The Eclogues

While the setting of the Eclogues is imaginary, it was also firmly rooted in the Rome of Virgil’s day. How does Virgil make his poems relevant to his Roman audience? In what ways are they still relevant for a modern audience?

Identify a modern piece of media (i.e., a movie, television show, or video game) which you believe fits into the pastoral genre. What qualifies it as an honorary “eclogue?”

What roles do music and poetry play in the lives of the Arcadian shepherds?

Study one of the Theocritean Idylls which Virgil looked to as a source text for his Eclogues (for example, Theocritus’s Idyll 4, which influenced Eclogue 2). What similarities and differences can you find between each poet’s treatment of the story? When Virgil deviated from Theocritus’s choices, why do you think he did so?

Trace Octavian’s presence throughout the Eclogues. What sort of man is he? What positive (or negative) qualities define his character in Virgil’s work?

Respect for previous generations is an important theme in the Eclogues. How does Virgil encourage honoring the past while also looking to the future?

Examine the ancient system of philosophy Epicureanism. In what ways could the Eclogues be considered an Epicurean work?

How do the inhabitants of Arcadia characterize the god Love in the Eclogues? Is Love a positive or negative force for humanity? If given the choice, do you think the shepherds would do away with Love entirely? Why or why not?