roscida mobilibus lambebant gramina rivis, silvaque torrentes ramorum frigore soles 105 temperat et medio brumam sibi vindicat aestu: apta fretis abies, bellis accommoda cornus, quercus amica Iovi, tumulos tectura cupressus, ilex plena favis, venturi praescia laurus; fluctuat hic denso crispata cacumine buxus, 110 hic hederae serpunt, hic pampinus induit ulmos. haud procul inde lacus (Pergum dixere Sicani) panditur et nemorum frondoso margine cinctus vicinis pallescit aquis: admittit in altum cernentes oculos et late pervius umor 115 ducit inoffensos liquido sub flumine visus imaque perspicui prodit secreta profundi. [huc elapsa cohors gaudet per florida rura.][125] Hortatur Cytherea legant. “nunc ite, sorores, dum matutinis praesudat solibus aër, 120 dum meus umectat flaventes Lucifer agros roranti praevectus equo.” sic fata doloris carpit signa sui. varios tum cetera saltus invasere cohors: credas examina fundi Hyblaeum raptura thymum, cum cerea reges 125 castra movent fagique cava dimissus ab alvo mellifer electis exercitus obstrepit herbis. pratorum spoliatur honos: haec lilia fuscis intexit violis; hanc mollis amaracus ornat; haec graditur stellata rosis, haec alba ligustris. 130 te quoque, flebilibus maerens Hyacinthe figuris, [125] Written into F by a later hand. Doubtless an interpolation and as such erased in C. It anticipates the _saltus invasere cohors_ of 123. * * * * * Page 327 streams bedewed their grassy banks. With the shade of its branches a wood tempers the sun’s fierce heat and at summer’s height makes for itself the cold of winter. There grows the pine, useful for seafaring, the cornel-tree for weapons of war, the oak, friendly to Jove, the cypress, sentinel of graves, the holm filled with honeycombs, and the laurel foreknowing of the future; here the box-tree waves its thick crown of leaves, here creeps the ivy, here the vine clothes the elm. Not far from here lies a lake called by the Sicani Pergus, girt with a cincture of leafy woods close around its pallid waters. Deep down therein the eye of whoso would can see, and the everywhere transparent water invites an untrammelled gaze into its oozy depths and betrays the uttermost secrets of its pellucid gulfs. [Hither came their company well pleased with the flowery climb.]