'Take this,' the dying shepherd said, 'for none He said; Amyntas murmurs at my praise, These to obtain oft Thestylis hath tried Come, beauteous boy, and bless my rural bowers, Ah, Corydon! thou rustic, simple swain! The boars have laid my silver fountains waste, The lioness all dreadful in her course Pursues the wolf, and he with headlong force The cliff's steep side, and crop the flowering thyme, Thee Corydon pursues, O beauteous boy : Now evening soft comes on; and homeward now From field the weary oxen bear the plough. Ah, Corydon! to weak complaints a prey! Be roused at length; thy half-pruned vines demand The needful culture of thy curbing hand. Haste, lingering swain, the flexile willows weave, And with thy wonted care thy wants relieve. Forget Alexis' unrelenting scorn, Another love thy passion will return. III. MENALCAS, DAMETAS, PALEMON.❤ Menalcas. To whom belongs this flock, Damotas, pray: Damætas. No: the other day The shepherd Ægen gave it me to keep. Menalcas. Ah still neglected, still unhappy sheep!t He plies Neæra with assiduous love, And fears lest she my happier flame approve; Meanwhile this hireling wretch (disgrace to swains!) Defrauds his master, and purloins his gains, Milks twice an hour, and drains the famish'd dams, Whose empty dugs in vain attract the lambs. Damætas. Forbear, on men such language to bestow. Thee, stain of manhood! thee, full well I know. I know, with whom-and where-‡ (their grove de filed The nymphs revenged not, but indulgent smiled) The contending shepherds, Menalcas and Damcetas, together with their umpire Palæmon, are seated on the grass, not far from a row of beech-trees. Flocks are scen feeding hard by. The time of the day seems to be noon, the season between spring and sunimer. + Throughout the whole of this altercation, notwithstanding the untoward subject, the reader will find in the original such a happy union of simplicity and force of expression, and harmony of verse, as it is vain to look for in an English translation. ↑ The abruptness and obscurity of the original is here imitated. Menalcas. No doubt, when Mycon's tender trees I broke, Damætas. Or when, conceal'd behind this ancient row Of beech, you broke young Daphnis' shafts and bow, With sharpest pangs of rancorous anguish stung To see the gift conferr'd on one so young : your And had you not thus wreak'd sordid spite, Menalcas. Gods! what may masters dare, when such a pitch Of impudence their thievish hirelings reach: Did I not, wretch (deny it if you dare), And Whither slinks yon sneaking thief?' I cried. Damætas. That goat my pipe from Damon fairly gain'd, A match was set, and I the prize obtain’d. He own'd it due to my superior skill, And yet refused his bargain to fulfil. Menalcas. By your superior skill the goat was won! Have you a jointed pipe, indecent clown! Whose whizzing straws with hars' est discord jarr'd, As in the streets your wretched rhymes you marr❜d. Damœtus. Boasts are but vain. I'm ready, when you will, To make a solemn trial of our skill. I stake this heifer, no ignoble prize ; Aught from the flock I dare not risk: I fear Who of their store so strict a reckoning keep, (Whose f superior worth yourself will own), Damætas. Two cups for me that skilful artist made; Their handles with acanthus are array'd; Orpheus is in the midst, whose magic song Leads in tumultuous dance the lofty groves along. At home I have reserved them unprofaned, No lip has e'er their glossy polish stain'd. Bat my pledged heifer if aright you prize, The cups so much extoll'd you will despise. Menalcas. These arts, proud boaster, all are lost on me; Te To any terms I readily agree. |