Tmolus

Here blithelier springs the corn, and here the grape; there earth is green with tender growth of trees and grass unbidden.

See how from Tmolus comes the saffron's fragrance, ivory from India, from Saba's weakling sons their frankincense, iron from the naked Chalibs, castor rank from Pontus! From Epirus the prize palms, or the mares of Elis.

Such the eternal bond, and such the laws of Nature's hand imposed on clime and clime, ere since the primal dawn, when old Deucalion on the unpeopled earth cast stones, whence men, a flinty race, were reared.

Up, then! If fat the soil, let sturdy bulls upturn it from the year's first opening months, and let the clods lie bare till baked to dust by the ripe suns of summer.

Ay, that's the land whose boundless harvest crops burst, see, the barns.

but ere our metal cleave an unknown surface heed we to forlearn the winds and varying temper of the sky the lineal tilth and habits of the spot what every region yields and what denies here blithelier springs the corn and here the grape there earth is green with tender growth of trees and grass unbidden See how from Tmolus comes the saffron's fragrance, ivory from India, from Saba's weakling's sons their frankincense, iron from the naked Chalibs, castor rank from Pontus, from Epirus the prize palms, O the mares of Elis.

such the eternal bond and such the laws of nature's hand imposed on clime and clime ere since the primal dawn when old deucalion on the unpeopled earth cast stones whence men a flinty race were reared up then if fat the soil let sturdy boles upturn it from the year's first opening months and let the clods lie bare till baked to dust by the ripe suns of summer but if the earth less fruitful just ere arcturus rise with shallower trench up tilt it twill suffice there lest weeds choke the crop's luxuriance here lest the scant moisture fail the barren sand then thou shalt suffer in alternate years the new-reaped fields to rest and on the plain a crust of sloth to harden or when stars are changed in heaven there sow the golden grain where erst luxuriant with its quivering pod pulse or the slender vetch crop thou hast cleared and lupin sour whose brittle stalks arise a hurtling forest For the plain is parched by flax crop, parched by oats, by poppies parched in leth slumber drenched.

Nathless by change the travailing earth is lightened, But stint not with refuse rich to soak the thirsty soil, And shower foul ashes o'er the exhausted fields.

There earth is green with tender growth of trees, and grass unbidden.

See how from Tmolus comes the saffron's fragrance, ivory from India, from Saba's weakling suns their frankincense.

Iron from the naked Chalibs, Castor rank from Pontus, From Epirus the prize palms, O the mares of Elis.

such the eternal bond and such the laws of nature's hand imposed on clime and clime ere since the primal dawn when old deucalion on the unpeopled earth cast stones whence men a flinty race were reared up then if fat the soil let sturdy boles upturn it from the year's first opening months and let the clods lie bare till baked to dust by the ripe suns of summer but if the earth less fruitful just ere arcturus rise with shallower trench up tilt it twill suffice there lest weeds choke the crop's luxuriance here lest the scant moisture fail the barren sand then thou shalt suffer in alternate years the new-reaped fields to rest and on the plain a crust of sloth to harden or when stars are changed in heaven there sow the golden grain where erst luxuriant with its quivering pod pulse or the slender vetch crop thou hast cleared and lupin sour whose brittle stalks arise a hurtling forest For the plain is parched by flax crop, parched by oats, by poppies parched in leth slumber drenched.