit, &c. Nor did she blush to inhabit the woods. This verb here is both expressive and beautiful; the perf. of erubesco. Thalia was supposed to preside over comedy and pastoral poetry. Virgil was the first pastoral writer among the Romans; which explains the words, nostra Thalia prima: my muse first deigned, &c. 3. Cum canerem, &c. Virgil is said to have begun a work upon the affairs of Alba Longa, but afterwards relinquished it, and commenced the Bucolics. Cynthius: a name of Apollo. See Ecl. iv. 10. Vellit: pinched my ear; a proverbial expression, implying admonition. 5. Deductum: a part. of deduco, humble, or slender. A metaphor taken from wool spun out till it is made fine or slender. 6. Supererunt: in the sense of erunt alii poeta. The parts of the verb are separated by Tmesis. 5 7. Vare. It is generally thought that the poet here means Quintilius Varus, who arose to the highest honors under Augustus. He was consul in the year of Rome 741; after which he was præfect of Syria eight years. Having returned home, he was sent into Germany with three legions, which he lost, being drawn into an ambush. This mortified him so much, that he killed himself. This happened in the year 762. Condere: to write--record. 9. Non injussa cano: I do not sing things forbidden by Apollo. He permits me to sing of pastoral subjects, but not of kings and battles. Si quis tamen, &c. The tamen does not refer to the words, non injussa cano, but to the third and fourth lines, where Apollo forbids him to write in the lofty style of heroic poetry. The meaning seems to be this: though he forbid me to describe your actions in heroic verse, he permits me to do it in the humble style of pastoral. And if ary should be taken, captus amore, with the love of this kind of writing, and should read these pastorals, he shall here find them. Hæc: these things-these my Bucolics. Quoque: in the sense of etiam. Captus amore leget; te nostræ, Vare, myricæ, NOTES. 10. Nostræ myrica: in the sense of nostra Bucolica. The omne nemus in the following line probably means every elevated composition, such as epic or heroic. We are led to this interpretation from the declaration of the poet in the sixth line, that there would be other poets, who would celebrate the praises of Varus in heroic verse, though he himself would prefer to do it in the humbler style of pastoral. 14. Silenum. Silenus was one of the rural deities, the god of mysteries and knowledge, and the foster-father of Bacchus. He is said, by some, to have been the son of Pan; others say, the son of Mercury. Malea, in the island of Lesbos, is the supposed place of his nativity. He is represented as a fat and merry old man, riding on an ass, crowned with flowers, always intoxicated. 15. Inflatum, &c. Swollen as to his veins, with his yesterday's wine. See Ecl. i. 55. Iaccho: a name of Bacchus; here put, by meton. for wine. It is derived from a Greek word signifying a shout or confused noise. It was given to him on account of the riot and vociferation of his inebriated followers. See Ecl. v. 69. 16. Serta: plu. of sertum, a garland, or wreath of flowers. To be crowned with a garland, was an indication of drunkenness. Silenus had all the signs of being in such a state. He was lying down-he was sleeping; but his garlands were not on his head; tuntum delapsa: they had only fallen off they were neither broken nor bruised. 18. Aggressi, &c. The swains, seizing, put on him cords of these very garlands-they bind him with cords made of them. 20. Egle. The name of a nymph, derived from a Greek word signifying splendor, or brightness. Naïadum. See Ecl. ii. 46. Videnti: to him just opening his eyes. Timidis to the trembling swains. 22. Moris. Morus was the fruit of the mulberry-tree. It is here called sanguineus, red, or bloody. It is said to have been originally white; but assumed the red or purple color, in memory of the two lovers, Pyramus and Thisbe, who slew themselves under a mulberry-tree. See Ovid. Met. Lib. 4. 23. Quò: why-for what purpose. 25. Cognoscite: in the sense of audite, 26. Aliud mercedis. The same as alia merces: another reward. measure. 27. Ludere in numerum : to dance, or leap about in regular time, or Their motions exactly corresponded to the notes or measure of the verse. Faunos. The Fauni were demi-gods of the country, to whom the first fruits of all things were generally offered. See Ecl. v. 73. 29. Parnassia rupes. The mountain Parnassus in Phocis; a country in Grecia Propria, much celebrated by the poets, and sacred to the Muses. Here Apollo had a famous temple. 30. Rhodope-Ismarus. Two mountains, or rather ranges of mountains, in Thrace, the country of Orpheus. 31. Namque canebat, &c. For he sung how the seeds, both of the earth, and of the ai omnia susceperunt Semina terrarumque, animæque, marisque fuissent, 33. Ut ex his primis Et liquidi simul ignis: ut his exordia primis 35. Tum canebat quomodo solum cœperit 37. Jamque canebat Jamque novum ut terræ stupeant lucescere solem, ut terræ stupeant Altiùs utque cadant submotis nubibus imbres : 38. Utque imbres ca dant è nubibus submo. Incipiant sylvæ cùm primùm surgere, cùmque Rara per ignotos errent animalia montes. Hinc lapides Pyrrhæ jactos, Saturnia regna, Caucaseasque refert volucres, futrumque Promethei. tis altiùs à terra. NOTES. and of the sea, &c. Silenus here relates the origin of the world, according to the system of Epicurus, who taught that incorporeal space, and corporeal atoms, were the first principles, or elements, of all things. The former he denomenated Inane, the latter Plenum. The Inane or Vacuum, he considered space, every way indefinitely extended. By the Plenum, he understood the atoms or minute particles of matter moving in every direction through the Inane, which Virgil here calls the semina, because it was thought by their fortuitous concurrence arose what we call the four elements, earth, air, water, and fire. Epicurus held many other erroneous notions, particularly concerning the nature of God. He was an Athenian, and born about 340 years before the Christian era. He had many followers. 32. Anima: in the sense of aëris. With out air, there could be no animal existence. 33. Liquidi ignis: of pure fire. His primis: of these first principles or elements (earth, air, water, and fire) all things sprang or had a beginning. The Epicureans maintained that, though their atoms and incorporeal space were the first principles or elements of earth, air, water, and fire, yet these last were the principles or elements of all other things, or out of which all other things sprang. Omnia exordia: all things received or took beginning. The verb susceperunt, or some other of the like import, is plainly understood, and to be supplied. Ut: how. 35. Nerea: acc. sing of Nereus, a god of the sea, the son of Oceanus and Terra. He married Doris, by whom he had fifty daughters who were called Nereïdes. He possessed the gift of prophecy, and is said to have informed Paris of the fatal consequences of his carrying off Helen, the wife of Menelaus. It was by the direction and assistance of Nereus, that Hercules obtained the golden apples of the Hesperides. The word Nereus is often put, by meton. for the sea, as in this place. Solum, &c. Then he sang how the land began to grow hard and to separate the waters from itself, and confine them to their 35 40 channel. Ruæus says, Dispellere aquas à se in mare. 38. Utque. Some copies have atque, but utque is the easier. 40. Rara: few in number, or thinly dispersed. 41. Hinc refert lapides, &c. After that he relates the thrown stones of Pyrrha, &c. Pyrrha was the daughter of Epimetheus, and wife of Deucalion, the son of Prometheus, and king of Thessaly. The poets say, that some time during his reign the inhabitants of the earth were destroyed by a universal deluge, except himself and his wife Pyrrha. They were preserved in a small ship, and carried by the waters to mount Parnassus, which was the only place not overwhelmed. Here they consulted the oracle of Themis concerning the restoration of the human race; when they were informed, to cast behind them the bones of their great mother; by which they understood stones. They immediately obeyed the command of the oracle, and those thrown by Deucalion became men, and those by See Ovid. Met. Lib. 1. Pyrrha, women. Saturnia regna: the reign of Saturn, or the Golden age. See Ecl. iv. 6. 42. Furtum Promethei: the theft of Prometheus. The poets say that he stole fire from heaven, with which he animated a man of clay, made by himself. At this, Jupiter was so much enraged, that he ordered Mercury to chain him to a rock on mount Caucasus. He did so, and placed a vulture to prey upon his liver; which, however, grew as fast as it was consumed. Hence Caucaseas volucres: the vultures of Caucasus. This is a very celebrated mountain, or rather range of mountains, lying between the Euxine and Caspian seas. Promethei: the word Prometheus is of Greek origin, and properly signifies foresight, or an anxious care or solicitude. This is a key to the story. It conveys a strong idea of the troubles men create to themselves, by taking too much care and thought for the morrow. His adjungit, Hylan nautæ quo fonte relictum At non tam turpes pecudum tamen ulla secuta est Ah, virgo infelix, tu nunc in montibus erras! 45 46. Et solatur Pasi phaën amore nivei ju venci, fortunatam, si 49. At tamen non ulla earum secuta est tam 50 turpes 56 Aut aliquamn in magno sequitur grege. Claudite, Nymphæ, NOTES. 43. Hylan. Hylas was the companion of Hercules in the Argonautic expedition, and much beloved by him. Having gone on shore to obtain water, by some means or other, he was lost. The poets say he was carried off by the nymphs. Hercules and his companions were much grieved at the loss of the boy, and went along the shores, when they found he was missing, calling him by name, Hyla, Hyla. Clamâssent: in the sense of vocavissent. See Ecl. iv. 35. 46. Pasiphaën: a Greek acc. the daughter of the sun, and wife of Minos, king of Crete. See Æn. vi. 24. 47. Virgo. The poet here calls Pasiphaë a virgin, though she was the mother of Phædra, Ariadne, and Androgeus. The ancients sometimes called any woman in early life a virgin. 48. Pratides: the daughters of Pratus, king of the Argives, who vied with Juno in beauty. The goddess, by way of punishment, caused them to imagine they were changed into heifers. Their lowings, mugitus, are here called false, because they were not in reality heifers. Secuta est: in the sense of quæsivit. 50. Quamvis timuisset: although each one had feared the plough upon her neck-the yoke from which the plough was hung or suspended. 53. Fultus: supported-resting or reclining. 56. Dictaa: an adj. from Dicte, a mountain of Crete. Silenus turns again to the story of Pasiphaë, whom he here introduces as speaking, and calling upon the nymphs to shut up the openings of the groves. Perhaps some where or other the wandering steps 53. Ille taurus fultus quoad niveum latus molli hyacintho, ruminat 55. Aut aliquam vac cam 58. Forsitan aliquæ vaccæ perducant illum, aut captum viridi herbâ, 60 aut secutum armenta ad of my bull may present themselves to my eyes. Obvia: an adj. from obvius, agreeing with vestigia. The sense is complete without it. Saltus, is properly a lawn, or opening in a grove or park, where cattle have room to sport and play; from the verb salio. 59. Captum delighted with, desirous of, the green pastures. Rumus says, cupidum. 60. Gortynia: an adj. from Gortyna, a city of Crete, famed for its excellent pas tures. 61. Tum canit puellam, &c. Then he sings the damsel admiring the apples of the Hesperides. This was Atalanta, the daughter of Schoneus, king of the island of Scyrus, in the Egean sea. She consented to marry the man who should outrun her, but if he were beaten, he should lose his life. Several had lost their lives. At length she was beaten by Hippomenes, the grandson of Neptune or Mars. At the suggestion of Venus, Hippomenes cast three apples, taken from the garden of the Hesperides, on the ground, one at a time, when she was gaining upon him; which so captivated the virgin, that she stopped to pick them up ; and by this means he obtained the beauteous prize. Hesperidum. The Hesperides were three in number, Ægle, Arethusa, and Hesperethusa, the daughters of Hesperus, the brother of Atlas. They resided in Mauritania, in Africa, where it is said they had gardens, in which were trees that bore golden apples. These gardens were watched by a dragon that never slept. Hercules slew him, and stole the apples. See Æn. iv. 484. 62. Tum circumdat, &c. Then he encloses the sisters of Phaëthon in the moss of bitter bark-he sings them transformed into pop |