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Through winding bouts and tedious preludings
Shall I detain thee。
Those that lift their head
Into the realms of light spontaneously；
Fruitless indeed； but blithe and strenuous spring；
Since Nature lurks within the soil。 And yet
Even these； should one engraft them； or transplant
To well…drilled trenches； will anon put of
Their woodland temper； and； by frequent tilth；
To whatso craft thou summon them； make speed
To follow。 So likewise will the barren shaft
That from the stock…root issueth； if it be
Set out with clear space amid open fields：
Now the tree…mother's towering leaves and boughs
Darken； despoil of increase as it grows；
And blast it in the bearing。 Lastly； that
Which from shed seed ariseth； upward wins
But slowly； yielding promise of its shade
To late…born generations； apples wane
Forgetful of their former juice； the grape
Bears sorry clusters； for the birds a prey。
Soothly on all must toil be spent； and all
Trained to the trench and at great cost subdued。
But reared from truncheons olives answer best；
As vines from layers； and from the solid wood
The Paphian myrtles； while from suckers spring
Both hardy hazels and huge ash； the tree
That rims with shade the brows of Hercules；
And acorns dear to the Chaonian sire：
So springs the towering palm too； and the fir
Destined to spy the dangers of the deep。
But the rough arbutus with walnut…fruit
Is grafted； so have barren planes ere now
Stout apples borne； with chestnut…flower the beech；
The mountain…ash with pear…bloom whitened o'er；
And swine crunched acorns 'neath the boughs of elms。
Nor is the method of inserting eyes
And grafting one： for where the buds push forth
Amidst the bark； and burst the membranes thin；
Even on the knot a narrow rift is made；
Wherein from some strange tree a germ they pen；
And to the moist rind bid it cleave and grow。
Or； otherwise； in knotless trunks is hewn
A breach； and deep into the solid grain
A path with wedges cloven； then fruitful slips
Are set herein； and… no long time… behold！
To heaven upshot with teeming boughs； the tree
Strange leaves admires and fruitage not its own。
Nor of one kind alone are sturdy elms；
Willow and lotus； nor the cypress…trees
Of Ida； nor of self…same fashion spring
Fat olives； orchades； and radii
And bitter…berried pausians； no； nor yet
Apples and the forests of Alcinous；
Nor from like cuttings are Crustumian pears
And Syrian； and the heavy hand…fillers。
Not the same vintage from our trees hangs down；
Which Lesbos from Methymna's tendril plucks。
Vines Thasian are there； Mareotids white；
These apt for richer soils； for lighter those：
Psithian for raisin…wine more useful； thin
Lageos； that one day will try the feet
And tie the tongue： purples and early…ripes；
And how； O Rhaetian； shall I hymn thy praise？
Yet 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
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 T