Et molli circum est ansas amplexus acantho,

Orpheaque in medio posuit silvasque sequentes;

Necdum illis labra admovi, sed condita servo.

Si ad vitulam spectas, nihil est, quod pocula laudes.

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MEN. Nunquam hodie effugies; veniam, quocumque vocaris.

Audiat hæc tantum, vel qui venit, ecce, Palæmon;

Efficiam, posthac ne quemquam voce lacessas.

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DAM. Quin age, si quid habes: in me mora non erit ulla,

Nec quemquam fugio; tantum, vicine Palæmon,

Sensibus hæc imis, res est non parva, reponas.

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PAL. Dicite, quandoquidem in molli consedimus herba;
Et nunc omnis ager, nunc omnis parturit arbos,
Nunc frondent silvæ, nunc formosissimus annus.
Incipe, Damota; tu,deinde sequere, Menalca.

Alternis dicetis, amant alterna Camœnæ.

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DAM. Ab Jove principium, Musæ; Jovis omnia plena;

Ille colit terras, illi mea carmina curæ.

MEN. Et me Phoebus amat; Phobo sua semper apud me

Munera sunt, lauri, et suave rubens hyacinthus.

DAM. Malo me Galatea petit, lasciva puella,

Et fugit ad salices, et se cupit ante videri.

MEN. At mihi sese offert ultro meus ignis, Amyntas,

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And wreath'd their handles with soft foliage.

Orpheus he placed amidst, woods following (him);
Neither have I as yet applied my lips

To them, but keep them carefully laid by.
Look at my heifer, and praise not your bowls.

MEN. By no means shall you this day get away;

I will agree to any terms you like,
Only let him now coming-lo, it is
Palamon-hear these (strains). I'll undertake
You'll no one trouble after this with song.

DAM. Come on then, if you are at all inclined;
With me there shall be no delay; nor do
I any (judge) avoid. But, friend Palamon,
These (songs) store up most deeply in your mind;
It is a matter of no little weight.

PAL. Sing on, since we're soft seated on the sward,
And now each field, now every tree bears (fruit);
The woods now sprout: spring is most lovely now.
Begin, Damotas; you, Menalcas, follow.
In alternating measures ye shall sing ;
The Muses (all) approve alternate lays.

DAM. From Jove, O Muses, is our origin: (And) all things (are) with Jupiter replete; He loves the earth; my verses he esteems.

MEN. Me Phoebus loves; for him I gifts e'er have,

The laurel and sweet blushing hyacinth.

DAM. With apples Galatea, wanton girl,

Pelts me, and to the willows hies away,
Hoping that I, perchance, beheld her act.

MEN. My friend, Amyntas, freely comes to me,

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Notior ut jam sit canibus non Delia nostris.

DAM. Parta meæ Veneri sunt munera; namque notavi Ipse locum, aëriæ quo congessere palumbes.

MEN. Quod potui, puero silvestri ex arbore lecta Aurea mala decem misi; cras altera mittam.

DAM. O quoties, et quæ nobis Galatea locuta est!

Partem aliquam, venti, divum referatis ad aures!

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MEN. Quid prodest, quod me ipse animo non spernis, Amynta,

Si, dum tu sectaris apros, ego retia servo?

DAM. Phyllida mitte mihi, meus est natalis, Iola :

Quum faciam vitula pro frugibus, ipse venito.

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MEN. Phyllida amo ante alias; nam me discedere flevit, Et: "Longum, formose, vale, vale," inquit, Iolla.

DAM. Triste lupus stabulis, maturis frugibus imbres, Arboribus venti, nobis Amaryllidis iræ.

MEN. Dulce satis humor, depulsis arbutus hædis,

Lenta salix feto pecori, mihi solus Amyntas.

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DAM. Pollio amat nostram, quamvis est rustica, Musam; Pierides, vitulam lectori pascite vestro.

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MEN. Pollio et ipse facit nova carmina: pascite taurum, Jam cornu petat et pedibus qui spargat arenam.

DAM. Qui te, Pollio, amat, veniat, quo te quoque gaudet;

Nor is Delia by our dogs more recognised.

DAM. Presents I for my Venus have prepared.
For I myself have noted (well) the spot,
Where airy ringdoves have their nests constructed.
MEN. What I was able I have sent to mine:
Ten golden apples gather'd from a tree

I' th' wood; to-morrow I will send the rest.
DAM. How oft, and what has Galatea told me!
Some part waft to the ears of th' gods, ye winds.
MEN. What good is it you spurn me not, Amyntas,

If, while you chase the boar, I watch the toils?
DAM. Iollas, send me Phillis; 'tis my birthday;
But, when I for the harvest (garnering)
A heifer sacrifice, (mind,) come yourself.
MEN. Iollas, Phillis I 'fore others love,

For she at my departure wept, and said:

"Thou handsome youth, farewell, a long farewell!"

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DAM. Fatal to sheep-folds are the wolves; the showers

Of rain to ripen'd corn; (harsh) winds to trees;

And Amaryllis' anger (most) to me.

MEN. Moisture is grateful to the rising crops;

To the wean'd kids, the arbutus; to ewes
With young, soft willows; but to me, Amyntas.

DAM. Pollio loves my rustic muse, though plain;
Muses, a heifer for your reader feed.

MEN. New verses Pollio, too, himself doth write;
A bullock for him feed, that with the horn
Already butts, and spurns with hoof the sand.

DAM. May he who loves thee, Pollio, enjoy
The honours he rejoices thou hast reach'd.

VOL. III.

P

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Mella fluant illi, ferat et rubus asper amomum.

MEN. Qui Bavium non odit, amet tua carmina, Mævi; 90 Atque idem jungat vulpes et mulgeat hircos.

DAM. Qui legitis flores et humi nascentia fraga,

Frigidus, o pueri, fugite hinc, latet anguis in herba.

MEN. Parcite, oves, nimium procedere; non bene ripæ

Creditur; ipse aries etiam nunc vellera siccat.

DAM. Tityre, pascentes a flumine reice capellas:

Ipse, ubi tempus erit, omnes in fonte lavabo.

MEN. Cogite oves, pueri; si lac præceperit æstus,

Ut nuper, frustra pressabimus ubera palmis.

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DEм. Heu, heu, quam pingui macer est mihi taurus in arvo! Idem amor exitium pecori pecorisque magistro.

MEN. His certe neque amor causa est; vix ossibus hærent; Nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos.

DAM. Dic, quibus in terris, et eris mihi magnus Apollo,

Tres pateat cœli spatium non amplius ulnas.

MEN. Dic quibus in terris inscripti nomina regum
Nascantur flores; et Phyllida solus habeto.

PAL. Non nostrum inter vos tantas componere lites;
Et vitula tu dignus, et hic: et quisquis amores
Aut metuet dulces aut experietur amaros.

Claudite jam rivos, pueri; sat prata biberunt.

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