ECLOGUEX——GALLUS
THISlastlabour,Arethusa,granttome:versesmustbesungformyGallus,few,yetsuchasLycoris-selfmayread:whowoulddenyversestoGallus?So,whenthouslidestunderSicilianwaters,maybitterDorisnotmingleherwavewiththine.Begin;letustellofGallus-wearyloves,whiletheflat-nosedshe-goatscropthetenderbushes.Wesingnottodeafears;theforestsrepeatall.
Whatwoodsorwhatlawnsheldyou,Naiadgirls,whileGalluspinedinlove-styranny?fornotonParnassus,fornotonPindus-slopesdidyoulinger,norbyAonianAganippe.Himevenlaurels,eventamariskswept:him,ashelaybeneathalonelycliff,evenMaenaluswithhiscrownofpineswept,andtherocksofchillLycaeus.Thesheeptoostandround;noraretheyashamedofus,norbethouashamedofthyflock,Odivinepoet:evenfairAdonispasturedsheepbytheriver.Cametoothekeeperofthesheep:slow-pacingcametheswineherds:drippingfromthewinteracornsMenalcascame.Allask,Whencethisloveofthine?-Apollocame:Gallus,whythismadness?hesaid:thyloveLycorisamidthesnowsandamidtheroughcamphasfollowedanother.CametooSilvanuswithrusticbraveryonhishead,shakinghisblossomedfennelsandlargelilies.PangodofArcadycame,whomoureyeshaveseen,redwithblood-stainedelderberriesandvermilion.Shalltherebealimit?hesaid:Loverecksnotaughtofthis.NeitheriscruelLovesatiatedwithtears,northegrasseswiththerills,norbeeswithcytisus,norshe-goatswithleafage.Butsadlyhe:Yetyouwillbesinging,OArcadians.,toyourhillsofthis:aloneArcadiansareskilledtosing.Ahhowsoftlythenmaymyashesrest,ifyourpipeoncemaytellofmyloves.AndwouldGodIhadbeenoneofyou,andyoursbeentheflockIkeptortheripegrapesofmyvintage!surelyPhyllis,wereitso,orAmyntas,orwhosoever
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weremypassion(whatthen,ifAmyntasbeswarthy?violetstooaredarkanddarkarehyacinths)wouldliewithmeamongtheosiersbeneathatrailingvine:Phylliswouldpluckmecoronals,Amyntaswouldsing.Herearechillsprings,heresoftmeadows,OLycoris:herethewoodland:herewithwastingtimeItooatthysidewouldwasteaway.NowamadpassionholdstheedownamongthehardWar-god-sarms,encircledbyweaponsandconfrontingfoes.Thou,farfromhome(letmenotquitebelieveit!)alone,withoutme,ahcruel,lookestonAlpinesnowsandthefrostsoftheRhine.Ahmaythefrostsnothurtthee!Ahmaytheroughicenotcutthydelicatefeet!Iwillbegone,andthesongsIfashionedinChalcidianverseIwillsettotheSicilianshepherd-sreed:resolvedinthewoodsamongthewildbeasts-dens,toembraceendurance,andtocutmylovesonthetendertrees;withtheirgrowthyou,Oloves,willgrow.MeanwhileIwillrangeMaenalusamidtheroutofNymphs,orhuntthekeenwildboar;norigourofcoldshallforbidmetoencirclePartheniangladeswithmybounds.EvennowIthinkIpassamongrock;andechoinggroves,anddelighttospeedtheCydonianarrowsfromaParthianbow:asifthiscouldbehealingofourmadness,orthatGodcouldlearntosoftenatmortalgriefs!NowneitherHamadryadsoncemorenorsongsthemselvesdelightus:oncemore,Oforests,yourselvesretire.Himtoilsofourscannotchange;neitherifinthemid-frostswedrinkofHebrusandabidetherainywinteramongSithoniansnows;norifwhilethedyingbarkscorchesontheloftyelm,weguideAethiopiansheepbeneaththetropic.Loveconquersall:letustooyieldtoLove.
Thisshallsuffice,goddessesofPieria,thatyourpoethassungwhilehesateandwoveabasketofslimmallowshoots:youwillmakethispreciousforGallus:forGallus,loveofwhomgrowsinmeasfasteveryhourasthegreenaldershootsupwhenspringisyoung.Letusarise;theshadeiswonttobeheavyonsingers:thejunipershadeisheavy:shadetoohurtsthecorn.Gohomefull-fed,theEveningStarcomes,go,myshe-goats.
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