ECLOGA SEXTA. SILENUS. THE subject of this fine pastoral is Silenus. He had promised the swains Chromis and Mnasilus a song; but had put it off from time to time. Wearied with the delay, they surprised him asleep in his grotto, just recovering from his intoxication. His garlands lay at some distance from him: with these they bind him fast; and in this condition they demand of him the fulfilment of his promise. At this moment, Ægle, one of the nymphs, joins them. Upon which he begins, and explains to them the origin of the world upon the principies of the Epicurean philosophy; and concludes with several interesting fables by way of episode. It is generally supposed this pastoral was designed as a compliment to Syro the Epicurean, who taught Virgil the principles of that philosophy. By Silenus we are to under stand Syro, and by the swains Chromis and Mnasilus, his two pupils, Virgil and Varus PRIMA Syracosio dignata est ludere versu 2. Nostra Thalia pri- Nostra, nec erubuit sylvas habitare, Thalia. ma dignata est Cùm canerem reges et prælia, Cynthius aurem Vellit, et admonuit: Pastorem, Tityre, pingues Pascere oportet oves, deductuin dicere carmen. 6. Namque, O Vare, Nunc ego (namque super tibi erunt, qui dicere laudes, super erunt tibi alii poeta Vare, tuas cupiant, et tristia condere bella) qui cupiant Agrestem tenui meditabor arundine Musam. NOTE3. 1. Syracosio versu: in pastoral verse. Syracosio: an adj. from Syracuse, the birth place of Theocritus, the first pastoral poet of eminence; the chief city of Sicily, and famous for its defence against the Romans under Marcellus. 2. Thalia. One of the Muses. See Ecl. iii. 60. Nec erubuit, &c. Nor did she blush to inhabit the woods. This verb here is both expressive and beautiful; the perf. of erubesco. Thalia was supposed to preside over comedy and pastoral poetry. Virgil was the first pastoral writer among the Romans; which explains the words, nostra Thalia prima: my muse first deigned, &c. 3. Cum canerem, &c. Virgil is said to have begun a work upon the affairs of Alba Longa, but afterwards relinquished it, and commenced the Bucolics. Cynthius: a name of Apollo. See Ecl. iv. 10. Vellit: pinched my ear; a proverbial expression, implying admonition. 5. Deductum: a part. of deduco, humble, or slender. A metaphor taken from wool spun out till it is made fine or slender. 6. Supererunt: in the sense of erunt alii poeta. The parts of the verb are separated by Tmesis. 7. Vare. It is generally thought that the poet here means Quintilius Varus, who arose to the highest honors under Augustus. He was consul in the year of Rome 741; after which he was præfect of Syria eight years. Having returned home, he was sent into Germany with three legions, which he lost, being drawn into an ambush. This mortified him so much, that he killed himself. This happened in the year 792. Condere: to write--record. 9. Non injussa cano: I do not sing things forbidden by Apollo. He permits me to sing of pastoral subjects, but not of kings and battles. Si quis tamen, &c. The tamen does not refer to the words, non injussa cano, but to the third and fourth lines, where Apollo forbids him to write in the lofty style of heroic poetry. The meaning seems to be this: though he forbid me to describe your actions in heroic verse, he permits me to do it in the humble style of pastoral And if any should be taken, captus amore, with the love of this kind of writing, and should read these pastorals, he shall here find them. Hæc: these things--these my Bucolics. Quoque: in the sense of etiam. Captus amore leget; te nostræ, Vare, myricæ, NOTES. 10. Nostræ myrica: in the sense of nostra Bucolica. The omne nemus in the following line probably means every elevated composition, such as epic or heroic. We are led to this interpretation from the declaration of the poet in the sixth line, that there would be other poets, who would celebrate the praises of Varus in heroic verse, though he himself would prefer to do it in the humbler style of pastoral. 14. Silenum. Silenus was one of the rural deities, the god of mysteries and knowledge, and the foster-father of Bacchus. He is said, by some, to have been the son of Pan; others say, the son of Mercury. Malea, in the island of Lesbos, is the supposed place of his nativity. He is represented as a fat and merry old man, riding on an ass, crowned with flowers, always intoxicated. 15. Inflatum, &c. Swollen as to his veins, with his yesterday's wine. See Ecl. i. 55. Iaccho: a name of Bacchus; here put, by meton. for wine. It is derived from a Greek word signifying a shout or confused noise. It was given to him on account of the riot and vociferation of his inebriated followers, See Ecl. v. 69. 16. Serta: plu. of sertum, a garland, or wreath of flowers. To be crowned with a garland, was an indication of drunkenness. Silenus had all the signs of being in such a state. He was lying down-he was sleeping; but his garlands were not on his head; tantum delapsa: they had only fallen off they were neither broken nor bruised. 18. Aggressi, &c. The swains, seizing, put on him cords of these very garlands-they bind him with cords made of them. 20. Egle. The name of a nymph, derived from a Greek word signifying splendor, or brightness. Naïadum. See Ecl. ii. 46. Videnti: to him just opening his eyes. Timidis: to the trembling swains. 22. Moris. Morus was the fruit of the mulberry-tree. It is here called sanguineus. red, or bloody. It is said to have been originally white; but assumed the red or purple color, in memory of the two lovers, Pyramus and Thisbe, who slew themselves under a mulberry-tree. See Ovid. Met. Lib. 4. 23. Qud: why-for what purpose. 25. Cognoscite: in the sense of audite. 26. Aliud mercedis. The same as alia merces: another reward. measure. 27. Ludere in numerum : to dance, or leap about in regular time, or Their motions exactly corresponded to the notes or measure of the verse. Faunos The Fauni were demi-gods of the country, to whom the first fruits of all things were generally offered. See Ecl. v. 73. 29. Parnassia rupes. The mountain Parnassus in Phocis; a country in Grecia Propria, much celebrated by the poets, and sacred to the Muses. Here Apollo had a famous temple. 30. Rhodope-Ismarus. Two mountains, or rather ranges of mountains, in Thrace the country of Orpheus. 31. Namque canebat, &c. For he sung how the seeds, both of the earth and of the air, 35. Tum canebat quomodo solum cœperit Semina terrarumque, animæque, marisque fuissent, 33. Ut ex his primis Et liquidi simul ignis: ut his exordia primis omnia susceperunt Omnia, et ipse tener mundi concreverit orbis. Tum durare solum, et discludere Nerea ponto Cœperit, et rerum paulatim sumere formas. Jamque novum ut terræ stupeant lucescere solem, Altiùs utque cadant submotis nubibus imbres : Incipiant sylvæ cùm primùm surgere, cùmque Rara per ignotos errent animalia montes. Hinc lapides Pyrrhæ jactos, Saturnia regna, Caucaseasque refert volucres, futrumque Promethei. 37. Janique canebat ut terræ stupeant 38. Utque imbres cacant è nubibus submo. tis altiùs à terra. 35 40 NOTES. se in mare. Some copies have atque, but 38. Utque. 40. Rara: few in number, or thinly dispersed. and of the sea, &c. Silenus here relates channel. Rumus says, Dispellere aquas a the origin of the world, according to the system of Epicurus, who taught that incorForeal space, and corporeal atoms, were the first principles, or elements, of all things. The former he denomenated Inane, the latter Plenum. The Inane or Vacuum, he considered space, every way indefinitely extended. By the Plenum, he understood the atoms or minute particles of matter moving in every direction through the Inane, which Virgil here calls the semina, because it was thought by their fortuitous concurrence arose what we call the four elements, earth, air, water, and fire. Epicurus held many other erroneous notions, particularly concerning the nature of God. He was an Athenian, and born about 340 years before the Christian era. He had many followers. 32. Animæ: in the sense of aeris. Without air, there could be no animal existence. 33. Liquidi ignis: of pure fire. His primis: of these first principles or elements (earth, air, water, and fire) all things sprang or had a beginning. The Epicureans maintained that, though their atoms and incorporeal space were the first principles or elements of earth, air, water, and fire, yet these last were the principles or elements of all other things, or out of which all other things sprang. Omnia exordia: all things received or took a beginning. The verb susceperunt, or some other of the like import, is plainly understood, and to be supplied. Ut: how. . 35. Nerea: acc. sing of Nereus, a god of the sea, the son of Oceanus and Terra. He married Doris, by whom he had fifty daughters who were called Nereïdes. He possessed the gift of prophecy, and is said to have informed Paris of the fatal consequences of his carrying off Helen, the wife of Menelaus. It was by the direction and assistance of Nereus, that Hercules obtained the golden apples of the Hesperides. The word Nereus often put, by meton. for the sea, as in this place. Solum, &c. Then he sang how the land began to grow hard and to separate the waters from itself, and confine them to their 41. Hinc refert lapides, &c. After that he relates the thrown stones of Pyrrha, &c. Pyrrha was the daughter of Epimetheus, and wife of Deucalion, the son of Prometheus, and king of Thessaly. The poets say, that some time during his reign the inhabitants of the earth were destroyed by a universal deluge, except himself and his wife Pyrrha. They were preserved in a small ship, and carried by the waters to mount Parnassus, which was the only place not overwhelmed. Here they consulted the oracle of Themis concerning the restoration of the human race; when they were informed, to cast behind them the bones of their great mother; by which they understood stones. They immediately obeyed the command of the oracle, and those thrown by Deucalion became men, and those by Pyrrha, women. See Ovid. Met. Lib. 1. Saturnia regna: the reign of Saturn, or the Golden age. See Ecl. iv. 6. 42. Furtum Promethei: the theft of Prometheus. The poets say that he stole fire from heaven, with which he animated a man of clay, made by himself. At this, Jupiter was so much enraged, that he ordered Mercury to chain him to a rock on mount Caucasus. He did so, and placed a vulture to prey upon his liver; which, however, grew as fast as it was consumed. Hence Caucaseas volucres: the vultures of Caucasus. This is a very celebrated mountain, or rather range of mountains, lying between the Euxine and Caspian seas. Promethei: the word Prometheus is of Greek origin, and properly signifies foresight, or an anxious care or solicitude. This is a key to the story. It conveys a strong idea of the troubles men create to themselves, by taking too much care and thought for the morrow. His adjungit, Hylan nautæ quo fonte relictum Ah, virgo infelix, quæ te dementia cepit ? At non tam turpes pecudum tamen ulla secuta est Ah, virgo infelix, tu nunc in montibus erras! 45 46. Et solatur Pasi phaën amore nivei ju venci, fortunatam, si 49. At tamen non ulla earum secuta est tain 50 turpes 53. Ille taurus fultus quoad niveum latus mol Aut aliquam in magno sequitur grege. Claudite, Nymphæ, li hyacintho, ruminat Dictææ Nymphæ, nemorum jam claudite saltus: NOTES. 43. Hylan. Hylas was the companion of Hercules in the Argonautic expedition, and much beloved by him. Having gone on shore to obtain water, by some means or other, he was lost. The poets say he was carried off by the nymphs. Hercules and his companions were much grieved at the loss of the boy, and went along the shores, when they found he was missing, calling him by name, Hyla, Hyla. Clamâssent: in the sense of vocavissent. See Ecl. iv. 35. 46. Pasiphaën: a Greek acc. the daughter of the sun, and wife of Minos, king of Crete. See Æn. vi. 24. 47. Virgo. The poet here calls Pasiphaë a virgin, though she was the mother of Phadra, Ariadne, and Androgeus. The ancicats sometimes called any woman in early life a virgin. 48. Protides: the daughters of Pratus, king of the Argives, who vied with Juno in beauty. The goddess, by way of punishment, caused them to imagine they were changed into heifers. Their lowings, mugitus, arc here called false, because they were not in reality heifers. Secuta est: in the sense of quæsivit. 50. Quamvis tímuisset : although each one had feared the plough upon her neck-the yoke from which the plough was hung or suspended. 53. Fultus: supported-resting or reclining. 56. Diclac: an adj. from Dicte, a mountain of Crete. Silenus turns again to the story of Pasiphae, whom he here introduces 18 speaking, and calling upon the nymphs to shut up the openings of the groves. Perhaps some where or other the wandering steps 56 55. Aut aliquam vac cam 58. Forsitan aliquæ vaccæ perducant illum, aut captum viridi herbâ, 60 aut secutum armenta ad 61. Tum canit puellam, &c. Then he sings the damsel admiring the apples of the Hesperides. This was Atalanta, the daughter of Schoneus, king of the island of Scyrus, in the Egean sea. She consented to marry the man who should outrun her, but if he were beaten, he should lose his life. Several had lost their lives. At length she was beaten by Hippomenes, the grandson of Neptune or Mars. At the suggestion of Venus, Hippomenes cast three apples, taken from the garden of the Hesperides, on the ground, one at a time, when she was gaining upon him; which so captivated the virgin, that she stopped to pick them up; and by this means he obtained the beauteous prize. Hesperidum. The Hesperides were three in number, Egle, Arethusa, and Hespe rethusa, the daughters of Hesperus, the bro ther of Atlas. They resided in Mauritania, in Africa, where it is said they had gardens, in which were trees that bore golden apples. These gardens were watched by a dragon that never slept. Hercules slew him, and stole the apples. See En. iv. 484. 62. Tum circumdat, &c. Then he encloses the sisters of Phaethon in the moss of bitter bark--he sings thom transformed into pop 64. Tum canit ut una Corticis, atque solo proceras erigit alnos. Bororum duxerit Gallum Tum canit errantem Permessi ad flumina Gallum errantem ad flumina Aonas in montes ut duxerit una sororum : Permessi 67. Ut Linus pastor Utque viro Phœbi chorus assurrexerit omnis ; ornatus quoad crines flo- Ut Linus hæc illi divino carmine pastor, ribus, atque amaro apio Floribus atque apio crines ornatus amaro, dixerit hæc illi divino Dixerit: Hos tibi dant calamos, en accipe, Musa, carmine: O Galle, Muse Ascræo quos antè seni: quibus ille solebat dant hos calamos tibi; en accipe eos, quos ille Cantando rigidas deducere montibus ornos. His tibi Grynæi nemoris dicatur origo: dederant 74. Aut ut narraverit Ne quis sit lucus, quo se plùs jactet Apollo. Scyllam filiam Nisi, aut Quid loquar aut Scyllam Nisi, aut quam fama secuta est, eam quam fama secuta Candida succinctam latrantibus inguina monstris, ost succinctam quoad 75 NOTES. lar or alder trees. Phaethontradas. These were the sisters of Phaethon, or Phaëton, and daughters of the sun. They were sometimes called Heliades. Their names were Phaëthusa, Lampetie, and Lampethusa. Phaëton imprudently desired of his father the management of his chariot for one day. Phoebus refused for a long time. But, at last, overcome by his importunity, he consented. He was, however, soon convinced of his rashness; for the horses, perceiving an unusual driver, became impatient of the reins; and when they had passed the meridian in their course, and began to descend, he was no longer able to restrain them, and the youth was thrown headlong from the car into the Eridanus, or Po. His sisters grieved immoderately at this misfortune of their brother; and were changed, some say, into poplar trees, others say, into alder trees. See Ovid. Met. Lib. 2. 63. Circumdat. Ruæus says, cingit. Proceras: stately. 64. Permessi. Permessus, a river of Beotia, rising at the foot of mount Helicon. Gallum. See Ecl. 10. 65. In Aonas montes: to the Beotian mountains, Helicon and Citheron, famous for being the seat of the Muses. Beotia was originally called Aonia, from Aon, the son of Neptune, who reigned in that country. 66. Omnis chorus. Here Virgil pays Gallus a very high compliment as a poet; and he does it in the most delicate manner. They rose up in his presence, to do him honor: assurrexerit viro. 67. Linus. See Ecl. iv. 56. Carmine: in the sense of versibus. 70. Ascræo seni: to the Ascrean sage Hesiod; who was a native of Ascra, a town of Beotia not far from Helicon. He was a celebrated poet. 71. Quibus ille, &c. It is said of Orpheus, that the lofty oaks bowed their heads, and listened to the charms of his music. The same effects are ascribed here to the music of Hesiod. It is the highest compliment that possibly could be paid him. 72. Grynai: an adj. from Grynium, a city of Eolis, where Apollo had a temple, built of white marble, and a grove. Here was a famous oracle. 74. Scyllam. There were two by the name of Scylla: one the daughter of Nisus, king of the Megarenses, who, falling in love with Minos, king of Crete, as he lay siege to Megara, betrayed her father to his enemy. For which deed, it is said, she was changed into a lark; while he was changed into a hawk. See nom. prop. under Nisus. The other was the daughter of Phorcus. Some there are, who think Virgil here confounds the two, attributing to the former what properly belongs to the latter. But there will be no need of this, if we only supply the word eam, or illam. The story of Scylla, the daughter of Phorcus, is briefly this: Glaucus, the sea god, fell in love with her, but she refused his addresses. In order to render her more favorable to him, he applied to the sorceress Circe; who, as soon as she saw him, became enamoured with him herself; and instead of affording him any assistance, endeavored to divert his affections from Scylla, and fix them on herself, but without any effect. For the sake of revenge, Circe poured the juice of some noxious herbs into a fountain, where Scylla used to bathe her self. And as soon as she entered it, to her great surprise, she found the parts below her waist changed into frightful monsters, like dogs, that were continually barking or making a growling noise. The rest of her body assumed an equally hideous form. This sudden and unexpected metamorphosis, filled her with such horror, that she threw herself into that part of the sea, which divides Sicily from Italy, where she becamie a rock, or rather a ledge of rocks. S&e En. iii. 420. Secuta est: reported. Loquar: in the sense of dicam, |