9. We now come to the ninth division.

V. 561.

Here he engraved a vineyard fair of gold,
With grapes well laden. Silver props sustained
The black vine-branches; and a copper trench,
And palisade of tin, compassed the whole.
One single path there was, by which they passed,
Who in the vineyard at the vintage toiled.
There girls and boys, light-hearted, the sweet fruit
In woven baskets carried in the midst

A youth on his shrill lyre played pleasingly,
And charmed them as he sang with his soft voice
Most sweetly to the strings; while beating time,
And all in unison, the circle round

Joined in the song, and followed in the dance.

The ninth month of the old Attic year was Boedromion. It included part of August with part of September; and that it was the season for gathering grapes is consequently evident. On the twentieth day of Boedromion the image of Iacchus, or Bacchus, was borne in procession to Eleusis; and the God of wine was adored together with the parent of fruitful harvests. It was at this season, that the people carried green branches in honor of Bacchus; that singing, and dancing, and sounding their cymbals, they followed the statue of the God from Athens to Eleusis by the sacred way; and that at night, with flaming torches in their hands, they invited Iacchus to descend upon the plain, and to join them in the mystic dance." I may now, perhaps, be permitted to say, that the ninth picture was descriptive of the ninth month.

10. The tenth partition is thus represented.

V. 573.

A herd of oxen next the artist framed
With horns erect; of gold and tin inlaid;

But from their stalls the lowing cattle rushed,
And sought their place of pasture by a stream,

2

That murmuring ran, impetuous, through the reeds.
Four golden herdsmen with the oxen went,
Followed by nine swift dogs. But on a bull,
The prime among the herds, that moaned the while,
Two savage lions seized; and he was dragged
Loud-bellowing along. The men and dogs
Ran to his rescue; but the lions tore

1

His entrails out, and drank his purple blood.
In vain the herdsmen cheered and urged their dogs,
That at the lions barked, but stood aloof,

Nor in close combat dared to meet the foe.

11. The eleventh picture may be considered with the teuth.
V. 587. In the next space th' illustrious Vulcan formed
An ample range of pasture for white sheep,
Within the bosom of a pleasant vale;

And sheds, and sheltered folds, and covered pens.

The tenth and eleventh months of the old Greek

year, Maimacterion and Pyanepsion, comprehended part of September, with the whole of October, and part of November. Then the harvest was already

Plutarch. in Phoc.

2 Aristoph. in Ran. Act. i. Sc. vii.

over, the grapes were gathered, and the herds and flocks were spread over the country. This statement suffices to show, that the representations in the tenth and eleventh divisions of the shield corresponded with the season of the year.

12. The twelfth and last picture is not the least pleasing.

V. 590.

Now in the shield the skilful God designed,
A dance perplexed, and intricate, and like
To that which Dædalus of old composed
For fair-hair'd Ariadne in the plains

Of Gnossus. There together knit, the youths,
And virgins just betrothed, danced hand in hand.
These in fine linen garments were attired;
But those well-woven woollen tunics wore,
That glossy seemed, as if imbued with oil.

The maidens with their flowery crowns were dight;
The youths had golden swords from silver belts
Depending. Now they turned, with practised feet,
Quite lightly in the ring-some potter thus,
When sitting at the wheel placed to his hand,
Essays, if it will run-and now in rows
Upon each other's steps they quickly trod,
Advancing, or retreating. But the crowd
Stood round, rejoicing in the pleasing dance.
And there two tumblers vaulted in the midst,
What time the circle sang the choral lay.

The twelfth month of the old year was called Posideon, in honor of Neptune. In this month was celebrated a very ancient festival called Haloa,' otherwise Thalysia. As it was held for the purpose of returning thanks to the Gods for the fruits of the earth, and as it was probably the last which was celebrated in the old year, it seems not unlikely, that Homer may have alluded to it in the last of his rural, pictures. The dance, which is introduced, was said to have been taught to the Greeks by Theseus, when he returned from Crete. It was upon his landing in the island of Delos, that he erected a statue, which had been the gift of Ariadne, to Venus; and that, with the young men who were with him, he danced round the altars of the Goddess to the music of the lyre. In this dance they turned and moved in various directions, to imitate the windings of the Cretan Labyrinth.

2

But it is time, Sir, that I close this letter, and that I ask pardon of you and your readers, for having so long trespassed on your

attention.

BELLIGERI laudes populi, palmamque recentem,
Parta triumphantûm præstanti præmia ferro
Et fusas Gallorum acies, ereptaque tandem
Moenia servili dudum defessa catenâ

Aggredior; memorare ausus, quo turbine duras
Moverit in campis ardens Hispania vires,
Et quanta irruerint animis sociata Britannûm
Agmina, et instructæ exierint in prælia turmæ.
Illustres heroüm animæ, quos terra fideli
Foverit amplexu genitrix Tartessia natos,
Intrepidis et freta animis, quibus ipsa salutem
Crediderit regnique decus, curamque suorum;
O quondam natale solum et sacrata tueri

Jura armis, Libycumque ducem, Pœnasque phalanges
Exagitare avida, longoque lacessere bello,
Adspirate operi, et faciles succurrite cœptis

Quæ memorent, quantâ et vestri cum laude nepotes
Arma ferant, ductique patrum virtute priorum
Splendida collustrent generosæ nomina genti.
Gallia jamdudum victricia signa per orbem
Vexerat extremum, et sceptro subjecerat uni
Europam languentem animis, et cæde trementem
Sanguinea, et validos frænårat compede reges.
Nequicquam Arctoï per duros agmina montes
Imperii, instructis hostes exquirere telis

Ausa iterùm, et belli positum renovare fragorem
Nequicquam quos grandis alit Germanicus Ister
Induere arma parant, et inane accingere ferrum.
Ipsa amens animi, et magnis elata triumphis
Pergit ubique omnes domitare furentibus armis,
Et populos agitare manu: neque pristina tangunt
Fœdera amicitiæ, et toties connexa periclis
Pacta fides sociis, et consita dextera dextræ.
Scilicet Hesperias fœdo speraverat oras
Submisisse jugo, turpique gravâsse catenâ
Conjunctam stabili pacis sibi fœdere terram.

At non ignavis tantas Hispanica pubes
Insidias, fraudesque animis, contemtaque jura
Passa jacet; vincli indocilis, malesana furore
Surgit, et infenso ferro satiarier ardens
Suscitat indomiti flagrantes pectoris iras.
Ocyus armati coëunt in prælia cives,

Quos pietas movit patriæ, et commune periclum,
Seu temerata fides, spretæque injuria famæ.
Dat sese et belli sociam, comitemque laborum
Non aliis permota odiis, non inscia sævi
Gallorum imperii, fortesque Britannia natos
Convocat, et properans acri se immittere campo
Instituitque rates, et Iberi allabitur oras.

Idem omnes simul ardor agit, vi turpia collo
Vincula, probrosumque jugum, manicasque recentes
Abjicere, atque uno intrepidos exposcere ferro
Jura animis potiora, et libertate cadenti
Concidere, extremamque armis effundere vitam.
Ac veluti in sylvis, tenuis spiramine venti
Flamma micat sufflata, levesque per aëra fumos
Invehit, et parvo jam primùm immurmurat igne;
Mox gravior, sensimque alti sub sidera cœli
Fertur ubique fremens, latè et loca frondea circùm
Stridula sulphureo sternit vehementior æstu ;
Haud aliter per ubique animos, per pectora gentis
Cæcùm ibat furor, et rabies acerrima, fræni
Gallorum impatiens, sceptrumque exosa tyranni.

Nec solùm hanc proceres inter, summosque furentis,
Crede, duces populi, accensam fervescere flammam :
En! rudis, et victum per inhospita culmina montis
Rusticus exquirens, cuidam se jungere parti
Ipse ardet tantorum operum, et magalia linquens
Nota diù, caramque domum, adsuetosque Penates,
Insolito invehitur per devia rura labori.

Quin sæpe, ut referunt, per operta silentia noctis
Agmine cum socio descendit montibus, et quod
Rura sibi dederint, vicinaque viscera terræ

Telum infert, somnoque gravem detorquet in hostem.
Inde domum illæsus repetit, spoliisque potitus
Ridet ovans animo, et prædâ lætatur inultâ.
Usque adeò per gentem, etiam per sordida vulgi
Pectora, fervet amor patriæ, veterumque domorum
Insita cura animis, nec laudum inhonesta cupido.
Atque ea diversâ penitùs dum parte geruntur,
Dum tacita armorum rabies, et fervidus ardor,
Per fines cæcos, et dissita littora terræ,
Arcanum ducebat iter, magis inclyta longè
Angliacus virtute animi insignissimus heros
Ingeniique audax, studio certaminis acer
Cœpta agitat: quo major erat non Julius armis,
Clarior haud Gangis juvenis Pellæus arenam

Viserat, aut gelidas Pœnus superaverat Alpes.
Ille per extremos casus, per mille pericla,
Per superas cautes, et saxa minantia cœlo
Usque operâ infractus vigili, exsomnique labore
Duxerat oppressas armis studiisque catervas,
Spe famæ obfirmans, palmæque instantis honorum
Ingentes animos, oblitaque pectora curæ.

Senserat hujus opem, et moerenti dulce levamen,
Præsentemque malis sibi Lusitania dextram ;

Senserat hunc, socium curarum, heu! non ita quondam
Pressa gravi fato, et duris exercita rebus,

Nunc tamen et solio penitùs concussa vetusto
Informemque humili prolapsa in pulvere vultum.

Quid memorem, Angliacis quantas stipata carinis
Unda Tagi, aurifero turmas exceperit alveo ;
Quid, grave subsidium armorum, et ductore Britanno
Vim populi accensam, et dubii certaminis usu
Firmatam assiduo, et certâ sub lege coactam?
Quid, toties fœdâ in latis hostilia campis
Terga fugâ conversa, et multo undantia tabo
Flumina, et effusos socio sub milite Gallos?

Nec minimos felix victoria fudit honores,
Cùm firmo Augustæ nuper sub mœnia gressu
(Mœnia Cæsareis olim lustrata trophæis)
Grande propinquabat conjunctis viribus agmen
Magna sonans ventura; hìc crebris turgida nimbis
Flumina volvit Anas, et turbine fervet aquarum.
Hic opera obsidii positis acerrima castris
Instituunt, vallisque parant, atque aggere facto
Claudere, et ignivomis muros diffringere telis.
Ipse inter primas acies, ingentia cauto
Bella parans studio, ante alios solertior omnes,
Dux Britonum assiduis variisque laboribus instat:
Et vires adhibet, firmatque animosa piorum
Pectora: fervet opus, furit excitus ardor in hostes.
Eheu! ter miseri, quos intra mœnia septos

Ista coarctabat constricto limite sedes!

Nam neque quâ fugerent data porta, neque ulla salutis
Spes fuit, at passi hostili. circumdata turmâ

Limina, vi densâ armorum, ferroque minaci
Exagitant animos, et ineluctabile fatum

Desuper horrificis pendens inmurmurat iris.

Quid facerent? quà tanto ausint discrimine rerum Vertier? hinc premit ægra fames, hinc ferrea cuspis Stat minitans mortem, cædis præsaga futuræ. Plurima tum lethi ante oculos feralis imago Transvolitat miserorum, et pallida volvit Erinnys Purpuream frontem, et fœdatos sanguine crines.

Jamque dies horrenda aderat: tormenta parari, Magnaque vis armorum et plurima machina Martis,