ECLOGUE IV.--POLLIO

ECLOGUEIV——POLLIO

MusesofSicily,singweasomewhatamplerstrain:notallmen-sdelightisincoppicesandlowlytamarisks:ifwesingofthewoods,letthembewoodsworthyofaConsul.

NowiscomethelastageoftheCumaeanprophecy:thegreatcycleofperiodsisbornanew.NowreturnstheMaid,returnsthereignofSaturn:nowfromhighheavenanewgenerationcomesdown.Yetdothouatthatboy-sbirth,inwhomtheironraceshallbegintocease,andthegoldentoariseoveralltheworld,holyLucina,begracious;nowthineownApolloreigns.Andinthyconsulate,inthine,OPollio,shallthisgloriousageenter,andthegreatmonthsbegintheirmarch:underthyrulewhattracesofourguiltyetremain,vanishingshallfreeearthforeverfromalarm.Heshallgrowinthelifeofgods,andshallseegodsandheroesmingled,andhimselfbeseenbythem,andshallruletheworldthathisfathers-virtueshavesetatpeace.Butonthee,Oboy,untilledshallEarthfirstpourchildishgifts,wanderingivy-tendrilsandfoxglove,andcolocasiamingledwiththelaughingacanthus:untendedshalltheshe-goatsbringhometheirmilk-swolnudders,norshallhugelionsalarmtheherds:unbiddenthycradleshallbreakintowooingblossom.Thesnaketooshalldie,anddiethetreacherouspoison-plant:Assyrianspiceshallgrowallupanddown.Butwhenoncethoushaltbeablenowtoreadthegloriesofheroesandthyfather-sdeeds,andtoknowVirtueassheis,slowlytheplainshallgrowgoldenwiththesoftcorn-spike,andthereddeninggrapetrailfromthewildbriar,andhardoaksshalldripdewofhoney.NeverthelessthereshalllingerIsomefewtracesofancientwrong,tobidshipstempttheseaandtownsbegirtwithwallsandtheearthcloveninfurrows.ThenshallasecondTiphysbe,andasecondArgotosailwithchosen

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heroes:newwarstooshallarise,andagainamightyAchillesbesenttoTroy.Thereafter,whennowstrengtheningagehathwroughttheeintoman,theveryvoyagershallceaseoutofthesea,northesailingpineexchangehermerchandise:alllandsshallbearallthings,thegroundshallnotsufferthemattock,northevinethepruning-hook;nowlikewisethestrongploughmanshallloosehisbullsfromtheyoke.Neithershallwoollearntocounterfeitchanginghues,buttheraminthemeadowhimselfshalldyehisfleecenowwithsoftglowingsea-purple,nowwithyellowsaffron;nativescarletshallclothethelambsattheirpasturage.Runeventhus,Oages,saidtheharmoniousFatestotheirspindles,bythesteadfastordinanceofdoom.Drawnightothyhighhonours(evennowwillthetimebecome)Odearoffspringofgods,mightygermofJove!Beholdtheworldswayingherorbedmass,landsandspacesofseaanddepthofsky;beholdhowallthingsrejoiceintheagetocome.Ahmaythelatterendofalonglifethenyetbemine,andsuchbreathasshallsufficetotellthydeeds!NotOrpheusofThracenorLinusshallsurpassmeinsong,thoughhehavehismotherandbehisfathertoaid,OrpheusCalliope,LinusbeautifulApollo.IfevenPanbeforehisArcadycontendwithme,evenPanbeforehisArcadyshalldeclarehimselfconquered.Begin,Olittleboy,toknowandsmileuponthymother,thymotheronwhomtenmonthshavebroughtwearylongings.Begin,Olittleboyfthemwhohavenotsmiledonaparent,neverwasonehonouredatagod-sboardoronagoddess-couch.

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