ઃઃ

"aimed only at sweetness of ex"preffion, as became one who ad"dreffed himfelf to a nymph: but "in these he speaks with a gravity becoming one who addreffes himfelf to Caefar, who was then ad"mitted among the gods. There "he defcribes the delights of the fpring; flowers, rivers, fhades; "fuch objects only as tend to plea"fure: here he produces the fruits "of fummer, corn, grapes, and pears; all which are ufeful to "man. In the former, were three * articles, relating to pleasure; as ** there are, in the latter, as many relating to utility; the corn, the grapes, and the pears. Laftly, "as he there begins and ends with Galatea; fo here he begins and "ends with Daphnis. Who can fay, that Virgil fpeaks to no pur"pofe?" LA CERDA.

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It is obfervable that, in this Eclogue, Virgil, with great addrefs, recommends himself to the favour of those in power, in order to preserve the lands about Mantua. Poetry was at that time in very high efteem; and the Greek poets were justly thought to excel all others. He therefore endeavours to fhew, that if he can meet with encouragement, he fhall be able to teach the Romans, to furpafs all other nations, in the arts of peace, as they had already gained the fuperiority in the arts of war. He begins the He begins the contention with Theocritus, tranflating two favourite paffages of that author, and making his tranflations

Bebold the ftar of Dionean Cat far bas begun it's courfe:

fuperior to the originals. Not contented with this, he oppofes to each of thefe tranflations an equal number of original verfes of his own; in which he fhews himfelf capable of exceeding the most beautiful paffages of that admired poet. The addrefs to Varus, ver. 27. is elegant and polite, and being related, as only a fragment of a larger poem, was well calculated to obtain the protection of that favourite of Auguftus. But, in the paffage under confideration, he applies himself more directly to Auguftus; for he reprefents the new ftar, which was by fome fuppofed to be the foul of Julius Caefar, as having a more benign influence, than all the old conftellations put together. Auguftus had a good tafte for poetry, and confequently could not help being touched with fo delicate a complement.

Daphni.] Daphnis feems to be intended only for a fictitious name of fome favourite fhepherd.

Antiquos fignorum .

ortus.] He admonishes Daphnis, that there is no occafion for him to regard the old rules of obferving the heavens, with refpect to agriculture; because the new ftar of Caefar, will be alone fufficient.

47. Dionaei.] Dione was a fea nymph, the daughter of Oceanus and Tethys, and mother of Venus, by Jupiter: Venus was the mother of Aeneas, who was the father of Afcanius, or Iulus; from whom the Julian family derived their defcent. Julius Caefar therefore, beZ 4

ing

'

fo called in honour of Julius Caefar: the grapes and corn being ripe in that month. But this obfervation is not right; because tho' the harvest is usually made in July; yet the vintage is not begun, till September or October, even in the warmer countries. Palladius places the barley harvest in June; "Nunc primo

"Julio

Caefaris aftrum.] A remarkable ftar or comet appeared for ven days together, after the death of Julius Caefar; which was thought to be a fign, that his foul was received into heaven. Hence Auguftus caufed his ftatue in the Forum to be adorned with the addition of a flar. See the note on ver. 488. of the first Georgick.

Aftrum properly fignifies a conftellation, or number of ftars placed in a certain order: the Poet ufes it in this place for a single star; thereby giving a greater dignity to the ftar of Caefar. Thus Horace calls the fame ftar fidus ;

પ

"menfe agri, qui Aprili profciffi "fuerant, circa Calendas iterantur. Nunc locis temperatis tri"tici meffis expletur." But he does not mention the beginning of the vintage, even in the hottest countries, before September; " Hoc "menfe locis tepidis, maritimifque "celebranda vindemia eft, frigidis "apparanda." But the ufual feafon for the vintage is October; for in that month he fays, Nunc opportuna vindemia eft. Virgil therefore could have no intention of alluding to any one month: his meaning is, that the new ftar would have a benign influence over all parts of husbandry.

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and by which the cluster shall acquire it's "colour on the open bills, -Plant pear-trees, ``0 Daphnis; your grand-children fball gather the fruit. Time confumes all things, even the memory itself: I re

"understand the earth itself and "and they may be in the right. "To omit other teftimonies, which are commonly produced, I fhall "offer a fragment of Cicero, pre"ferved by Nonnius; Ut enim fegetes agricolae fubigunt aratris "multo antequam ferant." LA CERDA.

Moerim

Multaque humi cum inhumata "jacerent corpora fuper "Corporibus, tamen alituum ge66 nus atque ferarum

Aut procul abfiliebat, ut acrem "exiret odorem : ; "Aut ubi gustarat, languebat morte ❝ propinqua.

"Nec tamen omnino temere illis "folibus ulla

t

Here we fee, that funs are oppofed to nights; as they are alfo by our Poet, in the third Aeneid: "

"Tres adeo incertos caeca caliginė " foles

"Erramus pelago, totidem fine "fidere noctes.

"Quarto terra die primum fe at"tollere tandem "Vifa."

53. Nunc oblita mihi.] "Here "are two particulars to be ob "ferved: 1. oblita is ufed paffively. 2. mihi is put for a me. In like manner we read in the firft "Aeneid;

"Nulla tuarum audita mihi, "neque "vifa fororum." RUAEUS.

54. Lupi Moerim videre priores.] This expreffion alludes to a notion, which obtained among the ancient Italians; that if a wolf faw any man first, it deprived him of his voice for the prefent; as we find in the twenty-fecond chapter of the eighth book of Pliny's Natural Hiftory; "Sed in Italia quoque "creditur luporum vifus effe noxi

'

us: vocemque homini, quem "priores contemplentur, adimere "ad praefens." Virgil therefore, with propriety, puts this faying in

"faecla ferarum

Exibant fylvis."

tells us, that from this common story is derived the proverbial ex

preffion,

But Menalcas will repeat them

to you often enough.

2

56. Caufando noftros, &c.] Lycidas looks upon this lofs of memory as a mere pretence; and therefore preffes Moeris to proceed. He urges the ftillness of the evening, and their having gone half their journey already, as arguments for fitting down a little; and adds, that they fhall reach the city, in good time. But if Moeris is afraid the night fhould prove rainy, he tells him, they may fing as they go along, and offers to eafe him of his load. Moeris perfifts in not finging any more; and exhorts him to wait for the return of

Menalcas with patience.

Caufando.] Caufari fignifies " to make excuses: thus Lucretius, lib. I.