rogaret,

my Menakas, of this crook, remarkable for it's even joints, and adorned with brass: Antigenes often defired to bave it, be was then worthy to be beloved.

death of Julius Caefar, and approved by him; for the Poet has hinted already, in this Eclogue, that he was favoured by Caefar, amavit nos quoque Daphnis.

88. At tu fume pedum, &c.] Mopfus at laft infifts upon his friend's acceptance of a fhepherd's crook, the value of which he fets forth, by telling him, that another had carneftly defired it in vain, and by defcribing the beauty of the crook itfelf.

Pedum is the fhepherd's crook; a ftaff with a hook at the end, by

in the woods.

"plement to Syro the Epicurean, "who inftructed Virgil and Varus "in the principles of that Philofo❝phy. Silenus acts as tutor, "Chromis and Mnafylus as the "two pupils." Lord RoscoMMON. Some give this Eclogue the title of Metamorphofis, others of Theologia, and others of Varus: in many:

*

"one place, that the Tityrus was "the firft Eclogue which the Poet "compofed. It appears, fays he, "that Virgil had not compofed any

Eclogue before the Tityrus, from "the fourth Georgick; where he "diftinguishes his Bucolicks by the Eclogue of Tityrus,

The Poet, by way of introduction to this Eclogue, tells us, that he was the first that attempted to write in imitation of Theocritus; that he had once attempted heroic poetry, but Apollo reproved him, and advised him to tend his fheep. Prima.] It is here ufed adverbially for primo. See the note on ver. 12. of the first Georgick.

Some understand by this word prima, that this was the firft Eclogue that Virgil compofed; but, as Ruaeus juftly obferves, these very words, Prima Syracofio dignata eft ludere verfu, prove that this was not the firft Eclogue: for, as he here tells us, that he was the first who imitated Theocritus, it is plain that he had imitated him before the writing of this Eclogue.

"It is not from this verfe, that I "conjecture, that this Eclogue ought to precede that of Tityrus. It is for another reason, "that I am going to produce. It is true, that the author of the life of Virgil feems here to contradict himself. He affirms, in

mine fagi.

fecit. That is, if one can be"lieve it, that Virgil began his

first Eclogue about the year of "Rome 713, and finished the laft "after the year 715. The fame "author alfo relates, that the Si"lenus was recited by Cytheris, "before a full audience, in the pre"fence of Cicero. This laft fact "cannot poffibly be true, fuppofing "the Tityrus was Virgil's first "performance in this kind. Cicero

was dead, when our Poet com"pofed the Tityrus. In fo mani"feft a contradiction, I incline to "the fide of the ftory of Cytheris, "which is attested alfo by Servius. "As for the conjecture formed. by "the writer of Virgil's life, that

the Tityrus was his firft Eclogue, "it is grounded upon a very fri"volous argument. The quota

tion from the fourth Georgick, "which is the only fupport of it, "proves only, that Virgil, in the edition of his Bucolicks, had

66

placed

"placed the Tityrus in the front. "It is faid alfo, that Virgil made all "his Eclogues in three years. "Therefore Cicero could not hear any one of them. But, in the "original, it is perfecit, that is, he "perfected them, he made them "fit to appear. Thus this Eclogue "might have been prior to the Ti66 tyrus, and Cytheris might have "recited it in the prefence of Ci"cero.' CATROU.

That the Tityrus was not the first of our author's Eclogues, feems highly probable: but at the fame time, it is no lefs probable, that the Silenus was not written before it. In the ninth Eclogue the Poet promises to exalt Varus to the fkies, which he has not performed any where but in this Eclogue. The ninth Eclogue was written after the Tityrus; and therefore the Silenus was pofterior to them both.

Syracofio.] Theocritus was of Syracufe, a famous city of Sicily. Virgil therefore, writing Bucolicks, in imitation of that author, calls them Syracufian or Sicilian verfe.

Dignata eft.] The Roman Poets before Virgil had treated of higher fubjects: therefore he was the firft, who condefcended to defcribe the low characters of fhepherds. Ludere verfu.] Thus in the firft Eclogue;

"Ludere quae vellem calamo permifit agrefti;"

and in the fourth Georgick,

"Carmina qui lufi paftorum."

2. Thalia.] Thalia was one of the nine Mufes. Her name seems to be put here for Mufe in general.

3. Cum canerem reges, &c.] It is faid that Virgil once attempted to defcribe the actions of the Alban kings; but that, being deterred by the harshness of their names, he defifted, and applied himself to the. writing of Bucolicks.

Cynthius.] Cynthus is the name of a mountain of Delos, where Apollo and Diana were born; whence they are called Cynthius and Cynthia.

4. Pingues pafcere.] Servius fays, thefe words are put figuratively, for pafcere ut pinguefcant.

5. Deductum dicere carmen.] A metaphor taken from wool, which is fpun thinner.

6. Nunc ego, &c.] In the following verfes, the Poet makes a dedication of this Eclogue to Varus.

the

Servius tells us, that the Varus here intended had overcome Germans, and thereby gained much glory and wealth. He adds, that fome are of opinion, that it was the Varus, who was flain in Germany

with three legions, and loft the standards, which were afterwards recovered by Germanicus the fon of Drufus that others will have it, that, when Afinius Pollio was overthrown, Alfenus Varus was made lieutenant-general in his room by Auguftus, that he prefided over the province beyond the Po, and took care, that Virgil's lands, which had been reftored to him, fhould not be taken away again by the foldiers. As for the Varus, who gained fo much glory and wealth by overcoming the Germans, there feems to be a profound filence concerning him among the historians. Caefar indeed, in his eighth book de bello Gallico, mentions one Quintus Atius Varus, who was prefect of the horfe under Caius Fabius in Caefar's army, and did good fervice against Dumnacus, Caefar gives him the character of a man of fingular courage and conduct. It feems to be the fame Varus, that Caefar mentions again, in his third book de bello Civili, under the name of Quintus Varus. He was then prefect of the horfe under Cneius Domitius in Macedon ; where he fell into an ambush, that was laid for him by Scipio. Varus defended himself bravely, repulfed the enemy, killed about eighty of them, and retreated to the camp, with the lofs only of two men. This Varus, might probably have attended Caefar in his expedition into Germany; ; but whatfoever glory he might gain there, it is certain, that neither Caefar, nor any

of his officers gained any wealth in that country. This German ftory of Servius muft therefore be a miftake; for there had been no other expedition against the Germans, when Virgil wrote the Eclogue under confideration. As for the Va rus, who was flain in Germany, he is well known in hiftory by that misfortune. His name was Publius Quintilius Varus. He was Conful in the year of Rome 741, together with Tiberius; and perifhed, with his army, in Germany, in 762. Dio tells us, that after he had been governour of Syria, he was fent, in the fame quality, into Germany, where he attempted to rule, as over a conquered nation, and to fleece the people of their money, which they were refolved not to bear. But finding, that the Romans were ftrong about the Rhine, they contrived to circum vent Varus, and draw him farther up into the country. They pretended to live in peace and friendfhip with him, and made him be lieve, they were fo perfectly obedient to him, that there was no oc cafion for many foldiers to keep them under. There were two of their chiefs among the confpirators, Arminius and Segemerus, who were perpetually with Varus, and greatly in his confidence. They perfuaded him to difperfe his fol diers in feveral diftant garrifons, where they pretended the weaknes of the places, or danger of robbers required them. Having thus weak

ened

ened his army, they raifed a report of an infurrection in fome diftant parts of Germany; which drew, Varus to march that way, with what forces he had about him, incumbered at the fame time with many carriages, and women, and boys, thinking himself safe in a country fubject to his command. Thefe chiefs contrived, to ftay behind, under pretence of gathering auxiliaries to join him. But inftead of this, they killed the Romans, who were difperfed among them, and drew their own forces together, which had been privately made ready, and affaulted Varus, as he was marching through a mountainous country, intangled with woods, when the foldiers were fatigued with cutting down great trees, and making bridges. A great ftorm of wind and rain happening at the fame time, the Romans were hardly able to ftand upon the unequal, flippery ground: whilst the Germans, being acquainted with the by-paths, wounded them at a diftance, and then engaged them hand to hand. In this manner they fkirmished for two or three days, when the Romans were quite born down, with fatigue and wounds. In this diftreffed condition, Varus, and other principal officers, fearing they fhould be either flain or taken prifoners, chofe to fall upon their own fwords. When Augustus heard the news, he is faid to have rent his garments, and ufed other expreffions of the higheft grief. Suetonius alfo

mentions this misfortune of Varus, and fays, that three legions, with the general, lieutenant-generals, and all the auxiliaries were loft: that when the news came, Auguftus ap pointed a guard, to watch all night in the city, for fear of tumults: that he vowed great sports to Jupiter, if he would reftore the decay ing ftate of the commonwealth ; that he let his hair and beard grow for feveral months, in the mean time frequently knocking his head against the doors, and crying out, Reftore the legions, Varus: "Quin"tili Vare, legiones redde." Velleius Paterculus, who lived about the time of this misfortune, gives this character of Quintilius Varus: that he was of a family, rather illuftrious than noble; of a mild and quiet temper, indolent both in body and mind, more accustomed to the inactivity of a camp, than to the fatigues of war; fo far from a contempt of money, that when he was appointed governor of Syria, he went poor into a rich province; and came away rich, leaving the. country poor: that, when he went into Germany, he behaved, as if thofe ftubborn people were to be fubdued by laws inftead of arms: that, being circumvented by the Germans, he fhewed more skill in dying than in fighting; and fo killed himself, as his father and grandfather had done before him. fame author mentions another Quintilius Varus, who fought against Caefar at Philippi, and when the

The

battle