Page:Virgil's Pastorals, Georgics and Aeneis - Dryden (1709) - volume 3.djvu/365

Rh And accordingly plac'd him in the Elysian Fields. Montaign thinks this was Cato the Utican, the great Enemy of Arbitrary Power, and a profess'd Foe to Julius Caesar. Ruaeus wou'd perswade us that Virgil meant the Censor. But why shou'd the Poet name Cato twice, if he intended the same person? Our Author is too frugal of his Words and Sense, to commit Tautologies in either. His Memory was not likely to betray him into such an Errour. Nevertheless I continue in the same Opinion, concerning the Principles of our Poet. He declares them sufficiently in this Book: Where he praises the first Brutus for expelling the Tarquins, giving Liberty to Rome, and put­ting to Death his own Children, who conspir'd to restore Tyran­ny: He calls him only an unhappy Man, for being forc'd to that severe Action.

Infelix, utcunque ferent ea facta Minores, Vincet amor Patriae, laudumque immensa Cupido.

Let the Reader weigh these two Verses, and he must be convinc'd that I am in the right: And that I have not much injur'd my Master in my Translation of them.

Line 1140. Embrace again, my Sons; be Foes no more; Nor stain your Country with her Childrens gore: And thou the first, lay down thy lawless claim; Thou of my Blood, who bear'st the Julian Name.