§2.78Aut rursum enodes trunci resecantur et alte §2.79finditur in solidum cuneis via, deinde feraces §2.80plantae inmittuntur: nec longum tempus, et ingens §2.81exsilit ad caelum ramis felicibus arbos §2.82miraturque novas frondes et non sua poma. §2.83Praeterea genus haud unum nec fortibus ulmis §2.84nec salici lotoque neque Idaeis cyparissis, §2.85nec pingues unam in faciem nascuntur olivae, §2.86orchades et radii et amara pausia baca §2.87pomaque et Alcinoi silvae, nec surculus idem §2.88Crustumiis Syriisque piris gravibusque volemis. §2.89Non eadem arboribus pendet vindemia nostris, §2.90quam Methymnaeo carpit de palmite Lesbos; §2.91sunt Thasiae vites, sunt et Mareotides albae, §2.92pinguibus hae terris habiles, levioribus illae, §2.93et passo Psithia utilior tenuisque Lageos §2.94temptatura pedes olim vincturaque linguam, §2.95purpureae preciaeque, et quo te carmine dicam,
Or again, the knotless trunks are cut back, and deep into the solid wood a path is cleft with wedges; then fruitful shoots are introduced; and in no long time, a huge tree springs up to heaven with fertile branches, and marvels at its new leaves and fruits not its own. Furthermore, there is not just one kind for hardy elms, nor for the willow and the lotus, nor for the Idaean cypresses; nor do rich olives grow into a single form— the orchades, the radii, and the pausia with bitter berry; nor are the fruits of Alcinous's groves the same, nor is the shoot the same for Crustumian and Syrian pears and for heavy volema. The same vintage does not hang from our trees as that which Lesbos plucks from the Methymnaean vine; there are Thasian vines, and there are white Mareotids— these suited for rich soils, those for lighter ones; and Psithia, more useful for raisin-wine, and thin Lageos, destined one day to try the feet and bind the tongue; purple grapes and preciae, and with what song shall I tell of you, Rhaetian?
§2.96Rhaetica? Nec cellis ideo contende Falernis. §2.97Sunt et Amineae vites, firmissima vina, §2.98Tmolius adsurgit quibus et rex ipse Phanaeus; §2.99Argitisque minor, cui non certaverit ulla §2.100aut tantum fluere aut totidem durare per annos. §2.101Non ego te, Dis et mensis accepta secundis, §2.102transierim, Rhodia, et tumidis, Bumaste, racemis. §2.103Sed neque quam multae species nec nomina quae sint, §2.104est numerus; neque enim numero conprendere refert; §2.105quem qui scire velit, Libyci velit aequoris idem §2.106discere quam multae Zephyro turbentur harenae, §2.107aut ubi navigiis violentior incidit Eurus, §2.108nosse, quot Ionii veniant ad litora fluctus. §2.109Nec vero terrae ferre omnes omnia possunt. §2.110fluminibus salices crassisque paludibus alni §2.111nascuntur, steriles saxosis montibus orni; §2.112litora myrtetis laetissima; denique apertos §2.113Bacchus amat collis, aquilonem et frigora taxi. §2.114Aspice et extremis domitum cultoribus orbem §2.115Eoasque domos Arabum pictosque Gelonos:
Yet do not for this reason contend with Falernian cellars. There are also Aminean vines, yielding most firm wines, to which Tmolus rises up and even the Phanaean king himself; and the lesser Argitis, with which none other would vie either in flowing so much or in lasting for as many years. I would not pass you by, Rhodian, welcome to the gods and to second courses, or you, Bumastus, with swelling clusters. But there is no number of how many species there are or what their names are; indeed, it is of no import to comprehend them by number; he who would wish to know this would also wish to learn how many sands of the Libyan desert are stirred by the West Wind, or, when the violent East Wind falls upon the ships, to know how many Ionian waves come to the shores. Nor, indeed, can all lands bear all things. By rivers grow willows, in thick marshes alders, on stony mountains sterile mountain-ashes; shores are most gladsome with myrtle-groves; finally, Bacchus loves open hills, the yews love the north wind and cold. Behold also the world tamed by its furthest cultivators, the Eastern homes of the Arabs and the painted Gelonians: homelands are divided by their trees.
§2.116divisae arboribus patriae. Sola India nigrum §2.117fert ebenum, solis est turea virga Sabaeis. §2.118Quid tibi odorato referam sudantia ligno §2.119balsamaque et bacas semper frondentis acanthi? §2.120Quid nemora Aethiopum molli canentia lana, §2.121velleraque ut foliis depectant tenuia Seres; §2.122aut quos Oceano propior gerit India lucos, §2.123extremi sinus orbis, ubi aera vincere summum §2.124arboris haud ullae iactu potuere sagittae? §2.125Et gens illa quidem sumptis non tarda pharetris. §2.126Media fert tristis sucos tardumque saporem §2.127felicis mali, quo non praesentius ullum, §2.128pocula si quando saevae infecere novercae, §2.129miscueruntque herbas et non innoxia verba, §2.130auxilium venit ac membris agit atra venena. §2.131Ipsa ingens arbos faciemque simillima lauro; §2.132et, si non alium late iactaret odorem, §2.133laurus erat; folia haud ullis labentia ventis; §2.134flos ad prima tenax; animas et olentia Medi §2.135ora fovent illo et senibus medicantur anhelis. §2.136sed neque Medorum, silvae ditissima, terra, §2.137nec pulcher Ganges atque auro turbidus Hermus §2.138laudibus Italiae certent, non Bactra neque Indi §2.139totaque turiferis Panchaia pinguis harenis. §2.140Haec loca non tauri spirantes naribus ignem §2.141invertere satis inmanis dentibus hydri §2.142nec galeis densisque virum seges horruit hastis; §2.143sed gravidae fruges et Bacchi Massicus humor §2.144inplevere; tenent oleae armentaque laeta. §2.145Hinc bellator equus campo sese arduus infert; §2.146hinc albi, Clitumne, greges et maxima taurus §2.147victima, saepe tuo perfusi flumine sacro, §2.148Romanos ad templa deum duxere triumphos. §2.149Hic ver adsiduum atque alienis mensibus aestas §2.150bis gravidae pecudes, bis pomis utilis arbos. §2.151At rabidae tigres absunt et saeva leonum §2.152semina nec miseros fallunt aconita legentis §2.153nec rapit inmensos orbis per humum neque tanto §2.154squameus in spiram tractu se colligit anguis.
India alone bears black ebony, and only the Sabaeans possess the incense-bearing branch. Why should I relate to you the balsam sweating from the scented wood and the berries of the ever-leafy acanthus? Why the groves of the Ethiopians whitening with soft wool, and how the Seres comb fine fleeces from leaves; or those groves which India closer to the Ocean bears, the furthest nook of the world, where no arrows by their flight have been able to surpass the topmost air of a tree? And indeed that nation is not slow when quivers are taken up. Media bears the bitter juices and lingering taste of the blessed apple, than which none is more present as an aid, if ever cruel stepmothers have infected cups, and mixed herbs and not harmless words, to come and drive the black poison from the limbs. The tree itself is huge and in appearance very like a laurel; and, if it did not fling abroad a different odor far and wide, it would be a laurel; its leaves fall not with any winds; its flower is tenacious to the highest degree; with it the Medes cherish their breath and smelly mouths, and cure panting old men. But neither the land of the Medes, richest in forests, nor beautiful Ganges, and Hermus turbid with gold, may vie with the praises of Italy; not Bactra, nor the Indians, and all Panchaia rich with incense-bearing sands. These places no bulls breathing fire from their nostrils ploughed, when the teeth of the monstrous hydra were sown, nor did a harvest of men bristle with helmets and dense spears; but heavy crops and the Massic moisture of Bacchus have filled it; olives and joyful herds occupy it. Hence the warrior horse carries himself aloft into the plain; hence, Clitumnus, your white flocks and the bull, the greatest victim, often bathed in your sacred stream, have led Roman triumphs to the temples of the gods. Here is perpetual spring and summer in months not its own; twice the herds are pregnant, twice the tree is useful with fruits. But rabid tigers are absent, and the cruel offspring of lions, nor does aconite deceive wretched gatherers, nor does the scaly snake drag his immense coils along the ground, nor gather himself into a spiral with so great a length.