Serpylla, et graviter spirantis copia thymbræ Explent; collectumque hæc ipsa ad munera gluten, serpyllum, one of the gardens, and the other wild. Our serpyllum, or mother of thyme, or wild thyme, which is common on ant-hills in England, and grows wild all over Europe, is probably that which Pliny calls the wild, and Dioscorides the garden serpyllum. The plant very much resembles thyme both in appearance and smell, and is certainly proper to be planted near bees. Violaria.] This word signifies places set with violets. Ipsa autem, &c.] Here the poet speaks of the structure of the hives, and of the avoiding of some things which are offensive. Corticibus.] The bark of the cork-tree was called cortex by way of eminence. Utraque vis apibus pariter metuenda.] The extremes of heat and cold are injurious to bees. Cera spiramenta linunt.] The cera or wax, is properly that substance of which the honey 35 40 comb is formed. The propolis or bee-bread is a glutinous substance, which is found about the door of the hives. The erithace is that with which they glue the honeycombs together, to keep any air from coming in between. It seems to be this erithace, therefore, which Virgil means under the several appellations of cera, fuco, floribus, and gluten. Fuco et floribus.] The fucus is properly a sort of sea-weed which was anciently used in dying, and in colouring the faces of women. Hence, all kind of daubing obtained the name of fucus. By floribus, the poet does not mean strictly, that the bees plaster their hives with flowers, but with a glutinous substance gathered from flowers. ... Phrygia · pice・・・ Idæ.] Hence it appears, that it was not the Cretan but the Phrygian Ida which was famous for pitchtrees. Sub terra fovere larem, penitusque repertæ Unge fovens circum, et raras superinjice frondes. 45 Aut ubi odor cœni gravis, aut ubi concava pulsu 50 Quod superest, ubi pulsam hyemem sol aureus egit Illæ continuo saltus sylvasque peragrant, Taxum.] The yew has always been accounted poisonous. Neve rubentes ure foco cancros.] It is well known that crabs, lobsters, &c. are turned red by the fire. It was customary among the Romans to burn crabs to ashes, which were esteemed a good remedy for burns and scalds. Altæ neu crede paludi.] In fens there are no stones for the bees to rest upon: hence, it appears that such places must be very dangerous to these in sects. 55 60 Ubi odor cani gravis.] Ill smells are esteemed very pernicious to bees: and none can be more offensive than that of stinking mud. Quod superest, &c.] This passage relates to the swarming of bees, and the manner of making them settle. Continuo.] See the note on book iii. ver. 75. Purpureos fiores.] Purple is frequently used by the poets to express any gay bright colour.. Trita melisphylla, et cerinthæ ignobile gramen: 65 Sin autem ad pugnam exierint, nam sæpe duobus 70 Tum trepidæ inter se coëunt, pennisque coruscant, Cerinthæ ignobile gramen.] It is one of the most common herbs all over Italy and Sicily. In our gardens it grows to the height of a foot and a half, or two feet. The stalks are about the thickness of one's finger, round, smooth, whitish, and divided into several branches. The leaves embrace the stalk and branches with their bases, and diminish gradually to a point: they are of a bluish colour, marked with white spots, set on both sides with prickles, and neatly indented. The flowers hang in bunches from the tops of the branches. The empalement is divided into five segments neatly indented about the edges: the petal is long, tubular, and of a yellow colour. The summits are of a dark colour, 75 and are sustained by yellow chives, each flower is succeeded by two seeds. Tinnitusque cie.] The making of a tinkling noise with brazen utensils is used among us to cause the swarms of bees to settle. Matris quate cymbala.] The priests of Cybele, the mother of the gods, used to beat brazen drums or cymbals, in the sacrifices to that goddess. Ipsa consident medicatis sedibus.] Thus, Varro says, the place where we would have the bees to settle, must be rubbed with erithace and balm. Trepidantia bello corda.] Trepidare signifies not only to fear and tremble, as it is commonly interpreted, but also to hasten. Prætoria.] The prætorium in a camp is the general's tent. |