Pindaricosque inflat numeros Teumesius Euan, Addimus his artes, fusumque per intima Phoebum 23. Teumesius Euan,] Teumesus, Teventos, is a mountain of Baotia, the district in which Thebes was situated; and its inhabitants were called Tool, Teumesii. The Grecian Bacchus, the son of Jupiter and Semele, is often denominated Thebanus. But Bacchus had a more immediate and particular connection with this mountain. Pausanias relates a fable, that Bacchus, in revenge for some insult which he had received from the Thebans, nourished a fox in this mountain for the destruction of the city of Thebes; and that a dog being sent from Diana to kill this fox, both fox and dog were turned into stones. The fox was called Tevμnoiæ ǹ aλwπn, Teumesia vulpes. Pausan. BOIN 25 30 35 TIK. p. 296. 10. edit. Francof. 37. Nunc quoque Thressa tibi, &c.] The Thracian harp. Orpheus was of Thrace. Ovid, Epist. Heroid. iii. 118. Threiciam digitis increpuisse lyram. He has "th' Orphean lyre," Par. Lost, iii. 17. See note on Il Pens. v. 105. Auditurque chelys suspensa tapetia circum, Percipies tacitum per pectora serpere Phœbum, Perque puellares oculos, digitumque sonantem, Namque Elegia levis multorum cura Deorum est, Sæpius et veteri commaduisse mero: 40 45 50 At qui bella refert, et adulto sub Jove cœlum, 55 Et nunc sancta canit superum consulta deorum, Ille quidem parce, Samii pro more magistri, Stet prope fagineo pellucida lympha catillo, 60 Additur huic scelerisque vacans, et casta juventus, Qualis veste nitens sacra, et lustralibus undis, 39. Auditurque chelys suspensa tapetia circum,] See the note on Tapestry halls, Comus, 324. 65. 65 lustralibus undis,] See note on Comus, v. 913. Lumina Tiresian, Ogygiumque Linon, Et per monstrificam Perseiæ Phœbados aulam, Perque tuas, rex ime, domos, ubi sanguine nigro colit ; 70 75 80 86 Stelli parumque polum, modulantesque æthere turmas, Te quoque pressa manent patriis meditata cicutis, ELEG. VII. Anno Etatis 19. NONDUM blanda tuas leges, Amathusia, noram, Atque tuum sprevi maxime numen Amor. Aut de passeribus timidos age, parve, triumphos, In genus humanum quid inania dirigis arma? 90 5 10 Non tulit hoc Cyprius, neque enim Deus ullus ad iras Promptior, et duplici jam ferus igne calet. Ver erat, et summæ radians per culmina villæ Attulerat primam lux tibi, Maie, diem : At mihi adhuc refugam quærebant lumina noctem, 15 89. Te quoque pressa manent patriis meditata cicutis,] His English Ode on the Nativity. This he means to submit to Deodate's inspection. "You shall "next have some of my English "poetry." 90. Tu mihi, cui recitem, judicis instar eris.] In Comus, we have supposed the simple " shep"herd lad," skilled in plants, to be the same Charles Deodate, to whom this Elegy is addressed, v. 619. See supr. p. 429. For, as here, He lov'd me well, and oft would bid me sing; Which when I did, he on the tender grass Would sit and hearken even to ecstasy, &c. See Ovid, Epist. Pont. iv. ii. 37. Hic, mea cui recitem, &c. *The transitions and connecwith the skill and address of a tions of this Elegy, are conducted master, and form a train of allusions and digressions, productive of fine sentiment and poetry. From a trifling and unimportant circumstance, the reader is gradually led to great and lofty imagery. 15. At mihi adhuc refugam quærebant lumina noctem, Nec matutinum sustinuere jubar. Aut, qui formosas pellexit ad oscula nymphas, Nec matutinum sustinuere ju bar.] Here is the elegance of poetical expression. But he really.complains of the weakness of his eyes, which began early. He has light unsufferable," Ode Nativ. v. 8. 17. Astat Amor lecto, &c.] In these lines, (17-24.) Milton had probably an eye to Spenser's description of Fancy in his Mask of Cupid. The first was Fancy, like a lovely boy, Of rare aspect, and beauty without peer; Matchable either to that imp of Troy, Whom Jove did love and chose his cup to bear, Or that same dainty lad, which was so dear To great Alcides, that, when as he dy'd, He wailed woman-like with many a tear, And every wood and every valley wide He fill'd with Hylas' name; the nymphs eke Hylas cry'd. F. Q. iii. xii. 7. Dunster. 20 25 21. Talis in æterno, &c.] This line is from Tibullus, iv. ii. 13. Talis in æterno felix Vertumnus 25. Addideratque iras, sed et has decuisse putares,] Twelfth Night, a. iii. s. 1. O what a deal of scorn looks beautiful In the contempt and anger of his lip. Compare Anacreon's Bathyllus, xxviii. 12. And Theocritus, EPAZTHZ, Idyll. xviii. 14. Αλλα και ούτως Ην καλος· εξ οργας ερεθίζετο μαλλον εραστάς. And Shakespeare's Venus and Which bred more beautie in his angrie eyes. We find also the same idea in his -Fie, wrangling queen! |