new or forced, and in this sense it is not inconsistent with swiftness. Virgil applies this epithet to the Tyber, which he always represents as a swift river: "Leni fluit agmine Tybris." Aen. II. 782. And certainly it cannot be denied but that the swiftest motions may be very smooth.-Compare this description with Georg. I. 318, etc. where Virgil has described a storm, and you will soon be convinced that he thought of nothing less than a storm or hurricane here. VER. 202-204. "Hic, vel ad Elei metas et maxima campi Belgica vel 1 molli melius ferret ** esseda collo.” *Tender neck, unaccustomed to the yoke, not galled." So Catullus, in his Epithalamium Thetidos et Pelei, to express the peasants leaving their work, and the cattle not going to plough, says: "Rura colit nemo, mollescunt colla juvencis." ** This sort of chariot, which was first used by the Belgae and Britons, as we are informed by Caesar and others, was probably in Virgil's time used likewise in Italy; and is therefore here mentioned by him. I am of opinion, that Lucan hints at their being introduced in Italy, when he says: "Et docilis rector monstrati Belga covini." Lib. I. 426. Covinus and Essedum signify the same thing, viz. a very light chaise, for expedition.-Silius Italicus, speaking of the Astures, says: "His parvus sonipes, nec Marti notus; at idem "Aut inconcusso glomerat vestigia dorso, "Aut molli pacata celer trahit esseda collo." Lib. III. “Tum demum crassâ magnum * farragine corpus *Farrago fit optima, cum cantherini hordei decem modiis jugerum obseritur circa aequinoctium autumnale,-frigoribus, "cum alia pabula defecerunt, ea bubus caeterisque pecudibus "optimè desecta praebetur; et si depascere saepius voles, usque "in mensem Maium sufficit." Col. lib. II. c. xi.-" Cantheri"num hordeum idem dicitur Hexastichum." C. ix. 1 VER. 220-236. "Illi alternantes multâ vi praelia miscent 66 Versaque in obnixos urgentur cornua vasto "Cum gemitu: reboant sylvaeque et magnus Olympus. 66 "Dura jacet pernox instrato saxa cubili: * The strength, gravity, and solemnity of this description is very remarkableHow few dactyls! It seems to have been a particular favourite of the old poets.Lucan has imitated it in his Pharsalia, lib. II. 601. Statius, in his Thebais, lib. II. 321. and Silius Italicus, at the beginning of his XVIth book. ** Not his own horns, but the enemy's. VER. 258-263. "Quid juvenis, magnum cui versat in ossibus ignem 66 Aequora nec miseri possunt revocare parentes, "Nec moritura super crudeli funere virgo." This certainly means the palace of Jove. See La Cerda, and Dr. Martyn. VER. 264-268. 1 "Quid lynces Bacchi variae, et genus acre luporum, "Atque canum? quid, quae *' imbelles dant praelia cervi? "Scilicet ante omnes ** furor est insignis equarum: "Et mentem Venus ipsa dedit, quo tempore Glauci "Potniades ** malis membra absumpsere quadrigae." 4 *"Naturally not of a warlike disposition."-Sallust uses this word in the same sense in his character of Atherbal, Bell, Jugurth. "Quietus, imbellis, placidus ingenio." I ** Horace says to an old bawd: "Tibi flagrans amor et libido, "Quae solet matres furiare equorum, Lib. I. Od. xxv. *Est etiam ante Thebas fons Dirce et Potniae; ad quas "ferunt Glaucum Potniensem a Potniadibus equabus fuisse discerptum prope ipsam urbem." Strabo, lib. IX. 66 **This expression, "malis absumere," certainly carried an idea in the Roman language of something more ravenous than the literal construction imports in ours: for I observe that the Harpy Celaeno, when she prophesies to Aeneas and his companions that they should be reduced to such extreme hunger, as to be forced to devour their own tables, makes use of the same expression: "Vos dira fames, nostraeque injuria caedis "Ambesas subigat malis absumere mensas.' VER. 269-279. Aen. III. 257. Illas ducit amor trans Gargara, transque sonantem "Ascanium: superant montes, et flumina tranant: Continuòque avidis ubi subdita flamma medullis, "Vere magis (quia vere calor redit ossibus) illae "**Ore omnes versae in Zephyrum, stant rupibus altis, "Exceptantque leves auras: et saepe sine ullis Conjugiis, vento gravidae (mirabile dictu) 66 3 "Saxa per et scopulos et depressas convalles "Diffugiunt: non, Eure, tuos, neque Solis ad ortus, * Strabo places Mysia and Phrygia on the banks of this river, and the Palus Ascania, lib. XII.—That it is a fruitful country appears from Homer: ἐξ Ασκανίης ἐριβώλακος. II. R. 793. ** I take the meaning of this, and what follows afterwards, "non, Eure, tuos," etc. to be," that mares are impregnated "by the west-wind; and after they are impregnated, they then run, not to the east, but to the north or south." Dr. Martyn observes, that commentators dispute much about this expression," Nigerrimus Auster pluvio contristat frigore "caelum;" the south, as they say, being commonly a warm wind. But the Doctor well observes from Columella, that the time when mares are seized with this fury is about the vernal equinox. I think this is a very lively description in few words of the black melancholic weather, attended with cold and rains, which we usually have, even though the wind is south, about the equinox, the month of March. This is not any poetical fancy of Virgil's. It was com monly believed in his time; and Columella makes no manner of doubt of the truth of it." Nec dubium, quin aliquot regio"nibus tanto flagrent ardore coeundi feminae, ut etiam si marem "non habeant, assidua et nimia cupiditate figurantes sibi ipsae "venerem (cohortalium more avium) vento concipiant."Cum sit notissimum etiam in sacro monte Hispaniae, qui pro"currit in occidentem juxta Oceanum, frequenter equas sine "coïtu ventrem pertulisse, foetumque educasse, qui tamen "inutilis est, quod triennio, prius quam adolescat, morte ab"sumitur." Lib. VI. c. xxvii. 66 66 *Constat in Lusitaniâ circa Ulyssiponem oppidum et. Tagum amnem equas Favonio flante obversas animalem con"cipere spiritum, idque partum fieri, et gigni pernicissimum "ita, sed triennium vitae non excedere." Plin. I. VIII. c. 42. Virgil is more modest.- "In foeturâ res incredibilis est in Hispaniâ, sed est vera; quod in Lusitaniâ ad Oceanum in eâ "regione ubi est oppidum Olysippo, monte Tagro, quaedam e "vento concipiant certo tempore equae; ut hic gallinae quoque "solent, quarum ova invénia appellant. Sed ex his equis, qui "nati pulli, non plus triennium vivunt." Var. De re rust. lib. II. c. i. **"In Boream, Caurumve, aut," etc. that is, as soon as they have conceived, they run towards the North or the South; and it is expressly affirmed by Pliny that they do so after copulation. 66 Equae à coïtu solae animalium currunt ex adverso Aquilonum Austrorumve prout marem aut feminam concepere." Lib. X. c. lxiii. 66 *Frigus does not always signify extreme cold or frost; but moderate, as the coolness of the morning or evening in Summer; as plainly appears from verse 321 to 337, where, Virgil speaks of frigidus Vesper," and, "Luciferi primo cum sidere," when he is speaking of the Summer. 66 VER. 284, 285. "Sed fugit interea, fugit irreparabile tempus, "Singula dum capti circumvectamur * amore." * The Poet corrects himself very prettily for having dwelt so long on this subject, and lays the fault on love, the effects of which he feels, and is himself insnared whilst he is describing the passion. VER. 295-304. "Incipiens, stabulis edico in * mollibus herbam "Molle pecus, scabiemque ferat; turpesque podagras. * "Cum aliquot dies steterunt, subjicere oportet virgulta "alia, quo mollius requiescant, purioresque sint; libentius enim "ita pascuntur." Varr. lib. II. c. ii.-In the same place he further directs; "Stabula idoneo loco ut sint, ne ventosa."-And says in the next chapter, that the same rule will serve for goats. 2 ** We see this sign always represented as pouring out of an urn. VER. 305-307. "Hae quoque non curâ nobis leviore tuendae, "Nec minor usus erit: quamvis * Milesia magno "Vellera mutentur, Tyrios incocta rubores." *"Lana laudatissima Apula; et quae in Italiâ Graeci pecoris "appellatur, alibi Italica; tertium locum Milesiae oves obti"nent." Plin. 1. VIII. c. xlviii. 66 VER. 311-313. "Nec minus interea barbas incanaque menta "Usum in castrorum et miseris velamina nautis." *This is certainly used in the nominative plural. Making the goats give up their beards themselves for the service of man, is very poetical. So, "Dant arbuta sylvae." Georg. II. ver. 520. and Virgil very frequently uses the same manner of expression. Putting Hirci in the genitive case, or introducing a different reading (Hircis) is losing the whole beauty and energy of the thought. Varro speaks thus on this very subject" Ut fructum "ovis è lanâ ad vestimentum, sic capra pilos ministrat ad usum "nauticum, et ad bellica tormenta, et fabrilia vasa.”—If a grave prose writer may say "Capra ministrat pilos ad usum "nauticum," etc. surely a Poet may be allowed to say, "Hir"cus tondet barbam in usum castrorum," etc. Ovid celebrates the Cinyphian as a corn country. "Cinyphiae segetis citius numerabis aristas.” De Ponto. lib. II. Ep. vii. |