University of Virginia Library

Bion, the pastoral poet, lived in the time of Ptolemy Philadelphus. By the epithet Σμυρναιος, every where applied to him, it is probable that he was born at Smyrna. Moschus confirms this, when he says to the river Meles, which had before wept for Homer,

It is evident, however, that he spent much of his time in Sicily. Moschus, as he tells us, was his scholar; and by him we are informed, that his master was not a poor poet. “Thou hast left to others thy riches,” says he, “but to me thy poetry.” It appears from the same author, that he died by poison. The best edition of his works, is that of Paris, by M.de Longe-Pierre, with a French translation.

Adonis, the favourite of Venus, was the son of Cynaras, king of Cyprus. His chief employment was hunting, though he is represented by Virgil as a shepherd,

He was killed by a wild boar, if we may believe Propertius, in Cyprus.

The anniversary of his death was celebrated through the whole Pagan world. Aristophanes, in his Comedy of Peace, reckons the feast of Adonis among the chief festivals of the Athenians. The Syrians observed it with all the violence of grief, and the greatest cruelty of self-castigation. It was celebrated at Alexandria in St. Cyril's time; and when Julian the apostate made his entry at Antioch, in the year 362, they were celebrating the feast of Adonis.

The ancients differ greatly in their accounts of this divinity. Athenæus says, that he was the favourite of Bacchus. Plutarch maintains, that he and Bacchus are the same, and that the Jews abstained from swine's flesh because Adonis was killed by a boar. Ausonius, Epig.30, affirms that Bacchus, Osiris, and Adonis, are one and the same.

The lines in the original run thus:

The two first of these lines contain a kind of witticism, which it was better to avoid—This author had, however, too much true genius to be fond of these little affected turns of expression, which Musæus and others have been industrious to strike out.

These four verses are transposed in the translation for the sake of the connection.

This image of the sorrow of Venus is very affecting, and is introduced in this place with great beauty and propriety. Indeed, most modern poets seem to have observed it, and have profited by it in their scenes of elegiac woe.

When the poet makes the rivers mourn for Venus, he very properly calls her Αφροδιτα; but this propriety perhaps was merely accidental, as he has given her the same appellation when she wanders the desart.

Paleness being the known effect of grief, we do not at first sight accept this expression; but when we consider that the first emotions of it are attended with blushes, we are pleased with the observation.

This passage the scholiasts have entirely misunderstood. They make Κυθηρη Venus, for which they have neither any authority, the Doric name she borrows from that island being always Κυθερεια, nor the least probability from the connection.

This proves that the island Cythera was the place where Adonis perished, notwithstanding the opinion of Propertius and others to the contrary.

Numa seems to have borrowed the custom he instituted of mourning a year for the deceased from the Greeks. For though it is said only ten months were set apart, yet ten months were the year of Romulus till regulated by his successor.