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But he did not borrow their 'pastoral melancholy. There is little of melancholy in Theocritus. When Battus is chilled by the thought of the death of Amaryllis, it is but as one is chilled when a thin cloud passes over the sun, on a bright day of early spring. And in an epigram the dead girl is spoken of as the kid that the wolf has seized, while the hounds bay all too late.
No chance of that, for the old man puts the calves beneath their dams, and keeps watch on me. Battus. But the neatherd himself, to what land has he passed out of sight? Corydon. Hast thou not heard? Milon went and carried him off to the Alpheus. Battus. And when, pray, did HE ever set eyes on the wrestlers' oil? Corydon. They say he is a match for Heracles, in strength and hardihood. Battus.
And I, so mother says, am a better man than Polydeuces. Corydon. Well, off he has gone, with a shovel, and with twenty sheep from his flock here. Battus. Milo, thou'lt see, will soon be coaxing the wolves to rave! Corydon. But Aegon's heifers here are lowing pitifully, and miss their master. Battus. Yes, wretched beasts that they are, how false a neatherd was theirs! Corydon.
He is after her still, my lad; but yesterday I came upon them, by the very byre, and right loving were they. Battus. Well done, thou ancient lover! Sure, thou art near akin to the satyrs, or a rival of the slim-shanked Pans! This Idyl begins with a ribald debate between two hirelings, who, at last, compete with each other in a match of pastoral song.
Battus, one of the two generals present at the action, went with a company to defend the village of Solygia, which was unfortified; Lycophron remaining to give battle with the rest. The Corinthians first attacked the right wing of the Athenians, which had just landed in front of Chersonese, and afterwards the rest of the army. The battle was an obstinate one, and fought throughout hand to hand.
More pleasantly thus wilt thou labour, and, indeed, of old thou wert a melodist. Battus. Ye Muses Pierian, sing ye with me the slender maiden, for whatsoever ye do but touch, ye goddesses, ye make wholly fair. They all call thee a GIPSY, gracious Bombyca, and LEAN, and SUNBURNT, 'tis only I that call thee HONEY-PALE.
And as her quick ear caught the preliminary bars of the ancient and stately measure: "It's the Menuet d'Exaudet," she said hurriedly; "listen, I'll instruct you as we move; I'll sing it under my breath to the air of the violins," and, her hand in his, she took the first slow, dainty step in the old-time dance, humming the words as they moved forward: "Gravement Noblement On s'avance; On fait trois pas de côté Deux battus, un jeté Sans rompre la cadence "
The frights that the child caused her with her audacious exploits in leaping and riding, the passionate outbreaks of that untamed nature, made the visit both a delight and a terrible trial to her, a delight, because she worshipped Felicia, the only domestic tie left the poor old salamander, retired after thirty years of battus in the glare of the footlights; a trial, because the demon pitilessly pillaged the ex-dancer's apartments, which were as dainty and neat and sweet-smelling as her dressing-room at the Opéra, and embellished with a museum of souvenirs dated from all the theatres in the world.
Canst thou neither cut thy swathe straight, as thou wert wont to do, nor keep time with thy neighbour in thy reaping, but thou must fall out, like an ewe that is foot-pricked with a thorn and straggles from the herd? What manner of man wilt thou prove after mid-noon, and at evening, thou that dost not prosper with thy swathe when thou art fresh begun? Battus.
Swains in high-heeled shoon, and lace, shepherdesses in rouge and diamonds, the world is weary of all concerning them, save their images in porcelain, effigies how unlike the golden figures, dedicate to Aphrodite, of Bombyca and Battus. Somewhat, Theocritus, thou hast to answer for, thou that first of men brought the shepherd to Court, and made courtiers wild to go a Maying with the shepherds.
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