Obfuit: aut illum surgentem vallibus imis
Aëriae fugere grues; aut bucula coelum
Suspiciens patulis captavit naribus auras;
Aut arguta lacus circumvolitavit hirundo;
Et veterem in limo ranae cecinere querelam.
Saepius et tectis penetralibus extulit ova
Angustum formica terens iter; et bibit ingens
2 Arcus; et e pastu decedens agmine magno
Corvorum increpuit densis exercitus alis.
Jam varias pelagi volucres, et quae Asia circum
Dulcibus in stagnis rimantur prata Caÿstri,
Certatim largos humeris infundere rores,
Nunc caput objectare fretis, nunc currere in undas,
Et studio incassum videas gestire lavandi.
Tum cornix plena pluviam vocat improba voce,
Et sola in sicca secum spatiatur arena.
Ne nocturna quidem carpentes pensa puellae
Nescivere hiemem, testa cum ardente viderent
Scintillare oleum, et putris concrescere fungos.
Nec minus ex imbri soles et aperta serena
Prospicere et certis poteris cognoscere signis.
Nam neque tum stellis acies obtusa videtur,
Nec fratris radiis obnoxia surgere Luna,
Tenuia nec lanae per coelum vellera ferri;
Non tepidum ad solem pennas in litore pandunt
Dilectae Thetidi alcyones; non ore solutos
Immundi meminere sues jactare maniplos.
At nebulae magis ima petunt campoque recumbunt;
Solis et occasum servans de culmine summo
Nequidquam seros exercet noctua cantus.
Apparet liquido sublimis in aëre Nisus,
Et pro purpureo poenas dat Scylla capillo :
Quacumque illa levem fugiens secat aethera pennis,
Ecce! inimicus, atrox, magno stridore per auras
Insequitur Nisus; qua se fert Nisus ad
auras,
Illa levem fugiens raptim secat aethera pennis.
Tum liquidas corvi presso ter gutture voces
Aut quater ingeminant; et saepe cubilibus altis,
Nescio qua praeter solitum dulcedine laeti,
Inter se in foliis strepitant; juvat, imbribus actis,
Progeniem parvam dulcisque revisere nidos.
Haud equidem credo, quia sit divinitus illis
Ingenium, aut rerum fato prudentia major;
Verum, ubi tempestas et coeli mobilis humor
393-423. The prognostics that foretell fair weather.
Mutavere vias, et Jupiter uvidus austris
Densat, erant quae rara modo, et, quae densa, relaxat,
Vertuntur species animorum, et pectora motus
Nunc alios, alios, dum nubila ventus agebat,
Concipiunt: hinc ille avium concentus in agris,
Et laetae pecudes, et ovantes gutture corvi.
Si vero solem ad rapidum lunasque sequentis
Ordine respicies, numquam te crastina fallet
Hora, neque insidiis noctis capiere serenae.
Luna revertentis cum primum colligit ignis,
Si nigrum obscuro comprenderit aëra cornu,
Maximus agricolis pelagoque parabitur imber.
At si virgineum suffuderit ore ruborem,
Ventus erit; vento semper rubet aurea Phoebe.
Sin ortu quarto-namque is certissimus auctor-
Pura, neque obtusis per coelum cornibus ibit:
Totus et ille dies, et qui nascentur ab illo
Exactum ad mensem, pluvia ventisque carebunt;
Votaque servati solvent in litore nautae
Glauco et Panopeae et Inoo Melicertae.
Sol quoque, et exoriens et cum se condet in undas,
Signa dabit; solem certissima signa sequuntur,
Et quae mane refert, et quae surgentibus astris.
Ille ubi nascentem maculis variaverit ortum,
Conditus in nubem, medioque refugerit orbe,
Suspecti tibi sint imbres; namque urguet ab alto
Arboribusque satisque Notus pecorique sinister.
Aut ubi sub lucem densa inter nubila sese
Diversi rumpent radii, aut ubi pallida surget
Tithoni croceum linquens Aurora cubile:
Heu! male tum mitis defendet pampinus uvas;
Tam multa in tectis crepitans salit horrida grando.
Hoc etiam, emenso cum jam decedit Olympo,
Profuerit meminisse magis: nam saepe videmus
Ipsius in vultu varios errare colores.
Caeruleus pluviam denuntiat, igneus Euros;
Sin maculae incipient rutilo immiscerier igni,
Omnia tum pariter vento nimbisque videbis
Fervere. Non illa quisquam me nocte per altum
Ire, neque ab terra moneat convellere funem.
At si, cum referetque diem condetque relatum,
Lucidus orbis erit, frustra terrebere nimbis,
Et claro silvas cernes aquilone moveri.
424-437. Prognostics derivable from the moon. nostics derivable from the sun.
Denique, quid vesper serus vehat, unde serenas
Ventus agat nubes, quid cogitet humidus Auster,
Sol tibi signa dabit. Solem quis dicere falsum
Audeat? Ille etiam caecos instare tumultus
Saepe monet, fraudemque et operta tumescere bella. 465
Ille etiam exstincto miseratus Caesare Romam;
Cum caput obscura nitidum ferrugine texit,
Impiaque aeternam timuerunt saecula noctem.
Tempore quamquam illo tellus quoque et aequora ponti,
Obscoenaeque canes importunaeque volucres
Signa dabant. Quoties Cyclopum effervere in agros
Vidimus undantem ruptis fornacibus Ætnam,
Flammarumque globos liquefactaque volvere saxa!
Armorum sonitum toto Germania coelo
Audiit; insolitis tremuerunt motibus Alpes.
Vox quoque per lucos vulgo exaudita silentis
Ingens, et simulacra modis pallentia miris
Visa sub obscurum noctis, pecudesque locutae,
Infandum! sistunt amnes, terraeque dehiscunt,
Et maestum illacrimat templis ebur, aeraque sudant. 480
Proluit insano contorquens vortice silvas
Fluviorum rex Eridanus, camposque per omnis
Cum stabulis armenta tulit. Nec tempore eodem
Tristibus aut extis fibrae apparere minaces,
Aut puteis manare cruor cessavit, et altae
Per noctem resonare lupis ululantibus urbes.
Non alias coelo ceciderunt plura sereno
Fulgura, nec diri toties arsere cometae.
Ergo inter sese paribus concurrere telis
Romanas acies iterum videre Philippi;
Nec fuit indignum Superis bis sanguine nostro
Emathiam et latos Haemi pinguescere campos.
Scilicet et tempus veniet, cum finibus illis
Agricola, incurvo terram molitus aratro,
Exesa inveniet scabra robigine pila,
Aut gravibus rastris galeas pulsabit inanis,
Grandiaque effossis mirabitur ossa sepulchris.
Di patrii, Indigetes, et Romule, Vestaque mater,
Quae Tuscum Tiberim et Romana Palatia servas,
Hunc saltem everso juvenem succurrere saeclo
Ne prohibete! Satis jam pridem sanguine nostro
Laomedonteae luimus perjuria Trojae.
463-497. The prodigies prognosticating the civil wars that followed the death of Julius Caesar. -498-514. A prayer for the pre servation of Augustus.
Jam pridem nobis coeli te regia, Caesar,
Invidet, atque hominum queritur curare triumphos:
Quippe ubi fas versum atque nefas, tot bella per orbem, 505
Tam multae scelerum facies; non ullus aratro
Dignus honos, squalent abductis arva colonis,
Et curvae rigidum falces conflantur in ensem.
Hinc movet Euphrates, illinc Germania bellum;
Vicinae ruptis inter se legibus urbes
Arma ferunt; saevit toto Mars impius orbe:
Ut, cum carceribus sese effudere quadrigae,
Addunt in spatia, et frustra retinacula tendens
Fertur equis auriga, neque audit currus habenas.
THE second book of the Georgics is occupied with the culture of trees, particularly of the vine. Virgil first of all states the subject, invoking Bacchus, 1-8. He then treats of the various modes in which trees are naturally produced; spontaneously, 9-13; from seed, 14-16; from suckers, 17-21. He then shows the artificial methods of propagating trees: from suckers, 22-24; sets, 24, 25; layers, 26, 27; cuttings, 28, 29; pieces of dry trunk, 30, 31; ingrafting, 32-34. Addressing farmers, and asking the countenance of Maecenas, he inculcates industry and attention to the best mode of improving and cultivating trees, 35-46. Trees spontaneously produced may be improved by ingrafting, transplanting, and culture, 47-52. Trees naturally produced from suckers must be transplanted into the open fields, 53-56. Trees naturally produced from seed must be trenched and otherwise reclaimed, 57-62. Of trees artificially propagated, certain methods are best adapted for different trees, 63-68. Different fruit-trees are best adapted for being ingrafted on certain others, 69-72. Inoculating is described, 73-77; and ingrafting, 78-82. There are different species of the same kinds of tree, 83-88; especially of vines, 89-108. Trees are adapted to their situation, 109-113; this is illustrated by the products of distant climes, 114-135. This introdus the praises of Italy, 136-176. Different soils, too, have different capabilities: one is best suited for the olive, 177-183; another for the vine, 184-194; another for pastures, 195-202. Difference between a productive and an unproductive soil, 203-225. Rules are given to distinguish soils, 226258. Directions regarding the planting of vines: as to the preparation of the ground, 259-264; as to the cuttings, 265
272; and as to the mode of planting, 273-287. Various instructions and warnings are given, 288-314. He then shows the best season for planting, with a glowing description of spring, 315-345. Then follow directions as to the proper steps to be taken during and after planting, 346-357; and as to props, 358-362; and pruning, 363-370. Then is a list of evils to be guarded against, 371-379; especially the attack of the goat, 380-396. Vineyards need constant attention all the year round, 397-419. Olives, 420-425; fruit-trees, 426-428; demand little or no attention. Neither do other trees, which from their beauty and their usefulness should be extensively planted, 429-453; they even surpass the vine, which is often injurious in its effects, 454-457. This detail of the various advantages derived from planting leads to a splendid eulo gium on rural life, 458-542.
HACTENUS arvorum cultus et sidera coeli;
Nunc te, Bacche, canam, nec non silvestria tecum
Virgulta, et prolem tarde crescentis olivae.
Huc, pater o Lenaee!-tuis hic omnia plena
Muneribus; tibi pampineo gravidus auctumno
Floret ager, spumat plenis vindemia labris-
Huc, pater o Lenaee! veni, nudataque musto
Tingue novo mecum dereptis crura cothurnis.
Principio arboribus varià est natura creandis.
Namque aliae, nullis hominum cogentibus, ipsae
Sponte sua veniunt, camposque et flumina late
Curva tenent, ut molle siler lentaeque genestae,
Populus et glauca canentia fronde salicta.
Pars autem posito surgunt de semine, ut altae
Castaneae, nemorumque Jovi quae maxima frondet.
Esculus, atque habitae Graiis oracula quercus.
Pullulat ab radice aliis densissima silva,
Ut cerasis ulmisque; etiam Parnassia laurus
Parva sub ingenti matris se subjicit umbra.
Hos natura modos primum dedit; his genus omne
Silvarum fruticumque viret nemorumque sacrorum.
Sunt alii, quos ipse via sibi reperit usus.
Hic plantas tenero abscindens de corpore matrum
Deposuit sulcis; hic stirpes obruit arvo
1-8. The subject is stated, Bacchus being invoked.-9-13. Of trees propagated naturally, some grow spontaneously. This doctrine, it may be remarked, is now exploded. 14-16. Some from seed.-17-21. Some from suckers.-22-24. Of trees propagated artificially, some are produced from suckers.-24, 25. Some from
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