Hic amor, hoc ftudium: Veneris quoque nulla cupido.
Vim tamen agreftûm metuens, pomaria claudit
Intus, et acceffus prohibet refugitque viriles.
Quid non et Satyri, faltatibus apta juventus,
Fecere, et pinu præcincti cornua Panes,
Sylvanufque fuis femper juvenilior annis,
Quique Deus fures, vel falce, vel inguine terret,
Ut poterentur ea? fed enim fuperabat amando
Hos quoque Vertumnus: neque erat felicior illis.
O quoties habitu duri mefforis ariftas
Corbe tulit, verique fuit mefforis imago!
Tempora fæpe gerens fœno religata recenti,
Defectum poterat gramen verfaffe videri.
Sæpe manu ftimulos rigida portabat; ut illum
Jurares feffos modo disjunxiffe juvencos.
Falce data frondator erat, vitifque putator.
Induerat fcalas, lecturum poma putares :
Miles erat gladio, pifcator arundine fumta.
Denique per multas aditum fibi fæpe figuras
Repperit, ut caperet fpectata gaudia formæ.
These cares alone her virgin breast employ,
Averse from Venus and the nuptial joy.
Her private orchards, wall'd on ev'ry fide,
To lawless fylvans all accefs deny'd.
How oft the Satyrs and the wanton Fawns,
Who haunt the forefts, or frequent the lawns,
The God whofe enfign scares the birds of prey,
And old Silenus, youthful in decay,
Employ'd their wiles, and unavailing care,
To pass the fences, and furprize the fair?
Like these, Vertumnus own'd his faithful flame,
Like thefe, rejected by the fcornful dame.
To gain her fight a thousand forms he wears;
And first a reaper from the field appears.
Sweating he walks, while loads of golden grain
O'ercharge the shoulders of the seeming swain.
Oft o'er his back a crooked fcythe is laid,
And wreaths of hay his fun-burnt temples shade:
Oft in his harden'd hand a goad he bears,
Like one who late unyok'd the fweating steers.
Sometimes his pruning-hook corrects the vines,
And the loose stragglers to their ranks confines.
Now gath'ring what the bounteous year allows,
He pulls ripe apples from the bending boughs.
A foldier now, he with his fword appears;
A fisher next, his trembling angle bears;
Each shape he varies, and each art he tries,
On her bright charms to feaft his longing eyes.
T 2
A female
бо
Ille etiam picta redimitus
tempora mitra,
Innitens baculo, pofitis ad tempora canis,
Adfimulavit anum: cultofque intravit in hortos;
Pomaque mirata eft: Tantoque potentior, inquit.
Paucaque laudatæ dedit ofcula; qualia nunquam
Vera dediffet anus: glebaque incurva refedit,
Sufpiciens pandos autumni pondere ramos.
Ulmus erat contra, fpatiofa tumentibus uvis :
Quam focia poftquam pariter cum vite probavit ;
At fi ftaret, ait, cœlebs, fine palmite truncus,
Nil præter frondes, quare peteretur, haberet.
Hæc quoque, quæ juncta vitis requiefcit in ulmo,
Si non nupta foret, terræ adclinata jaceret.
Tu tamen exemplo non tangeris arboris hujus;
Concubitufque fugis; nec te conjungere curas.
Atque utinam velles! Helene non pluribus effet
Sollicitata procis: nec quæ Lapitheïa movit
Prolia, nec conjux timidis audacis Ulyffei.
Nunc quoque, cum fugias averferifque petentes,
5°?
A female form at laft Vertumnus wears, With all the marks of rev'rend age appears, His temples thinly spread with filver hairs; Prop'd on his staff, and ftooping as he goes, A painted mitre fhades his furrow'd brows. The god in this decrepit form array'd, The gardens enter'd, and the fruit furvey'd; And "Happy you! (he thus addrefs'd the maid) "Whofe charms as far all other nymphs outfhine, "As other gardens are excell'd by thine!" Then kifs'd the fair; (his kiffes warmer grow Than fuch as women on their fex bestow.) Then plac'd befide her on the flow'ry ground, Beheld the trees with autumn's bounty crown'd. An Elm was near, to whose embraces led, The curling Vine her fwelling clusters spread: He view'd her twining branches with delight, And prais'd the beauty of the pleafing fight.
Yet this tall elm, but for his vine (he' faid) Had ftood neglected, and a barren shade; And this fair vine, but that her arms furround Her marry'd elm, had crept along the ground. Ah! beauteous maid, let this example move Your mind, averfe from all the joys of love, Deign to be lov'd, and ev'ry heart fubdue! What nymph could e'er attract such crouds as you? Not the whofe beauty urg'd the Centaur's arms, Ulyffes' Queen, nor Helen's fatal charms.
69
Ev'n now, when filent fcorn is all thy gain,
A thoufand court you, tho' they court in vain,
T 3
Mille proci cupiunt ; et femideique deique,
Et quæcunque tenent Albanos numina montes.
Sed tu, fi fapies, fi te bene jungere, anumque
Hanc audire voles, (quæ te plus omnibus illis,
Plus quam credis, amo) vulgares rejice tædas:
Vertumnumque tori focium tibi felige; pro quo
Me quoque pignus habe. neque enim fibi notior ille eft,
Quam mihi. nec toto paffim vagus errat in orbe.
Hæc loca fola colit: nec, uti pars magna procorum,
Quam modo vidit, amat. tu primus et ultimus illi
Ardor eris; folique fuos tibi devovet annos.
Adde, quod eft juvenis: quod naturale decoris
Munus habet; formafque apte fingetur in omnes:
Et, quod erit juffus (jubeas licet omnia) fiet.
Quid, quod amatis idem? quod, quæ tibi poma co.
luntur,
Primus habet; lætaque tenet tua munera dextra?
Sed neque jam fœtus defiderat arbore demtos,
Nec, quas hortus alit, cum fuccis mitibus herbas ;
Nec
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