375 Torpent mole nova, et summis vix cornibus extant. 370 Puniceæve agitant pavidos formidine penna.] It was the custom to hang up coloured feathers on lines, to scare the deer into the toils. In defossis specubus.] Pomponius Mela, speaking of the Sarmatæ, says they dig holes in the earth for their habitations, to avoid the severity of winter. And Tacitus also says the Ger. mans used to make caves to defend them from the severity of winter, and conceal their corn. Pocula læti fermento atque acidis imitantur vitea sorbis.] Ruæus interprets this passage to mean beer and cider. Fermentum, he says, signifies the fermentation of barley, wheat, or oats: when by a certain me. dicated heat, the grain swells and grows acid, which are the two effects of fermentation; which. is therefore named from ferveo, as it were fervimentum: and thus beer is made. 380 Septem subjecta trioni.] The triones or septem triones, are the two northern constellations, commonly known by the names of the Greater and Lesser Bear, in each of which are seven stars placed nearly in the same order, and which were fancied by the ancients to represent a waggon: whence, we call the seven stars in the rump and tail of the Great Bear, Charles's wain. Elius and Varro, as they are quoted by Aulus Gellius, tell us, that triones is as it were terriones, and was a name by which the old husbandmen called a team of oxen. I believe that Virgil, by using trioni in the singular number, and adding the epithet Hyperboreo, means the Lesser Bear, under which are situated those who live within the arctic circle. Riphao tunditur Euro.] It has been already observed, that the Riphæan hills are probably Et pecudum fulvis velatur corpora setis : 385 390 In nemora alta vocans: nec tu aspernata vocantem. 395 Hinc et amant fluvios magis, et magis ubera tendunt, that great ridge of mountains Aspera sylva.] All prickly bushes are injurious to sheep, by rending their fine wool, and wounding their flesh, which he mentions soon after amongst their diseases. Lappæque tribulique.] See the note on book i. ver. 153. Fuge pabula lata.] The wool is thought not to be so good, if the cattle are very fat. 400 paragraph informs us, that those who feed sheep for the sake of their milk, must afford them great plenty of proper nourishment. Ferratis capistris.] These muzzles, of which the poet speaks, are not such as confine the mouth of the lamb or kid, for then it could not eat. They are iron spikes fastened about the snout, which prick the dam, if she offers to let her young one suck. Calathis.] Servius interprêts At cui lactis amor, &c.] This calathis brazen vessels, in which Aut parco sale contingunt, hyemique reponunt. they used to carry milk and new cheese to town. But it was certainly a vessel not at all fit to carry milk: for it was made on purpose for the whey to run through and leave the curd behind, in order to make cheese. Nec tibi cura canum, &c.] Immediately after sheep and goats, the poet makes mention of dogs; some of which are necessary to defend the folds against robbers and wolves, and others are of service in hunting. Acremque Molossum.] This dog has its name from Molossia, a city of Epirus. I take it to be that sort which we call a mastiff. Aristotle says there are two sorts of Molossian dogs: that, which is used for hunting, is not different from the common sort; but that, which is used by the shepherds, is large, and fierce against wild beasts. Iberos.] The Iberus is now called the Ebro. 405 410 415 Onagros.] The onager or wild ass, is an animal of Syria, frequent about Aleppo and Apamia. The skin of it is very hard, and is dressed into that sort of knotty leather, which we call shagreen. We find that their flesh was in great esteem amongst the ancients. Volutabris.] This word properly signifies the muddy places in which the swine delight to roll. Disce et odoratam.] The poet now proceeds to shew the injuries to which cattle are subject: and begins with a beautiful account of serpents. Odoratam cedrum.] This tree was accounted good to drive away serpents with its smoke. Galbaneo nidore.] Galbanum is the concreted juice of a plant called ferula. It is probably taken from more than one species. Chelydros.] The chelydrus Y Sæpe sub immotis præsepibus aut mala tactu seems to be that sort of serpent, of which we find frequent mention among the Greek writers. Sub immotis præsepibus.] Immotis, in this place, means such places as have not been duly swept and cleansed. Coluber. .. pestis acerba boum.] I take the serpent here meant, to be that which Pliny calls boas. This author affirms that they grow sometimes to a prodigious bigness, and that there was a child found in the belly of one of them, in the reign of Claudius. He adds, that they feed on cow's milk, 421 425 430 whence they have obtained their name. Fovit.] Foveo properly signi. fies to foment, cherish, or embrace. It seems to be used here for a serpent keeping close to the ground, under the muck of an uncleansed sheep-cote. Besides it is usual for serpents to lay their eggs under dung, in order to be hatched. Cape saxa manu.] The rapidity of this verse finely expresses the necessary haste on this occasion, to catch up stones and sticks to encounter the serpent. Ne miki tum molles sub dio carpere somnos, 435 440 445 Turpis oves tentat scabies, ubi frigidus imber Spumas argenti.] Some have supposed the poet to mean quicksilver; but quicksilver was never called spuma argenti, by which name the ancients seem to understand what we call litharge. Ideasque pices.] Pitch is called Idæan, because pitch-trees abound on mount Ida. Pitch is of two sorts, arida or sicca, which we call properly pitch; and liquida, which we call tar. I believe it is the pix liquida, or tar, which the poet means. Ceras.] Wax seems to be added chiefly to give to the medicine the consistence of an ointment. Scillam.] The squill, or seaonion, is a bulbous root, like an 450 onion, but much larger. It is brought to us from Spain. Helleborosque graves.] There are two kinds of hellebore, the black and the white. The white hellebore is known to be serviceable in diseases of the skin, if it be externally applied; but it is too rough to be taken inwardly, as the black sort is.Hence perhaps Virgil added the epithet graves, to express the white hellebore. Bitumen.] Bitumen, or, as the Greeks called it, asphaltus, is a fat, sulphureous, tenacious, inflammable substance, issuing out of the earth, or floating upon water, as at Pitchford, in Shropshire, and in the island of Barbadoes, in America, whence |