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This Idyllium has by Daniel Heinfius, and other learned critics, been afcribed to Mofchus, and for that reafon I published a tranflation of it fome time ago, along with a version of the other beautiful pieces of that, and of four other Greek poets, viz. Anacreon, Sappho, Bion, and Mufæus; but as in all probability Theocritus is the real author, I here infert it with feveral alterations and corrections, as I fhall entirely omit it in the fecond edition of my work abovementioned, which will shortly be published; the first having been very favourably received by the public.

Ver. 5. The Greek is με μαμθηκε άσυκα χειλια so.Didici urbana labra terere," which Virgfeems to bave had an eye to, when he fays, "Calamo triviffe labellum :" on which Mr. Warten obferves, there is a fondness in mentioning this circumitance of" wearing his lip." The conftant effect of playing on the fiftula," which is ufed to this day in the Grecian iflands, is making the lips thick and callous. Mr. Dawkins affured me he faw feveral fhepherds with fuch lips.

46

Ver. 13. Virgil has something similar. Talia dicentem jamdudum averfa tuetur, Huc illuc volvens oculos, totumque pererrat Luminibus tacitis.

n. B. 4. 362.

Ver. 14. The Greek is, gas is sox emruje non, and fhould be rendered, "She thrice fpit into her bofom." Archbishop Potter obferves, fee Archaol. ch. xvii. it was customary for the ancient Grecians to fpit three times into their boloms at the fight of a madman, or one troubled with an epilepfy; this they did in defiance, as it were, of the omen: for fpitting was a fign of the greatest contempt and deteftation, whence, ipit," is put for " to contemn."

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Ver. 22. The poet here feems to allude to a pañiage in Homer's Odyf. B. 13. where Minerva changes Ulyffes into the figure of an old beggar,

She fpake, and touch'd him with her powerful wand;

The skin fhrunk up, and wither'd at her hand:
A fwift old age o'er all his members fpread;
A fudden froft was fprinkled on his head;
No longer in the heavy eye-ball fhin'd
The glance divine, forth beaming from the mind.
Pops.

Ver. 26. Theocritus feems to have Anacraon in view, Ode 28.

All thy art her eyes require,
Make her eyes of living fire,
Glowing with celeftial sheen,
Like Minerva's, bright and keen;
On her lips, that fweetly fwell,
Let divine purfuafion dwell.

F. F.

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IDYLLIUM XXI.

THE FISHERMEN.

ARGUMENT.

F. F

Tus piece is a dialogue between two fishermen; which for its fingular fimplicity of fentiment, as well as character, is peculiarly beautiful and regular: one of them relates his dream; which was,

that he had caught a large fish of folid gold, on which he refolves to follow his laboricus occupation no longer, but live luxurioufly: in the morning his fish and his hopes vanish, and neceffity compels him to return to his accustomed labours. This Idyllium admonishes every one to reft content with his lot; and, under the shadow of a golden dream, beautifully displays the vanity of all human hopes

and defires.

NEED, Diophantus, ready wit imparts,

Is labour's miftrefs, and the nurfe of arts:
Corroding cares the toiling wretch infeft,
And spoil the peaceful tenor of his breaft;
And if foft lumbers on his eye-lids creep,
Some curfed care fteals in, and murders fleep.

Two ancient fifhers in a ftraw-thatch'd fhed, Leaves were their walls, and fea-weed was their bed,

Reclin'd their weary limbs: hard by were laid 9 |
Baskets, and all their implements of trade, [hairs,
Rods, hooks, and lines, compos'd of ftout horfe-
And nets of various forts, and various fnares,
The feine, the caft-net, and the wicker maze,
To waste the watery tribes a thousand ways:
A crazy boat was drawn upon a plank;
Matts were their pillow, wove of ofier dank;
Skins, caps, and rugged coats, a covering made:
This was their wealth, their labour, and their
trade,

No pot to boil, no watch-dog to defend;
Yet bleft they liv'd with penury their friend. 20
Nore vifited their fhed, fave every tide

The wanton waves that wafh'd its tottering fide. When half her courfe the moon's bright car had ffed,

Joint labour rous'd the tenants of the shed.
The dews of flumber from their eyes they clear'd,
And thus their minds with pleafing pariey cheer'd:
Afpbalion.

I hold, my friend, that trite opinion wrong,
That fummer-nights are fhort when days are long.
Yes I have feen a thousand dreams to-night,
And yet no morn appears, nor morning-light: 30
Sure on my mind fome strange illufions play,
And make short nights wear heavily away.
Friend.

Fair fummer feafons you unjustly blame,
Their bounds are equal, and their pace the fame;
But cares, Afphalion, in a bufy throng,
Break on your reft, and make the night feem long.
Affbation.

Say, haft thou genius to interpret right
My dream? I've had a jolly one to-night. [wifh,
Thou shalt go halves, and more thou can't not
We'll fhare the vifion as we share our fifh.
I know thee fhrewd, expert of dreams to fpell;
He's the best judge who can conjecture well.

40

We've leisure time, which can't be better spent By wretched carles in wave-wafh'd cabin pent, And lodg'd on leaves; yet why should we repine, While living lights in Prytaneum fhine?

Friend.

To thy fast friend each circumftance recite,
And let me hear this vision of the night.
Afpbalion.

Laft evening, weary with the toils of day,
Lull'd in the lap of rest secure I lay;
Full late we fupp'd, and sparingly we eat;
No danger of a furfeit from our meat.
Methought I fat upon a fhelfy fteep,

And watch'd the fish that gambol'd in the deep:
Sufpended by my rod, I gently hook
The bait fallacious, which a huge one took;
(Sleeping, we image what awake we with;
Dogs dream of bones, and fishermen of fish.)
Bent was my rod, and from his gills the blood
With crimson stream diftain'd the filver flood. 6●
I ftretch'd my arm out, left the line fhould break;
The fish fo vigorous, and my hook so weak!
Anxious I gaz'd; he ftruggled to be gone:
"You're wounded- I'll be with you,friend,anon'-
Still do you teaze me?" for he plagu'd me fore;
At last, quite fpent, I drew him fafe on fhore,
Then grafp'd him with my hand, for furer hold,
A noble prize, a fish of folid gold!
But fears fufpicious in my bofom throng'd,
Left to the god of ocean he belong'd;
Or, haply wandering in the azure main,
Some favourite fish of Amphitrite's train.
My prize I loos'd, and ftricteft caution took,
For fear fome gold might flick about the hook;
Then fafe fecur'd him, and devoutly swore
Never to venture on the ocean more;
But live on land as happy as a king:
At this I wak'd what think you of the thing?
Speak free, for know I am extremely loth,
And greatly fear to violate my oath.

79

8.

Friend. Fear not, old friend; you tock no oath, for why? You took no fish-your vifion's all a lie. Go fearch the fhoals, not fleeping, but awake, Hunger will foon difcever your mistake; Catch real fish; you need not fure be told Those fools muft ftarve who only dream of gold,

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-Sab noctem cura recurfat. Virg. Æn. B. 1. Ver. 19. The Greek is & zuv, and is an emendation of the learned Johannes Auratus; before it was read sxva. Heinfius.

Ver. 33. Here I entirely follow the emendation of Heinuus; the text ftands thus:

Ασφαλίων, μέμφη το καλόν θέρος, ο γαρ ο καιρός
Αυτομάτως παρέβα τον sον δρόμον.

"Afphalion, you accufe the fair fummer; for that feafon never willingly paffes its bounds:" which is nonfenfe; but, by tranfpofing the first word of each verfe, thus,

Αυτόματος, μέμφη το καλόν θέρος, ο γαρ ο καιρός,
Ασφαλίων, περιδα τον εον δρόμον.

* In vain, and without any reason, you accufe the "fair fummer, &c.

Ver. 42. This feems to be taken from that verfe of Euripides, which we read in Plutarch,

Μαν τις δ' αρίτες στις εικάζει καλός, Which Tully has thus translated,

Qui bene conjecit, vatem perhibebo optumum. Ver. 46. The Prytaneum was a common-hall in the cities of Greece, where thofe that had de

ferved well of their country were maintained at the public charge; where alfo the fire confecrated to Vulcan was kept, as that facred to Vefta was at Rome. Cicero de Orat. 1. 54. fays, "Ut ei victus quotidianus in Prytaneo publice præberetur." If this be understood of the Prytaneum at Athens, Scaliger obferves that there is great impropriety in Sicilian fishermen mentioning places so far remote from the scene of their labours; but from what follows, it appears that there was a place in the neighbourhood, very commodious for fishing,.named Prytaneum, on which nocturnal lamps were fixed, as was cuftomary, for the convenience of fishing by night. Sannazarius was not ignorant of this cuftom, who in his fecond Pifcatory Eclogue says,

Dumque Alii notofque finus, pifcofaque circum
Æquora colluftrant flammis.

While others on the well-known bay,
Or fifhy feas, their lights difplay.

Ver. 55. Ovid has fomething fimilar,
Nunc in mole fedens moderabar arundine limum.
Met. B. 13. 923.
Ver. 57. There is fomething very beautiful in
what Ovid makes Sappho fay to Phaon,
Tu mihi cura, Phaon; te fomnia noftra reducunt
Somnia formofo candidiora die, &c.
Which Mr. Pope has greatly improved upon,
Oh night more pleafing than the brightest day,
When fancy gives what abfence takes away,
And, dreffed in all its visionary charms,
Reftores my fair deferter to my arms!

Ver. 77. The expreffion in the original is re markable, xgo Bachev, “to reign in riches;" fpeaking of the happiness of the old Corycian far. mer, Virgil fays,

Regum æquabat opes animis.
Ver. 81. Solve metus.

Gear. 4. 132. Virg.

IDYLLIUM XXII.

CASTOR AND POLLUX.

THE ARGUMENT.

TEIS is a hymn, after the manner of the ancient Arcadians, in praife of Caftor and Pollux. The first part defcribes the combat between Pollux and Amycus, the fon of Neptune, and king of the Bebrycians; who valuing himfelf on his fuperiority in ftrength, and the art of boxing, ufed to compel every ftranger that touched upon his coaft to take up the cæftus, and make trial of his fkill in the management of that rude inftrument of death; for fo it proved to many, till Pollux, who arrived there with the Argonauts, encountered him, and conquered: Apollonius fays he flew him; but this is denied by other authors.

Tuz fons of Leda, and of Jove, I fing,
Immortal Jove, the ægis-bearing king,
Caftor and Pollux, with the ceftus grac'd, [brac'd:
Which round his wrift thick thongs ef bull-hide

In ftrains repeated fhall my mufe refound
The Spartan twins with manly virtues crown'd:
Safeguards of men diftreft, and generous feeds,
When in the fields of death the battle bleeds;

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Still you the wreck can fave, the ftorm difpel,
And fnatch the failors from the jaws of hell.
The winds difperfe, the roaring waves fubfide,
And smooth'd to ftillness fleeps the lenient tide.
When shine the Bears, and 'twixt the Affes feen,
Though faint their manger, ocean proves ferene,
O, friends of human kind, in utmost need,
Fam'd for the fong, the lyre, the gauntlet, and the
fteed!

Whose praises first shall my rapt muse rehearse?
Both claim my praise, but Pollux firft my verfc.
When Argo reach'd (Cyane's islands past)
Cold Pontus harass'd by the northern blast,
Soon to Bebrycia, with the fons of fame,
A freight of chiefs and demigods, she came.
Forth from her fides, the country to explore,
The crew defcended to the breezy shore :
On the dry beach they raised the leafy bed,
The fires they kindled, and the tables spread.

30

Meanwhile the royal brothers devious ftray'd Far from the fhore, and fought the cooling fhade. Hard by, a hill with waving forefts crown'd

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Pollux.
Rude are your words, and wrongfully apply'd,
Your manners fierce, your bofom fwoln with pride.
Amycus.

Thou fee'st me as I am: these lands are mine;
I never yet have troubled thee or thine.
Pollux.
Whene'er you come, you will a welcome find,
And prefents, as befits a liberal mind.
Amycus.

Nor I thy welcome, nor thy gifts partake;
I gave no welcome, and no presents make.
Pollux.

May I not taste the stream that murmurs by?
Amycus.
I'll folve that question when thy throat is dry. 8●
Pollux.

Will gold, or other bribe the purchase gain?
Amycus.

Nought but to prove thy prowess on the plain;
Stand forth; let man oppos'd to man provoke,
With gauntlet-guarded arm, th' impending stroke;
Eye meeting eye, exert thy utmost might,
By feint or force to triumph in the fight.
Pollux.
Whom must I fight? mine adversary who?
Атусив,

Thou feeft thy match, no despicable foe.

Pollux.

Amycus.

Their eyes attracted; in the dale they found 40 But what reward shall the stout victor have?
A fpring perennial in a rocky cave,
Full to the margin flow'd the lucid wave:
Below fmall fountains guth'd, and murmuring

near,

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Sparkled like filver, and as crystal clear:
Above tall pines and poplars quivering play'd,
And planes and cyprefs in dark green array'd:
Around balm-breaching flowers of every hue,
'The bee's ambrofja, in the meadows grew.
There fat a chief, tremendous to the eye,
His couch the rock, his canopy the sky:
The gauntlet's ftrokes, his cheeks and ears around,
Had mark'd his face with many a defp'rate wound.
Round as a globe, and prominent his cheft,
Broad was his back, but broader was his breaft;
Firm was his flesh, with iron finews fraught,
Like fome ColoTus, on an anvil wrought.
As rocks, that in the rapid ftreams abound,
Are wash'd by rolling torrents fmooth and round,
The ridges rife, in crystal streams beheld:
So on his brawny arms the rifing mufcles fwell'd.
A lion's fpoils around his loins he draws,
Beneath his chin fufpended by the paws :
Victorious Pollux, with attentive look,
View'd, and complacent, thus the chief bespoke :
Pollux.

61

Peace, gentle friend! to wandering firangers tell What tribes, what nations in these regions dwell?

Amycus.

What peace to me, while on my native shore, ice ftrange guefts I never faw before?

The conquer'd man fhall be the conqueror's flave.

Pollux.

This is cock's play, and fuch the terms fevere 91 In fight of scarlet-crested chanticleer.

Amycus.

Or be it cock's, or be it lion's play,
These are the fix'd conditions of the fray.

This faid, his hollow conch he inftant blew, Quick through the coaft the founds alarming flew;

The fignal rous'd the ftout Bebrycian train,
Who join'd their chief beneath the shady plain.
Illuftrious Caftor from the neighbouring ftrand,
Call'd to the conflict Argo's chofen band.
Meanwhile the combatants, of mind elate,
Drew on their hands the dreadful gloves of fate;
The leathern thongs, that brac'd their fhoulders
round,

Firm to their arms the ponderous gauntlets bound,
Amid the circle now the champions food,
Breathing revenge, and vehement for blood.
Studious each frove the piercing light to fhun,
And on his fhoulders catch the gleaming fun
You call'd, O Pollux, prudence to your aid;
In Amycus's eyes the folar fplendors play'd. IIQ
This did th' enormous chieftan's rage provoke
To ftrike at once fome death-denouncing Broke;
But watchful Pollux dealt a weighty blow
Full on the check of his advancing foe;

1

Incens'd more ardent to the fight he came,
And forward bent to take the furer aim.
Through the Bebrycian baud loud clamours run;
Nor lefs the Greeks encourag'd Leda's fon.
Yet rifing fears their generous breafts appal,
Left on their friend the bulk of Amycus fhould fall:
Vam fears! for with both hands brave Pollux
ply'd
His furious blows, and ftorm'd on every fide;
The quick-repeated ftrokes his rival sftun,
And curb the force of Neptune's lawless fon.
Giddy with blows the tottering hero stood,
And from his mouth discharg'd the purple blood.
Loud fhouted the Greek warriors when they faw
Bebrycia's champion's batter'd checks and jaw.

His

121

eyes, within their fockets deep impell'd,
Seem'd lefer'd, and his bruifed vifage fwell'd. 130
Still the prince ply'd his mighty rival hard,
And feinful foon furpris'd him off his guard;
And as he ftagger'd, full upon his brow
With all his force he drove the furious blow,
And mafh'd his front; the giant with the wound
Fell fat, and ftretch'd his bulk unwieldy on the
ground.

But foon his vigour and his ftrength return'd,
He rofe, and then again the battle burn'd:
With iron hands their hollow fides they pound,
And deal vindictive many a defperate wound. 140
Fierce on his foe Bebrycia's monarch preft,
And made rude oufets on his neck and breast:
Jeve's unconquer'd fon far better sped,
Who aim'd his thunder at his rival's head.

Faft down their limbs the fweat began to flow,
And quickly lay the lofty champion low;
Yet Pollux firmer flood with nobler grace,
And fresher was the colour of his face.

How Amycus before Jove's offspring fell,
Sing, heaven-defcended mufe; for you can tell:
Your mandates I implicitly obey,
151
And gladly follow where you lead the way.
Refolv'd by one bold ftroke to win renown,
He feiz'd on Pollux' left hand with his own;
Then bent oblique to guard against a blow,
And fped his right with vengeance on the foe,
In hopes to ftrike his royal rival dead,
Who 'fcap'd the blow, declining back his head;
Then Pollux aim'd his weighty ftroke fo well,
Full on the creft of Amycus it fell,
And gor'd his temples with air iron wound;
The black blood iffuing flow'd and trickled to the

ground.

160

Still with his left he maul'd his faultering foe,
Whofe mafh'd teeth crackled with each boisterous
blow;

With ftrokes redoubled he deform'd his face;
Bruis'd cheeks and jaws proclaim'd his foul difgrace.
All on the ground he measur'd out his length,
Stunn'd with hard thwacks, and deftitute of Strength,
And, hands up-rais'd, with death-prefaging mind,
At once the fight and victory declin'd.
Brave fon of Jove, though you the conquest gain'd,
With no bafe deed the glorious day you ftain'd;
The vanquish'd by his father Neptune (wore,
That he would never, never injure ftrangers more

170

NOTES ON IDYLLIUM XXII.

Virgil, in his defcription of the contest between ocritus, I propofe to print a translation of the Dares and Entellus, has borrowed fome circum- combat between Pollux and Amycus from Apoltances from this encounter between Amycus and lonius, which I hope will be acceptable to the Pollar, which fhall be specified in their courfe: curious reader, as it has never, that I know of, Apollonius Rhodius, in his fecond book of the been tranflated into English; he will then have Argonautics, has likewife defcribed this laft-men- an opportunity of forming a comparison, and in tired conteft. but is, in the opinion of Cafaubon, fome fort judging of the merits of the two oriEr farpaffed by Theocritus. Speaking of the firftginals: I profefs, without any kind of partiality, part of this Idyllium, he fays, " Porro qui contulerit priorem partem, quæ Pollucis pugilatum cum Amyco defcribit, cum iis quæ habet Apolloas, reperiet profecto Theocritum tantum excel. Jere Apollonium,

Quantum lenta folent inter viburna cupreffi.
A lofty cypreffes low shrubs exceed. Warton.
And yet Scaliger, in his dogmatical manner, gives
the preference to Apollonius:" Splendore & ar-
te ab Apollonio Theocritus fuperatur." Poet.
BS C. 6. whofe determination the ingenious
tranflator of Virgil's Eclogues and Georgics has
adopted; but I am inclined to think, that my
frnd Mr Warton, who perhaps admires Apol-
joar snare, and understands him better than any
man in the kingdom may be too partial to his fa-
Sourre auth r I fhall not take upon me to de-
ede in this point, but after the Epigrams of 1he-

I have endeavoured to do all the juice in my
power to them both. It is to be obferved, that
Apollonius flourished in the reign of Ptolemy
Evergetes, and, therefore, as he wrote after The-
ocritus, he probably borrowed many things from
him.

Ver. 1. In the fame manner Horace,
Dicam et Alcidem, puerofque Ledæ ;
Hunc equis, illum fuperare pugnis
Nobilem.

B. I. Ode 12.
Ver. 3-
"The cæftus, fays Gilbert Welt, Efq.
confifted of many thongs of leather, or raw hides
of bulls, wound about the hand and arm up to the
elbow I muft here obferve that none of the three
Greek poets, Homer 1. B. 23 Appolonius, nor
our author, who all have given us a defcription of
the cæftus, make any mention of plates of lea
or iron;” as Virgil has done,

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