Georgics
- 1.231.301
By the Gods' grace to heart-sick mortals given,
- 1.231.302
And a path cleft between them, where might wheel
- 1.231.303
On sloping plane the system of the Signs.
- 1.231.304
And as toward Scythia and Rhipaean heights
- 1.231.305
The world mounts upward, likewise sinks it down
- 1.231.306
Toward Libya and the south, this pole of ours
- 1.231.307
Still towering high, that other, 'neath their feet,
- 1.231.308
By dark Styx frowned on, and the abysmal shades.
- 1.231.309
Here glides the huge Snake forth with sinuous coils
- 1.231.310
'Twixt the two Bears and round them river-wise—
- 1.231.311
The Bears that fear 'neath Ocean's brim to dip.
- 1.231.312
There either, say they, reigns the eternal hush
- 1.231.313
Of night that knows no seasons, her black pall
- 1.231.314
Thick-mantling fold on fold; or thitherward
- 1.231.315
From us returning Dawn brings back the day;
- 1.231.316
And when the first breath of his panting steeds
- 1.231.317
On us the Orient flings, that hour with them
- 1.231.318
Red Vesper 'gins to trim his 'lated fires.
- 1.231.319
Hence under doubtful skies forebode we can
- 1.231.320
The coming tempests, hence both harvest-day
- 1.231.321
And seed-time, when to smite the treacherous main
- 1.231.322
With driving oars, when launch the fair-rigged fleet,
- 1.231.323
Or in ripe hour to fell the forest-pine.
- 1.257.324
Hence, too, not idly do we watch the stars—
- 1.257.325
Their rising and their setting-and the year,
- 1.257.326
Four varying seasons to one law conformed.
- 1.257.327
If chilly showers e'er shut the farmer's door,
- 1.257.328
Much that had soon with sunshine cried for haste,
- 1.257.329
He may forestall; the ploughman batters keen
- 1.257.330
His blunted share's hard tooth, scoops from a tree
- 1.257.331
His troughs, or on the cattle stamps a brand,
- 1.257.332
Or numbers on the corn-heaps; some make sharp
- 1.257.333
The stakes and two-pronged forks, and willow-bands
- 1.257.334
Amerian for the bending vine prepare.
- 1.257.335
Now let the pliant basket plaited be
- 1.257.336
Of bramble-twigs; now set your corn to parch
- 1.257.337
Before the fire; now bruise it with the stone.
- 1.257.338
Nay even on holy days some tasks to ply
- 1.257.339
Is right and lawful: this no ban forbids,
- 1.257.340
To turn the runnel's course, fence corn-fields in,
- 1.257.341
Make springes for the birds, burn up the briars,
- 1.257.342
And plunge in wholesome stream the bleating flock.
- 1.257.343
Oft too with oil or apples plenty-cheap
- 1.257.344
The creeping ass's ribs his driver packs,
- 1.257.345
And home from town returning brings instead
- 1.257.346
A dented mill-stone or black lump of pitch.
- 1.276.347
The moon herself in various rank assigns
- 1.276.348
The days for labour lucky: fly the fifth;
- 1.276.349
Then sprang pale Orcus and the Eumenides;
- 1.276.350
Earth then in awful labour brought to light
- 1.276.351
Coeus, Iapetus, and Typhoeus fell,
- 1.276.352
And those sworn brethren banded to break down
- 1.276.353
The gates of heaven; thrice, sooth to say, they strove
- 1.276.354
Ossa on Pelion's top to heave and heap,
- 1.276.355
Aye, and on Ossa to up-roll amain
- 1.276.356
Leafy Olympus; thrice with thunderbolt
- 1.276.357
Their mountain-stair the Sire asunder smote.
- 1.276.358
Seventh after tenth is lucky both to set
- 1.276.359
The vine in earth, and take and tame the steer,
- 1.276.360
And fix the leashes to the warp; the ninth
- 1.276.361
To runagates is kinder, cross to thieves.
- 1.287.362
Many the tasks that lightlier lend themselves
- 1.287.363
In chilly night, or when the sun is young,
- 1.287.364
And Dawn bedews the world. By night 'tis best
- 1.287.365
To reap light stubble, and parched fields by night;
- 1.287.366
For nights the suppling moisture never fails.
- 1.287.367
And one will sit the long late watches out
- 1.287.368
By winter fire-light, shaping with keen blade
- 1.287.369
The torches to a point; his wife the while,
- 1.287.370
Her tedious labour soothing with a song,
- 1.287.371
Speeds the shrill comb along the warp, or else
- 1.287.372
With Vulcan's aid boils the sweet must-juice down,
- 1.287.373
And skims with leaves the quivering cauldron's wave.
- 1.287.374
But ruddy Ceres in mid heat is mown,
- 1.287.375
And in mid heat the parched ears are bruised
- 1.287.376
Upon the floor; to plough strip, strip to sow;
- 1.287.377
Winter's the lazy time for husbandmen.
- 1.287.378
In the cold season farmers wont to taste
- 1.287.379
The increase of their toil, and yield themselves
- 1.287.380
To mutual interchange of festal cheer.
- 1.287.381
Boon winter bids them, and unbinds their cares,
- 1.287.382
As laden keels, when now the port they touch,
- 1.287.383
And happy sailors crown the sterns with flowers.
- 1.287.384
Nathless then also time it is to strip
- 1.287.385
Acorns from oaks, and berries from the bay,
- 1.287.386
Olives, and bleeding myrtles, then to set
- 1.287.387
Snares for the crane, and meshes for the stag,
- 1.287.388
And hunt the long-eared hares, then pierce the doe
- 1.287.389
With whirl of hempen-thonged Balearic sling,
- 1.287.390
While snow lies deep, and streams are drifting ice.
- 1.311.391
What need to tell of autumn's storms and stars,
- 1.311.392
And wherefore men must watch, when now the day
- 1.311.393
Grows shorter, and more soft the summer's heat?
- 1.311.394
When Spring the rain-bringer comes rushing down,
- 1.311.395
Or when the beards of harvest on the plain
- 1.311.396
Bristle already, and the milky corn
- 1.311.397
On its green stalk is swelling? Many a time,
- 1.311.398
When now the farmer to his yellow fields
- 1.311.399
The reaping-hind came bringing, even in act
- 1.311.400
To lop the brittle barley stems, have I
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Perseus Latin. CTS URN phi0690.phi002.perseus-eng2. Via the Perseus Digital Library / Open Greek and Latin TEI corpora. Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source.