Georgics

Virgil

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

  1. What need to tell of autumn's storms and stars,
  2. And wherefore men must watch, when now the day
  3. Grows shorter, and more soft the summer's heat?
  4. When Spring the rain-bringer comes rushing down,
  5. Or when the beards of harvest on the plain
  6. Bristle already, and the milky corn
  7. On its green stalk is swelling? Many a time,
  8. When now the farmer to his yellow fields
  9. The reaping-hind came bringing, even in act
  10. To lop the brittle barley stems, have I
  11. Seen all the windy legions clash in war
  12. Together, as to rend up far and wide
  13. The heavy corn-crop from its lowest roots,
  14. And toss it skyward: so might winter's flaw,
  15. Dark-eddying, whirl light stalks and flying straws.
  16. Oft too comes looming vast along the sky
  17. A march of waters; mustering from above,
  18. The clouds roll up the tempest, heaped and grim
  19. With angry showers: down falls the height of heaven,
  20. And with a great rain floods the smiling crops,
  21. The oxen's labour: now the dikes fill fast,
  22. And the void river-beds swell thunderously,
  23. And all the panting firths of Ocean boil.
  24. The Sire himself in midnight of the clouds
  25. Wields with red hand the levin; through all her bulk
  26. Earth at the hurly quakes; the beasts are fled,
  27. And mortal hearts of every kindred sunk
  28. In cowering terror; he with flaming brand
  29. Athos, or Rhodope, or Ceraunian crags
  30. Precipitates: then doubly raves the South
  31. With shower on blinding shower, and woods and coasts
  32. Wail fitfully beneath the mighty blast.
  33. This fearing, mark the months and Signs of heaven,
  34. Whither retires him Saturn's icy star,
  35. And through what heavenly cycles wandereth
  36. The glowing orb Cyllenian. Before all
  37. Worship the Gods, and to great Ceres pay
  38. Her yearly dues upon the happy sward
  39. With sacrifice, anigh the utmost end
  40. Of winter, and when Spring begins to smile.
  41. Then lambs are fat, and wines are mellowest then;
  42. Then sleep is sweet, and dark the shadows fall
  43. Upon the mountains. Let your rustic youth
  44. To Ceres do obeisance, one and all;
  45. And for her pleasure thou mix honeycombs
  46. With milk and the ripe wine-god; thrice for luck
  47. Around the young corn let the victim go,
  48. And all the choir, a joyful company,
  49. Attend it, and with shouts bid Ceres come
  50. To be their house-mate; and let no man dare
  51. Put sickle to the ripened ears until,
  52. With woven oak his temples chapleted,
  53. He foot the rugged dance and chant the lay.