Virgil's Eclogue IV

Vergil’s fourth eclogue is about the beginning and rise of the Golden Age, which is brought about with the birth of a boy who is described as the ‘great offspring of Jove’ who is the king of all gods. It is to this boy that has been born that the future belongs and his career which the poet must pursue. What is also important in this eclogue is the description of the Golden Age approaching which will bring peace and accomplishment, it will be a perfect world.



Sicilian Muses, let us take a loftier tone.
Orchards and humble tamarisks don't give delight to all,
and if we sing of woods, they should be worthy of a consul.
Now comes the last age of the Cumaean song;
the great order of the ages arises anew.
Now the Virgin returns, and Saturn's reign returns;
now a new generation is sent down from high heaven.
Only, chaste Lucina, favour the child at his birth,
by whom, first of all, the iron age will end
and a golden race arise in all the world;
now your Apollo reigns.

And indeed, Pollio, during your consulship
this glory of the age will enter in,
and the great months will begin to advance;
while you lead, if any stains of our sins still linger,
their negation will free the lands from endless fear.
He will take up the gods' life, and he will see
heroes and gods intermingled;
and he himself will be seen by them,
and with his father's virtues will rule a world at peace.


A new era is beginning, much brighter than the previous. With the return of the Virgin will be the return of innocence and purity and with Saturn reigning once more, as he was known as the Roman God of agriculture and justice, he will bring abundance and peace to the people. In the second stanza, Virgil is referring to him who will be seen by gods and will rule in this Golden era. Although we are not certain who this person is, it could be supposed that he is the newborn boy who will grow up to be the ruler of this perfect world. Also, as Virgil mentions that his father had virtues , with connection to the Roman Empire we could interpret this boy as being Octavian, the heir to Julius Caesar.



And for yourself, little boy, the uncultivated earth
will scatter its first small gifts:
wandering ivy and cyclamens everywhere,
Egyptian beans mixed with laughing acanthus.
By themselves, she-goats will come home
with udders swollen with milk;
cattle no longer will fear mighty lions.
For you, your own cradle will bear delightful flowers;
the serpent will die, and the plant that hides its venom;
Assyrian spices will spring forth all over.
But as soon as you are able to read
the praise of heroes and your father's works
and come to understand what virtue is,
fields will slowly turn golden with soft ears of grain,
red grapes will hang down from uncultivated briars
and stubborn oaks will exude dewlike honey.

For this little boy, there will be brought abundance and beauty in nature and all that is harmful will be replaced by this beauty. As this boy starts growing up and develops even more wonders will be brought forth in nature bringing agriculture and harvest time to its peak. In this stanza again Virgil refers to this boy’s father’s virtuous works, which also leads us to believe the father to be Julius Caesar and the son Octavius.



Yet still a few relics of old crimes will remain,
commanding men to tempt Thetis with rafts,
ring towns with walls, and plough furrows in the earth.
There will be another Tiphys, and another Argo,
carrying picked heroes; there will be another War,
and mighty Achilles will be sent to Troy again.


After this, when the hard age has made you a man,
the merchant himself will withdraw from the sea,
and the maritime pine ships will not trade goods;
every land will produce everything.
Earth will not endure the hoe, nor the vine the sickle;
strong ploughmen too will unbind their yoked bulls.
Wool will not learn to feign various colours:
in the meadows, by himself, the ram will change his fleece –
now to sweet reddening purple, now to saffron yellow;
and vermilion, of its own accord, will clothe the grazing lambs.

Even though this is the beginning of the Golden Age, there will still be some hardships to be surpassed and a War to be won. These difficulties will only make this boy stronger; they will develop him into a man, ready to reign. When the hardships have passed, peace and abundance will fill the world and the Golden Era will finally have arrived.


"May such ages race on!": thus the Parcae have spoken
to their spindles, in concord with the fates’ steadfast wills.
Beloved child of the gods, the time is at hand:
take up your great honours, great offspring of Jove!
Behold the world swaying beneath its vaulted weight –
the earth, the sea's fields and the depth of the sky;
see how all things rejoice in the age that will come!

The ‘Parcae’, being the personifications of destiny in Roman mythology, have announced the child’s fate. It is his time to take up his honours and rule the perfect world that is about to come. The earth, the sea and the sky are all ready for the arrival of the Golden Era.


Then for me may the last part of a long life remain,
and inspiration enough to tell your deeds;
neither Thracian Orpheus nor Linus would surpass me in song,
though Calliope were there for one and fair Apollo for the other –
the mother for Orpheus, the father for Linus.
Even Pan, against me, with Arcadia as judge –
even Pan himself would say he had been conquered.

Here, Virgil is referring to himself: he will tell this boy’s story and accomplishments as well as anyone ever could. Even better than the legendary poet Orpheus and his mother, muse Calliope. His story will be more melodious than Pan’s, who is the inventor of the bucolic pipe.


Now begin, little boy: look and smile on your mother
(for ten months brought long labour to her);
begin, little boy. Those who smile not on their parent
no god honours at his table, no goddess in her bed.


MARIA