25 Maenalus argutumque nemus pinosque loquentis 35 10 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 nis and Encadai, 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 atar 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 west of Thrace, an offshoot from Haemus. Garamantes. A people inha Nec generis nostri puerum nec sanguinis edunt. Haec Damon; vos, quae responderit Alphesiboeus, Alph. Effer aquam, et molli cinge haec altaria vitta, Conjugis ut magicis sanos avertere sacris Experiar sensus; nihil hic nisi carmina desunt. Ducite ab urbe domum, mea carmina, ducite Daphnim. 45 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 incan tations.70. The companions of Ulysses were changed ir to swine 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 Aeaea. Ulixi. The same as Ulixei, from Ulixes and Ulixeus, which is obsolete. Zumpt, § 52-73, &c. The sorceress then ties three threads (tema for trig), of three, different colours, round a small waxen image of Daphais (tibi, explained by imaginem, ver. 15), and then carries it thrice round, the altar. Amaryllis is engaged in tying up the ends of the threads into love-knots, and is told what to say while doing it.-80. The image of clay was to harden him against others.81. Uno colem; pronounce un' yodem. -83. She then sprinkles the sacred mola of flour and salt, and burrs laurel branches steeped in bitumen, to produce a black flame and crackling (fragilis). The burning of the laurel was emblematic of her wish to turn the omen to the heart of Daphnis in Daphnide (ènì sápvıdı). -85. The construction is, Talis amor Daphnim teneat, qualis amor buculam tenet cum, &c.-88. Nocti decedere. The notion of yielding to the influence of the night is combined with that of moving homewards. So Georg. iii. 467, iv. 23.- -91. Exuvias. Garments formerly worn by Daphnis. See Aen. iv. 496, 651. These she buries in the earth, at the door of her house, to draw him home.95. Along with the garments she buried magical herbs, gathered in Pontus, which Medea had rendered famous for poisons.-97. So in Moerim, saepe animas imis excire sepulchris Ducite ab urbe domum, mea carmina, ducite Daphnim. 100 Transque caput jace; nec respexeris. His ego Daphnim 105 Ducite ab urbe domum, mea carmina, ducite Daphnim. more modern times the loup-garrou. -99. The magician Moeriswho 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. MOERIS. LYCIDAS.-MOERIS. Lyc. Quo te, Moeri, pedes? an, quo via ducit, in urbem? 5 Lyc. Certe equidem audieram, qua se subducere colles Usque ad aquam et veteris, jam fracta cacumina, fagos, Nostra valent, Lycida, tela inter Martia, quantum 10 15 Lyc. Heu, cadit in quemquam tantum scelus? heu, tua nobis Paene simul tecum solatia rapta, Menalca? 20 Quis caneret Nymphas? quis humum florentibus herbis 25 Moer. Immo haec, quae Varo necdum perfecta canebat : 'Vare, tuum nomen, superet modo Mantua nobis 1. Urbem, Mantua.-2. The construction is, Vivi pervenimus (we have lived to reach this pass) quod (a thing which) numquam veriti sumus, ut advena, possessor nostri agelli, diceret. - 13. Chaonias, columbas. The Chaones anciently inhabited that district of Epirus where Dodona was, whose oracle depended on its doves. 14. Incidere, devitare, sinistra. Cornix a sinistra facit ratum. Cic. Div. i. 39, 85.18. Paene. Alluding to Virgil's narrow escape.-19. What the poet celebrates, he is represented as doing. See Ecl. vi. 62, &c.-21. Vel quis caneret quae, &c.-sublegere tacitus; quietly to learn what another sings, without his noticing it (sub). -22. Love being the delight of the shepherd's (nostras) life.. 26. Immo quis caneret haec. The poet's object seems to be to flatter Varus with the hope of immortal praise, to induce him to deal leniently with Mantua.-27. Superet. Equivalent to supersit. See Aen. i. 597, ii 339, v. 519. |