Begin with me, my pipe, the Let all things be converted in to deep fea: farewel ye woods. and the Lefbians; and is farther confirmed by a brazen ftatue of a man riding on a dolphin, which he affirms was to be feen in his time at Taenarus. 58. Omnia vel medium, &c.] Damon at laft refolves to take leave of the world, and to drown himself. Medium fiant mare.] The fhepherd does not really with for an univerfal all means, that as he things: he is going to take leave of the world, the earth is-ng longer any thing to him. Vivite. That is palete, a word ufed in taking leave, like xipere, adieu, farewel. Daphnis in like manner bids adieu to the wild beafts, woods, and waters, in the firft Idyllium of Theocritus; thofe people. But he was deceived in his good opinion of them: for they confpired to rob him, and throw him over-board. In vain did the fweet musician intreat them to fpare his life, and take his money they were deaf to his prayers, and only gave him his choice either of killing himself, or jumping into the fea. He chofe the latter; and then defired leave to put on his beft cloaths, and to give them one tune on his harp before he died. This they affented to, being willing to hear the best musician in the world perform before them. When the fong was ended, he leaped into the fea, with all his ornaments, and was taken up by a dolphin: which they did not perceive, and purfued their voyage to Corinth. But the dolphin carried Arion fafe on his back to Taenarus, from which place he travelled by land to Corinth, and there related his adventure. Periander, not believing it, fent him to prifon, and inquired for the accured mariners. When they were brought before the king, and queftioned concerning Arion, they affirmed, that they had left him at Tarentum, living in great plenty. Then Periander caufed him to be produced in the very garments, in which he had leaped into the fea; with which they were fo confounded, that they could not deny the "Thro' Thymbrian plains, ye filfact. This story, fays Herodotus, ver ftreams farewel." related both by the Corinthians. ཁན་ Ὦ λύκοι, ὦ θωές, ὦ αν' ώρεα φωλά δες ἄρκτοι, Χαίρεθ ̓ ὁ βωκόλος ἔμμιν ἐγὼ Δάφ τις οὐκέτ ̓ ἂν ὕλαν, και του μον Quxit? avà dpupas, oửng dλdex") xaip' Αρέθοισα, Καὶ ποταμοὶ τοὶ χεῖτε καλόν κατὰ Θύμβριδος ύδωρ. "Ye wolves, ye lions, and ye. "boars, adieu; "For Daphnis walks no more in 66 CREECH. 39. Praeceps I will throw myself beadlong Praeceps aerir fpecula de montis in undas into the waters, from the top of a bigb rock: take this laft gift Deferar: extremum hoc munus morientis habeto. 60 of a dying perfon. Ceafe, my Define Maenalios, jam define, tibia, versus. pipe, now cease the Maenalian Haec Damon: vos, quae refponderit Alphefiboeus, Arains. Thus Damon: Ye Mufes, relate what Alphefibotus answered: 60. Extremum boc munus - morientis habeto.Take this last gift of a dying perfon, that is, my death fhall be the laft agreeable prefent to you. He means, that Nifa will rejoice at his death. 62. Haec Damon, & The Poet having recited thefe fine verfes. Dicite, Pierides: non omnia poffumus omnes. Carmina vel caelo poffunt deducere lunam: ebings. we cannot all do all e ALPHES. Bring out the water, and encompass these at65 tars with a fofe fillet and burn fat vervain, and male frankincenfe, that I may try fubvert the right senses of my bufband by magical rites. No thing is wanting` bere bue verfes. Bring, bring my Daphnis home from the city, my verfes ducite door Verses can even bring down the moon from beaven a : NOTES.c αώτω. of Damon, declares, that he is un-Zipo Tay Hedia Convixé ses able to proceed any farther by his own ftrength; and calls upon the Mufes to relate the anfwer of Alphefiboeus. ~63. Non omnia possumus omnes.] See the note on aut fi non poffumus omnes, ver. 23. of the feventh Eclogue. Dragana 64. Effer aquam, &c.] Alphefiboeus allumes the perfon of a for cerefs, who is performing a magical facrifice, in order to bring her hufband home, and regain his love which the had loft. Thefe words of the forceress are addreffed to her affiftant, whofe name we afterwards find to be Ama ryllis. Some of the Commentators would fain read affer inftead of effer. But La Cerda has fhewn, that they ufed hot water in their magical rites. Therefore we may underftand, that the water was heated in the houfe, and that the forcerefs calls upon Amaryllis to bring it out. Molli vitta.] The fillet is called foft, because made of wool. See the notes on ver. 487. of the third Georgick. The forcerefs, in The ocritus, calls out to have the cup furrounded with purple weet; .. 65, Verbenas.] See the note on ver. 131. of the fourth Georgick. Mafcula thura. The Ancients called the best fort of frankincenfe male. 67. Carmina. These verses are a particular form of words, ufed in these fuperftitious ceremonies. From carmen our word charm is derived. The verfe or charm here intended feems to be the next line; which is often repeated, as the burthen of the fong. It is much the fame with that in Theocritus; Αυγξ, ἕλκε τὸ τῆνον ἐμὸν πότι δῶμα τὸν ἄνδρα. 69. Carmina vel caelo, &c.] In this paragraph, are.enumerated the various powers of these fuperftitious verfes, or charms. That the moon could be brought down by magick, was a common opinion, not only of the Poets, but of the Philofophers alfo. The Theffalians were thought to be poffeffed of this art, more than any other people. The forcerefs, in Theo critus, by werfer Cires changed the com- Carminibus Circe focios mutavit Ulyffei panions of Ulyffes: by finging the cold snake is burften in the Frigidus in pratis cantando rumpitur anguis preadeaus, Bring, bring my Ducite ab urbe domum, mea carmina,.. Daphnis bome from the city,-O my werfests Pant Daphnim. First I furround bee with Terna tibi haec primum triplici diverfa colore these three lifts diftingubed Licia circumdo, terque haec altaria circum 70 ducite with three colours, and lead Effigiem duco. Numero Deus impare gaudet. 75 bis image three times abou befe alfats. The deity delights Ducite ab urbe, domum, mea carmina, ducite in an odd number. Bring, Daphnim, bring my Daphnis bome from Necte tribus nodis ternos, Amarylli, colores: the city, O my verses. Knit three colours, with three Necte, Amarylli, modo: et Veneris dic vincula knots, Amaryllis: knit them necto. P M quickly Amaryllis and fay, I knit the knots of Venus. Bring, Ducite ab urbe domum, mea carmina, ducite Fring my Dapthis bon from Daphnimenu od tih powloob grad the city, O my verses. Limus ut hic durefcit, et haec ut cera liquefcit 80 As this mud bardens, and melts, in this wax 2 Cantadal delstend fraudi ede to critus, frequently calls on the moon to tell her whence her paffion came; Pierius fays it is carmina et e caelo in fome ancient manuferipts. T 2170. Circe.] An enchantrefs, who turned the companions of Ulyffes into fwine. See the tenth book of the Odyffey, and the feventh book of the Aeneids. 1. Cantando.] Hence are derived our words, ixchant, and incantation. 73. Terna tibi haec, &c.] She proceeds in her magical fuperftitions, making ufe of the number three, which was thought to be facred. The forcerefs, in: Theocritus, makes ufe alfo of the number three, P The number three was thought the most perfect of all numbers, having regard to the beginning, middle, and end. The deity here mentioned is probably Hecate, who prefided over magical rites, and had three faces. 77. Neste tribus nodis, &c.] The fame fuperftition is continued.! 80. Limus ut hic, &c.] The forceress proceeds to the famous piece of witchcraft, the making of images, which are said to confume the perfon for whom they are made, as the images themselves are confumed; and adds fome other ceremonies.. 75 Here are plainly two images defcribed; one of mud and the other of wax: the former of which would neceffarily grow hard, and the latter foften, in the fame fire. Servius is of opinion, that the forcerefs here makes her own image of mud ; and that of Daphnis of wax that he may melt with regard to her, like •C75 Numero Deus impere gaudet.] wax; but grow obdurate to the Εις τρὶς ἀποσπένδω, και τρὶς τάδε πότε woman Uno eodemque igni: fic noftro Daphnis amore, by one and the fame fire, Daphnis by my love. M NOTES.. ふ The forcerefs, in Theocritus, melts" wax in the fire, and prays, that' Delphis also may melt in love; Ὣς τοῦτον τὸν καιρὸν ἐγὼ σὺν δαίμονι, o ταχώς Ως τακοιθ' υπ' woman he was now in love with, า υπ ερωτος As this devoted wax melts o'er "the fire, "Let Myndian Delphid meltin 1 warm defire." CREECH." In later times, there have been' many, who have attempted the lives of others, by making reprefentations of them in clay or wax, order to confume fuch perfons by confuming their images. About the beginning of the last century, many 17 «Talis amor teneat: nec fit mihi perfons were convicted of this, and "cura mederi." other fuch like practices, and executed accordingly. King James the Firft, who then fate upon the throne, was a great believer of the power of magick, and condefcended fo far, as to be the author of a book intituled Daemonologie, in which amongst other particulars, he speaks of thefe images as being frequently made at that time; and afcribes the power of them to the devil. To "fome others at these times he "teacheth, how to make pictures "of waxe or claye, that by the |