Page images
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]

ECLOGA TERTIA.

MENALCAS, DAMETAS, PALÆMON

THE subject of this pastoral is a trial of skill in music between the shepherds Menalcas and Damætas; who after rallying each other a while, resolve to try a song in the presence of their neighbor Palæmon, whom they constitute judge of their performances. Having heard each of them attentively, he declared he was unable to decide so weighty a controversy, but pronounced each one to be deserving of the pledge.

This beautiful pastoral is in imitation of the fifth and eighth of the Idylls of Theocritus. It is conjectured that under the character of Damætas, we are to understand Virgil; and under that of Menalcas, some rival poet at Rome.

1. Cujum pecus est istud? an est pecus Melibœi? non: verùm est perus Ægonis.

MEN. DIC mihi, Damæta, cujum pecus? an Melibœi?
DA. Non, verùm Ægonis: nuper mihi tradidit Ægon.
ME. Infelix, ò, semper, oves, pecus! ipse Neæram
Dum fovet, ac, ne me sibi præferat illa, veretur,
Hic alienus oves custos bis mulget in horâ :

Et succus pecori, et lac subducitur agnis.

DA. Parciùs ista viris tamen objicienda memento

5

8. Novimus et qui Novimus et qui te, transversà tuentibus hircis, corruperint te et in quo Et quo, sed faciles Nymphæ risêre, sacello. sacello, hircis tuentibus ME. Tum, credo, cùm me arbustum vidêre Myconis, 10

transversà, sed

10. Turn, credo, illæ Atque mala vites incidere falce novellas.

riserunt, cum vidêre me incidere arbustum

lia.

DA. Aut hic ad veteres fagos, cùm Daphnidis arcum Fregisti et calamos: quæ tu, perverse Menalca,

Et cùm vidistı puero donata, dolebas;

16. Audent facere ta- Et, si non aliquà nocuisses, mortuus esses.

ME. Quid domini facient, audent cùm talia fures?

NOTES.

1. Cujum: an adj. agreeing with pecus: in the sense of cujus.

2. Ægon. The name of a shepherd, the rival of Menalcas in the love of Neæra. It is derived from a Greek word signifying a goat.

3. O oves, infelix pecus. The sheep are called unhappy, because their master Ægon, while in love with Neæra, had given up all care of them; and because they had fallen into the hands of a hireling, who treated them so inhumanly.

5. Alienus. An alien, or hireling shepherd-custos.

6. Succus: may mean the same with lac mentioned just after. By milking the dams, the natural food (lac) of the young would be taken from them, and they suffered to starve. Or succus may mean nourishment in general. It being taken away or dimiuished to the dams, the milk would be di

15

minished or taken away proportionably from their young. This was a heavy charge brought against Damætas. He highly resented it.

8. Transversà: crosswise-asquint. An adv. from the adj. of the neu. plu. in imitation of the Greeks.

9. Sacello: any place consecrated to the worship of God-a cave or grotto; as in the present case.

10. Arbustum: properly, a place planted with trees for vines to grow up by. By meton. the trees themselves. See Ecl. I. 40. Novellas: new, or young.

13. Quæ tu, &c. Which (bow and arrows) when you saw given to the boy, you both grieved, and would have died, if you had not, in some way, injured him.

16. Fures: slaves. They were sometimes so called, because notorious for stealing.

[blocks in formation]

Ipse fatebatur, sed reddere posse negabat.

ME. Cantando tu illum? aut unquam tibi fistula cerâ 25 25. Tu vicisti illum

Juncta fuit? non tu in triviis, indocte, solebas

cantando?

Stridenti miserum stipulâ disperdere carmen?

Da. Vis ergò inter nos, quid possit uterque, vicissim

Experiamur? ego hanc vitulam (ne fortè recuses,
Bis venit ad mulctraın, binos alit ubere fœtus)

Depono: tu dic, mecum quo pignore certes.

30

ME. De grege non ausim quicquam deponere tecum;

Est mihi namque domi pater, est injusta noverca:
Bisque die numerant ambo pecus; alter et hædos.
Verùm, id quod multò tute ipse fatebere majus,
Insanire libet quoniam tibi, pocula ponam
Fagina, cϾlatum divini opus Alcimedontis :
Lenta quibus torno facili superaddita vitis
Diffusos hederâ vestit pallente corymbos.
In medio duo signa, Conon: et quis fuit alter,

NOTES.

[blocks in formation]

35 35. Verum, quoniam libet tibi insanire, ponam id quod tute ipse fatebere esse multò majus pignus, nempe, duo fagina pocula, cœlatum opus

40

38. Lenta vitis quibus: around which a limber vine, superadded by the easy carving instrument, covers over (mantles) the diffused (loosely hanging) clusters with pale ivy.These lines are somewhat intricate, and have divided the opinions of commentators. Ruæus takes quibus in the abl. and interprets facili torno by ope facilis torni. Dr. Trapp and some others take facili torno in the dat. and understand by it the wood after it is smoothed and polished in the turner's lathe, by meton. Davidson, on the other hand, takes quibus for the dat. and facili torno for the abl. but then he takes these last for the ingenious carver, or easy skilful workman, which he might do by meton. The sense I have given is the most natural and The meaning of the poet is this: That each of these bowls was engraved or carved with vine and ivy boughs, so curiously interwoven, that the ivy-berries were shaded or mantled with the limber or pliant vine.

easy. numerant: they both count the

flock twice in a day; and one counts the kids. Peens is properly a flock or herd of neat cattle, as here. Alter, properly is one of two -unus, one of many.

36. Insanire: to be beside yourself to play the fool; by contending with me, who am so much more skilful than you. Pocula fagina: beechen bowls-made of the beech

wood.

37. Alcimedontis. The name of a very skilful and ingenious carver. thinks he was some intimate friend of VirMr. Martin gil, who wished to transmit his name to posterity. History is silent respecting him.

40. Conon. The name of a famous ma

thematician and astronomer of Samos, a cotemporary and friend of Archimedes. Signa: figures. Et quis fuit alter? This is a very pleasant turn. There is something agreeable in this picture of pastoral simplicity. He had mentioned the name of one, but had to himself and asks: quis fuit alter? but forgotten the name of the other. He turns the name not recurring to him, he goes o to describe him by his works: It was hu。

Descripsit radio totum qui gentibus orbem?
Tempora quæ messor, quæ curvus arator haberet?
Necdum illis labra admovi, sed condita servo.

DA. Et nobis idem Alcimedon duo pocula fecit,
Et molli circùm est ansas amplexus acantho:
Orpheaque in medio posuit, sylvasque sequentes.
Necdum illis labra admovi, sed condita servo.
Si ad vitulam spectes, nihil est quòd pocula laudes.

45

ME. Nunquam hodie effugies: veniam quocunque vo Audiat hæc tantùm vel qui venit: ecce, Palæmon: [câris Efficiam posthac ne quemquam voce lacessas.

51

DA. Quin age, si quid habes; in me mora non erit ulla: Nec quemquain fugio: tantùm, vicine Palæmon,

NOTES.

who, &c. It is supposed that Aratus or Archimedes is meant. The former wrote in Greek a treatise concerning the situation and motions of the heavenly bodies: which was translated into Latin. The latter was a famous mathematician and astronomer of Syracuse, in Sicily. By the help of his burning-glasses and engines, he nobly defended that city when besieged by the Romans under Marcellus. After a siege of three years, however, it was taken by stratagem. Archimedes was slain by a soldier, while in the act of demonstrating a proposition.

45. Amplexus est ansas: he encircled the handles around with soft acanthus. The parts of the verb are here separated for the sake of the verse, by Tmesis. Acantho: a plant called Bear's-foot.

46. Orphea: acc. of Greek ending.Orpheus was a most ancient and excellent poet, the son of Eagrus, king of Thrace. But according to fable, he was the son of Apollo and Caliope, one of the Muses. He received a lyre from Apollo, some say from Mercury, upon which he performed in such a masterly manner, that the rivers ceased to flow-the savage beasts forgot their ferocity -and the lofty oaks bowed their heads and listened to his song. He was beloved by all the nymphs. Eurydice alone could make an impression on his mind. He married her; but their happiness was short. For Aristœus fell in love with her; and fleeing from him, a serpent lying in the way wounded her in the foot, of which she died. Orpheus was so much afflicted at the loss, that he resolved to recover her, or perish in the attempt. For this purpose, he descended to Hell, and gained admittance to Pluto, who was so charmed with his music, that he consented to restore to him his wife, upon the condition that he would forbear to look behind him till he passed the bounds of his empire. The condition was accepted; but as they were very near the region of ight, the unhappy lover turned his eyes to

behold his long-lost Eurydice. He saw her, but she immediately vanished away. He attempted to follow her, but was refused. The only consolation he could find, was in the sound of his lyre in groves and mountains apart from society. The Thracian women, whom by his neglect and coldness he had offended, set upon him, while they were celebrating the orgies of Bacchus, and having torn his body in pieces, they threw his head into the river Hebrus, which continued to articulate Eurydice! Eurydice! as it was carried down the stream into the Ægean sea. After his death, some say, he received divine honors. His lyre was transferred to the heavens, and made a constellation. Sequentes: obedient to his lyre.

47. Condita: laid up safe: a part. from
condo, agreeing with pocula.

49. Nunquam effugies hodie: you shall by
no means avoid the trial this day. Dame-
tas had proposed to stake a heifer which
Menalcas said he could not do through fear
of his father and step-mother; but proposed
to pledge his bowls. Damætas insisted upon
the heifer, and so seemed to avoid the con-
test, because the conditions could not be
accepted by Menalcas. At length, however,
confident of victory, and laying aside his
fear, he says: Veniam quocunque vocâris
I will come to any conditions you shall pro-
pose. Accordingly the bowls are laid aside,
and a heifer is the prize.

50. Tantum vel qui venit, &c. Only (I have
nothing more to say) even let him who
comes yonder, hear these things. Menalcas
was so sure of victory, that he was willing
to submit to the decision of any third per-
son; and accordingly seeing some person
at a distance, says: even let him, who is
coming there, be the judge of our contro-
versy, whoever he may be. Upon his near
approach, discovering who he was, he says:
behold, it is Palæmon our neighbor. Voce:
in the sense of cantu.

51. Efficiam: I will cause.

53. Fugio: in the sense of recuso.

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

Sensibus hæc imis, res est non parva, reponas.
PAL. Dicite: quando quidem in molli consedimus herba :

56

Et nunc omnis ager, nunc omnis parturit arbos;
Nunc frondent sylvæ, nunc formosissimus annus.

Incipe, Damœta: tu deinde sequêre, Menalca.

Alternis dicetis: amant alterna Camenæ.

Da. Ab Jove principium, Musæ; Jovis omnia plena : 60. O musse, princi

llle colit terras; illi mea carmina curæ.

ME. Et me Phœbus amat: Phœbo sua semper

Munera sunt, lauri, et suavè rubens hyacinthus.
DA. Malo me Galatea petit, lasciva puella :

Et fugit ad salices, et se cupit antè videri.

61 pium omnium est ab

[blocks in formation]

ME. At mihi sese offert ultro, meus ignis, Amyntas: Notior ut jam sit canibus non Delia nostris.

Da. Parta meæ Veneri sunt munera: namque notavi Ipse locum, aëriæ quo congessere palumbes.

ME. Quod potui, puero sylvestri ex arbore lecta Aurea mala decem misi: cras altera mittam.

71. Quod solum potui

facere

72. Et quæ dulcia ver

70

[blocks in formation]

ba

Si, dum tu sectaris apros, ego retia servo?

[Amynta,

DA. Phyllida mitte mihi, meus est natalis, Iola.

76

Cùm faciam vitulâ pro frugibus, ipse venito.

ME. Phyllida amo ante alias: nam me discedere flevit :

NOTES.

54. Imis sensibus: your deepest attention, or thoughts. Res: the controversy.

59. Alternis: in alternate verses. This is called carmen amabæum. It consists not solely in the dialogue; but requires that what the first says shall be replied to by the other upon the same or similar subject. Carmina: verses, is understood. Camané: the Muses. It was formerly written Carmena and Casmena. Theme, carmen.

60. Muse. They were nine in number, the daughters of Jupiter and Mnemosyne. They were supposed to preside over the arts and sciences. They were born in Pieria in Macedonia, and were said to reside on mount Helicon and mount Parnassus, the former in Beotia, the latter in Phocis.Their names are: Calliope, Clio, Erato, Thalia, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Euterpe, Polyhymnia, and Urania.

61. Ille colit: he regards the earth; he regards my verses.

62. Phabus. The same as Apollo and Sol; the son of Jupiter and Latona. The laurel and hyacinth were sacred to him. Hence they are called sua munera, his own gifts. See Ecl. IV. 10.

66. Ignis: properly a fire or flame. By meton, love-also the object of love; as in the present case.

67. Ut jam Delia non: so that Delia now is not better known, &c. Diana is some

times called Delia from Delos, the place of her birth. She was the goddess of hunting, and protectress of Dogs. Ruæus and Dr. Trapp understand by Delia, not Diana, but a servant of Menalcas by that name.

68. Meæ veneri: for my love-the dear object of my affections.

69. Congessere: in the sense of nidifica

verunt.

71. Aurea: yellow-ripe.

72. Venti, referatis: bear some part of them, O winds, &c. Either because her words were so sweet that they would delight even the ears of the gods: or that the gods might be witnesses to her promises.

74. Quid prodest, &c. Damætas had been just before expressing his joy at the conversation which he had with his mistress. Menalcas now endeavors to go beyond him in sentiments of tenderness and affection; and intimates that he cannot have any enjoyment while Amyntas is absent; nay, unless he share with him his dangers.

75. Retia: plu. of rete: toils, or snares set to take any prey.

76. Phillida: a Greek acc. of Phillis. She was the slave of Iolas, and mistress both to Damætas and Menalcas.

77. Faciam vituld: that is, faciam sacra ex vitula: I will make the sacrifice of a heifer for the fruits.

« PreviousContinue »