The Bvcoliks of Pvblivs Virgilivs Maro Prince of all Latine Poets; otherwise called his Pastoralls, or shepeherds meetings. Together with his Georgiks or Ruralls, otherwise called his husbandrie, conteyning foure books. All newly translated into English verse by A. F. [i.e. Abraham Fleming] |
 |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 7. |
| 8. |
| 9. |
The ninth Eclog: intituled Meris.
|
| 10. |
|
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
 | The Bvcoliks of Pvblivs Virgilivs Maro |  |
The ninth Eclog: intituled Meris.
The Argument.
This eclog is not wholy taken out of Theocritus, but some places therof, according as the poet made choise of matter to serue his turne. The sum of this eclog is this. Virgill after hee had bin well nigh slain by Arius a captaine ouer a hundred soldiors, returning to Rome, gaue charge to his bailifs or seruants to see his lands safely kept, and for the present time to be dutifull and obedient to the said Arius. Now Meris one of Uirgils seruants, in maner of a shepheard, carrieth kids on his necke to the citie Mantua for a present to Arius therby t'asswage the anger and discontentment of his mind, if he would vouchsafe to like well of so simple a gift. Meris being vpon his way, and his burden on his backe, another shepheard named Lycidas ouertaking him, asketh whether hee is going? To whom Meris making no direct answer, but full of inward greefe falleth into a lamentable complaing of his present miseries. Whervpon occasion is offered both to the one and the other of singing sundry sorts of songs and deuises, as came into their heads by means of this their meeting & communication.
27
Lycidas.
O Meris whither [tread] thy feet? the way that leads to towne?
Me.
O Lycid we aliue are come [to this vnhappy time]
(Which we did neuer fear or doubt) that euen a stranger [meere]
[Made] owner of our little land, may say These [goods] are mine,
Depart, be gone you dwellers old. Now we quite ouercome
And sad do send that owner [who possesseth all our grounds]
These kids [as gift] which would to God may turne him to no good,
Sith lucke and lot turns vpside downe, all things [that worldly be.]
Ly.
Truly I heare [reported that] your friend Menalcas saued
By verses [which this man hath made, his lands and liuings] all
[Lieng and being there] whereas the mountains do begin
To shrinke and to remoue themselues, and downward bow their tops
With soft [and easie] banke [to clime] as far as Mincius riuer,
And broken tops of beeches old [now very much decaid.]
Me.
O Lycid thus thou heardst, and so the fame and rumor was,
But yet our verses do so much preuaile among the wars,
As doues of Chaon (do men say) when as the eagle coms.
And if so be the lefthand crow had warned me before
From hollow holme to [put away] new strifes and cut them off,
By any kind of means; ne this thy Meris should haue liued,
Nor Menalc neither [I and he had both of vs beene slaine.]
Ly.
Alacke, and can so foule a deed befall to any man?
Alacke Menalc, and should thy ioies [thy verses sweet and fine]
Haue welnigh with thy selfe from vs beene snatcht perforce away?
Who then should sing of nymphs? who thē should spred the ground with flours?
Or who should couer watersprings wt shade [of trees so] green?
Or [who should sing the verses] which I stole of late from thee
Holding my peace, when as thou went'st to Amaryll our ioy?
O Tityr feed my gotes till I come backe, my way is short,
And being fed, driue them to drinke, and Tityr in their driuing
Take heed to meet the maistergote, he striketh with his horns.
Me.
Nay then who should these sonnets sing, which Menalc he himself
Did sing to Vare, not perfect yet, O Vare the singing swans
Thy name shall beare aloft to stars [conditionally] so that
Our [citie] Mantua may remaine for vs [therein to dwell:]
Our Mantua too too neere alacke, to wretched Cremon towne.
Ly.
O Mere begin [to sing] if thou haue any [song in store]
So let thy swarms of bees auoid the yewghs of Cirnos Ile.
28
And the Pierides also haue me a poet made,
I likewise verses haue and songs, and shepherds say also
That I a poet am, but yet I doo them not beleeue,
For neither seeme I songs to sing worthie of Vare or Cinna,
But all among the swans shrill to gaggle like a goose.
Me.
I doo the same in very deede [prepare my selfe to sing]
And with my selfe holding my peace I thinke vpon [a song]
If I, O Lycid, able were to call it vnto mind,
It is a song none of the ba-sest [but the very best.]
O Galath hither come, for what pastime is in the waters?
Here is the purple flouring spring, here doth the ground affoord
Flours sundrie sorts all round about the riuers [which do grow]
The poplar white here ouerhangs the caue, and bending vines
Do shadie places weaue and wind [with spreading of their branches:]
Come hither Galath, let the flouds outragious smite the shores.
Ly.
What [saist thou of those songs] which I heard thee singing alone
Upon an euening faire and bright? the tune I do remember,
If that I knew the words [the note I haue but not the dittie.]
Me.
O Daphnis why beholdest thou th' old risings of the signs?
Lo Cæsar, Dioneus star is come abrode [and shines,]
The star wherby all seeds would ioy in [bringing foorth of] frute,
Whereby also the grapes would draw a colour vnto them,
On hils [which] warme and open [lie against the shining sunne:]
O Daphnis graft thou peartrees now, thine heirs shall crop the frute,
Age taketh all things quite away, yea mind and memorie too.
I [well] remember when I was a boy, full oft I made
Long sunnie daies with singing [then whole daies I spent in songs,]
Now are so many songs forgot, and Meris voice doth faile him,
The woolues spide Meris first [and so they tooke away my speech:]
But yet these songs shall Menalc oft ynough rehearse to thee.
Ly.
O Meris in excusing thee, thou doost prolong our loues,
Now euery sea being still and calme doth hold his peace for thee,
And (see) all blasts of windie noise are falne [and quite alaid]
Our midway this [to Mantua] is from this place where we be,
For why the toome of Bianor [the builder of that citie]
Begins t'appeare. O Meris here let vs twaine sing [and pipe]
Euen here where husbandmen do lop and cut down boughs so thicke,
Heere lay thou downe thy kids [awhile] yet shall we [time enough]
Come to the citie [Mantua] or if so be we doubt
Least that the night should gather raine before [we thether reach,]
29
And that we may go singing, I will ease thee of this lode.
Me
O youth leaue off & cease [to moue] more matters at this time]
And let vs doo that businesse first which stands vs now in hand,
Then may we better sing when as Menalc himselfe is come.
| The Bvcoliks of Pvblivs Virgilivs Maro | |