第4章 ECLOGUE IIIMENALCAS DAMOETAS PALAEMON(2)

DAMOETAS "From Jove the Muse began; Jove filleth all, Makes the earth fruitful, for my songs hath care."MENALCAS "Me Phoebus loves; for Phoebus his own gifts, Bays and sweet-blushing hyacinths, I keep."DAMOETAS "Gay Galatea throws an apple at me, Then hies to the willows, hoping to be seen."MENALCAS "My dear Amyntas comes unasked to me; Not Delia to my dogs is better known."DAMOETAS "Gifts for my love I've found; mine eyes have marked Where the wood-pigeons build their airy nests."MENALCAS "Ten golden apples have I sent my boy, All that I could, to-morrow as many more."DAMOETAS "What words to me, and uttered O how oft, Hath Galatea spoke! waft some of them, Ye winds, I pray you, for the gods to hear."MENALCAS "It profiteth me naught, Amyntas mine, That in your very heart you spurn me not, If, while you hunt the boar, I guard the nets." DAMOETAS "Prithee, Iollas, for my birthday guest Send me your Phyllis; when for the young crops I slay my heifer, you yourself shallcome."MENALCAS "I am all hers; she wept to see me go, And, lingering on the word, 'farewell' she said, 'My beautiful Iollas, fare you well.'"DAMOETAS "Fell as the wolf is to the folded flock, Rain to ripe corn, Sirocco to the trees, The wrath of Amaryllis is to me."MENALCAS "As moisture to the corn, to ewes with young Lithe willow, as arbute to the yeanling kids, So sweet Amyntas, and none else, to me."DAMOETAS "My Muse, although she be but country-bred, Is loved by Pollio: O Pierian Maids, Pray you, a heifer for your reader feed!"MENALCAS "Pollio himself too doth new verses make: Feed ye a bull now ripe to butt with horn, And scatter with his hooves the flying sand."DAMOETAS "Who loves thee, Pollio, may he thither come Where thee he joys beholding; ay, for him Let honey flow, the thorn-bush spices bear."MENALCAS "Who hates not Bavius, let him also love Thy songs, O Maevius, ay, and therewithal Yoke foxes to his car, and he-goats milk."DAMOETAS "You, picking flowers and strawberries that grow So near the ground, fly hence, boys, get you gone! There's a cold adder lurking in the grass."MENALCAS "Forbear, my sheep, to tread too near the brink; Yon bank is ill to trust to; even now The ram himself, see, dries his dripping fleece!"DAMOETAS "Back with the she-goats, Tityrus, grazing there So near the river! I, when time shall serve, Will take them all, and wash them in the pool."MENALCAS "Boys, get your sheep together; if the heat, As late it did, forestall us with the milk, Vainly the dried-up udders shall we wring."DAMOETAS "How lean my bull amid the fattening vetch! Alack! alack! for herdsman and for herd! It is the self-same love that wastes us both."MENALCAS "These truly- nor is even love the cause- Scarce have the flesh to keep their bones together Some evil eye my lambkins hath bewitched."DAMOETAS "Say in what clime- and you shall be withal My great Apollo- the whole breadth of heaven Opens no wider than three ells to view."MENALCAS "Say in what country grow such flowers as bear The names of kings upon their petals writ, And you shall have fair Phyllis for your own."PALAEMON Not mine betwixt such rivals to decide: You well deserve the heifer, so does he, With all who either fear the sweets of love, Or taste its bitterness. Now, boys, shut off The sluices, for the fields have drunk their fill.