Idyll XX, also called Βουκολίσκος ('The Young Countryman'), is a bucolic poem doubtfully attributed to the 3rd century BC Greek poet Theocritus. [1] A neatherd, chafing because a city woman disdains him, protests that he is handsome, that Gods have been known to make love to country-folk, and that she deserves no lover at all. [1] [2] For grammatical and other reasons, some critics consider this Idyll apocryphal. [3]
A herdsman, who had been contemptuously rejected by Eunica, a girl of the town, protests that he is beautiful, and that Eunica is prouder than Cybele, Selene, and Aphrodite, all of whom loved mortal herdsmen. [3] He calls down upon her the curse of perpetual celibacy. [1]
This poem is a monologue, but includes dumb characters—the shepherds of line 19. [1] Stylistic considerations belie the tradition which ascribes it to Theocritus. [1] [2]
Attribution: This article incorporates text from these sources, which are in the
public domain.
Idyll XX, also called Βουκολίσκος ('The Young Countryman'), is a bucolic poem doubtfully attributed to the 3rd century BC Greek poet Theocritus. [1] A neatherd, chafing because a city woman disdains him, protests that he is handsome, that Gods have been known to make love to country-folk, and that she deserves no lover at all. [1] [2] For grammatical and other reasons, some critics consider this Idyll apocryphal. [3]
A herdsman, who had been contemptuously rejected by Eunica, a girl of the town, protests that he is beautiful, and that Eunica is prouder than Cybele, Selene, and Aphrodite, all of whom loved mortal herdsmen. [3] He calls down upon her the curse of perpetual celibacy. [1]
This poem is a monologue, but includes dumb characters—the shepherds of line 19. [1] Stylistic considerations belie the tradition which ascribes it to Theocritus. [1] [2]
Attribution: This article incorporates text from these sources, which are in the
public domain.