“Bucolic” is a word of foreign origin, so its interpretation is often difficult. Moreover, it is mentioned mainly in literary speech or in a figurative sense. Next, its meaning, origin, synonyms and antonyms for this word will be considered.
In the literal and figurative sense
The dictionaries indicate two meanings of the word “bucolic”.
The first of them speaks of a literary work written in the genre of bucolic or related to this genre. Bucolic is rural, shepherd when it comes to poetry. Example: Such bucolic verses were not at all in Anatoly's taste; he preferred contemporary poetry.
The second is figurative, which today is obsolete and is understood as “serene,” “peaceful.” Example: "He did not get into the excitement of the controversy erupting around, but, on the contrary, more and more fell into a bucolic mood."
Synonyms, antonyms, etymology
Synonyms for the word "bucolic" are:
- pastoral;
- country;
- rural;
- pastoral;
- serene;
- idyllic;
- pacified;
- peaceful;
- calm.
Among the antonyms are such as:
- urban
- urban;
- industrial;
- rebellious;
- aggressive;
- rebellious.
The word comes from the Latin adjective būcolicus and the noun bucolica, which were formed from the Greek βουκολικός, which means "shepherd's", and βουκόλος in the meaning of "shepherd", "bootes". The composition of these tokens includes two bases. The first of them is βοῦς - “bull”, and the second πέλω, which means “I am”, “rotate”, “happen”.
The word, possibly, got into the Russian language by borrowing from German. There is a noun Bukóliker - "bucolic poet". First, a noun denoting shepherd’s poetry was formed, and from it an adjective.
Shepherd's poetry
The bucolics came from the songs of Sicilian and Greek shepherds. Their genre is the middle between the epic and the drama. They are devoted to the poetic reflection of the shepherds' lifestyle, and are sometimes contrasted with the refined, luxurious, but devoid of morality, life of the more cultured social classes that takes place in big cities.
The oldest representative representative of bucolic poetry is Theocritus, a third-century Syracuse poet. BC e. His poems are simple and artless. In the same vein, both Mosch of Syracuse and Bion of Smyrna wrote.
The first imitator of these poets was Virgil. His pastors are no longer inherent in their original naturalness and simplicity. The speeches of the shepherds become fanciful, hints of political life appear. The same can be said about the subsequent imitators of Theocritus, but in general, the works of this genre are inherent in a certain charm and liveliness in the image of nature paintings.