The Sk8ter Boi and the Ballerina: Characters in Eclogue 2

 

Corydon: Corydon is our main character of Eclogue 2 and the sole narrator, different from the dialogue we see in Eclogue 1. His soliloquy is reminiscent of Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8er Boi” when he laments the differences in himself and Alexis. Coleman compares Corydon’s words with those of Theocritus’ Polyphemus in Idylls 11. As an enslaved goatherd, Corydon must resign to the fact of his own ineligibility.

Etymology: Corydon come from the Greek Κόρυδος meaning crested lark. Just as a bird sings in the trees, Corydon uses poetry to express his emotions about the unrequited love in his life.

Idylls: In Theocritus, the name Corydon appears twice, once in the entirety Idylls 4 as an unattractive goatherd and again in Idylls 5.6 as a bad musician. Vergil mentions his possible ugliness as well in line 25.

Other Eclogues: Corydon is named a second time in Eclogue 7 throughout the entire poem. He is a goatherd and a competitor in a rap battle against the shepherd Thyrsis (and won).

 

Alexis: The object of Corydon’s affection, Alexis is the handsome slave with the same master as Corydon. Unlike his secret admirer, Alexis is the favorite of the master, which most likely gained him special privileges, allowing him to remain “formonsus” and untouched by the sunlight.

Etymology: Alexis comes from the Greek Άλεξις meaning helper or defender (from ἀλέξω). The verb sometimes means “to ward off,” which is precisely what this character is doing to Corydon.

Idylls: The name Alexis does not appear in pastoral (besides in Vergil) and, according to Coleman, belongs to the elegiac genre of poetry.

Other Eclogues: However, Alexis shows up again in Eclogue 7.55, spoken about as “formonsus Alexis” by Corydon himself.

 

Thestylis: In Eclogue 2 Thestylis is depicted as a cook, appearing the first time to be making a concoction and the second time to be asking for Corydon’s animals (assumingly to cook them).

Etymology: Unfortunately, I was not able to find an etymology for this name, but I did find that the “Prioneris Thestylis” is a type of butterfly.

Idylls: Thestylis is mentioned in Idylls 2 as the slave to a sorceress, being ordered to do something. In Idylls 3 she is not mentioned by name, but the goatherd is describing how a servant girl wants his white she-goat with her two children, putting Vergil’s Thestylis in a similar situation.

Other Eclogues: Thestylis is only mentioned in the second Eclogue.

 

Amaryllis: In Eclogue 2 Amaryllis plays the role of disdainful ex-lover. Her anger and haughtiness is put in comparison to Alexis’ indifference.

Etymology: Coming from the Greek word αμαρύσσειν meaning “to sparkle,” the name Amaryllis is still present today. However, anyone named that now is most likely named after the flower. Even a minor planet was named 1085 Amaryllis.

Idylls: Theocritus uses this name as well in Idylls 4.36 and the entirety of Idylls 3 as a girl refusing a man’s pursuits.

Other Eclogues: As we have seen before, Amaryllis is the current girlfriend of Tityrus, one of the main characters in Eclogue 1. Looking ahead, we will see her again in 3.81, 8.77, and 9.22.

Menalcas: This character is another one of Corydon’s previous significant others.

Etymology: I could not find anything for Menalcas’ etymology, and in dictionaries it is defined as “the name of a shepherd.”

Idylls: Menalcas appears in Idylls 8 and 9 as a shepherd and a competitor in poetry battles.

Other Eclogues: In Eclogue 3 Menalcas has a main role as a competitor in a poetry battle again. In Eclogues 5 and 9 Coleman suggests that Menalcas is a representation of Vergil. Menalcas is mentioned once more in Eclogue 10.20 gathering acorns.

 

Amphion: Here, Vergil makes a reference to the Amphion of Greek mythology, a son of Zeus that, along with his twin brother Zethus, built a wall around the city of Thebes. Amphion helped build this wall by using his lyre to move the stones into place

Etymology: The name Ἀμφίων in Ancient Greek means “native of two lands.”

Idylls: Amphion is not mentioned in Theocritus’ Idylls.

Other Eclogues: He is also not mentioned in any of the other Eclogues.

 

Daphnis: Daphnis is one of the chief names in pastoral poetry as a renowned musician. He is a son of Mercury living in Theocritus’ Sicily and is thought to be the inventor of pastoral poetry. Corydon’s statement that he is in fact not Daphnis is in reference to the latter’s beauty and musical prowess and the former’s lack thereof.

Etymology: Daphnis comes from the Greek δαφνή meaning bay tree, under which this demigod was born. Daphnis is also the name of a moon orbiting Saturn.

Idylls: Idylls 1 is entirely about the life of Daphnis. He is mentioned as the same character in Idylls 5 and 7. In Idylls 6, 8, 9, and 27 Daphnis competes in a signing competition.

Other Eclogues: Eclogue 5 shows the characters mourn Daphnis’ death, and Eclogue 7 he appears as a spectator of the singing competition and possibly a judge. Eclogue 8 and 9 involve the characters invocating Daphnis as one would to a Muse.

 

Pan: Pan is the wild god of the pastoral lifestyle. He appears as half goat, half man.

Etymology: According to the Homeric Hymn to Hermes, Pan is from πάν meaning all/everything because “he delights all.”

Idylls: Pan is mentioned (as himself) in Idylls 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 27. He is usually mentioned either as a paragon of music-playing or as an oath.

Other Eclogues: In Eclogue 4 Vergil compares the child’s (Pollio’s son) musical skills to Pan’s with Arcadia serving as judge. In Eclogues 5,7, and 10 Pan is mentioned in the context of a pastoral scene.

 

Amyntas: Amyntas is an envious shepherd and a peer of Corydon.

Etymology: In Greek ἀμύντης means “defender.” Perhaps he wishes that he was the defender of the panpipe handed down from Damoetas.

Idylls: Amyntas appears in Idylls 7 as a companion to Simichidas.

Other Eclogues: Amyntas is a common name in the Eclogues mentioned in 3.66 and 10.37 as a lover and, similarly to Eclogue 2, the name appears as a jealous rival in Eclogue 5.

 

Damoetas: Damoetas is another shepherd friend of Corydon, to whom the former gifted a panpipe.

Etymology: I wasn’t able to find any etymology for Damoetas (or Δαμοίτας), but the damoetas nitidus is a genus of Australian jumping spiders. Spooky!

Idylls: Damoetas competes in Idylls 6 against the renowned Daphnis in a singing competition.

Other Eclogues: In Eclogue 3 Vergil uses Damoetas again in another singing competition, this time against Menalcas.

 

Iollas: Iollas is the assumed master of both Corydon and Alexis. At the very least, he is the “dives amator” of Alexis, his “delicias.”

Etymology: I was not sure about the etymology of this name, but Iollas appears in Vergil’s Aeneid as a companion of Aeneas.

Idylls: Iollas does not appear in Theocritus’ Idylls.

Other Eclogues: Iollas does reappear in Eclogue 3.76 again as a figure of authority.

 

Paris: A character from the Trojan war saga, the Trojan prince was a shepherd before the three goddesses came to him with the golden apple. Coleman supposes that this reference was an attempt on the character Corydon to sound intelligent.

Etymology: It was a common Greek name, possibly from the word πήρα, meaning bag or purse.

Idylls: Paris appears as an allusion in Idylls 27. Idylls 18 is a poem about Helen’s marriage to Menelaus before she and Paris met.

Other Eclogues: Paris does not appear anywhere else in the Eclogues.

 

Pallas: Pallas is another name for the goddess of wisdom Athena. She is mentioned in comparison to the rustic background of Corydon’s environment. She is also one of the goddesses whom Paris rejected along with Hera, with Paris standing in for the pastoral ideals.

Etymology: The word Πάλλας is derived from πάλλω meaning “to brandish [a spear].”

Idylls: Athena is mentioned in Idylls 25 and 26 as herself.

Other Eclogues: The goddess is not mentioned again in Vergil’s Eclogues.