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His herds of cattle and deserving steers。
No respite！ still the year o'erflows with fruit；
Or young of kine； or Ceres' wheaten sheaf；
With crops the furrow loads； and bursts the barns。
Winter is come： in olive…mills they bruise
The Sicyonian berry； acorn…cheered
The swine troop homeward； woods their arbutes yield；
So； various fruit sheds Autumn； and high up
On sunny rocks the mellowing vintage bakes。
Meanwhile about his lips sweet children cling；
His chaste house keeps its purity； his kine
Drop milky udders； and on the lush green grass
Fat kids are striving； horn to butting horn。
Himself keeps holy days； stretched o'er the sward；
Where round the fire his comrades crown the bowl；
He pours libation； and thy name invokes；
Lenaeus； and for the herdsmen on an elm
Sets up a mark for the swift javelin； they
Strip their tough bodies for the rustic sport。
Such life of yore the ancient Sabines led；
Such Remus and his brother： Etruria thus；
Doubt not； to greatness grew； and Rome became
The fair world's fairest； and with circling wall
Clasped to her single breast the sevenfold hills。
Ay； ere the reign of Dicte's king； ere men；
Waxed godless； banqueted on slaughtered bulls；
Such life on earth did golden Saturn lead。
Nor ear of man had heard the war…trump's blast；
Nor clang of sword on stubborn anvil set。
But lo！ a boundless space we have travelled o'er；
'Tis time our steaming horses to unyoke。
GEORGIC III
Thee too； great Pales； will I hymn； and thee；
Amphrysian shepherd； worthy to be sung；
You； woods and waves Lycaean。 All themes beside；
Which else had charmed the vacant mind with song；
Are now waxed common。 Of harsh Eurystheus who
The story knows not； or that praiseless king
Busiris； and his altars？ or by whom
Hath not the tale been told of Hylas young；
Latonian Delos and Hippodame；
And Pelops for his ivory shoulder famed；
Keen charioteer？ Needs must a path be tried；
By which I too may lift me from the dust；
And float triumphant through the mouths of men。
Yea； I shall be the first； so life endure；
To lead the Muses with me； as I pass
To mine own country from the Aonian height；
I； Mantua； first will bring thee back the palms
Of Idumaea； and raise a marble shrine
On thy green plain fast by the water…side；
Where Mincius winds more vast in lazy coils；
And rims his margent with the tender reed。
Amid my shrine shall Caesar's godhead dwell。
To him will I； as victor； bravely dight
In Tyrian purple； drive along the bank
A hundred four…horse cars。 All Greece for me；
Leaving Alpheus and Molorchus' grove；
On foot shall strive； or with the raw…hide glove；
Whilst I； my head with stripped green olive crowned；
Will offer gifts。 Even 'tis present joy
To lead the high processions to the fane；
And view the victims felled； or how the scene
Sunders with shifted face； and Britain's sons
Inwoven thereon with those proud curtains rise。
Of gold and massive ivory on the doors
I'll trace the battle of the Gangarides；
And our Quirinus' conquering arms； and there
Surging with war； and hugely flowing； the Nile；
And columns heaped on high with naval brass。
And Asia's vanquished cities I will add；
And quelled Niphates； and the Parthian foe；
Who trusts in flight and backward…volleying darts；
And trophies torn with twice triumphant hand
From empires twain on ocean's either shore。
And breathing forms of Parian marble there
Shall stand； the offspring of Assaracus；
And great names of the Jove…descended folk；
And father Tros； and Troy's first founder； lord
Of Cynthus。 And accursed Envy there
Shall dread the Furies； and thy ruthless flood；
Cocytus； and Ixion's twisted snakes；
And that vast wheel and ever…baffling stone。
Meanwhile the Dryad…haunted woods and lawns
Unsullied seek we； 'tis thy hard behest；
Maecenas。 Without thee no lofty task
My mind essays。 Up！ break the sluggish bonds
Of tarriance； with loud din Cithaeron calls；
Steed…taming Epidaurus； and thy hounds；
Taygete； and hark！ the assenting groves
With peal on peal reverberate the roar。
Yet must I gird me to rehearse ere long
The fiery fights of Caesar； speed his name
Through ages； countless as to Caesar's self
From the first birth…dawn of Tithonus old。
If eager for the prized Olympian palm
One breed the horse； or bullock strong to plough；
Be his prime care a shapely dam to choose。
Of kine grim…faced is goodliest； with coarse head
And burly neck； whose hanging dewlaps reach
From chin to knee； of boundless length her flank；
Large every way she is； large…footed even；
With incurved horns and shaggy ears beneath。
Nor let mislike me one with spots of white
Conspicuous； or that spurns the yoke； whose horn
At times hath vice in't： liker bull…faced she；
And tall…limbed wholly； and with tip of tail
Brushing her footsteps as she walks along。
The age for Hymen's rites； Lucina's pangs；
Ere ten years ended； after four begins；
Their residue of days nor apt to teem；
Nor strong for ploughing。 Meantime； while youth's delight
Survives within them； loose the males： be first
To speed thy herds of cattle to their loves；
Breed stock with stock； and keep the race supplied。
Ah！ life's best hours are ever first to fly
From hapless mortals； in their place succeed
Disease and dolorous eld； till travail sore
And death unpitying sweep them from the scene。
Still will be some； whose form thou fain wouldst change；
Renew them still； with yearly choice of young
Preventing losses； lest too late thou rue。
Nor steeds crave less selection； but on those
Thou think'st to rear； the promise of their line；
From earliest youth thy chiefest pains bestow。
See from the first yon high…bred colt afield；
His lofty step； his limbs' elastic tread：
Dauntless he leads the herd； still first to try
The threatening flood； or brave the unknown bridge；
By no vain noise affrighted； lofty…necked；
With clean…cut head； short belly； and stout back；
His sprightly breast exuberant with brawn。
Chestnut and grey are good； the worst…hued white
And sorrel。 Then lo！ if arms are clashed afar；
Bide still he cannot： ears stiffen and limbs quake；
His nostrils snort and roll out wreaths of fire。
Dense is his mane； that when uplifted falls
On his right shoulder； betwixt either loin
The spine runs double； his earth…dinting hoof
Rings with the ponderous beat of solid horn。
Even such a horse was Cyllarus； reined and tamed
By Pollux of Amyclae； such the pair
In Grecian song renowned； those steeds of Mars；
And famed Achilles' team： in such…like form
Great Saturn's self with mane flung loose on neck
Sped at his wife's approach； and flying filled
The heights of Pelion with his piercing neigh。
Even him； when sore disease or sluggish eld
Now saps his strength； pen fast at home； and spare
His not inglorious age。 A horse grown old
Slow kindling unto love in vain prolongs
The fruitless task； and； to the encounter come；
As fire in stubble blusters without strength；
He rages idly。 Therefore mark thou first
Their age and mettle； other points anon；
As breed and lineage； or what pain was theirs
To lose the race； what pride the palm to win。
Seest how the chariots in mad rivalry
Poured from the barrier grip the course and go；
When youthful hope is highest； and every heart
Drained with each wild pulsation？ How they ply
The circling lash； and reaching forward let
The reins hang free！ Swift spins the glowing wheel；
And now they stoop； and now erect in air
Seem borne through space and towering to the sky：
No stop； no stay； the dun sand whirls aloft；
They reek with foam…flakes and pursuing breath；
So sweet is fame； so prized the victor's palm。
'Twas Ericthonius first took heart to yoke
Four horses to his car； and rode above
The whirling wheels to victory： but the ring
And bridle…reins； mounted on horses' backs；
The Pelethronian Lapithae bequeathed；
And taught the knight in arms to spurn the ground；
And arch the upgathered footsteps of his pride。
Each task alike is arduous； and for each
A horse young； fiery； swift of foot； they seek；
How oft so…e'er yon rival may have chased
The flying foe； or boast his native plain
Epirus； or Mycenae's stubborn hold；
And trace his lineage back to Neptune's birth。
These points regarded； as the time draws nigh；
With instant zeal they lavish all their care
To plump with solid fat the chosen chief
And designated husband of the herd：
And flowery herbs they cut； and serve him well
With corn and running water； that his strength
Not fail him for that labour of delight；