others affirm, that the Saliunca of Pliny cannot be the fame with the Nardus Celtica, because he speaks of them as different plants; and others again think, that the Saliunca of Pliny is not the fame with that here spoken of. Those, who think the Nardus Celtica and the Saliunca are the fame, ground their opinion on a paffage in the feventh chapter of the first book of Diofcorides, where we are told, that the Nardus Celtica is called Aliungia about Genoa. "The Nardus Celtica, fays "this ancient author, grows on "the mountains of Liguria, where "they call it Aliungia. It grows "alfo in Iftria. It is a fmall, "bushy plant, and is made up in "bunches, with the roots. It has "longifh leaves, of a yellowish "colour, and a yellow flower." Η δὲ Κελτικὴ Νάρδος γεννᾶται μὲν ἐν τοῖς κατὰ Λιγυρίαν ἄλπεσιν, ἐπιχωρίως ὠνομασμένη ̓Αλιόυγγια γεννᾶται δὲ ἐν τῇ Ἰστρία· ἔστι δὲ θαμνίσκος μικρὸς, σὺν ταῖς ῥίζαις εἰς δέσμας αναλαμβανόμενος χειροπληθεῖς· ἔχει δὲ φύλλα ὑπομήκη, ὑπόξανθα, ἄν θος μήλινον. There feems fuch a fimilitude between the words oúyyia and faliunca, that it is no wonder, that they should be thought intended for the fame. But others go more boldly to work, and affirm, that the copies of Diofcorides are faulty, and that we ought to read either αλιούγκα, οι σαλιούγκα. But this is only a conjectural emenda

αν

fo much, in my judgment, is Amyntas inferior to you.

tion, not fupported by the authority of any manufcript. We must therefore depend no farther on this argument, than the fimilitude between aliungia and faliunca. Let us fee now, what Pliny has faid of his Saliunca. In the feventh chapter of the twenty-first book, he tells us, it has a moft noble fmell; but is not fit to be ufed in garlands; "Illa

quoque non omittenda differentia, "odoramentorum multa nihil per"tinere ad coronomenta; ut irin "atque faliuncam, quanquam no"biliffimi odoris utramque." He gives us a few lines afterwards the reafon, why it is not fit for garlands; it seems it is too short to admit of being woven, is more properly an herb than a flower, has a bufhy root, and grows in Pannonia, or Hungary, and the open places of the Norican Alps, or mountains which border upon Germany ;

Saliunca foliofa quidem eft, fed "brevis, et quae necti non poffit. "Radici numerofae cohaeret, herba “ verius quam fos, denfa veluti "manu preffa, breviterque cefpes "fui generis. Pannonia hanc gig"nit, et Norici Alpiumque aprica." In the twentieth chapter, he fays it is good to ftop vomitings, and to virtue, afcribed alfo to the Nardus ftrengthen the ftomach, which is a Celtica, by Diofcorides.

"Sali

to the cave.

that it was a different plant from that which he calls Saliunca. The Celtic Nard, or French Spikenard is a fpecies of Valerian. It is now found in great plenty on the mountains that divide Italy from Germany, and on the mountains about Genoa, near Savona. It is a very low plant, and has a very fragrant fmell: hence as the Poet had oppofed the willow to the Olive, which it fomething resembles, though it is far inferior to it, fo he opposes the Saliunca or French Spikenard, a low plant, of a fweet fmell, to the Rofe, a flower not only excelling in odour, but alfo in beauty. We are told by fome authors, that the inhabitants of the Tirol Alps call the Nardus Celtica in their own language Seliunck. If this may be depended on, we need not wonder, how the fame plant came to be called faliunca, by Virgil and Pliny, and ya by Diofcorides.

18. Judicio noftro, &c.] Menalcas, to pacify Mopfus, affures him, that he was fo far from thinking Amyntas equal to him; that, in his judgment, he is as far inferior to him, as the willow, which is valued only for it's flexibility, is to the olive, as a plant of the greatest ufe; or the French fpikenard, a little, fragrant herb, that grows on the barren mountains, is to the rofe, a plant admired by all, on account of it's beauty and fragrance.

•·19. Sed tu define, &c.] Mop

fus is fatisfied with the apology of Menalcas, defires him to fay no more, and as they are by this time arrived at the cave, begins his fong without any farther ceremony.

La Cerda afcribes the firft line to Menalcas, making Mopfus begin with Extinctum Nymphae. But it feems much more natural, to put thefe words in the mouth of Mopfus, to defire his friend, not to launch out any farther in his praises.

Puer.] This word is a contradiction to Catrou's fyftem. Surely it would not become a scholar, much less a flaye, to call his master my lad.

Succeffimus.] In fome copies it is fuccedimus.

20. Daphnim.] "Many are of "opinion, that one Daphnis a "fhepherd is here lamented. He 66 was the fon of Mercury, and "expofed by his mother; but he

was found by the fhepherds "among fome bay-trees, whence "they gave him the name of "Daphnis. He became fo excel"lent, both in hunting and mu

fick, that a Nymph fell in love "with him, and bound him by an "oath to keep faithful to her. As "he was following his cows, he "happened to come near the pa"lace, where the king's daughter, "admiring his beauty, lay with "him. When the Nymph came "to know this, the deprived him

of his fight; but his father Mer

66 cury,

But Jofeph Scaliger is of opinion, that Julius Caefar was the Daphnis of our Poet. To this opinion Ruaeus fubfcribes, and thinks this Eclogue was written, when fome plays or facrifices were celebrated in honour of Julius Caefar. This learned Critick obferves, that it could not be Saloninus, the pretended fon of Pollio, who is faid to have died young, and therefore could not yoak tigers to his chariot, and inftitute dances to Bacchus: nor Quintilius Cremonenfis, who did not die till the year 730, long after all the Eclogues were finished. As for the notion of Flaccus, he thinks it improbable, that a Poet, fo remarkable for his modefty, fhould celebrate his own brother, an obfcure perfon, in fo fublime a manner. Catrou allows, that feveral paffages in this Eclogue agree perfectly well with Julius Caefar; but at the fame time he finds feveral others to be inexplicable, fuppofing he was the fubject of the poem. He allows alfo, that it appears more noble to make a hero the fubject, than an obscure young man, brought up in the country: but he apprehends that this is the real truth; which he supports by the following arguments. 1. The author of Virgil's life affirms in exprefs words, that he lamented the death of his brother Flaccus, under the name of Daphnis : "Amifit.... Flaccum "jam adultum, cujus exitum fub "nomine Daphnidis deflet." This tradition was fpread fo far, that

2.

we find in the old Commentators the two verfes quoted above, which confirms this opinion. This learned Jefuit profeffes fo great a regard for old traditions, that he is determined to interpret the prefent Eclogue according to this authority. But perhaps fome readers may not be fo fond of old traditions, as to depend on the authority either of that diftich, or of the life of Virgil afcribed to Donatus. I fhall add one obfervation, that Daphnis could not be that Quintilius Varus, to whom the fixth Eclogue is generally suppofed to be addreffed; for he was flain by the Germans, feveral years after the death of Virgil. Úpon the whole it seems most probable, that Virgil defigned to celebrate, either merely the Sicilian fhepherd Daphnis, whofe death Theocritus laments, in his firft Idyllium; or elfe Julius Caesar, which think is the general opinion. Crudeli funere may be referred to either of them; for Daphnis is faid to have died for love, and Julius Caefar was murdered. The lamentation of the Nymphs is moft applicable to the Sicilian Daphnis.

laft I

21. Vos coryli teftes et flumina.] This apoftrophe to the inanimated beings is very poëtical and beautiful. The fame figure is used alfo by the orators: thus Cicero, in his oration for Milo; "Vos enim Al"bani tumuli, atque luci, vos, in

quam, imploro atque obteftor, "vofque Albanorum obrutae arae, "facrorum populi Romani fociae,

23. Mater.] Ruaeus is of opinion that Rome is here meant; the Poet calling that city the mother of Julius Caefar.

"It is certain, that Julius Cae"far had no mother alive, at the time of his murther. Thofe "therefore, who will at all ad"ventures have him to be the per"fon intended, have recourfe to "interpretations more ingenious "than true. Some fancy, that un"der the figure of this mother, "who holds her fon in her arms,

we are to understand Calpurnia, "the wife of Caefar. Others that "Rome is defigned under this alle"gory. Others again that Venus "is here reprefented, who was the "mother of the whole Julian race.

It is eafy enough to perceive, "without any other proofs, that "these are fupplements to truth, "where truth itself is wanting. "With regard to Virgil's brother,

called both the gods and the conftellations cruel.

"it is probable that his mother was "yet alive, and made her cries be "heard even to heaven." CATROU.

But, with this learned Critick's leave, I mày venture to fay, that not one of the interpretations mentioned by him is more obfcure than his favourite fyftem. That Virgil ever had fuch a brother, or if he had, that his mother was alive to lament his death, is very far from being certain. For my own part, F rather believe, that Venus is the mother here mentioned; and I am confirmed in this opinion, by an almoft parallel paffage in the fifteenth book of the Metamorphofes. Ovid there represents Venus to be terrified at the approach of Caesar's death; fhe discovers all the fears and tenderness of a mother; confiders the injury as offered to herfelf; intercedes with the gods for his prefervation; fmites her own breast, and endeavours to hide him in the fame cloud, in which she had preferved Paris and Aeneas; and as foon as he is killed, comes into the fenate-house invifible, keeps his foul from being mixed with the common air, and carries it up to the fky, where it kindles, and becomes a star.