Ut vidi, ut perii, ut me malus abstulit error! 45 45. Edunt illum in duris cotibus, puerum nec nostri generis, nec nostri sanguinis 48. Tu, O mater eras quoque crudelis: eras ne 50 mater magis crudelis, an ille puer magis improbus! ille puer erat improbus; sed tu, O mater, quoque eras crudelis. 55 NOTES. 41. Ut vidi, ut, &c. How I gazed, how I languished, how a fatal delusion carried me away! Nothing can exceed this line in tenderness of expression. The me malus abstulit error, represents him as snatched from himself, deprived of his reason and judgment, and lost in wonder and admiration, while he surveyed her beauteous form, and attractive charms. It also conveys to us a just idea of the nature of love, which is often delusive, deceptive, and unsuccessful, as was the particular case of Damon. Error: in the sense of insania, vel amor, says Heyne. Malus: fatal-unhappy. 44. Ismarus, &c. Ismarus and Rhodope were two very wild and rocky mountains in Thrace. Garamantes. These were a savage people inhabiting the interior parts of Africa. Hence they are here called extremi. 45. Edunt: plainly for ederunt, by Enallage; and that in the sense of produxerunt or genuerunt. 47. Matrem. Medea, the daughter of Etes, king of Colchis, a famous sorceress. She fell in love with Jason, one of the Argonauts, and by her directions and assistance, he obtained the golden fleece. She married him, and returned with him to Thessaly. He afterwards repudiated her, and married Creüsa, the daughter of the king of Corinth. In revenge for which, she slew the children, whom she bore him, before his eyes. See Ovid. Met. 7. Docuit: in the sense of impulit. 48. Commaculare: in the sense of polluere. 50. Improbus: wicked-impious. 52. Nunc lupus ultrò, &c. Now may the wolf of his own accord flee from the sheep; the hard oaks, &c. As if he had said: now 60. Habeto tu hoc extremum munus tui mo60 rientis amatoris the natural course of things may be changed. The most unlikely and unnatural things may take place, since a woman is found capable of such unfeeling and cruel conduct. 53. Alnus: the alder-tree. Narcisso: the flower daffodil. See Ecl. ii. 46. 54. Myrice: shrubs-tamarisks. The word is sometimes taken for pastoral poetry. Sudent: in the sense of stillent. Electra pinguia: rich amber. 55. Tityrus sit Orpheus, &c. May Tityrus become an Orpheus; - Orpheus in the woods, and an Orion among the dolphins. Orion was a famous lyric poet of Lesbos, who, on his return home from Italy with great wealth, was cast into the sea by the sailors for the sake of his money. A dolphin that had been charmed with his music, it is said, took him on his back, and carried him safe to Tanarus, a town on the southern promontory of the Peloponnesus. For Orpheus, see Ecl. iii. 46. 58. Omnia vel medium, &c. Let all things become even the middle of the sea-the deep sea. Since I must perish, let all the world be drowned. Vivite: elegantly put for valete. 59. Specula: the top, or summit. It properly signifies any eminence which commands a prospect of the country around it, Aërii montis. This may allude to the famous rock in Arcadia, called the lover's leap; from which, those, who threw themselves into the sea, were cured of their love. 60. Deferar. This appears to be used in the sense of the Greek middle voice, which generally hath a reflex signification: I will throw myself. possumus facere omnia Desine Mænalios, jam desine, tibia, versus. 62. Damon dixit hæc: Hæc Damon: vos, quæ responderit Alphesibœus, vos, Pierides, dicite ea, Dicite, Pierides: non omnia possumus omnes. que 63. Nos omnes non 65 ALP. Effer aquam, et molli cinge hæc altaria vitta: Carminibus Circe socios mutavit Ulyssei: 70 Frigidus in pratis cantando rumpitur anguis. versa 73. Primùm circumdo Terna tibi hæc primùm triplici diversa colore hæc terna licia tibi, di- Licia circumdo, terque hæc altaria circum 78. Ncete eos modò: Necte, Amarylli, modò: et Veneris, dic, vincula necto. Effigiem duco. Numero Deus impare gaudet. 75 et 81. Sic Daphnis emolliatur nostro Ducite ab urbe domum, mea carmina, ducite Daphnim. 80 Sparge molam, et fragiles incende bitumine lauros. 83. Ego uro hanc NOTES. 63. Pierides: the Muses. They were so called from Pieria, where, it is said, they were born. See Ecl. iii. 60. 64. Effer aquam. Here Alphesibœus personates some enchantress, who by charms and magic rites endeavors to make Daphnis in love with her. The words are supposed to be addressed to her servant maid Amaryllis, mentioned verse 78, infra. 65. Verbenas. A species of plant or herb called vervain, much used in magic operations. It is sometimes taken for all kinds of herbs used in such rites. Mascula. By this we are to understand the strongest and best kind of frankincense. 66. Ut experiar: that I may try to turn away the sound mind of my spouse: i. e. throw him into a violent passion for me, causing him to lose his reason and judgment. Conjux, here means an intended or expected husband. By it we are to understand Daphnis, who it seems had left her for some other mistress. Sacris: rites, or ceremonies. 67. Carmina: charms-a solemn form of words; to which the ancients attributed great efficacy. 70. Circe. The name of a famous sorSee Æn. vii. 10. ceress. 71. Cantando: ger. in do, of the verb canto. Ruæus says: dum incantatur: while the incantations or magic rites are performing. 73. Triplici colore: with triple color. The ancients had a great veneration for the number three. This was thought the most perfect of all numbers, having regard to the beginning, the middle, and the end. Diversa: diversified-various. 74. Circumdo: in the sense of circumligo. 78. Veneris: in the sense of amoris. Modò: in the sense of nunc. 80. Ut hic Limus, &c. The sorceress made two images or figures, one of mud (limus) to represent herself; the other of wax (cera) to represent Daphnis. The former would naturally harden, and the other melt in the same fire. It was the received opinion that as the image melted and consumed, so did the person it represented melt and dissolve into love, losing all his cruelty and hardness of heart toward his mistress; while she, who was represented by the other figure, would grow harder, and more indifferent to the object of her love. 82. Sparge molam: break, or scatter the salt-cake. The mola was a kind of cake much used in sacrifices. It was made of the flour of grain that grew the same year, highly seasoned with salt. It was placed upon the forehead of the victim, and upon the fire. Incende: burn the crackling laurels with bitumen. The laurels were burnt to consume the flesh of Daphnis, on whose account these rites were performed. The cake was crumbled upon his image, or upon the victims in sacrifices. Such was the nature of these ridiculous rites, 83. Malus Daphnis: cruel Daphnis burns me; I burn this laurel upon Daphnis-upon his image. By burning the effigy of a per 85 85. Utinam talis amor occupet Daphnim, qualis, cùm bucula fessa quærendo juvencum per nemora, atque altos lu89 cos, procumbit Daphnis me malus urit, ego hanc in Daphnide laurum. NOTES. son magically, it was thought that they burnt the person himself; or that some how or other, he was affected in a similar manner. 85. Juvencum: the bull. Talis. Here is an ellipsis of the words, occupat juvencam, or some other of the like import, to make the sense complete. 87. Ulva: a kind of sedge, or meadowgrass. Some copies have herba. 88. Perdila: wretched-desperate; with out hope of finding the object of her search. Nec seræ nocti, &c. She is so intent upon the object of her love, that she thinks of nothing else-she thinks not of returning home, even though it be late at night. Decedere seræ nocti: to yield or give place to the late night. 89. Mederi: to cure him. 91. Ille perfidus, &c. That perfidious (shepherd) formerly left these clothes with me, as the dear pledges of himself. It appears hence that Daphnis had pledged his love to her, but afterward violated his word. This justifies the use of the word conjux, as applied to him, verse 66. 92. In ipso limine: in the very threshold, or entrance. Servius thinks we are to understand the entrance of the temple of Vesta; others, of Daphnis' own house. But it is better to understand it of her own house, for it appears that here she performed her magic rites. 93. Mando: in the sense of committo. Hæc pignora: these pledges owe Daphnis to me. The clothes that a person once wore, or any thing that belonged to him, were 95 89. Teneat Daphnim 95. Mæris ipse dedit has herbas 96. Enim plurima venena nascuntur in Ponto. Ego vidi Mærin ipsum sæpe fieri lupum his venenis, et condere se sylvis; vidi illum sæpe 101 excire 105 thought to be very efficacious in enchantments. Accordingly she lays much stress upon them; she is sure they will bring him home to her. One part of these magic rites was to bury the clothes of the lover under the threshold, to constrain him to return. 95. Ponto. Pontus, an extensive country in Asia Minor, bordering upon the Euxine sea. It abounded in poisonous herbs. Mithridates, king of Pontus, rendered his country notorious by the long and bloody wars which he maintained against the Romans. He was, however, at last overcome by Pompey the Great. Venena: magic plants. Those of a poisonous quality were considered the most efficacious, and were particularly sought for, and required in all enchantments. 101. Fer cineres. The most powerful, and usually the last efforts of the enchanter, were to throw the ashes of the magical sacrifice over the head backward into running water. Servius says, this was done that the gods might catch the ashes without being seen, as they were unwilling to show themselves, unless on extraordinary occasions. 102. Ne respexeris: in the sense of ne respice. 103. Aggrediar his, &c. With these ashes I will assail Daphnis. Nihil and nil are often used as simple negatives, in the sense In other words, he does not regard his so of non: he does not regard the gods, &c. lemn promises made in the presence of the gods; he regards not my charms. 105. Aspice. This and the following line 46 106. Bonum omen 109. O mea carmina Sponte suâ, dum ferre moror, cinis ipse: bonum sit! WHEN Augustus divided the lands about Mantua among his soldiers, the ertete of Virgi fell to Arius, a centurion. When he went to re-enter upon his estate, after it had been restored to him, he met with much severe treatment from the new possessor, and on one occasion, was near being killed. He saved his life by swimming over the river Mincius. In consequence of which, he returned to Rome to acquaint the Emperor of the matter. He left his steward, who is here called Mæris, behind, and directed hira to treat his new landlord with civility and respect. Mæris is going to him with a present of some kids, and meets Lycidas, who is supposed to be some Mantuan shepherd. Upon their meeting the pastoral opens. The scene is the road to the town. The evening is coming on: the air is tranquil and serene. The pastoral contains a complaint of Virgil's hard treatment under the character of Menalcas; a compliment to his friend Varus, and another to Julius Cæsar, and consequently to Augustus; together with several scraps of poetry artfully interwoven with the subject. The whole pastoral is elegant and beautiful. 1. O Mæri, quò tui Lyc. Quò te, Mæri, pedes? an, quò via ducit, in ur pedes ducunt te? an du- Μœ. Ο Lycida, vivi pervenimus; advena nostri [bem? cunt te in urbem, quò (Quod nunquam veriti sumus) ut possessor agelli via ducit? NOTES. 2. Vivi pervenimus: we living have come to that condition-or have lived to see the day, that, &c. Advena: a noun of common gender, here used as an adj. It may signi fy intruding-usurping, as well as foreign, in the present case, it includes the idea of all of them. Diceret: Hæc mea sunt; veteres migrate coloni. 2. Nos vivi perveni 5 mus eù miseria, ut ad Ly. Certè equidem audieram, quâ se subducere colles Μœ. Audieras, et fama fuit: sed carmina tantùm vena possessor 7. Certè equidem audieram vestrum Domi 10 num Menalcan servâsse sibi omnia arve suis carminibus ab eo loco, quà colles incipiunt subdu cere se 11. Audieras illud, et 15 talis fuit fama 13. Columbas valere 14. Quòd nisi sinistra me heu tua cornix monuisset [nobis antè ab ilice cava inciherbis dere Lv. Heu! cadit in quemquam tantum scelus? Penè simul tecum solatia rapta, Menalca! Quis caneret Nymphas? quis humum florentibus Spargeret? aut viridi fontes induceret umbrâ ? Vel quæ sublegi tacitus tibi carmina nuper, Cùm te ad delicias ferres Amaryllida nostras? "Tityre, dum redeo, brevis est via, pasce capellas: "Et potum pastas age, Tityre, et inter agendum "Occursare capro, cornu ferit ille, caveto." 18. Heu tua solatia 20 rapta sunt penè nobis simul tecum 21. Vel quis caneret carmina, quæ tacitus 23. Quorum versuum 95 hoc est fragmentum: 0 Tityre, pasce Max. Immò hæc, quæ Varo, necdum perfecta, canebat. Vare, tuum nomen (superet modò Mantua nobis, 26. Immo potius quis canerethoccarmina, que ille Menalcas 14. Incidere novas lites, &c. To break off my new disputes in any way whatever. Lis, is properly an action or case at law. 15. Sinistra: ill-boding. See Ecl. 1. 18. 16. Hic tuus Maris. It appears from this that the life of Virgil, who is here called Menalcas, and that of Meris, had been in danger from the new landlord. 17. Heu, tantum scelus, &c. Alas! that so great wickedness should fall upon any one. Or the words may be rendered thus; Alas! that so great wickedness should come inte any one's mind:-that any one should conceive the idea of perpetrating the horrid deed of murder. This is the usual sense given to the words. 18. Hen, tua solatia, &c. Alas, Monalcas, your delight (the delight of your song.) was almost snatched from us with yourself: and if you had been quite slain, in that case, who would have sung the nymphs, &c. Heyne observes that by solutia we are to understand the song, carmina, or verses of Jenal cas. 21. Sublegi: I purloined from you. Ruœus says, surripui. 22. Nostras delicias: for nostram amicam. Delicia is used only in the plural; delightdarling: here a mistress. 24. Age pastas: drive them full fed to drink. Potum: sup. in um, to drink-take water. Inter agendum: in driving ther while driving then, beware, &c. NOTES. 3. Agelli: a noun diminutive from ager: a little farm. 5. Fors: in the sense of fortuna. 6. Quod nec benè vertat: which (present of the kids.) I wish may not turn out well to him. The usual mode of congratulation upon receiving a favor was: Benè vertat, I wish you joy-may it turn out well to you. nec benè vertat, therefore, was a kind of imprecation: may it prove a mischief to you. 7. Subducere se to decline-to fall. 3. Demittere jugum: to lower their ridge, or top, by an easy descent. Here we have a description of the farm of Virgil. It was bounded on one side by a sloping hill; in other parts of its limits, were the broken top of an old beech-tree, a marsh, and the river Mincius. 9. Ad aquam: perhaps the river Mincius. 13. Aquila veniente: the eagle coming upon them-pursuing them. Here we have a beautiful circumlocution, expressing the inutility of his verses, and the charms of poetry, amidst martial arms. Chaonias: an adj. from Chaonia, a part of Epirus, where *was the city Dodona, and a grove of the same name, famous for its oracular oaks. Columbas: two doves endued with a prophetic spirit are said to have resided among these oaks. Afterward one of them is said to have flown to the temple of Apollo at Delphi, and the other to the temple of Jupiter Ammon in Africa. They are here put • for dores in general. 26. Varo: to Varus. See Eel. 6. 7. |