Minor Latin poets; with introductions and English translations

CALPURNIUS SICULUSL,. 1 pray you, Mnasyllus, do you l)ut hear us thisVL-ry hour with that same ear witli which, 'tis said,you heard and judged Astylus and Acanthis of hitein the Thalean wood."A. I cannot keep quiet when that fellow provokesme. I am ready to burst, Mnasyllus ; he is onlyseeking a quarrel. Let him listen or recite, since^o he desires. 'Twill be joy enough for me towatch Lycidas quaking, when, blenched, he hearsin your presence his evil deeds made public.L. It was at me, I suppose, friend Stimicon and at meneighbour Aegon had their secret laugh in the--hrubbery here for wanting to ape the kisses of aurown man with young Mopsus,A. Mnasyllus is stronger than I am. Oh, I wish hewere still off the scene! then I'd take good carethat you (Lycidas) never saw an uglier face thanyour own IM. Why do you storm at each other? To whatbounds has your madness urged you to go ? If youwant to compete in turn But no, I'll not be yourumpire: someone else may be the judge to settlethis ! Look, here come both Mycon and neighbourlollas :they will be able to put a close to your strife.Propertius, IV. v. 63. Thale{i)a may imply either " "Sicilianfrom association with the nymph of that name in Sicilymentioned by Macrobius, Sat. V. xix, or simply "bucolic,"since Thalia was muse of pastoral poetry as well as ofcomedy (rf. Virg. Eel, VI. 1-2, where Servius gives Thahaas the proper Latin form). Some think it = Latin virens,connecting it with the root of ^aAAetv and daXXos, a youngbranch. Another view is to take Thalea as a nominative,i.e. *'a true bucolic muse when you acted as judge," "aThalea come to judgement." Whatever the obscurity ofallusion, however, it is certain that Astylus is annoyed, andwould assault Lycidas but for the presence of Mnasyllus.277