Cur non, Mopse, boni quoniam convenimus ambo,
Why, Mopsus, being both together met,
tu calamos inflare levis, ego dicere versus,
you skilled to breathe upon the slender reeds,
hic corylis mixtas inter consedimus ulmos?
I to sing ditties, do we not sit down
Tu maior; tibi me est aequum parere, Menalca,
here where the elm-trees and the hazels blend?
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sive sub incertas zephyris motantibus umbras,
You are the elder, 'tis for me to bide
sive antro potius succedimus: aspice, ut antrum
your choice, Menalcas, whether now we seek
silvestris raris sparsit labrusca racemis.
yon shade that quivers to the changeful breeze,
Montibus in nostris solus tibi certat Amyntas.
or the cave's shelter. Look you how the cave
Quid, si idem certet Phoebum superare canendo?
is with the wild vine's clusters over-laced!
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Incipe, Mopse, prior, si quos aut Phyllidis ignes,
None but Amyntas on these hills of ours
aut Alconis habes laudes, aut iurgia Codri:
can vie with you.
incipe, pascentis servabit Tityrus haedos.
What if he also strive
Immo haec, in viridi nuper quae cortice fagi
to out-sing Phoebus?
carmina descripsi et modulans alterna notavi,
Do you first begin,
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experiar, tu deinde iubeto ut certet Amyntas.
good Mopsus, whether minded to sing aught
Lenta salix quantum pallenti cedit olivae,
of Phyllis and her loves, or Alcon's praise,
puniceis humilis quantum saliunca rosetis,
or to fling taunts at Codrus. Come, begin,
iudicio nostro tantum tibi cedit Amyntas.
while Tityrus watches o'er the grazing kids.
sed tu desine plura, puer; successimus antro.
Nay, then, I will essay what late I carved
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Extinctum nymphae crudeli funere Daphnim
on a green beech-tree's rind, playing by turns,
flebant; vos coryli testes et flumina nymphis;
and marking down the notes; then afterward
cum complexa sui corpus miserabile nati,
bid you Amyntas match them if he can.
atque deos atque astra vocat crudelia mater.
As limber willow to pale olive yields,
Non ulli pastos illis egere diebus
as lowly Celtic nard to rose-buds bright,
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frigida, Daphni, boves ad flumina; nulla neque amnem
so, to my mind, Amyntas yields to you.
libavit quadrupes, nec graminis attigit herbam.
But hold awhile, for to the cave we come.
Daphni, tuum Poenos etiam ingemuisse leones
“For Daphnis cruelly slain wept all the Nymphs—
interitum montesque feri silvaeque loquuntur.
ye hazels, bear them witness, and ye streams—
Daphnis et Armenias curru subiungere tigres
when she, his mother, clasping in her arms
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instituit; Daphnis thiasos inducere Bacchi,
the hapless body of the son she bare,
et foliis lentas intexere mollibus hastas.
to gods and stars unpitying, poured her plaint.
Vitis ut arboribus decori est, ut vitibus uvae,
Then, Daphnis, to the cooling streams were none
ut gregibus tauri, segetes ut pinguibus arvis,
that drove the pastured oxen, then no beast
tu decus omne tuis. Postquam te fata tulerunt,
drank of the river, or would the grass-blade touch.
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ipsa Pales agros atque ipse reliquit Apollo.
Nay, the wild rocks and woods then voiced the roar
Grandia saepe quibus mandavimus hordea sulcis,
of Afric lions mourning for thy death.
infelix lolium et steriles nascuntur avenae;
Daphnis, 'twas thou bad'st yoke to Bacchus' car
pro molli viola, pro purpureo narcisso,
armenian tigresses, lead on the pomp
carduus et spinis surgit paliurus acutis.
of revellers, and with tender foliage wreathe
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Spargite humum foliis, inducite fontibus umbras,
the bending spear-wands. As to trees the vine
pastores, mandat fieri sibi talia Daphnis;
is crown of glory, as to vines the grape,
et tumulum facite, et tumulo superaddite carmen:
bulls to the herd, to fruitful fields the corn,
DAPHNIS EGO IN SILVIS HINC VSQUE AD SIDERA NOTVS
so the one glory of thine own art thou.
FORMONSI PECORIS CVSTOS FORMONSIOR IPSE.
When the Fates took thee hence, then Pales' self,
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Tale tuum carmen nobis, divine poeta,
and even Apollo, left the country lone.
quale sopor fessis in gramine, quale per aestum
Where the plump barley-grain so oft we sowed,
dulcis aquae saliente sitim restinguere rivo:
there but wild oats and barren darnel spring;
nec calamis solum aequiparas, sed voce magistrum.
for tender violet and narcissus bright
Fortunate puer, tu nunc eris alter ab illo.
thistle and prickly thorn uprear their heads.
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Nos tamen haec quocumque modo tibi nostra vicissim
Now, O ye shepherds, strew the ground with leaves,
dicemus, Daphnimque tuum tollemus ad astra;
and o'er the fountains draw a shady veil—
Daphnin ad astra feremus: amavit nos quoque Daphnis.
so Daphnis to his memory bids be done—
An quicquam nobis tali sit munere maius
and rear a tomb, and write thereon this verse:
Et puer ipse fuit cantari dignus, et ista
‘I, Daphnis in the woods, from hence in fame
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iam pridem Stimichon laudavit carmina nobis.
am to the stars exalted, guardian once
Candidus insuetum miratur limen Olympi,
of a fair flock, myself more fair than they.’”
sub pedibusque videt nubes et sidera Daphnis.
So is thy song to me, poet divine,
ergo alacris silvas et cetera rura voluptas
as slumber on the grass to weary limbs,
Panaque pastoresque tenet, Dryadasque puellas;
or to slake thirst from some sweet-bubbling rill
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nec lupus insidias pecori, nec retia cervis
in summer's heat. Nor on the reeds alone,
ulla dolum meditantur: amat bonus otia Daphnis.
but with thy voice art thou, thrice happy boy,
ipsi laetitia voces ad sidera iactant
ranked with thy master, second but to him.
intonsi montes; ipsae iam carmina rupes,
Yet will I, too, in turn, as best I may,
ipsa sonant arbusta: “Deus, deus ille, Menalca.”
sing thee a song, and to the stars uplift
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Sis bonus O felixque tuis! En quattuor aras:
thy Daphnis—Daphnis to the stars extol,
ecce duas tibi, Daphni, duas altaria Phoebo.
for me too Daphnis loved.
pocula bina novo spumantia lacte quotannis,
Than such a boon
craterasque duo statuam tibi pinguis olivi,
what dearer could I deem? the boy himself
et multo in primis hilarans convivia Baccho,—
was worthy to be sung, and many a time
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ante focum, si frigus erit, si messis, in umbra,—
hath Stimichon to me your singing praised.
vina novum fundam calathis Ariusia nectar.
“In dazzling sheen with unaccustomed eyes
cantabunt mihi Damoetas et Lyctius Aegon;
daphnis stands rapt before Olympus' gate,
saltantis satyros imitabitur Alphesiboeus.
and sees beneath his feet the clouds and stars.
Haec tibi semper erunt, et cum solemnia vota
Wherefore the woods and fields, Pan, shepherd-folk,
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reddemus Nymphis, et cum lustrabimus agros.
and Dryad-maidens, thrill with eager joy;
Dum iuga montis aper, fluvios dum piscis amabit,
nor wolf with treacherous wile assails the flock,
dumque thymo pascentur apes, dum rore cicadae,
nor nets the stag: kind Daphnis loveth peace.
semper honos nomenque tuum laudesque manebunt;
The unshorn mountains to the stars up-toss
ut Baccho Cererique, tibi sic vota quotannis
voices of gladness; ay, the very rocks,
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agricolae facient: damnabis tu quoque votis.
the very thickets, shout and sing, ‘A god,
Quae tibi, quae tali reddam pro carmine dona?
a god is he, Menalcas’ Be thou kind,
Nam neque me tantum venientis sibilus austri,
propitious to thine own. Lo! altars four,
nec percussa iuvant fluctu tam litora, nec quae
twain to thee, Daphnis, and to Phoebus twain
saxosas inter decurrunt flumina valles.
for sacrifice, we build; and I for thee
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Hac te nos fragili donabimus ante cicuta:
two beakers yearly of fresh milk afoam,
haec nos, “Formosum Corydon ardebat Alexim,”
and of rich olive-oil two bowls, will set;
haec eadem docuit, “Cuium pecus, an Meliboei?”
and of the wine-god's bounty above all,
At tu sume pedum, quod, me cum saepe rogaret,
if cold, before the hearth, or in the shade
non tulit Antigenes—et erat tum dignus amari—
at harvest-time, to glad the festal hour,
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formosum paribus nodis atque aere, Menalca.
from flasks of Ariusian grape will pour
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