Virgils Eclogues translated into English: by W.L. Gent

POLLIO.

The GLOSSE.

SIcelian Muses, &c. Heerein hee hath re∣sp••ct to Theocritus the Sicelian; whom in this kinde of verse, hee doth especially imi∣tate: and therefore hee termeth the Pasto∣rall verse, by the title of the Muses of Sicely.

Yet a little higher, &c. For all men delight not in this low straine of Pastoralls.

Of woods albee I sing, &c. Let none won∣der, that I sing of great matters, in a home¦ly kinde of verse: For even the woods are of∣tentimes a fitt subject for a Consul; that is, worthy they are of a Roman Consuls gravi∣ty: as Suetonius writeth; that the hills, and woods, were apportioned to Iulius Caesar, in his Consulship, for his Province.

The Period and last time, &c. Concerning

the Sybils, Ludovicus Vives hath spoken largely, upon Austin. The comming of our Lord was a thing of such weight and mo∣ment, that it was necessary to have it foretold both to Iewes, and Gentiles, that thereby, who were before his comming, might expect him: these in his time might receive him, and those which came after him might be∣leeve him: and therefore, as there were Pro∣phets among the Iewes, so were there a∣mongst the Gentiles, Sybils; that is to say, such as were privy, and conscious of heavenly counsaile. Now Virgil did conjecture, that the time of this Prophecy was neere to ac∣complishment, because diverse of the Sybils verses were so composed, as that the first or last letters of the verses, did even point out the very time, or the person: as Cicero tea∣cheth in his Divination: & in Eusebius there is a Sybils Prophecy of the last judgmēt of Christ set forth in the same manner: which S. Austin citeth in his 18 book of the Citty of God.

Cuma, is a Towne in Ionia the lesse, where one of the Sybils did abide; of which place shee was called Sybilla Cumaea.

The Virgin now returnes, &c. Peradventure the Sybils spake something about the blessed Virgin Mary: which the Poet here applyes

to Astraea, the Mayden-Lady Iustice; or per∣haps shee meanes it of the wondrous Iustice of Christ, and of the goulden age: which al∣so the Prophet Esay describes, Chap. 9. And there shall bee in the last times, &c.

And Saturnes reigne, &c. In his time men lived in great tranquillity and quiet, with great equality amongst all sorts, without pride, wrath, or envie; such as the people of God (who are to adapt themselves to his commandements) ought to bee indeede.

Now a new Progenie, &c. The descent of the Sonne of God from heaven amongst us, could not by a Christian man, bee expressed more exactly, or in more absolute termes.

Now thine Apollo, &c. Diana is termed Lu∣cina, of bringing those that are borne in∣to the light: Apollo is her Brother; hee prayes Diana to bee propitious and favourable to the child in his birth, namely in the King∣dome of her Brother, Apollo: Augustus was thought to bee Apollo's sonne, and in a man∣ner was also called by the name of Apollo.

And Pollio, thou beeing Consul, &c. Pollio Asinius was fellow Consul with Cneius Do∣mitius, Calvinus in the Triumvitate: in the yeare of the Citties building, 714 and before our Saviour Christs birth, 37. yeares.

Grand Moneths: the Moneths of this Great yeare.

Thy wondrous grace, &c. Originall sinne shall bee blotted out by the vertue of Christ; as in Baptisme is performed by a true faith in him: hee hath with great reason called it the monument or print of sinne; for origi∣nall sinne is a print or Stigma, derived to us from our first parents.

From endlesse feare, &c. For Faith in him, who is God, shall exclude all feare of punish∣ment for sinne, whether our owne by actuall commission, or hereditary, from our first pa∣rents. And here most fitly, the Poet calleth our feare endlesse, because it never ceaseth to vexe and torment vs: And in this sort and sense Saint Austin in his Citty of God, inter∣preteth these verses.

The world with peacefull governance, &c. All things are given by the Father unto the Sonne: a speech frequent in the booke of the Psalmes, and other mysticall bookes; and againe, The Father hath subdued all things unto the Sonne.

But yet deere Childe, &c. Here is described the course of Christs Church, that is, his King∣dome here on earth. For in the Gospell, the Kingdome of God, amongst other meanings

signfies the Church. In the infancy of the Church, without ordinary meanes, or la∣bour, but by the immediate worke of Gods Spirit, there sprung up, Presents yeelding most fragrant sweete smell, and acceptable sa∣vour unto the nostrills of God, (namely so many Apostles, Disciples, and Martyrs, in e∣very place.)

The Goates, &c. Peradventure by Goates may bee meant the Gentiles, who should be∣come in many places (as afterward it appea∣red) very fruitfull in good workes, and repen∣tance: moreover it may bee hereby meant, that the Disciples and Teachers of the Gos∣pell, did never goe forth, to teach and preach, but they returned with great advantage, in winning of soules unto their Master.

Ne shall the Heards, &c. The Flocke of Christ shall not stand in feare of the Monarchs and Tyrants of the world, notwithstanding all their rage and furie: yea amongst the Princes of the earth, there shall bee incredi∣ble Concord, and Peace, without venome of Pride or Envie.

The Cradles-selves, &c. Young children, (as it were new-weaned) shall bee inspired by the Spirit of God, to proclaime the prayses of God, as the young children did, when they

went singing Hosanna, and cast the bran∣ches of trees in the way before our Saviour Christ, riding to Ierusalem.

And herewithall the prayses, &c. In the succee∣ding ages, by the doctrine of God once set∣tled; by Christs example, and instruction of the Apostles; Piety shall extend it selfe eve∣ry where, in all parts of the world, not to the bringing in of smal gifts, or mean matters, but even to the gathering in of a large harvest, of corne, wine, and honny. The Iewes shall en∣ter in to the society of the Church, and mul∣titudes of Gentiles: The greene tender stalk of the Gentiles shall by degrees grow yellow and ripe, and from the thornes of humane obstinacy shall bee gathered a sweete, and pleasing Grape; and from stubborne, hard and willfull Ignorance, shall spring the sweet honny, and delicate taste of knowledge and understanding.

Yet some small track, &c. Christianity could not so bee imprinted in the mindes of men, but still some dreggs of ould errours, infidelity, avarice, envie, cruelty, wares, am∣bition, and arrogance, would remaine unre∣mooved; and from hence would afterward arise desire to traffique by Sea to forraine na∣tions, for gaine: from hence it grew, that

men, (not trusting one another, and from mutuall hatred and grudges,) did devise the walling in of Townes, and Citties: From hence greedy mindes bethought themselves of ploughing and digging the Earth: All which indeavours of men, and all these things (howsoever in themselves they bee not sim∣ply evill) yet mans depraved affection, in the inordinate desire and use of them, is bad.

Then second Typhis, and new Argosie. The ould discommodities and mischiefes, recei∣ved at Sea by shipping, shall againe returne, and warres, (from whence such infinite cala∣mity hath overwhelmed all mankind.) And here these things may seeme to bee spoken by a kinde of revolubilitie of all things, pro∣ceeding from the order, and influence of the starres; and hath relation to the ould storie of the Sea-voyage, which Pelias made to Colchos for the goulden Fleece, which the Ramme bore, that carried Phrixus through the Sea. The Ship wherein Pelias made his voyage, was called Argo, and bare his name, (as here the Poet calls it:) and the Master of the ship was named Typhis: In all which se∣verall passages, the Sybil prophecies of the troubles, (which should creepe up) by way of allusion: For by Navigation, shee inti∣mates

that mens mindes should tempt them to venture to Sea, to get wealth and riches. By walling in of Townes, shee intimates warres: by Ploughing she foretells the feare of famine: And the better to expresse her meaning, shee reckens up some speciall parti∣culars, in stead of the generalls: As by Ty∣phis, wee must understand any shipp-master: by Argo, any Navie of ships: by Achilles, a∣ny Generall, or gre••t Commander: and by Troy, any other Citty whatsoever, that might by Enemies bee distressed.

Now when firme age, &c. The Sybil heere speakes, either of the blessed estate in heaven, or of the perfection of Christians, in whose mindes is setled unspeakable quiet, and tran∣quill••ty, and the true goulden age: For their desires shall not be conversant about worldly matters, neither shall they vse the things of this life, for pleasure or delight of their vaine lusts, but meerely for necessities sake: as we reade of Saint Paul, that hee did weave Tents; and our Forefathers in Aegypt did plough the ground, and applyed themselves to hus∣bandry. Neither shall their affections bee up∣on these base earthly matters, but their con∣versation shall bee in heaven, content with a∣ny thing, (how meane and homely soever,)

that may serve their present need: whereby it shall come to passe, that there shall bee plen∣ty of all things in every place, every ones minde beeing so temperately inclined, as to affect nothing out of curiosity, but onely for use and necessity.

The accordant Parcae, &c. It may perhaps seeme somewhat too curious, to say, that by these Parcae, (equall in number to the three persons of the Godhead, (which Christians beleeve) agreeing in power, and will of de∣steny) the Sybil would understand the three Persons in Divinity.

Run out at length, and let such Age bee made. Either the Destenies said this, answrable to what every man wished might bee; or else they appointed it so to bee: For Christs Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome with∣out end. Moreoever, Fate, is nothing else, but the absolute will and com••andement of God, and his expresse word; according to the Etymologie which Palingenius giveth thereof, Fatum, quasi Deus sic fatus, or Deus ita fatur.

Deere Childe of God, Ioves infinite increase, &c. Nothing can bee more plainly spoken of Christ, then to say, hee is the begotten of God, and the increase of his Father. For of

what mortall man or created creature can it bee said that hee is the increase of Iove; who can adde any increase to God? But Christ, beeing God, the Sonne of God, is the Glo∣ry of his Father, inasmuch as hee is wisdome and power.

Come see, the world, &c. It is now high time to bring remedie into the world, when as now all things were at the last gaspe, and at the worst, and all mankinde in a poore af∣flicted state.

Come view the Seas, Earth, &c. All things, not onely men, but even the Angells, yea, even things without sense, did shew their woonderfull joy at the comming of Christ. For as Saint Paul saith, the whole frame of the world shall bee thereby freed from the bon∣dage of corruption.

Oh mote I liue, &c. The workes of Christ are wonderfull, and unspeakable, and the longest life will be too little to recount them: I would I might but live halfe so long as to sing thy praises: Or the Sybil desireth long life, that shee might have the opportunity to write of that worthy subject.

Albee Caliope, &c. Though Caliope one of the Muses, helpe her sonne Orpheus, and Phae∣bus (the god of Poets, and songs) inspire his son Lynus with skill.

Yea should selfe Pan, &c. Herein Virgil forgets not the decorum fitting Shepheards, who thinke more highly of Pan the Shepheards God, then of Caliope, & Phaebus. And here hee ends his comparisons, & goes no farther, (as thinking nothing could bee more added, ha∣ving once vouched the Shepheards God, for authority of his vaunt.

Begin young Babe, &c. I make no doubt but these things shal one day infallibly happen, & come to passe: Now yet begin to bring com∣fort to thy mother with thy comfor∣table laugh: doe not bee sad or solita∣ry, doe not by thy sadnesse bring sor∣row unto her, who hath endured sorrow and pain inough during the ten Moneths, which she bare thee in her womb. But these Months must be taken to be Mēses Luxares, not civiles

Nor God, nor Goddes, him at Bed nor Boord, &c. The Grammarians make much adoo about these two verses. Vives upon St. Austin, hath spoken somewhat hereof: But shortly, his opi∣nion is, that (by God) here in this place must be meant Genius, to whom a Table was de∣dicate: from whence this Proverb did arise, Genio indulgere; when a man was a dainty affe∣cter of curious meats, & made it as it were his whole exercise to eat, he was said to cocker or flatter his Genius, that is his appetite. More∣Moreover,

by goddesse is meant Iuno, for whom a Bed was prepared ready, on which the Childe new borne was suckled. Hereby is intimated, that it is a dangerous sign of death when young Infants are sad, and not apt to laugh, shewing thereby that the tutelares Dij, (the Gods who have the charge of young children) doe not favour them: (which so fell out,) for this young Childe of Pollio's di∣ed soone after it was borne; God himselfe (as it may seeme) not suffering him to live, to whom the Poet of so great authority in those times, did apply those precious prayses which the Prophetesse, (this Sybil) had foretould of the blessed Sonne of God. And Vives is fur∣ther of the minde, that Virgil did adde these two last verses of his owne making, after the Childes death: (a conceit full of proba∣bility.)