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,tree:Phyllisloveshazels:whilePhyllislovesthemneithershallmyrtleexcelthehazels,norPhoebus-bay.
Th——Theashismostbeautifulintheforest,thepineinthegarden,thepoplarbytheriver,thefironthemountainheights:butifthoucomebackyetagaintome,OfairLycidas,theforestash,thegardenpineshallyieldtothee.
ThesesongsIremember,andhowThyrsisstroveforvictoryinvain:henceforthCorydon,Corydonisours.
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