amongst other assignments being Vergil's farm. The poet's first acquaintance with Augustus was due to this event; for he applied to him at Rome for the restitution of his property, and was successful. He became the friend of the rich art-patron Maecenas, the poet Horace, and the brilliant circle of literary men who were collected at the court of Augustus. The works of Vergil are not voluminous. The Eclogues are Idylls in imitation of the Greek poet Theocritus, and were written sometime before he was 33. The Georgics, an agricultural poem in four books, of which the form was more or less suggested by Hesiod, he wrote in the next few years, finishing them sometime about his 40th year. The Aeneid, his great work, he appears to have begun about B.C. 27, when he was 43 years of age, at the wish of Augustus. A few years later, finding his health failing, he tried travelling; and in the spring of 19 he was at Athens. The summer he spent with Augustus abroad, but died a few days after reaching Brundusium on his return. The day of his death was Sept. 22, and he was not quite 51. He was buried at Naples, where his tomb is still shewn, though the authenticity of it is at least doubtful. His character seems to have been most simple, pure, and loveable; and his poetic fame was well established even before his death. P. VERGILI MARONIS AENEIDOS LIBER SECUNDUS. CONTICUERE omnes, intentique ora tenebant. 'Infandum, Regina, iubes renovare dolorem, Fracti bello fatisque repulsi Ductores Danaum, tot iam labentibus annis, 'Est in conspectu Tenedos, notissima fama Nos abiisse rati et vento petiisse Mycenas. Ergo omnis longo solvit se Teucria luctu. 5 ΙΟ 15 20 25 Panduntur portae; iuvat ire et Dorica castra Hic Dolopum manus, hic saevus tendebat Achilles; 'Primus ibi ante omnes, magna comitante caterva, Aut haec in nostros fabricata est machina muros 30 35 40 45 50 55 'Ecce, manus iuvenem interea post terga revinctum Pastores magno ad regem clamore trahebant Hoc ipsum ut strueret Troiamque aperiret Achivis, 60 Obtulerat, fidens animi, atque in utrumque paratus, 65 Namque ut conspectu in medio turbatus inermis Constitit, atque oculis Phrygia agmina circumspexit : ‘Heu, quae nunc tellus,' inquit, 'quae me aequora possunt 'Accipere? aut quid iam misero mihi denique restat? 70 'Cui neque apud Danaos usquam locus, et super ipsi 'Dardanidae infensi poenas cum sanguine poscunt.' Quo gemitu conversi animi, compressus et omnis Impetus. Hortamur fari, quo sanguine cretus, Quidve ferat; memoret, quae sit fiducia capto. [Ille haec, deposita tandem formidine, fatur:] 75 80 85 90 'Cuncta equidem tibi, Rex, fuerit quodcumque, fatebor 'Vera,' inquit: 'neque me Argolica de gente negabo: 'Hoc primum; nec, si miserum fortuna Sinonem 'Finxit, vanum etiam mendacemque improba finget. 'Fando aliquod si forte tuas pervenit ad aures 'Belidae nomen Palamedis et incluta fama 'Gloria, quem falsa sub proditione Pelasgi 'Insontem infando indicio, quia bella vetabat, 'Demisere neci, nunc cassum lumine lugent; 'Illi me comitem et consanguinitate propinquum Pauper in arma pater primis huc misit ab annis. 'Dum stabat regno incolumis, regumque vigebat Consiliis, et nos aliquod nomenque decusque Gessimus. Invidia postquam pellacis Ulixi "(Haud ignota loquor) superis concessit ab oris, 'Adflictus vitam in tenebris luctuque trahebam, 'Et casum insontis mecum indignabar amici. 'Nec tacui demens; et me, fors si qua tulisset, 'Si patrios unquam remeassem victor ad Argos, 'Promisi ultorem, et verbis odia aspera movi. 'Hinc mihi prima mali labes; hinc semper Ulixes 'Criminibus terrere novis; hinc spargere voces 'In volgum ambiguas, et quaerere conscius arma. 'Nec requievit enim, donec Calchante ministro'Sed quid ego haec autem nequiquam ingrata revolvo? 'Quidve moror, si omnes uno ordine habetis Achivos, 'Idque audire sat est? iamdudum sumite poenas: 'Hoc Ithacus velit, et magno mercentur Atridae.' Tum vero ardemus scitari et quaerere casus, Ignari scelerum tantorum artisque Pelasgae. 95 100 105 |