Omnibus una quies operum, labor omnibus unus. Mane ruunt portis; nusquam mora: rursus easdem 185 Ut cymbæ instabiles fluctu jactante saburram, which we find of this flower among the poets, who represent it as having the letters A I inscribed on its petals. The poets feign that the boy Hyacinthus, who was unfortunately killed by Apollo, was changed by that deity into a hyacinth, which therefore was marked with these notes of lamentation to express Apollo's grief. It is also feigned, that the same flower arose from the blood of Ajax, when he slew himself; those letters being half the name of that hero. We are told, that the flower in question was shaped like a lily, was of a red colour, and was marked with the letters A 1. Virgil calls it, in this place, ferrugineus, and in the third eclogue he calls it suave rubens. Hence we can only gather, that the colour of this flower is a deep shining red. I take the epithet ferrugineos, in this place, only to express the deepness of the colour. 190 195 I am pretty well satisfied, that the flower celebrated by the poets, is what we now are acquainted with under the name of lilium floribus reflexis, or martagon, and perhaps may be that very species which we call imperial martagon. The flowers of most sorts of martagons have many spots of a deeper colour; and sometimes I have seen these spots run together in such a manner, as to form the letters AI in several places. Omnibus una quies, &c.] This passage is taken from Aristotle, who says, that in the morning they are all silent, till one of them calls the rest up with two or three hums: then they all go out to work. And when they return, they are at first tumultuous, but grow more quiet by degrees, till at last one flies buzzing round the rest, as if it commanded silence, upon which they are all immediately quiet. Illum adeo placuisse apibus mirabere morem, Excipiat; neque enim plus septima ducitur æstas, Verum ipsa e foliis natos.] By foliis, perhaps the poet means the petals or leaves of flowers; for Aristotle speaks wholly of flowers. Neque enim plus septima ducitur æstas.] Aristotle says that bees live six years, and that some last seven; but if a swarm subsists nine or ten years, it is thought very happy. Præterea regem, &c.] In this paragraph the poet compares the obedience of the bees to their king with that of the most servile nations, the Egyptians, Lydians, Parthians, and Medes. Egyptus.] The Egyptians were remarkable adorers of their monarchs, many of the heathen gods being the deified kings of that people. Ingens Lydia.] Lydia was a region of Asia Minor, famous 200 205 210 for their rich king Croesus, and their golden river Pactolus. Populi Parthorum.] Parthia was a region of Asia, bounded on the west by Media, on the north by Hyrcania, on the east by Ariana, and on the south by the deserts of Carmania. These people are reported to have been so submissive to their king, as to kiss his foot and to touch the ground with their mouths when they approached him. Medus Hydaspes.] The Hy. daspes, of which we find such abundant mention among the ancient writers, was a river of India. But here Virgil seems to speak of a Median river of the same name, which, however, I do not find mentioned by any of the ancient geographers.Catrou, in his note on this passage, says the Hydaspes was a Observant. Rege incolumi mens omnibus una est: Ille operum custos: illum admirantur, et omnes river of Persia, and gives us a His quidam signis, &c.] The poet observes, that some philo 215 220 225 230 sophers, considering the great sagacity of these insects, have supposed them to partake of the divine mind. Si quando, &c.] In this paragraph the poet speaks of the two seasons of taking the honey, and of the passionate temper of the bees. Fumosque manu prætende sequaces.] It is a custom to drive bees with smoke. Foetus.] The commentators agree, that by this word not the young bees, but the honey, is meant. Duo tempora messis.] The A a Taygete simul os terris ostendit honestum poet seems to follow Aristotle, who says there are two seasons of making honey, in spring and in autumn. Taygete.] Taygete was one of the Pleiades. Illis ira modum supra est.] He now assigns a reason for spirting water and smoking them; because otherwise, being animals of strong resentment, they would revenge their quar. rel on the person who should offer to assail them. Animasque in vulnere ponunt.] It is said to be a vulgar error that bees lose their lives with their stings. Sin duram metues, &c.] The poet now proceeds to speak of the manner in which those hives should be treated, where the honey is not taken, but left to support the bees in winter, and mentions the plagues that infest them. At suffire thymo.] The sense 235 240 seems to be, though you think fit not to benefit yourself by depriving them of their honey, yet it will be worth the while to take some pains about preserving them. Cerasque recidere inanes.]— Servius seems to understand the poet to mean, that some wax should be cut into small pieces, and given the bees for nourishment. But he is certainly to be understood of taking away the superfluous wax, lest the empty cells should afford room for noxious animals. Ignotus stellio.] The stellio is a small spotted lizard, called also a swift. The poet calls it ignotus, because of its creeping into holes and corners. Lucifugis blattis.] The blatta is an insect something like a beetle: some take the cockroch to be the blatta. They are called lucifuge, because they do not appear by daylight. |