ECLOGUEIII——PALAEMON
MENALCAS——DAMOETAS——PALAEMON
M——Tellme,Damoetas,whoistheflock-smaster?Meliboeus?
D——No,butAegon:Aegongaveitoflatetomykeeping.
M——Poorsheep,everalucklessflock!whilethemasterclingsbyNeaeraanddreadslestsheprefermebeforehim.thishirelingshepherdmilksthesheeptwiceanhour:thejuiceisstolenfromtheflock,themilkfromthelambs.
D——Yetremembertobemoresparinginthyjeersatmen.Weknowbywhomthou,whilethehe-goatspeeredsideways-andinwhatshrine,thoughtheeasyNymphslaughed.
M——Then,Ithink,whentheysawmeslashingMicon-sorchardandnurseryvineswithjealoushedgebill.
D——Yes,orherebytheoldbeeches,wherethoubrakestDaphnis-bowandreeds:forthoudidstgrieve,wickedMenalcas,whenthousawestthemgiventotheboy,anditwasdeathtotheeifthoucouldstnotsomehowhavedonehimharm.
M——Whatcanthemastersdo,whentheknavesmakesofree?DidInotseethee,villain,catchingDamon-sgoatfromambushwhilethesheep-dogbarkedaloud?andwhenIcried:Whereisherunningoff-tonow?Tityrus,gathertheflock!thoudidsthidebehindthesedges.
D——WasnothewhomIconqueredinsingingtoyieldthegoatthatmytunefulpipehadwon?Ifthoumustbetold,thegoatwasmine,asDamonhimselfconfessedtome,butsaidhecouldnotgiveitup.
M——Thouhiminsinging?orhadstthoueverawaxen-boundpipe?Wertnotwontinthecross-roads,blockhead,tomangleawretchedtuneonagratingstraw?
P——Wiltthouthenwoeputtoproofbetweenusinturn
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whateachcando?Istakethisheifer——lesthaplythoudrawback,shecomestwicetothemilkingpailandwithalfeedstwocalvesfromherudder——saythouwhatthouwiltstakewithmeinthestrife.
M——OftheflockIdarenotstakeaughtwiththee:forIhaveafatherathome,andawickedstepmother,andtwiceadaybothcounttheflock,andoneofthemthekids.But,whatthyselfwiltconfessfarexcelsit,sincebemadthouwilt——Iwillstakecupsofbeechwood,carvedworkofthedivineAlcimedon,whereaclingingvineraisedbyhislightgraverenfoldspaleivywithherscatteredberries.Inthemiddlearetwofigures,Conon,andwhowasthatotherwhosecompassmarkedout,onallthepeopledglobe,whatseasonsthereaper,whatthebendingploughmanshouldkeep?noryethaveIputliptothem,butkeepthemlaidby.
D——AndforustooAlcimedonmadetwocups,andwreathedthehandlesroundwithsoftacanthus;andinthemiddlesetOrpheusandthefollowingwoods:noryethaveIputliptothem,butkeepthemlaidby.Ifthoulookesttotheheiferincomparison,smallpraiseisinthecups.
M——Notto-dayshaltthouescapeme:Iwillcomeanywheretothychallenge.Letonebuthearusnow——evenhewhoapproaches,lo!Palaemon.Iwillmakethyvoicehenceforthceasefromtroubling.
D——Naycomewithwhatthouhast,thereshallbenodelaywithme:nordoIshrinkfromanyone:only,neighbourPalaemon,thisisnosmallmatter,layitwelltoheart.
P——Sayon;sinceweareseatedonsoftgrass,andnowallthefield,nowallthetreeisburgeoning,nowthewoodlandisleafy,nowisthefairestoftheyear.Begin,Damoetas:thoushaltfollowon,Menalcas:youshallsingturnbyturnastheMuseslove.
D——FromJoveistheMuse-sbeginning:allthingsaxefullofJove.Hekeepstheworld:hegiveseartomysongs.
Al——AndmePhoebusloves:Phoebus-owngiftsareeverbyme:baysandthesweetflushedhyacinth.
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D——Galatea,playfulmaid,throwsanappleatme,andrunstothewillows,anddesiresthatshefirstbeseen.
M——ButmyflameAmyntascomestomeunbidden:insomuchthatnowourdogsknownotDeliabetter.
D——Giftsaregotformylove:formyselfhavemarkedthespotwherethewood-pigeonshavebuiltaloft.
M——WhatIcouldIhavesenttotheboy,tengoldenapplespluckedfromthewoodlandtree;to-morrowIwillsendasmanymore.
D——OthetimesandthewordsthatGalateahasspokentous!carrybutalittlethereof,yewinds,tothegods-ears.
M——Whatbootsitthatthouscornmenotinthineheart,Amyntas,ifwhilethouhuntesttheboarIamkeeperofthenets?
D——SendmemyPhyllis:itismybirthday,OIollas:whenIshallmakeofferingofayoungheiferforthecrops,comethyself.
M——IlovePhyllisbeforeallwomen:forsheweptatmygoing,andcried,Myfairone,good-byeandalonggood-bye,OIollas.
D——Asadthingisthewolfamongthepens,rainsonripecornfields,thewindsinthetrees,asAmaryllis-angertous.
M——Asweetthingismoisturetothecrops,arbutustoweanlingkids,thepliantwillowtothebreedingherd,asAmyntasalonetome.
D——PolliolovesourMuse,rusticthoughshebe:maidsofPierra,feedaheiferforyourreader.
M——Polliohimselftoomakesnewsongs:feedabull,soontostrikewithhishornandscatterthesandwithhisfeet.
D——Lethimwholovesthee,Pollio,comewherethoutootakestdelight:lethoneyflowforhim,andtheroughbriaryieldhimspice.
M——WhohatesnotBavius,lethimlovethysongs,OMaevius,andwithalyokefoxesandmilkbe-goats.
D——Gatherersofflowersandground-strawberries,flyhence,Ochildren,acoldsnakelurksinthegrass.
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M——Stay,mysheep,fromtoofaradvance:illisittotrustthebank:thelordlyramevennowdrieshisfleece.
D——Tityrus,putbackthegrazingkidsfromtheriver:myself,whenthetimecomes,willwashthemallinthespring.
M——Foldthesheep,children:iftheheatstealsthemilk,asoflate,vainlyshallwesqueezetheuddersinourhands.
D——Alas,alas,howleanismybullamongthejuicytares:thesameloveisdeathtoherdandtoherdsman.
M——Theseassuredly(norislovetoblame)hardlykeeptheirbonestogether:someevileyeiscastonmytenderlambs.
D——Tellinwhatlands(andthoushaltbetomeasgreatApollo)theopenspaceofSkyisthreeyardsandnomore.
M——Tellinwhatlandsflowersarebornengravenwithnamesofkings,andhavePhyllisforthinealone.
P:——Usitskillsnottodeterminethisstrifebetweenyou:boththouandheareworthyoftheheifer,andwhosoevershrinksnotfromLove-ssweetnessshallnottastehisbitterness.Shutofftherivuletsnow,mychildren:themeadowshavedrunktheirfill.
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