Georgics

Virgil

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

  1. But if the headlong sun
  2. And moons in order following thou regard,
  3. Ne'er will to-morrow's hour deceive thee, ne'er
  4. Wilt thou be caught by guile of cloudless night.
  5. When first the moon recalls her rallying fires,
  6. If dark the air clipped by her crescent dim,
  7. For folks afield and on the open sea
  8. A mighty rain is brewing; but if her face
  9. With maiden blush she mantle, 'twill be wind,
  10. For wind turns Phoebe still to ruddier gold.
  11. But if at her fourth rising, for 'tis that
  12. Gives surest counsel, clear she ride thro' heaven
  13. With horns unblunted, then shall that whole day,
  14. And to the month's end those that spring from it,
  15. Rainless and windless be, while safe ashore
  16. Shall sailors pay their vows to Panope,
  17. Glaucus, and Melicertes, Ino's child.
  18. The sun too, both at rising, and when soon
  19. He dives beneath the waves, shall yield thee signs;
  20. For signs, none trustier, travel with the sun,
  21. Both those which in their course with dawn he brings,
  22. And those at star-rise. When his springing orb
  23. With spots he pranketh, muffled in a cloud,
  24. And shrinks mid-circle, then of showers beware;
  25. For then the South comes driving from the deep,
  26. To trees and crops and cattle bringing bane.
  27. Or when at day-break through dark clouds his rays
  28. Burst and are scattered, or when rising pale
  29. Aurora quits Tithonus' saffron bed,
  30. But sorry shelter then, alack I will yield
  31. Vine-leaf to ripening grapes; so thick a hail
  32. In spiky showers spins rattling on the roof.
  33. And this yet more 'twill boot thee bear in mind,
  34. When now, his course upon Olympus run,
  35. He draws to his decline: for oft we see
  36. Upon the sun's own face strange colours stray;
  37. Dark tells of rain, of east winds fiery-red;
  38. If spots with ruddy fire begin to mix,
  39. Then all the heavens convulsed in wrath thou'lt see—
  40. Storm-clouds and wind together. Me that night
  41. Let no man bid fare forth upon the deep,
  42. Nor rend the rope from shore. But if, when both
  43. He brings again and hides the day's return,
  44. Clear-orbed he shineth,idly wilt thou dread
  45. The storm-clouds, and beneath the lustral North
  46. See the woods waving. What late eve in fine
  47. Bears in her bosom, whence the wind that brings
  48. Fair-weather-clouds, or what the rain South
  49. Is meditating, tokens of all these
  50. The sun will give thee. Who dare charge the sun
  51. With leasing? He it is who warneth oft
  52. Of hidden broils at hand and treachery,
  53. And secret swelling of the waves of war.