“Behold, Eurotas, river of Sparta, boastest thou that thy streams have ever nurtured such as these? Did that false swan[47] beget a child to rival them, though ’tis true his sons could fight with the heavy glove and save ships from cruel tempests? Behold new offspring outshining the stars to which Leda gave birth, men of my city for whose coming the Zodiac is now awatch, making ready his hollow tract of sky for a constellation that is to be. Henceforth let Olybrius rule the nightly sky, shedding his ruddy light where Pollux once shone, and where glinted Castor’s fires there let glitter Probinus’ [47] Jupiter, who courted Leda in the form of a swan, becoming by her the father of Helen, Clytemnestra, Castor and Pollux. These latter two were the patrons of the ring--hence “decernere caestu” (l. 238); and of sailors--hence “arcere procellas” (l. 239). * * * * * Page 20 ipsi vela regent, ipsis donantibus auras 245 navita tranquillo moderabitur aequore pinum. nunc pateras libare deis, nunc solvere multo nectare corda libet. niveos iam pandite coetus, Naides, et totum violis praetexite fontem; mella ferant silvae; iam profluat ebrius amnis 250 mutatis in vina vadis; iam sponte per agros sudent inriguae spirantia balsama venae! currat, qui sociae roget in convivia mensae indigenas Fluvios, Italis quicumque suberrant montibus Alpinasque bibunt de more pruinas: 255 Vulturnusque rapax et Nar vitiatus odoro sulphure tardatusque suis erroribus Ufens et Phaëthonteae perpessus damna ruinae Eridanus flavaeque terens querceta Maricae Liris et Oebaliae qui temperat arva Galaesus. 260 semper honoratus nostris celebrabitur undis iste dies, semper dapibus recoletur opimis.” Sic ait et Nymphae patris praecepta secutae tecta parant epulis ostroque infecta corusco umida gemmiferis inluxit regia mensis. 265 O bene signatum fraterno nomine tempus! o consanguineis felix auctoribus annus, incipe quadrifidum Phoebi torquere laborem. prima tibi procedat hiems non frigore torpens, non canas vestita nives, non aspera ventis, 270 sed tepido calefacta Noto; ver inde serenum protinus et liquidi clementior aura Favoni pratis te croceis pingat; te messibus aestas * * * * * Page 21