Page:Monsieur Bossu's Treatise of the epick poem - Le Bossu (1695).djvu/323

 us'd by Theocritus to represent this, are much of the kind of the Idea which they give.

Ah Daphnis, loose and wanton in thy Love! A Herdsman thought, thou dost a Goat-herd prove: A Goat-herd, when he sees the Kids at Rut, Sits down, and grieves that he's not born a Goat: Thus, when you see the Virgins Dance, you grieve, Because refus'd, and now disdain to live.

In another Idyllium the Goat-herd Comatas, and the Herdsman Laco contend about some Theft, which they have committed against each other; Comatas stole Laco's Pipe, and Laco had stollen the Skin which Comatas us'd to wear to cover himself withal, so that he had left him bare. They rail at each other, and vent their Passion in reviling and abusive Words, which might become a couple of Græcians, but certainly are not over civil; and then, after a gentle Item which one of them gives the other of smelling rank, they both sing for a Wager; the one having challeng'd the other to that Musical Fight, though it should rather have been to a Rubbers at Fisticuffs, considering what went before; and what seems the more odd, is, that whereas they begun with gross Taunts and ill Language, now that they are going to sing against each other, they affect an uncommon niceness concerning the Choice of the Place where they are to sing; each proposing one, of which he makes a florid Description. For my part, I have much a-do to believe that all this is very well set together. Their Songs are as odly diversify'd; for among the things that relate to their Amours, and that are pretty, Comatas puts Laco in mind of a Beating which he bestow'd upon him; and Laco answers him, that he does not remember it, but that he has not forgot how Comatas was bound and soundly lash'd by his Master Eumaras. I do not fansie that those who say that Venus, the Graces, and Cupid compos'd Theocritus's Idyllia, will pretend that they had a hand in these Passages.

There are some other Places in Theocritus that are not altogether so low, which yet are not very entertaining, because they barely treat of Country Matters. His fourth Idyllium is wholly of this kind. The Subject of it is only a certain Ægon, who, being gone to the Olympick Games, has left his Herds to one Corydon. Battus tells the Trustee, that the Herds are in a pitiful condition since Ægon left them. Corydon answers, that he does his best, that he drives them to the best Pastures he knows, and feeds them at a Rack of Hay. Battus says that Ægon's Pipe is spoil'd and mouldy in his absence; Corydon replys. that it is not so, that Ægon when he went gave it him, and that he is a notable Piper. Then Battus desires Corydon, to pull a Thorn out of his Foot, and the other having advis'd him