§2.386versibus incomptis ludunt risuque soluto §2.387oraque corticibus sumunt horrenda cavatis §2.388et te, Bacche, vocant per carmina laeta tibique §2.389oscilla ex alta suspendunt mollia pinu.
With unpolished verses they play, and with loose laughter, and take on hideous faces made of hollowed bark, and call on you, Bacchus, in joyful songs, and for you suspend soft, swaying images from the tall pine.
§2.390Hinc omnis largo pubescit vinea fetu, §2.391conplentur vallesque cavae saltusque profundi, §2.392et quocumque deus circum caput egit honestum.
Hence every vineyard ripens with an abundant crop, and hollow valleys and deep glades are filled, and wherever the god has turned his comely head.
§2.393Ergo rite suum Baccho dicemus honorem §2.394carminibus patriis lancesque et liba feremus §2.395et ductus cornu stabit sacer hircus ad aram §2.396pinguiaque in veribus torrebimus exta colurnis.
Therefore, we will duly sing to Bacchus his own honor in ancestral hymns, and bring dishes and sacred cakes, and the sacred goat, led by the horn, shall stand at the altar, and we will roast the rich entrails on hazelwood spits.
§2.397Est etiam ille labor curandis vitibus alter, §2.398cui numquam exhausti satis est: namque omne quot annis §2.399terque quaterque solum scindendum glebaque versis §2.400aeternum frangenda bidentibus, omne levandum §2.401fronde nemus.
There is also that other labor in tending vines, of which there is never enough exhausted: for every year three or four times must the whole soil be split, and the clods constantly broken with reversed hoes, and the whole grove lightened of its leaves.
Redit agricolis labor actus in orbem §2.402atque in se sua per vestigia volvitur annus.
The farmer's finished labor returns in a circle, and the year rolls back upon itself along its own tracks.
§2.403Ac iam olim, seras posuit cum vinea frondes, §2.404frigidus et silvis aquilo decussit honorem, §2.405iam tum acer curas venientem extendit in annum §2.406rusticus et curvo Saturni dente relictam §2.407persequitur vitem attondens fingitque putando.
And already of old, when the vineyard has shed its late leaves, and the cold North Wind has shaken their glory from the woods, even then the active husbandman extends his care into the coming year, and pursues the abandoned vine with Saturn's curved knife, pruning it and shaping it by cutting.
§2.408Primus humum fodito, primus devecta cremato §2.409sarmenta et vallos primus sub tecta referto; §2.410postremus metito.
Be the first to dig the ground, the first to burn the carted shoots, and the first to bring the stakes back under roof; be the last to harvest.
Bis vitibus ingruit umbra, §2.411bis segetem densis obducunt sentibus herbae; §2.412durus uterque labor: laudato ingentia rura, §2.413exiguum colito.
Twice does shade assail the vines, twice do weeds with thick briars overgrow the crop; hard is each labor: praise large estates, but cultivate a small one.
Nec non etiam aspera rusci §2.414vimina per silvam et ripis fluvialis arundo §2.415caeditur, incultique exercet cura salicti.
Furthermore, the rough twigs of butcher's broom through the wood and the river reed on the banks are cut, and the care of the untended willow-bed keeps you busy.
§2.416Iam vinctae vites, iam falcem arbusta reponunt, §2.417iam canit effectos extremus vinitor antes: §2.418sollicitanda tamen tellus pulvisque movendus §2.419et iam maturis metuendus Iuppiter uvis.
Now the vines are bound, now the trees lay aside the sickle, now the last vine-dresser sings of his completed rows; yet the earth must still be stirred and the dust moved, and Jupiter is still to be feared for the already ripened grapes.
§2.420Contra non ulla est oleis cultura; neque illae §2.421procurvam exspectant falcem rastrosque tenacis, §2.422cum semel haeserunt arvis aurasque tulerunt; §2.423ipsa satis tellus, cum dente recluditur unco, §2.424sufficit humorem et gravidas, cum vomere, fruges.
On the other hand, there is no cultivation for olives; they do not look for the curved sickle or tenacious rakes, when once they have clung to the fields and endured the breezes; the earth itself, when opened by the curved tooth, supplies sufficient moisture, and, with the ploughshare, heavy fruits.
§2.425Hoc pinguem et placitam Paci nutritor olivam.
In this way nurture the rich olive, pleasing to Peace.
§2.426Poma quoque, ut primum truncos sensere valentis §2.427et viris habuere suas, ad sidera raptim §2.428vi propria nituntur opisque haud indiga nostrae.
Fruit trees also, as soon as they have felt strong trunks and acquired their own strength, swiftly towards the stars they struggle by their own power, not needing our help.
No less meanwhile does every grove grow heavy with fruit, and the wild haunts of birds blush with blood-red berries.
§2.431Tondentur cytisi, taedas silva alta ministrat, §2.432pascunturque ignes nocturni et lumina fundunt.
Cytisus is cut, the high forest supplies torches, and night fires are fed and pour forth light.
§2.433Et dubitant homines serere atque inpendere curam
And do men hesitate to plant and to bestow care?
§2.434quid maiora sequar?—salices humilesque genestae §2.435aut illae pecori frondem aut pastoribus umbram §2.436Sufficiunt saepemque satis et pabula melli—
Why should I pursue greater things? Willows and humble broom, even they supply either foliage for the flock or shade for shepherds, and hedge for the crops and food for honey.
§2.437et iuvat undantem buxo spectare Cytorum §2.438naryciaeque picis lucos, iuvat arva videre §2.439non rastris, hominum non ulli obnoxia curae.
And it is a joy to behold Cytorus waving with boxwood, and the groves of Narycian pitch; it is a joy to see fields subject to no rakes, to no care of man.
§2.440Ipsae Caucasio steriles in vertice silvae, §2.441quas animosi Euri adsidue franguntque feruntque, §2.442dant alios aliae fetus, dant utile lignum §2.443navigiis pinus, domibus cedrumque cupressosque.
Even the sterile forests on the Caucasian summit, which the spirited East Winds continually shatter and carry away, give each after their kind different products, give useful wood, pines for ships, cedar and cypresses for dwellings.
§2.444Hinc radios trivere rotis, hinc tympana plaustris §2.445agricolae et pandas ratibus posuere carinas,
From these the farmers have turned spokes for wheels, from these drums for wagons, and laid curved keels for vessels.
§2.446viminibus salices fecundae, frondibus ulmi, §2.447at myrtus validis hastilibus et bona bello §2.448cornus, Ituraeos taxi torquentur in arcus.
Willows are fertile in twigs, elms in leaves, but myrtle in strong spear-shafts, and cornell good for war; yews are bent into Ituraean bows.
Nor do smooth lindens or boxwood polished by the lathe fail to receive shape and be hollowed by sharp iron.
§2.451Nec non et torrentem undam levis innatat alnus, §2.452missa Pado; nec non et apes examina condunt §2.453corticibusque cavis vitiosaeque ilicis alvo.
No less too does the light alder float upon the rushing wave, launched on the Po; no less too do bees hide their swarms both in hollow barks and in the womb of a decaying holm-oak.
What did the gifts of Bacchus bring that is equally memorable?
ille furentis §2.456centauros leto domuit, Rhoetumque Pholumque §2.457et magno Hylaeum Lapithis cratere minantem.
Bacchus even gave causes for crime; he subdued the raging Centaurs in death, Rhoetus and Pholus, and Hylaeus, threatening the Lapiths with a huge bowl.
§2.458O fortunatos nimium, sua si bona norint, §2.459agricolas! quibus ipsa procul discordibus armis
O happy beyond measure, if they but knew their own blessings, the husbandmen!
§2.460fundit humo facilem victum iustissima tellus.
For whom, far from discordant arms, the most righteous earth pours forth easy sustenance from the soil.
§2.461Si non ingentem foribus domus alta superbis §2.462mane salutantum totis vomit aedibus undam, §2.463nec varios inhiant pulchra testudine postis
If the lofty mansion with proud portals does not vomit from its whole chambers a huge wave of morning salutants, nor do they gape at posts varied with beautiful tortoise-shell,