Arboris haud ullæ jactu potuere sagittæ : Et gens illa quidem sumptis non tarda pharetris. 125 Media fert tristes succos, tardumque saporem Felicis mali, quo non præsentius ullum, 130 135 Media fert tristes succos, &c.] of Egypt. This governor had The fruit here mentioned is condemned two malefactors to certainly the citron. Dioscorides death by the bite of serpents. says expressly, that the fruit As they were led to execution, which the Greeks call medicum, a person taking compassion on is in Latin called citrium. Tris- them, gave them a citron to tis signifies bitter, as tristisque eat. The consequence of this lupini. This must be under- was, that though they were exstood either of the outer rind, posed to the bite of the most which is very bitter; or of the venomous serpents, they reseeds, which are covered with a ceived no injury. The governor, bitter skin. The juice of the being surprised at this extraorpulp is acid. What sort of taste dinary event, inquired of the the poet means by tardum sapo- soldier who guarded them what rem, is not very easy to deter- they had eat or drank that day; mine. Servius seems to under- and being informed that they stand it to be a taste which does had only eaten a citron, he ornot presently discover itself. dered that the next day one of Philargyrius interprets it a taste them should eat citron and the which dwells a long time upon other not. He who had not the palate. La Cerda takes it to tasted the citron, died presently mean, that persons are slow or after he was bitten; the other unwilling to swallow it, on ac- remained unhurt. count of its acrimony. Membris agit atra venena.] Athenæus relates a remarkable story of the use of citrons against poison, which he had from a friend of his, who was governor Animas et olentia Medi ora fovent illo.] Grimoaldus refers illo to the flower; but it is generally thought to refer to the fruit. Sed neque Medorum sylvæ, ditissima terra, Sed neque, &c.] The poet, having spoken of the most remarkable plants of foreign countries, takes occasion to make a beautiful digression in praise of Italy. Pulcher Ganges.] The Ganges is a great river of India, dividing it into two parts. It is mentioned by Pliny as one of the rivers which afford gold. Auro turbidus Hermus.] Hermus is a river of Lydia; it receives the Pactolus, famous for its golden sands. Bactra.] This is the name of the capital city of a country of Asia, lying between Parthia on the west, and India on the east. Pliny says, it is reported that there is wheat in this country, of which each grain is as big as a whole ear of the Italian wheat. Indi.] He puts the name of the people for the country.— Probably the poet may mean Ethiopia in this place; for he has spoken already of India pro 140 145 perly so called, in mentioning the Ganges. Thuriferis Panchaïa pinguis arenis.] Panchaia or Panchæa is a country of Arabia Felix. Hæc loca, &c.] He alludes to the story of Jason, who went to Colchis for the golden fleece; where he conquered the bulls, which breathed forth fire from their nostrils, and yoked them to a plough. He also slew a vast dragon, sowed his teeth in the ground, and destroyed the soldiers, which arose from the dragon's teeth like a crop of corn from seed. Bacchi Massicus humor.]— Massicus is the name of a mountain of Campania, celebrated for wine. Hinc albi, Clitumne, greges, &c.] Clitumnus is a river of Italy, in which the victims were washed, to be rendered more pure; for none, but such as were white, were offered to Jupiter Capitolinus. Hic ver assiduum, atque alienis mensibus æstas: 150 155 An mare, quod supra, memorem, quodque alluit infra? Hic ver assiduum, atque alienis mensibus æstas.] He describes the temperate air of Italy, by saying it enjoys a perpetual spring, and summer warmth in such months, as make winter in other countries. Alienis mensibus signifies in unusual months; that is, in such months as other countries do not feel warmth. Bis gravida pecudes, bis pomis utilis arbos.] He tells us, the sheep are so fruitful in Italy, that they breed twice in a year. Nec miseros fallunt aconita legentes.] The aconite or wolfsbane is a poisonous herb, which was found in Heraclea Pontica. We have several sorts in our gardens, one of which is very common, under the name of monkshood. There are several cases of persons poisoned with eating this herb, one of which was communicated to Royal Society by Mr. Bacon.Servius affirms, that the aconite grows in Italy; and observes, that the poet does not deny it, but artfully insinuates, that it is so well known to the inhabit the ants, that they are in no danger of being deceived by it. Nec rapit immensos, &c.] He does not deny that there are serpents in Italy, but he says they are not so large or so terrible as those of other countries. Fluminaque antiquos subterlabentia muros.] Some take this to mean, that the walls of these towns are so built as to give admittance to rivers, which flow through them. Others think the poet speaks of the famous aqueducts. But the general opinion is, that he means the rivers which flow close by the walls. Thus when any action is performed close to the walls of a town, we say it is done under the walls. An mare, quod supra, memorem, quodque alluit infra?]— Italy is washed on the north side by the Adriatic sea, or gulf of Venice, which is called mare superum, or the upper sea; and on the south side by the Tyrrhene, or Tuscan sea, which is called mare inferum, or the lower sea. |