§1.296et foliis undam trepidi despumat aeni.
and skims the wave of the trembling caldron with leaves.
But golden Ceres is cut down in the midst of summer heat, and in the midst of the heat the threshing-floor grinds the parched grain.
§1.299Nudus ara, sere nudus; hiems ignava colono.
Plow naked, sow naked; winter is an idle time for the farmer.
During the cold, farmers mostly enjoy what they have acquired, and joyfully arrange mutual feasts among themselves.
§1.302Invitat genialis hiems curasque resolvit, §1.303ceu pressae cum iam portum tetigere carinae, §1.304puppibus et laeti nautae inposuere coronas.
The genial winter invites them and unties their cares, just as when laden ships have now reached the harbor, and joyful sailors have placed garlands on the sterns.
§1.305Sed tamen et quernas glandes tum stringere tempus §1.306et lauri bacas oleamque cruentaque myrta, §1.307tum gruibus pedicas et retia ponere cervis §1.308auritosque sequi lepores, tum figere dammas, §1.309stuppea torquentem Balearis verbera fundae, §1.310cum nix alta iacet, glaciem cum flumina trudunt.
But yet, then is the time to strip oak acorns, and bay-berries, and olives, and blood-red myrtle-berries, then to set snares for cranes and nets for stags, and to pursue long-eared hares, then to shoot does, whirling the hempen thongs of the Balearic sling, when deep snow lies, when rivers push down ice.
§1.311Quid tempestates autumni et sidera dicam, §1.312atque, ubi iam breviorque dies et mollior aestas, §1.313quae vigilanda viris.
Why should I speak of the storms and stars of autumn, and what things must be watched out for by men when now the day is shorter and the summer heat milder?
vel cum ruit imbriferum ver, §1.314spicea iam campis cum messis inhorruit et cum §1.315frumenta in viridi stipula lactentia turgent.
Or when showery spring rushes down, when already the bearded harvest has bristled on the plains, and when the milky grains swell on the green stalk.
§1.316Saepe ego, cum flavis messorem induceret arvis §1.317agricola et fragili iam stringeret hordea culmo, §1.318omnia ventorum concurrere proelia vidi, §1.319quae gravidam late segetem ab radicibus imis §1.320sublimem expulsam eruerent; ita turbine nigro §1.321ferret hiems culmumque levem stipulasque volantis.
Often I, when the farmer was leading the reaper into the golden fields and was already stripping the barley with its fragile stalk, have seen the battles of all the winds clash, which would tear up the heavy crop far and wide from its deepest roots, casting it high; just so in a black whirlwind would winter carry away the light stalk and flying stubble.
§1.322Saepe etiam inmensum caelo venit agmen aquarum §1.323et foedam glomerant tempestatem imbribus atris §1.324collectae ex alto nubes; ruit arduus aether §1.325et pluvia ingenti sata laeta boumque labores §1.326diluit; inplentur fossae et cava flumina crescunt §1.327cum sonitu fervetque fretis spirantibus aequor.
Often also an immense army of waters comes in the sky, and clouds gathered from the deep mass up a foul storm with dark rains; the high heaven rushes down, and washes away with huge rain the glad crops and the labors of the oxen; the ditches are filled, and the hollow rivers swell with a roar, and the sea seethes with breathing gulfs.
§1.328Ipse pater media nimborum in nocte corusca §1.329fulmina molitur dextra; quo maxuma motu §1.330terra tremit; fugere ferae et mortalia corda §1.331per gentis humilis stravit pavor; ille flagranti §1.332aut Athon aut Rhodopen aut alta Ceraunia telo §1.333deicit; ingeminant austri et densissimus imber; §1.334nunc nemora ingenti vento, nunc litora plangunt.
The Father himself in the midst of the night of storm-clouds wields the thunderbolts with his flashing right hand; with which motion the vast earth trembles; wild beasts have fled, and mortal hearts throughout the nations are prostrated by humble fear; he with his burning weapon casts down Athos or Rhodope or the high Ceraunians; the south winds redouble and the densest rain; now the groves, now the shores wail with the huge wind.
§1.335Hoc metuens caeli menses et sidera serva, §1.336frigida Saturni sese quo stella receptet, §1.337quos ignis caelo Cyllenius erret in orbis.
Fearing this, observe the months and stars of heaven, whither the cold star of Saturn withdraws, into what orbits the Cyllenian fire wanders in the sky.
§1.338In primis venerare deos atque annua magnae §1.339sacra refer Cereri laetis operatus in herbis §1.340extremae sub casum hiemis, iam vere sereno.
In primis, worship the gods, and pay the annual sacrifices to great Ceres, offering sacrifice on the joyful grass, just at the fall of extreme winter, now in the clear spring.
Then lambs are fat, and then wines are most mellow; then sleeps are sweet, and dense are the shadows on the mountains.
§1.343Cuncta tibi Cererem pubes agrestis adoret; §1.344cui tu lacte favos et miti dilue Baccho, §1.345terque novas circum felix eat hostia fruges, §1.346omnis quam chorus et socii comitentur ovantes, §1.347et Cererem clamore vocent in tecta; neque ante §1.348falcem maturis quisquam supponat aristis, §1.349quam Cereri torta redimitus tempora quercu §1.350det motus incompositos et carmina dicat.
Let all your rustic youth worship Ceres; for whom you should dilute the honeycombs with milk and mild wine, and thrice let the auspicious victim go around the young crops, which the whole choir and shouting companions should accompany, and invite Ceres with a shout into their homes; nor before this let anyone put the sickle to the ripe ears of grain, until, having bound his temples with twisted oak, he performs uncouth dances and sings songs in her honor.
§1.351Atque haec ut certis possemus discere signis, §1.352aestusque pluviasque et agentis frigora ventos, §1.353ipse Pater statuit, quid menstrua Luna moneret, §1.354quo signo caderent austri, quid saepe videntes §1.355agricolae propius stabulis armenta tenerent.
And so that we might learn these things by certain signs— the heats and the rains and the winds that bring cold— the Father himself has ordained what the monthly Moon should forewarn, by what sign the south winds should fall, seeing what the farmers should keep their herds closer to the stables.
§1.356Continuo ventis surgentibus aut freta ponti §1.357incipiunt agitata tumescere et aridus altis §1.358montibus audiri fragor aut resonantia longe §1.359litora misceri et nemorum increbrescere murmur.
Immediately, when the winds rise, either the gulfs of the sea begin to swell and lash, and a dry crash is heard on the high mountains, or the far-echoing shores begin to be confused, and the murmur of the groves grows louder.
§1.360Iam sibi tum a curvis male temperat unda carinis, §1.361cum medio celeres revolant ex aequore mergi §1.362clamoremque ferunt ad litora, cumque marinae §1.363in sicco ludunt fulicae notasque paludes §1.364deserit atque altam supra volat ardea nubem.
Now even then the wave scarcely restrains itself from the curved hulls, when swift gulls fly back from the midst of the sea and bear their clamor to the shores, and when sea-coots play on the dry land, and the heron deserts its familiar marshes and flies high above the cloud.
§1.365Saepe etiam stellas vento inpendente videbis §1.366praecipitis caelo labi noctisque per umbram §1.367flammarum longos a tergo albescere tractus;
Often also, when wind is threatening, you will see stars glide headlong from heaven, and through the shadow of the night long tracts of flames whiten behind them;