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But heavy harvests and the Massic juice Of Bacchus fill its borders；
overspread With fruitful flocks and olives。 Hence arose The war…horse
stepping proudly o'er the plain； Hence thy white flocks； Clitumnus； and
the bull； Of victims mightiest； which full oft have led； Bathed in thy sacred
stream； the triumph…pomp Of Romans to the temples of the gods。 Here
blooms perpetual spring； and summer here In months that are not
summer's； twice teem the flocks； Twice doth the tree yield service of her
fruit。 But ravening tigers come not nigh； nor breed Of savage lion； nor
aconite betrays Its hapless gatherers； nor with sweep so vast Doth the
scaled serpent trail his endless coils Along the ground； or wreathe him into
spires。 Mark too her cities； so many and so proud； Of mighty toil the
achievement； town on town Up rugged precipices heaved and reared； And
rivers undergliding ancient walls。 Or should I celebrate the sea that laves
Her upper shores and lower？ or those broad lakes？ Thee； Larius； greatest
and； Benacus； thee With billowy uproar surging like the main？ Or sing her
harbours； and the barrier cast Athwart the Lucrine； and how ocean chafes
With mighty bellowings； where the Julian wave Echoes the thunder of his
rout； and through Avernian inlets pours the Tuscan tide？ A land no less that
in her veins displays Rivers of silver； mines of copper ore； Ay； and with
gold hath flowed abundantly。 A land that reared a valiant breed of men；
The Marsi and Sabellian youth； and； schooled To hardship； the Ligurian；
and with these The Volscian javelin…armed； the Decii too； The Marii and
Camilli； names of might； The Scipios； stubborn warriors； ay； and thee；
Great Caesar； who in Asia's utmost bounds With conquering arm e'en now
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art fending far The unwarlike Indian from the heights of Rome。 Hail！ land
of Saturn； mighty mother thou Of fruits and heroes； 'tis for thee I dare
Unseal the sacred fountains； and essay Themes of old art and glory； as I
sing The song of Ascra through the towns of Rome。 Now for the native
gifts of various soils； What powers hath each； what hue； what natural bent
For yielding increase。 First your stubborn lands And churlish hill…sides；
where are thorny fields Of meagre marl and gravel； these delight In long…
lived olive…groves to Pallas dear。 Take for a sign the plenteous growth hard
by Of oleaster； and the fields strewn wide With woodland berries。 But a
soil that's rich； In moisture sweet exulting； and the plain That teems with
grasses on its fruitful breast； Such as full oft in hollow mountain…dell We
view beneath us… from the craggy heights Streams thither flow with
fertilizing mud… A plain which southward rising feeds the fern By curved
ploughs detested； this one day Shall yield thee store of vines full strong to
gush In torrents of the wine…god； this shall be Fruitful of grapes and
flowing juice like that We pour to heaven from bowls of gold； what time
The sleek Etruscan at the altar blows His ivory pipe； and on the curved
dish We lay the reeking entrails。 If to rear Cattle delight thee rather； steers；
or lambs； Or goats that kill the tender plants； then seek Full…fed Tarentum's
glades and distant fields； Or such a plain as luckless Mantua lost Whose
weedy water feeds the snow…white swan： There nor clear springs nor grass
the flocks will fail； And all the day…long browsing of thy herds Shall the
cool dews of one brief night repair。 Land which the burrowing share
shows dark and rich； With crumbling soil… for this we counterfeit In
ploughing… for corn is goodliest； from no field More wains thou'lt see
wend home with plodding steers； Or that from which the husbandman in
spleen Has cleared the timber； and o'erthrown the copse That year on year
lay idle； and from the roots Uptorn the immemorial haunt of birds； They
banished from their nests have sought the skies； But the rude plain beneath
the ploughshare's stroke Starts into sudden brightness。 For indeed The
starved hill…country gravel scarce serves the bees With lowly cassias and
with rosemary； Rough tufa and chalk too； by black water…worms Gnawed
through and through； proclaim no soils beside So rife with serpent…dainties；
or that yield Such winding lairs to lurk in。 That again； Which vapoury mist
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29BC THE GEORGICS
and flitting smoke exhales； Drinks moisture up and casts it forth at will；
Which； ever in its own green grass arrayed； Mars not the metal with salt
scurf of rust… That shall thine elms with merry vines enwreathe； That
teems with olive； that shall thy tilth prove kind To cattle； and patient of the
curved share。 Such ploughs rich Capua； such the coast that skirts Thy
ridge； Vesuvius； and the Clanian flood； Acerrae's desolation and her bane。
How each to recognize now hear me tell。 Dost ask if loose or passing firm
it be… Since one for corn hath liking； one for wine； The firmer sort for
Ceres； none too loose For thee； Lyaeus？… with scrutinizing eye First
choose thy ground； and bid a pit be sunk Deep in the solid earth； then cast
the mould All back again； and stamp the surface smooth。 If it suffice not；
loose will be the land； More meet for cattle and for kindly vines； But if；
rebellious； to its proper bounds The soil returns not； but fills all the trench
And overtops it； then the glebe is gross； Look for stiff ridges and reluctant
clods； And with strong bullocks cleave the fallow crust。 Salt ground again；
and bitter； as 'tis called… Barren for fruits； by tilth untamable； Nor grape
her kind； nor apples their good name Maintaining… will in this wise yield
thee proof： Stout osier…baskets from the rafter…smoke； And strainers of the
winepress pluck thee down； Hereinto let that evil land； with fresh Spring…
water mixed； be trampled to the full； The moisture； mark you； will ooze all
away； In big drops issuing through the osier…withes； But plainly will its
taste the secret tell； And with a harsh twang ruefully distort The mouths of
them that try it。 Rich soil again We learn on this wise： tossed from hand to
hand Yet cracks it never； but pitch…like； as we hold； Clings to the fingers。 A
land with moisture rife Breeds lustier herbage； and is more than meet
Prolific。 Ah I may never such for me O'er…fertile prove； or make too stout a
show At the first earing！ Heavy land or light The mute self…witness of its
weight betrays。 A glance will serve to warn thee which is black； Or what
the hue of any。 But hard it is To track the signs of that pernicious cold：
Pines only； noxious yews； and ivies dark At times reveal its traces。
All these rules Regarding； let your land； ay； long before； Scorch to the
quick； and into trenches carve The mighty mountains； and their upturned
clods Bare to the north wind； ere thou plant therein The vine's prolific
kindred。 Fields whose soil Is crumbling are the best： winds look to that；
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And bitter hoar…frosts； and the delver's toil Untiring； as he stirs the
loosened glebe。 But those； whose vigilance no care escapes； Search for a
kindred site； where first to rear A nursery for the trees； and eke whereto
Soon to translate them； lest the sudden shock From their new mother the
young plants estrange。 Nay； even the quarter of the sky they brand Upon
the bark； that each may be restored； As erst it stood； here bore the southern
heats； Here turned its shoulder to the northern pole； So strong is custom
formed in early years。 Whether on hill or plain 'tis best to plant Your
vineyard first inquire。 If on some plain You measure out rich acres； then
plant thick； Thick planting makes no niggard of the vine； But if on rising
mound or sloping bill； Then let the rows have room； so none the less Each
line you draw； when all the trees are set； May tally to perfection。 Even as
oft In mighty war； whenas the legion's length Deploys its cohorts； and the
column stands In open plain