The Eclogues is a collection of Latin poetry attributed to Calpurnius Siculus and inspired by the similarly named poems of the Augustan-age poet Virgil.
It is a sunny day in summer or early autumn, somewhere in the countryside; Corydon and Ornytus decide to take shade in a nearby grove, sacred to Faunus.
Corydon says that a woman called Leuce has recently been rejecting his sexual advances, and that he is therefore permitted to enter the holy place.
He declares the rebirth of a Golden Age, bringing a new era of peace; an end to political corruption; the restoration of law and order and happiness for people all across the world.
Some scholars think it is modelled principally upon Virgil's Fourth Eclogue, which also heralds a new golden age.
[21] Garson considers that certain elements of Lycidas's poem – principally those denigrating Phyllis's new lover, Mopsus – parody classical forensic oratory.
This leads Meliboeus to remind Corydon that he used to tell Amyntas to abandon his compositions and to concentrate on his agricultural duties.
Meliboeus encourages Corydon to perform his poem/song (noting that such a political poem must be weightier in style than songs in praise of a certain Alexis).
In the course of an amoebaean song exchange, Corydon and Amyntas praise the emperor, attributing godlike qualities to him and stating that he has brought fertility, prosperity and peace to the land and wish him a long reign.
Corydon hints that he would like his own farm, in contrast to his current life of rustic labour and asks Meliboeus to take his poetry/songs to the emperor.
Corydon says that this would put Meliboeus in the same position as the person who led Tityrus to the city and encouraged him to leave behind the sheepfold, and sing of the countryside and, subsequently, of war.
Some scholars view Eclogue IV as being a programmatic dramatisation of Calpurnius's place in the literary tradition,[25] and some attribute an even more direct autobiographical significance to it.
[29] Meliboeus's favourable comparison to the nectar of Paelignian bees, is seen by some scholars as being an aspirational reference to Ovid[30] (who was born into the Paeligni tribe[31]).
Karakasis notes the use of post-classical/post Augustan language (particularly in lines spoken by Meliboeus and, to a lesser extent, Corydon) and considers this to be a sign of linguistic innovation, reflecting the "generic novelty" and "unpastoral trends" of the poem.
An old man, Micon (or Mycon, in some editions[33]) and his foster son or protege, Canthus, are resting in the shade of a tree.
[35] Davis considers that Eclogue V's focus on making use of nature, and on safeguarding legal ownership rights (to avoid lawsuits) is a new feature in pastoral literature.
[36] Rosenmeyer considers that the way in which Eclogue V arranges the tasks of a herdsman in accordance with the seasons and environment, demonstrates an organisational technique found in Hesiod's Works and Days.
[37] Some scholars consider Eclogue V to be metaphor for poetic succession and inheritance (much like the pastoral trope of one shepherd passing on his pipe to another).
Nyctilus had pledged some goat kids and their mother, Alcon had pledged a puppy of [a] Lioness (catulum... laeanae) (different editors and other scholars differ as to whether this simply refers to a puppy whose mother was called Laeana, a big or fierce dog breed, or whether it is an actual dog/lion crossbreed[41]).
Mnasyllus says he has had enough of their squabbling and that he is no longer interested in acting as judge – he suggests that Micon (in some editions Mycon[33]) and Iollas, who have just turned up, might be able to end the fight.
[44] Leach views Astylus and Lycidas's arguments over each other's poetic abilities as having "some of the function of an ars poetica for Calpurnius' book", and considers that the poem enacts the contrast between two different modes of pastoral poetry: precious and refined, vs rough and natural.
Corydon mocks Lycotas for preferring trees to the sights exhibited by the young god (i.e. emperor) in the arena.
He explains how, as he marveled at the sights, and old man (clearly more familiar with the city than Corydon) told him that even he was amazed by the show, which surpassed earlier entertainments.
Corydon describes the architecture and decorations of the theatre, and the many animals on show, some of which would leap out of trapdoors in the floor of the arena itself.