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From story up to story。
Now while yet
The leaves are in their first fresh infant growth；
Forbear their frailty； and while yet the bough
Shoots joyfully toward heaven； with loosened rein
Launched on the void； assail it not as yet
With keen…edged sickle； but let the leaves alone
Be culled with clip of fingers here and there。
But when they clasp the elms with sturdy trunks
Erect； then strip the leaves off； prune the boughs；
Sooner they shrink from steel； but then put forth
The arm of power； and stem the branchy tide。
Hedges too must be woven and all beasts
Barred entrance； chiefly while the leaf is young
And witless of disaster； for therewith；
Beside harsh winters and o'erpowering sun；
Wild buffaloes and pestering goats for ay
Besport them； sheep and heifers glut their greed。
Nor cold by hoar…frost curdled； nor the prone
Dead weight of summer upon the parched crags；
So scathe it； as the flocks with venom…bite
Of their hard tooth； whose gnawing scars the stem。
For no offence but this to Bacchus bleeds
The goat at every altar； and old plays
Upon the stage find entrance； therefore too
The sons of Theseus through the country…side…
Hamlet and crossway… set the prize of wit；
And on the smooth sward over oiled skins
Dance in their tipsy frolic。 Furthermore
The Ausonian 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 Bacchus； and to thee
Hang puppet…faces on tall pines to swing。
Hence every vineyard teems with mellowing fruit；
Till hollow vale o'erflows； and gorge profound；
Where'er the god hath turned his comely head。
Therefore to Bacchus duly will we sing
Meet honour 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 hazel…spits we'll roast。
This further task again； to dress the vine；
Hath needs beyond exhausting； the whole soil
Thrice； four times； yearly must be cleft； the sod
With hoes reversed be crushed continually；
The whole plantation lightened of its leaves。
Round on the labourer 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 chill 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； last to gather fruit。
Twice doth the thickening shade beset the vine；
Twice weeds with stifling briers o'ergrow the crop；
And each a toilsome labour。 Do thou praise
Broad acres； farm but few。 Rough twigs beside
Of butcher'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 fettered； now the trees
Let go the sickle； and the last dresser now
Sings of his finished rows； 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 bowed or biting rake；
When once they have gripped the soil； and borne the breeze。
Earth of herself； with hooked fang laid bare；
Yields moisture for the plants； and heavy fruit；
The ploughshare aiding； therewithal thou'lt rear
The olive's fatness well…beloved of Peace。
Apples； moreover； soon as first they feel
Their stems wax lusty； and have found their strength；
To heaven climb swiftly； self…impelled； nor crave
Our succour。 All the grove meanwhile no less
With fruit is swelling； and the wild haunts of birds
Blush with their blood…red berries。 Cytisus
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？ Why trace
Things mightier？ Willows even and lowly brooms
To cattle their green leaves； to shepherds shade；
Fences for crops； and food for honey yield。
And blithe it is Cytorus to behold
Waving with box； Narycian groves of pitch；
Oh！ blithe the sight of fields beholden not
To rake or man's endeavour！ the barren woods
That crown the scalp of Caucasus； even these；
Which 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； too； the farmers shave their wheel…spokes； hence
Drums for their wains； and curved boat…keels fit；
Willows bear twigs enow； the elm…tree leaves；
Myrtle stout spear…shafts； war…tried cornel too；
Yews into Ituraean bows are bent：
Nor do smooth lindens or lathe…polished box
Shrink from man's shaping and keen…furrowing steel；
Light alder floats upon the boiling flood
Sped down the Padus； and bees house their swarms
In rotten holm…oak's hollow bark and bole。
What of like praise can Bacchus' gifts afford？
Nay； Bacchus even to crime hath prompted； he
The wine…infuriate Centaurs quelled with death；
Rhoetus and Pholus； and with mighty bowl
Hylaeus threatening high the Lapithae。
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 palace portal…proud
From all its chambers vomits forth a tide
Of morning courtiers； nor agape they gaze
On pillars with fair tortoise…shell inwrought；
Gold…purfled robes； and bronze from Ephyre；
Nor is the whiteness of their wool distained
With drugs Assyrian； nor clear olive's use
With cassia tainted； yet untroubled calm；
A life that knows no falsehood； rich enow
With various treasures； yet broad…acred ease；
Grottoes and living lakes； yet Tempes cool；
Lowing of kine； and sylvan slumbers soft；
They lack not； lawns and wild beasts' haunts are there；
A youth of labour 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 rites I bear with mighty passion pierced；
Receive； and show the paths and stars of heaven；
The sun's eclipses and the labouring 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； then be fields
And stream…washed vales my solace； let me love
Rivers and woods； inglorious。 Oh for you
Plains； and Spercheius； and Taygete；
By Spartan maids o'er…revelled！ Oh； for one；
Would set me in deep dells of Haemus cool；
And shield me with his boughs' o'ershadowing might！
Happy； who had the skill to understand
Nature's hid causes； and beneath his feet
All terrors cast； and death's relentless doom；
And the loud roar of greedy Acheron。
Blest too is he who knows the rural gods；
Pan； old Silvanus； 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 descent
Of Dacian from the Danube's leagued flood；
Nor Rome's great State； nor kingdoms like to die；
Nor hath he grieved through pitying of the poor；
Nor envied him that hath。 What fruit the boughs；
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 gulfs of Ocean with their oars；
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 Tyrian rugs to lie；
This hoards his wealth and broods o'er buried gold；
One at the rostra stares in blank amaze；
One gaping sits transported by the cheers；
The answering cheers of plebs and senate rolled
Along the benches： bathed in brothers' blood
Men revel； and； all delights of hearth and home
For exile changing； a new country seek
Beneath an alien sun。 The husbandman
With hooked ploughshare turns the soil； from hence
Springs his year's labour； hence； too； he sustains
Country and cottage homestead； and from hence
His herds of cattle and deserving steers。
No respite！ still the year o'erflows with fruit；
Or young of kine； or C