26. placidum ventis: the ancients seem to have supposed that certain winds calmed the sea, —perhaps by ceasing to blow (see Æn. v. 763). The sea-beach might possibly afford a mirror for the giant Cyclops, but hardly for the shepherd Corydon. — Daphnim, the mythic paragon of bucolic poetry (see Ecl. v.).—ego: the Latin likes to represent two persons in contrast: so here ego is expressed to set off Daphnim, but is not itself emphatic.

27. judice te, simply, in your judgment.—si (like si quidem), since.

28. tantum, only ('tis all I ask). — libeat (root LUBH, as in love), that it might please you (hortat. subj.).—sordida, rude, homely.

29. humilis, lowly, modest. figere, bring down (with the spear).

30. hibisco, to the marsh-mallow for their grazing. [The dative in poetry often denotes the end of motion: perhaps a relic of an earlier locative form.]

31-33. These lines are doubtful, and are exceedingly awkward here. They are probably a parallel passage written in the margin, which has crept into the text. —canendo, in song. — calamos, see note, Ecl. i. 2.

34. nec pœniteat, and be not loath. — labellum (dim.), pretty lip. — trivisse (§ 58, 11, e; G. 275), i. e. by running it up and down along the scale of reeds. The whole idea is "come and learn of me to play the pipe.”

35. faciebat, offered to do (would have done)."

36. disparibus (see note, Ecl. i. 2).

38. te... secundum, i. e. it has in you a second master as good as the first.

40. nec, and . . not.

41. capreoli, fawns of the wild deer.—etiam nunc: the spots are said to disappear at the age of six months. They are the more precious, from being found in a valley dangerous from wild beasts (nec tuta).

42. bina die, i. e. they are so vigorous as to take the milk of two ewes every day.

43. orat abducere (Greek constr. for ut abducat, like Eng.), has begged (§ 58, 2, a ; G. 221) to get them.

44. faciet, she shall do it. -sordent tibi, are mean in your eyes. —lilia, etc., a poetic way of offering these tributes, representing them as coming from the divinities.

46. calathis, wicker baskets. —nymphæ, nymphs of the springs that water the wild flowers.

47. pallentis, i. e. yellow: the plant is said to be the wallflower. (For the description of these plants, see Index.) — casia, abl. of means. - intexens has vaccinia as object.

51. ipse ego, while the nymphs bring flowers, I will gather fruits. cana mala, i. e. quinces.

53. cerea pruna, yellow plums, sweeter than the purple (observe the hiatus). —poma, fruit, including all except grapes, figs, and olives.

54. proxima: the myrtle and laurel are constantly associated : "Yet once more, O ye laurels, and once more

Ye myrtles brown, with ivy never sere." - Lycidas.

56. rusticus, a clown, no mate for the city-bred Alexis. The unhappy lover answers his own offer.

57. Iollas, the master of Alexis, representing Pollio in the poem. concedat, i. e. he could give more.

58. quid volui mihi, what woe have I voluntarily brought on myself (in allowing myself thus to be beguiled by love).- floribus ah! wretch apros (a proverbial manner of speech), I have let (perditus) - the scorching south-wind in upon my flowers, and the wild swine to my water-springs.

...

60. quem fugis, i. e. is it a rustic you flee?

61. Pallas, etc., let Pallas (the goddess of wisdom and skill) cherish the city towers she has built.

65. trahit sua quemque, etc., each one's fancy draws him. Notice that quisque in Latin is always in the predicate or in the relative clause; in English in the subject or antecedent clause.

66. jugo suspensa, hung from the yoke, so as not to cut the ground as the oxen are driven home at night; i. e. night brings rest to all but me.

67. duplicat: in the summer months, it is said that the shadow doubles its length between four and five o'clock.

68. me tamen urit, still burns me, not cooling as the shadows

come on.

70. semiputata (root PU, purify), frondosa: the half-pruned vine and the elm overgrown with leaves are both signs of thriftless husbandry. Notice the interlocked order of the words semiputata.. frondosa, vitis . . ulmo.

71. quin tu, etc., from Theocr. xi. 72-74: if the vineyard and garden are neglected, at least mind some light indoor task. - ali

quid quorum, etc., something of WHAT need requires: supply eorum as antecedent.

72. detexere, weave throughout, or carefully.

73. invenies : "You shall find perhaps a fairer Galatea" (Theocr.).—fastidit, disdains.

ECLOGUE III.

The scene represents the Shepherds tending their flocks not far from each other and joining in conversation.

1. cujum (§ 21, 2, ƒ, a form rustic or antiquated in Virgil's time): it shows that Damœtas is a hireling, or, perhaps, a friend of Ægon. -an, alternative question (§ 71, 2; G. 460).

2. Agonis: the name and the verse are taken literally from Theocr. iv. 2. Ægon is Menalcas's rival (v. 4).

3. infelix... pecus, poor sheep! a luckless flock (ovis, acc. of exclam.). — ipse, Ægon (compare ipse dixit, "the master said"). 4. fovet, wooes: the word is used in Æn. ix. 57 in the sense of constant attendance on the camp.

5. alienus custos = an unfaithful keeper (with no interest in his charge). — bis in hora, a bit of extravagance: twice a day would be full enough. The offence of secretly milking cattle was punished by whipping and loss of wages.

6. sucus (root in sugo): the life-blood, the strength of the sheep and food of the young. — subducitur, is stolen (taken secretly).

7. parcius, not so freely. — viris, contrasted with the pretended effeminacy of Menalcas. — tamen, i. e. though it were true (ironically). — obicienda (§ 1, 3, d), to be flung at.

8. qui te, understand any verb you please. tuentibus, eyeing askance.

9. faciles, good-natured.-sacello, the nymph's grotto.

10. tum, credo, at the same time, I suppose (ironical, as always when used thus parenthetically): hinting that Damotas was the real mischief-maker. arbustum, see note, i. 40.- videre, i. e.

the nymphs.

II. incidere, hack. mala falce, with malicious knife; vitis novellas (dim.), tender vine-sprouts (notice the alternating order of the words). The falx was a large stout knife, hooked at the end, used for trimming sprouts and foliage.

13. calamos, arrows (reeds), used by shepherds in hunting, or to defend their charge. - perverse, spiteful.

14. puero, i. e. Daphnis.

15. aliqua, somehow (compare vii. 26).

16. quid, etc., what are masters to do, when thieves (i. e. slaves) venture on such things (as these which follow)? Another rendering gives, "If the knaves are so insolent, what may we expect from their masters ?"

18. excipere insidiis, catch by tricks, i. e. by coaxing it away. lycisca, wolf-hound, said to be a mongrel between dog and wolf. 19. quo... ille, whither is that fellow hurrying? referring to the goat ("coge pecus"), or, as some think, the thief.

21. an, implying a previous question: "could I not take my Own ?" -non redderet, should he not have paid (§ 57, 3, d; G. 266, R3), as my due?

22. fistula, pipe of several reeds.

23. si nescis, if you did but know it.

25. cantando, etc., you beat him in singing? did you ever so much as own a pipe of reeds joined with wax?

26. triviis, cross-roads: the scene seems to belong to the rustic worship of Proserpine or Hecate, at places where three roads met. The goddess herself was called Trivia.—indocte, ignoramus.

27. stridenti... carmen, mangle a wretched tune on a squeaking straw. Compare Lycidas, 123:

"Their lean and flashy songs

Grate on their scrannel pipes of wretched straw."

28. vis experiamur (§ 70, 3, ƒ, R; G. 546, Ro), will you trý with me? —vicissim, i. e. amœbian or responsive verse.

29. vitulam, heifer (properly, yearling, from the same root as vetus, ễros). —ne recuses (§ 64, 1, b; G. 688, R), i. e. that is why I tell you.

30. binos fetus, twin calves: such a rare phenomenon, that Virgil would never have written it, but in translating from Theocritus, who has twin kids.

31. depono, stake as pledge: the regular word is pono, placè the prize in the ring (τιθέναι, κατατιθέναι).

33. injusta, jealous or unfriendly.

34. alter, one or the other.

35. id quod, a stake which, in appos. with pocula.

36. insanire, play the fool. —pocula: bowls or drinking cups, which went in pairs, one for water and one for wine.

37. Alcimedontis, an unknown sculptor.

38. lenta vitis, a pliant vine. — torno, chisel: used instead of scalpro, perhaps on account of the roundness of the bowls.-facili, ready (as a ready hand).

39. diffusos ... corymbos: a vine decks with pale ivy the outspread clusters. It seems easiest to consider vitis as meaning an ivy-vine, though it is almost always the grape. (Compare Ovid, Met. iii. 664.) The meaning then is, a vine of ivy on the bowl has concealed under its leaves the darker clusters of berries.

40. in medio, etc.: i. e. two figures (medallions) in a frame of vines. Conon, an astronómer of Alexandria, of about 200 B.C.— alter, probably Archimedes (an associate and friend of Conon), whose name cannot be given in hexameter verse (see introd. note).

41. radio, rod, with which geometric figures were described on a layer of sand. —gentibus, i. e. for everybody's benefit (see next line).- orbem, the circle of the sky with its constellations. A rude but sufficient knowledge of this supplied the place of a "farmer's almanac " (see Georg. i. 204-240, and elsewhere).

42. curvus, bent (over his work).

45. acantho: the acanthus is familiar to us on the Corinthian capital (see Index).

48. si ad vitulam spectas: this admits of two interpretations. 1. If you will cast your eye on the heifer (present for future), you will have no reason to praise your cups. This is possible, but grammatically unnatural, and incongruous with the sense. Another and better is (2) If you have an eye to the heifer (i. e. a wish to win her), you have no occasion to praise your cups (for I will not stake a heifer against cups). It is no use talking about goblets: they are not to be compared in value.

49. numquam, merely not at all. Menalcas suspects Damotas of disparaging his stake, in order to evade the contest.

50. audiat: the intended subject does not appear. It is instantly changed to the person coming in sight, who is as yet unknown, but who proves to be Palamon. — hæc, this contest.

51. efficiam ne, I will stop you from (§ 65, 1, R; G. 557).

52. quin age, well then, come! — si quid habes, if you can do any thing (in song). —in me, on my part.

53. nec fugis, in reference to effugies, v. 49.

54. sensibus...reponas, let it sink deep in your thought: the senses being regarded as avenues to the soul, or judging faculty.

56. omnis ager, etc., i. e. it is the season when all nature is fruitful in production, why not we too (in song)?