Georgics

Virgil

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

  1. Those that lift their head
  2. Into the realms of light spontaneously,
  3. Fruitless indeed, but blithe and strenuous spring,
  4. Since Nature lurks within the soil. And yet
  5. Even these, should one engraft them, or transplant
  6. To well-drilled trenches, will anon put of
  7. Their woodland temper, and, by frequent tilth,
  8. To whatso craft thou summon them, make speed
  9. To follow. So likewise will the barren shaft
  10. That from the stock-root issueth, if it be
  11. Set out with clear space amid open fields:
  12. Now the tree-mother's towering leaves and boughs
  13. Darken, despoil of increase as it grows,
  14. And blast it in the bearing. Lastly, that
  15. Which from shed seed ariseth, upward wins
  16. But slowly, yielding promise of its shade
  17. To late-born generations; apples wane
  18. Forgetful of their former juice, the grape
  19. Bears sorry clusters, for the birds a prey.
  20. Soothly on all must toil be spent, and all
  21. Trained to the trench and at great cost subdued.
  22. But reared from truncheons olives answer best,
  23. As vines from layers, and from the solid wood
  24. The Paphian myrtles; while from suckers spring
  25. Both hardy hazels and huge ash, the tree
  26. That rims with shade the brows of Hercules,
  27. And acorns dear to the Chaonian sire:
  28. So springs the towering palm too, and the fir
  29. Destined to spy the dangers of the deep.
  30. But the rough arbutus with walnut-fruit
  31. Is grafted; so have barren planes ere now
  32. Stout apples borne, with chestnut-flower the beech,
  33. The mountain-ash with pear-bloom whitened o'er,
  34. And swine crunched acorns 'neath the boughs of elms.