Georgics A Poem of the Land-Virgil

0:00Section 1 of the Georgics, a poem of the land. This is a Libervox recording, all Libervox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Libervox.org. Read by George Emerson, the Georgics, a poem of the land, by Virgil, translated by James Rhodes. Georgic One What makes the cornfield smile? Beneath what star, Missanus, it is meat to turn the sod, or Mary Elm with vine. How tender the steer? What pains for cattle-keeping? Or what proof of patient trial serves for fifty bees? Such are my themes. O universal lights most glorious, ye that lead the gliding year along the sky.

1:05Leiber and seers mild, if by your bounty, hope in earth once changed Coyonian acorn for the plump wheat-star, and mingled with the grape your newfound gift, the drops of echelus. And ye fawns to rustic sever kind, come foot it fawns and dry admaids together, your gifts I sing. And thou, for whose delight the warhorse first sprang from earth's womb at thy great trident stroke, Neptune. And haunter of the groves, for whom three hundred snow-white hyphers brows the brakes, the fertile brakes of saiyas. And clothed in power, thy native forest and lycean lawns pan, shepherd god, for sinking as the love of thine own mannaless constrains thee, here in help, O Lord of Tijia.

2:08And thou too, Minerva, from whose hand the olive sprung, and boy discoverer of the curvid plough, and bearing a young cypress root up torn, silveness. And gods all and goddesses, who make the fields your care, both ye who nurse the tender, unsown increase, and from heaven shed on man sowing the riches of your rain. And thou, even thou, of whom we know not yet what mansion of the skies shall hold thee soon, whether to watch or cities be thy will, great Caesar, and to take the earth in charge, that so the mighty world may welcome thee, Lord of her increase, master of her times, binding thy mother's mortal round thy brow. Or as the boundless oceans god thou come, sole dread of semen, till far thoole bow before

3:11thee, and tethis windy to her son, with all her waves for dour. Or as a star lend thy fresh beams, our lagging months to cheer, where twits the maid in those pursuing claws a space is opening. See, red Scorpio's self, his arms draws in, ye, and hath left thee more than thy full mead of heaven. Be with thou wilt, for neither Tardarus hopes to call thee king, nor may so dire a lust of sovereignty air light upon thee, how so grease admire at Lyceum's fields, and proser peen not heed her mother's voice in treating to return. Vouch safe a prosperous voyage, and smile on this my bold endeavor, and pitting, even as I, these poor way-wildered swans, at once begin, grow timely used unto the voice of

4:17prayer. In early spring-tide, when the icy drip melts from the mountains whore, and zephyr's breath unbinds the crumbling clod, even then to his time, press deep your plough behind the groaning ox, and teach the furrow-burnished share to shine. That land the craving farmer's prayer fulfills, which twice the sunshine twice the frost has felt. I, that's the land whose boundless harvest crops burst, see, the barns. With air our metal cleave an unknown surface, heed we to forlorn the winds and varying temper of the sky. The lineal tilth inhabits of the spot, what every region yields, and what denies. Here blivelyer springs the corn, and here the grape. There earth is green with tender growth of trees, and grass unbidden.

5:21See how from Tmolis comes the saffron's fragrance, ivory from India, from sabbas weakling suns their frankincense, iron from the naked chalibs, castor rank from Pontus, from a pyrus the prized palms, or the mayors of Ellis. Such the eternal bond, and such the laws of nature's hand imposed on climb and climb, where since the primal dawn, when old Dukhalyan on the unpeople earth cast stones, whence men of flinty race were reared. Up then, if fat the soil, let sturdy bulls upturn it from the year's first opening months, and let the clouds lie bare till bake to dust by the ripe suns of summer. But if the earth less fruitful, just air our churus rise, with shallower trench up tilt

6:21it, twil suffice. There, less weeds choke the crops' labyrinths. Here, less the scant moisture, fail the barren sand. Then thou shalt suffer in alternate years, the new reaped fields to rest, and on the plain a crust of sloth to harden. Or when stars are changed in heaven, there so the golden grain, where heirsht, luxuriant with its quivering pod, pulse, or the slender veg crop, thou hast cleared. And loop in sour, whose brittle stalks arise a herdling forest. The plain is parched by flax crop, parched by oats, by poppies parched in left slumber drenched. Nathless by change the traveling earth is lightened, but stint not with refuse rich to

7:22soak the thirsty soil, and shower foul ashes or the exhausted fields. Nathless by rotation, like repose is gained, nor earth meanwhile uneared and thankless left. Often, too, twill boot to fire the naked fields, and the light stubble burn with crackling flames. Whether that earth therefrom some hidden strength and fattening food derives, or that the fire bakes every blemish out and sweats away each useless humor, or that the heat unlocks new passages and secret pours, whereby thy life juice, to the tender blades may win, or that it hardens more and helps to bind the gaping veins, lest penetrating showers, or fear sons ravening might, or searching blast of the keen north should seer them.

8:27Well, I want, he serves the fields who with his hairrow breaks the sluggish clods, and hurdles osier twine hails or them. From the far Olympian height, him golden seers not in vain regard. And he, who having ploughed the follow plane and heaved its furrowly ridges, turns once more crosswise his shattering share, with stroke on stroke the earth assails, and makes the field his thrall. Pray for wet summers and for winter's fine ye has been men. In winter's dust the crops exceedingly rejoice, the field hath joy. No tilth makes Ma'eja lift her head so high, or gargourous his own harvest so admire. Why tell of him, who, having launched his seed, sets on for close encounter, and rakes

9:27spooth the dry dust hillocks? Then on the tender corn lets in the flood, whose waters follow fein, and when the parched field quivers, and all the blades are dying, from the brow of its hillbed, see, see. He lures the runnel, down it falls, waking horse murmurs or the polished stones, and with its bubbling slakes the thirsty fields, or why of him, who lests the heavy ears or weigh the stock, while yet in tender blade feeds down the crops' luxuriance, when its growth first tops the furrows. Why of him, who drains the marshlands gathered ooze through soaking sand, chiefly what time in treacherous moons a stream goes out in spate, and with its coat of slime holds all the country, whence the hollow dikes sweat steaming vapor.

10:29But no wit the moor, for all expedience tried and travail borne by man and beast in turning off the soil. Do greedy goose and strime and haunting cranes, and suckery's bitter fibers cease to harm, or shade and not injure. The great sire himself, no easy road to husbandry assigned, and first was he by human skill to rouse the slumbering glave, wetting the mines of men with care on care, nor suffering realm of his in drowsy sloth to stagnate. Before Job fields new no taming hand of husbandmen, to mark the plain or meet with boundary line, even this was impious, for the common stock they gathered and the earth of her own will all things more freely, no man bidding, bore.

11:31He to black serpents gave their venom bane, and bade the wolf go prowl, and ocean toss, shook from the leaves their honey, put fire away, and curbed the random rivers running wine, that use by gradual dent of thought on thought might forge the various arts. With furrows help the corn blade win, and strike out hidden fire from the flint's heart. Then first the streams were where of hollowed alder holes. The sailor then their names and numbers gave to star and star. Play ads and high ads, and likehions child bright arctose. How with nooses then was found to catch wild beasts, and cousin them with lime, and hem

12:32with hounds the mighty forest glades. When one with hand-net scourges the broad stream, probing its depths one drags his dripping toils along the main, then irons unbending might, and shrieking saw blade. For the men of old with wedges wants to cleave the splintering log, then divers arts arose. Still conquered all, remorseless toil, and poverty's shrewd push in times of hardship. Series was the first set mortals on with tools to turn the sod. When now the awful groves gand failed to bear acorns and arbutes, and her wanted food the Donna gave no more. Soon too the corn gats arose increase, that an evil blight ate up the stalks, and fissile

13:32reared his spines and idler in the fields. The crops die down. Upsprings instead a shaggy growth of burrs and cow-trops, and amid the corn fields trim up fruitful darnal, and wild oats have sway. Wherefore, unless thou shalt with ceaseless rake the weeds pursue, with shouting scare the birds, prune with thy hook the dark fields madded shade, pray down the showers, all vainly thou shalt eye. Alach thy neighbors heaped up harvest moe, and in the green wood from a shaken oak seek solace for thine hunger. Now to tell the sturdy rustic's weapons what they are, without which neither can be so nor reared the fruits of harvest.

14:34First, the bent plows share, and heavy timber, and slow lumbering wanes, of the alloy-synian mother, threshing slays and drags, and herrows with their crushing weight. Then the cheap wickerware of celious old, hurdles of arbut, and thy mystic fan, eacous, which, full-tail, long air the time thou must with heed lay by, if thee await not all un-earned the country's crown divine. Well yet within the woods the elm's tamed, and bowed with mighty force to form the stock, and take the plows curve-shape, then nigh the root, a pole eight-feet projecting, earth-bords twain, and sharebeam with its double-back they fix. For yoke is early-hune a linden-light, and a tall beach for handle, from behind to turn

15:39the car at lowest, then or the hearth the wood they hang till the smoke knows it well. Many the precepts of the men of old I can recount thee, so thou start not back, and such slight cares to learn not weary thee. And this among the first, thy threshing floor with ponderous roller must be leveled smooth, and wrought by hand, and fixed with binding chalk, lest weeds arise, or dust a passage-winne splitting the surface, and then a thousand plagues make sport of it, oft builds the tiny mouse her home, and plants her granary underground, or burrow for their bed the purr-blind moles, or toad is found in hollows, and all the swarm of earths unsightly creatures, or a huge corn-hape the weevil plunders, and the ant, fearful of coming age and penury.

16:44Not to what time the walnut in the woods with ample bloom shall clothe her, and bow down her odorous branches, if the fruit prevail, like-store of grain will follow, and there shall come a mighty winnowing time with mighty heat. But if the shade with wealth of leaves abound, vainly your threshing floor will bruise the stalks, rich but in chaff. Many myself have seen steep as they sow their pullseeds, drenching them with nider and black oil-leaves, that the fruit might swell within the treacherous pods, and they make speed to boil at how so small a fire. Yet, cold with caution, proved with patient toil, these have I seen degenerate, did not man put forth his hand with power, and year by year choose out the largest. So, by fate impelled, speed all things to the worse,

17:53and backward born glide from us, even as who with struggling ores upstream scarce pulls a shallip, if he chants his arms to slacken low, with headlong force the current sweeps him down the hurrying tide. Us too, bechose, are tourists's side observe, and the kids seasons, and the shining snake, no less than those who or the windy main, born homework, tempt the pontake, and the jaws of oyster rife abidos. When the scales now poising fair the hours of sleep, and day give half the world a sunshine, half to shade, then urge your bulls, my masters. So the plane, even to the verge of nameless winter showers with barley, then too, time it is to hide your flax in earth, and poppy, sears joy, I,

18:58more than time to bend above the plow, while earth yet dry forbids not, and the clouds are buoyant, with the spring comes bean sowing. The two loose earn, the crumbling furrows then receive, and millets annual care returns. What time the white bull with his gilded horns opens the year, before whose threatening front routed the dog star sinks. But if it be for wheaten harvest and the hearty spelt, thou tax the soil, two corn ears wholly given, let atlases daughters hide them in the dawn. The cr eaten star, a crown of fire, depart, or air the furrows claim of sea-dow quit, or hasty to entrust the whole year's hope to earth that would not. Many have begun, air-maias star, be setting. These, I tro, they're looked for harvest fools with empty ears.

20:04But if the vetch and common kidney bean thou art feint or so, nor scorn to make thy care, pollution-lental, no uncertain sign but Ote's fall will send thee, then begin, pursue thy sowing till half the frost be done. Therefore it is the golden sun, his course into fixed parts dividing, rules his way through the twelfth constellations of the world. Five zones the heavens contain. Whereof is one I red with flashing sunlight, fervent I from fire. On either side to left and right are traced the utmost twain, stiff with blue ice, and black with scowling storm clouds, and be twixed these and the midmost, other twain their lie by the gods grace to heart-sick mortals

21:11given, and a path cleft between them, where might wheel on sloping plain the system of the signs, and as toward Scythia and repagion heights the world mounts upward, likewise sinks it down toward Libya and the south, this pole of our still towering high, that other, beneath their feet by dark sticks frowned on, and the abysmal shades. Here glides the huge snake, forth with sinuous coils, twix the two bears and round them whiver-wise. The bears that fear, neath oceans brim to dip. Their either, say they, reigns the eternal hush of night that knows no seasons, her black paw thick mantling fold on fold, or the other word from us

22:15returning dawn brings back the day, and when the first breath of his panting steeds on us the orient flings, that hour with them, red Vesper, gins to trim his laded fires, hence under doubtful skies for bowed we can the coming tempests, hence both harvest day and seed time, when to smite the treacherous mane with driving oars, when launch the fair rigged fleet, or in ripe hour to fell the forest pine, hence to not idly do we watch the stars, their rising and their setting and the year, four varying seasons to one law conformed. If chilly showers air shut the farmer's door, much that had soon with sunshine cried for haste, he may forstall. The plowman batters keen his

23:21blunted shares hard tooth, scoops for matri his troughs, or on the cattle stamps a brand, or numbers on the corn heaps. Some make sharp the stakes in two pronged forks, and willow bans a Marion for the bending vine prepare. Now let the pliant basket plated be of bramble twigs. Now set your corn to parch before the fire. Now bruise it with the stone. Nay, even on holy days some tasks to plie is right and lawful. This no ban for bids to turn the runnal's course, fence corn fields in, makes springes for the birds, burn up the briars, and plunge in wholesome stream the bleeding flock. Off to with oil or apples plenty cheap the creeping asses

24:22ribs his driver-packs, and home from town returning brings instead a dented millstone or black lump of pitch. The moon herself in various rank assigns the days for labor lucky, fly the fifth, then sprang pale orcus and the humanities. Earth then in awful labor brought to light. Coius, Iapudus, and Typhus fell, and those sworn brethren banded to break down the gates of heaven. Thrice soothed to say they strove Asa on pillions top to heave and heap. I, and on Asa to uproll a main leafy Olympus. Thrice with thunderbolt their mountain stair the sire a sunder smote. Seventh after tenth is lucky both to set the vine in earth and take and tame

25:25the steer, and fix the leashes to the warp. The ninth to runnigate is kinder, cross to thieves. Many the tasks that lightly are lend themselves in chilly night, or when the sun is young and dawn be do's the world. By night, tis best to reap light stubble and parched fields by night, for nights the suppling moisture never fails. And one will sit the long late watches out by winter firelight, shaping with keen blade the torches to a point. His wife the while, her tedious labor soothing with a song, speeds the shrill comb along the warp, or else with Vulcan's aid boils the sweet must-juice down, and skims with leaves the quivering cauldron's wave. But ruddy series in mid-heat is moan, and in mid-heat the parched ears are bruised upon the floor. To plow strip, strip to sew.

26:35Winter's the lazy time for husband men, in the cold season farmers want to taste the increase of their toil, and yield themselves to mutual interchange of festil cheer. Boon winter bids them and unbinds their cares, as laden keels went now the port they touch, and happy sailors crown the stern's with flowers. Nathless then also timet is to strip acorns from oaks and berries from the bay, olives, and bleeding myrtles, then to set snares for the crane and meshes for the stag, and hunt the long eard hairs, then pierce the doe with whirl of hempen thong beleric sling, while snow lies deep, and streams are drifting ice. What need to tell of autumn storms and stars, and therefore men must watch when now the day grows shorter and more soft the summer's heat,

27:40when spring the rainbringer comes rushing down, or when the beards of harvest on the plain bristle already, and the milky corn on its green stalk is swelling. Many a time, when now the farmer do his yellow fields the reaping hind came bringing, even in act to lop the brittle barley stems, have I seen all the windy legions clash in war together, as to rent up far and wide the heavy corn crop from its lowest roots, and toss it skyward. So might winter's flaw dark edding, whirl light stalks, and flying straws. After two comes looming vast along the sky a march of waters, mustering from above the clouds roll up the tempest, heaps in grim with angry showers, down falls the height of heaven, and with a great rain floods the smiling crops, the oxen's labor.

28:47Now the dikes feel fast, and the void riverbed swell thunderously, and all the panting firds of ocean boil. The sire himself, at midnight of the clouds, wields with red hand the leaven, through all her bulk earth at the hurly quakes, the beasts are fled, and mortal hearts of every kindred sunk in cowering terror. He with flaming brand Athos, or Rodop, or Serrani in craigs precipitates, then doubly raves the south with shower on blinding shower, and woods and coasts whale fitfully beneath the mighty blast. This fearing mark the months and signs of heaven, with her retires him Saturn's icy star, and through what heavenly cycles wandereth the glowing orb-Selenian. Before all worship the gods, and two great series pay her yearly dues upon the happy

29:55sword with sacrifice, and now the utmost end of winter, and when spring begins to smile, then lambs are fat, and winds are mellowest then, then sleep is sweet, and dark the shadows fall upon the mountains. Let your rustic youth to series do obeisance, one and all, and for her pleasure thou mix honeycombs with milk in the ripe wine-god, thrice for luck around the young corn let the victim go, and all the choir, a joyful company attended, and with shouts bid series come to be their housemate, and let no man dare put sickle to the ripened ears until with woven oak his temples chapleted, he foot the rugged dance, and chant the lay. I, and that these things we might win to know by certain tokens, heats, and showers, and winds that bring the frost. The sire of all himself ordained what

31:03warnings in her monthly round the boon should give, what boats the south winds fall, what off-repeated sights the herdsmen seeing should keep his cattle closer to their stalls. No sooner are the winds at point to rise, and either oceans' furthes begin to toss and swell, and a dry crackling sound is heard upon the heights, or one loud fermint booms the beach afar, and through the forest goes a murmur multitudinous. By this scarce can the billows spare the curved keels, when swift the seagulls from the middle main come winging, and their shrieks are shoreward born, when ocean-loving quormorants on dry land besport them, and the herds her marshy haunts for shaking, mounts above the soaring cloud. Off to, when wind is toured, the stars,

32:05they'll see, from heaven shoot headlong, and through murky night long trails of fire-white glistening in their wake, or light chaff flit in air with fallen leaves, or feathers on the waft-hawth float and play. But when from regions of the furious north it lightens, and when thunder fills the halls of oiris and of zeifer, all the fields with brimming dikes are flooded, and its sea no mariner, but furls is dripping sales. Never at unawares did shower anoy. Or, as it rises, the high-soring cranes flee to the veils before it, with face upturned to heaven the heifers stuffs the gale through gaping nostrils, or about the mirrors shrill twittering flits the swallow, and the frogs crouch in the mud and chant their dirge of old. Off to, the ant from out her innmost cells, fretting the

33:10narrow path, her eggs convey, or to the huge bow sucks moisture, or a host of rooks from food returning in long-line clamor with jostling wings. Now may us thou see the various ocean-file, and those that pry around Asian meeds within thy fresher pools, caster, as in eager rivalry, about their shoulders dash the plentiest spray. Now duck their head beneath the wave, now run into the billows, for sheer idle joy of their mad bathing-revel. Then the crow with full voice, good for not inviting rain, stalks on the dry sand, make bliss and alone. Nor ear in the maids that card their nightly task no not the storm-sign, when in blazing crock they see the lamp-oil sputtering, with a growth of moldy snuff-clots. So too, after rain sunshine and open skies thou mace for cast, and learned by token shore,

34:18for then nor dim'd appear the star's keen edges, nor the moon as borrowing of her brother's beams to rise, nor fleecee films to float along the sky. Not to the sun's warmth then upon the shore, do heath-seons dear to Thadis open their wings, nor filthy swine take thought to toss on high with scattering snout-dustraw-wisps. The clouds seek more the veils and rest upon the plane, and from the rooftop the night-al for not watching the sunset plies her lated song. Distincts in clearest air is nisses seen towering, and sila for the purple lock pays dear. For where so, as she flies, her wings the light air winnow low fierce implacable, nisses with mighty worr through heaven pursues, where nisses heavenward sorteth,

35:22there her wings clutch as she flies, the light air winnowing still. Soft then the voice of rooks from in-drawn throat thrice, four times or repeated, and full off'd on their high cradles, by some hidden joy gladdened beyond their want, in bustling throngs among the leaves they riot. So sweet it is when showers are spent, their own lov'd-ness again, and tender brood to visit. Not, I deem, that heaven some native wit to these assigned, or fate a larger prescience, but that when the storm and shifting moisture of the air have changed their courses, and the sky god now, wet with the south wind, thickens what was rare, and what was gross releases, then too, change their spirits fleeting phases,

36:22and their breasts feel other motions now, than when the wind was driving up the cloud rack. Hence proceeds that blending of the feathered choirs of field, the cattle's exaltation, and the rook's deep-throated triumph. But if the headlock sun and moons in order following their regard, Nair will tomorrow's hour deceive thee. Nair will thou be caught by guile of cloudless night. When first the moon recalls her rallying fires, if dark the air clipped by her crescent dim, for folks of field and on the open sea, a mighty rain is brewing. But if her face with maiden blush she mental, it will be wind. For wind turns feebe still to ruddy her gold. But if at her forth-rising, for tis that gives surest counsel, clear she ride through heaven with horns unblunted,

37:27then shall that whole day and to the month end those that spring from it, raindless and windless be. While safe ashore shall sailors pay their vows to panope, glaucous, and millesserts, e-nose child. The sun, too, both at rising, and when soon he dives beneath the waves shall yield thee signs. For signs, none, trusteeer, travel with the sun. Both those which in their course with dawn he brings, and those at star-rise. When his spring orb with spots he pranketh, muffled in a cloud, and shrinks mid-circle, then of showers beware, for then the south comes driving from the deep, to trees and crops, and cattle bringing bane. Or when at daybreak through dark clouds his rays burst and are scattered, or when rising pale aurora quits to thonus's saffron bed. But sorry shelter, then,

38:34a lack I will yield vine leaf to ripening grapes, so thick a hail in spiky showers spins rattling on the roof. And this yet more twill boot thee bear in mind, when now his course upon Olympus run, he draws to his decline. For oft we see, upon the sun's own face strange colors stray, dark tells of rain, of east winds fiery red. If spots with ruddy fire begin to mix, then all the heavens convulst in wrath out sea, storm clouds, and wind together. Me, that night, let no man bid fair forth upon the deep, nor rend the rope from shore. But if, when both he brings again and hides the day's return, clear orb'd he shineeth, idly wilt thou dread the storm clouds, and beneath the lustral north sea the woods waving,

39:38what late eve in fine bears in her bosom, whence the wind that rings fair weather clouds, or what the rain south is meditating, tokens of all these the sun will give thee, who dare charge the sun with leasing. He it is, who warneth oft of hidden broils at hand and treachery, in secret swelling of the waves of war. He too it was, when Caesar's light was quenched. For Rome had pity when his bright head he veiled in iron-hue darkness, till a godless age trembled for night eternal. At that time how be it earth also, and the ocean plains, and dogs of scene, and birds of evil bow'd gave tokens? Yeh, how often have we seen Etna, her furnace walls a sunder-riven, in billowy floods boil

40:41or the cyclops fields, and roll down globes of fire in molten rocks. A clash of arms through all the heaven was heard by Germany, strange heavings struck the alps. Yeh, and by many through the breathless groves a voice was heard with power, and wondrous pale phantoms were seen upon the dusk of night, and cattle spake, portentious, stream'd stand still, and the earth yawns a sunder, ivory weeps for sorrow in the shrines, and bronzes sweat. Up twirling forests with his eddiang tide, madly he bears them down that lord of floods, aridness, till through all the plain are swept beasts in their stalls together. At that time in gloomy entrail ceased not to appear dark threatening fibers, springs to trickle blood, and high-built cities night-long to resound with the wolves howling.

41:49Never, more than then, from skies all cloudless fell the thunderbolts, nor blazed so off to the comet's fire of bail. Therefore a second time Philippi saw the Roman hosts with kindred weapons rushed to battle, nor did the high gods deem it hard that twice in Matthew and the wide champagne of Hamus should be fattening with our blood. Aye, and the time will come when there an eye, heaving the earth up with his curved plow, some swain will light on javelins by foul rust corroded, or with ponderous hairrow strike unempty helmets, while he gapes to see bones as of giants from the trench untumed. Gods of my country, heroes of the soil, and Romulus, and Mother Vesta, Thou who Tuscan Tiber and Rome's Palatine preserved, this new champion at the

42:55least are fallen generation to repair for bid not. To the full and long ago are blood-dyedrojin perjuries have paid Leamadan. Long since the courts of heaven begrudge us thee, our Caesar, and complain that Thou regardest the triumphs of mankind, here where the wrong is right, the right is wrong, where wars abound so many, and myriad faced as crime, where no meat honor hath the plow, the fields, their husbandmen led far away, rot in neglect. In curved pruning hooks into the sword stiff blade are fused and forged. Euphrates here, here Germany new strife is stirring, neighboring cities are in arms, the laws that bound them snapped, and godless war rages through all the universe, as when the four horse chariots from

43:59the barriers poured still quicken or the course, and idly now grasping the reins, the driver by his team is onward born, nor heaths the car his curb. End of Georgic One Section 2 of the Georgics, a poem of the land, bivergial, translated by James Rhodes, this libravox recording is in the public domain. Georgic Two thus far the tilt of fields in stars of heaven, now will I sing thee, Bacchus, and with thee the forest's young plantations in the fruit of slow maturing olive, hither hast, O father of the winepress, all things hear team with the bounties of thy hand, for thee with viney autumn laden blooms the field,

45:05and foams the vintage high with brimming vats. Hither, O father of the winepress, come, and stripped of busken, stained, Ibarred limbs in the new must with me. First, nature's law for generating trees is manifold, for some of their own four spontaneous spring, no hand of men compelling, and possess the plains and river windings far and wide, as pliant ozer and the bending broom, poplar, and willows in one companies with green leaf glimmering gray. And some there be from chance dropped seed that rear them, as the tall chestnuts and mightiest of the branching wood, joves escalus, and oaks, arachular deemed by the Greeks of old, with some sprouts forth a forest of dense suckers from the root, as elms and cherries, so to a pygmy plant beneath its mother's mighty shade

46:08upshoots the bay tree of Parnazus, such the modes nature imparted first. Hence, all the race of forest trees and shrubs and sacred groves springs into Virdu. Other means there are, which used by method for itself acquired. One, sliving suckers from the tender frame of the tree mother, plants them in the trench. One buries the bare stumps within his field, trunchens cleft four-wise, or sharp-pointed stakes. Some forest trees the layers bent arch await, and slips yet quick within the parent's soil. No root need others, nor does the pruner's hand shrink to restore the topmost chute to earth that gave it being. Nay, marvelous to tell, lopped of its limbs, the olive, a mere stock, still thrusts its root out from the samplest wood. And, oft the branches of one kind we see

47:12change to another's with no lost a root. Pair tree transformed the ingrafted apple yield, and stony cornels on the plum tree blush. Come then, and learn what tilleth to each belongs according to their kinds ye has been men, and tame with culture the wild fruits, lest earth lie idle. O, blithe to make all ismaris one forest of the wine-god, and to clothe with olive's huge taberness. And be thou at hand, and with me plie the voyage of toil I am bound on, oh my glory, o thou that art justly the chiefest portion of my fame, messainess, and on this wide ocean launched spread sail like wings to waft thee, not that I with my poor verse would comprehend the whole. Nay, though a hundred tongues a hundred mouths were mine, a voice of iron.

48:14Be thou at hand, scourge but the nearer coastline, see the shore is in our grasp, not now with fained song through winding bouts and tedious pre-looting shall I detain thee. Those that lift their head into the realms of light spontaneously, fruitless indeed. But blithe and strenuous spring, since nature lurks within the soil, and yet even these should one engraft them, or transplant to well drilled trenches, will non-put of their woodland temper, and by frequent tillth to what so craft thou some of them makes me to follow. So likewise will the barren shaft that from the stock-root issueeth, if it be set out with clear space amid open fields. Now the tree mothers towering leaves and boughs darken, dispoil of increase as it grows, and blast it in the bearing. Lastly, that which from shed seed ariseeth, upward winds but slowly, yielding promise of its shade

49:23to late-born generations, apples wane, forgetful of their former juice, the grape bear sorry clusters, for the birds appray. Soothly unall must toil be spent, and all train to the trench and at great costs subdued. But reared from trunchens olives answer best, as vines from layers, and from the solid wood the puffy and myrtles, while from suckers spraying both herady hazels and huge ash. The tree that rims with shade the brows of Hercules, and acorns deer to the caonian sire, so springs the towering palm too, and the fur destined to spy the dangers of the deep. But the rough arbutus with walnut fruit is grafted. Sooth of barren plains air now stout apples born, with chestnut flour the beach, the mountain ash with parabloom white nore,

50:26and swine crunched acorns, neath the boughs of elms, nor is the method of inserting eyes and grafting one, for where the buds push forth amidst the bark, and burst the membrane's thin, even on the knot a narrow rift is made, wherein from sun strange tree a germ they pen and to the moist rind bid it cleave and grow, or otherwise in knotless trunks is new in a breach, and deep into the solid grain a path with wedges cloven, then fruitful slips are set herein, and no long time behold, to heaven upshot with teeming boughs the tree's strange leaves admires, and fruitage not its own. Nore of one kind alone are sturdy elms, willow and lotus, nor the cypress trees of Ida, nor of self-same fashion spring fat olives, orchids,

51:31in radii, and bitter buried pausians, no nor yet apples in the forests of alcinus, nor from like cuttings are crustumean pears and serian, and the heavy hand fillers, not the same vintage from arthrees hangs down which lesbos from Mathimna's tendril plucks, vines phasian are there, mariatids white, these apt for richer soils, for lighter those, sivian for raisin wine more useful, thin legios that one day will try the feet and tie the tongue, purples in early ripes, and oh how racian shall I him thy praise, yet cope not therefore with falerian bins, vines aminean too best-bodied wine to which the tamolean bauzim, I, and King Fanius too, and lesser of that name are gitties, wherewith not a

52:36grape can vie for gush of wine juice or for length of years, nor thee must I pass over vine of roads, welcomed by gods and at the second board, nor thee, boomastus, with plum clusters swollen, but low how many kinds and what their names there is no telling, nor doth it boot to tell, who lists to know it, he too would list to learn how many sand grains are by zephyr tossed on Libya's plain, or what when yurus falls with fury on the ships, how many waves come rolling shoreward from the Ionian sea, not that all soils can all things bear alike, willows by water courses have their birth, alders and myry fens, on rocky heights them barren mountain-nashes, on the shore myrtles throng gaius, bockas lastly loves the bear hillside, and use the north winds chill,

53:42mark to the earth by outland tillers tamed, and eastern homes of Arabs and tattooed Galoni, to all trees their native lands allotted are, no climb but India bears black ebony, the branch of frankincense is sabbas suns alone, why tell to thee of balsams oozing from the perfumed wood or berries of a canthus ever green, of atheop forests whore with downy wool, or how the sears comb from off the leaves their silky flees, of groves which India bears, oceans near neighbor, earth's remotest nook, where not an arrow-shot can cleave the Arab of their treetops, yet no lagerds day when girded with the quiver, Medea yields the bitter juices and slow lingering taste of the blessed citron fruit, then which no aid comes time-lear when fierce

54:44step-dames drug the cups with symbols mixed and spells a baneful power to drive the deadly poison from the limbs, large the tree's self-insemblance like a bay, and showered it not a different scent abroad, a bay it had been, for no wind of heaven its foliage falls, the flower non-faster clings, with it the meads for sweetness lave the lips and ease the panting breathlessness of age, but no, not meadland with its wealth of woods, or Ganges fair and Hermes thick with gold can match the praise of Italy, nor India, nor Bactria, nor Pankaya, one wide tract of incense-teaming sand, here never bulls with nostrils snorting fire upturned the sod, sewn with the monstrous dragon's teeth,

55:47nor crop of warriors bristled thick with lance and helm, but heavy harvests and the massac juice of Bacchus fill its borders, overspread with fruitful flocks and olives, hence arose the warhorse stepping proudly or the plain, hence thy white flocks, pletumness, and the bull of victims mightiest which full oft have led, bathed in thy sacred stream, the triumph pump of Romans to the temples of the gods, here blooms perpetual spring and summer here in months that are not summers, twice teemed the flocks, twice stuffed the tree yield service of her fruit, but raving tigers come not nigh, nor breed of savage lion, nor aconite betrays its hapless gatherers, nor with sweep so vast doth the scaled serpent trail his endless coils along the ground, or wreath him into spires,

56:53mark two her cities, so many and so proud, of mighty toil the achievement, town on town, up rugged precipices heaved and reared, and rivers under gliding ancient walls, or should I celebrate the sea that laves her upper shores and lower, or those broad lakes, the larius, greatest, and binakis, thee with billary up-war surging like the main, orcing her harbors, and the barrier cast a thwart the lucran, and how ocean chaps with mighty bellowings, with the julien wave echoes the thunder of his route, and through a verneying inlets pours the Tuscan tide, a land no less that in her veins displays rivers of silver, mines of copper ore, eye, and with gold that flowed abundantly, a land that reared a valiant breed of men, the Marcy,

57:58and Sibelian youth, and school to hardship the Ligurian, and with these the Volshen javelin armed, the Deci too, the Mari, and Kamali, names of might, the Scipios, stubborn warriors, and the Great Caesar, who in Asia's utmost bounds with conquering arm in now art fending far the unwore like Indian from the heights of Rome, hail land of Saturn mighty mother thou of fruits and heroes, tis for thee I dare unseal the sacred fountains, and essay themes of old art and glory, as I sing the song of Ascra through the towns of Rome, now for the native gifts of various soils, what powers hath each, what hul, what natural bent for yielding increase,

58:58first your stubborn lands and churlish hillsides, where our thorny fields of meager, marl and gravel, these delight in long-lived olive groves to palace deer, take for a sign the plenty's growth hard by of oleaster, and the fields strone wide with woodland berries, but a soil that's rich in moisture sweet exulting, and the plain that teams with grasses on its fruitful breast, such as full often hollow mountain del we view beneath us, from the craggy heights streams that their flow with fertilizing mud, a plain which southward rising feeds the fern by curved plows detested, this one day shall yield the store of vines full strong to gush in torrents of the wine-god, this shall be fruitful of grapes and flowing juice like thatly poor to heaven from bowls of gold, what time the sleek atruskin at the altar blows his ivory pipe, and on the

1:00:03curvy dish we lay the reeking entrails. If to rear cattle delight thee rather, steers or lambs, or goats that kill the tender plants, then seek full-fed tern tum's glades and distant fields, or such a plain as luckless menchua lost, whose weedy water feeds the snow-white swan. There, nor clear springs nor grass the flocks will fail, and all the day-long browsing of thy herds shall the cool doos of one brief night repair, land which the burrowing share shows dark and rich with crumbling soil, for this we counterfeit in plowing, for corn is goodliest. From no field more wains thou'd see when'd home with plotting steers, or that from which the husband-men in spleen has cleared the timber and orthrown the cops that year

1:01:03on year lay idle, and from the roots up torn the immemorial haunt of birds. They, banished from their nests, have sought the skies. But the rude plain beneath the plowshare stroke starts into sudden brightness. For indeed the starved hill-country gravel scarce serves the bees with lowly casseys and with rosemary, rough toofa and chalk too, by black water-worms nod through and through, proclaim no soils besides so rife with serpent dainty's, or that yield such winding layers to lurk in. That again, which vapory mist and flitting smoke exhales, drinks moisture up and casts it forth at will, which, ever in its own green grass arade, mar's not the metal with salt scurff of rust. That shall vine elms with merry vines and wreath, that teams with olive.

1:02:08That shall by-tilth prove kind to cattle and patience of the curvage share, such plows rich kapua, such the coast that skirts thy ridge vissuvius and the clainian flood a Sarah's desolation and her bane. How each to recognize now hear me tell. Just ask if loose or passing firm it be, since one for corn-hath-liking, one for wine, the firmer sort for series. None to loose for the lius. With scrutinizing eye first choose thy ground, and bid a pit be sunk deep in the solid earth, then cast the mold all back again, and stamp the surface smooth. If it's a feist not, loose will be the land, more meat for cattle and for kindly vines. But if, rebellious, to its proper bounds, the soil returns not, but fills all the trench and overtops it, then the gleebe is

1:03:15gross. Look for stiff ridges and reluctant clods, and with strong bullets cleave the fallow crust. Salt ground again, and bitter, as it is called, barren for fruits by-tilth untamable, nor grape her kind, nor apples their good name maintaining, will in this wise yield the proof. Stout osher baskets from the rafter smoke, and strainer of the wine-press pluck thee down. Herein to let that evil land, with fresh spring-water mixed, be trample to the full. The moisture mark you will ooze all away, in big drops issuing through the osher wides. But plainly will its taste, the secret tell, and with a harsh twang rooffully distort the mouths of them that try it. Rich soil, again, we learn on this wise, tossed from hand to hand, yet cracks it

1:04:17never, but pitch-like, as we hold, clings to the fingers. A land with moisture rife breathes lusty or herbage, and is more than meat prolific. I may never such for me or fertile proof, or make too stout a show with the first earring. Heavy land or light, the mute self-witness of its weight betrays, the glance will serve to warn thee which is black, or what the hue of any, but hard it is to track the signs of that pernicious cold, pines only, noxious use, and ivy's dark at times reveal its traces. All these rules regarding, let your land, I, long before, scorch to the quick, and into trenches carve the mighty mountains, and their upturned clouds bear to the north wind, air thou plant therein the vine's prolific kindred.

1:05:19Fields whose soil is crumbling are the best, winds look to that, and bitter whorfrosts, and the delver's toil untiring as he stirs the loosened glave, but those whose vigilance no care escapes search for a kindred sight, where first to rear a nursery for the trees, and eak where to soon to translate them, lest the sudden shock from their new mother the young plants a strange. Nay, even the quarter of the sky they brand upon the bark, that each may be restored, as heirs to it stood. Here bore the southern heaths, here turned its shoulder to the northern pole. So strong his custom formed in early years. Whether on hill or plain to his best to plant your vineyard first inquire. If on some plain you measure out rich acres, then plant thick.

1:06:21Thick planting makes no niggered of the vine, but if on rising mound or sloping bill, then let the rows have room. So nonetheless each line you draw when all the trees are set may tally to perfection, even as oft in mighty war, when as the legions length deploys its cohorts, and the column stands in open plain, the ranks of battle set, and far in near with rippling sheen of arms the wide earth flickers, nor yet in grizzly strife foe grapples foe, but dubious, twixed the hosts the war-god waivers. So let all be ranged in equal rows symmetric, not alone to feed an idle fancy with the view, but since not otherwise will earth afford vigor to all the length, nor yet the bows have power to stretch them into open space.

1:07:22Shouldst haply of the furrow's depth inquire, even to a shallow trench I dare commit the vine, but deeper in the ground is fixed the tree that props it, Escalus in chief, which house so far at summit swords toward heaven so deep strikes root into the vaults of hell. It therefore neither storms nor blasts nor showers wrench from its bed. Unshakin' it abides, sees many a generation, many an age of men roll onward, and survives them all, stretching its tighten arms and branches far, sole central pillar of a world of shade. Nor toward the sunset let thy vineyards slope, nor midst the vine's plant hazel, neither take the topmost shoots for cuttings, nor from the top of the supporting tree or suckers'

1:08:23tear, so deep their love of earth, nor wound the plants with blunted blade, nor trunchens into spurs of the wild olive. For off from careless swains a spark have fallen, that neath the anxious rind hid thief-like first, now grips the tough tree bowl, and mounting to the leaves on high sends forth a roar to heaven, then coursing through the bows and airy summits reigns victoriously, wraps all the grove in robes of fire, and gross with pitch-black vapor heaves the murky reek skyward. But chiefly if a storm has swooped down on the forest, and a driving wind rolls up the conflagration, when to sow their root force fails them, nor when lopped away can they recover, and from the earth beneath spring to like verger, thus alone survives the bear wild olive with its bitter

1:09:30leaves. Let none persuade thee how so weighty wise to stir the soil when stiff with borey-ass's breath, then ice-bound winter locks the fields, nor lets the young plant fix its frozen root to earth. Best so your vineyards when in blushing spring comes the white bird, long-bodied snakes abhor, or on the eve of autumn's earliest frost, air the swift sun-steeds touch the wintery signs, while summers departing. Spring it is blesses the fruit plantation, spring the groves, in spring earth swells and claims the fruitful seed. Then ether, sire omnipotent, leaps down with quickening showers to his glad wife's embrace, and might with might co-mingling, rears to life all germs that team within her. Then resound with songs of birds the greenwood

1:10:35wildernesses, and in due time the herds their loves renew, then the boom earth yields increase, and the fields unlock their bosoms to the warm west winds, soft moisture spreads or all things, and the blades face the new suns and safely trust them now. The vine-shoot, fearless of the rising south, or mighty north winds driving rain from heaven bursts into bud, and every leaf unfolds. Even so, me thinks, when earth to being spring dawned the first days, and such the course they held. To a spring tide, then, I, spring the mighty world was keeping, Yorris spared his wintry blasts when first the flock's strength sunlight, an erase of men like iron from the hard, glaive arose, and wild beasts thronged the woods,

1:11:39and stars the heaven, nor could frail creatures bear this heavy strain, did not so large or respite interpose twixed frost and heat, and heavens relenting arms yield earth a welcome. For the rest, what are the sets thou plantest in thy fields, they're on strew refuse rich, and with abundant earth take heed to hide them, and dig in with all rough shells or porous stone, for there between will water trickle and find vapor creep, and so the plants their drooping spirits raise. I, and there have been, who with weight of stone, or heavy pots heard press them from above, this serves for shield in pelting showers, and this when the hot dog star chaps the fields with drought. The slips once planted, yet remains to cleave the earth about their roots persistently,

1:12:39and toss the cumbers hose, or task the soil with burrowing plow share, and plie up and down your laboring bullocks through the vineyards midst, then two smooth reeds and shafts of whittled wand, and ash in poles and sturdy forks to shape, whereby supported they may learn to mount, laugh at the gales, and through the elm tops win from story up to story. Now while yet the leaves are in their first fresh infant growth, forebear their frailty, and while yet the bow shoots joyfully toward heaven, with loose and rain launched on the void, a sailant not as yet with keen edge sickle, but let the leaves alone be cold with clippafingers here and there, but when they clasp the elms with sturdy trunks erect, then strip the leaves off, prune the bows,

1:13:42sooner they shrink from steel, but then put forth the arm of power and stem the branchy tide. Hege's two must be woven, and all beasts barred entrance, chiefly while the leaf is young and witless of disaster. For therewith, beside harsh winters and or powering sun, wild buffaloes and pestering goats for play besport them, sheep and hyphors glad their greed, nor cold by whorfrost curdled, nor the prone dead weight of summer upon the parched crags so scale it, as the flocks with venom bites of their hard tooth, whose gnawing scars the stem. For no offense but this, to Boccus, bleeds the goat at every altar, an old plays upon the stage find entrance, therefore to the sons of Thesius through the countryside hamlet and crossway, set the prize of wit,

1:14:45and on the smooth sword over oiled skins dance in their tipsy frolic. Furthermore, the Arsonian swains, a race from Troy derived, make merry with rough rhymes and boisterous mirth, grim masks of hollowed bark assume, invoke thee with glad hymns, O Boccus, and to the hang puppet faces on tall pines to swing, hence every vineyard teams with mellowing fruit till hollow veil or flows in gorge profound, wherever the god have turned his comely head. Therefore to Boccus duly will we sing, meet honor with ancestral hymns, and cates and dishes bear him, and the doomed goat led by the horn shall at the altar stand, whose entrails rich on hazelspits will roast. This further task again to dress the vine hath needs beyond exhausting.

1:15:50The whole soil thrice four times yearly must be cleft, the sod with hose reversed be crushed continually. The whole plantation lightened of its leaves, round on the laborer spins the wheel of toil, as on its own track rolls the circling year. Soon as the vine her lingering leaves hath shed and the chilled north wind from the forests shook their coronal, even then the careful swain looks keenly forward to the coming year, with Saturn's curved fang pursues and prunes the vine forlorn, and lops it into shape, be first to dig the ground up, first to clear and burn the refuse branches, first to house again your vine poles, blast to gather fruit. Twice doth the thickening shade beset the vine, twice weeds with stifling briars or grow the crop, and each a toil some labor. Do thou praise broad acres, farm but few, rough twigs beside of

1:16:58butcher's broom among the woods are cut and reeds upon the river-banks, and still the undressed willow claims thy fostering care. So now the vines are fettard. Now the trees let go the sickle, and the last dresser now sings of his finished rose. But still the ground must vexed be, the dust be stirred, and heaven still set thee trembling for the ripened grapes. Not so with olives, small husbandry need they, nor look for sickle-bode or biting rake, when once they have gripped the soil, and borne the breeze. Earth of herself, with hooked fang-laid bear yields moisture for the plants, and heavy fruit, the plou-share aiding, therewithal doubt rear the olives' fatness well-beloved of peace. Apples moreover, soon as first they feel their stems wax lusty, and have found their strength,

1:18:03to heaven climb swiftly, self-impelled, nor crave our sucker. All the grove meanwhile no less with fruit is swelling, and the wild haunts of birds blush with their blood-red berries. Cytasis is good to browse on, the tall forest yields pine torches, and the nightly fires are fed and shoot forth radiance, and shall men be loath to plant, nor lavish of their pains, light-trace things might hear. Willows even and lowly brooms to cattle their green leaves, to shepherd shade, fences for crops, and food for honey yield, and blive that is citeris to be hold waving with box narration groves of pitch. Oh, blive the sight of fields be holden not to rake or man's endeavour, the barren woods that crown the scalp of Caucasus, even these,

1:19:08which furious blasts for ever rive and rend, yield various wealth, pine logs that serve for ships, cedar and cypress for the homes of men, hence to the farmers shave their wheel spokes, hence drums for their wanes, and curvid boat keels fit. Willows bear twigs enough, the Elm Tree leaves, mortal stout spear-shaps, war-tried cornal too, use into iturian bows are bent, nor do smooth lindens or lathe polished box shrink from man-shaping and keen furrowing steel, light-alder floats upon the boiling flood sped down the pattis, and bees house their swarms in rotten home oak's hollow bark and bowl. What's of like praise can Caucasus gifts afford? Nay, Bacus even to crime have prompted, he the wine in fury at centaur's quailed with death,

1:20:14rotus and folus, and with mighty bowl, highleas threatening high the lapithe. Oh, all too happy tillers of the soil, could they but know their blessedness? For whom far from the clash of arms, all equal earth, pours from the ground herself their easy fare, what though no lofty palis, portal proud, from all its chambers vomit's fourth a tide of morning courteers, nor a gap they gaze on pillars with far tortoise shell in rot, gold-purful robes, and bronze from ephora. Nor is the whiteness of their wool disdain with drugs a serian, nor clear olives use with Cassia tainted, yet untroubled calm, a life that knows no falsehood, rich enough with various treasures, yet broad-agored yees, grottoes and living lakes, yet temps cool,

1:21:19blowing of kind, and sill in slumber's soft, they lack not. Lawns and wild beasts haunts are there, a youth of labor, patient, need inured, worship, and reverend sires, with them from earth departing justice her last footprints left. Me before all things may the muses sweet, whose rights I bear with mighty passion pierced, receive and show the paths and stars of heaven, the suns eclipses and the laboring moons, from whence the earthquake by what power the seas swell from their depths, and every barrier burst, sink back upon themselves, why winter suns so haste to dip, neath ocean, or what check the lingering night retards. But if to these high realms of nature the cold, curdling blood about my heart bar access,

1:22:25then be fields in streamwashed veils, my solace. Let me love rivers and woods in glorious. O for you planes, in spurchius and tegette, by Spartan maids or reveled. O for one would set me in deep delves of haimus cool, and shield me with his bows or shadowing might. Happy, who had the skill to understand nature's hid causes, and beneath his feet all terrors cast, and deaths relentless doom in the loud roar of greedy Esheran. Lest to is he who knows the rural gods, Pan, O'd Sylvainus, and the sister nymphs. Him nor the rods of public power can bend, nor Kingly purple, nor fierce feud that drives brother to turn on brother, nor decent of dation from the Danube's leaked flood.

1:23:31Nor Rome's great state, nor kingdoms like to die, nor have he grieved through pitting of the poor, nor envied him that hath, what fruit the bows, and what the fields, of their own bounteous will have borne, he gathers. Nor iron rule of laws, nor maddened forum have his eyes beheld, nor archives of the people. Others vex the darksome gulps of ocean with their ores, or rush on steel, they press within the courts and doors of princes. One with havoc falls upon a city and its hapless hearths, from gems to drink, on teary and rugs to lie, this hordes his wealth, and broods, or buried gold. One at the rostra stares in blank amazes, one gaping sits transported by the cheers, the answering cheers of plebs, and senate rolled along the benches.

1:24:36Bathed in brother's blood, men revel, and all delights of hearth and home for exile changing, a new country seek beneath an alien sun. The husband men with hooked plowshare turns the soil, from hence springs his years labour, hence too he sustains country and cottage homestead, and from hence his herds of cattle and deserving steers, no respite, still the gear or flows with fruit, or young of kind, or series wheat and sheaf, with crops the furrow loads and bursts the barns. Winter has come. In all of mills they bruise the Sicilian berry, acorn shared the swine troop homeward, woods their arbutes yield. So, various fruit sheds autumn, and high up on sunny rocks the

1:25:38mellowing vintage bakes. Meanwhile about his lips sweet children pling, his chased house keeps its purity, his kind drop milky udders, and on the lush green grass fat kids are striving, horn to budding horn. Himself keeps holy days, stretched or the sward, where round of the fire his comrades crown the bowl he pours libation, and thy name invokes leneas, and for the herdsman on an elm sets up a mark for the swift javelin. They strip their tough bodies for the rustic sport. Such life of yore the ancient Sabines led, such remiss and his brother. Itruria thus doubt not to greatness grew, and Rome became the fair world's fairest, and with circling wall clasped to her

1:26:40single breast the seven fold hittles. I air the reign of Dictus King, air men waxed godless banquet it on slaughtered bulls, such life on earth did golden saturn lead, nor ear of man had heard the war trumps blast, nor clang of sword on stubborn anvil set. But low, aboundless space we have traveled or, his time are steaming horses to unyoke. End of section 2 Section 3 of the Georgics, a poem of the land, by Virgil, translated by James Rhodes. This Libervox recording is in the public domain. Georgic 3

1:27:44V2, great pales, will I him, and V, emphrygian shepherd worthy to be sung. U, woods and waves lycean, all themes beside which else had charmed the vacant mind with song are now waxed common. Of harsh Eurothius, who the story knows not, or that praiseless king Boussyrus and his altars, or by whom have not the tale been told of Highless Young, Latonian Delos and Hippo Dame, and Pilots for his ivory shoulder famed, keen charioteer. Needs must a path be tried by which I too may lift me from the dust and float triumph it through the mouths of men. Ye, I shall be the first, so life endure, to lead them uses with me, as I pass to my own country from the Aeonian height. I, Manchua, first will bring the back the palms

1:28:50of Idhumea, and raise a marble shrine on the green plain, fast by the waterside, where Minchius wins more vast and lazy coils, and rims his margins with the tender read. Amid by shrine shall Caesar's Godhead dwell. To him will I, as Victor, bravely dite interior and purple, drive along the bank 104 horse-cars. All grease for me, leaving Alphius and Melorcus's grove on foot shall strive, or with the raw-hide glove. Whilst I, my head with stripped green olive crowned, will offer gifts. Even to his present joy to lead the high processions to the fain, and view the victims' felt, or how the scene sunders with shifted face and Britain's sons inwoven their on with those proud curtains rise. Of gold and massive ivory on the doors,

1:29:57I'll trace the battle of the gangarides, and our queeriness's conquering arms, and their surging with war and hugely flowing the Nile, and columns heaped on high with naval brass. And Asia's vanquished cities I will add, and quelled knife-aids, and the Parthian foe, who trusts in flight and backward-volving darts, and trophies torn with twice-tramp-thin hand, from empires twain on oceans either shore, and breathing forms of parry and marble there, Shastan, the offspring of Asirakis, and great names of the jove-descended folk, and Father Tros, and Troy's first founder, Lord of Synthesis, and a cursed envy there shall dread the furies, and thy ruthless flood, Kochitis, and ichthyens twisted snakes, and that vast wheel and

1:30:58ever-baffling stone, meanwhile the dry-ad-haunted woods and lawns unsullied sequel. Tis thy heart behest messainess, without the no lofty task my mind essays. Up, break the sluggish bonds of tarryance, with loud dins Scytheron calls, steed-taming epidardis, and thy hounds take yet, and hark the ascenting groves with peel on peel reverberate the roar. Yet must I gird me to rehearse air-long the fiery fights of Caesar, speed his name through ages, countless as to Caesar's self from the first birth-don of Tathonus old. If eager for the prized Olympian palm one breathed the horse, or bullock strong to plow, be his prime care a shapely dame to choose. Of kind grim-faced is goodliest, with coarse head

1:32:02and burly neck, whose hanging do-lapse reach from chin to knee. Of boundless length her flank, large every way she is, large footed even, with in-curved horns and shaggy ears beneath. Nor let mislike me one with spots of white conspicuous, or that spurns the yoke, whose horn at times hath vice in it. Like her bull-faced she, and tall-limbed holy, and with tip of tail brushing her footsteps as she walks along. The age for hymen's rights Lucina's pangs, air ten years ended, after four begins. Their residue of days nor apt to team, nor strong for plowing. Meantime, well youth's delight survives within them, loose the males. Be first to speed thy herds of cattle to their loves, breed stock with stock, and keep the race supplied.

1:33:02Ah, life's best hours are ever first to fly from hapless mortals. In their place succeed disease and delurus elbe, till travail, sore, and death unpitting sweep them from the scene. Still will be some whose form thou fein would change. Renew them still, with yearly choice of young preventing losses, lest too late thou arew. Nor steeds crave less selection, but on those thou thinkst to rear the promise of their line, from earliest youth thy chiefest pains bestow. See from the first yon hybrid cult afield, his lofty step, his limbs elastic tread. Dauntless he leads the herd, still first to try the threatening flood, or brave the unknown bridge, by no vain noise affrited, lofty net, with clean cut head, short belly, and stout back.

1:34:08His sprightly breast exuberant with brawn. Chestnuts and gray are good, the worst hewed white and sorrel. Then low, if arms are clashed afar, by still he cannot. Ears stiffen and limbs quake. His nostril snort and roll out reeds of fire. Dense is his mane, that when uplifted falls on his right shoulder. Betwixt either loin the spine runs double. His earth dinting hove rings with the ponderous beat of solid horn. Even such a horse was silorous, reigned and tamed by polyx of amiclet, such the pair in Grecian's song renowned, those steeds of Mars, and famed Achilles' team. In such like form great Saturn's self with mane flung loose on neck, sped at his wife's approach, and flying filled the heights of Pelian with his piercing nae.

1:35:12Even him, when sore disease or sluggish-eld now saps his strength, pen fast at home, and spare his not inglorious age. A horse grown old, slow-kindling unto love in vain prolongs the fruitless task, and to the encounter come as fire in stubble blusters without strength he rages idly. Therefore mark thou first their age and metal, other points a non, as breed and lineage, or what pain was theirs to lose the race, would pride the palm to win. See us how the chariots in mad rivalry poured from the barrier grip the course and go, when youthful hope is highest, and every heart drained with each wild pulsation, how they ply the circling lash, in reaching forward let the reins hang free, swift spins the glowing

1:36:14wheel, and now they stoop, and now erect in air seem born through space and towering to the sky. No stop, no stay, the dun sand worlds loft, they wreak with foam flakes and pursuing breath. So sweet is fame, so prized the victor's palm. Toys Erykthonius first took heart to yoke four horses to his car, and rode above the whirling wheels to victory, but the ring and bridal reins mounted on horses backs, the pelothronian lapithae bequeathed, and taught the knight in arms to spurn the ground, and arch the up-gathered footsteps of his pride. Each task alike is arduous, and for each a horse young, fiery, swift afoot they seek. How off-so-air Yon rival may have chased the flying foe, or boasts his native plain,

1:37:16a pyrus, or messenas stubborn hold, and trace his lineage back to Neptune's birth. These points regarded, as the time draws nigh, with instant zeal they lavish all their care to plump with solid fat that shows in chief and designated husband of the herd, and flowery herbs they cut, and serve him well with corn and running water. That is strength not fail him for that labor of delight, nor puny cults betray the feeble sire. The herd itself of purpose they reduce to leanness, and when love's sweet longing first provokes them, they forbid the leafy food and pen them from the springs, and off beside with running shake and tire them in the sun, what time the threshing floor groans heavily with pounding of the corn ears, and light chaff is world on high to catch the rising west.

1:38:21This do they that the soil's prolific powers may not be dulled by surfating, nor choke the sluggish furrows, but eagerly absorb their fill of love, and deeply entertain. To care of sire the mother's care succeeds, when great with young they wander nigh their time, let no man suffer them to drag the yoke in heavy wanes, nor leap across the way, nor scour the meads, nor swim the rushing flood. In lonely lawns they feed them by the course of brimming streams, where moss is, in the banks with grass or greenest, where our sheltering caves, and far outstretched the rock-flung shadow lies, round wooded sillardis, and the illix bowers of green alburnus, swarms a winged pest. Its Roman name a silice, by the Greeks' termed estrus, fierce it is, and harshly hums,

1:39:26driving whole herds in terror through the groves, till heaven is mad at by their bellowing din, and tenagers dry bed and forest banks. With this same scourge did Juno wreak of old the terrors of her wrath, a plague devised against the hyphers sprung from Innecus. From this too, though, since in the noon tide heates his most persistent fend by teeming herds, and feed them when the sun is newly risen, where the first stars are ushering in the night. But, yeening ended, all their tender care is to the calves transferred. At once with marks they brand them, both to designate their race, and which to rear for breeding. Or to vote as altar victims, or to cleave the ground and into ridges tear and turn the sod. The rest along the green sward grays at will. Those that to rustic uses, though which mold,

1:40:30as calves encourage, and take steps to tame, while client wills and plastic youth allow, and first of slender willies round the throat loose collars hang. Then when their freeborn necks are used to service, with the self-same bands yoke them in pairs, and steer by steer, compel, keep pace together, and time it is that often unfrated wheels be drawn along the ground behind them, as to dint the surface test. Then let the beachen axel strain and creek, need some stout burden, while subrazen pole drags and the wheels made fast there too. Meanwhile for their unbroken youth not grass alone, nor meager willow leaves in marriage but corn ears with thy hand pluck from the crops. Nor shall the brood kind as of your, for thee brim high the snowy milking pale, but spend their udders fullness on their own sweet young.

1:41:34But if fierce squadrons and the ranks of war delight thee rather, or on wheels to glide at Pisa with alphius fleeting by, and in the grove of Jupiter urge on the flying chariot, be your steed's first task to face the warrior's armed rage, and brook the trumpet, and long roar of rumbling wheels, and clink of chiming bridles in the stall. Then more and more to love his master's voice caressing, or loud hand that claps his neck, I thus far let him learn to dare, when first wean from his mother, and his mouth at times yield to the supple halter, even while yet weak tottering limbed an ignorant of life. But, three years ended, when the fourth arrives, now let him Terry not to run the ring with

1:42:35rhythmic hoof-beat echoing. And now learn alternately to curve each bending leg, and be like one that struggleeth, then it last challenged the winds to race him, and its speed launched through the open, like a raindless thing, scarce print his footsteps on the surface sand, as when with power from hyperborean climbs the north wind stoops, and scatters from his path dry clouds and storms of sithia. The tall corn and rippling plains gins shiver with light gusts, a sound as heard among the forest tops. Long waves come racing shoreward, fast he flies, with instant pinion sweeping earth and mane. A steed like this, or on the mighty course of Ellis at the goal will sweat, and shower red foam flakes from his mouth, or kindly or task with patient

1:43:36neck support the Belgian car. Then, broken at last, let's swell their burly fraying with fattening corn mash, for unbroke they will with pride wax wanton, and when caught refuse tough lash to brook or jagged curbal bay. But no device so fortifies their power, as loves blind stings of passion to forefend, whether on steed or steer thy choice be set. I therefore, tis they banish bowls of far to solitary pastures, or behind some mountain barrier, or broad streams beyond, or else in plenty assaults pen fast at home. For even through sight of her the female wastes his strength with smoldering fire till he forget both grass and woodland. She indeed full offed with her sweet

1:44:38charms can lovers proud compel to battle for the conquest horn to horn. In sillious forest feeds the heifer fair, while each on each the furious rivals run, wound follows wound, the black blood laves their limbs. Horn's push and strive against opposing horns with mighty groaning, all the forest side, and far Olympus bellow back the roar, nor want the champions in one stall to couch, but he that's worsted hies him to strange climbs far off an exile moaning much the shame, the blows of that proud conqueror. Then loves loss of enge not. With one glance toward the buyer his ancient royalties behind him lie, so with all he'd his strength

1:45:39he practiceth, and night long makes the hard bear stones his bed and feeds on prickly leaf and pointed rush and proves himself and budding at a tree learns to fling wrath into his horns. With blows provokes the air and scattering clouds of sand makes prelude of the battle. Afterward, with strength repaired and gathered might breaks camp and hurls him headlong on the unthinking foe. As in mid-ocean when a wave far off begins to whiten, mustering from the main as rounded breast, an onward roll to land falls with prodigious roar among the rocks, huge as a very mountain, but the depths upseave in whirling eddies and discord the murky sandlies

1:46:40from their sunken bed. Nay, every race on earth of men and beasts and ocean folk and flocks and painted birds rushed to the raging fire. Love sways them all. Never then then more fiercely or the plain prowess heedless of her welps the lioness. Nor monstrous bears such a widespread havoc doom deal through the forests. Then the boar is fierce, most deadly than the Tyingress. Then a lack ill roaming is it on Libya's lonely plains. Maki watch shivering thrills the horse's frame if but a waft the well-known gust conveys. Nor curb can check them then, nor lash severe, nor rocks and cavern crags, nor barrier floods that rend and roar all on, wash the hills away. Then speeds a main the great Sibelian boar,

1:47:43his tushes wets with four foot tears the ground, rubs against the tree his flanks, and two and fro hardens each wallowing shoulder to the wound. What of the youth, when love's relentless might stirs the fierce fire within his veins? Behold, in blind this midnight how he swims the gulf convulsed with bursting storm clouds, over him heavens huge gate thunders, the rock shattered main udders a warning cry. Nor parents tears can backward call him, nor the maid he loves, too soon to die on his untimely pyre. What of the spotted oaks to bockist deer, were warlike wolf kin with a breed of dogs? Why tell how Timorous stags the battle-join, where all conspicuous is the rage of mayors,

1:48:44by Venus's self-inspired of old? What time the potty and fore with rending draws devoured the limbs of Glaucas? Love can strain, they roam past Gargoris, past the loud iscanian flood. They climb the mountains, and the torrent swim, when their eager maro first conceives the fire, in springtide chiefly, poor with spring warmth that their frames revisit. Then they stand all facing westward on the rocky heights, and of the gentle breezes take their fill. And often maiden marvelous to tell, but of the wind impregnate, far and wide or craggy height, and lowly veil they scud, not toward thy rising, Yoros, or the sons, but westward, and north-west, or whence upsprings black oaster, that glooms heaven with rainy cold, hence from their groin's slow

1:49:51drips of poisonous juice, by shepherds truly name hippomains. Hippomains fell step-dames off-tiff cold, and mixed with herbs and spells of bainful bode. Fast flies, meanwhile, the irreparable hour, as point to point our charmed round we trace, enough of herds. This second task remains, the wool-clad flocks and shaggy goats to treat. Here lies a labour, hence for glory look, brave husband-men, nor doubtfully know how hard it is for words to triumph here, and shed their luster on a theme so slight, but I am caught by ravishing desire above the lone Parnazian steep. I love to walk the heights, from once no earlier track slopes gently downward to Castalea's spring.

1:50:53Now awful pales strike a louder tone. First, for the sheep soft pen-coats I decree to browse in, till green summers swift return, and that the hard earth under them with straw and handfuls of the fern be litter deep, lest chill of ice such tender cattle-harm with scab and lowly foot-rot. Passing-vents I bid the goats with arbutelives be stored, and served with fresh spring water, and their pens turn southward from the blast to face the suns of winter when a craerious icy beam now sinks in showers upon the parting ear. These two no-lightly are protection-plame, nor proof of poor service. How so our Malaysian fleeces-deeped interior reds repay the barterer. These with offspring-team more numerous. These yield plenty a store of milk.

1:51:57The more each dry-rung utter froths the pale, more copious soon the teap-press torrents flow. By, and on Synip's bank the hegoats too, their beers and grizzled chins and bristling hair let clip for camp use, or as rugs to wrap seafaring wretches. But they browse the woods and summits of Lysias and rough briars and breaks that love the Highland. Of themselves right heedfully the shegoats homeward troop before their kids, and with plump udders clogged scarce cross the threshold. Wherefore rather ye, the less they crave man's vigilance, be feign from ice to fandom and from snowy winds. Bring food and feast them with their branchy fair, nor lock your hay loft all the winter long. But when glad summer at the west winds call, since either flock to pasture in the glades,

1:53:06soon as the day star shineeth, high we then to the cool meadows, while the dawn is young, the grass yet horry, and to browsing herds the dew taste sweetest on the tender sward. When heaven's fourth hour draws on the thickening drought, and shrill cicadas pierce the break with song, then at the wellsprings bid them, were deep pools from troughs of home oak cloth the running wave. But at day's hottest seek a shadowy veil, where some vast ancient timbreed oak of jove spreads his huge branches, or where huddling black illics on illics cowers in awful shade. Then once more give them water sparingly, and feed once more, till sunset when cool eve alays the air, and doy moon memes slake the forest glades, with halcyons song the shore, and every thicket with

1:54:15the goldfinch rings. Of Libby's shepherds why the tale pursue, whicing their pastures and the scattered huts they house in. Off their cattle day and night graze the whole month together, and go forth into far deserts where no shelter is, so flat the plain and boundless. All his goods the afric swaying bears with him, house and home, arms, cretin quiver, an amy clay and dog, as some keen Roman in his country's arms plies the swift march beneath a cruel load. Soon with tense pitched and at his post he stands air looked for by the foe. Not thus the tribes of Scythia by the far meodic wave, where turbid ister worlds his yellow sands, and roadope stretched out beneath the pole comes

1:55:16trending backward. There the herds they keep close pent in buyers, nor any grass is seen upon the plain, nor leaves upon the tree. But with snow ridges and deep frost afar heaped seven elves high the earth lies featureless. Still winter, still the north winds icy breath. Nay, never suned desparts the shadows pale, or as he rides the steep of heaven, or dips in ocean's fiery bath his plunging car. Quick ice crusts curdle on the running stream, and iron-hooped wheels the waters back now bears to broad wanes opened as airwild to ships, brass vessels oft a sunder burst and clothes stiffen upon the wearers. Juicy winds they cleave with axes to one frozen mass whole pools are turned,

1:56:21and on their untrimmed beards stiff clings the jagged icicle. Meanwhile all heaven no less is filled with falling snow. Cattle-parish, oxen's mighty frames stand island-like amid the frost, and stags and huddling herds by that strange weight benumbed, scarce top the surface with their antler points. These with no hounds they hunt, nor net with toils, nor scare with terror of the crimson plume, but as in vain they breast the opposing block butcher them, knife in hand, and so dispatch loud bellowing, and with clad shouts hail them home. Themselves in deep dug caverns underground dwell free and careless. To their hardest they heave oak logs and elm trees whole, and fire them there, there play the night out, and in festive glee with

1:57:25barmen service sour the wine-cup mock. So neath the seven-starred hyperborean wane the folk live tame-less, buffeted with blasts of urus from repain hills, and wrap their bodies in the tawny fels of beasts. If wool delight thee, first, before removed all prickly boscage, burrs and cow-trups, shun luxuriant pastures. At the outset choose white flocks with downy fleeces. For the ram, how white soar himself, be but the tongue neath his moist pallet black, reject him, lest he selly with dark spots his offspring's fleece, and seek some other or the teeming plain. Even with such snowy brim of wool, if ear may trust the tail, pan, God of Arcadia,

1:58:27snared and beguiled thee, Luna, calling thee to the deep woods, nor thou ditzed spurn his call. But who for milk hath longing? Must himself carry loosern and lotus leaves enough with salt herbs to the coat. Whence more they love the streams, more stretch their udders, and give back a subtle taste of saltness in milk. Many thereby, who from their mothers keep the newborn kids, and straight way bind their mouths with iron-tipped muzzles, what they milk at dawn, or in the daylight hours, at night they press, what darkling or at sunset, this air mourn they bear away in baskets. For two town the shepherd hies him, or with dash of salt just sprinkle, and lay by for winter use. Nor by thy dogs last cared for, but alike swift Spartan hounds and fierce mullocean feed on

1:59:35fattening way. Never with these to watch, dread nightly thief afold and ravening wolves, or Spanish desporados in the rear, and oft the shy wild asses thou wilt chase, with hounds too, hunt the hare, with hounds the doe. Off from his woodland-wallowing den up-rouse the boar, and scare him with their bang, and drive, and or the mountains urge into the toils some antlered monster to their chiming cry. Learn also scented cedar wood to burn within the stalls, and snakes of noxious smell with fumes of galbinum to drive away. Often under long neglected cribs, or lurks a viper ill to handle, that have fled the night in terror, or some snake that wants neath shade and sheltering roof to creep, and shower its bane among the cattle,

2:00:38hugs the ground, fell scourge of kind. Shepherds, seas stakes, seas stones, and as he rears defiance and puffs out a hissing throat down with him. See how low that cowering crest is veiled in flight, the wild, his midmost coils and final sweep of tail relaxing, the last fold drags lingering spires. Then that vile worm that in calibrian glades uprears his breast and reeds a scaly back, his length of belly pied with mighty spots. While from their founts gush any streams, while yet with showers of spring in rainy south winds earth is moistened low, he haunts the pools. And here housed in the banks with fish and chattering frogs crams the black void of his insatiate

2:01:45maw. Soon as the fens are parched and earth with heat is gaping, fourth heat darts into the dry, rolls eyes of fire and rages through the fields furious from thirst and by the drought dismayed. Me list not then beneath the open heaven to snatch soft slumber nor on forest ridge lie stretched along the grass when slipped his slough to glittering youth transformed he winds his spires and eggs or younglings leaving in his lair tower sunward lightning with three forked tongue. Of sickness too the causes and the signs I'll teach thee. Loathely scab assails the sheep when chilly showers have probed them to the quick and winter stark with whorfrost or when sweat unperged cleaves to them after shearing done and rough thorns

2:02:49rend their bodies. Hence it is shepherds their whole flock steep in running streams, while plunged beneath the flood with drenched fell the ram launched free goes drifting down the tide. Else having shorn they smear their bodies or with accurate oil leaves and mix silver scum and native sulfur and edayon pitch wax mollified with ointment and there with sea leak strong hellabores betumen black yet narrowed of kindly or fortune crown his toil then if with blade of iron a man dare lance the ulcers mouth op for the taint is fed and quickened by confinement while the swain his hand of healing from the wound withholds or sits for happier signs imploring heaven. I and when inward to the bleater's bones the pain hath sunk and verages and their limbs by thirsty

2:03:57fever are consumed it is good to draw the inkindled heat therefrom and pierce within the hoof clefs a blood bounding vein of tribes besaltex such the wanted use in keen Galonian when to roto pieflies or gaitic desert in coughs milk with horse blood curdled. Seest one far to field off to the shade's mild covert win or pull the grass tops listlessly or hindmost lag or browsing cast her down amid the plane at night retire belated and alone with quick knife check the mischief air it creep with dire contagion to the unwary herd less thick and fast the whirlwind scours the main with tempest in its wake then swarms the plagues of

2:04:57cattle nor sees they single lives alone but sudden clear whole feeding grounds the flock with all its promise and extrepate the breed well would he try it who so long after still high alps and noric hill forts should behold an eapidian tim of us is fields I still behold the shepherd's realms a waste and far and wide lonesse unteneted here from distempered heavens airwile arose a pittiest season with the full fierce heat of autumn glowed and cattle kindreds all and all wild creatures to destruction gave tainted the pools the fodder charged with bane nor simple was the way of death but when hot thirst through every vein impaled had drawn their

2:06:03wretched limbs together a non or float a watery flux and all their bones piecemeal sapped by corruption to itself absorb often mid sacrifice to heaven the white wool wolf and fillet half reathed about his brow some victim standing by the altar there betwix the lordering carls a dying fell or ifby times the slaughtering priest had struck nor with its heaped entrails blazed the pile nor seared to seeker thence could answer you nay scarce the upstabbing knife with blood was stained scarce sullied with thin gourd the surface sand hence die the calves in many a pasture fair or at full cribs their live sweet breath resign hence on the faunting dog comes madness hence racks

2:07:08the six swine a gasping cough the chokes with swelling at the jaws the conquering steed uncrowned of effort and heedless of the sword faints turns him from the springs and pause the earth with ceaseless hoof low droop his ears where from bursts fitful sweat a sweat that waxes cold upon the dying beast the skin is dry and rigidly repels the handlers touch these earlier signs they give the presage doom but if the advancing plague in fiercer grown then are their eyes all fire deep drawn their breath at times grown labored with long sobbing heave their lowest flanks from either nostril streams black blood a rough tongue clogs the obstructed jaws

2:08:14to us helpful through inverted horn to pour dross of the wine god down sold way it seemed to save the dying soon this two proved their bane and reinvigorate but with frenzy's fire even at death's pinch the gods some happier fate deal to the just such madness to their foes each with bare teeth his own limbs mangling tore see as he smokes beneath the stubborn share the bull drops vomiting foam dabbled gourd and heaves his latest groans sad goes the swine unhooks the steer that mourns his fellow's fate and in mid-labor leaves the plough gear fast nor tall wood shadow nor soft sword may stir that heart's emotion nor rock channeled flood

2:09:19more pure than amber speeding to the plane but see his flanks fail under him his eyes are doled with deadly torpor and his neck sinks to the earth with drooping weight what now besteds him toil or service to have turned the heavy sod with plough share and yet these nare knew the massive wine god's baneful boon nor twice replenished banquets but on leaves they fare and virgin grasses and their cups are crystal springs and streams with running tired their helpful slumber's never broke by care then only say they through that countryside for Juno's rights were cattle far to seek and ill-matched buffaloes the chariots drew to their high fains so painfully with rakes they

2:10:21grub the soil I with their very nails dig in the corn seeds and with strained neck or the high uplands drag the creaking wanes no wolf or ambush prize about the pen nor round the flock prowls nightly pain more sharp subdues him the shy deer and fleet footstags with hound now wander by the haunts of men vast oceans offspring and all tribes that swim on the shores confine the wave washes up like shipwrecked bodies seals unwanted their fleet the rivers now the viper dies for all his dens close winding and with scales erect the astonied water storms the air Brooks not the very birds that headlong fall and leave their life beneath the soaring cloud more over now nor change of

2:11:23fodder serves and subtlest cures but injure then were foiled the masters kairan sprung from philly ron an amethy on sun melampus see from stigian darkness launched into the light comes raging pale tisifon she drives disease and fear before her day by day still rearing higher than all devouring head with bleat of flocks and lowings thick resound rivers imparts banks and sloping heights at last in crowds she slanners them she chokes the very stalls with kairan heaps that rot in hideous corruption till men learn with earth to cover them in pits to hide for even the fels are useless

2:12:23nor the flesh with water may they purge or tame with fire nor shear the fleeces even nor through and through with foul disease nor touch the putrid webs but had one dared the loathly weeds to try red blisters and an unclean sweat or ran his noisem limbs till no long terry it's made the fiery curse his tainted frame devoured end of georgic three section four of the georgics a poem of the land by virtual translated by james roads this libravox recording is in the public domain georgic four

2:13:32of air-born honey gift of heaven i now take up the tale upon this theme no less look thou messainess with indulgent eye a marvelous display of puny powers high-hearted chiefs and nations history its traits its bent its battles and its clans all each shall pass before you while I sing slight though the poet's theme not slight the praise so frown not heaven and febus hear his call first find your bees a settled shore abode where neither winds can enter winds blow back the foragers with food returning home nor sheep and budding kids tread down the flowers nor hyfer wandering wide upon the plain dash off the dew and bruise the springing blades

2:14:39let the gay lizard to keep far loof his scale clad body from their honeyd stalls and the bee eater and what birds beside and prockney smurged with blood upon the breast from her own murderous hands for these roam wide wasting all substance or the bees themselves strike flying and in their beaks bare home to glut those savage nestlings with the dainty prey but let clear springs and moss green pools be near and through the grass a stream let hurrying run some palm tree or the porch extended shade were huge grown oleaster that in spring their own sweet spring tide when the new maid chiefs lead forth the young swarms and escaped their comb the colony comes

2:15:42forth to sport and play the neighboring bank may lure them from the heat or bow befriend with hospitable shade or the midwaters whether swift or still cast willow branches and big stones bridge after bridge where they may footing find and spread their wide wings to the summer sun if happily ures swooping as they pause have dashed with spray or plunged them in the deep and let green casias and forcented times and savory with its heavy laden breath bloom round about and violet beds hard by sip sweetness from the fertilizing springs for the hives self or stitched of hollow bark or from tough oesher woven let the doors be straight of entrance

2:16:42for stiff winters cold congeals the honey and heat resolves and thaws to be the like this asteris not for not so haste they to cement the tiny pores that pierce their walls and fill the crevices with pollen from the flowers and glean and keep to this same end the glue that binds more fast than bird lime or the pitch from idus pines oft too in burrowed holes if fame be true they make their cozy subterranean home and deeply lodged in hollow rocks are found or in the cavern of an age-hune tree. Thou not the less smear round their crannied cribs with warm smooth mudcoat and strobe leaves above but near their home let neither you tree grow nor reddening crabs be roasted

2:17:42and mistrust deep marsh ground and mire with noisem smell or were the hollow rocks sonorous ring and the word spoken buffets and rebounds what more when now the golden sun has put winter to headlong flight beneath the world and oaped the doors of heaven with summer ray forthwith they erome the glades and forests or rifle the painted flowers or sift streams light hovering on the surface hence it is with some sweet rapture that we know not of their little ones they foster hence with skill work out new wax or clinging honey mold so when the cage escaped hosts you see float heavenward through the hot clear air until you marvel at yon dusky cloud that spreads and

2:18:44lengthens on the wind then mark them well for then tis ever the fresh springs they seek and bowery shelter hither must you bring the savoury sweets I bid and sprinkle them bruised balsam and the wax flowers lowly weed and wake and shake the tinkling symbols heard by the great mother on the anointed spots themselves will settle and it wanted wise seek of themselves the cradles in most depth but if to battle they have hide them forth for oft twixed king and king with uproar dire fierce feud arises and at once from far you may discern what passion sways the mob and how their hearts are throbbing for this strife hark the horse brazen note that warriors know chides on the lordeers and the ear may catch a sound that mocks the war trumps broken blasts then in hot haste

2:19:54they muster then flash wings sharpen their pointed beaks and knit their thews and round the king even to his royal tent throng rallying and with shouts defy the foe so when a dry spring and clear space is given forth from the gates they burst they clash on high a dinn arises they are heaped and rolled into one mighty mass and headlong fall not densely or hail through heaven nor pelting so reigns from the shaken oak its acorn shower conspicuous by their wings the chiefs themselves pressed through the heart of battle and display a giant spirit in each pygmy frame steadfast no inch to yield till these or those the victors ponderous arm has turned to flight such fiery passions and such fierce

2:20:57assaults a little sprinkled dust controls and quelves and now both leaders from the field were called who hath the worser seeming due to death less royal waste wax burdensome but let his better lord it on the empty throne one with gold burnished flakes will shine like fire for twofold are their kinds the nobler he of peerless front and lit with flashing scales that other from neglect and squalor foul drags slow a cumbers belly as with kings so too with people diverse is their mold some rough and lowly as when the waferer escapes from a whirl of dust and scorched with heat spits forth the dry grit from his parched mouth the others shine forth and flash with lightning gleam

2:22:00their backs all blazoned with bright drops of gold symmetric this the likely or breed from these when heaven brings round the season thou shalt strain sweet honey nor yet so sweet as passing clear and mellowing on the tongue the wine-god's fire but when the swarms fly aimlessly abroad to sport themselves in heaven and spur in their cells leaving the hive unwormed from such vain play must you refrain their volatile desires nor hard the task tear off the monarch's wings while these prove loiterers none beside will dare mount heaven or pluck the standards from the camp let gardens with the breath of saffron flowers allure them and the lord of helispont preepus wielder of the willow siph safe in his keeping hold from birds and thieves

2:23:05and let the man to whom such cares our deer himself bring time and pine trees from the heights and throw them in broad belts about their home no hand but his the blistering tasks should ply plant the young slips or shed the genial showers and I myself were I not even now furling myself and nigh the journey's end eager to turn my vessels proud to shore per chance would sing what careful husbandry makes the trim garden smile of pestim too whose roses bloom and fade and bloom again how endives glory in the streams they drink and green banks in their parsley and how the gourd twists through the grass and rounds him to punch nor of narcissus had my lips been dumb that loiterer of the flowers nor supple stemmed a canthus with the praise of ivy's pale

2:24:12and murdles clinging to the shores they love for nith the shade of tall ebaleous towers where dark galacis laves the yellowing fields an old man once I mind me to have seen from koreka she came to whom had fallen some few poor acres of neglected land and they nor fruitfuled nith the plodding steer meet for the grazing herd nor good for vines yet he the wild his meager garden herbs among the thorns he planted and all round white lilies for veins and lean poppy set in pride of spirit matched the wealth of kings and home returning not till night was late with unbought plenty heaped his board on high he was the first to coal the rows in spring he the ripe fruits in autumn and air yet winter had ceased

2:25:17in sullen iron to arrive the rocks with frost and with her icy bit curb and the running waters there was he plucking the raid faint hyacinth while he cheered as summers slow footsteps in the lagging west therefore he too with earliest brooding bees and their full swarms or flowed and first was he to press the bubbling honey from the comb lime trees were his and many a branching pine and all the fruits were with in early bloom the orchard tree it clothed her in full tail hung there by mellowing autumn perfected he too transplanted tall ground elms a row time toughened pair thorns bursting with the plum and plain now yielding serviceable shade for dry lips to drink under but these things shut off by rigorous limits I pass by and leave for others to sing after me

2:26:27come then I will unfold the natural powers great jove himself upon the bees bestowed the boom for which led by the shrill sweet strains of the kuretis and their clashing brass they fed the king of heaven in diktis cave alone of all things they receive and hold community of offspring and they house together in one city and beneath the shelter of majestic laws they live and they alone fixed home and country now and in the summer warned of coming cold make proof of toil and for the general store hoard up their gathered harvesting for some watch or the victueling of the hive and these by settled order ply their tasks afield and some within the confines

2:27:28of their home plant firm the comb's first layer nor siss is tear and sticky gum oozed from the bark of trees then set the clinging wax to hang therefrom others the wild lead forth the full grown young their countries hope and others pressed and packed the thrice repured honey and stretched their cells to bursting with the clear strained nectar sweet some to the ward ship of the gates before who watch in turn for showers in cloudy skies or ease returning laborers of their load or form a band and from their precincts drive the drones a lazy herd how glows the work how sweet the honey smells of perfumed time like the cyclops when in haste they forge from the slow yielding or the thunderbolts some from the bull tide bellows in and out let the blasts drive

2:28:34some dip in the water drop the sputtering metal with the anvil's weight groans atna they alternately in time with giant strength uplift their sinewy arms or twist the iron with the forceps grip not otherwise to measure small with great the love of getting planted in their breasts goes on the bees that haunt old cake crops heights each in his sphere to labor the old have charged to keep the town and build the walled combs and mold the cunning chambers but the youth their tired legs packed with time come laboring home belated for a far they range to feed on our buttes and the gray green willow leaves and cassia and the crocus blushing red glue yielding limes and high a synths dusky eye one hour for rest have all and one for toil with dawn they hurry

2:29:40from the gates no room for loiterers there and once again when even now bids them quit their pasturing on the plane then homeward make they then refresh their strength a hum arises hark they buzz and buzz about the doors and threshold till it length safely to rest they hush them for the night and welcome slumber lapse their weary limbs but from the homestead not too far they fare when showers hang like to fall nor east winds nigh confide in heaven but neeth the city walls safe circling fetch them water or essay brief outgoing and oft way up tiny stones as light craft ballast in the tossing tide wherewith they poise them through the cloudy vast this law of life to by the bees obeyed will move thy wonder that nor sex with sex yoke they

2:30:49in marriage nor yield their limbs to love nor know the pangs of labor but alone from leaves and honeyed herbs the mothers each gather their offspring in their mouths alone supply new kings and pygmy commonwealth and their old court and waxen realm repair oft to while wandering against jagged stones their wings they fray and neeth the burden yield their liberal lives so deep their love of flowers so glorious deemed they honey's proud a quest therefore though each a life of narrow span narrow stretch to summers more than seven befalls yet deathless stuff the race endure and still perennial stands the fortune of their line from grand sire unto grand sire backward told

2:31:50moral not egyptus nor the realm of boundless Lydia no nor parthias hordes nor median hydospies to their king do such obeisance lives the king unscathed one will inspires the millian is he dead snapped is the bond of fealty they themselves ravage their toil rot honey and rend a main their own combs wax and trellis he is the lord of all their labor him with awful eye they reverence and with murmuring throngs surround in crowds attend oft shoulder him on high or with their bodies shield him in the fight and seek through showering wounds a glorious death led by these tokens and with such traits to guide some say that unto be as a share is given

2:32:53of the divine intelligence and to drink pure drops of ether for god permeates all earth and wide ocean and the vault of heaven from whom flocks herds men beasts of every kind draw each at birth the fine essential flame yay and that all things hence to him return brought back by dissolution nor can death find place but each into his story rank alive they saw and mount the heights of heaven if now their narrow home thou wouldst unseal and broached the treasures of the honey house with draft of water first toment thai lips and spread before the fumes of trailing smoke twice is the teaming produce gathered in twofold their time of harvest year by year once when

2:33:54take at the plea add up lifts her cunley forehead for the earth to see with foot of scorn spurting the ocean streams once when in gloom she flies the watery fish and dips from heaven into the wintry wave unbounded then their wrath if hurt they breathe venom into their bite cleave to the veins and let the sting lie buried and leave their lives behind them in the wound but if you dread too rigorous a winter and would feign temper the coming time and their bruised hearts and broken estate to pity move thy soul yet who would fear to fumigate with time or cut the empty wax away for often to their comb the newt has not unseen and the light loathing beetles crammed their bed and he that sits at others bored to feast the do not drone or against the unequal foe swoops the

2:35:00fierce hornet where the moths fell tribe or spider victim of manurvis spite a thwart the doorway hangs her swaying net the more impoverished they the keenlier all to mend the fallen fortunes of their race will nerve them fill the cells up tear on tear and weave their granaries from the rifled flowers now seeing that life death even to befolk bring our human chances if in dire disease their body's strength should languish which anon by no uncertain tokens may be told forthwith the sick change hue grim leanness mars their visage then from out the cells they bear forms raft of light and lead the mournful pump or foot to foot about the porch they hang were within closed doors

2:36:01loiter listless all from famine and be numbed with shriveling cold then is a deep note heard long drawn hum as when the chill south through the forest's size as when the troubled ocean hoarsely booms with backswong billow as ravening tide of fire surges shut fast within the furnace walls then do I bid burn-cented gobanum and honey streams through reddened troughs instilled challenge and cheer their flagging appetite to taste the well-known food and it shall boot to mix there with the saver bruised from gall and rose leaves dried were must to thickness boiled by a fierce fire or juice of raisin grapes from city and wine and with its bitter smell centauri

2:37:04and the famed cacropian time there is a meadow flower by country folk height starwort tis a plant not far to seek for from one sod an ample growth at rears itself all golden but dirt with plentiest leaves were glory of purple shines through violet gloom with chaplet's woven hereof full-offed or decked heavens altars harsh its taste upon the tongue shepherds in veils smooth shorn of nibbling flocks by mellas winding waters gather it the roots of this well-seathed and fragrant wine set in brimmed baskets at their doors for food but if one's whole stock fail him at a stroke nor hath he wands to breed the race anew tis time the wondrous secret to disclose taught by the swain of arcady

2:38:05even how the blood of slaughtered bullocks oft has borne bees from corruption i will trace me back to its prime source the stories tangled thread and thence unravel for where the happy folk canapes city of pelly and fame dwell by the niles lagoon like overflow and high or forrows they have called their own skim in their painted wearies where hard by the quivered Persian presses and that flood which from the swat-skinned ethyop bears him down swift-parted into sevenfold branching mouths with black mud fattens and makes Egypt green that whole domain its welfare's hope secure rests on this art alone and first is chosen a straight recess cramped closer to this end which next with narrow roof of tiles atop twixed prisoning walls

2:39:09they pinch and add here to from the four winds four slanting window slits then seek they from the herd a steer whose horns with two years growth are curling and stop fast clunge madly as he may the panting mouth and nostrils twain and done with blows to death batter his flesh to pulp in the hide yet whole and shut the doors and leave him there to lie but nith is ribs they scout are broken bows with time and fresh pulled casias this is done when first the west winds bid the waters flow air flush the meadows with new tints and air the twittering swallow buildeth from the beams meanwhile the juice within his soften bones heats and firmance and things of wondrous birth footless at first a non with feet and wings swarm there and buzz a marvel to behold and more

2:40:20and more the fleeting breeze they take till like a shower that pours from summer clouds fourth burst they or like shafts from quivering string when parthias flying hosts provoke the fray say what was he what god that fashioned forth this art for us oh muses of man's skill whence came the new adventure from thy veil penne and temp turning be bereft so runs the tale by famine and disease mournful the shepherd aristay is stood fast by the haunted riverhead and thus with many a plain to her that bear him cried mother sireen mother who has thy home beneath this whirling flood if he thou sayest a polo lord of thimbra be my sire sprung from the gods high line

2:41:26why bearest thou me with fortunes ban for birthright where is now thy love to me were banished from thy breast oh wherefore didst thou bid me hope for heaven well even the crown of this poor mortal life which all my skillful care by field and fold no art neglected scarce had fashioned forth even this falls from me yet thou calls me son nay then arise with thy known hands pluck up by fruit plantations on the homestead fling pitiless fire make havoc of my crops burn the young plants and wield the stubborn axe against my vines if there hath taken such loathing of my greatness but that cry even from her chamber in the river deeps his mother heard around her spun the nymphs millesian wool stained through with high

2:42:31lean die drymo zantho laigia phylo dosay their glossy locks or snowy shoulders shed side hip and lychorious yellow haired a maiden one one newly learned even then to bear Lucena's birthpang clio too and burrow sisters ocean children both both zoned with gold and girt with dappled fell if fire an opus and from asian mead's deopia and bow at length laid by fleet footed erathusa but in their midst fair climbing was telling or the tale of Vulcan's idol vigilance and the stealth of Mars sweet rabin and from chaos old counted the jossling love joys of the gods charmed by whose lay the wild their woolly tasks with spindles down they drew

2:43:34yet once again smote on his mother's ears the mournful plant of erosteus on their glassy thrones amazement held them all but erathusa before the rest put forth her obron head peering above the wave-top and from far exclaimed syrene sister not for not scared by a groan so deep behold tizhi even ares staeus by heart's fondest care here by the brink of the pene and sire stands woe be gone and weeping and by name cries out upon thee for thy cruelty to whom strange terror knocking at her heart bring bring him to our site the mother cried his feet may tread the threshold even of gods so saying she bids the flood yon wide and yield

2:44:38a pathway for his steps but the wave arched mountain-wise closed round him and within its mighty bosom welcomed and let speed to the deep riverbed and now with eyes of wonder gazing on his mother's hall and watery kingdom and cave-present pools and echoing grove he went and stunned by that stupid pennous whirl of waters separate saw all streams beneath the mighty earth that glide faces and likeus and that fountainhead went first the deep in the peyous leaps to light went's father-tiber and went's aneos flood and hyponus that roars amid his rocks and myesian kakes and bullbroad twixed either gilded horn or ridden's then whom none other through

2:45:38the laughing plains more furious pours into the purple sea soon as the chambers hanging roof of stone was gained and now sireen from her son had heard his idle weeping and due course clear water for his hands the sisters bring with napkins of shorn pile while others heaped the board with dainty's and set on a fresh the brimming goblets with pan-cangon fires up leap the altars then the mother's spake take beakers of mcconion wine she said poor we to ocean ocean sire of all she worships and the sister nymphs who guard the hundred forests and the hundred streams thrice vestus fire with nectar clear she dashed thrice to the rooftop shot the flame and shan armed with which

2:46:43omen she essay to speak in nettoon's gulf carpathian dwells the seer sireen proteus he who meets the main with fish drawn chariot of two-footed steeds now visit his native home once more palene and the amathian ports to him we nymphs do reverence i and noreus old for all things nose the seer both those which are and have been or which time have yet to bring so willed at Neptune whose portentious flocks and lowly sea-cars need the search he feeds him first my son behoves they seas and bind that he may all the cause of sickness show and grant a prosperous end

2:47:43for save by force no read will he vouchsafe nor shall thou bend his soul by praying whom once made captive ply with rigorous force and fetters against these his wives will break and spend themselves in vain i when the sun has lit his newtifeires when the blades thirst and cattle love the shade myself will guide thee to the old man's haunt whether he hives him reary from the waves that thou may safely steal upon his sleep but when thou hast gripped him fast with hand and give then diverse forms in beastiel semblances shall mock thy grasp for sudden he will change to brisly bore fell tygress dragon scaled and tawny tufted lioness or send forth a crackling sound of fire and so shake off the fetters

2:48:43or in showery drops a non dissolve and vanish but the more he shifts his endless transformations thou my son more straightlier clenched the clinging bands until his body shape returned to that thou soist when with closed eyelids first he sank to sleep so saying an odor of embryos you'll do she sheds around and all his frame therewith steeps throughly forth from his trim combed locks breathed effluent sweet and a lie the vigor leapt into his limbs there's a cavern vast scooped in the mountainside where wave on wave by the winds stress is driven and breaks far up its in most creeks safe anchorage from avold for tempest taken mariners there within behind a rocks huge

2:49:45barrier proteus hides here in clothes covert out of the sun's eye the youth she places and herself the wild swathed in a shadowy mist stands far aloof now the ravening dog star that burns up that thirsty indians blazed in heaven his course the fiery sun had half devoured the blades were parched and the void streams with drowty jaws baked to their mud beds by the scorching ray when proteus seeking his accustomed cave strode from the billows round him frallicking the watery folk that people the waste see sprinkled the bitter brine too far and wide along the shore and scattered groups to feed the sea calf stretch them while the seer himself like hers men on the hills when evening bids the steers from pastor to their stall repair and the lambs bleeding wets the

2:50:46listening wolves sits midmost on the rock and tells his tale but eras stayas the foe within his clutch scare suffering him compose his aged limbs with a great cry lept on him and air he rose forstalled him with the fetters he nathless all unforgetful of his ancient craft transforms himself to every wondrous thing fire and a fearful beast and a flowing stream but when no trickery found a path for flight baffled at length to his own shape returned with human lips he spake who bay thee then so reckless in youth's hardy hood affront our portals or what wets thou hence but he proteus thou knowest of thy known heart thou knowest for thee there is no cheatess

2:51:52but ceased thou to practice upon me at heavens behest I for my fainting fortunes hither come an oracle to ask thee there he ceased where at the seer by steppard forest constrained shot forth the gray light of his gleaming eyes upon him and with fiercely gnashing teeth unlocks his lips to spell the fates of heaven doubt not his wrath divine that plagues thee thus nor light the debt thou paced his orfius is self orfius unhappy by no fault of his so fates prevent not fans thy penal fires yet madly raging for his ravished bride she in her haste to shun thy hot pursuit along the stream saw not the coming death where at her feet kept ward upon the bank in the tall grass a

2:52:56monstrous water snake but with their cries the dry adband her peers filled up the mountains to their proudest peaks wailed for her fate the heights of road up and tore panjia and beloved of Mars the land that bowed to recess thrace no less with hebrus his stream and a rithia wept daughter of act old but orfius is self soothing his love pain with the hollow shell thee his sweet wife on the lone shore alone thee when day dawn and when it died he sang nay to the jaws of tainaris too he came of dis the infernal palace and the grove grim with a horror of great darkness came entered and faced the mains and the king of terrors the stone heart no prayer

2:53:57can tame then from the deepest depths of arabis wrong by his menstrual sea the hollow shades came trooping ghostly semblances of forms lost to the light as birds by myriads high to green wood bows for cover when twilight hour or storms of winter chased them from the hills matrons and men and great heroic frames done with life service boys unwetted girls youths placed on pyre before their father's eyes round them with black slime choked and hideous weed cochitous wines there lies the unlovely swamp of dull dead water and to pen them fast sticks with her ninefold barrier poured between yay even the deep tartarian halls of death stood lost in

2:55:01wonderment and the humanities their brows with livid locks of serpents twined even Cerberus held his triple jaws a gap and the wind hushed ixions wheel stood still and now with homeward footstep he had passed all peril's scabeless and at length restored your riddacy to realms of upper air had well nigh one behind him following so prosor peen had ruled it when his heart a sudden man desire surprised and seized neat fault to be forgiven might hell forgive for the very threshold of the day heedless alas and vanquished to resolve he stopped turned looked upon your riddacy his own once more but even with the look poured out was all his labor broken the bond of that fell tyrant

2:56:06and a crash was heard three times like thunder in the mirrors of hell obvious what ruin hath thy frenzy wrought on me alas and the low once again the unpidding fates recall me and dark sleep closes my swimming eyes and now farewell girt with enormous night i am born away outstretching toward the thine alas no more these helpless hands she spake and suddenly like smoke dissolving into empty air past and was sundered from his sight nor him clutching vain shadows yearning sore to speak thenceforth beheld she nor no second time hell's boatman brooks he passed the watery bar what should he do fly with her twice bereaved

2:57:09move with what tears the mains with what voice the powers of darkness she indeed even now death cold was floating on the stigian barge for seven whole months unceasingly men say beneath the sky eye crag by thy lone waves dryman he wept and in the caverns chill unrolled his story melting tigers hearts in leading with his lay the oaks along as in the poplar shade and nightingale marns her lost young which some relentless swain spying from the nest is torn unfledged but she wails the long night and perched upon a spray with sad insistence pipes her de laura strain till all the region with her wrongs or flows no love no new desire can strain his soul by snowbound tenays and the icy north far

2:58:17steps to frost-bropane forever wed alone he wandered lost juridacy lamenting and the gifts of disungiven scorn by which tribute the sassonian dams amid their awful bachanali and rights and midnight revelings tore him limb from limb and strode his fragments over the wide fields then too even then what time the hebra's stream eagreon hebra's down midcurrent rolled rent from the marble neck his drifting head the death-chilled tongue found yet a voice to cry juridacy poor juridacy with parting breath he called her and the banks from the brawn stream caught up juridacy so proteus ending plunged into the deep and where he plunged beneath the edging

2:59:26whirl churned into foam the water and was gone but not syrene who unquestioned thus bespicked the trembling listener name my son from that sad bosom thou maste banish care hence came that plague of sickness hence the nymphs with whom in the tall woods the dance she wove brought on thy bees alas this deadly bane bend thou before the del nymphs gracious powers bring gifts and sooth for pardon they will grant peace to thine asking and an end of wrath but how to approach them will I first unfold four chosen bulls of peerless form and bulk that brows today the green like hay and heights pick from my herds as many kind to match whose necks the yoke pressed never then for these build up four altars by the lofty fains and from their throats let gush the victims

3:00:28blood and in the greenwood leave their bodies alone then when the ninth dawn had displayed its beams to orpheus chathouse send his funeral dues poppies of lathe and let slay a sheep co-black then seek the grove again and soon for pardon found a door juridacy with a slain calf for victim no delay the self same hour he hies in forth to do his mother's bidding to the shrine he came the appointed altars reared and the other led four chosen bulls of peerless form and bulk with kind to match that never yoke had known then when the ninth dawn had led in the day to orpheus sent his funeral dues and sought the grove once more but sudden strange to tell a portent they aspire

3:01:32through the oxen's flesh waxed soft in disillusion hark their hum bees from the belly the rent ribs overboiled in endless clouds they spread them till at last on yon tree top together fused they cling and dropped their cluster from the bending bows so sang I of the tilth of furrowed fields of flocks and trees while Caesar's majesty launched forth the leaven bolts of war by deep euphrates and bear rule or willing folk though vanquished and essay the heights of heaven i Virgil then of sweet parthenope the nursling wooed the flowery walks of peace in glorious who airs to trail for shepherd whites the wanton diddy

3:02:35and sang in saucy youth end of georgic four end of the georgic a poem of the land by Virgil translated by James Rhodes and read by George Emerson