| ECLOGA III | ECLOGUE 3 |
| Virgil (P. Vergilius Maro) | trans. Tim Chilcott |
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MENALCAS / DAMOETAS / PALAEMON MENALCAS Dic mihi, Damoeta, cuium pecus, an Meliboei? DAMOETAS Non, verum Aegonis; nuper mihi tradidit Aegon. MENALCAS Infelix o semper, oves, pecus, ipse Neaeram dum fovet, ac ne me sibi praeferat illa veretur, hic alienus ovis custos bis mulget in hora, et sucus pecori et lac subducitur agnis. DAMOETAS Parcius ista viris tamen obicienda memento: novimus et qui te, transversa tuentibus hircis, et quo - sed faciles Nymphae risere - sacello. MENALCAS Tum, credo, cum me arbustum videre Miconis atque mala vitis incidere falce novellas. DAMOETAS Aut hic ad veteres fagos cum Daphnidis arcum fregisti et calamos quae tu, perverse Menalca, et cum vidisti puero donata, dolebas, et si non aliqua nocuisses, mortuus esses. MENALCAS Quid domini faciant, audent cum talia fures! non ego te vidi Damonis, pessime, caprum excipere insidiis, multum latrante Lycisca? et cum clamarem: 'Quo nunc se proripit ille? Tityre, coge pecus,' tu post carecta latebas. DAMOETAS An mihi cantando victus non redderet ille quem mea carminibus meruisset fistula caprum? Si nescis, meus ille caper fuit; et mihi Damon ipse fatebatur, sed reddere posse negabat. MENALCAS Cantando tu illum, aut umquam tibi fistula cera iuncta fait? Non tu in triviis, indocte, solebas stridenti miserum stipula disperdere carmen? DAMOETAS Vis ergo inter nos quid possit uterque vicissim experiamur? Ego hanc vitulam - ne forte recuses, bis venit ad mulctram, binos alit ubere fetus - depono: tu dic, mecum quo pignore certes. MENALCAS De grege non ausim quicquam deponere tecum. Est mihi namque domi pater, est iniusta noverca; bisque die numerant ambo pecus, alter et haedos. Verum, id quod multo tute ipse fatebere maius, insanire libet quoniam tibi, pocula ponam fagina, caelatum divini opus Alcimedontis; lenta quibus torno facili superaddita vitis diffusos hedera vestit pallente corymbos: in medio duo signa, Conon, et - quis fuit alter, descripsit radio totum qui gentibus orbem, tempora quae messor, quae curvus arator haberet? Necdum illis labra admovi, sed condita servo. DAMOETAS Et nobis idem Alcimedon duo pocula fecit, et molli circum est ansas amplexus acantho, Orpheaque in medio posuit silvasque sequentis. Necdum illis labra admovi, sed condita servo: si ad vitulam spectas, nihil est quod pocula laudes. MENALCAS Numquam hodie effugies; veniam, quocumque vocaris. audiat haec tantum - vel qui venit ecce Palaemon efficiam posthac ne quemquam voce lacessas. DAMOETAS Quin age, si quid habes, in me mora non erit ulla, nec quemquam fugio: tantum, vicine Palaemon, sensibus haec imis, res est non parva, reponas. PALAEMON Dicite, quandoquidem in molli consedimus herba: et nunc omnis ager, nunc omnis parturit arbos, nunc frondent silvae, nunc formosissimus annus. Incipe, Darmoeta; tu deinde sequere Menalca: alternis dicetis; amant alterna Camenae. DAMOETAS Ab Ioue principium Musae; Iouis omnia plena: ille colit terras, illi mea carmina curae. MENALCAS Et me Phoebus amat; Phoebo sua semper apud me munera sunt, lauri et suave rubens hyacinthus. DAMOETAS Malo me Galatea petit, lasciva puella, et fugit ad salices, et se cupit ante videri. MENALCAS At mihi sese offert ultro, meus ignis, Amyntas, notior ut iam sit canibus non Delia nostris. DAMOETAS Parta meae Veneri sunt munera: namque notavi ipse locum, aeriae quo congessere palumbes. MENALCAS Quod potui, puero silvestri ex arbore lecta aurea mala decem misi; cras altera mittam. DAMOETAS O quotiens et quae nobis Galatea locuta est! partem aliquam, venti, divum referatis ad auris! MENALCAS Quid prodest, quod me ipse animo non spernis, Amynta, si, dum tu sectaris apros, ego retia servo? DAMOETAS Phyllida mitte mihi: meus est natalis, Iolla; cum faciam vitula pro frugibus, ipse venito. MENALCAS Phyllida amo ante alias; nam me discedere flevit, et longum 'formose, vale, vale,' inquit, 'Iolla.' DAMOETAS Triste lupus stabulis, maturis frugibus imbres. arboribus venti, nobis Amaryllidis irae. MENALCAS Dulce satis umor, depulsis arbutus haedis, lenta salix feto pecori, mihi solus Amyntas. DAMOETAS Pollio amat nostram, quamuis est rustica, Musam: Pierrides vitulam lectori pascite vestro. MENALCAS Pollio et ipse facit nova carmina: pascite taurum, iam cornu petat et pedibus qui spargat arenam. DAMOETAS Qui te, Pollio, amat, veniat quo te quoque gaudet: mella fluant illi, ferat et rubus asper amomum. MENALCAS Qui Bavium non odit, amet tua carmina, Maeui, atque idem iungat vulpes et mulgeat hircos. DAMOETAS Qui legitis flores et humi nascentia fraga, frigidus, O pueri, fugite hinc, latet anguis in herba. MENALCAS Parcite, oves, nimium procedere; non bene ripae creditur; ipse aries etiam nunc vellera siccat. DAMOETAS Tityre, pascentes a flumine reice capellas: ipse ubi tempus erit, omnis in fonte lavabo. MENALCAS Cogite ovis, pueri; si lac praeceperit aestus, ut nuper, frustra pressabimus ubera palmis. DAMOETAS Heu, heu, quam pingui macer est mihi taurus in ervo! Idem amor exitium est pecori pecorisque magistro. MENALCAS His certe neque amor causa est; vix ossibus haerent. nescio quis teneros oculus mihi fascinat agnos. DAMOETAS Dic, quibus in terris - et eris mihi magnus Apollo - tris pateat caeli spatium non amplius ulnas. MENALCAS Dic, quibus in terris inscripti nomina regum nascantur flores, et Phyllida solus habeto. PALAEMON Non nostrum inter vos tantas componere lites. Et vitula to dignus, et hic, et quisquis amores aut metuet dulces, aut experietur amaros. Claudite iam rivos, pueri, sat prata biberunt. |
MENALCAS / DAMOETAS / PALAEMON MENALCAS Tell me, Damoetas, whose flock is that? Meliboeus'? DAMOETAS No, they're Aegon's. He's just left me in charge of them. MENALCAS Poor sheep. They always have bad luck. While Aegon Fondles Neaera - afraid she favours me, not him - This hired keeper milks his ewes dry twice an hour, Robbing the flock of all their strength, and lambs of milk. DAMOETAS Think twice before you bring up that against a man. We all know what you did - even the male goats looked askance - And in a shrine as well (though the easy Nymphs just laughed). MENALCAS Just like the day, no doubt, they saw me take a vicious Knife and hack at Micon's trees and growing vines. DAMOETAS Or here beside the old beech trees, when you smashed up Daphnis' bow, his arrows too. When you saw the boy Given them, it riled your twisted mind. If you hadn't hurt him somehow, you'd have died. MENALCAS What can masters do, when thieves are so bare-faced? Didn't I see you lie in wait, you scum, and snatch away That goat of Damon's -while Damon's dog barked and barked. And when I shouted, 'Where's he running to? Tityrus, Watch your flock', you skulked and hid there in the sedge. DAMOETAS I'd beaten him at singing. So shouldn't he Have given me the goat my songs had earned. In case you didn't know, that goat was mine. Damon himself Admitted it to me, but said he couldn't pay. MENALCAS You beat him at singing! Have you ever owned a set Of pan-pipes joined with wax? Weren't you the clown by the ..............................crossroads Who murdered wretched songs upon a squeaking straw? DAMOETAS So how about a contest then? We'll test each other's skills In turns. I stake this heifer (now don't say no - she comes To the milk-pail twice a day, suckles twin calves). Just tell me what you're betting on the match. MENALCAS I daren't bet any of my flock with you. I have A father and harsh stepmother at home; and twice a day Both count the flock, and one the kids as well. But since you're set on this mad game, I'll stake what even you'll Admit is worth far more: these beechwood cups Which Alcimedon, the master-craftsman, made. A spreading vine, carved with a master's ease, Wreathes in pale ivy clusters richly spread. Two central figures: Conon and - who was the other? - the one Who mapped out with his rod the skies for humankind, And taught us when to reap, and when to bend behind the plough. My lips have never touched the cups. They're stored away. DAMOETAS Alcimedon made two cups for me as well. He draped their handles round with soft acanthus leaves, And in between put Orpheus, and the woods that followed him. But ... 'My lips have never touched the cups. They're stored away.' Just one look at my heifer, and you won't be praising cups. MENALCAS No wriggling out of this. You challenge, I'll be there. We need a judge - and look, here's Palaemon coming. I'll make quite sure you challenge no one after this. DAMOETAS Then come on, if you've anything to sing. I won't hold back, or run away from anything. But neighbour Palaemon, Now listen carefully to our songs - it's no small thing. PALAEMON Then sing away. We sit together here on softest grass, And every field now, every tree, is blossoming with life. The woods are all in leaf, at this most lovely time of year. You begin, Damoetas. And then, Menalcas, follow. Sing turn and turn about. That's what the Muses love. DAMOETAS Muses, my song begins with Jove. The world is full of Jove. He cultivates the fields; my songs are dear to him. MENALCAS And I am dear to Phoebus. For Phoebus I have gifts At home: laurel and sweet blushing hyacinth. DAMOETAS Galatea - saucy girl - pelts me with apples, Runs to the willow-trees, and hopes that she's been seen. MENALCAS My flame Amyntas gives himself to me unasked; Not even Delia's more familiar to my dogs. DAMOETAS I have a present for my love. For I have marked The spot, high up, where the doves have made their nest. MENALCAS I've sent my lad the best I could - ten golden apples Picked from woodland trees. Tomorrow, I will send ten more. DAMOETAS How often Galatea speaks to me! And the things she says! Whisper a few of them, you winds, to heaven's ear. MENALCAS What good is it, Amyntas, that you don't scorn me If I am left to mind the nets while you chase boar? DAMOETAS Iollas, it's my birthday; send me Phyllis now. And when I kill the harvest calf, you come yourself. MENALCAS Iollas, I love Phyllis most of all. And when I left, She wept and said, "Good bye, my lovely boy, good bye." DAMOETAS Wolves are an evil to a flock, and rain to ripened crops, Gales to the trees, and Amaryllis' cruelty to me. MENALCAS A shower is sweet to growing crops, arbutus to the kid that's ..............................weaned, The bending willow to the pregnant goats, but only Amyntas is ..............................sweet to me. DAMOETAS Pollio loves my Muse, for all her country ways. Pierides, fatten a heifer for your readers. MENALCAS Pollio makes new songs himself. Fatten a bull That's old enough to toss his horns and paw the sand. DAMOETAS May he who loves you, Pollio, share your paradise; May honey flow for him, and prickly thorns bear spice. MENALCAS Whoever can stand Bavius will love your poems, Maevius; And may he milk the billy-goat and yoke the fox. DAMOETAS You lads who gather flowers and strawberries from the ground, Oh, run away. A cold snake's lurking in the grass. MENALCAS Don't go ahead too far, my flock. And never trust The river bank. The ram's still drying out his fleece. DAMOETAS Tityrus, keep your grazing goats away from streams; All in good time, I'll wash them in the spring myself. MENALCAS Round up the sheep, lads. If heat gets to their milk, As happened recently, we'll squeeze their udders all in vain. DAMOETAS Oh no. How lean my bull is, and how rich the vetch! To herd and herdsman both, love brings their ruin. MENALCAS Love's not the reason why they're skin and bones. Some unknown evil eye has cursed my gentle lambs. DAMOETAS Say in what lands (you'll be my great Apollo then) The spacious sky extends no wider than three yards. MENALCAS Say in what lands the flowers inscribed with names of kings Are born; and Phyllis shall be yours alone. PALAEMON I cannot arbitrate this great debate between you two. Both you and he deserve a heifer - as so do all Who fear the sweetnesses of love, or know its bitterness. Let down the sluices, lads. The fields have drunk their fill. |
Transl. copyright © Tim Chilcott 2006