35 "powers, and a liking to focial life. They wanted a mythology to lead them by fear and dread, the "only holds to be taken of a rude multitude, inco a "feeling of natural causes, and their influence upon ❝our lives and actions. The wife and good among "the antients faw this neceffity and fupplied it; the "oldest of the inspired train were the PII VATES, "et Phoebo digna locuti : they had religion for their "theme, and the service of mankind for their fong*." And in another place the fame author obferves, that all the poems of Orpheus were" philosophical, pro"phetical, and religious +." The conduct therefore of Apollonius was perfectly juft, in attributing a fong to Orpheus, the fubject of which was philofophy and religion. And it was for the fame reason that † Onomacritus, many years before Apollonius, represented Orpheus finging the origin of the gods, and the creation of things, in his conteft with Chiron. But the propriety of the subject of this fong in Apollonius, is eafily to be defended, without confidering the character of Orpheus. The occafion of the song was a general quarrel among the argonauts, whom Orpheus endeavours to pacify with the united powers of * Blackwall's Enquiry into the life, &c. of Homer, f. vi. + S. vii. Argon. v. 419. P 2 mufic mufic and verfe. On which account, fays the scholiast, σε Την πρώτην συγχυσιν των τοιχείων άδειν βουλείαι, ως εκ τινΘφιλονεικίας το ίδιον έκασον μελεσχεν, καὶ ταξιν ελαβεν. Οικεια σε δε και τοις ὑποκειμενοις πραΓμασιν ή ωδη. Οι επι της μάχης οι παυσασθαι, και εις την οικείαν διαθεσιν επανιεναι. Το this we may add, that a fong whofe fubject is alfo religious, and which afferts the right Jupiter to the poffeffion of Olympus, was here not only proper, but even expedient, as one of the argonauts had but juft before blafphemed Jupiter *. Nor were the auditors of this fong altogether of fo mean a condition as Scaliger infinuates. He terms them VIRI MILITARES; but it is to be remembered that they were PRINCES and DEMIGODS. But whether the subject of the song of Orpheus in Apollonius be blameable or not, it has one effential circumstance, which indifputably gives it a fuperiority to that of Orpheus in Valerius Flaccus; I mean the defign of it, which was to reprefs the vehemence of the paffions: a defign, at once fo agreeable to the peculiar character of Orpheus, and so expreffive of the influence of mufic. In the latin poet, Orpheus fings upon no occafion, and to no end, unless it be to that general one of entertainment, and of making the night pafs more pleasantly, Thracius hic NOCTEM dulci teftudine vates EXTRAHIT *. Milton in the following verfes alludes both to Apollonius and Onomacritus, in their respective songs of Orpheus. Tunc de more fedens fefta ad convivia vates Silius Italicus alludes to the conteft of Chiron with Orpheus, as related by Onomacritus. In defcribing the miraculous force of the mufic of Orpheus, he has plainly tranflated from the greek poet; particularly in this circumstance. Οιωνοί τ' εκυκλωνίο βοαύλια Κενταυροιο Ταρσοις κεκμηώσιν, ἑης δ ̓ ελαθονίο καλιης. 7. * Argon, b. 1, v. 277. Ad Patrem. v. 44. $436. Avefque Avefque circumdederunt ftabula Centauri, The verfes of Silius Italicus are these. Immemor et dulcis nidi, pofitoque volatu, The latin poet has however omitted to defcribe the manner in which Chiron was affected, at feeing the wonderful effect of Orpheus's mufic on the trees, mountains, rivers, beafts, &c. His aftonifhment on that occafion is thus characteristically and beautifully painted by Onomacritus. Αυταρ ορων Κενταυρος εθαμβεε, χειρ επι καρπω Sed videns hæc Centaurus obftupuit; manum fuper volam Valde feriens, terramque pulfavit unguibus. I fear I have digreffed too far already. But an imitation of Milton from his favorite Apollonius having been produced in this remark, I hope I fhall be pardoned for taking so fair an opportunity of introducing another. Milton thus describes Adam's hair, *B. 11. v. 467. + Agrov. 438. Hyacinthine کیا Hyacinthine locks Round from his parted forelock manly hung CLUSTRING *. The circumstance of the hair hanging like bunches of grapes, has been juftly admired: but it is literally tranflated from this defcription of Apollo's hair in Apollonius. Κρυσεοι δε παρειαων ἑκαλερθε Πλοχμοι ΒΟΤΡΥΟΕΝΤΕΣ επεξξωονο κιον. 4. Aurei ab utraque gena Cincinni racemantes affultabant eunti. The word Bolguoles could hardly have been rendered into english by any other word than cluftring. But it must not be omitted here, that we find the fame metaphor in a little poem on the ftatue of Homer, in the Anthologia. Αυχενι μεν γερων επεσυρείο ΒΟΤΡΥΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ, εισοπισω πεφορημένα Cervice quidem inclinata fenex [canus] trahebatur racemus Coma, in tergum delatus. *Par. L. b. 4. V. 301. + Agyov. 1. 2. v. 678. Henr. Steph, fol. 1566. B.C. Tμml. pag. 394. Els OMHPON. Carm, 16. B. vii. |