CHAP. A. D. 1518. A. Et. 43. A. Pont. VI. Of all the wandering stars of heaven that told; -Yet BEMBO, not in silent joy supprest, Now greatly just, he rushes on to arms, As patriot ardour, or religion warms; Back towards his source EUPHRATES rolls his tides, Ægean DORIS seeks her oozy caves, And EUXINE trembles 'midst his restless waves.(a) The (a)" Credo equidem et quædam nobis divinitus esse “Nam, quamquam fera tempestas, et iniqua fuerunt "Abfuit The title of this singular poem is derived from the shepherd Syphilus, who is supposed to "Abfuit a nobis, placidi et clementia cæli. CHAP. A. D. 1518. A. Et. 43. "Id pelagi, immensum quod circuit Amphitrite. "Post CHAP. A. D. 1518. A. Et. 43. A. Pont. VI. to have kept the herds of Alcithous a sovereign of Atlantis, and who, having become impatient แ "Post mutos cineres, quos et venientia secla It is very remarkable that Menckenius, in his life of Fracastoro, p. 111. has asserted that Fracastoro has not, either in his Syphilis, or in any other part of his works, expressed his approbation of, or even mentioned Pontano. "Ego vero, quantumvis diligenter versatus in lectione "Syphilidis, tantum abest ut hic laudes quasdam PONTANI commemoratas invenerim, ut ne ullam quidem ejus in"jectam viderim mentionem. Et si scripta ejus reliqua "perquiras, nihil umquam de Pontano in mentem venisse "Nostro, manifesto intelliges." Surely Menckenius should have impatient of the scorching rays of the summer sun refused with impious expressions, to pay his sacrifices to Apollo, but raising an altar to Alcithous, worshipped that sovereign as his divinity. Exasperated at this indignity Apollo infected the air, with noxious vapours, in consequence of which Syphilus contracted a loathsome disease, which displayed itself in ulcerous eruptions over his whole body. The means adopted for his restoration to health and the circumstances by which the remedy was communicated to Europe, form a principal part of the subject of the poem; which throughout the whole displays a degree of elegance and a propriety of poetical ornament; scarcely to be expected from so unpromising a topic. In relating the discovery of the great have known that the poet mentioned in the passage quoted, above 66 Qui magnos stellarum orbes cantavit, et hortos could be no other than Pontano. In addition to which it may further be observed, that Fracastoro, in his dialogue entitled NAUGERIUS, sive de Poetica, has not only expressly mentioned Pontano, but has cited his opinion as to the object and end of poetry, which he there fully discusses and confirms. v. Op. Fracastor. ap. Giunt. p. 116. CHAP. XVII. A. D. 1518. A. At. 4. A. Pont. VI. CHAP. A. D. 1518. A. t. 43. great mineral remedy, the powers of which were then well known and the use of which is fully explained, the author has introduced a A. Pont. VI. beautiful episode, in which he explains the internal structure of the earth, the great operations of nature in the formation of metals, and the gloomy splendour of her subterraneous temples, her caverns, and her mines. This region he has peopled with poetical beings, among whom the nymph Lipare presides over the streams of quicksilver, into which the diseased visitant is directed to plunge himself thrice, and on his restoration to health and his return to the regions of day, not to forget to pay his vows to Diana, and to the chaste nymphs of the sacred fount. It would be tedious, if not impracticable on the present occasion to repeat the numerous testimonies of approbation with which this poem and its author have been honoured, as well on its first appearance as in subsequent times;(a) but the most decisive proof of its merit (a) Many of these testimonies may be found in the ARA FRACASTORIE of Julius Cæsar Scaliger, printed with other commendatory pieces, at the close of the second volume of the works of Fracastoro, by Comino, Patav. 1739, 4to. and in the life of Fracastoro, by Menckenius, sec. 9. |
