What, you stare? I pray you, peace! Or the nymphs, who, blushing sweet, ODE XV. TELL me, why, my sweetest dove,' Thus your humid pinions move, Shedding through the air in showers Essence of the balmiest flowers? Tell me whither, whence you rove, Tell me all, my sweetest dove. Curious stranger, I belong To the nymph of azure eye; She, whose eye has madden'd many,' But the poet more than any. 1 Gades' warm, desiring train ;] The Gaditanian girls were like the Baladières of Indi whose dances are thus described by a French author; "Les danses sont presque toutes des pantomimes d'amour; le plan, le dessein, les attitudes, les mesures, les sons et les cadences de ces ballets, tout respire cette passion et en exprime les voluptés et les fureurs."-Histoire du Commerce des Europ. dans les deux Indes. Raynal. The music of the Gaditanian females had all the voluptuous character of their dancing, as appears from Martial:Cantica qui Nili, qui Gaditana susurrat. Lib. iii. epig. 63. Lodovico Ariosto had this ode of our bard in his mind, when he wrote his poem "De diversis amoribus." See the Anthologia Italorum. 2 The dove of Anacreon, bearing a letter from the poet to his mistress, is met by a stranger, with whom this dialogue is imagined. The ancients made use of letter-carrying pigeons, when they went any distance from home, as the most certain means of conveying intelligence back. That tender domestic attachment, which attracts this delicate little bird through every danger and difficulty, till it settles in its native nest, affords to the author of "The Pleasures of Memory" a fine and interesting exemplification of his subject. Led by what chart, transports the timid dove Venus, for a hymn of love, I shall serve him till I die. Far from rugged haunts like these. From Anacreon's hand I eat Food delicious, viands sweet; Sip the foamy wine with him. This is all-away-awayYou have made me waste the day. How I've chatter'd! prating crow Never yet did chatter so. See the poem. Daniel Heinsius, in speaking of Dousa, who adopted this method at the siege of Leyden, expresses a similar sentiment. Quo patriæ non tendit amor? Mandata referre Postquam hominem nequiit mittere, misit avem. Fuller tells us, that at the siege of Jerusalem, the Christians intercepted a letter, tied to the legs of a dove, in which the Persian Emperor promised assistance to the besieged.Holy War, cap. 24, book i. She, whose eye has madden'd many, &c.] For rupavvov, in the original, Zeune and Schneider conjecture that we should read ruparvov, in allusion to the strong influence which this object of his love held over the mind of Polycrates. See Degen. 4 Venus, for a hymn of love, Warbled in her votive grove, &c.] "This passage is invaluable, and I do not think that any thing so beautiful or so delicate has ever been said. What an idea does it give of the poetry of the man, from whom Venus herself, the mother of the Graces and the Pleasures, purchases a little hymn with one of her favorite doves!" Longepierre. De Pauw objects to the authenticity of this ode, because it makes Anacreon his own panegyrist; but poets have a license for praising themselves, which, with some indeed, may be considered as comprised under their general privilege of fiction. ODE XVI.1 THOU, whose soft and rosy hues But I've thy beauties all by heart. A sigh of perfume on the gale. 1 This ode and the next may be called companion-pictures; they are highly finished, and give us an excellent idea of the taste of the ancients in beauty. Franciscus Junius quotes them in his third book "De Pictura Veterum." This ode has been imitated by Ronsard, Giuliano Goselini, &c. &c. Scaliger alludes to it thus in his Anacreontica: Olim lepore blando, Litis versibus Quam pingeret amicus Descripsit Venerem suam. The Teian bard of former days, Attuned his sweet descriptive lays, And taught the painter's hand to trace In the dialogue of Caspar Barlæus, entitled "An formosa sit ducenda," the reader will find many curious ideas and descriptions of womanly beauty. 2 Thou, whose soft and rosy hues, Mimic form and soul infuse,] I have followed here the reading of the Vatican MS. podens. Painting is called "the rosy art," either in reference to coloring, or as an indefinite epithet of excellence, from the association of beauty with that flower. Salvini has adopted this reading in his literal translation: Della rosea arte signore. 3 The lovely maid that's far away.] If this portrait of the poet's mistress be not merely ideal, the omission of her name is much to be regretted. Meleager, in an epigram on Anacreon, mentions “the golden Eurypyle" as his mistress. Βεβληκως χρυσέην χειρας επ' Ευρυπυλην. 4 Paint her jetty ringlets playing, Silky locks like tendrils straying; The ancients have been very enthusiastic in their praises of the beauty of hair. Apuleius, in the second book of his Milesiacs, says, that Venus herself, if she were bald, though surrounded by the Graces and the Loves, could not be pleasing even to her husband Vulcan. Quai gli ha Ciprigna l'alma Dea d'Amore. Tasso has painted in the same manner the eyes of Armida :- A brilliant ray of laughter lies, That trembles in the azure stream. The mingled expression of dignity and tenderness, which Anacreon requires the painter to infuse into the eyes of his mistress, is more amply described in the subsequent ode. Both descriptions are so exquisitely touched, that the artist must have been great indeed, if he did not yield in painting to the poet. 7 Mingling tints, as when there glows In snowy milk the bashful rose.] Thus Propertius, eleg.3, lib. ii. Utque rosa puro lacte natant folia. And Davenant, in a little poem called "The Mistress," Stesichorus gave the epithet kadλλokapos to the Graces, Thus too Taygetus :— and Simonides bestowed the same upon the Muses. See Hadrian Junius's Dissertation upon Hair. To this passage of our poet, Seldon alluded in a note on the Polyolbion of Drayton, Song the Second, where observing, that the epithet “black-haired" was given by some of Quæ lac atque rosas vincis candore rubenti. These last words may perhaps defend the "flushing white" of the translation. 8 Then her lip, so rich in blisses, Sweet petitioner for kisses,] The "lip, provoking kisses," ODES OF ANACREON. Next, beneath the velvet chin, While countless charms, above, below, ODE XVII.3 AND now with all thy pencil's truth, Lips in the original, is a strong and beautiful expression. Achilles Tatius speaks of χειλη μαλθακα προς τα φιλήματα, soft and delicate for kissing." A grave old commentator, Dionysius Lambinus, in his notes upon Lucretius, tells us with the apparent authority of experience, that "Suavius viros osculantur puellæ labiosa, quam quæ sunt brevibus labris." And Æneas Sylvius, in his tedious uninteresting story of the loves of Euryalus and Lucretia, where he particularizes the beauties of the heroine, (in a very false and labored style of latinity,) describes her lips thus:-"Os parvum decensque, labia corallini coloris ad morsum aptissima." -Epist. 114, lib. i. 1 Next, beneath the velvet chin, Whose dimple hides a love within, &c.] Madame Dacier has quoted here two pretty lines of Varro : 44 Sigilla in mento impressa Amoris digitulo In her chin is a delicate dimple, By Cupid's own finger impress'd; Now let a floating, lucid veil, Shadow her form, but not conceal; &c.] This delicate art of description, which leaves imagination to complete the picture, has been seldom adopted in the imitations of this Ronsard is exceptionably minute; and beautiful poem. Politianus, in his charming portrait of a girl, full of rich and exquisite diction, has lifted the veil rather too much. The questo che tu m' intendi" should be always left to fancy. 3 The reader who wishes to acquire an accurate idea of the judgment of the ancients in beauty, will be indulged by consulting Junius de Pictura Veterum, lib. iii. c. 9, where he will find a very curious selection of descriptions and epithets of personal perfections. Junius compares this ode with a description of Theodoric, king of the Goths, in the second epistle, first book, of Sidonius Apollinaris. 4 Let his hair, in masses bright, Fall like floating rays of light; &c.] He here describes the sunny hair, the "flava coma," which the ancients so much admired. The Romans gave this color artificially to their hair. See Stanisl. Kobienzyck. de Luxu Romanorum. And there the raven's dye confusə Now from the sunny apple seek 5 Let no wreath, with artful twine, &c.] If the original here, which is particularly beautiful, can admit of any additional value, that value is conferred by Gray's admiration of it. See his letters to West. Some annotators have quoted on this passage the description of Photis's hair in Apuleius; but nothing can be more distant from the simplicity of our poet's manner, than that affectation of richness which distinguishes the style of Apuleius. 6 But flush'd with manhood's early glow, And guileless as the dews of dawn, &c.] Torrentius, upon the words "insignem tenui fronte," in Horace, Od. 33, lib. i., is of opinion, incorrectly, I think, that "tenui" here bears the same meaning as the word απαλον. 7 Mix in his eyes the power alike, With love to win, with awe to strike; &c.] Tasso gives a similar character to the eyes of Clorinda : Lampeggiar gli occhi, e folgorar gli sguardi Her eyes were flashing with a heavenly heat, A fire that, even in anger, still was sweet. The poetess Veronica Cambara is more diffuse upon this variety of expression : Occhi lucenti e belli, Come esser puo ch' in un medesmo istante Oh! tell me, brightly-beaming eye, Chevreau, citing the lines of our poet, in his critique on the poems of Malherbe, produces a Latin version of them from a manuscript which he had seen, entitled "Joan. Falconis Anacreontici Lusus." And there, if art so far can go, Next thou his ivory neck must trace, Moulded with soft but manly grace; Fair as the neck of Paphia's boy, Where Paphia's arms have hung in joy. Give him the winged Hermes' hand,3 With which he waves his snaky wand; Let Bacchus the broad chest supply, And Leda's sons the sinewy thigh; While, through his whole transparent frame, Thou show'st the stirrings of that flame, Which kindles, when the first love-sigh Steals from the heart, unconscious why. But sure thy pencil, though so bright, Is envious of the eye's delight, Or its enamor'd touch would show The shoulder, fair as sunless snow, 1 That Eloquence would claim her own;] In the original, as in the preceding ode, Pitho, the goddess of persuasion, or eloquence. It was worthy of the delicate imagination of the Greeks to deify Persuasion, and give her the lips for her throne. We are here reminded of a very interesting fragment of Anacreon, preserved by the scholiast upon Pindar, and supposed to belong to a poem reflecting with some severity on Simonides, who was the first, we are told, that ever made a hireling of his muse:-- Ουδ' αργυρέη ποτ' έλαμψε Πειθώ. In silver splendors, not her own. And let the lips, though silent, wear A life-look, as words were there.] In the original Xaλwv σιωπη. The mistress of Petrarch "parla con silenzio," which is perhaps the best method of female eloquence. 3 Give him the winged Hermes' hand, &-c.] In Shakspeare's Cymbeline there is a similar method of description:this is his hand, His foot mercurial, his martial thigh, We find it likewise in Hamlet. Longepierre thinks that the hands of Mercury are selected by Anacreon, on account of the graceful gestures which were supposed to characterize the god of eloquence; but Mercury was also the patron of thieves, and may perhaps be praised as a light-fingered deity. But hold-forbear 4 Which now in veiling shadow lies, ODE XVIII.5 Now the star of day is high, Give me all those humid flowers, "Bathyllus (says Madame Dacier) could not be more e gantly praised, and this one passage does him more hor than the statue, however beautiful it might be, which Pocrates raised to him." 5 An elegant translation of this ode, says Degen, may be found in Ramler's Lyr. Blumenlese, lib. v. p. 403. 6 Bring me wine in brimming urns, &c.] Orig. wew auvor. The amystis was a method of drinking used among the Thracians. Thus Horace, "Threiciâ vincat amystide." Mad. Dacier, Longepierre, &c. &c. Parrhasius, in his twenty-sixth epistle, (Thesaur. Critic. vol. i.,) explains the amystis as a draught to be exhausted without drawing breath, "uno haustu." A note in the nargin of this epistle of Parrhasius says, "Politianus vestem esse putabat," but adds no reference. 7 Give me all those humid flowers, &c.] According to the original reading of this line, the poet says, "Give me the flower of wine"-Date flosculos Lyæi, as it is in the version of Elias Andreas; and Deh porgetimi del fiore Di quel almo e buon liquore, as Regnier has it, who supports the reading. The word Avtos would undoubtedly bear this application, which is somewhat similar to its import in the epigram of Simonides upon Sophocles : Εσβεσθης γεραιε Σοφοκλέες, ανθος αοιδων and flos in the Latin is frequently applied in the same manner-thus Cethegus is called by Ennius, Flos inlibatus pop I see the sun-god's portrait there;] The abrupt turn here is spirited, but requires some explanation. While the artistuli, suadæque medulla, "The immaculate flower of the is pursuing the portrait of Bathyllus, Anacreon, we must suppose, turns round and sees a picture of Apollo, which was intended for an altar at Samos. He then instantly tells the painter to cease his work; that this picture will serve for Bathyllus; and that, when he goes to Samos, he may make an Apollo of the portrait of the boy which he had begun. people, and the very marrow of persuasion." See these verses cited by Aulus Gellius, lib. xii., which Cicero praised, and Seneca thought ridiculous. But in the passage before us, if we admit Excivov, according to Faber's conjecture, the sense is sufficiently clear, without having recourse to such refinements. Every dewy rose I wear Sheds its tears, and withers there,1 Can brimming bowl, or flowret's dew, Cool the flame that scorches you? Sweet the little founts that weep, All a stilly scene of bliss? ODE XIX.3 HERE recline you, gentle maid, Sweet is this embowering shade; Sweet the young, the modest trees, Ruffled by the kissing breeze; 1 Every dewy rose I wear Sheds its tears, and withers there.] There are some beautiful lines, by Angerianus, upon a garland, which I cannot resist quoting here: Ante fores madida sic sic pendete corollæ, Mane orto imponet Cælia vos capiti; At quum per niveam cervicem influxerit humor, By Celia's arbor all the night Hang, humid wreath, the lover's vow; And haply, at the morning light, My love shall twine thee round her brow. Then, if upon her bosom bright Some drops of dew shall fall from thee, But tears of sorrow shed by me! In the poem of Mr. Sheridan's, "Uncouth is this mosscovered grotto of stone," there is an idea very singularly coincident with this of Angerianus: And thou, stony grot, in thy arch may'st preserve Let them fall on her bosom of snow, and they'll serve 2 But to you, my burning heart, &c.] The transition here is peculiarly delicate and impassioned; but the commentators have perplexed the sentiment by a variety of readings and conjectures. The description of this bower is so natural and animated, that we almost feel a degree of coolness and freshness while we peruse it. Longepierre has quoted from the first book of the Anthologia, the following epigram, as somewhat resembling this ode: Έρχει και κατ' εμαν ίζευ πιτυν, ἅ το μελιχρον Come, sit by the shadowy pine That covers my sylvan retreat; Around me a glittering spray; I sooth him to sleep with my lay. Here recline you, gentle maid, &c.] The Vatican MS. reads Ba0vXλov, which renders the whole poem metaphorical. Some commentator suggests the reading of Bavλλov, which makes a pun upon the name; a grace that Plato himself has condescended to in writing of his boy Aorp. See the epigram of this philosopher, which I quote on the twenty-second ode. ODE XX. ONE day the Muses twined the hands Of infant Love with flow'ry bands; There is another epigram by this philosopher, preserved in Laertius, which turns upon the same word. Αστηρ πριν μεν έλαμπες ενι ζωοισιν έωος In life thou wert my morning star, But now that death has stolen thy light, Like the pale beam that weeps at night. In the Veneres Blyenburgica, under the head of " Allusiones," we find a number of such frigid conceits upon names, selected from the poets of the middle ages. 5 Who, my girl, would pass it by? Surely neither you nor I.] The finish given to the picture by this simple exclamation τις αν ουν όρων παρελθοι, is inimitable. Yet a French translator says on the passage, “This conclusion appeared to me too trifling after such a description, and I thought proper to add somewhat to the strength of the original." 6 The poet appears, in this graceful allegory, to describe the softening influence which poetry holds over the mind, in making it peculiarly susceptible to the impressions of beauty. In the following epigram, however, by the philosopher Plato, (Diog. Laert. lib. 3.) the Muses are represented as disavowing the influence of Love. 'Α Κύπρις Μουσαισι, κορασία, την Αφροδιταν Τιματ', η τον Ερωτα ύμμιν εφοπλίσομαι. Αἱ Μουσαι ποτι Κύπριν, Άρει τα στωμυλα ταύτα Ήμιν ου πέταται τούτο το παιδάριον. "Yield to my gentle power, Parnassian maids;" Thus to the Muses spoke the Queen of Charms"Or Love shall flutter through your classic shades, And make your grove the camp of Paphian arms!" "No," said the virgins of the tuneful bower, "We scorn thine own and all thy urchin's art; Though Mars has trembled at the infant's power, His shaft is pointless o'er a Muse's heart!" There is a sonnet by Benedetto Guidi, the thought of which was suggested by this ode. Scherzava dentro all' auree chiome Amore E tanta era il piacer ch' ei ne sentia, Del crespo crin, per farsi eterno onore. |