Some ascribe the Honor to _Bacchus_ the President of the _Nymphs, Satyrs_, and the other Country Gods, perhaps because he delighted in the Country; and others attribute it to _Apollo_ called _Nomius_ the God of Sheapards, and that he invented it then when he served _Admetus_ in _Thessaly_, and fed his Herds: For, tis likely, he to recreate himself, and pass away his time, applied his mind to such Songs as were best suitable to his present condition: Many think we owe it to _Pan_ the God of Sheapards, not a few to _Diana_ that extreamly delighted in solitude and Woods; and some say _Mercury_ himself: of all which whilst _Grammarians_ prattle, according to their usual custome they egregiously trifle; they suffer themselves to be put upon by Fables, and resign their judgment up to foolish pretentions, but things and solid truth is that we seek after.
As about the Author, so concerning the place of its Birth there is a great dispute, some say _Sparta_, others _Peloponesus_, but most are for _Sicily_.
_Valla the Placentine_, a curious searcher into Antiquity, thinks this sort of Poetry first appear'd amongst the _Lacedemonians_, for when the _Persians_ had wasted allmost all _Greece_, the _Spartans_ say { 12} that they for fear of the _Barbarians_ fled into Caves and lurking holes; and that the Country Youth then began to apply themselves in Songs to _Diana Caryatis_, together with the Maids, who midst their Songs offerd Flowers to the Goddess: which custome containing somewhat of Religion was in those places a long time very scrupulously observed.
_Diomedes_ the Grammarian, in his treatise of _Measures_, declares _Sicily_ to be the Place: for thus he says, the _Sicilian_ Sheapards in time of a great _Pestilence_, began to invent new Ceremonies to appease incensed _Diana_, whom afterward, for affording her help, and stopping the Plague they called *Lyên*: _i.e._ the _Freer_ from their Miserys. This grew into custom, and the Sheapards used to meet in Companies, to sing their deliverer _Diana's_ praise, and these afterwards passing into _Italy_ were there named _Bucoliastæ_.
_Pomponius Sabinus_ tells the story thus: When the Hymns the Virgins us'd to sing in the Country to _Diana_ were left off, because, by reason of the present Wars, the Maidens were forc't to keep close within the Towns; the Shepherds met, and sang these kind of Songs, which are now call'd _Bucolicks_, to _Diana_; to whom they could not give the usual worship by reason of the Wars: But _Donatus_ says, that this kind of Verses was first sung to _Diana_ by _Orestes_, when he wandred about _Italy_; after he fled from _Scythia Taurica_, and had { 13} taken away the Image of the Goddess and hid it in a bundle of sticks, whence she receiv'd the name of _Fascelina_, or _Phacelide_ *apo tou phakelou* At whose Altar, the very same _Orestes_ was afterward expiated by his Sister _Iphigenia_: But how can any one rely on such Fables, when the inconsiderable Authors that propose them disagree so much amongst themselves?
