PHARMACEUTRIA. DAMON. ALPHESIBOeus, PASTORUM Musam Damonis et Alphesiboei, Tu mihi, seu magni superas jam saxa Timavi, Cum ros in tenera pecori gratissimus herba; 5 10 15 Dam. Nascere, praeque diem veniens age, Lucifer, almum, Conjugis indigno Nisae deceptus amore Dum queror, et divos, quamquam nil testibus illis 20 1. Musam, equivalent to carmina. -4. Either mutata cursus, see Ecl. i. 55; or requierunt cursus, an analogous construction. — 6. Mihi. The dative of personal pronouns is often used in cases where it seems superfluous, but where, in reality, it brings home a lively feeling to the person indicated by the pronoun. Here the feeling is of joy. (Zumpt, $ 408.) It is called in such cases the dative ethicus. Timavi. The Timavus was a river flowing into the Sinus Tergestinus, at the head of the Gulf of Venice. The springs of the Timavus are numerous, bursting out from rocks (saxa), and then uniting into one stream. See Aen. i. 244. Superare may allude either to a voyage or a march.. Probably here the former; and then the alternative would be, whether marching round through Istria, from the Parthini (see Argument), or hugging (legis) the Illyrian shore in ships.-7. En expresses a strong desire.-8. Virgil ex presses his anxiety to sing the praises of Pollio, as a warrior. as a writer of tragedies alone worthy of being ranked with t Sophocles. Cothurnus, a part of the dress peculiar to t soccus was to comedy. · 16. Either leaning on a staff of or reclining against an olive-tree.-17. Join prae 18. Conjugis; used not in its strict sense, but was to be, or who wished to be. So below, v 344, iii. 330, vii. 189.-21. Such lines, regula vals, are common to many languages, especially 25 Maenalus argutumque nemus pinosque loquentis 35 40 called refrains. Maenalios, equivalent to Arcadian, from Maenalus, a mountain in Arcadia. This refrain was probably intended to introduce a bar of mournful music from the tibia, as preliminary to each new thought in the song. 24. Panaque. See Ecl. ii. 32. Pan is appropriately introduced in Arcadia, where principally he was worshipped. - 26. Datur nuptum. Speremus. Spes and spero, like the Greek is and πodai, often indicate not merely hopeexpectation of good-but expectation of any kind, as here. See Aen. i. 543, xi. 275.—27. Gryphes. These were mythic animals, with a lion's body, but an eagle's face and wings, who frequented the Rhipean mountains, and were at constant war with horses. 29. Allusions are made in these two lines to marriage usages. Torches of pine (faces) were burned, and, among the Romans, nuts were scattered, by the marriage procession.-30. Oeta was a moun. tain range, forming the south boundary of Thessaly. The evening etar is represented as leaving it; that is, as appearing in the sky above it, and ushering in the evening. The lover must therefore be supposed to be on the east part of the range. - 37. Roscida. Still wet with the dew of morning. 39. Alter ab undecimo. The twelfth. See Ecl. v. 49.41. Ut-ut-ut. The first ut is equivalent to simul ac. The others are words of exclamation. There is no elision of the i of perii. -43. Illum at the end of the line indicates emphasis.-44. Tmaros. A mountain range in the north-east of Epirus, above Dodona. Rhodope, a mountain range in the of Thrace, an offshoot from Haemus. Garamantes. A people Nec generis nostri puerum nec sanguinis edunt. Haec Damon; vos, quae responderit Alphesiboeus, Alph. Effer aquam, et molli cinge haec altaria vitta, 45 Experiar sensus; nihil hic nisi carmina desunt. 50 55 60 65 70 biting the interior of Africa, south of Libya, notorious for cruelty; hence Amor is here said to be of their race. The e of Rhodope is not elided, after the Greek model.-47. Matrem. Probably an allusion to Medea, who, from the pangs of violated love, slew her own children by Jason. The meaning of the following lines seems to be: If it is asked whether Medea was more cruel, or Amor more wicked (magis improbus); he was wicked, but she, too, who obeyed him, was cruel.'-54. It was believed that amber was an exudation from the stately trees (not the lowly myricae) that skirted the Po. See Ovid, Met. ii. 365.-56. Arion. A Lesbian lyric poet, who, when cast into the sea, was saved by the dolphins (delphinas), whom he had charmed by his songs. 58. In his despair, he wishes all nature to become one common (medium) sea. Vel (velim), a word expressive of wish. Vivite. Equivalent to valete. 60. Hoc. This leap of mine.-64. The poet now introduces Alphesiboeus. See Argument. Daphnis calls to Amaryllis, who is her attendant, to supply her with what is necessary in her magic rites. Purificatory water, an altar encircled by a woollen (molli) fillet, vervain and strong-smelling (mascula) frankincense, for burning, are first spoken of. All is ready for the incantations (carmina). -66. Conjugis. See ver. 18.69, &c. She magnifies the efficacy of incan70. The companions of Ulysses were changed ir to swine tations. Frigidus in pratis cantando rumpitur anguis. 75 80 Ducite ab urbe domum, mea carmina, ducite Daphnim. 85 Ducite ab urbe domum, mea carmina, ducite Daphnim. 90 Pignora cara sui; quae nunc ego limine in ipso, Terra, tibi mando; debent haec pignora Daphnim. 95 Ducite ab urbe domum, mea carmina, ducite Daphnim. by the incantations of Circe, a sorceress, who lived in the island of Moerim, saepe animas imis excire sepulchris Ducite ab urbe domum, mea carmina, ducite Daphnim. 100 105 Transque caput jace; nec respexeris. His ego Daphnim more modern times the loup-garrou. -99. The magician Moeris— who he was, is unknown-transferred the growing crops from one field to another (alio).—101. Amaryllis is directed to take in her hand ashes from the altar, to stand with her back to a running stream, and, without looking behind her, to throw them over her head. 105. While engaged in this, a good omen appears. The cinders on the altar, not the burning wood, (cinis ipse), untouched, (sua sponte), while she is delaying to help Amaryllis, in carrying them away for a last trial, burn tremulously. -107. Hylax. The dog of Daphnis. 108. Qui. Unelided and short, after the Greek model. 109. Parcite. She calls upon the incantations to cease, for Daphnis comes. ECLOGA IX. THE division of a part of the lands of Italy among the soldiery, has already been spoken of in the Arguments to the first and sixth Eclogues, and it has been mentioned that those of Virgil had been saved for him. But it would seem that the party of Octavianus Caesar, headed by Varus, not only dispossessed the Mantuans of a portion of their lands, but were either unable or unwilling to maintain Virgil in his farm, who fled from the threats of a centurion named Arrius (see ver. 16). Virgil retired to Rome, and wrote this Eclogue, B. c. 40. Moeris, the slave of Menalcas (Virgil himself), is represented as driving to Mantua some kids, at the bidding of his new master Arrius He meets Lycidas, a slave from a neighbouring farm, and en. tering into conversation, they quote unconnected portions of the verses of Menalcas, which are admirable imitations of those of Theocritus. |