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and you shall be great Apollo Tres pateat coeli fpatium non amplius ulnas. 105

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NOTES.

because it is most within the reach of a fhepherd's understanding, and therefore declares for the well. Burman relates two or three other interpretations, which are not very material, and at laft leaves the dif ficulty as he found it. For my own part, I do not pretend to any fkill in the folution of riddles; but I fhall hope for the reader's excuse if I offer one interpretation more, which I have not met with among all the various opinions of the Commentators. Might not the fhepherd mean a celeftial globe or fphere? That the Ancients had the ufe of fuch inftruments, is certain. Pliny, Lib. II. cap. 8. afcribes the invention of the fphere to Atlas; "Cir"culorum quoque caeli ratio in "terrae mentione aptius dicetur, "quando ad eam tota pertinet, Sig"niferi modo inventionibus non "dilatis. Obliquitatem ejus in"tellexiffe, hoc eft, rerum fores " aperuiffe, Anaximander Milefius

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from Atteius Capito, that this trench lay open three days, which were accounted moft ftrictly religious. Hence La Cerda obferves, that we ought to confider attentively, that this trench, which was called Mundus or the World, lay open just three days. He then proves, that mundus and caelum are often used in the fame fenfe, and infers from all this, that the three ells, mentioned by the Poet, allude to the three days, and that the caelum alludes to the trench or Mundus. This criticism he afcribes to Ciaconius, and adds, that he thinks it probable, that Virgil, who was well versed in what concerned the Romans, would choose to allude to the affairs of that people, of whom he takes frequent opportunities to celebrate the glories. Ruaeus, befides the interpretations already mentioned, favours us with three others; 1. Pomponius refers it to one Caelus whofe ftatue was but three cubits. 2. Alciatus understands it of traditur primus olympiade quinan oven, the mouth of which was "quagefima octava. Signa deinde three ells wide. 3. Others of any "in eo Clcoftratus, et prima Ariwell, from which any perfon being "etis ac Sagittarii. Sphaeram iplet down, fees no more of the fky "fam ante multo Atlas." In Lib. than the breadth of the well. Out VIII. cap. 56. where he speaks of of all these various opinions, Ru- the inventors of things, he afcribes aeus leaves his reader to choose the invention of aftronomy to Atwhich he likes beft. Dr Trapp las, and that of the fphere to Anaxithinks the ftory of Caelius and his mander; " Aftrologiam Atlas, Limonument a poor jeft, and a very "byae filius; ut alii, Aegyptii; indifferent pun into the bargains and "ut alii, Affyrii. Sphaeram in ea declares himself either for the well" Milefius Anaximander." DioPor the oven. Catrou thinks the genes Laertius alfo afcribes the inmost simple interpretation the best, vention of the fphere to the fame

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MEN. Dic quibus in terris infcripti nomina regum

NOTES.

pag anna nai

Damoetas

Anaximander; 'Avaíuavdpos άδου, Μιλήσιος Σφαίραν κατεσκεύασε might poffibly allude to the glafs fphere of Archimedes, which has been fpoken of already, in the notes on ver. 40. It will be objected by fome perhaps, that three ells is a much larger dimenfion, than is ever found in any celeftial globe. But we do not know, how large thefe inftruments ufed to be made by the Ancients. Befides the Criticks are not agreed whether the ulna was an ell or a cubit. See the note on ver. 355, of the third Georgick. Now if we fuppofe it to mean a cubit;

a circumference of three cubits will

agree with the measure of the globes in common ufe Others among us. perhaps will object, that a globe reprefents the whole heaven, whereas Virgil fpeaks only of a space, or part of the fky. To this I answer, that fpatium fignifies not only a part, but the whole measure of any thing. Thus Juvenal ufes it to exprefs the whole dimenfion of a turbot;

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MEN. Tell me in obat land flowers gros,

the word patet, which I render to be extended, let him confult 'Caefar, who, in his feventh book de Bello tenfion of a plains Ante oppiGallico, ufes pateo to exprefs the ex. dum planities circiter millia paf"fuum tria in longitudinem pate"bat ;" and these words are repeated twice in the fame book. Pliny alfo, evidently ufes patet for extends; Sylvarum longitudo eft "fchoenorum XX: latitudo di"midium ejus. Schoenus patet, Thus we find, that fpatium caeli "Eratofthenis ratione, ftadia XL." patet tres ulnas, may juftly be tranthree ells; or the sky is extended to the flated the pace of heaven extends dimenfion of three ells, or three cu-bits, which agrees very well with a celeftial globe. If the reader difobftinate in defending it: he may likes this interpretation, I am not take any of the others; which he likes beft..

Servius explains this riddle to mean 106. Dic quibus in terris, &c.] the Hyacinth of the Poets, which has been largely confidered, in the note on ver. 183. of the fourth

-Hadriaci fpatium admirabile Georgick.

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Servius however, is miftaken, when he fays the Hyacinth retains only the name of Hyacinthus, and not of Ajax; for the reverse is true. AI, AI, was infcribed on that flower only tosexprefs the notes of lamentation for the death of Hyacinthus; but they conftitute half the name of Ajax. It is indeed the general opinion, that the Hyacinth is the flower in quef

infcribed with the name of Nafcantur flores: et Phyllida folus habeto. kings, and Phyllis fhall be your own.

NOTES.

tion; but La Cerda has propofed another solution of the riddle, which is not unworthy of our confideration. He rejects the common interpretation, for being too obvious. But perhaps, when Virgil wrote this Eclogue, the ftory of the metamorphofis of the blood of Ajax into a Hyacinth might not be altogether fo trite as it is among us, - who have been accustomed to read it in Ovid at school. He propofes a new folution, with rather too much confidence, though it is very ingenious. He produces a coin, which has the image of Auguftus onone fide, with this infcription, CAESAR AVGVSTVS, and on the other flowers, with L. AQVILIUS FLORVS III. VIR. Thefe he fays are the flowers, to which Menalcas alludes, as if he had faid, you afk where the heaven. extends only three ells, meaning the Roman Forum: and I on the other fide ask you, in what country flowers grow with the names of kings, meaning Auguftus, whofe name we strike on our coin among flowers. He adds a conjecture, that -perhaps the name of Florens, a fort of money, was derived from thefe flowers. He then anfwers feveral objections, which he thinks may be -made to his interpretation. I do not recite them, because the judicious and learned Ruaeus, has made one, which overturns the whole folution. "This learned man, fays he, did "not remember, that the furname

"of Auguftus was not Deltowed on "Octavianus till the year of Rome 727, in the feventh Confulfhip of Octavius, and third of Agripwhen Virgil was 43 years

« old. Now the Bucolicks were "published when Virgil was 32." This chronological objection is, I believe, not to be answered. Ruaeus therefore juftly concludes, that we must have recourfe to the more natural and paftoral interpretation of the Hyacinth. But the authority of Nannius, which he produces, to fhew, that the name of Hyacin thus as well as that of Ajax is expreffed by AI, can hardly be admitted. He reads Hiacinthus inftead of Hyacinthus, and fo by taking ia backwards finds part of the name to be ai. This is ftraining moft extravagantly; and Ruaeus acknowledges, that this reading of Hiacinthus is contra communem Graeciae totius fidem. Ruaeus obferves farther, that Ajax and Hyacinthus were not kings, but the fons of kings, and that Virgil calls them kings, in the fame manner, as he calls Lavinia and Ariadne queens in other places. I fhall not ftay to enquire whether Ajax was actually poffeffed of the crown of Salamis. This is certain, that he commanded their troops at the fiege of Troy; and the chief comman ders in that war are generally looked upon as kings. Nor is it neceffary, to prove that the name of Hyacinthus was meant in this paffage, to

gether

PAL. Non noftrum inter vos tantas componere lites:
Et vitula tu dignus, et hic: et quifquis amores
Aut metuet dulces, aut experietur amaros.

PAL. It is not in my power, to decide fo great a controversy between you: you deferve the IIO cow, and be alfo; and whofoever fhall be diffident in fuccessful love, or have experience of unsuccessful.

NOTES.

gether with that of Ajax; fince Virgil might poëtically fpeak of kings in the plural number, when only one king was intended. Pope, who has imitated thefe riddles, in his firft Paftoral, has thought himself at liberty alfo to use monarchs in the plural number, where he alluded to a circumftance, that belonged only to one fingle monarch:

108. Non noftrum inter vos, &c.] Palaemon declares, that it is not in his power to decide, which has the better, and defires them to make an end of their contention.

Servius makes a ftop after non; fo that the fenfe will be thus; No: it is my part to decide. In this he is followed by fome other Criticks. Others understand a queftion to be afked; Is it not my part to decide?

"STREPH. Say, fhepherd, fay, in Thefe interpretations seem to have

"what glad foil appears, "A wond'rous tree that facred

"monarchs bears? "Tell me but this, and I'll dif"claim the prize, "And give the conqueft to thy Syl

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via's eyes. "DAPH. Nay tell me firft, in

"what more happy fields "The thistle fprings, to which the "lily yields?

"And then a nobler prize I will

"refign; "For Sylvia, charming Sylvia,

"fhall be thine."

107. Phyllida folus habeto.] Phyllis was one, whom both the fhep herds claimed; one faying Phyllida mitte mihi, and the other Phyllida amo ante alias. But now Meralcas feems fo confident of his having puzzled Damoetas, that he offers to give him a fole right to her, if he ean folve the riddle.

this foundation; Menalcas propofes to refign Phyllis to his rival, on condition that he folves the riddle, which Palaemon objects to, becaufe the prize, for which they contend, is a cow. Hold, fays he, you for get that you are contending for a cow, and now offer to ftake your mistress. I, who am chofen judge, will not fuffer you to depart from the original terms of your contention, but will decide the controverfy myself. This interpretation might be admitted: but Ruaeus and other good judges choose to understand the words in the most plain fense; that Palaemon declares himself unable to decide, which of them has performed best.

109. Et vitula tu dignus, &c.] Palaemon determines, that each of the fhepherds deferves a cow for his reward, and every one alfo, who fhall give fo juft a reprefentation of the hopes and fears of love. K

III. Claudite

Now, my lads, ftop the rills: Claudite jam rivos, pueri: fat prata biberunt.
the meadows are fufficiently
moistened.

NOTES.

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