Georgics

Virgil

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

  1. This further task again, to dress the vine,
  2. Hath needs beyond exhausting; the whole soil
  3. Thrice, four times, yearly must be cleft, the sod
  4. With hoes reversed be crushed continually,
  5. The whole plantation lightened of its leaves.
  6. Round on the labourer spins the wheel of toil,
  7. As on its own track rolls the circling year.
  8. Soon as the vine her lingering leaves hath shed,
  9. And the chill north wind from the forests shook
  10. Their coronal, even then the careful swain
  11. Looks keenly forward to the coming year,
  12. With Saturn's curved fang pursues and prunes
  13. The vine forlorn, and lops it into shape.
  14. Be first to dig the ground up, first to clear
  15. And burn the refuse-branches, first to house
  16. Again your vine-poles, last to gather fruit.
  17. Twice doth the thickening shade beset the vine,
  18. Twice weeds with stifling briers o'ergrow the crop;
  19. And each a toilsome labour. Do thou praise
  20. Broad acres, farm but few. Rough twigs beside
  21. Of butcher's broom among the woods are cut,
  22. And reeds upon the river-banks, and still
  23. The undressed willow claims thy fostering care.
  24. So now the vines are fettered, now the trees
  25. Let go the sickle, and the last dresser now
  26. Sings of his finished rows; but still the ground
  27. Must vexed be, the dust be stirred, and heaven
  28. Still set thee trembling for the ripened grapes.