Some bring dry wood, and fome in order spread Soft leaves and herbage for a fpacious bed: Some from the flint elicit living fire; 1540 Some mix the wines that generous deeds inspire : 1550 1560 Meanwhile, preparing for his friend's return A ready fupper, with his brazen urn Alone rev'd Hylas o'er the fields to bring The pureft water from the facred fpring. For to fuch talks Alcides train'd his fquire, Whom firft he took an infant from his fire Theodamas; but him with fword fevere He flew, who churlish had refus'd a fteer. For when Theodamas, opprefs'd with care, Turn'd the fresh furrow with his fhining fhare, He difobey'd, ah wretch! the chief's command, Who claim'd the labouring ox that till'd the land. But know, Alcides fought for cause to bring War on Dryopia's kingdom and the king, 1569 For barbarous acts, and rights neglected long. But rove not, Mufe, digreffive from the fong. Then kept a concert at the facred well. | First Polyphemus heard, as wandering righ 1611 Young Hylas went to fetch fresh water late, "Not yet returh'd; I tremble for his fate: "By robbers feiz'd or beafts, 'tis hard to guefs; "I heard his cry, the signal of diftrefs:"~~ 1621 Thus he the sweat from great Alcides flow'd, And the black blood through all his body glow'd; Enrag'd, the fir-tree on the ground he threw, And, where his feet, or frenzy hurried, flew. As when a bull, whom galling gadflies wound, Forfakes the meadows, and the marthy ground, The flowery food, the herd and herdfmen fhuns, Now ftands ftock-still, and reftlefs now he runs; Stung by the breeze, he maddens with the pain, Toffes aloft his head, and roars amain: 1631 Thus ran the raging chief with matchless force, Then sudden stopp'd he, wearied with the courie Anxious in vain, he rov'd the foreft round, The diftant hills and vales his voice rebound. 1640 When from her fpring, unfullied with a flain, 1580 Aurora tipp'd the foot-worn paths with light; Rofe Ephydatia, to attend the train, The form of Hylas ruth'd upon her fight, And o'er moist meads the glittering dew-drops "Left, when to Greece we fteer the failing pine, | The god defcending with refiftlefs fway, Had not bold Boreas' fons the chief addrefs'd, Doom'd by the hands of Hercules to bleed. 1669 1680 Erected high the death-devoted ground; 46 "To bear Alcides to the Colchian lands? "And lull the forrows of your fouls to peace. 1691 Then, mid the Calybes, a defperate clan, Expires on Scythian plains the gallant man. But ftrange is Hylas' fate: his youthful charms "Entic'd a nymph, who clafp'd him in her arms. "Now the bleft pair the bands of Hymen bind; "In fearch of him the chiefs are left behind." This faid, he plung'd into the gulf profound, The purple ocean foam'd in eddies round. 1701 Impell'd the hollow veffel on her way. Then Jafon thus: "Thy cenfures wound my "Which fay, I left the bravest Greek behind. He fpoke; and now, the hateful contest o'er, Of all their bands the choiceft youths they chofe, Were there as pledges to Alcides paid. Meanwhile all day and night brisk breezes blew, NOTES ON BOOK I, Ver. 1. Thus begins Homer's Batrachomyachia, the 17th Id. of Theocritus, and Aratus's prem. Colchos, now called Mengrelia, is bounded on See alfo on these words the Gr. Schol. and the north by part of Sarmatia, on the weft by fa Hoelzlinas's note. much of the Euxine fea, as extends from the river Corax to the mouth of the river Phafis, on the to the infernal regions together: but Pluto, havfouth by part of Cappadocia, and on the caft bying discovered their intentions, expofed Pirithous Iberia. to the dog Cerberus, who devoured him, and chained Thefeus to the mountain Tænarus. Plutarch's Life of Thefeus. Ver. 5. when Argo pafs'd Through Bofphorus betwixt the juftling rocks. Milt. Par. Loft. B. ii. 1017. Two rocks at the entrance of the Euxine fea, called Symplegades by the Grecians, by Juvenai Concurentia faxa; because they were fo near, that, ás a fhip varied its courfe, they seemed to open and fhut; or, as Milton expreffes it, to jufle one another. They were allo called Cyanean, from their dark colour. Ver. 13. A river in Theffaly, according to Apollonius, Callimachus, and others. But fome are of opinion, that Anaurus, as its etymology im. plies, is the general name of any torrent. rius Flaccus, relating the fame ftory, mentions the river Enipeus. Vale Ver. 33. The Paonians of Thrace lived upon the Hebrus; and all the people of that region were at one time great in fcience. The Grecians acknowledged they were greatly indebted to them; and the mufes are faid to have come from those parts. The Pierians were as famed for poetry and mufic, as the Paonians were for phyfic. Thamyras, Eumolpus, Linus, Thymates and Mufæus, were supposed to have been of this country. Orpheus alfo is afcribed to Thrace; who is faid to have foothed the favage rage, and to have animated the very rocks to harmony. Bryant's Mytb. Ver. 71. It is fabled that this perfon was a Theffalian virgin, the daughter of Elatus, one of the Lapithe; who, having been violated by Neptune, obtained of him, as the reward of her proftitution, that he might be transformed into a man, and rendered invulnerable. Thus changing her fex, the changed her name into Cæneus, being before called Cœnis. See Ovid's Metam. and Virg. En. vi. 448. Ver. 79. Mopfus was furnamed the Titarefian, from Titarefus, the name of a place and river in Theffaly. Thus Hefiod in Scut. Herc. 1. 181. Μόψοντ' Αμπυκίδην Τιταρήσιον Ver. 125. Thefeus, by the help of his friend Pirithous, had ftolen Helen from the Temple of Diana, and carried her off: in return for this fervice, he affifted Pirithous in the rape of Proferpine. In drder to accomplish this defign, they went down Ver. 138. Apollonius calls him "Agyes dgisogions, the fon of Areftor. But Banier remarks that we ought to read (as Meziriac has recommended) λxlogídns, the son of Alector. For, Argus the fon of Areftor, preceded the time of the Argonauts eight or nine generations: but most of the anci ents agree, that the fhip Argo was built by Argus the fon of Alector, who lived in the time of the Argonauts. Banier's Myth, Vol. iv. Ver. 147. Iphiclus had feized upon the oxen of Tyro, the mother of Neleus. These Neleus demands, but is denied by Iphiclus. Pero, the daughter of Neleus was promifed in marriage to him who recovered these oxen from Iphiclus. Melampus undertakes the recovery; but being vanquish ed, is thrown into prifon. See Homer's Ody. B. xi. 290. Ibid. He is mentioned in the fame manner by Orpheus and Valerius Flaccus. "Αβανίας παῖς νόθος ἤλεβε κάρτερος ίδμων, Τῷ καὶ μαντοσύνην ἔπορε καὶ θερφ τον ὀμφὴν -Phœbus Idmon, Val, Flac. B. i. 228. might rather believe that he would fink the earth at every ftep, than run upon the waters with fuch lightnefs as not to wet his feet." As this defcription of the swiftnefs of Euphemus is originally taken from Homer's account of the mares of Ericthonies, Virgil's description of Camillas fwiftnefs, feems copied from these beautiful lines of Apollonius. See Pope's ll. B. xx. 270. Thefe lightly skimming, when they swept the plain, makes no mention of him.. Ver. 273. Milton's description of Raphael is fimilar to this: Ver. 292. Pagafæ is a town and promontory of Theffaly. Here Argo was built; and fron that circumftance, ἀπότης ναυτηγίας, the bay is fuppofed to have derived its name. Ver. 319. For an account of Phrixus fee the preface. Ver. 327. This affecting fcene is extremely natural, and drawn by our poet in a manner the moft mafterly. He is no where happier than in the execution of these pathetic pieces. This parting interview, the epifode of Hypfipyla, and the loves of Medea and Jafon, have been admired and imitated by the poets of ancient and modern times. Ver. 379. Thus Telemachus addreffes his mother in Homer, and Turnus in Virgil. Tears and apprehenfions of danger were deemed bad prefages, when the people were going to war, Ne, quæfo, ne me lacrymis, neve omine tanto Profequere, in duri certamina martis euntem. Virg. Æn. xi, 72 -O royal mother, ceafe your fears, Nor fend me to the fight with boding tears. Pitt. Ver. 384. Virgil has manifestly borrowed this comparison, and appiled it to Æneas. B. iv. 143 As when from Lycia, bound in wint'ry froft, Where Xanthus' ftreams enrich the fmiling coast, The beauteous Phoebus in high pomp retires, And hears in Delos, &c. Pitt Ver. 447. It was requifite to referve the best of the flocks and herds for the altar: they must be found and perfect in all their limbs, or they would be deemed a very unfit offering for the gods. Thus Achilles in Homer, offers up to Apollo-ἀρνῶν καί στην αιγῶντε τελείων τοῖς θέσεις ως τελείοις προσάγειν χρὴ τέλεια, fays Euftathius on this paffage. It is the precept of Virgil, that the cattle which are defigned for the plough, for breeding and facrifices, fhould be diftinguished by particular marks, and separated from the rest. Continuoque notas, et nomina gentis ipurunt. Georg. iii. 158. Ver. 456. The poet through this whole defcription is agaceably circumftantial. He paints the busy scene before us in the livelieft colours. We are present to all the labours of his heroes. We fee them conftructing, launching and manning their fhip, choosing their feats. erecting their altar, and offering facrifice. We feel ourselves already interested, and cannot help joining with Jafon in his prayer, that success may crown their enterprise. which they applied to their tutelar god at the inVer 503. Embafian and Ecbafian are epithets ftant of their embarkation, and when they were about to land. Ver. 551. This fpeech of Idmon is calculated to excite our admiration and pity. We cannot but admire the courage and calmness of the hero, when he difclofes to his comrades the purpose of Apollo. He tells them, in a prophetic strain, that they would be expofed to dangers, but fuccefsful at laft; that, as to himself, he knew his doom, which was, that he must die in a diftant country long before their return. Homer reprefents his hero weeping at his fate, Ως ἄρ ἔφη δακρυχέων : our poet referves the tears of forrow for them, from whom they fall with a better grace: -the hoft the fate, of Idmon mourn. Ver. 581. This circumftance feems to be bor rowed from that noble one of Achilles fwearing by his fceptre, in Homer; which paffage both Vir gil and Valerius Flaccus have clofely imitated. Ver. 599. Iphimedia, the daughter of Triopas, and wife of Alöeus, fell in love with Neptune, by whom the had two fons, Ephaltes and Otus. Prefuming on their gigantic ftrength, they attempted to dethrone Jupiter; but were flain (as Homer and Pindar relate, and after them Apollonius) by Apollo at Naxus, and thrown into Tartarus by Pluto. Ver. 617. The following lines, to v. 720. are taken from Mr. Weft's tranflation of the fong of Orpheus, and the fetting out of the Argonauts; but many paffages are much altered. Ver. 621. &c. Namque canebat, uti magnum per inane coacta Semina terrarumque animæque marifque fuiffent, Virg. Ec. For a full illuftration of the propriety and beauty of this fong, which Scaliger condemns, I beg leave to fubjoin Mr. Warton's judicious criticifm, in his Obfervations on Spenfer's Faery Queene. "Sca. liger finds great fault with the fubject of this fong, and prefers to it the fubject of Orpheus's fong in Valerius Flaccus. By this piece of criticifm he has betrayed his ignorance of the nature of ancient pocfy, and of the character of Orpheus. But the propriety of the fubject of this fong is eafily to be defended, without confidering the character of Orpheus. The occafion of it was a quarrel among the Argonauts, whom Orpheus endeavours to pacify with the united powers of mufic and verfe. To this it may be added, that a forg, whofe fubject is religious, and which afferts the right of Jupiter to the poffeffion of O. lympus, was even expedient, as one of the chiefs had but just before fpoken blafphemy against him. Nor were the auditors of fo mean a rank as Scaliger would reprefent them: he terms them viri militares; but it should be confidered, that they were princes and demigods. There is one circumftance belonging to the fong of Orpheus in Apollonius, which gives it a manifeft fuperiority to that of Orpheus in Valerius Flaccus, I mean the defign of it, which was to exprefs the vehemence of the paffion, at once fo agreeable to the well-known character of Orpheus, and fo expreffive of the irrefiftible influence of mufic. In the Latin poet, Orpheus fings upon no occafion, and to no end, unleis to make the night pafs away more pleasantly." Ver. 636. Milton has undoubtedly copied this paffage, Par. L. B. x. 580. how the ferpent whom they call'd Ophion with Eurynome, the wide Encroaching Eve perhaps, had first the rule Of high Olympus, &c. Apollonius, as well as Milton, has hinted that Ophion was of the ferpent race. vaft fpecies of the ferpent breed. the The upper part of Eurynome was a perfect figure of a woman; the lower part, from the thighs downward, terminated in the tail of a fish. Ver. 657. It was the custom of the ancients at their folemn feftivals, before they went to reft, to facrifice the tongues of the victims to Mercury, the god of eloquence, pouring on them a libation of wine. This was done, either with a defign to make an expiation for any indecent language that had been spoken (as was the cafe about fifty lines above), or to fignify, that what had been there spoken, ought not to be divulged or remembered afterward. Ver. 669. The ancient writers, as well hiftorians as poets, are full of thefe wonders. The fpeech of Achilles's horfe to his mafter is well known. Among the many prodigies which are faid to have appeared at the death of Julius Cæ far, this, Virgil informs us, was one,-pecudefque locute. Appian exprefly fays that an ox ipoke with an human voice. Livy has given us the fpecch of one of thefe animals on a certain occaGon: Quod maximè terrebat Confulem Cn. Domitium, bovem locutum, "Roma tibi cave." Lib. XXXV. This fhip was indeed built out of fome facred timber from the grove of Dodona, which was facred to Jupiter Tomarias; and on this account it was faid to have been oracular, and to have given verbal refponfes. Ver. 670 Minerva was fo called from Itonis, a city of Theffaly, where she was worshipped. Ver. 698. The poets are fond of expreffing the activity of the rowers, and the velocity of the hip, by the effect which the ftroke of their oars and the track of the keel produce on the waters. Od. '. 172. - λεύκαινον ὑδὼρ ξεσῇς ἐλάτησιν, Et freta canefcunt, fulcam ducente carinâ. Manil Ver. 7c1. Apollonius, anxious to imprefs on his readers a juft idea of the importance of his fubject, has, in the true fpirit of Homer, reprefented all the gods looking down upon Argo, as if interested in the fuccefs of her voyage. Ver. 717. Achilles was educated under Chiron. The circumftance of Chariclo's raifing up young Achilles in her arms, to fhow him his father Pe leus, is exceedingly beautiful and ftriking. From this action we may also fairly conjecture, that this famous expedition preceded the ficge of Troy, probably about thirty years, viz. from the infancy of Achilles to his arrival at perfe&t manhood. Ver. 752. On the epithet sein, which the poet here applies to Theffaly, and which feems to have perplexed the commentators, Mr. Byrant makes the following ingenious remark: "The Pelafgi fettled very early in Theffaly, to which they gave the name Aëria. This was the ancient name of Egypt, from whence this people came. They likewife called the fame country Ai Monah, Regio Lunaris; which the poets changed to Hæmonia." Ver 759. The Scholiaft tells us, this Dolops was the fon of Hermes, and flain at Magnefia; |