This eclogue is about the death of Gallus and is clearly supposed to be an imitation of Theocritus’ first idyll about the death of Daphnis. There are some similarities between the two poems; for example Gallus, like Daphnis, seems to be dying because of love and like Theocritus’ idyll it is unclear whether he is supposed to be dying as a result of heartbreak, suicide or some sort of physical ailment/wound caused by this love. As in Theocritus’ idyll, gods are mentioned and one tries to convince Gallus that death is unnecessary. In the idyll it is Priapus that says ‘why pine, poor Daphnis’ but in virgil’s eclogue Apollo says ‘Gallus, art mad?”. At first glance it appears that Priapus is more sympathetic than Apollo but when one remembers that Priapus is the god of male arousal his words seem more like a taunt whereas Apollo is simply being blunt. Virgil’s use of the god Apollo is significant because, although he is most commonly thought of as the god of the sun, in some myths he is also the god of healing. This image of Apollo as not only the god of the sun but as the god of healing put together with Pan, Nymphs and Gallus saying later in the poem ‘they will grow/ and you, my love, grow with them’ makes me think of growth and renewal but Gallus’ use of the words doom and love in the same line makes it seem as if love itself is what is killing him and if he had not fallen in love he would live.
Posted by Chantell
This is OK, Chantell; but a little on the brief side. I'd like to have seen a little more by way of close reading of the text, and some engagement with critics. And you could usefully expand what you say: 'when one remembers that Priapus is the god of male arousal his words seem more like a taunt whereas Apollo is simply being blunt' -- I think I see what this means, but I'm not sure (how do you mean 'blunt'?) You could also develop the 'growth and renewal' line a little.
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