66 66 "Non aliam ob culpam * Baccho caper omnibus aris * "Quaedam pecudes culturae sunt inimicae, ac veneno, ut caprae. Omnia novella sata carpendo corrumpunt; non mi"nimùm vites atque oleas. Itaque propterea institutum diversâ "de causâ, ut ex caprino genere ad alii Dei aram hostia adduceretur, ad alii non sacrificaretur, cum ab eodem odio alter " videre nollet, alter etiam videre pereuntem vellet. Sic fac"tum, ut Libero patri, repertori vitis, hirci immolarentur, proinde ut capite darent poenas. Contrá, ut Minervae caprini generis nihil immolarent, propter oleam, quod eam, "quam laeserit, fieri dicunt sterilem: ejus enim salivam esse "fructuis venenum." Varro, De re rust. lib. I. c. ii. 66 66 "Ingentes pagos" does not sound Virgilian; and the passage is much more clear, and better poetry, with the alteration mentioned by two or three of the critics, who read Ingeniis, instead of Ingentes. VER. 388-392. "Et te, Bacche, vocant per carmina laeta, tibique "+ Oscilla ex altâ suspendunt mollia pinu. "Hinc omnis largo pubescit vinea foetu: "Complentur vallesque cavae, saltusque profundi; + Virgil speaks here of some little heads of Bacchus, which the countrymen of old hung upon trees, that the face might turn every way; out of a notion, that the regards of this God gave fertility to their vineyards: and Ovid mentions Bacchus's turning his face towards him, as a blessing, Fast. III. 789. The former, in the passage above; which is not very easy to be understood of itself; and for the full understanding of which I was obliged to a gem, in the Great Duke's collection at Florence. See Pol. pl. XX. fig. ii.-Virgil here says, that there is plenty wherever this God turns "his beautiful face." Mr. Dryden, in his translation of the words, seems to have borrowed his idea of Bacchus from the vulgar representations of him on our sign-posts; and so calls it (in downright English) "Bacchus's honest face." * Columella, quoting this verse, says: "Quod de sacro "numine poëta dicit, verum quocunque Domini praesentis "oculi frequenter accessere, in eâ parte majorem in modum "fructus exuberat." Lib. iii. c. xxi. VER. 397-400. "Est etiam ille labor curandis vitibus alter, "Cui nunquam exhausti satis est: namque omne quotannis "Terque quaterque solum scindendum, glebaque versis “ Aeternum frangenda bidentibus.". * This rule is excellently well expressed, for it directs frequent digging; which "terque quaterque" imports: and at the same time intimates the usual number of times to be three or four: and that his meaning might not be mistaken, he enforces frequent digging by what follows, "Aeternum," etc. So Columella directs crebras fossiones" in general terms, and then adds: "Nec inficior plerosque ante me rusticarum rerum "magistros tribus fossionibus (vinearum) contentos fuisse, ex "quibus Graecinus; qui sic refert: Potest videri satis esse "constitutam vineam ter fodere." etc. Lib. IV. c. xxviii. 66 VER. 403-407. n; "Seras posuit cum vinea frondes, 66 * Columella says: "Putandi duo sunt tempora: melius (ut "ait Mago) vernum: Sed nec utique verno omnibus regioni"bus melior putatio est. Nam ubi caelum frigidum est, ea "sine dubio eligenda est: Ubi vero aprica loca sunt, mollesque "hiemes (as at Naples) optima et maximè naturalis est Autum"nalis: Quo tempore divinâ quâdam lege et aeternâ fructum "cum fronde stirpes deponunt.' Lib. IV. c. x.Virgil fol lows the same direction of nature: "Seras posuit cum vinea frondes." Again Columella says: "Placet ergo, si mitis ac temperata "permittit in eâ regione quam colimus coeli clementia, factâ "vindemiâ secundum idus Octob. auspicari putationem. Sin "autem coeli status frigidus et pruinosus hiemis violentiam denunciat, in idus Feb. hanc curam differemus." Cap. xxiii. 66 VER. 410, 411. "Bis vitibus ingruit umbra, "Bissegetem densis obducunt sentibus herbae." *Columella, lib. XI. c. ii. speaking of prid. kal. Mai. says: "Per hos dies prima pampinatio rectè inchoatur, dum prore"pentes oculi digito decuti possint."Again, in the same 66 66 chapter, he says: "Abidib. Mai. usque in kal. Jun. veteranam vineam et caeteras omnes vineas pampinare oportet.' Again, afterwards, sub finem Aug. he says: "Multi etiam, si pluvius est status caeli, sicut suburbana regione Italiae, pam"pinis vitem spoliant, ut percoqui fructus possint, nec putres"cere imbribus. At è contrario locis calidioribus, ut in Bae"ticâ, maritimis regionibus, et in Africâ, circa vindemiam "adumbrantur stramentis vel aliis tegumentis uvae, ne ventis "aut caloribus exarescant.' This precept is confirmed by Palladius, in Aug. tit.- Aug. mense ultimo locis frigidis pampinatur; locis autem ferventibus ac siccis obumbratur potiùs uva."So Columella says, lib. IV. c. xxviii. "Tempus pampinationis antequam florem vitis ostendat max"ime eligendum est: Sed et postea licet eandem repetere.' And again: "Pubescentem verò et quasi adolescentem convenit "foliis omnibus nudare." 66 66 2 Ibid. ** Segetem; i. e. segetem vitium, the young plants, the nursery. So ver. 266. *Columella, lib. I. c. iii. calls this "Praeclaram nostri "Poëtae sententiam." And adds immediately after: "Nec "dubium quin minus reddat laxus ager non rectè cultus, quàm "angustus eximiè." And, lib. IV. c. ii. he relates a story which very much confirms the truth of this sentence. VER. 413-415. "Nec non etiam aspera rusci "Vimina per sylvam, et ripis fluvialis arundo *The antients as well as moderns, who had land proper for it, used to have in some part of their ground Arundineta and Salicta, for the use of their vineyards; but those whose lot fell in dry land, which was not proper for such plantations, or who had neglected making them, were obliged to seek for the wild Vimina in the woods, and reeds by the water-side. That Virgil means such as these, is manifest from his "Vimina per sylvam, "fluvialis arundo," and "inculti salicti."-- Columella having treated, lib. IV. c. xxx. de salicibus, and c. iii. de genistis, adds in this last chapter: "Caetera vincula, qualia sunt ex "rubo, majorem operam, sed in egeno tamen necessariam, "exigunt." All such sort of Vimina are meant by Virgil, by his " aspera rusci vimina." **Inculti, i. e. nisi colatur-for several had beds of willows, but every body had not that provision: of such Virgil says, that they must have the trouble of getting wild willows. Exercet inclines me to this interpretation; or it may signify only, quod non colitur," because at the beginning of this book, amongst those "quae sponte suâ veniunt," Virgil reckons Salicta. See ver. 11 and 13. 66 VER. 416. "Jam vinctae vites, jam falcem arbusta reponunt." * Arbustum is used commonly for a plantation of any trees; as for example, such as are to support vines. Vid. Columella, lib. V. c. De Ulmariis. VER. 417-419. "Jam' canit extremos effoetus vinitor antes; *1 Columella hints at the custom of the Vignerol's singing at his work, telling us that he makes such verses: "Quae canat inter opus musâ modulante putator "Pendulus arbustis." Lib. X. **The proper term used of old for breaking the clods in vineyards was Pulveration, which by the husbandmen was called Occatio; for thus says Columella, speaking of the end of August: "His quidem diebus quibusdam locis, ut in Bae"ticâ, maritimis regionibus, ut in Africâ, vindemia conficitur. "Sed frigidioribus regionibus Pulverationem faciunt, quam "vocant rustici Occationem, cum omnis gleba in vineis refrin"gitur, et resolvitur in pulverem." Lib. XI. c. ii.—How nicely curious was Virgil in his expressions!-Again, Columella: "Pubescentem et quasi adolescentem vitem convenit "foliis omnibus nudare, tum et crebris fossionibus implere; " nam fit uberior pulverationibus." Lib. IV. c. xxviii. *3 Even when the grapes are ripe, or near it, all danger is not yet over.- "In hoc temporis intervallo res summa "vitium agitur, decretorio uvis sidere illo quod Caniculam "appellavimus: Unde Carbunculare dicuntur, ut quodam "uredinis carbone exustae. Non comparantur huic malo grandinis procellae," etc. Plin. lib. XVIII. c. xxviii. 66 VER. 420 425. "Contra, non *1 ulla est oleis cultura: neque illae *So Columella: "Omnis arboris cultus simplicior quàm "vinearum est; longèque ex omnibus stirpibus minorem imdesiderat olea." Lib. V. c. viii. pensam 66 *Columella directs houghing and ploughing olive-yards: "Olivetum minimè bis anno arari debet: et bidentibus altè cir“ cumfodiri.”———And though he orders" Oliveta stercorari, "et putari;" yet he prescribes very little dung; and as to the pruning, he says, " Compluribus annis interpositis olivetum "putandum est:" And again; " Satis erit octavo anno fecisse, "ne fructuarii rami subinde amputentur." Lib. v. c. ix. He had said before, in the 8th chapter, that all culture may be omitted without injuring the tree. And in confirmation of this, he tells us it was an old proverb, "Eum, qui aret olive"tum, rogare fructum; qui stercoret, exorare; qui caedat, "cogere." Yet, after first planting, he tells us, they ought to be both watered and pruned; and therefore Virgil says, "Cum semel haeserunt.". *3 Paci should be printed with a capital; "the Goddess of Peace." VER. 434, 435. "Quid majora sequar?' salices, humilesque genistae, "Aut illae ** pecori frondem, aut pastoribus *3 umbram "Sufficiunt." *And again, presently after: "Viminibus salices foecundi.". Virgil had told us before, ver. 83: "Genus haud unum salici," etc. and ver. 269: Columella says: "Hanc observationem non solùm in vitium positione, sed in ulmorum caeterarumque arborum, præ"cipio uti, cum de seminario eximuntur, rubricâ notetur |