| Sicelides Musae, paulo maiora canamus! | The Field. Dear Sir: a somewhat larger theme.
| non omnes arbusta iuvant humilesque myricae; | Trees and mere hedgerows don't appeal to all;
| si canimus silvas, silvae sint consule dignae. | Our Country Notes must grace the Capitol.
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| ultima Cumaei venit iam carminis aetas; | The prophesied 'last age' has now begun:
| magnus ab integro saeclorum nascitur ordo. | The mighty March of Time resumes from nil.
| iam redit et Virgo, redeunt Saturnia regna; | The Virgin and the Days of Old return;
| iam nova progenies caelo demittitur alto. | A new breed comes among us from on high.
| tu modo nascenti puero, quo ferrea primum | Childbirth! The prehistoric Iron Age
| desinet ac toto surget gens aurea mundo, | Will end, the Golden Age worldwide be born.
| casta fave Lucina: tuus iam regnat Apollo. | The Sun is King; so, Sister Moon, shine on!
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| teque adeo decus hoc aevi, te consule, inibit, | In fact this glorious millennium
| Pollio, et incipient magni procedere menses; | Will come while Ron presides, and under him
| te duce, si qua manent sceleris vestigia nostri, | A pageant of great seasons will remove
| inrita perpetua solvent formidine terras. | The final traces of our infamy,
| And free the globe from unremitting fear.
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| ille deum vitam accipiet divisque videbit | The boy will live a god's life: he will see
| permixtos heroas, et ipse videbitur illis, | Heroes at ease with gods, and they'll see him
| pacatumque reget patriis virtutibus orbem. | Rule, by his father's gifts, a world at peace.
| at tibi prima, puer, nullo munuscula cultu | For baby-toys the earth will offer him
| errantes hederas passim cum baccare tellus | Nature's profusion, romping ivy-leaves,
| mixtaque ridenti colocasia fundet acantho. | Acanthus, gipsy lilies, wild woodbine;
| ipsae lacte domum referent distenta capellae | Goats with their milk will freely wander home,
| ubera, nec magnos metuent armenta leones. | Huge-uddered; herds won't fear great beasts of prey.
| ipsa tibi blandos fundent cunabula flores. | His cradle will be thick with pretty flowers;
| occidet et serpens, et fallax herba veneni | Poisonous weeds and snakes will die the death
| occidet; Assyriam vulgo nascetur amomum. | And cinnamon will come up everywhere.
| at simul heroum laudes et facta parentis | He'll read uplifting stories, and the great
| iam legere et quae sit poteris cognoscere virtus, | Deeds of his father; learn of excellence;
| molli paulatim flavescet campus arista, | By then soft fields of corn will just grow gold,
| incultisque rubens pendebit sentibus uva, | Red grapes will hang along neglected paths
| et durae quercus sudabunt roscida mella. | And solid oaktrees run with honeydew.
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| pauca tamen suberunt priscae vestigia fraudis, | Few traces will survive of such old frauds
| quae temptare Thetim ratibus, quae cingere muris | As Shipping, Agriculture and Defence;
| oppida, quae iubeant telluri infindere sulcos. | Another helmsman with a chosen crew
| alter erit tum Tiphys, et altera quae vehat Argo | Will man the Argo; there'll be other wars,
| delectos heroas; erunt etiam altera bella, | A Churchill, an Achilles back at Troy.
| atque iterum ad Troiam magnus mittetur Achilles. | By his maturity, they'll quit the sea:
| hinc, ubi iam firmata virum te fecerit aetas, | Pilots and merchant-ships will cease to trade.
| cedet et ipse mari vector, nec nautica pinus | All countries will produce all types of crop:
| mutabit merces: omnis feret omnia tellus. | Ground won't be harrowed, grapevines won't be cut.
| non rastros patietur humus, non vinea falcem; | The sturdy ploughman will unyoke his bulls.
| robustus quoque iam tauris iuga solvet arator; | Wool won't be taught untruthful colouring:
| nec varios discet mentiri lana colores, | The grazing ram himself will change his pelt
| ipse sed in pratis aries iam suave rubenti | To mauve or saffron-yellow, and the lambs,
| murice, iam croceo mutabit vellera luto; | Browsing, will go spontaneously red.
| sponte sua sandyx pascentes vestiet agnos. | 'Roll on such times!' the spinning Fates decree,
| 'talia saecla,' suis dixerunt, 'currite', fusis | In concert with Eternal Destiny.
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| concordes stabili fatorum numine Parcae. | Your hour has come: approach your rank and pomp,
| adgredere o magnos - aderit iam tempus - honores, | Dear child of gods, awesome nativity.
| cara deum suboles, magnum Iovis incrementum. | See the world lurching with its high-curved load,
| aspice convexo nutantem pondere mundum, | The land, the wide sea, heaven's mighty dome:
| terrasque tractusque maris caelumque profundum; | See them, ecstatic at the age to come.
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| aspice, venturo laetantur ut omnia saeclo. | I hope enough of life remains for me,
| o mihi tam longae maneat pars ultima vitae, | Breath enough to record what you will do:
| spiritus et quantum sat erit tua dicere facta, | With luck I'll lyrically outperform
| non me carminibus vincat nec Thracius Orpheus, | Both Linus and the Thracian lutenist,
| nec Linus, huic mater quamvis atque huic pater adsit, | Even allowing them parental help,
| Orphei Calliopea, Lino formosus Apollo. | Apollo and the Muse respectively!
| Pan etiam, Arcadia mecum si iudice certet, | Yes, Pan can take me on, his Fauns shall judge:
| Pan etiam Arcadia dicat se iudice victum. | His Fauns shall judge, and Pan shall give me best.
| incipe, parve puer, risu cognoscere matrem; | Smile then dear child, and recognise - your mum!
| matri longa decem tulerunt fastidia menses. | She's had nine months of drawn-out tedium.
| incipe, parve puer; cui non risere parentes, | Smile for your mother, child, and you'll deserve
| nec deus hunc mensa, dea nec dignata cubili est. | Feasts with the gods, a goddess for your love.
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