Georgics

Virgil

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

  1. But who for milk hath longing, must himself
  2. Carry lucerne and lotus-leaves enow
  3. With salt herbs to the cote, whence more they love
  4. The streams, more stretch their udders, and give back
  5. A subtle taste of saltness in the milk.
  6. Many there be who from their mothers keep
  7. The new-born kids, and straightway bind their mouths
  8. With iron-tipped muzzles. What they milk at dawn,
  9. Or in the daylight hours, at night they press;
  10. What darkling or at sunset, this ere morn
  11. They bear away in baskets—for to town
  12. The shepherd hies him—or with dash of salt
  13. Just sprinkle, and lay by for winter use.
  1. Nor be thy dogs last cared for; but alike
  2. Swift Spartan hounds and fierce Molossian feed
  3. On fattening whey. Never, with these to watch,
  4. Dread nightly thief afold and ravening wolves,
  5. Or Spanish desperadoes in the rear.
  6. And oft the shy wild asses thou wilt chase,
  7. With hounds, too, hunt the hare, with hounds the doe;
  8. Oft from his woodland wallowing-den uprouse
  9. The boar, and scare him with their baying, and drive,
  10. And o'er the mountains urge into the toils
  11. Some antlered monster to their chiming cry.