St Ignatius College - Ignatian Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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POPE'S MESSIAH 63 sympathy is- with the life and traditions of'the country peo- ple. His style as a pastoral poet tends to follow that of Vir- gil more closely than that of the idylls of Theocritus. The pastoral made its first impressions on English poetry in the 16th century. In Italy and Spain it made more rapid strides, completely outdistancing England, which at the close of the century noted a great poverty of original pas- torals among her literary achievements. The English love of country life soon overcame this- lead, for in a short time her poets forged ahead and overtook their rivals. The great strife between Phillips and Pope led to the highest development that the pastoral attained at the hands of an English author. Gay with his Shepherd's Week stands at the head of British pastoral writers, the Gentle Shepherd by Ramsay may be characterized the last true pastoral from the pen of an English poet. Pope's Messiah is a close imitation of Virgil's Pollio, the famous fourth Eclogue in which the poet treats of the expected birth of a child who is to become the Regenerator of his race and times. In the Messiah, Pope exemplifies the full development of his powers. This poem has a more pleasing 'effect than his other works, due no doubt, to the sublime Subject. The poetic translation of Isaias could hardly be more beautiful, though we must admit that he often robs the Prophet of his majestic grandeur. In explaining the poem Pope says: I have endeavored in this translation of Virgil's 'Pollio' to show the reader how far superior are the images and descriptions of the Prophet than the Poet. He certainly gives us an imitation of Virgil, in fact some of his verses are almost direct translations of the Latin poem. Unlike Milton, who was also wont to f1lch from the ancient authors, Pope does not merely take the style and fit another thought to it,-though in this poem it is essential that he adopt the thought,-but boldly makes his own the style, the theme, and not unfrequently whole expressions of Virgil. The ,wonderful child-subject of Virgil's poem has been discussed by critics, ancient and modern. Some consider that

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linpfa illllenniah ll Ye Nymphs of Solyma! begin the song: To heavenly themes sublimer strains belong. The mossy fountains and the sylvan shades, The dreams of Pindus and the Ionian maids Delight no more g-O, Thou my voice inspire Who touched Isaiah's hallowed lips with tire! r cc my I b N - by HOUGH Pope s Messiah claims our atten- Ygm tion in this paper, a short slcetch of the M yw development of the Pastoral in both ancient and modern times will not be altogether out of place. Theocritus gave birth to this G! ' X ' form of Sicilian poetry from the germs supplied by Epicharmus and developed it into a distinct and finished art. One may safely say that no other poet, Greek, Roman or modern, has quite reached the high standard, which Theocritus has set for posterity. He has perhaps attained his greatest success in The Harvest Feast, a pastoral in which he introduces his friends under fictitious names. Bion, also of Sicily, drew his inspiration from the solitude of country life, and though his poems breathe an exaggerated sentimentality, and show traces of overstrained reflection fre- quently observable in later developments of pastoral poetry, still he is generally recognized as one of the foremost bucolic writers. Moschus, another Sicilian, also wrote some pastorals of merit. These, however, can hardly be classed with the masterpieces of Theocritus and Bion, ' The earlier efforts of Virgil's art, the Eclogues, faithfully reproduce the pastoral fancies of Theocritus. The country was Virgil's home, and .its solitude and grandeur are the sources of many of his noblest themes. Tibullus, in his pas- torals, shrinks from the rough contact of city life, and all his

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64 IGNATIAN the child is Christ. As there were many Jews residing at Rome at that time, it is quite probable that Virgil heard of their expectation of the Messiah. In the pages of other ancient authors, moreover, we read of a general expectation throughout Italy of one who would introduce the second Golden Era. In his Pollio, without any definite person in view, Virgil may have given voice to this general hope. Dur- ing the time of the early Church, it was commonly believed that Virgil was the unconscious instrument of inspired prophecy. It is generally admitted now that though he drew his in- spiration from the Cumean Sibyl and that she in her tum may have been inspired by the sacred writings, Virgil him- self had no direct intention of referring to a supernatural birth. True, he speaks of the Virgin and of the Child sent down from Heaven and characterizes him as a Prince of Peace and delays upon the benefit of his reign, still, strangely significant as the expressions are and gratifying as it would be to trace the source of his inspiration to the prophetic writers, we must be content with admiring the beauty which his poem has by reason of its similarity to what might have been written had he really been, as he only probably was, inspired by the reading of Messianic prophe- cies. We must look to Pope's imitation of Virgil if we want to enjoy a pastoral dealing directly with the birth of Christ. The Latin poet, whatever his inspiration, gives us a pic- ture of a helpless child, and calls upon the heathen deities to be propitious. Pope, with a deep sense of the Divinity, addresses himself directly to the Child: Swift Hy the years, and rise the expected morn! O spring to life, auspicious Babe, be born! See, Nature hastes her earliest wreaths to bring, With all the incense of the breathing spring, See lofty Lebanon his head advance, See nodding forests on the mountain danceg See spicy clouds from lowly Saron rise And Carmel's flowering top perfume the skies!