§548ἠώιος δʼ ἐπὶ γαῖαν ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦ ἀστερόεντος §549ἀὴρ πυροφόρος τέταται μακάρων ἐπὶ ἔργοις· §550ὅστε ἀρυσάμενος ποταμῶν ἄπο αἰεναόντων, §551ὑψοῦ ὑπὲρ γαίης ἀρθεὶς ἀνέμοιο θυέλλῃ §552ἄλλοτε μέν θʼ ὕει ποτὶ ἕσπερον, ἄλλοτʼ ἄησι §553πυκνὰ Θρηικίου Βορέου νέφεα κλονέοντος.
And a damp mist from the starry heaven is spread over the earth in the morning, bringing wheat-growing moisture upon the fields of the blessed ones; which, having drawn water from the ever-flowing rivers, and being raised high above the earth by a storm of wind, sometimes rains towards evening, and sometimes blows when Thracian Boreas drives the thick clouds in confusion.
§554τὸν φθάμενος ἔργον τελέσας οἶκόνδε νέεσθαι, §555μή ποτέ σʼ οὐρανόθεν σκοτόεν νέφος ἀμφικαλύψῃ, §556χρῶτα δὲ μυδαλέον θήῃ κατά θʼ εἵματα δεύσῃ.
Anticipating this, finish your work and return home, lest ever a dark cloud from heaven enfold you, and make your body wet and drench your garments.
§557ἀλλʼ ὑπαλεύασθαι· μεὶς γὰρ χαλεπώτατος οὗτος, §558χειμέριος, χαλεπὸς προβάτοις, χαλεπὸς δʼ ἀνθρώποις.
Rather avoid it; for this month is most difficult, winterly, hard on sheep, and hard on men.
At that time, let there be half the fodder for the oxen, but more of the ration for the man; for the long nights are helpful companions.
§561ταῦτα φυλασσόμενος τετελεσμένον εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν §562ἰσοῦσθαι νύκτας τε καὶ ἤματα, εἰσόκεν αὖτις §563γῆ πάντων μήτηρ καρπὸν σύμμικτον ἐνείκῃ.
Observing these things until the completed year, make nights and days equal again, until earth, the mother of all, brings forth her mixed fruit once more.
§564εὖτʼ ἂν δʼ ἑξήκοντα μετὰ τροπὰς ἠελίοιο §565χειμέριʼ ἐκτελέσῃ Ζεὺς ἤματα, δή ῥα τότʼ ἀστὴρ §566Ἀρκτοῦρος προλιπὼν ἱερὸν ῥόον Ὠκεανοῖο §567πρῶτον παμφαίνων ἐπιτέλλεται ἀκροκνέφαιος.
But when sixty days after the solstice Zeus has completed the winter days, then indeed the star Arcturus, leaving the sacred stream of Ocean, first rises all-shining at twilight.
And after him, the shrilly-crying daughter of Pandion, the swallow, rises into the light for men, when spring is newly beginning.
§570τὴν φθάμενος οἴνας περταμνέμεν· ὣς γὰρ ἄμεινον.
Anticipating her, prune the vines; for thus it is better.
§571ἀλλʼ ὁπότʼ ἂν φερέοικος ἀπὸ χθονὸς ἂμ φυτὰ βαίνῃ §572Πληιάδας φεύγων, τότε δὴ σκάφος οὐκέτι οἰνέων· §573ἀλλʼ ἅρπας τε χαρασσέμεναι καὶ δμῶας ἐγείρειν· §574φεύγειν δὲ σκιεροὺς θώκους καὶ ἐπʼ ἠόα κοῖτον §575ὥρῃ ἐν ἀμήτου, ὅτε τʼ ἠέλιος χρόα κάρφει.
But when the house-carrier (snail) climbs up the plants from the ground, fleeing the Pleiades, then indeed it is no longer time for digging the vines; but sharpen your sickles and rouse your servants; avoid shady seats and sleeping until dawn in the season of harvest, when the sun parches the skin.
At that time make haste and bring the fruit home, rising at dawn, so that your livelihood may be sufficient.
§578ἠὼς γὰρ ἔργοιο τρίτην ἀπομείρεται αἶσαν, §579ἠώς τοι προφέρει μὲν ὁδοῦ, προφέρει δὲ καὶ ἔργου, §580ἠώς, ἥτε φανεῖσα πολέας ἐπέβησε κελεύθου §581ἀνθρώπους πολλοῖσί τʼ ἐπὶ ζυγὰ βουσὶ τίθησιν.
For morning takes away a third share of the work, morning advances you on your way, and advances your work too, morning, which when it appears sets many men on their road and puts yokes upon many oxen.
§582ἦμος δὲ σκόλυμός τʼ ἀνθεῖ καὶ ἠχέτα τέττιξ §583δενδρέῳ ἐφεζόμενος λιγυρὴν καταχεύετʼ ἀοιδὴν §584πυκνὸν ὑπὸ πτερύγων, θέρεος καματώδεος ὥρῃ, §585τῆμος πιόταταί τʼ αἶγες καὶ οἶνος ἄριστος, §586μαχλόταται δὲ γυναῖκες, ἀφαυρότατοι δέ τοι ἄνδρες §587εἰσίν, ἐπεὶ κεφαλὴν καὶ γούνατα Σείριος ἄζει, §588αὐαλέος δέ τε χρὼς ὑπὸ καύματος· ἀλλὰ τότʼ ἤδη §589εἴη πετραίη τε σκιὴ καὶ βίβλινος οἶνος, §590μάζα τʼ ἀμολγαίη γάλα τʼ αἰγῶν σβεννυμενάων, §591καὶ βοὸς ὑλοφάγοιο κρέας μή πω τετοκυίης §592πρωτογόνων τʼ ἐρίφων· ἐπὶ δʼ αἴθοπα πινέμεν οἶνον, §593ἐν σκιῇ ἑζόμενον, κεκορημένον ἦτορ ἐδωδῆς, §594ἀντίον ἀκραέος Ζεφύρου τρέψαντα πρόσωπα, §595κρήνης τʼ αἰενάου καὶ ἀπορρύτου, ἥτʼ ἀθόλωτος, §596τρὶς ὕδατος προχέειν, τὸ δὲ τέτρατον ἱέμεν οἴνου.
But when the artichoke blooms and the chirping cicada sitting on a tree pours down his shrill song thickly from under his wings, in the season of wearisome summer, then goats are fattest and wine is best, women are most wanton, but men are weakest, since Sirius parches head and knees, and the skin is dry from the heat; but then indeed may there be a rocky shade and Bibline wine, and curd-cake and milk of goats drying off, and the flesh of a wood-feeding heifer that has not yet calved, and of first-born kids; and drink bright wine, sitting in the shade, with your heart filled with food, turning your face opposite the briskly blowing West Wind, and by an ever-flowing, pouring spring which is undredged, pour three parts of water, and pour the fourth of wine.
§597δμωσὶ δʼ ἐποτρύνειν Δημήτερος ἱερὸν ἀκτὴν §598δινέμεν, εὖτʼ ἂν πρῶτα φανῇ σθένος Ὠαρίωνος, §599χώρῳ ἐν εὐαέι καὶ ἐυτροχάλῳ ἐν ἀλωῇ.
Urge your servants to winnow Demeter's sacred grain when the strength of Orion first appears, in a well-ventilated place and on a well-smoothed threshing floor.
§600μέτρῳ δʼ εὖ κομίσασθαι ἐν ἄγγεσιν· αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν δὴ §601πάντα βίον κατάθηαι ἐπάρμενον ἔνδοθι οἴκου, §602θῆτά τʼ ἄοικον ποιεῖσθαι καὶ ἄτεκνον ἔριθον §603δίζησθαι κέλομαι· χαλεπὴ δʼ ὑπόπορτις ἔριθος· §604καὶ κύνα καρχαρόδοντα κομεῖν, μὴ φείδεο σίτου, §605μή ποτέ σʼ ἡμερόκοιτος ἀνὴρ ἀπὸ χρήμαθʼ ἕληται.
Measure it well and store it in vessels; but when indeed you have laid up all your livelihood fittingly inside the house, then a homeless day-laborer and a childless female servant seek, I bid you; for a female servant with a suckling child is troublesome; and care for the sharp-toothed dog, do not spare his food, lest ever a man who sleeps by day take away your possessions.
Bring in fodder and litter, so that you may have an abundant supply for your oxen and mules.
αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα §608δμῶας ἀναψῦξαι φίλα γούνατα καὶ βόε λῦσαι.
But thereafter let your servants refresh their dear knees and yoke off your two oxen.
§609εὖτʼ ἂν δʼ Ὠαρίων καὶ Σείριος ἐς μέσον ἔλθῃ §610οὐρανόν, Ἀρκτοῦρον δʼ ἐσίδῃ ῥοδοδάκτυλος Ηώς, §611ὦ Πέρση, τότε πάντας ἀποδρέπεν οἴκαδε βότρυς· §612δεῖξαι δʼ ἠελίῳ δέκα τʼ ἤματα καὶ δέκα νύκτας, §613πέντε δὲ συσκιάσαι, ἕκτῳ δʼ εἰς ἄγγεʼ ἀφύσσαι §614δῶρα Διωνύσου πολυγηθέος.
And when Orion and Sirius come into the middle of the heaven, and rosy-fingered Dawn looks upon Arcturus, O Perses, then pluck all the grape-clusters and bring them home; show them to the sun for ten days and ten nights, and cover them for five, and on the sixth draw into vessels the gifts of joyful Dionysus.
αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν δὴ §615Πληιάδες θʼ Ὑάδες τε τό τε σθένος Ὠαρίωνος §616δύνωσιν, τότʼ ἔπειτʼ ἀρότου μεμνημένος εἶναι §617ὡραίου· πλειὼν δὲ κατὰ χθονὸς ἄρμενος εἶσιν.
But when indeed the Pleiades and the Hyades and the strength of Orion set, then thereafter be mindful of timely plowing; and the full year will go fittingly under the earth.
§618εἰ δέ σε ναυτιλίης δυσπεμφέλου ἵμερος αἱρεῖ,
But if desire for hazardous seafaring seizes you,