Eclogues

Virgil

Vergil. The Poems of Vergil. Rhoades, James, translator. London: Oxford University Press, 1921.

  1. Adonis by the rivers fed his sheep—
  2. came shepherd too, and swine-herd footing slow,
  3. and, from the winter-acorns dripping-wet
  4. Menalcas. All with one accord exclaim:
  5. “From whence this love of thine?” Apollo came;
  6. “Gallus, art mad?” he cried, “thy bosom's care
  7. another love is following.” Therewithal
  8. Silvanus came, with rural honours crowned;
  9. the flowering fennels and tall lilies shook
  10. before him. Yea, and our own eyes beheld
  11. pan, god of Arcady, with blood-red juice
  12. of the elder-berry, and with vermilion, dyed.
  13. “Wilt ever make an end?” quoth he, “behold
  14. love recks not aught of it: his heart no more
  15. with tears is sated than with streams the grass,
  16. bees with the cytisus, or goats with leaves.”
  17. “Yet will ye sing, Arcadians, of my woes
  18. upon your mountains,” sadly he replied—
  19. “Arcadians, that alone have skill to sing.