ECLOGUE VII.--MELIBOEUS

ECLOGUEVII——MELIBOEUS

MELIBOEUS——CORYDON——THYRSIS

LIGHTLYhadDaphnissatedownbeneathawhisperingilex,andCorydonandThyrsishaddriventheirflockstogether,Thyrsishissheep,Corydonhismilk-swolnshe-goats;bothintheblossomofage,bothArcadians,readytosingandanswerverseforverse.Hither,whileIcoveredmydelicatemyrtlesfromthefrost,myhe-goat,lordoftheflock,hadwandereddown:andIespyDaphnis:seeingmeinturn,Quick,hecries,comehither,Meliboeus!thygoatandkidsaresafe;and,ifthoucansttakeholiday,restundertheshade:hithercomethebullocksunherdedacrossthemeadowstodrink;hereMinciuslineshisgreenbankswithafringeofsoftrushes,andtheswarmingbeesmurmuroutoftheholyoak.

WhatwasItodo?IhadnoAlcippe,noPhyllistoshutintheweanlinglambsathome;andCorydonagainstThyrsiswasabravematch.However,Iputasidemybusinessfortheirpleasure.Sobothbegantheircontest,inalternateverses,sincesuchtheMuseswilledthemtoremember.TheseCorydon,thoseThyrsisutteredinhisturn.

Co——NymphsofLibethrus,ourdelight,eithergrantmesuchasongasmyCodrus-own:hiscomenexttotheversesPhoebusmakes;orifwecannotallofusattain,thisshrillpipeshallhangfromyourholypine.

Th——ShepherdsofArcady,deckwithivyyourrisingpoet,thatCodrusmaybursthisgallwithenvy;or,ifhepraisebeyondmyneed,bindmybrowswithfoxglove,lestaneviltongueharmthehardtobe.

Co——Thisbristlingboar-sheadtothee,maidofDelos,andthebranchingantlersofalong-livedstaglittleMiconoffers.Ifthisthygraceabide,allinsmoothmarblethoushaltstand,thecrimsonbuskinlacedroundthineankles.

Th——Abowlofmilkandthesecakes,OPriapus,yearlyisenoughfortheetoclaim;thouartkeeperofascantygarden.{p.283}Nowwehavefashionedtheeinmarbleforthetime:butdothou,iflambing-timefilluptheflock,bethereingold.

Co——Sea-NymphGalatea,sweetertomethanthymeofHybla,whiterthantheswan,lovelierthanpaleivy,sosoonasthepasturedbullsseektheyardagain,ifthoucarestaughtatallforthyCorydon,come!

Th——Nay,butmayIseemtotheebittererthanherbageofSardinia,rougherthanthespikybroom,moreworthlessthanstrandedseaweed,ifto-dayisnotlongeralreadytomethanawholeyear:gohomefrompasture,forveryshamego,mycattle.

Co——Mossedspringsandgrasssofterthansleep,andgreenarbutusthatcoversyouwiththinshade,shieldedthemidsummerfromtheflock;nowparchingsummeriscoming,nowthebudsswellonthetoughvine-shoot.

Th——Hereisthehearthandresinousbillets;herethefireeverburnshighandthedoorpostsareblackwithconstantsoot:herewecareasmuchforthefreezingNorthasthewolffortheflock-smultitude,orriversinfloodfortheirbanks.

Co——Junipersandshaggychestnutstowerup:undereachtreeliestrewnherfallenapples.Allnowsmiles;butiffairAlexisbeabsentfromthehills,thouwiltseeeventheriversdry.

Th,——Thefieldisparched,thedyinggrassthirstsinthedistemperedair;thewine-goddeniestheslopesthevine-tendrils-shade:atourPhyllis-comingallthewoodlandwillbegreen,andheavendescendingladandabundantshowers.

Co——Alcidestakesmostdelightinthepoplar,Iacchusinthevine,fairVenusinthemyrtle,Phoebusinhisownbay,treehyllisloveshazels:whilePhyllislovesthemneithershallmyrtleexcelthehazels,norPhoebus-bay.

Th——Theashismostbeautifulintheforest,thepineinthegarden,thepoplarbytheriver,thefironthemountainheights:butifthoucomebackyetagaintome,OfairLycidas,theforestash,thegardenpineshallyieldtothee.

ThesesongsIremember,andhowThyrsisstroveforvictoryinvain:henceforthCorydon,Corydonisours.

{p.284}