And in what chapel too you play'd your prize, And what the goats observed with leering eyes:The nymphs were kind, and laugh'd; and there your safety lies. MENALCAS. Yes, when I cropp'd the hedges of the leys, Cut Micon's tender vines, and stole the stays! DAMCETAS. Or rather, when, beneath yon ancient oak, MENALCAS. What nonsense would the fool thy master prate, When thou, his knave, canst talk at such a rate! Did I not see you, rascal, did I not, When you lay snug to snap young Damon's goat? His mongrel bark'd; I ran to his relief, [thief!' And cried There, there he goes! stop, stop the Discover'd, and defeated of your prey, You skulk'd behind the fence, and sneak'd away. DAMETAS. An honest man may freely take his own: I think he dares not; if he does, he lies. MENALCAS. Thou sing with him? thou booby!-Never pipe Was so profaned to touch that blubber'd lip. Dunce at the best! in streets but scarce allow'd To tickle, on thy straw, the stupid crowd. DAMCETAS. To bring it to the trial, will you dare MENALCAS. That should be seen, if I had one to make. You know too well, I feed my father's flock; What can I wager from the common stock? A stepdame too I have, a cursed she, Who rules my hen-peck'd sire, and orders me. Both number twice a day the milky dams; And once she takes the tale of all the lambs. But, since you will be mad, and since you may Suspect my courage, if I should not lay; The pawn I proffer shall be full as good: Two bowls I have, well turn'd, of beechen wood; Both by divine Alcimedon were made; To neither of them yet the lip is laid. The lids are ivy; grapes in clusters lurk Beneath the carving of the curious work. Two figures on the sides emboss'd appearConon, and, what's his name who made the sphere, And show'd the seasons of the sliding year, Instructed in his trade the labouring swain, And when to reap, and when to sow the grain? DAMCETAS. And I have two, to match your pair, at home; The wood the same; from the same hand they come, (The kimbo handles seem with bear's-foot carved) And never yet to table have been served; Where Orpheus on his lyre laments his love, With beasts encompass'd, and a dancing grove. But these, nor all the proffers you can make, Are worth the heifer which I set to stake. MENALCAS. No more delays, vain boaster, but begin! DAMŒTAS. Rhymer, come on! and do the worst you can; With silence, neighbour, and attention wait: PALEMON. Sing then; the shade affords a proper place, The trees are clothed with leaves, the fields with grass; The blossoms blow, the birds on bushes sing, DAMCETAS. From the great father of the gods above MENALCAS. Me Phœbus loves; for he my Muse inspires, And, in her songs, the warmth he gave, requires. For him, the god of shepherds and their sheep, My blushing hyacinths and my bays I keep. DAMETAS. My Phyllis me with pelted apples plies: MENALCAS. But fair Amyntas comes unask'd to me, DAMETAS. To the dear mistress of my love-sick mind, MENALCAS. Ten ruddy wildings in the wood I found, DAMCETAS. The lovely maid lay panting in my arms; MENALCAS. Ah! what avails it me, my love's delight, . DAMETAS. I keep my birthday: send my Phyllis home: At shearing-time, Iolas, you may come. MENALCAS. With Phyllis I am more in grace than you; Adieu, my dear! (she said) a long adieu!' DAMCETAS. The nightly wolf is baneful to the fold, Storms to the wheat, to buds the bitter cold; MENALCAS. The kids with pleasure browze the bushy plain; DAMCETAS. Pollio my rural verse vouchsafes to read: MENALCAS. My Pollio writes himself::-a bull he bred, With spurning heels, and with a butting head. DAMCETAS. Who Pollio loves, and who his Muse admires, MENALCAS. Who hates not living Bavius, let him be [thee! (Dead Mævius) damn'd to love thy works and The same ill taste of sense would serve to join Dog foxes in the yoke, and shear the swine. DAMETAS. Ye boys, who pluck the flowers, and spoil the spring, Beware the secret snake that shoots a sting. MENALCAS. Graze not too near the banks, my jolly sheep; The ground is false; the running streams are deep: |