Sweet is the smell, and scented as the bowers 195 Your gambols, lo! the wanton goat is near. IDYLLIUM II. ARGUMENT. Simathea is here introduced complaining of Del phis, who had debauched and forsaken her she makes use of several incantations in orde to regain his affection; and discovers all the variety of passions that are incident to a neglected lover. WHERE are my laurels? and my philtres where? Pale Moon, assist me with refulgent light; 197. Come, Ciss!] Kiogaila, the name of the goat, from wooos, ivy, and awy, bright or shining 1. This whole Idyllium, as Heinsius observes, seems to have been pronounced with great gesticulation, as is evident from the exordium, Пa po ται Δεφναι ; τα δε τα φίλτρα; which is a direct imitation of the beginning of an ancient song, that used to be frequently rehearsed in the streets, and was called ανθεμα, Πε μοι τα ρόδα; πε μοι τα ια ; Where are my roses? where are my violets? 3. The cauldron] It is uncertain what sort of vessel the Khan was; Nicander uses the word in his Theriacis, and there it signifies a mortar in which any thing is pounded. Casaubon thinks it may be taken in the same sense here. It is worth observation, that though Virgil has studiously imitated this whole Idyllium, he chose not to mention any sort of vessel, but says, molli cinge hæc alteria vittâ. Eel. 8. 64. 4. Conjugis ut magicis sanos avertere sacris Experiar sensusEcl. 8. 66. 9. The Palæstra] The place for wrestling, and other exercises. 11. O queen of night!] Sorcerers addressed their prayers to the Moon and to Night, the witnesses of their abominations. Thus Medea in Ovid, Met b. vii. My imprecations I address to thee, say, 20 The cake's consum'd-burn, Thestylis, the rest So may the flesh of Delphis burn-My charms, 96 30 As melts this waxen form, by fire defac❜d, So may his love return-Restore, my charms, 19. My charms,] The Greek is Ivy, a bird 28. Fragiles incende bitumine lauros. The laurel was burnt in order to consume the flesh of the person, on whose account the magical cites were performed; it was thought, according to Pliny, b. 16. chap. the last, by its crackling noise, to express a detestation of fire. Mr. Gay as finely imitated this passage in his fourth Pastoral. Two hazel-nuts I threw into the flame, And to each nut I gave a sweetheart's name: 33. It was customary to melt wax, thereby to mollify the heart of the person beloved; the sorceress in Virgil, Ecl. 8. makes use of two images, one of mud, and the other of wax. Limus ut hic durescit, & hæc ut cera liquescit Uno eodemque igni: sic nostro Daphnis amore. 55. It was also usual to imitate all the actions they wished the loved person to perform; thus Tuque triceps Hecate quæ cœptis conscia nostris Simætha rolls a brazen wheel, believing that the Adjutrixque venis. Nox, ait, arcanis fidissima motion of this magic machine had the virtue to Canidia addresses the same powers-O rebus meis inspire her lover with those passions which she Hark! hark! the village-dogs! the goddess soon Restore false Delphis to my longing arms. I pour libations thrice, and thrice I pray; 50 Makes the colts mad, and stimulates the mares, 60 O'er hills, thro' streams they rage: O, could 41. Hylax in limine latrat Virg. Ecl. 8. 107. —————visæque canes ululare per umbram, Adventante DeâEn. 6. 257. The reason why Hecate was placed in the publie ways, was because she presided over piacular pollutions: every new moon there was a public supper provided at the charge of the richer sort in a place where three ways met, hence she was called Trivia, which was no sooner brought, but the poor people carried it all off, giving out that the Hecate had devoured it; these suppers were expiatory offerings to move this goddess to avert any evils, which might impend by reason of piacular crimes committed in the highways. Potter's Ant. 43. Tinnitusque cie, et matris quate cymbala circum. Virg. Geor. 4. 64. 45. Et nunc omne tibi stratum silet æquor, et omnes (Aspice) ventosi ceciderunt murmuris auræ. Ecl. 9. 57. 51. The number three was held sacred by the ancients, being thought the most perfect of all Dumbers, as having regard to the beginning, middle, and end. We shall see a further propriety in it, if we consider that Hecate, who presided over magical rites, had three faces. Terna tibi hæc primum triplici diversa colore 59. Hippomanes here undoubtedly signifies a plant, which is described as having the fruit of the wild cucumber, and the leaves of the prickly poppy; perhaps a kind of mullein; though in Virgil, Geor. 3. 280, it means a poison. See Martyn. 60. Cum tibi flagrans amor et libido, Quæ solet matres furiare equorum, &c. Hor. b. 1. od. 25. VOL. XX. This garment's fringe, which Delphis wout to wear, To burn in flames I into tatters tear. My lingering Delphis to my longing arms. 70 A lizard bruis'd shall make a potent bowl, And charm, to morrow, his obdurate soul; Meanwhile this potion on his threshold spill, Where, though despis'd, my soul inhabits still; No kindness he nor pity will repay; Spit on the threshold, Thestylis, and say, "Thus Delphis' bones I strew"-Restore, my charms, The dear, deluding Delphis to my arms. She's gone, and now, alas! I'm left alone! 80 When fair Anaxa at Diana's fane Her offering paid, and left the virgin train, Me warmly she requested, breathing love, At Dian's feast to meet her in the grove: Where savage beasts, in howling deserts bred, (And with them a gaunt lioness) were led To grace the solemn honours of the dayWhence rose my passion, sacred Phoebe, say-90 Theucarila's kind nurse, who lately died, Begg'd I would go, and she would be my guide; Alas! their importunity prevail'd, And my kind stars, and better genius fail'd; I went adorn'd in Clearista's clothes Say, sacred Phoebe, whence my flame aroseSoon as where Lyco's mansion stands I came, Delphis the lovely author of my flame Mr. Gay had this passage in view. 83. The Athenian virgins were presented to Diana before it was lawful for them to marry, on which occasion they offered baskets full of little curiosities to that goddess, to gain leave to depart out of her train, and change their state of life. Potter. 95. This is a stroke on the pride of those women who trick themselves in hired clothes; and N Say, sacred Phobe, whence arose my flame- For bones and skin were all that I had left: Time wing'd his way, but not to sooth my woes Say,sacred Phoebe, whence my flame arose- 120 Till to my maid, opprest with fear and shame, I told the secret of my growing flame; "Dear Thestylis, thy healing aid impart→→→ The love of Delphis has engross'd my heart. He in the school of exercise delights, Athletic labours, and heroic fights; And oft be enters on the lists of fame" Say, sacred Phoebe, whence arose my flame"Haste thither, and the hint in private give, Say that I sent you tell him where I live." 130 She heard, she flew, she found the youth I sought, And all in secret to my arms she brought. Cold as the snow my freezing limbs were chill'd, Senseless I stood, nor could my mind disclose Say, sacred Phoebe, whence my flame aroseMy strange surprise he saw, then prest the bed, Fix'd on the ground his eyes, and thus he said; say 160 "Had you receiv'd me, all had then been well, For I in swiftness and in form excel; And should have deem'd it no ignoble bliss The roses of your balmy lips to kiss: Had you refus'd me, and your doors been barr'd, With axe and torch I should have come prepar'd, Resolv'd with force resistance to oppose❞— 137. Diriguit visu in medio: calor ossa reliquit. Æn. b. 3. 308. If the learned reader will compare this passage with Sappho's celebrated ode Εις την ερωμένην, he will find great similarity both in the thoughts and expressions. 153. Heinsius observes there was a custom at Athens, that whenever a young man was smitten Populeis adsunt evincti tempora ramis. 166. With axe and torch, &c.] If after rapping at the door, the lover was refused admittance, agos anv avadnow, to place the flowery crown on the head of his mistress, he then threatened axes and torches, to break or burn the door-Thus Horace Hic hic ponite lucida B. 2, od. 26. More raging fires than Etna's waste my frame"Say, sacred Phoebe, whence arose my flame---"Love from their beds enraptur'd virgins charms, And wives new-married from their husbands' arms." He said, (alas, what frenzy seiz'd my mind!) Meanwhile I'll call enchantment to my aid: 200 175. Love from their bowers] The Greek is sador ex bahapoo, the thalami signified the inner chambers where the virgins were kept closely confined, and not permitted to converse with men. In Homer, Iliad, b. 6. the rooms where Priam's daughters lived are called rye baraua, as being placed at the top of the house; for the women's lodgings were usually in the uppermost rooms, as Eustathius remarks upon the passage; which was another means to keep them from company. 180. And sweetly whisper'd] Eidugisdomes adu. See Idyl. 1. ver. 1. 193. That it was usual for lovers to adorn their houses with flowers and garlands in honour of their mistresses, is evident from a passage in Catullus, de Aty, ver. 66. Mibi floridis corollis redimita domus erat, Linquendum ubi esset orto mihi sole cubiculum. Fair flowery wreaths around my house are spread, When with the rising Sun I leave my bed. 202. His ego Daphnim aggrediar. Ecl. 8. 102. 203. A charm I know] Majus parabo, majus infundam tibi Fastidienti poculum. Hor. Epod. 5. 77. 206. Has herbas, atque hæc Ponto mihi lecta Now, Cynthia, drive your coursers to the main; IDYLLIUM III. AMARYLLIS. ARGUMENT. A goatherd declares his passion for his mistress Amaryllis, laments her cruelty, commends her charms, solicits her favours, and distracted at the thoughts of not obtaining them, threatens to drown himself, tries experiments to know if she loves him, sings love-songs, and seems resolved to die, and be devoured by wolves. To Amaryllis, lovely nymph, I speed, * This Idyllium affords us a specimen of ancient gallantry, namely, of the rapaxhauлupov, or mournful song, which excluded lovers used to sing at the doors of their mistresses: they had two methods of performing this, one was to sing it as they lay on the ground, thus Horace, ode 10. b. 3, was. sung while the lover was porrectus ante fores; but this was performed standing, and with great gesticulation of body, and motion of the feet: it is called Comastes, which signifies, according to Hesychius, a shepherd that dances and sings at the same time. The turns in this song are very abrupt, sudden, and striking, and give us a lively picture of a distracted lover. 2. Pascuntur vero sylvas et summa Lycæi. Geor. 3. 314. 3. O Tityrus, &c.] Virgil has translated these three lines; Tityre, dum redeo, brevis est via, pasce ca- Et potum pastas age, Tityre: et inter agendum This passage of Virgil, Dr. Martyn thinks, seems to intimate, that he was engaged in translating the Idylliums of our poet. 6. The ram] The Greek is evory, which in this place undoubtedly signifies a ram. Thus Homer has Πεντεκοντα δ' ενορχα και το λο Full fifty rams to bleed in sacrifice. Pope's Iliad, b. 23 Creech and Dryden have rendered it ridgil: Dryden and Warton also have rendered the word capro in Virgil by the same term. 10. Dumque tibi est odio mea fistula, dumque capellæ, Hirsutumque supercilium, prolixaque barba. Ecl. 8. 33. Does my flat nose or beard your eyes offend?- Accept this boon, 'tis all my present store- 20 Fed with her whelps, and nurs'd him in the wild: On me his scorching flames incessant prey, Soft are your looks, but flinty is your heart; 12 This love, &c.] Mori me denique coges. 30 Ecl. 2. 7. 18. Quod potui, puero sylvestri ex arbore lecta Aurea mala decem misi: cras altera mittam. Eel. 3. 70. 20. A bee to buzz] The Greek is, A Boußuse poca, and is very expressive of the sense. See Idyl. 1. 137. 22. And the fern leaves, &c.] The ancient shepherds often made themselves beds of fern, because they imagined that the smell of it would drive away serpents. 23. I know thee, Love, &c.] Virgil has, Nunc scio quid sit Amor: duris in cotibus illum Ismarus, aut Rhodope, aut extremi Garamantes, Nec nostri generis puerum nec sanguinis edunt. Ecl. 8. 43. These ideas, not owing their original to rural objects, are not pastoral, and therefore improper: sentiments like these, as they have no ground in nature, are indeed of little value in any poem, but in pastoral they are particularly liable to censure, because they are more proper for tragic or heroic writings. Rambler, No. 37. Pope, endeavouring to copy Virgil, was carried to still greater impropriety; I know thee Love! on foreign mountains bred, 32. For me, &c.] Εστι και εν κενεοίσι φιλαμασιν ίδια τέρψις; Exactly the same verse occurs, Idy!. 27. 1. 4. Moschus calls it, yujwer to pinama, a naked kiss. Where rose-buds mingled with the ivy-wreath, For, leasing barley in my fields of late, hate" For you my care a milk-white goat supplied, 35. Floribus, atque apio crines ornatus amaro, Ecl. 6, 68. The ancients thought that ivy and parsley had the virtue of dissipating the vapours of wine. 42. Headlong I'll plunge, &c.] Virgil has, Præceps aërii speculâ de montis in undas Deferar. Ecl. 8. 59. 45. Orpine] Tλep.λov is probably orpine, a low plant whose branches trail on the ground; the leaves are small, roundish, and of a glaucous colour, the flowers small and of a whitish green. Cool violets, and orpine growing still, 49. An old witch.] The Greek is Aygow, and generally taken for a proper name; but Heinsius, with good reason, thinks it should be wrote a yeaia, an old woman. We have a similar passage in the 6th Idyl. ver. 40. Tavra yag a ygala μ: KoTUTTANG ididaev. For this the old woman Cottytaris taught me. 50. Sieve and sheers] This was another sort of divination. 53. For you my care, &c.] Virgil has entirely copied this; Præterea duo nec tutâ mihi valle reperti Et faciet; quoniam sordent tibi munera nostra, 59. My right eye itches] The palpitation of the right eye was reckoned a lucky omen. Potter |