At 04:59 PM 9/30/99 +0100, you wrote:
>I wonder if Professor Burroughs is referring to Aeneid IV, 402-07, where the
>simile of the ants is referred to Aeneas's men preparing the ships for
>leaving Carthage (and poor old Dido).
More likely its Aen. 1.423-36 --
Instant ardentes Tyrii, pars ducere muros,
Molirique arcem, & manibus subuoluere saxa,
Pars aptare locum tecto, & concludere sulco.
Iura magistratusque legunt, sanctumque senatum.
Hic portus alii effodiunt: hic alta theatri
Fundamenta locant alii: immanesque columnas
Rupibus excidunt, scenis decora alta futuris.
Qualis apes ęstate noua per florea rura
Exercet sub sole labor, cum gentis adultos
Educunt ftus, aut cum liquentia mella
Stipant, & dulci distendunt nectare cellas:
Aut onera accipiunt venientum, aut agmine facto
Ignauum fucos pecus a pręsepibus arcent.
Feruet opus, redolentque thymo fragrantia mella.
-- which Phaer (1558) translates as
The Moores with courage went to worke, some vnder burdens grones:
Some at the wals and towrs with hands were tumbling vp the stones.
Some measurd out a place to build their mansion house within:
Some lawes and officers to make in parlment did begin.
An other had an hauen cast, and deepe they trench the ground,
Some other for the games and plaies a statelie place had found.
And pillers great they cut for kings, to garnish foorth their walls.
And like as bees among the flours, when fresh the summer fals,
In shine of sunne applie their worke, when growne is vp their yoong:
Or when their hiues they gin to stop, and honie sweet is sproong,
That all their caues and cellars close with dulcet liquor fils,
Some doo outlade, some other bring the stuffe with readie wils.
Sometime they ioine, and all at once doo from their mangers fet
The slothful drones, that would consume, and nought would doo to get.
The worke it heats, the honie smels, of flurs and thime ywet.
Anyone know why Phaer calls the Tyrii "Moores"?
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David Wilson-Okamura http://virgil.org [log in to unmask]
Macalester College Virgil Tradition: discussion, bibliography, &c.
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