might be viewed as destined to high fortunes, and was indeed the Marcellus whose memory is immortalized in the 6th Æn. In bringing about the reconciliation between Antony and Octavianus, and this marriage, Pollio had been instrumental. A child of his own, born in that year, has been thought by many interpreters, particularly by Cerda, Taubman, the Delphin, and Voss, to be alluded to in this Eclogue; and yet the part which Pollio then acted, or was ever likely to act, seems too subordinate to admit the application of such lofty language.

1. Sicelides: pastoral poetry originated in Sicily, and was perfected by Theocritus. Σικελικόν μέλος. Bion. Idyl. vii. 1. Σικελικαί Μοίσαι. Mosch. Idyl. iii.—Majora canamus: the subjects he is now about to treat are of a nature more sublime.

2. Myrica tamarisks.'

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3. Digna: let the pastoral be worthy of a consul's ear.'

5. Magnus....ordo: the oracular lines here commence: the poet proceeds to unfold and apply a prophecy of the Cumæan Sibyl. A series of ages, distinguished by the names of the metals, gold, silver, brass and iron, have now nearly elapsed; and another series of the same order is about to commence with the new golden age.

6. Virgo: the goddess of justice, Aizn, or Astræa, who once dwelt on earth. Hes. Egy. 256. Her return is one sign of the second golden age in the first, Saturn had reigned.

10. Casta, fave, Lucina: only do thou, O chaste Lucina, favour the infant boy. Lucina, or Diana, is called upon to be propitious, as her brother Apollo now reigns.

11. Decus hoc avi: this glory of the age.'-Inibit: sc. cursum ; 'will appear.' The verb in this sense has been retained only in its participle; ineunte anno; ineunte mense; iniens ætas.

12. Magni: renowned, illustrious.'

13. Sceleris vestigia: alluding, probably, to the civil wars. Under Pollio's consulate, the expiation of these crimes is promised, as well as the removal of future apprenensions.

18. At tibi: 'but for thee, O child, shall the earth pour forth her first offerings spontaneously.'

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19. Baccare the lady's glove.' This plant was deemed efficacious against enchantments. Ecl. vii. 28.

20. Colocasia: 'the Egyptian bean,' the extended cultivation of which, in Italy, the poet considers among the advantages of the approaching golden age.

21. Ipse of their own accord, not driven.'

23. Ipsa.

cunabula flores: the cradle itself shall pour forth fragrant flowers for thee.'

31. Fraudis: a few traces of the ancient corrupt state will remain.' 32. Thetim the name of a sea-goddess is used for the sea itself. 34. Alter Tiphys: Tiphys was the pilot whom Jason took when going to Colchis in the ship Argo.

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39. Tellus consequent on the birth of this child, a gradation of blessings is announced, increasing in importance: in his infancy, fundent cunabula flores; in his youth, the poet promises aristas, uvas, mella ; but when grown up, omnis feret omnia tellus. D.

43. Suave for suaviter. Ecl. iii. 63.

44. Luto: reseda luteola; by Vitruvius named luteum; by Pliny, lutea; now in use to give a yellow dye, and called woold, or woad. M. 45. Sandyx: scarlet: Pliny and Servius say that this is an herb: Martyn thinks it our red orpiment.

46. Talia sæcla: 'Ye so happy ages, run on [hasten forward to the

birth], sung the Destinies, harmonious in the established order of the fates.'

47. Parca: these divinities are introduced as concurring in their wishes with the immutable power who directs their operations; as addressing their spindles, and ordering their advance.

49. Incrementum: the poet, impatient for the happy consummation which he predicts, here apostrophizes the infant.

50. Nutantem

mundum: Servius explains this line as representing the world bending under the weight of its present miseries: the Delphin, præ lætitiâ commoventem, with which Voss concurs.

53. O mihi.... facta: the Sibyl utters an anxious wish that her life may be protracted till the splendid era which she contemplates.

57. Orphei: the dative in the Greek form; to be scanned as a spondee.

60. Risu; the smile' of his mother. A child on whom, at his birth, his mother did not bestow that mark of affection, was accounted unfortunate. For no other reason, Vulcan, with whose deformity his mother was shocked when first she saw him, was thrown from heaven.

61. Tulerunt: the penult, usually long, is here short, as in the verbs of similar form; miscuerunt. Geo. ii. 129, steterunt. Æn. ii. 774. and iii. 48. prodiderunt. Lucret. iii. 86.

63. Cubile est two peculiar honours followed an apotheosis; 1st, admission to the table of the gods; and 2d, the hand of a goddess in ⚫marriage.

ECLOGUE V.

Two shepherds, after mutual compliments, make choice of the fate of Daphnis as the subject of their song: his death is lamented by Mopsus; his apotheosis celebrated by Menalcas. What person Virgil had in view, under the name of Daphnis, has been the subject of much debate. A brother of his own, who died in early life, has been suggested by some interpreters: by others, the Sicilian shepherd, of the same name, whose death is lamented by Theocritus, Idyl. i.: Quintilius Varus, or Julius Cæsar, by the greater number. Considerable difficulty attends each hypothesis: it is possible that a mere imitation of Theocritus was intended, and not the expression of grief for any particular individual. If Virgil ever means to represent himself, it is here under the name of Menalcas: under that of Mopsus was meant, according to Servius, Æmilius Macer, a poet of Verona, and a friend of Virgil.

1. Boni....versus: since we have met, both skilful, you in playing on the slender reeds, and I in singing verses.'

4. Tu major sc. natu; you are the eldest.'

5. Motantibus: 'shifting."

7. Labrusca: 'the wild vine' is not distinct in species from the cul tivated; differing only from want of care and pruning. It is called in the Culex, attributed to our poet, labruscum, in the neuter: Densaque virgultis avidè labrusca petuntur. Verse 52.

8. Tibi certet: for tecum certet; can vie with you.' This is ironical. 11. Codri: the names of Phyllis, Alcon, and Codrus, probably do not refer to any real persons, but were taken by the poet arbitrarily,

as occurring in supposed pastoral poetry which Menalcas retains in his memory, as formerly recited by Mopsus. Voss.

14. Alterna: used for the adverb, alternatim: he was employed alternately in singing and in inscribing his composition on the bark. D. 17. Saliunca: the nardus celtica, a species of valerian, was named Ahovyyta. Pliny says that it grows on the mountains of Liguria, and in Istria; where, indeed, it is still found. The Tyrolians now give it the name of seliunk. M.

23. Mater as Julius Cæsar fell at the age of fifty-six, and no mother survived him, it does not seem probable that he was the subject of this Eclogue. But by mater, Martyn and Voss would understand Venus; the Delphin, the city of Rome; others, Calpurnia.

24. Non ulli... ...: this is the order; Non ulli pastores egére pastos boves ad frigida flumina illis diebus, Daphni; nulla quadrupes neque libarit amnem, &c. Though in Latin the use of two negatives, with a negative meaning, is not frequent, yet some instances of nullus and in that sense, occur. See Adam's Lat. Gram. R. xxxix. Obs. 3. 28. Loquuntur: the savage mountains, and the woods, O Daphnis, declare that even the African lions mourned your death.'

neque,

29. Curru: for currui: the genitive of nouns of the 4th declension anciently ended in uis, and the dat. in ui: uis was afterwards contracted into ús, and sometimes ui into u. D.

30. Thiasos: these were processions of persons singing and dancing in chorus, with loud musical instruments, in honour of some divinity. D. 31. Hastas: the thyrsus is here meant, which was formed by winding ivy and vine branches round a staff or spear. Each of the persons forming the chorus, celebrating a feast in honour of Bacchus, was the bearer of a thyrsus.

37. Nascuntur avena: this line, with the substitution of dominantur for nascuntur, is repeated, Geo. i. 154. The poetry is there, as Pierius observes, of a more elevated character. The wild oat, here alluded to, differs in species from the cultivated oat: on particular soils it is a most troublesome weed.

38. Narcisso: some species of our daffodil is meant, probably that of a whitish colour, with a purple cup. M.

39. Paluurus: the thorn.'

40. Fontibus umbras: facite nemora circa fontes; because the souls of heroes dwell in fountains and groves. Serv. Among the Roman festivals were the fontinalia, when the fountains were crowned with garlands. That these were connected with any funeral ceremonies, does not appear. Heyne understands that the tomb was to be placed near a fountain; and Voss adds, that such a position was frequent; but of this no proof is offered; and the poet gives no intimation of it. 48. Magistrum: this instructer seems to be Daphnis himself. D. 52. Amavit nos: this line, and the lines which follow, seem to prove, decisively, that by Daphnis, Julius Cæsar could not be intended. man of fifty-six would not be termed puer: no tradition or probability exists, that Virgil was known to the Roman dictator; and yet not merely acquaintance, but esteem, is to be supposed on the part of Daphnis for Menalcas. The 61st line, if applied to Julius Cæsar, would have appeared sneering and ironical.

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56. Candidus: resplendent, glorious.' The death of Daphnis had been celebrated in twenty-five lines: the same number are dedicated to his apotheosis.

63. Intonsi: sylvosi; incædui. Serv.

66. Phœbo: the reading of this line Servius thus paraphrases; Feci,

inquit, aras quatuor; tibi, O Daphni, duas, et duas aras Apollini, quæ sint altaria. The gods, both superi and inferi, had altars, aras, consecrated to them: but the superi alone had altaria. The general term ara, from alow, Voss says, was applied to the first erection of stone, earth, sods, or other materials. Upon the ara was occasionally placed, for the purpose of burnt-offerings, an additional erection, ßwuis, termed altare, or, in the plural, altaria: in time this was applied to the whole altar.

67. Lacte: Theocr. Idyl. v. 53–4. To the beneficent Daphnis no bloody offerings are made.

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71. Calathis: from cups.' Calathus is usually put for a basket; but here evidently for a drinking vessel.-Ariusia vina: Chian wine;' the produce of a district in the island of Chios, celebrated by Strabo as the best of Greek wines. This island, now called Scio, produces wine still in esteem.

75. Lustrabimus: the ambarvalia were celebrated in early spring. Geo. i. 339.

77. Thymo....cicada: the thyme of the ancients, thymus capitatus, differs from our plant of that name: it is more fragrant, and agreeable to the taste. M. The opinion maintained by Aristotle, that the cicada live on dew alone, is found in Hesiod, Sc. H. 395. and Theocr. Idyl. iv. 16.

80. Damnabis....votis: to this new divinity, vows might be addressed. On obtaining the object of their petitions, the persons who addressed them would be 'condemned,' i. e. bound, to the performance of the conditions into which they entered.

82. Venientis: 'rising.'

84. Saxosas....valles: the inhabitants of cold climates cannot be accurate judges of the pleasurable ideas associated, by those in warm climates, with the sound of falling waters.

85. Ante: before you make a present to me.

86. Formosum: referring to the 2d Eclogue.

87. Cujum pecus: referring to the 3d Eclogue. From these two lines it may be inferred that, under the name of Menalcas, the poet represents himself.

88. Pedum: a shepherd's crook.'

ECLOGUE VI.

Two satyrs and the nymph Egle, surprising and binding Silenus when asleep, oblige him to perform a previous promise to recite some poetry. He describes, first, the foundation of the universe; then, some prodigies, in the midst of which are introduced the praises of Gallus.

1. Prima: the poet claims the merit of introducing into his own tongue the bucolic poetry, of which Theocritus, a native of Syracuse, offered the model.

3. Aurem vellit: pulled my ear;' a proverbial expression.

5. Deductum 'to sing in humble strains; a metaphor borrowed from spinning yarn into a slender thread: tenui deducta poëmata filo. Hor. Epist. ii. 1. 225.

6. Super tibi erunt: super-erunt tibi; will remain to you.'

tmesis.

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7. Vare: who was the individual here addressed, Servius cannot determine the Delphin and others say P. Quintilius Varus, consul, A. U. C. 741.

9. Non injussa: not disapproved' by the god of song: the poet has just told what he had been forbidden to attempt; he now intimates what was permitted to him.

11. Nec Phabo: in this order; nec est ulla pagina gratior Phœbo, quàm illa quæ præscripsit nomen Vari sibi.

13. Chromis et Mnasylus: two young satyrs: that they were not men, appears by their acquaintance with Silenus, and their familiarity with the nymph. No intercourse between these superior beings and the human race was supposed to be permitted. Theocr. viii. 44. Voss.

16. Procul tantùm: his garlands, having only slipped from his head, were lying at a distance.' Voss interprets tantum in the sense of modo, 'just now' and this is more rational than Servius's construction, who makes it mean 'near at hand.' But the version given is preferred having only slipped off;' not torn and scattered.

18. Ambo: the accusatives of duo and ambo have sometimes the same termination as the nominative; in the Greek form. See Adam's Gram.

21. Naradum: this word is of four syllables. Naïdes. Ecl. x. 10. 27. In numerum: 'in cadence with the song.'

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31. Magnum inane: the mighty void.' The origin of the world, according to the Epicurean system, and some incidents of fabulous history, till the heroic age, are sung by Silenus.

32. Semina: these elements of matter, exordia rerum; Lucret. v. 431. answer to the atoms of Epicurus

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33. Liquidi pure, ethereal.' Lucret. vi. 204. applies to fire the same epithet.

35. Discludere: to shut out the waters from the land.'-Ponto: the earth, acquiring solidity and elevation, threw off the incumbent water; which then formed the ocean.

41. Pyrrhæ see Ovid. Met. i. or Lempriere's Class. Dictionary. 42. Volucres: the vultures or eagles, which perpetually gnawed the liver of Prometheus while chained to a rock, on Mount Caucasus. 43. Nauta: the Argonauts.'

56. Dictae: Pasiphaë calls on the Cretan Nymphs to close the glades, saltus, leading into the woods, to prevent the bull entering. 60. Vacca: perhaps, when enticed by the green herbage, or following the herds, some of the cows may lead him to the Gortynian stalls."

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61. Puellam for the story of Atalanta, see Ovid's Met. x.; or Lempriere's Classical Dictionary.

62. Circumdat: he proceeds to relate in what manner the sisters of Phaeton were transformed; here it is said, into alders; Æn. x. 190. into poplars.

64. Permessi: a river in Boeotia.

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65. Sororum of the Muses.' The mountainous part of Boeotia was named Aonia. On Helicon arose the fountain Hippocrene, the waters of which fall into the Permessus. Cornelius Gallus had then lately distinguished himself as a pastoral poet. This is expressed metaphorically by introducing him into the haunts of the Muses. To him was afterwards addressed the tenth Eclogue; as also a passage in the fourth book of the Georgies, which, on his disgrace with Augustus, Virgil was obliged to omit.

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