And last, what evening brings, and when the wind Bears placid clouds, and also with what thoughts The wet south wind is moved, of all these things The sun will give thee signs. Who dares to say The sun is false? He even warns ofttimes That strife unseen and treason are at hand And hidden wars are swelling to break forth. He even, pitying Rome for Cæsar’s fall, In pitchy darkness veiled his shining head; The impious age feared endless night. Yet then Earth also and the waters of the sea And obscene dogs and evil-omened birds Gave signs. How often did we see boil forth From bursting furnace of the Cyclopes The waves of Ætna o’er the fertile fields And roll her balls of flame and molten rocks! Germania heard through all the sky the sound Of arms; the Alps with unused tremblings shook. Then, too, by many through the silent groves A mighty voice was heard, and pallid forms In wondrous wise appeared in dusky night, And dumb beasts spake (oh, horror!), and the streams Stood still, and earth yawned open, and the sad Carved ivory wept within the sacred fanes, And sweat poured forth from statues wrought of bronze. Eridanus, the king of rivers, rushed Whirling the woods along on eddies mad, And through the fields bore stables with the herds.[56] The second book treats of the culture of trees and of the vine, and includes a description of the properties of different kinds of soil. Among its beautiful passages one is the praise of Italy,[57] another the description of the blessings of the farmer’s life, beginning— O blessed farmers, if they only might Their blessings know! For whom the bounteous earth Herself, afar from strife of clashing arms, Pours forth an easy livelihood.[58] The third book is devoted to the care of horses and cattle. A beautiful passage, near the beginning of the book, expresses the poet’s love for his native Mantua and his homage to Augustus. The first lines of this passage are as follows: I first, if life be granted, coming back, Will lead the Muses from Aonian heights To my own land; I first will bring to thee, My Mantua, Idumæan palms, and in Thy verdant mead will build a marble fane Beside the water, where the mighty stream Of Mincius wanders slow with winding curves And clothes with tender reeds the river banks. There in the midst for me shall Cæsar stand And hold the temple. Then to him will I As victor, clad in Tyrian purple garb, Drive to the stream a hundred four-horse cars.[59]