W
ith lovely Neatherd Daphnis on the hills, they say,
Shepherd Menalcas met upon a summer's day:
Both youthful striplings, both had yellow heads of hair;
In whistling both, and both in singing skilful were.
Menalcas first, beholding Daphnis, thus bespake:
"Wilt thou in singing, Neatherd Daphnis, undertake
To strive with me? For I affirm that, at my will,
I can thee pass!" Thus Daphnis answered on the hill.
"Whistler Menalcas, thou shalt never me excel
In singing, though to death with singing thou should'st swell!"
"Then wilt thou see, and something for the victor wage?"
"I will both see, and something for the victor gage!"
"What therefore shall we pawn, that for us may be fit?"
"I'll pawn a calf; a wennell lamb lay thou to it!"
"I'll pawn no lamb: for both my Sire and Mother fell
Are very hard; and all my sheep at e'en they tell."
"What then? What shall he gain that wins the victory?"
"A gallant Whistle which I made with notes thrice three,
Joined with white wax, both e'en below and e'en above;
This will I lay! My father's things I will not move!"
"And I a Whistle have with notes thrice three a row,
Joined with white wax, both e'en below and e'en above.
I lately framed it: for this finger yet doth ache
With pricking, which a splinter of the reed did make.
But who shall be our Judge, and give us audience?"
"What if we call this Goatherd here, not far from hence,
Whose dog doth bark hard by the kids?" The lusty boys
Did call him, and the Goatherd came to hear their toys.
The lusty boys did sing, the Goatherd judgment gave.
Menalcas first, by lot, unto his Whistle brave,
Did sing a Neatherd's Song; and Neatherd Daphnis then
Did sing, by course: but first Menalcas thus began:
"Ye Groves and Brooks divine, if on his reed
Menalcas ever sang a pleasant Lay;
Fat me these lambs! If Daphnis here will feed
His calves, let him have pasture too I pray!"
"Ye pleasant Springs and Plants, would Daphnis had
As sweet a voice as have the nightingales!
Feed me this herd! and if the Shepherd's lad
Menalcas comes, let him have all the dales!"
"'Tis ever Spring; there meads are ever gay;
There strout the bags; there sheep are fatly fed,
When Daphne comes! Go she away;
Then both the Shepherd there, and grass are dead."
"There both the ewes, and goats, bring forth their twins;
There bees do fill their hives; there oaks are high;
Where Milo treads! When he away begins
To go, both Neatherd and the neat wax dry."
"O husband of the goats! O wood so high!
O kids! come to this brook, for he is there!
Thou with the broken horns tell Milo shy,
That Proteus kept sea-calves, though god he were."
"Nor Pelops' kingdom may I crave, nor gold;
Nor to outrun the winds upon a lea:
But in this cave I'll sing, with thee in hold,
Both looking on my sheep, and on the sea."
"A tempest marreth trees; and drought, a spring:
Snares unto fowls, to beasts nets, are a smart;
Love spoils a man. O Jove, alone his sting
I have not felt; for thou a lover art!"
Thus sang these boys, by course, with voices strong;
Menalcas then began a latter song:
"Wolf, spare my kids! and spare my fruitful sheep!
And hurt me not! though but a lad, these flocks I guide.
Lampur my dog, art thou indeed so sound asleep?
Thou should'st not sleep while thou art by thy master's side!
My sheep, fear not to eat the tender grass at will!
Nor when it springeth up again, see that you fail!
Go to, and feed apace, and all your bellies fill!
That part your lambs may have; and part, my milking pail."
Then Daphnis in his turn sweetly began to sing:
"And me, not long ago, fair Daphne whistly eyed
As I drove by; and said, I was a paragon:
Nor then indeed to her I churlishly replied;
But, looking on the ground, my way still held I on.
Sweet is a cow-calf's voice, and sweet her breath doth smell;
A bull calf, and a cow, do low full pleasantly.
'Tis sweet in summer by a spring abroad to dwell!
Acorns become the oak; apples, the apple-tree;
And calves, the kine; and kine, the Neatherd much set out."
Thus sung these youths. The Goatherd thus did end the doubt:
"O Daphnis, what a dulcet mouth and voice thou hast!
'Tis sweeter thee to hear than honey-combs to taste!
Take thee these Pipes, for thou in singing dost excel!
If me, a Goatherd, thou wilt teach to sing so well;
This broken-hornèd goat, on thee bestow I will!
Which to the very brim, the pail doth ever fill."
So then was Daphnis glad, and lept and clapt his hands;
And danced as doth a fawn, when by the dam he stands.
Menalcas grieved, the thing his mind did much dismay:
And sad as Bride he was, upon the marriage day.
Since then among the Shepherds, Daphnis chief was had!
And took a Nymph to wife when he was but a lad.
At hæc Daphne forsan probet.
Est minor nemo nisi comparatus