Ecloga I Amaryllis Expostulans nomine Vrbis Perthensis ad regem Iacobum in Scotiam reducem, Anno 1617

This poem was one of two eclogues by Anderson to appear in The Muses Welcome (pp. 142-44; for the second, see d1_AndH_004). The persona of Amaryllis, awaiting the return of Daphnis (both characters in Virgil's Eclogues) was also used by Thomas Maitland in a poem celebrating the return of James Stewart, earl of Moray, to Scotland from the York-Westminster conference in 1569. For details of this poem, and of the exact episode in Virgil's text that Anderson is drawing upon, see d2_MaiT_009). Metre: hexameter.

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ECLOGA I: Amaryllis Expostulans nomine Urbis Perthensis ad regem IACOBUM in Scotiam reducem, Anno 1617

1Castalides pia turba Deae, quae pectora vatum
Aoniis lustratis aquis, fastigia montis
linquite Pierii, nostrosque invisite campos:
et mecum placidos mea per violaria flores
5carpite: sin autem teneras discrimina longae
taedet inire viae, terrasque videre repostas;
at Taidas saltem vestro perfundite Nymphas
numine, et ingenti dignum date Daphnide carmen:
dum validos gemebunda mei cano pectoris aestus.

10Quinta mihi luctu fluxit trieteris acerbo,
quam miseris absumpta modis, quam plena laborum!
Cum, gemitu lachrymisque madens, ingrata salutis, 1
in tenebris mecum priscos meditarer amores;
ex quo, Daphni, tuos non aequo sydere vultus
15Phoebus, et Australis tenuit plaga servida terrae,
quam Sabrina ferox, et quam Thamiseides undae,
quam Deva occiduum, quamque alluit Humber Eoum
pronus in Oceanum; mihi quot lamenta per auras,
quot rivi fluxere genis! Cum tristior omni
20nocte dies, atros cum nox inimica dolores
ingeminans, animum prope funere mersit iniquo.

At reditus nova fama tui spem laeta secundam
exanimi diffusa dedit, longumque querenti:
pone metus, Amarylli, tuos, tuus ignis, et ardor
25Daphnis, ait, gelidas Austro rediturus in Arctos,
Link to an image of this page  [p34] teque suam visurus adest. Vox ista laborum
prima tulisse mihi finem 2 miseroque dolori
visa, novae rerum facies, renovata parumper
lux animum radiis erexit amoena coruscis.

30Iam mea dum numero mihi tempora, (qualis amantum
cura solet, longi quae taedia temporis odit)
en ignara iterum rumore accendor amaro,
Daphnin ad Oceanum per fluminis ostia tanti
incerto transisse vado, quam frigida sedi,
35quanta movens animo circa meditabar inani!
An meus antiquos nequicquam oblitus amores
me fugit? An tenues evanidus exit in auras, 3
qui modo firmus amor fundamine certior omni
creverat? An vero tanti qui pignora amoris
40intercepta manu mihi praecipuere nefanda
hos struxere dolos? Atqui nec amoenior usquam
terra situ patet, aut naturae laetior almas
omniparentis opes placido profundit amictu.

Me Taides venerantur aquae, mea prata Napaeae
45laeta colunt, varioque legunt e flore corollas:
Grampiadesque meis gaudent amplexibus undae.
Me Pater Oceanus, quoties nox atra profundis
tellurem involvit tenebris, invisit; et idem
impatiens tolerare moras, quum Phoebus in alto
50aethere pallentes sub terram discutit umbras,
in cursu mea castra novo mea moenia lambit;
nec mihi, quod longo tellus habet ulla recessu,
abnuit, atque aperit terras ubicunque repostas.

Hic tibi pons, pons, Daphni tuus, non ultima curam
55pars dignata tua, totius redivivus in auras
te duce conscendit. Necdum te prima Iuventae
tempora maturum rebus videre gerendis,
alter ab undecimo Solem cum volveret annus, 4
iam pontis te magne tui pia cura momordit.
60Nunc quoque marmoreis quod surgit in alta columnis,
quod placida convestit aquas testudine, et altum
carpit iter tutus noctesque diesque viator,
muneris est hoc, Daphni, tui: tua gloria tantis
fulget imaginibus: dignas vicinia grates,
Link to an image of this page  [p35] 65quasque potest, Amaryllis habet: tua nomina summis.
Laudibus et merito grata amplectetur amore.
At gravis hinc nostram rapit admiratio mentem,
quod tu ponte procul, procul hinc Amaryllide Daphni,
caerulei per curva Tai vada tendis in Arcton:
70qua tibi nec tutum tremulam conscendere puppim,
nec placido datur in terram descendere saltu.
Heu potes his charum caput objectare periclis,
nec pontis memor, et veterum securus amorum! 5
An quod adhuc pendent opera interrupta, manusque
75iam fabricae sublata novas accendit in iras?
Anne quod (o certo Deus omnia numine firmet!)
In nostras redeunte plagas, subtracta parumper
tempora, multiplici reddet cumulata voluptas
foenore, cum radiosa tui clementia vultus
80et lachrimas, noctemque mihi, tristesque tenebras
discutiet, dabiturque pedes contingere sacros,
et prisco de more, piae dare basia dextrae.

Haud secus, ac rosa nocte latens, tenebrisque voluta
folliculisque obducta suis, ubi Solis Eoi
85iam jubar, auroramque videt properare serenam,
explicat audaces splendentis ad aurea vultus
lumina, puniceoque rubet spectanda colore,
iam rutilans, placidumque nitens exhalat odorem:
sic reditus lux alma tui Saturnia secum
90tempora, 6 et antiquos aevi melioris honores
ducet, et ingrati posito squalore doloris,
ambrosio laetos perfundet lumine vultus.

O precor illa dies pernicibus aurea pennis
advolet, illa dies niveo signanda lapillo, 7
95quae mihi me, magnumque mihi celeberrima reddet
Daphnin, et audaces amplexum mittet in ulnas!
Hic ego te (pius urget amor, miserere fatentis 8 )
tam longas traxisse moras, tam concita amanti
indulsisse tuae contracto tempora gyro,
100heu doleam, sileamve, meos miserata labores?
Dum tu lentus abes, dum me dolor altus in horas
urit, et erosis mandit praecordia fibris.
Quid querar? Ah sortis non est opus indice nostrae.
Link to an image of this page  [p36] Publica privatis misera permista ruina
105intereunt, tenuesque premunt sub pondere cives.

O 9 tecum liceat taciti mihi vulnus amoris,
quaeque imos penetrant curarum nubila sensus,
in gremium diffusa tuum (dolor angit amantes)
sublatis aperire dolis! 10 Quia solus Apollo,
110solus Apollinea celeberrimus arte MACHAON, 11
111solus es admotis Podalirius inclytus herbis. 12

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Eclogue I: Amaryllis's complaint in the name of the city of Perth to King James I upon his return to Scotland, in the year 1617

1Pious throng, Castalian Goddesses, who purify the hearts of poets with your Aonian waters, quit your mountain peaks, and come down to our plains, and pluck flowers with me in my violet fields; but if, however, you gentle ones are loathe to journey through the hazards of long life, and see distant lands, at least infuse the Tay's water nymphs with your divinity, and provide me with a song worthy of great Daphnis, as I decant the fiery passions of my heart in sighing tones.

10I have flowed for fifteen years with bitter tears, so lamentably enfeebled, and full of cares! As, drenched with tears and sorrow, ungrateful for my health, I was musing over my ancient love amid the shadows, since Phoebus held your gaze further down the celestial sphere, and the parching clime of the Southern land possessed it - that land which the fierce Severn bathes, and the Thames' waters, and the Dee that flows into the Western ocean, and the Humber that flows into the Eastern ocean. How many wails have flowed through the breezes, how many rivers across my cheeks! While a day more bleak than all night, while unfriendly night in redoubled groan overcame my soul and death was close at hand.

22Yet a fresh report, happily spread abroad, has held out the promise of your return to the people, who have long desired it: it says, 'put aside your fears, Amyrillis, your flame, your passion, Daphnis will return from the South to the frozen NorthLink to an image of this page  [p034]and he will be here to see you, his very own!' That voice first seemed to me to bring the end to my cares, and my wretched grief, there was a new aspect to everything, for a while the new day lifted up my soul with its sun-lit rays.

30Now while I count the passing time to myself (just like the angst of lovers, which hates the drawn-out delay of time), behold I am kindled once again by the bitter news, unaware that Daphnis had travelled to the Ocean through the mouth of the great river on the dangerous shallows, as I, cold on my seat, was turning over and reflecting so much in my silly mind! Will my man flee from me, having forgotten our former love without reason? Will my love vanish and flee into thin air, which have grown once steadfast and more reliable than all foundations? Or rather will they who snatched away and robbed me of the dear token of my great love build upon these sorrows of mine? But yet never more pleasingly does a land open up in location, or more happily does it produce the nourishing riches of all-producing nature from its pleasing mantle.

44The Tay's waters revere me, the Nymphs inhabit my fruitful meadows, and they pluck their little garlands from its many flowers: and the Grampians' waters rejoice at my embrace. Father Ocean visits me, as often as black night envelops the land in deep darkness, while he is unwilling to bear delay when Phoebus in high heaven scatters his paling shadows from across the earth, and father Ocean laps against my fortress ciffs in his new course; he does not keep from me that which any land has in its far-off corners, and wherever he discloses distant lands.

54You have a bridge, Daphnis, your bridge, a the final part of it was not worthy of your care, now restored under your direction it rises complete into the air. The first seasons of your youth had not yet witnessed you coming to maturity while executing affairs of the state, when another year on top of the other eleven brought round the Sun's full turn, then your pious devotion for your bridge, great one, gnawed at you. Now it is also thanks to your gift that it rises from the depth on marble columns, that covers the waters with its gentle shell, and night and day the traveller takes to the high road safe and sound. Your honour shines forth in its great many images:Link to an image of this page  [p35]close by, Amaryllis gives as much thanks as is worthy: she will cherish your name in the highest praises and with her earned love. Yet a grave surprise deflects our mind from such things, since you, far from your bridge, and far from here and Amaryllis, make your way towards the North through the bending shallows of the azure Tay: b where you were allowed to embark unsafely upon a bobbing little boat, and to alight onto land with a risky jump. Ah that you could put your dear head in the way of these dangers, not mindful of your bridge, and having no feeling for your former loves! Is it because the work has been stopped and lies undone, and the hand held out for its construction is fired by some fresh anger? Or is it because (O may God confirm all with his assured divinity), as you return to our region, our desires will return, accumulated by much profit, and will restore the times lately taken away, when the radiant benevolence of your face shall scatter the gloomy shadows, and tears, and night from me, and allow me to touch your sacred feet, and to place kisses upon your pious right hand, in the ancient fashion?

83Just so, as the rose hides in the night, and its petals are concealed by its foliage, when the brilliance of the Eastern Sun witnesses serene dawn hastening on, the rose unfolds its bloom boldly to the golden light of the shining Sun, and it blushes and appears to be a crimson colour, then a lighter red, and then, gleaming, it exhales its pleasing odour. Just so the nourishing daylight of your return brings with it the Saturnian Age, and the antique glories of a better time, and with the black neglect of disagreeable grieving put aside, it will wash our happy faces with your ambrosial sheen.

93O I pray that golden day comes on swift wings, that day which must be marked by a snowy white pebble; c and that most celebrated day will restore me to myself, and great Daphnis to me also, and will deliver an embrace to daring arms! Here I lament that you (a pious love drives me on - take pity on the love of one who confesses it!) have stretched out such a long delay, that you have granted to your lover a time so fleeting on a short time-span, or should I stay silent, having regretted my pains? While you are away for so long, while a deep pain consumes me every hour, it also eats away at my heart after consuming my innards. Should I complain? Ah, there is no need to disclose our misfortune.Link to an image of this page  [p036]The public mixed with the private runs into wretched ruin, and they press down upon the fragile citizens with their weight.

106Oh may I reveal without deception the wound of my concealed love to you, and the stormy worries that have pierced my inner senses and spread into your bosom (pain vexes lovers)! Since you alone are Apollo, you alone are Machaon most celebrated in Apollo's skill, you alone are Podaleirius, famous for healing herbs. d

Notes:

Original

1: Cf. Virgil, Aeneid X.666.

2: Virgil, Aeneid VII.117-8

3: Ovid, Remedia Amoris 653

4: 'Alter ab undecismo...annus': there is a debate over whether this phrase indicates twelve or thriteen, with most modern translators preferring twelve (Goold and Coleman). However, Servius (for whom Latin was a living language), in his commentary to Virgil, states (quite logically - 'alter' meaning the other of two) that it means thriteen. Given that it took twelve years to build this bridge, Anderson seems to take the former view. Virgil, Eclogues VIII.39

5: Cf. Virgil, Aeneid X.326-7.

6: Return of the golden age: cf. Virgil, Eclogues IV.6.

7: See d1_AytR_001 note 19 for the meaning of this phrase.

8: Cf. Ovid, Metamorphoses IX.561.

9: This final clause is an extended play upon Pyblius Syrus' famous maxim: 'amoris vulnus idem sanat qui facit' (see: Minor Latin Poets, ed. J. Duff, 18, for an edition of Syrus). James VI, in this version, is the only one who can heal the wound that he has inflicted. Apollo's dual identity as god of healing and poetry is also playfully alluded to - and James is identified with Apollo (thus doubly making him the only person suited to the task).

10: Virgil, Aeneid XII.26

11: Cf. Ovid, Remedia Amoris 546.

12: Ovid, Remedia Amoris 313

Translation

a: On James VI and I's involvement with the repair of the Perth Bridge, see d1_AndH_001.

b: For James VI and I's full itinerary on his 1617 visit, please see Roger P.H. Green, 'The King Returns: The Muses' Welcome (1618)', in David McOmish and Steven J. Reid (eds), Neo-Latin Literature and the Republic of Letters in Early Modern Scotland (forthcoming).

c: See note to Latin text.

d: Machaon and Podaleirius were noted in Homer as the sons of Asclepius, the god of healing (and thus grandsons of Apollo).