Et repetunt sub aquis sibi nota sedilia nymphæ, Quis mihi blanditiasque tuas, quis tum mihi risus, ` 55 Cecropiosque sales referet, cultosque lepores? 60 Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni, At jam solus agros, jam pascua solus oberro, Sicubi ramosæ densantur vallibus umbræ ; Hic serum expecto; supra caput imber et Eurus Triste sonant, fractæque agitata crepuscula sylvæ. Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni. Heu, quam culta mihi prius arva procacibus herbis Involvuntur, et ipsa situ seges alta fatiscit! Innuba neglecto marcescit et uva racemo, Nec myrteta juvant; ovium quoque tædet, at illæ Mærent, inque suum convertunt ora magistrum. Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni. Tityrus ad corylos vocat, Alphesibœus ad ornos, Ad salices Aegon, ad flumina pulcher Amyntas, "Hic gelidi fontes, hic illita gramina musco, "Hic Zephyri, hic placidas interstrepit arbutus 66 undas;" Ista canunt surdo, frutices ego nactus abibam. Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni. Mopsus ad hæc, nam me redeuntem forte notarat, 61. The idea in this line is beautifully conceived and expressed. The broken and agitated shadows of the shaking wood are placed in strong representation before our eyes; and we are reminded not only of our author's chequered shade, but of a fine expansion of the same image in the Task. Book i. How airy and how light &c. as the leaves 65 70 75 (Et callebat avium linguas, et sidera Mopsus) Thyrsi, quid hoc? dixit, quæ te coquit improbabilis ? Aut te perdit amor, aut te male fascinat astrum, Saturni grave sæpe fuit pastoribus astrum,.......... Intimaque obliquo figit præcordia plumbo. Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni. Ite domum impasti, domino jam non vacat, agni. 76. Avium cannot with any authorized licence be contracted into a dissyllable. Symmons. 79. Planet-struck by the planet Saturn. See Lycid. v. 138. Arcad. v. 52. But why is the influence of this planet more particularly fatal to shepherds? Unless on account of its coldness. It is in general called a noxious star: and Propertius says, l. iv. i. 84. Et grave Saturni sydus in omne caput. Its melancholy effects are here expressed by its wounding the heart with an arrow of lead. And perhaps our author had a concealed allusion to this Saturnine lead, in making his Melancholy the daughter of Saturn. Il Pens. v. 43. 80 85 90 With a sad leaden downward cast, &c. 79. Lead was called Saturnus by the chymists, who anciently gave the names of the planets to the several metals. E. 1 89. Docta modos, citharæque sciens,] Horace, Od. iii. ix. 9. Dulces docta modos, et citharæ sciens. 90. The river Chelmer in Essex is called Idumanium fluentum, near its influx into Blackwater bay. Ptolemy calls this bay Portus Idumanius. 92. Doctor Parr suggests that futurum without an adjunct ne ver means future time, but a future event. Symmons. Hei mihi, quam similes ludunt per prata juvenci, 113. Heu quis me ignotas, &c.] He has parodied a verse in Virgil's Eclogues, into a very natural and pathetic complaint, Et quæ tanta fuit Romam, &c. i. 27. And there is much address in the parenthesis introducing Vir 95 100 105 110 115 gil, which points out that verse. 116. Quamvis illa foret, &c.] Although Rome was as fine a city at present, as when visited by Tityrus or Virgil, Ecl. i. ut supr. 119. He addresses the same 120 Tot sylvas, tot saxa tibi, fluviosque sonantes! 126 Hic Charís, atque Lepos; et Thuscus tu quoque Antiqua genus unde petis Lucumonis ab urbe. sentiment to T, Young, El. iv. 21. Milton, while in Italy, visited Rome twice. 128. -Lucumonis ab urbe.] Luca, or Lucca, an ancient city of Tuscany, was founded by Lucumon or Leumon, an Hetruscan king. See the first note on El. i. 137. Et Datis, et Francinus,] Carlo Dati of Florence, with whom Milton corresponded after his return to England. In a Latin letter to Dati, dated at London, Apr. 21, 1647, Milton speaks of having sent this poem to Dati, and also mentions his intention of sending his book of Latin poems published two years 135 Et studiis noti, Lydorum sanguinis ambo. 66 by the learned, ibid. 693. In another, from N. Heinsius, dated 1647, he is called "amicissimum "mihi juvenem," iii. 193. Again, ibil. 806, 820, 826, 827. In another from the same, dated 1652, "Scribit ad me Datus Florentiae "in Mediceo codice extare, &c." ibid. 294. He corresponds with J. Vossius in 1647, ibid. 573. Vossius, and others, wish him to publish Doni's book of Inscriptions, ibid. 574. seq. Spanheim, in 1661, writes to N. Heinsius to introduce him to Carlo Dati and other learned men at Florence, ibid. 817. In a Letter from N. Heinsius, dated 1676, "Mors repentina Caroli Dati quanto mœrore me confecerit, "vix est ut verbis exprimatur. "Ne nunc quidem, cum virum cogito, a lacrymis temperare possum &c." vol. iv. 409. See also vol. v. 577, 578. In a Letter to Christina Queen of Sweden, dated 1652, from Florence, N. Heinsius sends her an Italian epigram by Dati, much applauded, on her late accident, ibid. 757. Again, from the same to the same, 1652, "Habes et "hic Caroli Dati Epigramma "Etruscum. Est autem ille, quod et alia monui occasione, magni inter Florentinos Poetas nominis; laudes tuas singulari parat poemate." Ibid. 758. See also p. 744, 742, 472. He was celebrated for his skill in Roman antiquities. A Dissertation is addressed to him from Octavio Falconeri, concerning an inscribed Roman brick taken from the rub 140 bish of an ancient Roman structure, destroyed for rebuilding the Portico of the Pantheon, 1661. Grævii Roman. Antiquit. iv. 1483. Mr. Brand accidentally discovered on a book-stall a manuscript which he purchased, entitled, La Tina, by Antonio Malatesti not yet enumerated among Milton's Italian friends. [A. Malatesti is mentioned by Milton in a letter to Carlo Dati, Epist. Fam. x. Todd.] It is dedicated by the author to John Milton while at Florence. Mr. Brand gave it to Mr Hollis, who, in 1758, sent it together with Milton's works, both in poetry and prose, and his Life by Toland, to the academy della Crusca. The first piece would have been a greater curiosity in England. 138.-Lydorum sanguinis ambo.] Of the most ancient Tuscan families. The Lydians brought a colony into Italy, whence came the Tuscans. On this origin of the Tuscans from the Lydians, Horace founds the claim of the Tuscan Mæcenas to a high and illustrious ancestry. Sat. i. vi. 1. Non quia, Mæcenas, Lydorum quic quid Etruscos Incoluit fines, nemo generosior est te. See also Propert. iii. ix. 1. It is for this reason, Virgil says, Æn. ii. 782.. -Ubi Lydius arva Lydian, that is Tuscan: and Tuscany is washed by the Tyber. 140. Hæc mihi tum læto dictabat roscida luna, |