按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
cope not therefore with Falernian bins。 Vines Aminaean too； best…bodied
wine； To which the Tmolian bows him； ay； and king Phanaeus too； and；
lesser of that name； Argitis； wherewith not a grape can vie For gush of
wine…juice or for length of years。 Nor thee must I pass over； vine of
Rhodes； Welcomed by gods and at the second board； Nor thee； Bumastus；
with plump clusters swollen。 But lo！ how many kinds； and what their
names； There is no telling； nor doth it boot to tell； Who lists to know it； he
too would list to learn How many sand…grains are by Zephyr tossed On
Libya's plain； or wot； when Eurus falls With fury on the ships； how many
waves Come rolling shoreward from the Ionian sea。 Not that all soils
can all things bear alike。 Willows by water…courses have their birth； Alders
in miry fens； on rocky heights The barren mountain…ashes； on the shore
Myrtles throng gayest； Bacchus； lastly； loves The bare hillside； and yews
the north wind's chill。 Mark too the earth by outland tillers tamed； And
Eastern homes of Arabs； and tattooed Geloni； to all trees their native lands
Allotted are； no clime but India bears Black ebony； the branch of
frankincense Is Saba's sons' alone； why tell to thee Of balsams oozing
from the perfumed wood； Or berries of acanthus ever green？ Of Aethiop
forests hoar with downy wool； Or how the Seres comb from off the leaves
Their silky fleece？ Of groves which India bears； Ocean's near neighbour；
earth's remotest nook； Where not an arrow…shot can cleave the air Above
their tree…tops？ yet no laggards they； When girded with the quiver！ Media
yields The bitter juices and slow…lingering taste Of the blest citron…fruit；
than which no aid Comes timelier； when fierce step…dames drug the cup
16
… Page 17…
29BC THE GEORGICS
With simples mixed and spells of baneful power； To drive the deadly
poison from the limbs。 Large the tree's self in semblance like a bay； And；
showered it not a different scent abroad； A bay it had been； for no wind of
heaven Its foliage falls； the flower； none faster； clings； With it the Medes
for sweetness lave the lips； And ease the panting breathlessness of age。
But no； not Mede…land with its wealth of woods； Nor Ganges fair； and
Hermus thick with gold； Can match the praise of Italy； nor Ind； Nor
Bactria； nor Panchaia； one wide tract Of incense…teeming sand。 Here never
bulls With nostrils snorting fire upturned the sod Sown with the monstrous
dragon's teeth； nor crop Of warriors bristled thick with lance and helm；
But heavy harvests and the Massic juice Of Bacchus fill its borders；
overspread With fruitful flocks and olives。 Hence arose The war…horse
stepping proudly o'er the plain； Hence thy white flocks； Clitumnus； and
the bull； Of victims mightiest； which full oft have led； Bathed in thy sacred
stream； the triumph…pomp Of Romans to the temples of the gods。 Here
blooms perpetual spring； and summer here In months that are not
summer's； twice teem the flocks； Twice doth the tree yield service of her
fruit。 But ravening tigers come not nigh； nor breed Of savage lion； nor
aconite betrays Its hapless gatherers； nor with sweep so vast Doth the
scaled serpent trail his endless coils Along the ground； or wreathe him into
spires。 Mark too her cities； so many and so proud； Of mighty toil the
achievement； town on town Up rugged precipices heaved and reared； And
rivers undergliding ancient walls。 Or should I celebrate the sea that laves
Her upper shores and lower？ or those broad lakes？ Thee； Larius； greatest
and； Benacus； thee With billowy uproar surging like the main？ Or sing her
harbours； and the barrier cast Athwart the Lucrine； and how ocean chafes
With mighty bellowings； where the Julian wave Echoes the thunder of his
rout； and through Avernian inlets pours the Tuscan tide？ A land no less that
in her veins displays Rivers of silver； mines of copper ore； Ay； and with
gold hath flowed abundantly。 A land that reared a valiant breed of men；
The Marsi and Sabellian youth； and； schooled To hardship； the Ligurian；
and with these The Volscian javelin…armed； the Decii too； The Marii and
Camilli； names of might； The Scipios； stubborn warriors； ay； and thee；
Great Caesar； who in Asia's utmost bounds With conquering arm e'en now
17
… Page 18…
29BC THE GEORGICS
art fending far The unwarlike Indian from the heights of Rome。 Hail！ land
of Saturn； mighty mother thou Of fruits and heroes； 'tis for thee I dare
Unseal the sacred fountains； and essay Themes of old art and glory； as I
sing The song of Ascra through the towns of Rome。 Now for the native
gifts of various soils； What powers hath each； what hue； what natural bent
For yielding increase。 First your stubborn lands And churlish hill…sides；
where are thorny fields Of meagre marl and gravel； these delight In long…
lived olive…groves to Pallas dear。 Take for a sign the plenteous growth hard
by Of oleaster； and the fields strewn wide With woodland berries。 But a
soil that's rich； In moisture sweet exulting； and the plain That teems with
grasses on its fruitful breast； Such as full oft in hollow mountain…dell We
view beneath us… from the craggy heights Streams thither flow with
fertilizing mud… A plain which southward rising feeds the fern By curved
ploughs detested； this one day Shall yield thee store of vines full strong to
gush In torrents of the wine…god； this shall be Fruitful of grapes and
flowing juice like that We pour to heaven from bowls of gold； what time
The sleek Etruscan at the altar blows His ivory pipe； and on the curved
dish We lay the reeking entrails。 If to rear Cattle delight thee rather； steers；
or lambs； Or goats that kill the tender plants； then seek Full…fed Tarentum's
glades and distant fields； Or such a plain as luckless Mantua lost Whose
weedy water feeds the snow…white swan： There nor clear springs nor grass
the flocks will fail； And all the day…long browsing of thy herds Shall the
cool dews of one brief night repair。 Land which the burrowing share
shows dark and rich； With crumbling soil… for this we counterfeit