Ecloga 6: Prima Syracosio dignata est ludere versu Add a review

Eclogue 6 (Ecloga VI; Bucolica VI) is a pastoral poem by the Latin poet Virgil. In BC 40, a new distribution of lands took place in North Italy, and Alfenus Varus and Cornelius Gallus were appointed to carry it out. At his request that the poet would sing some epic strain, Virgil sent Varus these verses.

The poet speaks as though Varus had urged him to attempt epic poetry and excuses himself from the task, at the same time asking Varus to accept the dedication (line 12) of the pastoral poem which follows, and which relates how two shepherds caught Silenus and induced him to sing a song containing an account of the creation and many famous legends.