De Carmine Pastorali Prefixed to Thomas Creech's translation of the Idylliums of Theocritus (1684) — A Closer Reading

h was the state of Innocence, &c.

{6} And from this head I think the dignity of _Bucolicks_ is sufficiently cleared, for as much as the Golden Age is to be preferred before the _Heroick_, so much _Pastorals_ must excell _Heroick_ Poems: yet this is so to be understood, that if we look upon the majesty and loftiness of _Heroick_ Poems, it must be confest that they justly claim the preheminence; but if the unaffected neatness, elegant, graceful smartness of the expression, or the polite dress of a Poem be considered, then they fall short of _Pastorals_: for this sort flows with Sweet, Elegant, neat and pleasing fancies; as is too evident to every one that hath tasted the sweeter muses, to need a farther explication: for tis not probable that _Asinius Pollio_, _Cinna_, _Varius_, _Cornelius Gallus_, men of the neatest Wit, and that lived in the most polite Age, or that _Augustus Cæsar_ the Prince of the _Roman_ elegance, as well as of the common Wealth, should be so extreamly taken with _Virgils Bucolicks_, or that _Virgil_ himself a man of such singular prudence, and so correct a judgment, should dedicate his Eclogues to those great Persons; unless he had known that there is somewhat more then ordinary Elegance in those sort of Composures, which the wise perceive, tho far above the understanding of the Crowd: nay if _Ludovicus Vives_, a very learned man, and admired for politer studies may be believed, there is somewhat more sublime and excellent in those _Pastorals_, than the Common {7} sort of Grammarians imagine: This I shall discourse of in an other place, and now inquire into the Antiquity of Pastorals.

Since _Linus_, _Orpheus_, and _Eumolpus_ were famous for their Poems, before the _Trojan_ wars; those are certainly mistaken, who date Poetry from that time; I rather incline to their opinion who make it as old as the World it self; which Assertion as it ought to be understood of Poetry in general, so especially of _Pastoral_, which, as _Scaliger_ delivers, was the most antient kind of Poetry, and resulting from the most _antient_ way of Liveing: _Singing first began amongst Sheapards as they fed their Flocks, either by the impulse of nature, or in imitation of the notes of Birds, or the whispering of Trees._

For since the first men were either _Sheapards_ or _Ploughmen_, and _Sheapards_, as may be gathered out of _Thucydides_ and _Varro_, were before the others, they were the first that either invited by their leisure, or (which _Lucretius_ thinks more probable) in imitation of Birds, began a tune.

Thro all the Woods they heard the pleasing noise Of chirping Birds, and try'd to frame their voice, And Imitate, thus Birds instructed man, And taught them Songs before their Art began.

In short, tis so certain that Verses first began in the Country that the thing is in it self evident, and this _Tibullus_ very plainly signifies,

{8} First weary at his Plough the labouring Hind In certain feet his rustick words did bind: His dry reed first he tun'd at sacred feasts To thanks the bounteous Gods, and cheer his Guests.

_In certain feet_ according to _Bern Cylenius_ of _Verona_ his interpretation _in set measures_: for _Censorinus_ tells us, that the antient Songs were loose and not ty'd up to any strict numbers, and afterwards by certain laws and acknowledged rules were confin'd to such and such measures: for this is the method of Nature in all her works, from imperfect and rude beginnings things take their first rise, and afterwards by fit and apposite additions are polish't, and brought to perfection: such were the Verses which heretofore the _Italian_ Sheapards and Plough-men, as _Virgil_ says, sported amongst themselves.

Italian Plough-men sprung from antient _Troy_ Did sport unpolish't Rhymes--

_Lucretius_ in his Fifth Book _de Natura Rerum_, says, that Sheapards were first taught by the rushing of soft Breezes amongst the Canes to blow their Reeds, and so by degrees to put their Songs in tune.

For Whilst soft Evening Gales blew or'e the Plains And shook the sounding Reeds, they taught the Swains, And thus the Pipe was fram'd, and tuneful Reed, And whilst the Flocks did then securely feed, The harmless Sheapards tun'd their Pipes to Love, {9} And Amaryllis name fill'd every Grove.

From all which tis very plain that _Poetry_ began in those days, when Sheapards took up their employment: to this agrees _Donatus_ in his Life of _Virgil_, and _Pontanus_ in his Fifth Book of Stars, as appears by these Verses.

Here underneath a shade by purling Springs The Sheapards Dance, whilst sweet _Amyntas_ sings; Thus first the new found Pipe was tun'd to Love, And Plough-men taught their Sweet hearts to the Grove,

Thus the _Fescennine_ jests when they sang harvest-home, and then too the Grape gatherers and Reapers Songs began, an elegant example of which we have in the Tenth _Idyllium_ of _Theocritus_.

From this birth, as it were, of _Poetry_, Verse began to grow up to greater matters; For from the common discourse of _Plough-men_ and _Sheapards_, first _Comedy_, that Mistress of a private Life, next _Tragedy_, and then _Epick Poetry_ which is lofty and _Heroical_ arrose, This _Maximus Tyrius_ confirms in his Twenty first dissetation, where he tells us that Plough-men just comeing from their work, and scarce cleansed from the filth of their employment, did use to flurt out some sudden and _extempore_ Catches; and from this beginning Plays were produc'd and the Stage erected: Thus {10} much concerning the _Antiquity_, next of the _Original_ of this sort.

About this Learned men cannot agree, for who was the first Author, is not sufficiently understood; _Donatus_, tis true, tells us tis proper to the Golden Age, and therefore must needs be the product of that happy time: but who was the Author, where, what time it was first invented hath been a great Controversy, and not yet sufficiently determined: _Epicharmus_ one of _Pythagoras_ his School, in his *alkyoni* mentions one _Diomus_ a _Sicilian_, who, if we believe _Athænæus_ was the first that wrote _Pastorals: those that fed Cattle had a peculiar kind of Poetry, call'd Bucolicks, of which Dotimus a Sicilian was inventer:_

_Diodorus Siculus_ *en tois mythologoumenois*, seems to make _Daphnis_ the son of _Mercury_ and a certain _Nymph_, to be the Author; and agreeable to this, _Theon_ an old _scholiast_ on _Theocritus_, in his notes upon the first _Idyllium_ mentioning _Daphnis_, adds, _he was the author of Bucolicks_, and _Theocritus himself_ calls him _the Muses Darling_: and to this Opinion of _Diodorus Siculus Polydore Virgil_ readily assents.

But _Mnaseas_ of _Patara_ in a discourse of his concerning _Europa_, speaks thus of a Son of _Pan_ the God of Sheapards: _Panis Filium Bubulcum à quo & Bucolice canere:_ Now Whether _Mnaseas_ by that _Bubulcum_, means only a _Herds-man_, or one skilled in _Bucolicks_, is uncertain; but if _Valla's_ {11} judgment be good, tis to be taken of the latter: yet _Ælian_ was of another mind, for he boldly affirms that _Stesichorus_ called _Himeræus_ was the first, and in the same place adds, that _Daphnis_ the Son of _Mercury_ was the first Subject of _Bucolicks_.

Some ascribe the Honor to _Bacchus_ the President of the _Nymphs, Satyrs_, and the other Country Gods, perhaps because he delighted in the Country; and others attribute it to _Apollo_ called _Nomius_ the God of Sheapards, and that he invented it then when he served _Admetus_ in _Thessaly_, and fed his Herds: For, tis likely, he to recreate himself, and pass away his time, applied his mind to such Songs as were best suitable to his present condition: Many think we owe it to _Pan_ the God of Sheapards, not a few to _Diana_ that extreamly delighted in solitude and Woods; and some say _Mercury_ himself: of all which whilst _Grammarians_ prattle, according to their usual custome they egregiously trifle; they suffer themselves to be put upon by Fables, and resign their judgment up to foolish pretentions, but things and solid truth is that we seek after.

As about the Author, so concerning the place of its Birth there is a great dispute, some say _Sparta_, others _Peloponesus_, but most are for _Sicily_.

_Valla the Placentine_, a curious searcher into Antiquity, thinks this sort of Poetry first appear'd amongst the _Lacedemonians_, for when the _Persians_ had wasted allmost all _Greece_, the _Spartans_ say {12} that they for fear of the _Barbarians_ fled into Caves and lurking holes; and that the Country Youth then began to apply themselves in Songs to _Diana Caryatis_, together with the Maids, who midst their Songs offerd Flowers to the Goddess: which custome containing somewhat of Religion was in those places a long time very scrupulously observed.

_Diomedes_ the Grammarian, in his treatise of _Measures_, declares _Sicily_ to be the Place: for thus he says, the _Sicilian_ Sheapards in time of a great _Pestilence_, began to invent new Ceremonies to appease incensed _Diana_, whom afterward, for affording her help, and stopping the Plague they called *Lyên*: _i.e._ the _Freer_ from their Miserys. This grew into custom, and the Sheapards used to meet in Companies, to sing their deliverer _Diana's_ praise, and these afterwards passing into _Italy_ were there named _Bucoliastæ_.

_Pomponius Sabinus_ tells the story thus: When the Hymns the Virgins us'd to sing in the Country to _Diana_ were left off, because, by reason of the present Wars, the Maidens were forc't to keep close within the Towns; the Shepherds met, and sang these kind of Songs, which are now call'd _Bucolicks_, to _Diana_; to whom they could not give the usual worship by reason of the Wars: But _Donatus_ says, that this kind of Verses was first sung to _Diana_ by _Orestes_, when he wandred about _Italy_; after he fled from _Scythia Taurica_, and had {13} taken away the Image of the Goddess and hid it in a bundle of sticks, whence she receiv'd the name of _Fascelina_, or _Phacelide_ *apo tou phakelou* At whose Altar, the very same _Orestes_ was afterward expiated by his Sister _Iphigenia_: But how can any one rely on such Fables, when the inconsiderable Authors that propose them disagree so much amongst themselves?

Some are of Opinion that the Shepherds, were wont in solem and set Songs about the Fields and Towns to celebrate the Goddess _Pales_; and beg her to bless their flocks and fields with a plenteous encrease and that from hence the name, and composure of _Bucolicks_ continued.

Other prying ingenious Men make other conjectures, as to this mazing Controversy thus _Vossius_ delivers himself; _The Antients cannot be reconcil'd, but I rather incline to their opinion who think_ Bucolicks _were invented either by the_ Sicilians _or_ Peloponesians, _for both those use the_ Dorick _dialect, and all the_ Greek Bucolicks _are writ in that_: As for my self I think, that what _Horace_ says of _Elegies_ may be apply'd to the present Subject.

But who soft Elegies was the first that wrote Grammarians doubt, and cannot end the doubt:

For I find nothing certain about this matter, since neither _Valla_ a diligent inquirer after, and a good judge in such things, nor any of the late writers produce any thing upon which I can safely rely; yet what beginning this kind of Poetry {14} had, I think I can pretty well conjecture: for tis likely that first Shepherds us'd Songs to recreate themselves in their leisure hours whilst they fed their Sheep; and that each man, as his wit served, accommodated his Songs to his present Circumstances: to this Solitude invited, and the extream leisure that attends that employment absolutely requir'd it: For as their retirement gave them leisure, and Solitude a fit place for Meditation, Meditation and Invention produc'd a Verse; which is nothing else but a Speech fit to be sung, and so Songs began: Thus _Hesiod_ was made a Poet, for he acknowledges himself that he receiv'd his inspiration;

Whilst under _Helicon_ he fed his Lambs.

for either the leisure or fancy of Shepherds seems to have a natural aptitude to Verse.

And indeed I cannot but agree with _Lucretius_ that accurate Searcher into Nature, who delivers that from that state of Innocence the Golden Age, Pastorals continued down to his time, for after he had in his fifth book describ'd that most happy age, he adds,

For then the Rural Muses reign'd.

From whence 'tis very plain, that as _Donatus_ himself observ'd, Pastorals were the invention of the simplicity and innocence of that Golden age, if there was ever any such, or certainly of that time which succeeded the beginning of the World: For tho the Golden Age must be acknowledged {15} to be only in the fabulous times, yet 'tis certain that the Manners of the first Men were so plain and simple, that we may easily derive both the innocent imployment of Shepherds, and Pastorals from them.

{16} _The Second_ PART.

Now let us inquire into the nature of _Pastoral_, in what its excellencies consist, and how it must be made to be exact: And this must needs be a hard Task, since I have no guide, neither _Aristotle_ nor _Horace_ to direct me; for both they, whatever was the matter, speak not one word of this sort of Verse. And I am of opinion that none can treat well and clearly of any kind of _Poetry_ if he hath no helps from these two: But since they lay down some general Notions of _Poetry_ which may be useful in the present case, I shall follow their steps as close as possible I can.

Not only _Aristotle_ but _Horace_ too hath defin'd that _Poetry_ in general is Imitation; I mention only these two, for tho _Plato_ in his Second Book _de Rep._ and in his _Timæus_ delivers the same thing, I shall not make use of his Authority at all: Now as _Comedy_ according to _Aristotle_ is the _Image and Representation of a gentiel and City Life_, so is _Pastoral Poetry_ of a County and _Sheapards_ Life; for since _Poetry_ in general is Imitation; its several _Species_ must likewise Imitate, take _Aristotles_ own words _Cap._ 1. *pasai tynchanousin ousa mimêseis*; And these _Species_ are {17} differenc't either by the subject matter, when the things to be imitated are quite different, or when the manner in which you imitate, or the mode of imitation is so: *en trisi dê tautais diaphorais hê mimêsis estin, en hois kai ha, kai hôs*: Thus tho of _Epick_ Poetry and _Tragedy_ the Subject is the same, and some great illustrious Action is to be _imitated_ by both, yet since one by representation, and the other by plain narration imitates, each makes a different _Species_ of imitation. And _Comedy_ and _Tragedy_, tho they agree in this, that both represent, yet because the Matter is different, and _Tragedy_ must represent some brave action, and _Comedy_ a humor; these Two sorts of imitation are _Specifically different_. And upon the same account, since _Pastoral_ chooses the mannes of Sheapards for its imitation, it takes from its matter a peculiar difference, by which it is distinguish'd frõ all others.

But here _Benius_ in his comments upon _Aristotle_ hath started a considerable query: which is this; Whether _Aristotle_, when he reckons up the different _Species_ of Poetry _Cap_ 1. doth include _Pastoral,_ or no? And about this I find learn'd men cannot at all agree: which certainly _Benius_ should have determin'd, or not rais'd: some refer it to that sort which _was sung to Pipes_, for that _Pastorals_ were so _Apuleius_ intimates, when at the marriage Feast of _Phyche_ He brings in _Paniscus_ singing _Bucolicks_ to his Pipe; But since they did not seriously enough consider, what _Aristotle_ {18} meant by that which he calls *aulêtikên* they trifle, talk idly, and are not to be heeded in this matter; For suppose some _Musitian_ should sing _Virgils Ænæis_ to the Harp, (and _Ant. Lullus_ says it hath been done,) should we therefore reckon that divine and incomparable Master of _Heroick_ Poetry amongst the _Lyricks_?

Others with _Cæsius Bassus_ and _Isacius Tzetzes_ hold that that distribution of _Poetry_, which _Aristotle_ and _Tully_ hath left us, is deficient and imperfect; and that only the chief Species are reckoned, but the more inconsiderable not mention'd: I shall not here interest my self in that quarrel of the _Criticks_, whether we have all _Aristotles_ books of Poetry or no; this is a considerable difficulty I confess, for _Laertius_ who accurately weighs this matter, says that he wrote two books of _Poetry_, the one lost, and the other we have, tho _Mutinensis_ is of an other mind: but to end this dispute, I must agree with _Vossius_, who says the Philosopher comprehended these Species not expressly mentioned, under a higher and more noble head: and that therefore _Pastoral_ was contain'd in _Epick_. for these are his own words, _besides there are Epicks of an inferior rank, such as the Writers of Bucolicks_. _Sincerus_, as _Minturnus_ quotes him, is of the same mind, for thus he delivers his opinion concerning _Epick Verse_: _The matters about which these numbers may be employed is various; either mean and low, as in Pastorals, great and lofty, as when {19} the Subject is Divine Things, or Heroick Actions, or of a middle rank, as when we use them to deliver precepts in:_ And this likewise he signifys before, where he sets down three sorts of _Epicks_: _one of which, says he, is divine, and the most excellent by much in all Poetry_; the _other the lowest but most pure, in which Theocritus excelled, which indeed shews nothing of Poetry beside the bare numbers_: These points being thus settled, the remaining difficultys will be more easily dispatched.

For as in _Dramatick_ Poetry the Dignity and meanness of the _Persons_ represented make two different _Species of imitation_ the one _Tragick_, which agrees to none but great and Illustrious persons, the other _Comick_, which suits with common and gentile humors: so in _Epick_ too, there may be reckoned two sorts of _Imitation_, one of which belongs to _Heroes_, and that makes the _Heroick_; the other to _Rusticks_ and _Sheapards_ and that constitutes the _Pastoral_, now as a _Picture_ imitates the Features of the face, so _Poetry_ doth action, and tis not a representation of the Person but the Action.

From all which we may gather this definition of Pastoral: _It is the imitation of the Action of a Sheapard, or of one taken under that Character_: Thus _Virgil's Gallus_, tho not really a _Sheapard_, for he was a man of great quality in _Rome_, yet belongs to _Pastoral_, because he is represented like a Sheapard: hence the Poet:

{20} The Goatherd and the heavy Heardsmen came, And ask't what rais'd the deadly Flame.

The _Scene_ lys amongst Sheapards, the _Swains_ are brought in, the _Herdsmen_ come to see his misery, and the fiction is suited to the real condition of a _Sheapard_; the same is to be said for his _Silenus_, who tho he seems lofty, and to sound to loud for an oaten reed, yet since what he sings he sings to _Sheapards_, and suits his Subject to their apprehensions, his is to be acknowledged _Pastoral_. This rule we must stick to, that we might infallibly discern what is stricktly _Pastoral_ in _Virgil_ and _Theocritus_, and what not: for in _Theocritus_ there are some more lofty thoughts which not having any thing belonging to Sheapards for their Subject, must by no means be accounted _Pastoral_, But of this more in its proper place.

My present inquiry must be what is the _Subject Matter_ of a _Pastoral_, about which it is not easy to resolve; since neither from _Aristotle_, nor any of the _Greeks_ who have written _Pastorals_, we can receive certain direction. For sometimes they treat of high and sublime things, like _Epick Poets_; what can be loftier than the whole _Seaventh Idyllium of Bias_ in which _Myrsan_ urges _Lycidas_ the Sheapard to sing the Loves of _Deidamia_ and _Achilles_. For he begins from _Helen's_ rape, and goes on to the revengful fury of the _Atrides_, and shuts up in one _Pastoral_, all that is great and sounding in _Homers Iliad_.

{21} Sparta was fir'd with Rage And gather'd Greece to prosecute Revenge.

And _Theocritus_ his verses are sometimes as sounding and his thoughts as high: for upon serious consideration I cannot mind what part of all the _Heroicks_ is so strong and sounding as that _Idyllium_ on _Hercules_ *leontophonô* in which _Hercules_ himself tells _Phyleus_ how he kill'd the Lyon whose Skin he wore: for, not to mention many, what can be greater than this expression.

And gaping Hell received his mighty Soul:

Why should I instance in the *dioskouroi*, which hath not one line below Heroick; the greatness of this is almost inexpressible.

*anêr hyperoplos enêmeros, endiaaske deinos idein*