ECLOGA II. ALEXIS.

FORMOSUM pastor Corydon ardebat Alexin,
Delicias domini; nec, quid speraret, habebat.
Tantum inter densas, umbrosa cacumina, fagos
Assidue veniebat. Ibi hæc incondita solus
Montibus et silvis studio jactabat inani:

"O crudelis Alexi, nihil mea carmina curas ? Nil nostri miserere ? Mori me denique coges.

Nunc etiam pecudes umbras et frigora captant;
Nunc virides etiam occultant spineta lacertos;
Thestylis et rapido fessis messoribus æstu

Allia serpyllumque herbas contundit olentes:
At mecum raucis, tua dum vestigia lustro,
Sole sub ardenti resonant arbusta cicadis.
Nonne fuit satius tristes Amaryllidis iras
Atque superba pati fastidia? nonne Menalcan?
Quamvis ille niger, quamvis tu candidus esses.
O formose puer, nimium ne crede colori!
Alba ligustra cadunt, vaccinia nigra leguntur.

Despectus tibi sum, nec qui sim quæris, Alexi;
Quam dives pecoris, nivei quam lactis abundans.

ECLOGUE II. ALEXIS.

The shepherd Corydon

A deep regard felt for the young Alexis,
His lord's delight, but had no ground for hope.
Only 'mid beech-trees, dense with shady tops,
He constantly betook himself, (and) there,
Alone, he pour'd out to the hills and woods,
With useless passion these untutor'd lays:

"O cruel Alexis, nought dost thou regard
My song? nought dost thou pity me?
At last thou'lt be the occasion of my death.

E'en now the flocks seek out the cooling shade;
E'en now the brakes the green-hued lizard hide;
Thestylis garlic, wild thyme, and sweet herbs
Pounds for the reapers, worn with violent heat.
But, while thy steps 'neath the fierce sun I trace,

The groves resound with grasshoppers and me.
Was it not better the sad rage to bear

Of Amaryllis and her proud disdain ?

Was not Menalcas (even pref'rable),

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Though he (was) black and thou art fair? yet, youth,

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Do not rely too much upon thy looks.

White privets fade; dark hyacinths are cull'd.

Alexis, I'm despised by thee, nor ask'st

Thou who I am; how rich in snow-white flocks;

And what abundant store of milk is mine.

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Mille meæ Siculis errant in montibus agnæ;
Lac mihi non æstate novum, non frigore defit.
Canto, quæ solitus, si quando armenta vocabat,
Amphion Dircæus in Actæo Aracyntho.

Nec sum adeo informis; nuper me in litore vidi,

Quum placidum ventis staret mare; non ego Daphnin,
Judice te, metuam, si nunquam fallat imago.

"O tantum libeat mecum tibi sordida rura
Atque humiles habitare casas, et figere cervos,
Hædorumque gregem viridi compellere hibisco!
Mecum una in silvis imitabere Pana canendo;
Pan primus calamos cera conjungere plures
Instituit; Pan curat oves oviumque magistros.
Nec te pœniteat calamo trivisse labellum :'
Hæc eadem ut sciret, quid non faciebat Amyntas?
Est mihi disparibus septem compacta cicutis
Fistula, Damætas dono mihi quam dedit olim,

Et dixit moriens: Te nunc habet ista secundum.'

Dixit Damætas: invidit stultus Amyntas.

Præterea duo nec tuta mihi valle reperti

Capreoli, sparsis etiam nunc pellibus albo,
Bina die siccant ovis ubera; quos tibi servo.
Jam pridem a me illos abducere Thestylis orat;
Et faciet, quoniam sordent tibi munera nostra.

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"Huc ades, o formose puer: tibi lilia plenis, Ecce, ferunt Nymphæ calathis; tibi candida Naïs, Pallentes violas et summa papavera carpens,

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A thousand ewes, mine, range Sicilian hills;
Summer or winter, new milk never fails me.
I as of Dirce sang Amphion, sing,
Calling his herds on Attic Aracynthus.
Nor ill-shaped am I; lately on the shore
I view'd myself in the quiescent waves;
No Daphnis need I fear, thyself being judge,
If my reflection no way me deceive.

"O that thou only would'st reside with me
In humble country cots, and pierce the deer,
And with green rush-twigs drive my flock of goats!
I' th' woods with me in song with Pan thou'lt vie;
Pan first taught many reeds to join with wax;
Pan guards the sheep, and shepherds of the flocks.
Nor grieve thou with thy lip to have touch'd the pipe.
What did Amyntas not, to learn these notes?

A pipe have I of seven unequal reeds,
Which some time since Damotas gave to me,
And dying said: 'It owns thee second now.'
So spake he; foolish Amyntas grudged it.
Besides I two young goats found in a vale

At large; their skins e'en now are speck'd with white,
And two teats of an ewe they daily drain;

Which I preserve for thee. Thestylis oft

Has begg'd that she might bear them off from me.
She shall, since thou our gifts dost not esteem.

"Come hither, favour'd one, see, Nymphs convey
Lilies in baskets fill'd for thee; for thee
Fair Naïs, gathering pale violets,

And heads of poppies, adds the daffodil

Narcissum et florem jungit bene olentis anethi;

Tum, casia atque aliis intexens suavibus herbis,
Mollia luteola pingit vaccinia caltha.

Ipse ego cana legam tenera lanugine mala,
Castaneasque nuces, mea quas Amaryllis amabat.
Addam cerea pruna; honos erit huic quoque pomo;
Et vos, o lauri, carpam, et te, proxima myrte;
Sic positæ quoniam suaves miscetis odores.

"Rusticus es, Corydon, nec munera curat Alexis;

Nec, si muneribus certes, concedat Iolas.

Heu, heu, quid volui misero mihi? floribus Austrum
Perditus et liquidis immisi fontibus apros.

Quem fugis, ah demens ? habitarunt di quoque silvas,
Dardaniusque Paris. Pallas, quas condidit, arces
Ipsa colat: nobis placeant ante omnia silvæ.
Torva leæna lupum sequitur, lupus ipse capellam;
Florentem cytisum sequitur lasciva capella;

Te Corydon, o Alexi; trahit sua quemque voluptas.

'Adspice, aratra jugo referunt suspensa juvenci,

Et sol crescentes decedens duplicat umbras :

Me tamen urit amor; quis enim modus adsit amori?

"Ah Corydon, Corydon, quæ te dementia cepit!

Semiputata tibi frondosa vitis in ulmo est.