Vorticibus rapidis et multa flavus arena, In mare prorumpit. variae circumque fupraque Nunc age, qui reges, Erato, quae tempora rerum, Hunc Fauno et nympha genitum Laurente Marica 35 40 45 Virgil defignedly introduces this vernal defcription, as a hint that the action of the Eneid is included in one year. He makes the Trojan fleet enter the mouth of the Tyber in the fpring. But this, I believe, is a refinement. Virgil, that the Tyber and its banks might appear in all their beauty, reprefents them under the influence of the fweeteft of seasons. Thus it is a mere defcription without any reference to the main action. Addison, for the fake of amufing us with a beautiful image, has made the tragedy of Cato (which otherwife would have employed no longer time than that of the reprefentation). take up one whole day. He begins, The dawn is overcaft, the morning low'rs, &c. The action begins in the morning; but for the fake of introducing the image of the fetting fun playing on the glittering arms, &c. of Cæfar's approaching army, we must fuppofe it carried on to the evening. Scene 4. A& 5. Juba. Lucius, the horsemen are return'd from viewing On With circling whirlpools urge their winding way, The painted birds, that haunt the golden tide, 40 Now, goddess! aid thy poet, while he fings 45 The state of Latium, and her ancient kings; When firft the Trojans reach'd th' Hefperian fhores. On the high point of yon bright western tow'r That fingle epithet fetting applied to the fun, hinders the play from boafting a perfection, which is almoft conftantly to be found in Sophocles and Euripides; I mean that of the time being equal to the representation. 42. Dawning day.] This beautiful fcene has afforded a fubject to CLAUDE LORAINE for a fine landscape, now in the col lection of Lord Folkeftone at his feat near Salisbury.. 49. Thou, thou, great Erato!] Ruæus and fome others obferve, that Virgil invokes the mufe Erato, who prefided over love affairs, because the tranfactions in this laft part of the Æneid, turn upon the contentions betwixt Turnus and Eneas, for the VOL. III. fair S Filius huic, fato divôm, prolesque virilis Nulla fuit, primaque oriens erepta juventa eft. 50 Multi illam magno e Latio totaque petebant Sacra comam, multofque metu fervata per annos : Vifa (nefas) longis conprendere crinibus ignem, 55. 60. 65 70. fair Lavinia. This obfervation may at firft fight appear too refined: but that Virgil here invokes Erato, as the mufe prefiding over love affairs, is evident; for Nunc age, qui reges, Erato, &c. is a tranfcript of that of Apollonius. E. αγε νυν, Ερατώ, παραθ ̓ ἱςασο, &c. This is the initial verfe of the book, where the amour commences between Medea and Jafon. Apollonius afterwards gives a reafon, why he particularly invoked Erato. - συ γαρ και κυπριδος αισαν Εμμορες, αδμήτας δε τεοις μελεδήμασι θέλγεις 8 Thy Fate from this king had snatch'd each blooming fon; Withstood the match, with many a dreadful fign. When first his town with rifing tow'rs he crown'd; It chanc'd, a cloud of bees in gathering swarms From yon' fame point a stranger host shall come ; The fires flew round, and caught her waving hair: Thy fongs the rites of Cyprian bless proclaim, 65 70 75 80 85 99 } Atque omnem ornatum flamma crepitante cremari, Regalifque accenfa comas, accenfa coronam 75 Id vero horrendum ac vifu mirabile ferri. Confulit Albunea: nemorum quae maxima facro 8e 85 93. Thro' her crown.] Father Hardouin attempts to prove from this paffage, that the Aneis was the work of modern impoftors; but at the fame time greatly betrays his own ignorance of ancient customs. How can a king's daughter, fays he, be represented with a crown upon her head, before that infigne was ever ufed? Befides, he adds, no woman is to be feen with a crown on coins, 'till the 13th century; and thence concludes, that the Æneid was compofed after that time. But it is notorious, that those who facrificed, whether kings or private perfons, always performed that ceremony with a crown on their heads. La Cerda thinks, that Lavinia is here represented crowned according to the ancient cuftom of virgins, when they were about to marry. 111. On the fleeces of the flaughter'd sheep.] This folemn defcription of confulting the old god Faunus, the lying in the temple upon the fkins of the facrificed fheep, the feeing phantoms gliding along, and the hearing an aweful voice from the depth of the foreft, are all of them circumftances inexpreffibly affecting to the imagination. It was a fuperftitious custom among the ancients, to fleep in the temples of the gods whom they confulted, by way of obtaining their anfwers in dreams. Spencer alludes to this ceremony, (Fairy Queen, B. 5. c. 7.) where Britomart fleeps in the temple of Ifis. Strabo, lib. 16. has fpoken concerning the temple of Jerusa lem, |