§3.323in saltus utrumque gregem atque in pascua mittet, §3.324Luciferi primo cum sidere frigida rura §3.325carpamus, dum mane novum, dum gramina canent, §3.326et ros in tenera pecori gratissimus herba.
sends both flocks into the glades and pastures, let us hasten to the cold fields at the first rising of the morning star, while morning is fresh, while the grass is hoary, and the dew on the tender grass is most welcome to the flock.
§3.327Inde ubi quarta sitim caeli collegerit hora §3.328et cantu querulae rumpent arbusta cicadae, §3.329ad puteos aut alta greges ad stagna iubebo §3.330currentem ilignis potare canalibus undam; §3.331aestibus at mediis umbrosam exquirere vallem, §3.332sicubi magna Iovis antiquo robore quercus §3.333ingentis tendat ramos, aut sicubi nigrum §3.334ilicibus crebris sacra nemus accubet umbra; §3.335tum tenuis dare rursus aquas et pascere rursus §3.336solis ad occasum, cum frigidus aera vesper §3.337temperat et saltus reficit iam roscida luna §3.338litoraque alcyonem resonant, acalanthida dumi.
Then, when the fourth hour has gathered the thirst of the sky, and the plaintive cicadas split the thickets with their song, I will bid the flocks go to the wells or deep pools to drink the water running in channels of holm-oak; but in the mid-day heat to seek out a shady valley, wherever some great oak of Jupiter, with ancient strength, stretches out giant branches, or wherever some sacred grove, dark with crowded holm-oaks, lies close with its holy shade; then again to give them thin waters and feed them again until the setting of the sun, when cool evening tempers the air, and now the dewy moon refreshes the glades, and the shores echo the halcyon, the brakes the goldfinch.
§3.339Quid tibi pastores Libyae, quid pascua versu §3.340prosequar et raris habitata mapalia tectis?
Why should I describe to you in verse the shepherds of Libya, why their pastures and their huts inhabited in scattered dwellings?
§3.341Saepe diem noctemque et totum ex ordine mensem §3.342pascitur itque pecus longa in deserta sine ullis §3.343hospitiis: tantum campi iacet.
Often day and night and a whole month in succession the flock grazes and goes into long deserts without any shelter: so vast a plain lies there.
Omnia secum §3.344armentarius Afer agit, tectumque laremque §3.345armaque Amyclaeumque canem Cressamque pharetram; §3.346non secus ac patriis acer Romanus in armis §3.347iniusto sub fasce viam cum carpit et hosti §3.348ante expectatum positis stat in agmine castris.
The African herdsman carries all his goods with him, his roof and home, his arms, his Amyclaean dog and Cretan quiver; just like the fierce Roman in his country's arms, when under an unjust load he pursues his march, and stands in line of battle with camp pitched before the enemy expects him.
§3.349At non, qua Scythiae gentes Maeotiaque unda, §3.350turbidus et torquens flaventis Hister harenas, §3.351quaque redit medium Rhodope porrecta sub axem.
But not so where the Scythian tribes are, and the Maeotian wave, and where turbid Danube rolls its yellow sands, and where Rhodope stretches, returning under the middle of the pole.
§3.352Illic clausa tenent stabulis armenta, neque ullae §3.353aut herbae campo apparent aut arbore frondes; §3.354sed iacet aggeribus niveis informis et alto §3.355terra gelu late septemque adsurgit in ulnas.
There they keep the herds shut up in stalls, and no grass appears on the plain, nor leaves on the tree; but the land lies shapeless with snowy heaps and deep ice far and wide, and rises to seven cubits.
§3.356Semper hiemps, semper spirantes frigora cauri.
Always winter, always north-west winds breathing cold.
§3.357Tum Sol pallentis haud umquam discutit umbras, §3.358nec cum invectus equis altum petit aethera, nec cum §3.359praecipitem Oceani rubro lavit aequore currum.
Then the Sun never scatters the pale shadows, neither when, borne by his horses, he seeks the high heaven, nor when he washes his headlong chariot in the red waters of Ocean.
§3.360Concrescunt subitae currenti in flumine crustae §3.361undaque iam tergo ferratos sustinet orbis, §3.362puppibus illa prius, patulis nunc hospita plaustris; §3.363aeraque dissiliunt vulgo vestesque rigescunt §3.364indutae caeduntque securibus umida vina §3.365et totae solidam in glaciem vertere lacunae §3.366stiriaque impexis induruit horrida barbis.
Sudden crusts form on the running river, and the water now supports iron-bound wheels on its back— once welcoming to ships, now to broad wagons; and copper vessels split commonly, and clothes stiffen as they are worn, and they cleave the liquid wine with axes, and whole pools have turned into solid ice, and the rough icicle stiffens on uncombed beards.
§3.367Interea toto non setius aere ninguit: §3.368intereunt pecudes, stant circumfusa pruinis §3.369corpora magna boum, confertoque agmine cervi §3.370torpent mole nova et summis vix cornibus extant.
Meanwhile, no less it snows through all the air: cattle perish, the huge bodies of oxen stand enveloped in frost, and stags in crowded troop are numb under the strange mass, and scarcely stand out with the tips of their horns.
§3.371Hos non immissis canibus, non cassibus ullis §3.372puniceaeve agitant pavidos formidine pennae, §3.373sed frustra oppositum trudentis pectore montem §3.374comminus obtruncant ferro graviterque rudentis §3.375caedunt et magno laeti clamore reportant.
These men do not hunt them, terrified, by letting loose dogs, nor with any nets, or the dread of the crimson feather; but as they vainly push with their chests against the opposing mountain, they slay them hand-to-hand with the steel, and slaughter them as they bray heavily, and carry them home rejoicing with a loud shout.
§3.376Ipsi in defossis specubus secura sub alta §3.377otia agunt terra congestaque robora totasque §3.378advolvere focis ulmos ignique dedere.
They themselves spend carefree leisure in dug-out caves deep under the earth, and roll piled logs and whole elms to the hearths and give them to the fire.
Here they pass the night in play, and joyfully with yeast and sour service-berries imitate cups of wine.
§3.381Talis Hyperboreo septem subiecta trioni §3.382gens effrena virum Rhiphaeo tunditur euro §3.383et pecudum fulvis velatur corpora saetis.
Such is the untamed race of men that lies under the northern sky, buffeted by the Rhipaean East Wind, and their bodies are clothed in the yellow furs of beasts.
§3.384Si tibi lanitium curae, primum aspera silva, §3.385lappaeque tribolique, absint; fuge pabula laeta; §3.386Continuoque greges villis lege mollibus albos.
If wool-growing is your care, first let thorny woods, burrs, and caltrops be far away; avoid rich pastures; and from the start choose flocks white with soft wool.
§3.387Illum autem, quamvis aries sit candidus ipse, §3.388nigra subest udo tantum cui lingua palato, §3.389reice, ne maculis infuscet vellera pullis §3.390nascentum, plenoque alium circumspice campo.
But as for the ram, though he be white himself, if he has only a black tongue under his moist palate, reject him, lest he stain the fleeces of the newborn with dusky spots, and look around for another in the full field.
§3.391Munere sic niveo lanae, si credere dignum est, §3.392Pan deus Arcadiae captam te, Luna, fefellit §3.393in nemora alta vocans; nec tu aspernata vocantem.
Thus with the snowy gift of wool, if it is worthy of belief, Pan the god of Arcadia deceived you, Moon, having captured you, calling you into the deep woods; nor did you despise him calling.
§3.394At cui lactis amor, cytisum lotosque frequentis §3.395ipse manu salsasque ferat praesepibus herbas.
But he who loves milk, let him with his own hand carry clover and abundant water-lilies and salted herbs to the stalls.
§3.396Hinc et amant fluvios magis et magis ubera tendunt §3.397et salis occultum referunt in lacte saporem.
Hence they both love rivers more, and distend their udders more, and bring back a hidden taste of salt in their milk.
§3.398Multi iam excretos prohibent a matribus haedos §3.399primaque ferratis praefigunt ora capistris.
Many keep the kids, as soon as they are grown, and muzzle their tender mouths with iron-pointed muzzles.
§3.400Quod surgente die mulsere horisque diurnis, §3.401nocte premunt; quod iam tenebris et sole cadente, §3.402sub lucem exportant calathis adit oppida pastor; §3.403aut parco sale contingunt hiemique reponunt.
What they milk at dawn and during the hours of day, they press at night; what they milk at darkness and setting sun, they carry out at dawn in baskets (the shepherd goes to town); or they season it with a little salt and store it up for winter.