The Bvcoliks of Pvblivs Virgilivs Maro Prince of all Latine Poets; otherwise called his Pastoralls, or shepeherds meetings. Together with his Georgiks or Ruralls, otherwise called his husbandrie, conteyning foure books. All newly translated into English verse by A. F. [i.e. Abraham Fleming] |
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The second Eclog of Virgill, intituled, Corydon.
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 | The Bvcoliks of Pvblivs Virgilivs Maro |  |
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The second Eclog of Virgill, intituled, Corydon.
The Argument.
Corydon a shepheard vnreasonably in loue with a passing faire youth named Alexis, and seeking him vp and downe in waylesse woods and places void of passage, rehearseth all things which might or could obtaine loue and liking; wherewithall when he saw he could doo no good, nor any whit preuaile, at length he falleth to persuasion, giuing counsell and aduise to keepe a measure in loue, least it grow into foolish outrage.
The shepherd Corydon loued sore Alexis faire [that youth]
His lords delight, and yet he had not that which he did hope,
He [came] full oft the beeches thicke vnto with shadie tops,
There all alone he cast vnto the mounteins and the woods
These words rude and disordered [with labour spent in vaine,]
O cruell Alex for my songs thou doost not care [a straw]
Of vs thou doost no pitie take, yea more, thou mak'st me die,
How do the cattell also take the shadowes and the coole,
Now doo the thornie thickets hide the lizzards greene also,
And Thestylis [that woman] stamps wilde thyme and garlike too,
Strong smelling herbs, for mowers [meat] wearied in scortching sunne.
But yet the groues doo sound againe with grashops hoarse and mee,
Whilest I go all about to seeke the treddings of thy feet,
In hot and burning sunne [alacke:] had it not better beene
T'auoid the heauie anger and the proud disdaine and spite
Of Amaryll [that wench?] and had it not far better beene
T'abide Menalca, blacke though he and [louely] white were she?
O faire welfauoured youth, trust not too much thy gallant hew
White priuet [flowers] fall [to the ground] blacke violets gathered vp,
O Alex I am scornd of thee, ne ask'st thou what I am,
How rich in cattell white as snow, how greatly stord with milke,
A thousand lambs of mine doo stray vpon Sicilia hilles,
New milke in summer failes me not, ne yet in winter [time]
I sing [the songs] that Amphron Dircey was woont [to sing]
Upon the hyll of Aracynth butting vpon the shore,
If any time he cald his heard [and cattell him about:]
Ne am I so ill fauoured, I saw my selfe of late
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I will not feare Daphnis [that man] thou being iudge [betweene]
If so be that my counterfet doo neuer me deceiue,
O that thou wouldest dwell with me in sluttish countrie soile,
In cottages both low and small, and sticke the stags with darts,
And driue the flocke of kids to mallows and to rushes greene,
Thou shalt resemble Pan in sing-ing in the woods with me,
Pan first deuised to ioyne with wax, pipes many a one together,
Pan cares for sheepe and [shepheards too] of sheepe [which] maisters [be,]
Ne let it thee repent with pipe thy little lip t'haue worne,
What thing did not Amyntas doo that he this same might know?
A pipe made vp of seuen reeds, and diuerse all in sound,
I haue, which Damet once bestowd vpon me for a gift,
And dieng said, This pipe hath thee, next owner of the same.
Thus said Dameta, howbeit Amyntas [busie] foole,
Did enuie me therefore. Beside two little gotes were found
Of me in vallie dangerous, their skins with speckled white,
Two teats of sheepe they drie adaie [with sucking,] which I keepe
For thee: [yet] Thestylis desirde me long ago that she
Might haue them hense, and so she will, because thou scornst our gifts,
O faire well fauoured youth come heere, behold the nymphs doo bring
Lillies for thee by baskets full, white Nais [the nymph also]
Cropping for thee pale violets, and poppie floures likewise
Dooth ioine the floure delice and floure of fennell sauouring well,
And making [garlands] also of sweet Casia, and other
Most sweet and pleasant hearbs, she decks blacke violets soft [of leafe]
With yellow floures of marigold [which followeth the sunne.]
My selfe will gather peaches gray, with tender cotton [cotes]
And chestnuts too, which Amaryll [my sweet hart] loued well,
And I will put plums [vnto these] plums red and soft as wax,
And honor also to this plum [or apple] shall be [doone]
And you O baytrees I will crop, and hirtle berrie trees,
So set and placed for bicause sweet sauours you doo mingle.
O Corydon thou art a clowne, Alex regards no gifts,
Ne if by gifts thou striue and straine, may Iol giue thee place.
Alacke what might I [doo] vnto my selfe poore sillie man?
Lost and vndone; I haue let in southwinds among the floures,
And bores into the watrie springs [my pleasures I haue spoild.]
Ah mad-head; from whom fliest thou? the gods haue dwelt in woods,
And Paris too king Dardans sonne. What castles, forts and townes
Pallas hath built, in them let hir inhabit [keepe and dwell]
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The sterne and lowring lion she dooth follow [in chase] the woolfe,
The woolfe dooth follow [in chase] the gote, the wanton gote likewise
Doth couet after cythisus that blooming shrub [for life]
And O Alexis after thee poore Corydon doth hunt,
Their owne [peculiar] pleasure drawes [and conquers] euery men.
Behold the bullocks home doo beare their plowes hangd on the yoke,
The sunne also in going downe th' increasing shades doth double,
Yet loue torments me still, what mea-sure can there be for loue?
Ah Corydon ah Corydon what madnesse hath thee caught?
Thou hast a vine halfe cut and lopt [growing] vpon an elme
All full of leaues; Why doost thou not yet rather now at last
Settle thy selfe some thing to make, which needfull is to vse,
[Some wicker worke] of iuie rods, or else of rushes soft?
Thou shalt find out another if this Alex thee disdaine.
| The Bvcoliks of Pvblivs Virgilivs Maro | |