[DANTES ALAGHERII IOHANNI DE VIRGILIO. ECLOGA II].


Velleribus Colchis prepes detectus Eous 
alipedesque alii pulcrum Titana ferebant. 
Orbita, qua primum flecti de culmine cepit, 
currigerum canthum libratim quemque tenebat; 
resque refulgentes, solite superarier umbris, 
vincebant umbras et fervere rura sinebant. 
Tityrus hoc propter confugit et Alphesibeus 
ad silvam, pecudumque suique misertus uterque, 
fraxineam silvam tiliis platanisque frequentem. 
Et dum silvestri pecudes mixteque capelle 
insidunt herbe, dum naribus aera captant, 
Tityrus hic, annosus enim, defensus acerna 
fronte soporifero gravis incumbebat odori; 
nodosoque piri vulso de stirpe bacillo 
stabat subnixus, ut diceret, Alphesibeus. 
«Quod mentes hominum» fabatur «ad astra ferantur 
unde fuere, nove cum corpora nostra subirent, 
quod libeat niveis avibus resonare Caistrum 
temperie celi letis et valle palustri, 
quod pisces coeant pelagi pelagusque relinquant 
flumina qua primum Nerei confinia tangunt, 
Caucason Hyrcane maculent quod sanguine tigres, 
et Libies coluber quod squama verrat arenas, 
non miror, nam cuique placent conformia vite, 
Tityre, sed Mopso miror, mirantur et omnes 
pastores alii mecum Sicula arva tenentes, 
arida Ciclopum placeant quod saxa sub Ethna». 
Dixerat, et calidus et gutture tardus anhelo 
iam Melibeus adest et vix «En, Tityre,» dixit. 
Inrisere senes iuvenilia guttura, quantum 
Sergestum e scopulo vulsum risere Sicani. 
Tum senior viridi canum de cespite crinem 
sustulit et patulis efflanti naribus infit: 
«O nimium iuvenis, que te nova causa coegit 
pectoreos cursu rapido sic angere folles?» 
Ille nichil contra, sed, quam tunc ipse tenebat, 
cannea cum tremulis coniuncta est fistula labris, 
sibilus hinc simplex avidas non venit ad aures, 
verum, ut arundinea puer is pro voce laborat, 
mira loquar sed vera tamen, spiravit arundo: 
Forte sub inriguos colles ubi Sarpina Rheno; 
et tria si flasset ultra spiramina flata, 
centum carminibus tacitos mulcebat agrestes. 
Tityrus et secum conceperat Alphesibeus, 
Tityron et voces compellant Alphesibei: 
«Sic, venerande senex, tu roscida rura Pelori 
deserere auderes, antrum Ciclopis iturus?» 
Ille: «Quid hoc dubitas? quid me, carissime tentas?» 
«Quid dubito? quid tento?» refert tunc Alphesibeus: 
«tibia non sentis quod fit virtute canora 
numinis et similis natis de murmure cannis, 
murmure pandenti turpissima tempora regis 
qui iussu Bromii Pactolida tinxit arenam? 
Quod vocet ad litus Ethneo pumice tectum, 
fortunate senex, falso ne crede favori, 
et Driadum miserere loci pecorumque tuorum. 
Te iuga, te saltus nostri, te flumina flebunt 
absentem et Nymphe mecum peiora timentes, 
et cadet invidia quam nunc habet ipse Pachynus: 
nos quoque pastores te cognovisse pigebit. 
Fortunate senex, fontes et pabula nota 
desertare tuo vivaci nomine nolis». 
«O plus quam media merito pars pectoris huius,» 
atque suum tetigit, longevus Tityrus inquit, 
«Mopsus amore pari mecum connexus ob illas 
que male gliscentem timide fugere Pyreneum, 
litora dextra Pado ratus a Rubicone sinistra 
me colere, Emilida qua terminat Adria terram, 
litoris Ethnei commendat pascua nobis, 
nescius in tenera quod nos duo degimus herba 
Trinacride montis, quo non fecundius alter 
montibus in Siculis pecudes armentaque pavit. 
Sed quanquam viridi sint postponenda Pelori 
Ethnica saxa solo, Mopsum visurus adirem, 
hic grege dimisso, ni te, Polipheme, timerem». 
«Quis Poliphemon» ait «non horreat» Alphesibeus 
«assuetum rictus humano sanguine tingui, 
tempore iam ex illo quando Galathea relicti 
Acidis heu miseri discerpere viscera vidit? 
Vix illa evasit: an vis valuisset amoris, 
effera dum rabies tanta perferbuit ira? 
Quid, quod Achemenides, sociorum cede cruentum 
tantum prospiciens, animam vix claudere quivit? 
A, mea vita, precor, numquam tam dira voluptas 
te premat, ut Rhenus et Nayas illa recludat 
hoc illustre caput, cui iam frondator in alta 
virgine perpetuas festinat cernere frondes». 
Tityrus arridens et tota mente secundus 
verba gregis magni tacitus concepit alumni. 
Sed quia tam proni scindebant ethra iugales, 
ut rem quamque sua iam multum vinceret umbra, 
virgiferi, silvis gelida cum valle relictis, 
post pecudes rediere suas, hirteque capelle 
inde, velut reduces ad mollia prata, preibant. 
Callidus interea iuxta latitavit Iollas, 
omnia qui didicit, qui retulit omnia nobis: 
ille quidem nobis; et nos tibi, Mopse, poymus. 

[Dante Alighieri to Giovanni del Virgilio. Eclogue II].


Their Colchian fleeces doffed, Eous swift and th' other  
steeds the beauteous Titan bore. And momently the track  
in equal poise held either chariot-bearing orb,  
what point it felt the first down-swerving from the height.  
Sun-smitten things, but now by self-cast shade out-lengthed,  
their shadows overpassed; the fields, all unprotected, burned.  
And woodward now had Tityrus and Alphesibaeus fled, 
themselves compassionating and their herds seeking the copse where,  
'twixt the ash's growth, linden and plane find frequent space.  
And there -- the while reposing on the woodland grass, 
cattle, with goats between, sniff the cool air --  
Tityrus, drowsed by odours somnolent, with maple leaves,  
reclining, shields his age; and, to discourse,  
Alphesibaeus stands, leaning upon  
a gnarled pear-wood staff wrenched from its stock. 
"That souls," quoth he, "of men make for the stars,  
whence they were newly come when first our frames  
they entered; that white swans love to make ring Cayster  
with their joy in temperate heavens and in plashy vale;  
that fishes of the sea gather, and quit that sea,  
just where the streams first touch the realm of Nereus;  
that the Caucasus is dabbed with blood Hyrcanian-tiger-spilt,  
the sands of Lybia swept by serpent-scales, I not admire;  
for, Tityrus, each thing delights in what  
to its own life conforms; but I marvel, and marvel 
all my fellow-swains holding Sicilia's pastures, that the rocks 
that parch 'neath Etna's summit should delight Mopsus." So he.  
When, lo! (his panting breath checking his speed)  
toil-heated Melibaeus approaches and scarce gasps "Look Tityrus!" 
His throbbing throat the seniors laugh to see 
no less than the Sicanians laughed of old seeing Sergestus,  
wrenched from off the rock, from the green sod raising his hoary locks, 
the aged swain thus to the panting boy, with nostrils still distent:  
"What novel cause has urged thee, in the wantonness of youth, 
the bellows of thy bosom thus to strain with rapid course?" 
Here naught in answer he; but rather placed  
against his quivering lips the pipe he held;  
whence to our greedy ears issued no simple breath;  
but as he toils to give the reed a voice (strange things  
but true am I to tell) the reed's self uttered forth:  
it chanced on the well-watered slopes where Rhine and Sarpina, 
and had but three more breaths been urged beyond those breathed,  
a hundred strains had the mute rustics charmed. 
Tityrus felt the purport; felt it too Alphesibaeus, 
and gave it words. To Tityrus he turned: 
"Old venerated Sire! and wilt thou dare to desert Pelorus'  
dewy fields and brave the Cyclops' den ?" 
"What is thy fear? What dost thou probe?" he cried; 
"My fear? What probe?" returned Alphesibaeus,  
"Can'st not feel the power divine, vocal within the flute?  
(Such power was in the reeds by whispers bred, whispers that told  
what shame his temples bore, the monarch's, who,  
at Bromius' mandate, tinged Pactolus' sands.) It summons thee  
to shores strewed with Aetnean pumice.  
Trust not thou delusive favours! Pity, loved old Sire, 
the Dryads of the place. Thine own flocks pity. Thee absent  
will the mountains weep, and thee our glades and streams;  
and, sharing in our fears of worse to come, the nymphs.  
Envy no more will vex Pachynus; and we swains shall grieve 
e'er to have known thee. Think not then to leave, 
O loved old Sire, the springs and pastures,  
famed for thy name's living sake."  
"O more than half, -- and rightly -- of this breast,"  
touching his own, the aged Tityrus cried, "Mopsus,  
with me in love united (for their sakes  
who fled in terror from Pyreneus' evil will), 
deeming I dwell on shores to Padua's right 
and left of Rubicon, where Adria bounds  
the Emilian land, of Aetna's shore commends the pastures,  
ignorant that we dwell on a mount Trinacrian,  
than which no other hill of Sicily more rich 
doth pasture flocks and herds. But though the rocks 
of Aetna vie not with Pelorus' sward, yet,  
to see Mopsus, I would take my way, my flocks abandoned,  
but for dread of thee, O Polyphemus!" 
"Polyphemus," cried Alphesibaeus, "who dreads not?  
His jaws familiar with the drip of human gore, 
since when, scarce 'scaping, Galatea saw 
forsaken Acis mangled; while herself 
love's power had barely shielded from the rage 
that boiled so fiercely. Achimenides 
near breathed his last barely at sight of him, 
drenched with his comrades' blood. My life! I pray 
never may such dread purpose master thee 
as that Rhine with his neighbour nymph enclose 
that head illustrious, which the pruner speeds 
to grace with leaves undying, from the boughs 
culled of the exalted virgin." Not unpleased, 
in silence, Tityrus with full assent 
received the words of th' flock's great fosterling. 
But since, by now, so prone the yoke-mates cleft the ether  
that the shadow each thing cast stretched far beyond its height,  
the crookbearers, quitting the woods and the cool vale, returned  
after their flocks; the shaggy goats before to pastures soft,  
like home-comers, led on. Wily Iolas, lurking close at hand,  
the whilst, heard all, and all he heard rehearsed:  
he unto us, and, Mopsus, we to thee.