Georgics
- 1.393.501
Appear the stars' keen edges, nor the moon
- 1.393.502
As borrowing of her brother's beams to rise,
- 1.393.503
Nor fleecy films to float along the sky.
- 1.393.504
Not to the sun's warmth then upon the shore
- 1.393.505
Do halcyons dear to Thetis ope their wings,
- 1.393.506
Nor filthy swine take thought to toss on high
- 1.393.507
With scattering snout the straw-wisps. But the clouds
- 1.393.508
Seek more the vales, and rest upon the plain,
- 1.393.509
And from the roof-top the night-owl for naught
- 1.393.510
Watching the sunset plies her 'lated song.
- 1.393.511
Distinct in clearest air is Nisus seen
- 1.393.512
Towering, and Scylla for the purple lock
- 1.393.513
Pays dear; for whereso, as she flies, her wings
- 1.393.514
The light air winnow, lo! fierce, implacable,
- 1.393.515
Nisus with mighty whirr through heaven pursues;
- 1.393.516
Where Nisus heavenward soareth, there her wings
- 1.393.517
Clutch as she flies, the light air winnowing still.
- 1.393.518
Soft then the voice of rooks from indrawn throat
- 1.393.519
Thrice, four times, o'er repeated, and full oft
- 1.393.520
On their high cradles, by some hidden joy
- 1.393.521
Gladdened beyond their wont, in bustling throngs
- 1.393.522
Among the leaves they riot; so sweet it is,
- 1.393.523
When showers are spent, their own loved nests again
- 1.393.524
And tender brood to visit. Not, I deem,
- 1.393.525
That heaven some native wit to these assigned,
- 1.393.526
Or fate a larger prescience, but that when
- 1.393.527
The storm and shifting moisture of the air
- 1.393.528
Have changed their courses, and the sky-god now,
- 1.393.529
Wet with the south-wind, thickens what was rare,
- 1.393.530
And what was gross releases, then, too, change
- 1.393.531
Their spirits' fleeting phases, and their breasts
- 1.393.532
Feel other motions now, than when the wind
- 1.393.533
Was driving up the cloud-rack. Hence proceeds
- 1.393.534
That blending of the feathered choirs afield,
- 1.393.535
The cattle's exultation, and the rooks'
- 1.393.536
Deep-throated triumph.
- 1.424.537
But if the headlong sun
- 1.424.538
And moons in order following thou regard,
- 1.424.539
Ne'er will to-morrow's hour deceive thee, ne'er
- 1.424.540
Wilt thou be caught by guile of cloudless night.
- 1.424.541
When first the moon recalls her rallying fires,
- 1.424.542
If dark the air clipped by her crescent dim,
- 1.424.543
For folks afield and on the open sea
- 1.424.544
A mighty rain is brewing; but if her face
- 1.424.545
With maiden blush she mantle, 'twill be wind,
- 1.424.546
For wind turns Phoebe still to ruddier gold.
- 1.424.547
But if at her fourth rising, for 'tis that
- 1.424.548
Gives surest counsel, clear she ride thro' heaven
- 1.424.549
With horns unblunted, then shall that whole day,
- 1.424.550
And to the month's end those that spring from it,
- 1.424.551
Rainless and windless be, while safe ashore
- 1.424.552
Shall sailors pay their vows to Panope,
- 1.424.553
Glaucus, and Melicertes, Ino's child.
- 1.424.554
The sun too, both at rising, and when soon
- 1.424.555
He dives beneath the waves, shall yield thee signs;
- 1.424.556
For signs, none trustier, travel with the sun,
- 1.424.557
Both those which in their course with dawn he brings,
- 1.424.558
And those at star-rise. When his springing orb
- 1.424.559
With spots he pranketh, muffled in a cloud,
- 1.424.560
And shrinks mid-circle, then of showers beware;
- 1.424.561
For then the South comes driving from the deep,
- 1.424.562
To trees and crops and cattle bringing bane.
- 1.424.563
Or when at day-break through dark clouds his rays
- 1.424.564
Burst and are scattered, or when rising pale
- 1.424.565
Aurora quits Tithonus' saffron bed,
- 1.424.566
But sorry shelter then, alack I will yield
- 1.424.567
Vine-leaf to ripening grapes; so thick a hail
- 1.424.568
In spiky showers spins rattling on the roof.
- 1.424.569
And this yet more 'twill boot thee bear in mind,
- 1.424.570
When now, his course upon Olympus run,
- 1.424.571
He draws to his decline: for oft we see
- 1.424.572
Upon the sun's own face strange colours stray;
- 1.424.573
Dark tells of rain, of east winds fiery-red;
- 1.424.574
If spots with ruddy fire begin to mix,
- 1.424.575
Then all the heavens convulsed in wrath thou'lt see—
- 1.424.576
Storm-clouds and wind together. Me that night
- 1.424.577
Let no man bid fare forth upon the deep,
- 1.424.578
Nor rend the rope from shore. But if, when both
- 1.424.579
He brings again and hides the day's return,
- 1.424.580
Clear-orbed he shineth,idly wilt thou dread
- 1.424.581
The storm-clouds, and beneath the lustral North
- 1.424.582
See the woods waving. What late eve in fine
- 1.424.583
Bears in her bosom, whence the wind that brings
- 1.424.584
Fair-weather-clouds, or what the rain South
- 1.424.585
Is meditating, tokens of all these
- 1.424.586
The sun will give thee. Who dare charge the sun
- 1.424.587
With leasing? He it is who warneth oft
- 1.424.588
Of hidden broils at hand and treachery,
- 1.424.589
And secret swelling of the waves of war.
- 1.466.590
He too it was, when Caesar's light was quenched,
- 1.466.591
For Rome had pity, when his bright head he veiled
- 1.466.592
In iron-hued darkness, till a godless age
- 1.466.593
Trembled for night eternal; at that time
- 1.466.594
Howbeit earth also, and the ocean-plains,
- 1.466.595
And dogs obscene, and birds of evil bode
- 1.466.596
Gave tokens. Yea, how often have we seen
- 1.466.597
Etna, her furnace-walls asunder riven,
- 1.466.598
In billowy floods boil o'er the Cyclops' fields,
- 1.466.599
And roll down globes of fire and molten rocks!
- 1.466.600
A clash of arms through all the heaven was heard
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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.