COMATAS. A cypress milk-pail for my girl I have, And bowl-which old Praxiteles did grave. LACON. A hound, wolf-strangling keeper of the sheep, COMATAS. Locusts, that overleap my fences, spare My vines their shoots yet weak and tender are. LACON. Cicada see this goatherd I provoke : COMATAS. I hate the bush-tailed foxes-nightly troop, LACON. I hate the scarabs-air-borne host, that mow Philonda's fig-trees, fig-devouring foe. COMATAS. Do you remember when I smote you, fellow, How you did wriggle round the oak, and bellow? LACON. No! but I do remember when with scourge COMATAS. Some one, my Morson, into rage is dashing; LACON. I too prick some one, Morson; do you take? COMATAS. Flow Himera with milk, and Crathis flow Purple with wine! and fruit on cresses grow! LACON. Fountain of Sybaris, to honey turn, And fill with honeycombs the maiden's urn! COMATAS. On goat's-rue feed, my goats, and cytisus; On lentisk tread, and lie on arbutus ! LACON. Of the rose-eglantine there blooms a heap, COMATAS. Alcippe for my ring-dove gave no kiss, Holding my ears -I love her not for this. LACON. I love my love because a sweet lip paid COMATAS. Nor whoop the swan, nor jay the nightingale MORSON. Cease, shepherd! Morson gives the lamb to thee, Comatas; fail not to remember me, And let my portion of the flesh be nice, When to the Nymphs you make your sacrifice. COMATAS. By Pan I'll send it. Snort and gambol round, Of Lacon, who to me his lamb has lost! I too will skip. My horned goats, good cheer! The Nymphs my offering. Ha! then blows I'll try- IDYL VI. THE HERDSMEN. ARGUMENT. Damætas and Daphnis beguile the time by singing alternately. Daphnis, acting the part of a spectator, describes Polyphemus sitting on a rock that overlooks the sea, and Galatea, the seanymph beloved by the Cyclops, sporting on the waves near the shore. Damætas represents Polyphemus, professing that he has acted with apparent harshness and indifference in order to attract the nymph, and compel her to live ashore with him. When they have done singing, they exchange presents. |