Publius Vergilius Maro
praenomen, nomen, cognomen

ECLOGA I
ecloga < ἐκλογή, a 'selection'
name of the poem

MELIBOEVS TITYRVS
cast of characters in poem


Meliboeus: Tityre, tu patulae recubans sub tegmine fagi     1.1
siluestrem tenui Musam meditaris auena;
nos patriae finis et dulcia linquimus arua.
nos patriam fugimus; tu, Tityre, lentus in umbra
formosam resonare doces Amaryllida siluas.         5
 Tityrus: O Meliboee, deus nobis haec otia fecit.
namque erit ille mihi semper deus, illius aram
saepe tener nostris ab ouilibus imbuet agnus.
ille meas errare boues, ut cernis, et ipsum
ludere quae uellem calamo permisit agresti.         10
Answer the following questions with one Latin word:
  1. Sub tegmine cuius arboris recubat Tityrus?
  2. Quem Tityrus meditatur?
  3. Qualia arva Meliboeus linquit?
  4. Quid Meliboeus fugit?
  5. In quo loco Tityrus silvas resonare docet?
  6. Quem resonare formosam Amaryllida Tityrus docet?
  7. Quis haec otia Tityro fecit?
  8. Quid aram imbuet?
  9. Quo agnus habitat?
  10. Quid Tityrus agresti calamo ludit?
  11. In linea 9, quis est 'ille'?
  12. Quae animalia ille deus Tityrum errare permisit?
  13. Quis pastor miser est?
  14. Quis pastor felix est?
Modifiers, etc.:
  1. patulae modifies: a. tegmine; b. avena; c. Tityre; d. none of those.
  2. fagi depends on: a. tegmine; b. avena; c. Tityre; d. none of those.
  3. tenui modifies: a. avena; b. Musam; c. meditaris; d. fagi.
  4. avena depends on: a. tenui; b. Musam; c. meditaris; d. silvestrem
  5. lentus modifies: a. Tityrus; b. doces; c. umbra; d. none of those.
  6. semper modifies: a. ille; b. deus; c. aram; d. erit.
  7. errare depends on : a. boves; b. ut cernis; c. vellem; d. permisit.

Morphology and syntax: In these 10 lines, find:

  1. a predicate nominative
  2. a participle
  3. 3 complementary infinitives
  4. a subjunctive
  5. 2 possessive genitives
  6. 2 adverbs
  7. 9 direct objects
 Write the following in Latin (use only words found in the poem):
  1. While Tityrus lies under a tree, I am pondering the muse on an oaten flute. (use a participle for "lies" and avena for 'oaten flute').
  2. Tityrus wets the god's altar with a lamb.

Answer in English:

  1. What is Tityrus thinking when he replies to Meliboeus by talking about a 'deus'?
  2. Describe the mood and character of the setting.

Ancient Comment (from Maurus Servius Honoratus' Commentary on the Poems of Virgil.