Durum ab ftirpe genus, gnatos ad flumina primum Deferimus, faevoque gelu duramus et undis: Venatu invigilant pueri, filvafque fatigant : Flectere ludus equos, et fpicula tendere cornu. At patiens operum parvoque adfueta juventus
Aut raftris terram domat, aut quatit oppida bello. Omne aevom ferro teritur, verfaque juvencûm Terga fatigamus hafta: nec tarda fenectus Debilitat vires animi, mutatque vigorem, Canitiem galea premimus ; femperque recentis Conportare juvat praedas, et vivere rapto. Vobis picta croco et fulgenti murice veftis, Defidiae cordi; juvat indulgere choreis:
Et tunicae manicas, et habent redimicula mitrae. O verè Phrygiae, neque enim Phryges, ite per alta Dindyma; ubi adfuetis biforem dat tibia cantum. Tympana vos buxufque vocat Berecyntia matris Idaeae. finite arma viris, et cedite ferro. Talia jactantem dictis, ac dira canentem Non tulit Afcanius; nervoque obverfus equino Intendit telum, diverfaque brachia ducens Conftitit, ante Jovem fupplex per vota precatus : Juppiter omnipotens, audacibus adnue coeptis. Ipfe tibi ad tua templa feram follemnia dona, Et ftatuam ante aras aurata fronte juvencum Candentem, pariterque caput cum matre ferentem ; Jam cornu petat, et pedibus qui fpargat arenam,
821. Plunge our infants] He applies a cuftom of the ancient Germans and Gauls to the first inhabitants of Italy. But in-.. deed most uncivilized nations have this cuftom, probably a healthy one
837. Warm purple robes.] Homer originally makes use of this kind of fcoff, Iliad w. and Odyff. 0. Milton has put it likewife into the mouth of Satan, where he is fpeaking against Abdiel, and his party :
We plunge our infants in the hard'ning streams, And feafon in the froft their tender limbs.
Our boys the foreft range, and lead the course,
Bend the tough bow, and break the prancing horse. Long thirst, long hunger, our bold youths can bear, 825 Plow, fight, or shake embattled towns with war. We live in fteel; in arms our hinds appear;
And the turn'd jav'lin goads the lab'ring steer.
Nor flags our gen'rous warmth, by years declin'd; Still flames the noble ardour of the mind.
Ev'n the grave fire with martial vigour glows, And crushes with the casque his hoary brows. All, all, engag'd alike in warlike toils, Subfift on rapine, and divide the spoils. While you, the fugitives, the dregs of Troy, Your hours in pleasures, and the dance employ: Warm purple robes defend (ye daftard bands!) Your heartless breasts and unperforming hands. Your female fouls the manly form difgrace- Hence then, ye women, to your native place- Hence to your Phrygian Dindymus away!— With eunuchs there on pipes and timbrels play! Go-the great mother's rites attend you there- But leave to men the bus'nefs of the war.
Thus while he spoke in fcornful ftrains, no more 845 The young Afcanius the proud boafter bore.
He fits an arrow to the well-ftrung bow; But first to Jove addrefs'd his folemn vow : My bold attempt, almighty fire, fucceed; A milk-white heifer at thy fhrine shall bleed Majestic shall he stalk, and paw the ground, Push with his gilded horns, and spurn the fands around. I fee that moft thro' floth had rather ferve, Minift'ring fpirits, train'd up in feaft and fong: Such haft thou arm'd, the minftrelfy of heaven.
847. He fits an arrow.] Diverfaque brachia ducens, in the original, very aptly and elegantly expreffes the difpofition of both arms in drawing a bow.
Audiit, et caeli genitor de parte serena Intonuit laevom: fonat una fatifer arcus.
Effugit horrendum ftridens adducta fagitta:
Perque caput Remuli venit, et cava tempora ferro Trajicit. I, verbis virtutem inlude fuperbis.
Bis capti Phryges haec Rutulis refponfa remittunt. 635 Hoc tantum Afcanius. Teucri clamore fequuntur, Laetitiaque fremunt, animofque ad fidera tollunt. Aetherea tum forte plaga crinitus Apollo Defuper Aufonias acies urbemque videbat
Nube fedens; atque his victorem adfatur Iulum & Macte nova virtute, puer. fic itur ad aftra; Dis genite, et geniture deos. jure omnia bella Gente fub Afsaraci fato ventura refident : Nec te Troja capit. fimul haec effatus, ab alto Aethere fe mittit, fpirantis dimovet auras, Afcaniumque petit. formam tum vertitur oris Antiquom in Buten. hic Dardanio Anchifae Armiger ante fuit, fidufque ad limina cuftos.
Tum comitem Afcanio pater addidit. ibat Apollo
Omnia longaevo fimilis, vocemque, coloremque,
Et crinis albos, et faeva fonoribus arma : Atque his ardentem dictis adfatur Iulum: Sit fatis, Aeneida, telis inpune Numanum
859. Go-and once more.]
Trajicit. I, verbis virtutem inlude fuperbis.
It is remarkable, that we have here a very fair monkish rhyme. A learned critic thinks Virgil defigned it, as proper for the mouth of a boy. But I am rather apt to imagine, that the poet overlooked it.
868. The fon, and father.] The gods, from whom Afcanius was defcended, were Jupiter the father of Dardanus, and Venus the mother of Eneas; the gods, to whom he was, as it were, to give birth, were Romulus, Julius Cæfar, and Auguftus. Diis genite, & geniture Deos, is happily concife.
869. Who, great in arms.] Virgil (fays Catrou) takes all. opportunities of flattering Auguftus. He makes Apollo predict, even in the time of Afcanius, the happiness which the world was to enjoy under this emperor; that he was to put an
He faid-and, to the left, the fire on high Roll'd the big thunder thro' an azure sky. At once his twanging bow Afcanius drew,
And, hiffing fierce, the feather'd arrow flew; Nor flew the winged wrathful shaft in vain,
But pierc'd his head, and stung him to the brain. Go-and once more a valiant race defy !
Thus the twice-vanquish'd Phrygians, thus reply. 860 No more he faid ;-loud fhouts and clamours rife; And tranfport lifts the Trojans to the skies.
High on a cloud, inthron'd in open air, Apollo fat, and thence furvey'd the war. Then to the conquʼring royal boy he cries Rife, glorious youth; in valour ever rife; Rife thus in time to Heav'n's fupreme abodes, The fon, and father, of a race of gods! Who, great in arms, victorious by their fwords, Shall rule mankind, the world's majestic lords! Go-mount from fame to fame, aufpicious boy; Proceed, and fcorn the narrow bounds of Troy!
He said; then down th' etherial road he flies With rapid speed, and cleaves the liquid skies; Affumes old Butes' figure and attire, Anchifes' long-try'd friend and faithful 'squire In fields of old; and now the chief of Troy Had trufted to his care the royal boy. Like this fage guardian to the youth he came; His voice, his vifage, and his arms the fame.
Then to the victor boy aloud he cries; Enough, young warrior-Let it now fuffice That unreveng'd the great Numanus dies:
end to war throughout the world, and fhut the temple of Janus.
How fublime are thofe expreffions of the Pfalmift on the like fubject!" He maketh wars to cease through all the world; he breaketh the bow, and knappeth the fpear afunder, and burneth the chariots in the fire." Pfalm xlvi. ver. 9.
Oppetiiffe tuis. primam hanc tibi magnus Apollo
Concedit laudem, et paribus non invidet armis. Cetera parce, puer, bello. fic orfus Apollo Mortalis medio adfpectus fermone reliquit, Et procul in tenuem ex oculis evanuit auram. Adgnovêre dcum proceres divinaque tela Dardanidae, pharetramque fuga fenfere fonantem. Ergo avidum pugnae, dictis ac numine Phoebi, Afcanium prohibent: ipfi in certamina rurfus Succedunt, animafque in aperta pericula mittunt. It clamor totis per propugnacula muris : Intendunt acris arcus, amentaque torquent. Sternitur omne folum telis: tum fcuta cavacque Dant fonitum flićtu galeae: pugna afpera furgit. Quantus ab occafu veniens pluvialibus Haedis Verberat imber humum: quam multa grandine nimbi In vada praecipitant; cum Juppiter horridus auftris 670 Torquet aquofam hiemem, et caelo cava nubila rumpit. Pandarus et Bitias Idaeo Alcanore creti,
Quos Jovis eduxit luco filveftris Hiera,
Abietibus juvenes patriis et montibus aequos, Portam, quae ducis imperio conmiffa, recludunt
896. And jav'lins.] By amenta we are to understand thongs, which were tied to a kind of javelin, and by which they were darted, and, as it were, flung out of the foldier's hand. Itaque (fays De la Cerda) ut funda dicebantur torqueri, ita amenta. Catrou renders amenta, darts fix'd to long ftraps or thongs.
906. When Jove difcharges.] A noble image is here reprefented of the Jupiter pluvius difpenfing ftorms and tempefts. This is utterly loit, or rather burlesqued, in Dryden's tranfla tion:
Or patt'ring hail comes pouring o'er the main, When Jupiter defcends in harden'd rain; Or bellowing clouds burft with a stormy found, And with an armed winter ftrew the ground.
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