Sensibus hæc imis, res est non parva, reponas. 56 PL. Dicite: quando quidem in molli consedimus herba: DA. Ab Jove principium, Musa; Jovis omnia plena: 60. O musa, princiIlle colit terras, illi mea carmina curæ. ME. Et me Phœbus amat: Phœbo sua semper 61 pium omnium est ab apud Jove: [me per apud me sua mu 62. Sunt Phœbo sem ME. At mihi sese offert ultro, meus ignis, Amyntas: Notior ut jam sit canibus non Delia nostris. 65 DA. Parta meæ Veneri sunt munera: namque notavi Ipse locum, aëriæ quo congessere palumbes. ME. Quod potui, puero sylvestri ex arbore lecta 70 Aurea mala decem misi: cras altera mittam. DA. O quoties, et quæ nobis Galatea locuta est! Partem aliquam, venti, divûm referatis ad aures. ME. Quid prodest, quòd me ipse animo non spernis, Si, dum tu sectaris apros, ego retia servo? [Amynta, DA. Phyllida mitte mihi, meus est natalis, Iola. 76 NOTES. 54. Imis sensibus: your deepest attention, or thoughts. Res: the controversy. 59. Alternis: in alternate verses. This is called carmen amæbæum. 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, or verses, is understood. Camana: the Muses. It was formerly written Carmena and Casmena. Theme, carmen. 60. Musa. 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. Phobus. 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 nera, nempe, lauri 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. object of my affections. 68. Mea Veneri: for my love-the dear 69. Congessere: in the sense of nidificaverunt. 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 vitulâ: that is, faciam sacra ex vitula: I will make the sacrifice of an heifer for the fruits. Et, "longum, formose, vale, vale," inquit, Iola. ME. Dulce satis humor; depulsis arbutus hædis, DA. Pollio amat nostram, quamvis est rustica, Musam. 85 85. Pascite taurum Pierides, vitulam lectori pascite vestro. illi, qui jam ME. Pollio et ipse facit nova carmina: pascite taurum, Jam cornu petat, et pedibus qui spargat arenam. DA. Qui te, Pollio, amat; veniat quò te quoque gaudet: quò gaudet eum te per- Mella fluant illi, ferat et rubus asper amomum. 88. Veniat venisse. quoque 92. O pueri, qui legitis flores et fraga nascentia humi, fugite ME. Qui Bavium non odit, amet tua carmina, Mævi : Atque idem jungat vulpes, et mulgeat hircos. 91 DA. Qui legitis flores, et humi nascentia fraga, DA. Tityre, pascentes à flumine reice capellas: ME. Cogite oves, pueri: si lac præceperit æstus, 95. DA. Eheu, quàm pingui macer est mihi taurus in arvo! Idem amor exitium pecori est, pecorisque magistro. 102. Neque est amor certè causa his meis oviME. His certè neque amor causa est: vix ossibus hæ bus, cur sint tam macra. Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos. NOTES. 79. Longum, formose, &c. These are not the words of Phillis, addressed to Iolas, but of Menalcas; and first addressed to Menalcas by Phillis. They made a deep impression on his mind-they stole his affections. O beautiful youth, said she, farewell -farewell, a long time. Stabulis: sheepfolds. By meton. the sheep. Triste is to be supplied with each member of the sentence following, as also the verb est. 82. Arbutus: the strawberry tree, so called from the resemblance of its fruit to a strawberry. Depulsis: the words à lacte are understood. 82. Satis. The dat. plu. a substantive from the part. pass. of the verb sero, I sow. It signifies any thing sown or planted--standing corn. Depulsis hædis: to the weaned kids. Dulcis is to be supplied in each member of the sentence; as also the verb est. 85. Pierides. The Muses are so called from Pieria, the place of their birth. See 60. supra. 86. Pollio. A noble Roman, the friend and patron of Virgil. See next Ecl. Nova: good-excellent. 88. Veniat quò gaudet, &c. May he also arrive at those honors to which it delighteth him that thou hast arrived. Pollio was invested with the consulate in the year of Rome 714, and in the following year he received a triumph. He was also a poet and historian; and considered among the most [rent. learned men of his time. See Ecl. IV. 12. 89. Amomum. An aromatic fruit of great value. The Assyrian was considered the best. Rubus: the blackberry bush. 90. Qui Bavium non odit. Bavius and Mævius were two contemptible poets, and very inimical to Virgil and Horace. These two lines are wonderfully satirical. Let the same persons yoke oxen and milk hegoats. But this would be a useless, as well as a ridiculous employment. 93. Frigidus: deadly, by meton. or cold; descriptive of the nature of the snake. 95. Creditur. It is not easy to translate impersonal verbs always literally. They frequently occur in sentences, when such a version would be very awkward English. This is the case here. Menalcas is cautioning his sheep not to proceed too far; and adds as a reason for so doing, that it is not well to trust to the bank. To give force to this caution, he mentions the case of the ram that had just recovered of a fall from it into the river, and was then drying his fleece. 96. Reice. Imp. of the verb reicio, by syncope for rejicio, drive back. 98. Præceperit: if the heat should dry up the milk-should take it before us, then in vain, &c. 103. Quis oculus: what evil eye bewitches my tender lambs. Mihi: in the sense of mens Da. Dic quibus in terris, et eris mihi magnus Apollo, Tres pateat cœli spatium non ampliùs ulnas. ME. Dic quibus in terris inscripti nomina regum Nascantur flores: et Phyllida solus habeto. 105 PA. Non nostrum inter vos tantas componere lites. Et vitulâ tu dignus, et hic: et quisquis amores Aut metuet dulces, aut experietur amaros. Claudite jam rivos, pueri: sat prata biberunt. NOTES. 105. Spatium cœli pateat. Damætas here proposes a very intricate riddle. Various have been the conjectures to solve it. It is most generally thought that the place in tended is the bottom of a well, from whence the space of the heavens appears no broader than its mouth, which in the general may be taken for three ells. 107. Flores nascantur inscripti. Without solving the riddle of Damatas, Menalcas proposes this one, and it is an equal match for his. The solution of it is all conjecture. It is generally supposed that the hyacinth is the flower alluded to. Nomina inscripti: inscribed as to the names of kings or with the names of kings. See Ecl. I. 55. 108. Non nostrum: it is not in my power 110 109. Et tu es dignus vitulâ, et hic 110. Quisquis aut metuet dulces amores, aut experietur amaros amo res. to settle, &c. Est is to be supplied. Palemon declares his inability to determine the controversy between them; but pronounces them both worthy of the prize. 110. Metuet dulces: shall fear successful love-shall fear that it would not be lasting. Experietur amaros: shall experience disappointed love-love not returned or reciprecated. 111. Claudite. This is a beautiful line: shut up your streams, O swains, the meads have drunk enough. It is a metaphor taken from rivers refreshing the meadows through which they pass; to music and poetry, delighting the ear, the fancy, and the judgment. It implies that it was time to cease their song; they had given sufficient proofs of their skill in music. QUESTIONS. What is the subject of this pastoral? Who was Conon? Who was Archimedes? What did he do to recover his lost Eury. dice? What became of him at last? In what consists the carmen amœbœum? Who were the Muses? How many were they in number? What were their names? Who was Diana? Where was she born? Over what did she preside? ECLOGA QUARTA. POLLIO. VIRGIL'S design in this pastoral, is to celebrate the birth of a son of Pollio, as appears from verse 17; on which account he dedicated it to that noble Roman. But it is evident that he ascribes to the son of his friend, what cannot be attributed, with any propriety, to a being merely human. On examination, it will be found that there are several expressions and passages, which remarkably correspond with the prophecies and predictions of the Messiah, contained in the scriptures of the Old Testament; and particularly with those of the prophet Isaiah. That the poet was inspired is not pretended. We are assured, on the most credible testimony, that about this time there was a general expectation of the Messiah's appearance. This was partly from the dispersion of the Jews over the Roman empire, who carried with them their scriptures; and partly from the Sibylline oracles then much in repute. What, therefore, was generally said, and was the common opinion concerning the Messiah, the poet applies to the son of Pollio. It was not fulfilled in him. For he died on the ninth day after his birth. It was, however, actually fulfilled in about forty years afterwards, when the Saviour appeared. Some suppose that the poet hath in view Marcellus, the son of Octavia, the sister of Augustus, whose birth corresponds with the consulship of Pollio. Augustus adopted him and designed him for his successor in the empire. This is the same Marcellus whom Virgil highly compliments in the sixth book of the Æneid. He died soon after he arrived at manhood. SICELIDES Musæ, paulò majora canamus. Non omnes arbusta juvant, humilesque myricæ. Die poem profredly be NOTES: Th the 4th ling 1. Sicelides: an adj. from Sicilia, the island of Sicily, the country of Theocritus, the father of pastoral poetry. Hence Sicelides Musa, pastoral muses. 2. Arbusta-myrica. Trees and shrubs seem to be put here for pastoral subjects, or the style and manner in which they are sung, by meton. Myrica: a shrub called the tamarisk. The poet here proposes to write in a style different from the usual style of pastoral; for that does not please every ear. A more elevated strain he will now attempt. 3. Sylvas: the woods. By meton. pastoral or rural subjects. If we sing of pastoral subjects, those subjects should be worthy of a consul's ear. 4. Ultima atas: the last age of the sibylline prophecy hath now arrived-the last age, which was the subject, &c. I would here observe that the last days-the latter days, or times, are common expressions in the scriptures to denote the age of the Gospel, which is the last dispensation of grace. Cumai: an adj. from Cuma, a city of Campania, in Italy, famous for having been the residence of a sibyl. There were several others of the same name; but the most dise tinguished were, a city of Eolis, in Asia Minor, and a city of Eubea, an island in the Agean sea: Hodie, Negropont. The residence of this sibyl was a cave or vault dug into a rock. Justin Martyr informs us, that he visited the spot, and was shown a kind of chapel in the rock, into which the inhabitants told him (as they received it from their forefathers) she retired whenever she gave out her oracles. He also mentioned several other particulars. Onuphrius tells us, that the cave or residence of the sibyl remained in the same state Justin Martyr described it, until 1539, when it was entirely destroyed by an earthquake which shook all Campania. See Prideaux's Con. Part 2. Lib. 9. The sibyls were women said to have been endued with the spirit of prophecy, and to have foretold the destinies of states and kingdoms. They lived at different periods of time, and in different countries. They took the name of Sibyllæ, or Sibyls, from the first, who was thus endued, her name being Sibylla. Varro enu BUCOLICA. ECL. IV. Magnus ab integro sæclorum nascitur ordo. NOTES. merates ten: The Delphica, Erythræa, Cu- 5. Magnus ordo. Some suppose that the Cœlus 6. Virgo. The poet here means Astræa, Titan being informed that his brother had apollo is Hw Sun set at liberty by Jupiter. But Saturn did not long remain mindful of this favour. He conspired against him to dethrone him, and possess the empire himself. Upon this, Jupiter banished him from heaven. He came to Italy, which was afterwards called Latium, from the circumstance of its being the place of his concealment; from the verb lateo. Janus, who was then king, received him with hospitality, and made him partner in his kingdom. Saturn employed his time in civilizing his subjects, teaching them agriculture, and the several arts and sciences. His reign was so mild, so beneficent and virtuous, that it came to be denominated the Golden Age, to intimate the happiness and tranquillity which then were enjoyed. The Silver Age succeeded, when men began to degenerate, and their peace to be disturbed by feuds and animosities. The Brazen Age followed, when avarice and licentiousness took possession of the heart. To this succeeded the Iron Age, when the world became sunk into a general and total depravity. These four ages are much spoken of by the poets, but particularly the first. By this time men had become so wicked and degenerate, that they were all destroyed by a deluge, which took place in the reign of Deucalion, king of Thessaly. He and his wife Pyrrha were the only survivors. 8. Fave nascenti puero: favour, or be propitious to the infant boy. Nascens does not refer here so much to his birth, as to his infant years. As Lucina had safely brought the child into the world, it is the desire of the poet that she should continue her attention and regard to him during the dangers of infancy. 9. Gens: in the sense of atas. 10. Casta Lucina. Lucina was the goddess supposed to preside over child-bearing, and called Lucina from lux, because through her means children were brought to see the light. This office was attributed both to Juno and Diana; the latter of whom is the one here meant, as appears from Tuus jam regnat Apollo: now thy Apollo reigns.This hath led some into a singularity. By Apollo they would understand Augustus, and by Lucina his sister Octavia. Virgil was fond of complimenting his prince, but there can be no necessity of such an interpretation here. Ruæus understands it of Apollo himself, who may be said to reign, |