SOURCE: “The Unity of Eclogue 6,” Latomus, 1968, Vol. XXVII, No. 1, January-March, pp. 13-32.

In the essay below, Leach studies the Song of Silenus in the Sixth Eclogue and explores the principles of unity in its thematic elements and mythological language. Furthermore, Leach demonstrates how these uniting principles may be applied to the poem as a whole.

Principles of unity in Eclogue 6 have been sought on many different bases, but chiefly by investigation of the rationale governing the selection and arrangement of myths in the Song of Silenus¹. Scholars have generally agreed that both the myths and Vergil's stylistic treatment of them recall aspects of Alexandrian poetic convention, and also that the use of such a series of myths goes beyond the limits of decorum in the pastoral form. Among recent explicators, Otto Skutsch considers the poem composed of legends popular in Alexandrian literature²; Zeph Stewart sees definite suggestions for...