Meta Description: Join Dr. David Noe and Dr. Jeff Winkle as they explore Vergil’s Fourth Eclogue. Discover the mystery of the “Puer,” the Latin language of prophecy, and why a pagan poet appears on the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
Introduction: A Triple Dog Dare in the Vomitorium
Welcome back to the “vomitorium,” listeners! In Episode 205 of the Ad Navseam Podcast, hosts Dr. Jeff Winkle and Dr. David Noe descend into the bunker to celebrate the holiday season. While Dr. Noe may be recovering from a “triple dog dare” incident involving a frozen flagpole (a nod to A Christmas Story), the intellectual fire is crackling in the hearth.
This week, the hosts turn their attention to a text that has fascinated students of the Latin language for two millennia: Vergil’s Fourth Eclogue. Often called the “Messianic Eclogue,” this poem bridges the gap between pagan Rome and Christian theology, earning Vergil a place of honor in the Middle Ages and even on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
Whether you are here for the “Much Kazoo About Nothing” or a deep dive into dactylic hexameter, this episode uncovers the mystery of the puer (boy) and the return of the Golden Age.
Vergil: The Poet of Mantua
To understand the poem, we must understand the poet. Publius Vergilius Maro was born near Mantua in northern Italy. Educated in Rome and Naples, he lived through the chaotic transition from the Roman Republic to the Empire.
Virgil is best known for three major works, which serve as pillars of the Latin language:
- The Eclogues: Pastoral poems modeling the Greek poet Theocritus.
- The Georgics: Didactic poetry about farming and rural life.
- The Aeneid: The national epic of Rome, detailing the journey of Aeneas.
The Eclogues (from the Greek for “selections”) are bucolic poems that idealize the countryside. They offer an escape from the urban hustle—or, as the hosts joke, an escape from the “Whamageddon” of modern Christmas radio. However, the Fourth Eclogue stands out. It breaks the mold of shepherds and panpipes to sing of something “a little greater” (paulo maiora).
The Mystery of the Puer: Who is the Child?
The central riddle of the Fourth Eclogue is the identity of the puer (boy) whose birth will usher in a new Golden Age.
As Dr. Winkle reads from an article by Ella Bourne (1916), this debate has raged since Vergil’s own time. The poem was written during the consulship of Asinius Pollio in 40 BC, a time of brief peace between Mark Antony and Octavian (the future Augustus) known as the Treaty of Brundisium.
H.J. Rose, in his Handbook of Latin Literature, outlines five historical candidates for the child:
- A Son of Pollio: Asinius Gallus, who claimed later in life to be the child. However, attributing the salvation of the world to a consul’s son would be politically dangerous (“impolitic”) in the face of Octavian and Antony.
- A Son of Marcellus: Octavia’s son by her first husband. Unlikely, as he was born before the poem was written.
- A Symbolic Child: A generic representation of the new age, or perhaps the god Mithras. Dr. Noe finds this unpersuasive due to the specific language used in the poem.
- A Child of Antony and Octavia: A dynastic marriage meant to heal the rift in the empire.
- A Child of Octavian and Scribonia: Rose considers this the most likely candidate consistent with Vergil’s admiration for Augustus.
Despite these historical guesses, there is a “persistent belief” that the child was Christ. This interpretation posits that Vergil, perhaps influenced by Jewish texts or divine inspiration, was prophesying the coming of the Messiah.
The Christian Interpretation: Constantine and the Sibyl
Why is a pagan poet featured in Christian art, such as Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel?
Dr. Noe explains that Constantine the Great, the first Christian emperor, was the first to officially interpret the poem as a prophecy of Christ. In an address to the Assembly of Saints, Constantine argued:
- The Virgin (Virgo) mentioned in the poem is the Virgin Mary.
- The Serpent (serpens) that dies is the serpent of evil/Satan.
- The Lions are the persecutors of the Church.
This reading allowed Vergil to be viewed as a “proto-Christian” or a “sacred pagan.” It is why Dante chooses Vergil as his guide through Hell and Purgatory. The Cumaean Sibyl, whose prophecy Vergil cites (Ultima Cumaei venit iam carminis aetas), sits on the Sistine ceiling because she was believed to have foreseen the birth of Jesus.
Latin Language Spotlight: Adunaton and the Golden Age
The poem describes the return of the Golden Age (Saturnia regna), a time of peace and plenty associated with the god Saturn. To describe this, Vergil uses a literary device known in the Latin language and Greek rhetoric as Adunaton (the impossible).
In the current “Iron Age,” life is hard. But when the child is born, the natural order will be reversed in miraculous ways:
- No Farming: The earth will pour out crops without cultivation (nullo cultu).
No Predators: Lions will lie down with cattle. - Colorful Sheep: In a moment of whimsy, Vergil claims that wool will no longer need to be dyed. The rams in the field will spontaneously grow fleece that is purple or yellow.
Dr. Noe compares this imagery to Isaiah 11, which also uses Adunaton to describe the Messianic age: “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb… and a little child shall lead them”. The parallel is striking, leading many to wonder if Vergil had access to the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) or Jewish oral tradition via his patron Pollio.
** Incipe Parve Puer: The Human Element**
The poem ends on a surprisingly human note. After describing cosmic changes and colorful sheep, Virgil speaks directly to the infant:
Incipe, parve puer, risu cognoscere matrem
“Begin, little boy, to recognize your mother with a smile…”
Dr. Noe notes the tenderness of this line. A child’s first smile is a sign of recognition and humanity. Vergil warns that the child who does not smile at his parents will not be honored by the gods. It grounds the lofty prophecy in the biological reality of birth—ten months of “nauseous qualms” (as Dryden translates it) for the mother.
Conclusion: A Mystery Unsolved
So, who is the child? The hosts conclude that we will never know for sure. It is likely Virgil was being “purposely a little indefinite” to cover his political bases.
However, the ambiguity is what makes the poem immortal. It allowed generations of readers to see their own hopes for peace and salvation reflected in the Latin language. Whether it is a Roman heir or the King of Kings, the poem captures the universal longing for a world where “the serpent will die” and the earth will bloom.
Gustatory Parting Shot
Dr. Winkle leaves us with a festive quote from Robin Stevens (Mistletoe and Murder) describing a Christmas feast:
“On the long wooden tables, turkeys gleamed like chestnuts. Bowls of cranberry sauce and piles of potatoes and stuffing and roast vegetables… Christmas crackers were laid out at each place.”
Valete! (And enjoy the outro music featuring guitar virtuoso Paul Gilbert performing Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!).
Resources for the Latin Learner
- Hackett Publishing: GIVEAWAY ALERT! Sign up to win a free copy of the two-volume Complete Works of Aristotle. If you don’t win, use code AN2025 for 20% off and free shipping at hackettpublishing.com.
- The Moss Method: Want to read the New Testament or the Septuagint in the original Greek? Dr. Noe’s course takes you from “neophyte to erudite.” Watch for the one-day flash sale on January 1, 2026 (Code: NEWYEAR26) at latinperdiem.com.
- Ratio Coffee: Brew coffee worthy of a Roman consul. Use code ANRATIO2025 for $20 off at ratiocoffee.com.
Della Chelpka Art: Looking for unique oil paintings? Use code APELLES for 10% off at dellachelpka.art.
