For flow Bootes what care I? Curl me a Vine of cluster'd Joy Around the Brim; whilft Bacchus fair, And Love's foft God with golden Hair, The Boughs, and press th'enchanting Flood. 15 OD E XVIII. ON THE SAME SUBJECT. APPY Art! a Bowl prepare, HAP Like this faireft Season, fair: Firft Service, and fecure them against the Refentment of Juno, took them up into Heaven. One of them was Maia, the Mother of Mercury, who is fometimes us'd to exprefs all. Thus Virgil, Multi ante occafum Maia capere, fed illos The Names of the others were Eletra, Tagete, Alcinoe, Celeno, Sterope, Merope. Their Conftellation is plac'd on the Back of Taurus, and confifts of seven Stars; the Romans call'd them Vergilia. E VER. 7. Τὰ πρῶτα τερπνὸν ἡμῖν Μή μοι ξένον τορούσης, Μὴ φευκτόν ἱτόρημα. Μάλλον ποίει Διὸς γόνον, Much νάματα, ἢ Κύπριν Ὑμναίοις κρατᾶσαν Χάρας Ἔρωτ ̓ ἄνοπλον, Και χάριτας γελώσας VER. 7. But let no myfterious Whim.] The Greek is τελεί μή μοι ξένον τορούσης, Engrave no foreign Sacrifices; for the Tλ47 were Sacrifices of Expiation, as Plato tells us in the Second Book of his Republick; his Words are thefe, Βίβλων ἢ ὅμαδον παρέχοντας Μυσαίο η Ορφέως, Σελήνης τε καὶ Μεσῶν ἐκγόνων, ὥς φασι. καθ ̓ ἂς θυηπλᾶσι, πείθοντες & μόνον ἰδιώ τας, ἀλλὰ καὶ πόλεις, ὡς ἄρα λύσεις τε καὶ καθαρμοί ἀδικημάτων, διὰ θυσιῶν καὶ παιδιᾶς ἡδονῶν, εἰσὶ μὲ ἔτι ζῶσιν ἢ καὶ τελευτήσασιν, ὡς δὴ τελετὰς καλά σιν, ἃ 7 ἐκεῖ κακῶν ἀπολύεσιν ἡμᾶς μὴ, θύσαντας ἢ Sewa wenien They fhew a great Number of Books wrote by Mufaus and Orpheus, whom they call the Sons of Nor with Arms and Heroes flain, The bright Field of Transport stain. Leading Hymen's happy Choir. Round the laughing Margin twine, 15 Pleasure's Shade, a curling Vine; There of Selene and the Mufes: By these Books they regulate their Sacrifices, perfuading not only particular Persons, but whole Cities, that all Expiations and Purifications from Crimes, both for the Living and the Dead, are to be perform'd by Sacrifices, attended with Sports and all forts of Diverfions; thefe they call Teλeras, affirming that those who obferve them, fhall be free from future Punishments; but that those who neglect them, fhall fuffer inexpreffible Torture. Anacreon calls them Foreign, because they were instituted by Mufaus and Orpheus, who were Thracians. VER. 9. Nor with Arms and Heroes flain.] The Original is Mn oxov isopnua. No tragical Story. E 2 VER. 20. Ὑπ ̓ ἄμπελον δπέταλον, Ω Δ Η Εἰς τὸ δεν πίνειν. Ἡ Γῆ μέλαινα πίνει, ΙΘ'. Πίνει ο Δένδρε ̓ αὐτήν· Πίνει Θάλασσα δ' Αὔρας, Ὁ δ' Ἥλιο Θάλασαν, Τὸν δ ̓ Ἥλιον Σελήνη. 5 Τί VER. 20. But no Phoebus playing there. ] Becaufe Apollo was fo unfortunate as to kill the beautiful Hyacinth, as he play'd with him at Coits. VER. 2. The Trees Earth's rofy Goblet drain.] The Greek Expreffion is πίνει ἢ δένδρέ αὐτό, The Trees drink up the Earth ; which is very bold; thor the Poet's Meaning is undoubtedly nothing more, than that the Trees receive their Nourifhment from the Rains and Dews, which are ftrain'd and filter'd thro' the Veins of the There unarm'd, let Cupid fport, But no Phoebus playing there. 20 ODE XIX. THAT WE OUGHT TO DRINK. T HE thirsty Earth drinks up the Rain; The Trees Earth's rofy Goblet drain; The Ocean revels ev'ry Day; The laughing Sun drinks up the Sea. And when his mirthful Course is run, 5 The Moon enraptur'd drinks the Sun. Since the Earth. I have endeavour'd to foften the Figure in the Tranflation. VER. 3. The Ocean revels every Day.] The Original is wives Jáλawa d'avegs, The Sea drinks up the Air., VER. 6. The Moon enraptur'd drinks the Sun.] Either because the Moon borrows her Light of the Sun, or because whatever difappear'd was by the Greeks faid, narative, to be drank up. D'Acier. |