Bridging the Continental divide: neo-Latin and its cultural role in Jacobean Scotland, as seen in the Delitiae Poetarum Scotorum (1637)

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Eclogue I: Amaryllis's complaint in the name of the city of Perth to King James I upon his return to Scotland, in the year 1617

1Pious throng, Castalian Goddesses, who purify the hearts of poets with your Aonian waters, quit your mountain peaks, and come down to our plains, and pluck flowers with me in my violet fields; but if, however, you gentle ones are loathe to journey through the hazards of long life, and see distant lands, at least infuse the Tay's water nymphs with your divinity, and provide me with a song worthy of great Daphnis, as I decant the fiery passions of my heart in sighing tones.

10I have flowed for fifteen years with bitter tears, so lamentably enfeebled, and full of cares! As, drenched with tears and sorrow, ungrateful for my health, I was musing over my ancient love amid the shadows, since Phoebus held your gaze further down the celestial sphere, and the parching clime of the Southern land possessed it - that land which the fierce Severn bathes, and the Thames' waters, and the Dee that flows into the Western ocean, and the Humber that flows into the Eastern ocean. How many wails have flowed through the breezes, how many rivers across my cheeks! While a day more bleak than all night, while unfriendly night in redoubled groan overcame my soul and death was close at hand.

22Yet a fresh report, happily spread abroad, has held out the promise of your return to the people, who have long desired it: it says, 'put aside your fears, Amyrillis, your flame, your passion, Daphnis will return from the South to the frozen North  [p034]and he will be here to see you, his very own!' That voice first seemed to me to bring the end to my cares, and my wretched grief, there was a new aspect to everything, for a while the new day lifted up my soul with its sun-lit rays.

30Now while I count the passing time to myself (just like the angst of lovers, which hates the drawn-out delay of time), behold I am kindled once again by the bitter news, unaware that Daphnis had travelled to the Ocean through the mouth of the great river on the dangerous shallows, as I, cold on my seat, was turning over and reflecting so much in my silly mind! Will my man flee from me, having forgotten our former love without reason? Will my love vanish and flee into thin air, which have grown once steadfast and more reliable than all foundations? Or rather will they who snatched away and robbed me of the dear token of my great love build upon these sorrows of mine? But yet never more pleasingly does a land open up in location, or more happily does it produce the nourishing riches of all-producing nature from its pleasing mantle.

44The Tay's waters revere me, the Nymphs inhabit my fruitful meadows, and they pluck their little garlands from its many flowers: and the Grampians' waters rejoice at my embrace. Father Ocean visits me, as often as black night envelops the land in deep darkness, while he is unwilling to bear delay when Phoebus in high heaven scatters his paling shadows from across the earth, and father Ocean laps against my fortress ciffs in his new course; he does not keep from me that which any land has in its far-off corners, and wherever he discloses distant lands.

54You have a bridge, Daphnis, your bridge, a the final part of it was not worthy of your care, now restored under your direction it rises complete into the air. The first seasons of your youth had not yet witnessed you coming to maturity while executing affairs of the state, when another year on top of the other eleven brought round the Sun's full turn, then your pious devotion for your bridge, great one, gnawed at you. Now it is also thanks to your gift that it rises from the depth on marble columns, that covers the waters with its gentle shell, and night and day the traveller takes to the high road safe and sound. Your honour shines forth in its great many images:  [p35]close by, Amaryllis gives as much thanks as is worthy: she will cherish your name in the highest praises and with her earned love. Yet a grave surprise deflects our mind from such things, since you, far from your bridge, and far from here and Amaryllis, make your way towards the North through the bending shallows of the azure Tay: b where you were allowed to embark unsafely upon a bobbing little boat, and to alight onto land with a risky jump. Ah that you could put your dear head in the way of these dangers, not mindful of your bridge, and having no feeling for your former loves! Is it because the work has been stopped and lies undone, and the hand held out for its construction is fired by some fresh anger? Or is it because (O may God confirm all with his assured divinity), as you return to our region, our desires will return, accumulated by much profit, and will restore the times lately taken away, when the radiant benevolence of your face shall scatter the gloomy shadows, and tears, and night from me, and allow me to touch your sacred feet, and to place kisses upon your pious right hand, in the ancient fashion?

83Just so, as the rose hides in the night, and its petals are concealed by its foliage, when the brilliance of the Eastern Sun witnesses serene dawn hastening on, the rose unfolds its bloom boldly to the golden light of the shining Sun, and it blushes and appears to be a crimson colour, then a lighter red, and then, gleaming, it exhales its pleasing odour. Just so the nourishing daylight of your return brings with it the Saturnian Age, and the antique glories of a better time, and with the black neglect of disagreeable grieving put aside, it will wash our happy faces with your ambrosial sheen.

93O I pray that golden day comes on swift wings, that day which must be marked by a snowy white pebble; c and that most celebrated day will restore me to myself, and great Daphnis to me also, and will deliver an embrace to daring arms! Here I lament that you (a pious love drives me on - take pity on the love of one who confesses it!) have stretched out such a long delay, that you have granted to your lover a time so fleeting on a short time-span, or should I stay silent, having regretted my pains? While you are away for so long, while a deep pain consumes me every hour, it also eats away at my heart after consuming my innards. Should I complain? Ah, there is no need to disclose our misfortune.  [p036]The public mixed with the private runs into wretched ruin, and they press down upon the fragile citizens with their weight.

106Oh may I reveal without deception the wound of my concealed love to you, and the stormy worries that have pierced my inner senses and spread into your bosom (pain vexes lovers)! Since you alone are Apollo, you alone are Machaon most celebrated in Apollo's skill, you alone are Podaleirius, famous for healing herbs. d