part to the ears of the Gods.

that trees

By chance I brought

Pliny mentions Tamafcus, as one of the fifteen towns of Cyprus. We learn from a Greek poet, quoted by Athenaeus, that a pomegranate tree was planted in that ifland by Venus, which was highly esteemed; Ἔριφος δὲ ἐν Μελιβοίᾳ αὐτὰ ταῦτω τα ιαμβεία προσθεὶς ὡς ἴδια, τα τοῦ Αντιφάνους ἐπιφέρει,

Αὗται δὲ Ῥοιαὶ

More authors might be quoted, but what we have already faid is fufficient to prove, that the golden apples of the Poets are pomegranates.

In these couplets Menalcas feems to have the advantage; for Damoetas only had a prefent in view for Galatea; but Menalcas has already made a prefent of ten pomegranates to Amyntas, and defigns to fend him as many more. :

72. O quoties, &c.] Damoetas fpeaks in a rapture of the foft things,

· Κύπρο Δένδρου φυτεύσαι, τοῦτό φασιν, ἔν 103 μόνου α Βέρβεια πολυτίμητε.

By comparing this Greek author with Ovid, we find that the tree planted in Cyprus, and bearing golden apples, was a pomegranatetree. Now, that the fruit of this tree was defcribed to be of a yellow, or golden colour, we find in the fifth book of the Metamorphofes, where it is called pallenti, which we have already obferved, in the note on ver. 46. of the fecond Eclogue, to be afcribed to gold by the fame Poet:

Puniceum curva decerpferat ar-
"bore pomum:
Sumeaque pallenti feptem de cor-
tice grana

invokes the winds to carry part of them even to the ears of the Gods. Menalcas, in oppofition, expreffes a complaint of Amyntas leaving him to keep the nets, whilft he himself goes to hunt.

73. Partem aliquàm venti, &c.] The Commentators are divided about the meaning of this paffage. Servius underftands it to fignify, that the words of Galatea are fo fweet, as to be worthy of being heard even by Gods. La Cerda is of the fame opinion, and adds, that the winds were thought by the Ancients to be meffengers between the Gods and men. Thus Dryden tranflates it,

Winds on your wings to heav'n ). her accents bear,

Such words as heav'n alone is fit on to hear."

Catrou

your felf.

"Meum natalem agitemus : amoe66 num: date aquam manibus, "apponite menfam."

The thirteenth Elegy of Ovid's third book de Triftibus, is on his birth-day, wherein he laments, that being banished into fuch a difmal country, it is not in his power to celebrate the day with fuch folemnities as ufual; the wearing of a white garment, crowning the altar with flowers, and offering frankincenfe, and holy cakes;

La Cerda thinks Damoetas defires Iolas to fend her to him, as an agreeable prefent, becaufe it was the cuftom alfo to fend prefents on thofe occafions. But it feems more probable, that he invites her as a friend. Iola.] Iolas may be fuppofed to be the father of Phyllis.

77. Cum faciam vitula, &c.] The fhepherd invites Phyllis to a merry entertainment; but her father to a more folemn feast. He means the Ambarvalia, in which they offered facrifice for the fuccefs of the corn. This folemnity is

"humum? "Scilicet expectas foliti tibi moris

honorem,

Pendeat ex humeris veftis ut al

"ba meis? "Fumida cingatur florentibus ara "coronis? "Micaque follemni thuris in igne "fonet? "Libaque dem pro me genitale no"tantia tempus? -Concipiamque bonas ore fa66 vente preces ?"

Martial mentions it as an unusual thing, to invite any one to celebrate a birth-day, who was not efteemed a friend;

Ad natalicias dapes vocabar, "Effem cum tibi, Sexte, non "amicus.vmit mus

the first Georgick. Sec ver. 339.

Faciam.] Facere fignifies to facrifice, and the victim is put in the ablative cafe: thus faciam vitula in the paffage before us fignifies to facrifice a heifer. La Cerda juftly obferves, that rem facram, or fome fuch words, muft be understood after faciam, in confirmation of which, he produces a quotation of Livy, which comes up fully to the purpose; "Omnibus divis rem divinam thure, ac vino feciffe."

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Vitula.] We may obferve, that this Eclogue began with a reproach, that Menalcas threw upon his adverfary, that he was only a hireling, that fed the flocks of others. Damoetas, being ftung with this obloquy, takes occafion more than once, to represent himself as a man of property. He offered at first to ftake a heifer, which Menalcas was unwilling to anfwer, because the

herd

"Luce facra requiefcat humus, requiefcat arator,

"Et grave fufpenfo vomere ceffat opus.

"Solvite vincla jugis: nunc ad "prefepia debent

Plena coronato ftare boves ca

"Omnia fint operata Deo non "audeat ulla

"Lanificam penfis impofuiffe

manum.

"Vos quoque abeffe procul jubeo: "difcedat ab aris

"Cui tulit hefterna gaudia nócte "Venus.

"Cafta placent fuperis: pura cum " vefte venite,

"Et manibus puris fumite fontis aquam.

ઃઃ

78. Phyllida amo, &c.] Menalcas, in answer to Damoetas's pretending to invite Phyllis on his birth-day, declares, that he loves her above all others; and calls Iolas to witnefs, with what tendernefs the took her leave of him.

Me difcedere flevit.] For difceffum meum flevit, a Grecifm.

79. Longum formofe vale, vale, inquit.] Longum vale, and aeternum vale, are Grecifms frequently ufed. Servius takes notice, that the laft fyllable of the fecond vale is fhort, becaufe it comes before a vowel, as in Te Corydon o Alexi.

lola.] Servius takes Iolas to be another name for Menalcas; fo

that

the ripe corn, winds to the trees:

to me the anger of Amaryllis.

bres,

that, according to him, we fhould interpret this line, inquit, O formofe lola, vale, longum vale. Marolles is of the fame opinion for he tranflates it, adieu mon bel Iolas. But Ruaeus has given a much better interpretation. "Iola, fays he, is "not a word fpoken by Phyllis to "Iolas, but by Menalcas to Iolas. "For as Damoetas had before ad<dreffed himself to Iolas, faying

O Iolas, fend Phyllis to me fo ແ now Menalcas alfo addreffes himfelf to the fame perfon, O Iolas, I love Phyllis."

Here we may agree with the Criticks, that the victory belongs to Menalcas. Damoetas endeavours to obtain the affection of Phyllis by an invitation; but Menalcas has already gained it. Befides there is a greater tenderness and delicacy in the latter couplet than in the former.

80. Trifte lupus ftabulis, &c.] Damoetas, finding his rival to have the advantage, with regard to Phyllis, turns the difcourfe to another miftrefs, and declares nothing is more terrible in his opinion, than the anger of Amaryllis. Menalcas anfwers, that nothing is fo delightful to him as Amyntas.

The firft couplet feems to be an imitation of fome verfes in the Βουκολιασταί οἱ Theocritus

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