ECLOGUE VI.--SILENUS

ECLOGUEVI——SILENUS

FIRSTourThaliadeignedtodallywiththeverseofSyracuse,norblushedtodwellinthewoodland.WhenIwassingingofkingsandbattles,theCynthiantwitchedmyearandcounselledme:Ashepherd,Tityrus,shouldfeedfatsheepbututteraslendersong.NowwillI——forthouwilthavemanywholongtoutterthypraises,Varus,andtochronicledreadfulwars——broodonmyslimpipeovertheMuseofthecountry,Yetifone,ifonetherebetoreadthisalsoforloveofit,ofthee,OVarus,ourtamarisks,oftheealltheforestshallsing;norisanypagedearertoPhoebusthanthatwhichwritesinfrontofitVarus-name.

Proceed,maidensofPieria.TheboysChromisandMnasylossawSilenuslyingasleepinacavern,hisveinsswollenaseverwiththewineofyesterday:justapartlaythegarlandsslidfromhishead,andtheheavywine-jarhungbyitswornhandle.Fallingonhim,foroftentheoldmanhadmockedthembothwithexpectationofasong,theyfetterhiminhisowngarlands.Aeglejoinscompanyandreinforcestheirfaintcourage,AeglefairestoftheNaiads;and,nowhiseyesareopen,stainshisbrowandtempleswithblood-redmulberries.He,laughingattheirwiles,cries,Whytiethesebonds?releaseme,boys:enoughthatyoufanciedyouweresostrong.Markthesongsyoudesire;foryousongs,forhershallbeanotherpayment.Andwiththathebegins.ThenindeedthoumightestseeFaunsandwildcreaturessportinginmeasure,thenmassyoaksswayingtheirtops:norsomuchdoestheParnassiancliffrejoiceinPhoebusnorsomuchRhodopeandIsmarusmarvelatOrpheus.

Forhesanghowthroughoutthevastvoidweregatheredtogethertheseedsofearthandairandsea,andwithaloffluidfire;howfromtheseoriginalsallthebeginningsof

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thingsandtheyoungorbedworlditselfgrewtogether;thenbeganto,hardenitsfloorandsetocean-barstoNereusandgraduallytakeshapeinthings:whilenowearthinamazeseesthenew-bornsunriseshininghigher,andtherainsfallasthecloudsuplift;whentheforestsfirstbegintospring,andwhenlivecreaturesroamthinlyovertheunknowinghills.NexthetellsofthestonescastbyPyrrha,oftherealmofSaturn,andthebirdsofCaucasusandthetheftofPrometheus:theretoheaddshowthesailorscalledonHylasleftatthefountaintillHylas!Hylas!echoedfromalltheshore:andconsolesPasipha(happy,hadherdsbutneverbeen!)withtheloveofhersnowysteer.Ahhaplessmaiden,whatfrenzyhathholdofthee?Proetus-daughtersfilledthefieldswithcounterfeitedlowings,butyetnoneofthempursuedsuchinhumanandshamefulunion,thoughherneckhadshudderedasfromtheploughandsheoftenhadsoughtforhornsonhersmoothforehead.Ahhaplessmaiden,thounowwanderestonthehills:he,restinghissnowysideonsofthyacinthblooms,underabackilexmunchesthepalegrass,orfollowsoneamongthevastherd.Bar,ONymphs,NymphsofCrete,barnowtheforestglades,ifhaplythatsteer-swanderingfootprintsmaysomewheremeetoureyes;peradventurehe,eitherluredbygreenherbageorfollowingtheherbs,maycomehomeonthecows-tracktotheyardsofGortyna.Thenhesingsofthemaiden-smarvelattheapplesoftheHesperides:thenenringsPhaethon-ssisterswithmossonbitterbark,andmakesthemspringtallinalderfromtheground.ThenhesingshowasGallusstrayedbythestreamsofPermessus,oneofthesisterhoodledhimtoAonianhills,andhowbeforehimallthechoirofPhoebusroseup;bowLinusthedivineshepherd-singer,withblossomsandbitterparsleytwinedinhishair,spokethustohim:Thesepipes,see,takethem!theMusesgivethee,thesametheyoncegavetheoldmanofAscra;wherewithhewaswont,singing,todrawdownstubbornashtreesfromthehills.OnthesebetoldbytheethebirthoftheGryneanforest,thattherebenogroveinwhichApolloshallpridehimselfmore.WhyshouldItellthistaleeitherofNisus-Scylla,whose

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afterstoryisthatgirtwithbarkingmonstersroundherwhiteloinssheharriedtheshipsofDulichium,anddeepinherwhirlpool,ah!toretheirshiveringcrewswithhersea-hounds?orofthechangedlimbsofTereus;ofthatfeast,thatgiftPhilomelamadereadyforhim;ofherflighttodesolateplaces,andofthewingsonwhichshewretchedlyhoveredhighinfrontofherhome?

AllthatlongagohappyEurotasheardfrombroodingPhoebusandbadehislaurelslearnbyheart,hesings:thesmittenvalesechoittothesky:tillbiddinghimgatherthesheeptotheircotesandtelltheirtale,theeveningstarcameoutintheunwillingheaven.

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