In Vergil’s Eclogues(1), Tityrus sings , “The city, Meliboeus, they call Rome, I, simpleton, deemed like this town of ours; Whereto we shepherds oft are wont drive; The younglings of the flocks: so too I knew ; Whelps to resemble dogs, and kids their dams; Comparing small with great, but this as far, Above all other cities rears her head; As cypress above pliant osier towers..’.
Vergil, the master of poets, beautifully describes Rome’s epic position above other cities of the ancient world. Here Tityrus represents himself as a native of Turintara, the royal seat of ancient Thebes; and Meliboeus, identifies himself as a native of ancient Malaba country. Words so crafted makes friends together sit, talk, and sing, for life begins at the end of the full stop.
Meliboeus asks Tityrus what it is that attracts him for Rome; Tityrus says, ‘Freedom’, and he continues, ‘though belated cast at length her eyes on the sluggard’, ‘While Galatea reigned over me, I had no hope of freedom’. This is the cultural identity of Rome in those days; no emperor was above the culture of Rome.
Many may volunteer new ideas of looking at ancient Rome, but its religion that it held in those days was superb even though its rulers came out victorious in wars. Sorrows to many in name of imperial dignity never lived then.
Vergil speaks of some unknown things that need attention:
‘What could I do? How else from bonds be freed,
Or other where find gods so nigh to aid?
There, Meliboeus, I saw that youth to whom
Yearly for twice six days my altars smoke.
There instant answer gave he to my suit,
‘Feed, as before, your kine, boys, rear your bulls’.
Vergil sees Scythians and Parthians shift their boundaries, and Arar whose lands are identified with the Tigris, similarly, are not so good to grant ‘freedom’ for which Vergil cries. So he comes to Rome of his time leaving behind his ‘apples hanging on the trees, and vineyards that cries in his absence’.
Vergil pinpoints the altars that smoke in his time twice in a year for six days each; this marks the living volcanoes which caused ancient migration and devastated the ‘first land’.