ECLOGUE III.--PALAEMON

ECLOGUEIII——PALAEMON

MENALCAS——DAMOETAS——PALAEMON

M——Tellme,Damoetas,whoistheflock-smaster?Meliboeus?

D——No,butAegon:Aegongaveitoflatetomykeeping.

M——Poorsheep,everalucklessflock!whilethemasterclingsbyNeaeraanddreadslestsheprefermebeforehim.thishirelingshepherdmilksthesheeptwiceanhour:thejuiceisstolenfromtheflock,themilkfromthelambs.

D——Yetremembertobemoresparinginthyjeersatmen.Weknowbywhomthou,whilethehe-goatspeeredsideways-andinwhatshrine,thoughtheeasyNymphslaughed.

M——Then,Ithink,whentheysawmeslashingMicon-sorchardandnurseryvineswithjealoushedgebill.

D——Yes,orherebytheoldbeeches,wherethoubrakestDaphnis-bowandreeds:forthoudidstgrieve,wickedMenalcas,whenthousawestthemgiventotheboy,anditwasdeathtotheeifthoucouldstnotsomehowhavedonehimharm.

M——Whatcanthemastersdo,whentheknavesmakesofree?DidInotseethee,villain,catchingDamon-sgoatfromambushwhilethesheep-dogbarkedaloud?andwhenIcried:Whereisherunningoff-tonow?Tityrus,gathertheflock!thoudidsthidebehindthesedges.

D——WasnothewhomIconqueredinsingingtoyieldthegoatthatmytunefulpipehadwon?Ifthoumustbetold,thegoatwasmine,asDamonhimselfconfessedtome,butsaidhecouldnotgiveitup.

M——Thouhiminsinging?orhadstthoueverawaxen-boundpipe?Wertnotwontinthecross-roads,blockhead,tomangleawretchedtuneonagratingstraw?

P——Wiltthouthenwoeputtoproofbetweenusinturn

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whateachcando?Istakethisheifer——lesthaplythoudrawback,shecomestwicetothemilkingpailandwithalfeedstwocalvesfromherudder——saythouwhatthouwiltstakewithmeinthestrife.

M——OftheflockIdarenotstakeaughtwiththee:forIhaveafatherathome,andawickedstepmother,andtwiceadaybothcounttheflock,andoneofthemthekids.But,whatthyselfwiltconfessfarexcelsit,sincebemadthouwilt——Iwillstakecupsofbeechwood,carvedworkofthedivineAlcimedon,whereaclingingvineraisedbyhislightgraverenfoldspaleivywithherscatteredberries.Inthemiddlearetwofigures,Conon,andwhowasthatotherwhosecompassmarkedout,onallthepeopledglobe,whatseasonsthereaper,whatthebendingploughmanshouldkeep?noryethaveIputliptothem,butkeepthemlaidby.

D——AndforustooAlcimedonmadetwocups,andwreathedthehandlesroundwithsoftacanthus;andinthemiddlesetOrpheusandthefollowingwoods:noryethaveIputliptothem,butkeepthemlaidby.Ifthoulookesttotheheiferincomparison,smallpraiseisinthecups.

M——Notto-dayshaltthouescapeme:Iwillcomeanywheretothychallenge.Letonebuthearusnow——evenhewhoapproaches,lo!Palaemon.Iwillmakethyvoicehenceforthceasefromtroubling.

D——Naycomewithwhatthouhast,thereshallbenodelaywithme:nordoIshrinkfromanyonenly,neighbourPalaemon,thisisnosmallmatter,layitwelltoheart.

P——Sayon;sinceweareseatedonsoftgrass,andnowallthefield,nowallthetreeisburgeoning,nowthewoodlandisleafy,nowisthefairestoftheyear.Begin,Damoetas:thoushaltfollowon,Menalcas:youshallsingturnbyturnastheMuseslove.

D——FromJoveistheMuse-sbeginning:allthingsaxefullofJove.Hekeepstheworld:hegiveseartomysongs.

Al——AndmePhoebusloveshoebus-owngiftsareeverbyme:baysandthesweetflushedhyacinth.

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D——Galatea,playfulmaid,throwsanappleatme,andrunstothewillows,anddesiresthatshefirstbeseen.

M——ButmyflameAmyntascomestomeunbidden:insomuchthatnowourdogsknownotDeliabetter.

D——Giftsaregotformylove:formyselfhavemarkedthespotwherethewood-pigeonshavebuiltaloft.

M——WhatIcouldIhavesenttotheboy,tengoldenapplespluckedfromthewoodlandtree;to-morrowIwillsendasmanymore.

D——OthetimesandthewordsthatGalateahasspokentous!carrybutalittlethereof,yewinds,tothegods-ears.

M——Whatbootsitthatthouscornmenotinthineheart,Amyntas,ifwhilethouhuntesttheboarIamkeeperofthenets?

D——SendmemyPhyllis:itismybirthday,OIollas:whenIshallmakeofferingofayoungheiferforthecrops,comethyself.

M——IlovePhyllisbeforeallwomen:forsheweptatmygoing,andcried,Myfairone,good-byeandalonggood-bye,OIollas.

D——Asadthingisthewolfamongthepens,rainsonripecornfields,thewindsinthetrees,asAmaryllis-angertous.

M——Asweetthingismoisturetothecrops,arbutustoweanlingkids,thepliantwillowtothebreedingherd,asAmyntasalonetome.

D——PolliolovesourMuse,rusticthoughshebe:maidsofPierra,feedaheiferforyourreader.

M——Polliohimselftoomakesnewsongs:feedabull,soontostrikewithhishornandscatterthesandwithhisfeet.

D——Lethimwholovesthee,Pollio,comewherethoutootakestdelight:lethoneyflowforhim,andtheroughbriaryieldhimspice.

M——WhohatesnotBavius,lethimlovethysongs,OMaevius,andwithalyokefoxesandmilkbe-goats.

D——Gatherersofflowersandground-strawberries,flyhence,Ochildren,acoldsnakelurksinthegrass.

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M——Stay,mysheep,fromtoofaradvance:illisittotrustthebank:thelordlyramevennowdrieshisfleece.

D——Tityrus,putbackthegrazingkidsfromtheriver:myself,whenthetimecomes,willwashthemallinthespring.

M——Foldthesheep,children:iftheheatstealsthemilk,asoflate,vainlyshallwesqueezetheuddersinourhands.

D——Alas,alas,howleanismybullamongthejuicytares:thesameloveisdeathtoherdandtoherdsman.

M——Theseassuredly(norislovetoblame)hardlykeeptheirbonestogether:someevileyeiscastonmytenderlambs.

D——Tellinwhatlands(andthoushaltbetomeasgreatApollo)theopenspaceofSkyisthreeyardsandnomore.

M——Tellinwhatlandsflowersarebornengravenwithnamesofkings,andhavePhyllisforthinealone.

P:——Usitskillsnottodeterminethisstrifebetweenyou:boththouandheareworthyoftheheifer,andwhosoevershrinksnotfromLove-ssweetnessshallnottastehisbitterness.Shutofftherivuletsnow,mychildren:themeadowshavedrunktheirfill.

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