§2.233Si deerunt, rarum pecorique et vitibus almis §2.234aptius uber erit; sin in sua posse negabunt §2.235ire loca et scrobibus superabit terra repletis, §2.236spissus ager; glaebas cunctantis crassaque terga §2.237exspecta et validis terram proscinde iuvencis.
If they fall short, the soil will be thin, and more suited for pasture and nourishing vines; but if they deny that they can go into their own places, and the earth overflows when the pits are filled, the field is dense; expect stubborn clods and thick ridges, and break up the land with strong oxen.
§2.238Salsa autem tellus et quae perhibetur amara, §2.239frugibus infelix—ea nec mansuescit arando §2.240nec Baccho genus aut pomis sua nomina servat— §2.241tale dabit specimen: tu spisso vimine qualos §2.242colaque prelorum fumosis deripe tectis; §2.243huc ager ille malus dulcesque a fontibus undae §2.244ad plenum calcentur; aqua eluctabitur omnis §2.245scilicet, et grandes ibunt per vimina guttae; §2.246at sapor indicium faciet manifestus et ora §2.247tristia temptantum sensu torquebit amaro.
But salt land, and that which is called bitter, unfruitful for crops—it neither softens by ploughing nor preserves its breed for Bacchus, nor their names for fruits— will give such a proof: snatch down from the smoky roofs baskets of thick osier and the strainers of wine-presses; here let that bad soil and sweet water from springs be trodden to the full; all the water will struggle out, of course, and large drops will go through the osiers; but the plain taste will give clear proof, and will twist the bitter faces of those who try it with its harsh sensation.
§2.248Pinguis item quae sit tellus, hoc denique pacto §2.249discimus: haud umquam manibus iactata fatiscit, §2.250sed picis in morem ad digitos lentescit habendo.
Likewise, how the soil is rich, we learn in this way at last: it never crumbles when tossed from hand to hand, but like pitch grows sticky to the fingers in handling.
Moist soil nurtures larger grass, and is itself more luxuriant than is proper.
Ah nimium ne sit mihi fertilis illa §2.253nec se praevalidam primis ostendat aristis!
Ah, may that land not be too fertile for me, nor show itself too strong in its first ears!
That which is heavy betrays itself silent by its very weight, and that which is light.
Promptum est oculis praediscere nigram, §2.256et quis cui color.
It is easy to learn beforehand with the eyes the black soil, and what color is to each.
At sceleratum exquirere frigus §2.257difficile est: piceae tantum taxique nocentes §2.258interdum aut hederae pandunt vestigia nigrae.
But to seek out the cursed cold is difficult: only sometimes pitch-pines and noxious yews, or black ivies, disclose its traces.
§2.259his animadversis terram multo ante memento §2.260excoquere et magnos scrobibus concidere montis, §2.261ante supinatas aquiloni ostendere glaebas, §2.262quam laetum infodias vitis genus.
These things observed, remember long before to dry the earth in the sun, and to cut up the great mountains with trenches, and to show the upturned clods to the north wind, before you plant the glad race of the vine.
Optima putri §2.263arva solo: id venti curant gelidaeque pruinae §2.264et labefacta movens robustus iugera fossor.
The best fields are of crumbling soil: the winds and cold frosts care for this, and the robust digger shaking and moving the loosened acres.
§2.265Ac si quos haud ulla viros vigilantia fugit, §2.266ante locum similem exquirunt, ubi prima paretur §2.267arboribus seges et quo mox digesta feratur, §2.268mutatam ignorent subito ne semina matrem.
But those men whom no vigilance escapes, first seek out a similar spot, where the first crop may be prepared for the trees, and whither it may soon be carried and set out, lest the young plants should not recognize the suddenly changed mother.
§2.269Quin etiam caeli regionem in cortice signant, §2.270ut, quo quaeque modo steterit, qua parte calores §2.271Austrinos tulerit, quae terga obverterit axi, §2.272restituant: adeo in teneris consuescere multum est.
Indeed they even mark the quarter of the sky on the bark, so that, in what manner each stood, in what part it bore the southern heat, and what back it turned to the pole, they may restore it: so much is it to form habits in tender years.
Whether it is better to plant the vine on hills or on the plain, inquire first.
Si pinguis agros metabere campi, §2.275densa sere; in denso non segnior ubere Bacchus; §2.276sin tumulis adclive solum collisque supinos, §2.277indulge ordinibus, nec setius omnis in unguem §2.278arboribus positis secto via limite quadret.
If you measure out fields of a rich plain, plant closely; Bacchus is not less active in fertile density; but if the soil is sloping on knolls and hills are gentle, give indulgence to the rows, yet not less let every path, when the trees are set, square exactly to a line with the cut boundary.
§2.279Ut saepe ingenti bello cum longa cohortis §2.280explicuit legio et campo stetit agmen aperto, §2.281directaeque acies, ac late fluctuat omnis §2.282aere renidenti tellus, necdum horrida miscent §2.283proelia, sed dubius mediis Mars errat in armis: §2.284omnia sint paribus numeris dimensa viarum; §2.285non animum modo uti pascat prospectus inanem, §2.286sed quia non aliter viris dabit omnibus aequas §2.287terra neque in vacuum poterunt se extendere rami.
As often in a mighty war, when the long legion has deployed its cohorts, and the army stands in the open plain, and the battle lines are drawn, and all the earth far and wide fluctuates with gleaming brass, and they do not yet join the dreadful combat, but Mars wanders doubtful between the arms: let all the paths be measured out with equal proportions; not only that the view may feed an empty mind, but because otherwise the earth will not give equal strength to all, nor will the branches be able to stretch themselves into empty space.
§2.288Forsitan et scrobibus quae sint fastigia quaeras.
Perhaps you may also ask what the depths of the trenches should be.
§2.289ausim vel tenui vitem committere sulco.
I would dare to commit the vine even to a shallow furrow.
§2.290Altior ac penitus terrae defigitur arbos, §2.291aesculus in primis, quae quantum vertice ad auras §2.292aetherias, tantum radice in Tartara tendit.
But the tree is buried deeper and deep in the earth, the oak in particular, which as far as it stretches with its top to the ethereal breezes, so far does it stretch with its root to Tartarus.
§2.293Ergo non hiemes illam, non flabra neque imbres §2.294convellunt; inmota manet, multosque nepotes, §2.295multa virum volvens durando saecula vincit.
Therefore no winter storms, no blasts, no rains tear it up; it remains unmoved, and overcoming many descendants, many ages of men, it outlasts them by enduring.
§2.296Tum fortis late ramos et bracchia pandens §2.297huc illuc, media ipsa ingentem sustinet umbram.
Then stretching its strong branches and arms far and wide, here and there, it sustains a mighty shade, itself in the midst.
§2.298Neve tibi ad solem vergant vineta cadentem, §2.299Neve inter vitis corylum sere, neve flagella §2.300summa pete aut summa defringe ex arbore plantas §2.301tantus amor terrae—neu ferro laede retunso §2.302semina, neve oleae silvestris insere truncos: §2.303nam saepe incautis pastoribus excidit ignis, §2.304qui furtim pingui primum sub cortice tectus §2.305robora conprendit frondesque elapsus in altas §2.306ingentem caelo sonitum dedit; inde secutus §2.307per ramos victor perque alta cacumina regnat
And do not let your vineyards face the setting sun, nor plant hazel among the vines, nor seek the topmost shoots, nor break off cuttings from the top of the tree —so great is the love of the earth—nor harm the seeds with a blunt iron, nor graft the trunks of wild olive: for often fire falls from careless shepherds, which, first hidden stealthily under the rich bark, seizes the wood, and escaping into the high leaves, gives a mighty sound to heaven; then following, rules victorious through the branches and through the high tops.